No matter how lightly she packs for a business trip, Katy Rockett, regional director, Explore Worldwide, always leaves enough room in her suitcase for her travel yoga mat. “When I travel, I try to stay as consistent with my routine as possible,” she said. “I have found that exercise soothes travel-driven anxiety, burns the extra calories we all consume when we travel, and gives me a chance to be alone and decompress. It also helps me sleep.”

To keep things interesting, Rockett streams various workouts from the Peloton app, ranging from heart-pounding HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) drills to strength-building weight routines, soothing yoga practices and cool-down stretches. “It’s an extensive library, and I can choose what I need based on time of day, how much time I have and whether it’s a strength day or a cardio day,” she said. “I also love that I can exercise in the privacy of my room. You don’t necessarily want to run into clients and colleagues when you’re in the middle of a workout.”

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Tammy O’Dell, a regional vice president for Cumulus Media based in Columbia, South Carolina, also makes it a point to stick to her workouts. “Working out really clears my head and allows me to focus on something other than work,” she noted.

To stay on track, O’Dell utilizes a series of equipment-free exercises her trainer, Lori Lapin, created specifically for business travelers. “If you know how to use your body weight as a tool, you can exercise anywhere,” said O’Dell, who, like Rockett, prefers to work out in the privacy of her hotel room. “After a morning workout I’m so much more alert than I am on the days I don’t have time to exercise.”

Lapin advises road warriors to move whenever they can, even if it’s just swapping out the elevator for the stairs or walking laps around your room during conference calls. “Traveling is hard on your body, especially business travel, where so much time is spent sitting,” she said. “You really have to lean into your discipline or, at the very least, add a few stretches or some mobility work when you can.”

Lisa Keer, NBC-HWC, health coach, Center for Specialized Health Care Services, Massachusetts General Hospital, agreed. “Self-care is not self-indulgent,” she said. “Deferring that maintenance — meaning skipping exercise — can, over time, be impactful.”

Like Lapin, Keer counsels clients to add what she calls “exercise snacks” to their day, but stresses the importance of going further and working up a sweat. “It’s easy to flirt with quitting your exercise program when you’re on the road,” she explained. “But roll that up over time, and before long you’re struggling in ways you might not have imagined.”

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One strategy Keer utilizes to help keep clients moving is shifting their mindset from looking for opportunities to exercise to making those opportunities happen. “Finding an exercise buddy is incredibly helpful,” she said. “If you have plans to meet up for an early run, you’ll be more likely to leave a dinner right after dessert rather than sticking around for another drink.” Keer also suggests business travelers seek out hotels that will help them maintain their fitness goals. Swimmers, for instance, should look for a hotel with a pool; clients who need the motivation of a trainer or classes should book a hotel with a full-service gym. “Do your homework and be selective where you stay,” said Keer. “Knowing what’s available will allow you to shape your fitness plan.”

And what’s available these days is remarkable, providing travelers with novel ways to stay in shape no matter what kind of workout they desire.

In New York, guests at Equinox Hudson Yards Hotel enjoy direct access to the company’s signature fitness club, Equinox Hudson Yards, a 60,000-square-foot wellness universe focusing on recovery as much as performance. Beyond expert-led fitness programs and precision training equipment, it offers hot and cold plunges, cryotherapy, outdoor barrel saunas and a heated saltwater pool with remarkable views of Manhattan.

“We’ve created an experience that removes the typical barriers to staying active and well while traveling,” said Chris Norton, CEO, Equinox Hotels. “At Equinox Hotels everything is designed as part of a 360-degree approach to high performance, anchored in sleep, movement, recovery and community. The goal isn’t to replicate your home routine; it’s to give you the tools, environment and mindset to perform at your best, wherever you are.”

Hotel fitness centers also offer the chance to spice up your workouts with a new class or workout modality. The gym at Whitney Peak Hotel Reno, for instance, includes a 7,000-square-foot bouldering park, and a 16-story climbing wall covers the facade of the hotel. Montage Laguna Beach offers SurfSet, a full-body workout on a surfboard that mimics the motions of surfing but on dry land. Rather get wet? Dublin’s Anantara The Marker Hotel will take you out for a bracing morning swim in the chilly Irish Sea. At SIRO Boka Place in Montenegro, guests can participate in any number of “Destination Fitness” activities such as guided canyoneering, hiking, kayaking and windsurfing.

Aman Hotels’ sister company, Janu, opened its first property in Tokyo in 2024. Within the hotel’s four-story gym, guests can work up a sweat in a boxing ring, engage in a friendly competition on the 18-hole golf simulator or float through asanas during an aerial yoga class. Save time for recovery: Janu’s private spa houses can be rented for two- to four-hour sessions. Choose between a traditional Banya sauna — think birch branches and a cold plunge — or a Turkish hammam complete with a black soap soaping and kessa glove exfoliation.

PHOTO: © SIRO BOKA PLACE

One of the joys of running is exploring a locale and getting exercise at the same time. Madrid’s Avania Alonso Martinez Hotel and Avani Rio Novo Venice Hotel let you focus on the scenery — rather than finding your way back — with guided runs past some of both cities’ most famous sites. The program begins with a warm-up and activation phase; during the run, trainers offer physiology tips to keep injuries at bay. You’ll finish with controlled active stretches. In Rome, runners with a penchant for history can book a tour with ArcheoRunning. Led by owner Isabella Calledona, an art historian and running coach, jogs are peppered with fascinating historical tidbits.

Cyclists on business trips near Greenville, South Carolina, often choose to stay at Hotel Domestique, offering pro-grade cycle rentals, free use of Garmin GPS units preloaded with routes, guided cycle rides, and a wellness room outfitted with both workout and recovery equipment. Philip Meyer, managing director, Rosewood Sand Hill, near Menlo Park, California, is an avid cyclist whose curated rides (which include info on secret water stops and bike-friendly coffee shops) have transformed the luxury resort into the hotel of choice for cycle enthusiasts visiting the San Francisco area.

No matter what form of exercise you choose, maintaining fitness on the road is vital to long-term health. “We know all about the importance of exercise, yet self-care is the first thing you lose with a demanding job,” said health coach Lisa Keer. “My advice is to take [the] long view and look at where you want your good health to take you, and plot your course forward.”