Hotel Gym Review: Hyatt Baha Mar

Fitness on the road is one of the tenet's of my business travel-life. It is a requirement and I hope it is for others too. The idea of a business trip that doesn't include a visit to the gym is insanity (and laziness) to me, but that's just me. One of the reasons I choose a hotel is the gym! Either you have a good gym, or you don't - there's no middle ground. There's a lot that goes in to a good hotel gym, but some basics are: 
  1. Dumbbells - up to 60 lbs
  2. Multi-machine must have: 
    1. Shoulder press
    2. Bench press
    3. Lat pull down
    4. Cable function: tricep press down, upright row, etc.  
  3. Cardio equipment: 
    1. Treadmill
    2. Spin bike
    3. Stairmaster (lose the Elliptical, even though the hotel won't)
  4. Barbell (PLEASE) - standard Olympic set (315 lbs of weight)
You get the idea... However, most gyms don't meet the basics for a "gym". And I don't understand why hotels aren't tracking towards a fit lifestyle as more affluent Americans focus on a healthy lifestyle. That said, I did read that American's are getting heavier and heavier, so maybe I'm the super minority.  

The Hyatt Baha Mar hotel https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/thebahamas/grand-hyatt-baha-mar/nasgh is located in Nassau, Bahamas. The hotel is a higher-end Grand Hyatt and certainly tries to cater to a fitness-oriented clientele. The gym is large, bright and well-organized. One has to appreciate that the Hyatt tried to accommodate so many guests. However, they didn't hit all the requirements I look for:

PROS: 
  • Thoughtful layout, good space
  • Spin bikes, lots of cardio
  • Small crossfit and heavy bag (boxing) equipment
  • New workout machines - high quality
CONS: 
  • Smith machine, only, no barbell for deadlifts
  • Limited dumbbell options
  • No power rack
OVERALL: 3 / 5. 

With FIVE being the best, I'd rank Hyatt a 3. Good one many fronts, but nothing life-changing. For an additional $16, you can go to the Atlantis gym and see what a 4 looks like. 

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