Hotel gyms aren’t something I tend to blog about, but the one at the Pullman Rotorua impressed me enough that I wanted to share it with you. This is the hotel we stayed at while visiting Rotorua, and on two morning I took the time to go down to the gym and get my workout in before leaving for the day. It was a good thing too because it punched well above its weight for a hotel gym.
Here are my impressions after carrying a towel and taking the stairs down to the lower level one morning with no expectations.
A Very Good Hotel Gym
Pullman Rotorua Gym
It didn’t take long to find the gym. There were signs in the hallway directing me there, and I went down one set of stairs to the lower level where the fitness centre was located. Immediately I was pleasantaly surprised with what I saw, this wasn’t your typical hotel gym tucked away in a windowless corner somewhere.
The good thing about this room was that it did have some proper natural light when I walked in. Cardio machine were lined up along the windows, which really helped the feel of the room. No one likes running on a treadmill looking at a blank wall and at least here you had something to look out at as you sweated up a storm.
The equipment was fine, by basic standards. There was an upright bike with a functioning console that didn’t make me press every button three times before it respond. There was also a cross-trainer facing the wall and a treadmill with a functional console and everything.
It may seem like I set the bar low, but I’ve stayed at plenty of hotels where half the equipment is broken, so I’m always grateful when everything simply functions as it’s supposed to.
The strength training set-up was also a highlight. While most hotels has a few dumbbells and perhaps one sad multi-gym shoved into the corner, here there were a proper plate-loaded chest press, a proper cable machine, and a few other resistance machines scattered around the floor. It’s not what I expected at all and meant I could actualy get a decent workout in without having to seek out a commercial gym in town.
There were also free weights aplenty. One wall had a complete dumbbell set-up with weights ranging from very light to a respectable amount. There was also a flat bench on rubber matting and adjustable benches for pressing or lying down.
In all honesty, it was better equipped than some stand-alone gyms I’ve visited, let alone a hotel gym. The details mattered.
There was a pile of Swiss balls by the door in case you felt like doing some core stuff, or stretching out; a body composition scale (in case you want to torture yourself by getting a number), and even a armchair in one corner piled with foam rollers that I used after my second class when my calves was complaining.
Then there was practical stuff. The towels for customers to use had been neatly rolled up and placed on shelves, while a timber basket waited for the post-workout ones. There were paper towel dispensers on the wall beside the kit, ideal for cleaning the machines after each set.
These are small things but they are important if you want your workout to be comfortabley.
The hotel itself wasn’t bad either. When we first checked in, we went up to the reception desk. The lobby had comfy sitting areas underneath a slatted timber ceiling, which made the entire area feel very warm and welcoming.
It was also easy to step outside of the entrance into an arcade where we could get some fresh air or grab a coffee if we wanted to go for a stroll through town. If you’re at the Pullman Rotorua and want to maintain your exercise regimen while traveling, this gym is definitely worth using. It is not large, but it is well-maintained and thoughtfully equipped.
That is really all you can ask for when you are out of your own home. Both mornings we were there, I came down and had the place pretty much to myself, always a bonus. Do you typically avoid hotel gyms altogether when you travel?
Ever been pleasantly surprised by one?