Healthy travel: Hyatt’s unique fitness, spa & food options

The HyattRegency Curacao is among the company’s hotels that offer unique spa treatments.

By Mark Chesnut

Staying in shape and feeling good while on the road is a challenge for most travelers. But Hyatt Hotels is trying to make it a bit more interesting to stay on target when you check in, with a variety of unique spa treatments, fitness classes and dining programs that are tailored to each destination.

In Hawaii, the Grand Hyatt Kauai has introduced new sunrise yoga hikes, while the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa debuted “Hula-cise” classes that incorporate the four fundamental movements of Hula into a cardio-centric workout. Class participants are treated to an introduction to Hawaiian culture, along with traditional song selections that narrate the ancestry and art of Hawaii and the South Pacific islands.

Many of Hyatt’s spa treatments, meanwhile, make use of locally grown products. At the Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina, for example, the spa uses homemade products from a local garden, including black mud and aloe, white mud with oats and Caribbean sea salts.

The Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, near Austin, Texas, recently introduced an herb garden treatment series, with options that showcase hand-picked herbs from the on-site garden. Upon arrival, spa clients may select one of three freshly harvested herbs, as well as a music playlist to accompany the treatment. And at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, treatments and ingredients reflect the culture and traditions of the Tamayame people, who first settled in the region centuries ago. Among the choices is a Tamaya blue corn flour full-body exfoliation that includes an herbal wrap made from linens steeped in seasonal herbs.

In addition, Hyatt is expanding upon its approach to healthy eating, with an inspiring slogan: “Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served.” The philosophy is centered around three pillars: serving people, serving the community and serving the planet, which promotes the use of locally sourced, organic and regional ingredients, and serving healthy food and beverage options. Portion controls, balanced offerings and sustainable practices are some of the elements that go into the program. With all of this help, some travelers actually might return home in better shape than they left.

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer, editor and publisher of LatinFlyer.com, which focuses on travel to Latin America. He could use a massage right about now.

Tagged: Caribbean, Hawaii, Hotels