EVEN-Flow: A Hotel Chain for Active Lifestyles
The Hotel Lobby - Christian Pizarro | CP Personal Training
If you are a frequent viewer of my Instagram Stories, you may have seen my “Hotel Fitness Center Reviews.” I travel so much for my filmmaking job that some workouts are performed at such places. These can range from nothing but a treadmill, an exercise mat, and an empty water cooler, to a Rogue power rack with all the free weights you can imagine, among other equipment. What if I told you there’s a whole hotel dedicated to wellness-minded individuals, like me?
EVEN Hotels is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) portfolio. It is categorized as a “Wellness Lifestyle Hotel” brand and focuses on creating a healthier experience for guests. I stayed in a Brooklyn, New York, location years ago but had no time for the whole experience. It wasn’t until recently that I had the chance to stay in another one, but this time outside of the city in Norwalk, Connecticut. I was there for work, and although this was also a one-night deal, I had more time to explore and utilize some of the amenities.
First Impressions
The experience starts inside the lobby. It almost feels like you’re entering a spa with greenery portraits in the background and its neutral color palette. Very calm. I also noticed a rack with bicycles and helmets that I assume were there to rent. Unfortunately, I had no time to take advantage of that service. Also, it was raining most of the time, meaning the patio was also out of play. Places to charge and work on the first floor were plenty. The market is open 24/7, but the café only operates during the day.
The Fitness Center
As a wellness-centered chain, I expected more equipment and space to train before or after a shoot in contrast to the traditional hotel fitness center. It may not be an upscale Vegas-style resort gym, but it rivals those at your local community center. There’s no Olympic-sized pool or basketball courts, but there’s something to do for everyone.
The hallmark of every hotel fitness center, or Athletic Center via the hotel website, is its cardio selection, with this one showcasing Cybex ellipticals and Woodway treadmills. The latter differs from the traditional conveyor belt-style surface by using a patented rubber surface that lasts longer. Both of those options have TVs attached. There’s even a WaterRower and a stationary cycle if you prefer a different approach from the above options.
If you want to pump iron, dumbbells are plenty and go up to 50 pounds. If you are more into bodyweight workouts, there’s space to do that, as well as a couple of BOSU balls and a TRX band to supplement your program. There are two cable towers if you don’t like using free weights, or if you want to take some frustration out, there’s a free-standing punching bag with gloves. More of a Yogi? Mats are there for your practice. My point is: you will find something to do here.
The Guest Room
Why would there be a section about the room for a fitness-centered review of a hotel, aside from how comfortable the bed was? (SPOILER: it was pretty comfortable). Funny that you would ask. All rooms are equipped with a yoga mat and block, a couple of resistance bands that vary in difficulty, a Swiss ball, and a pole to wrap your bands around. If you need any assistance, an in-room training guide and numerous DIRECTV channels that televise workouts curated for the hotel are all there. If you need to list your workout or just give yourself extra motivation, there’s a whiteboard with markers hidden in a door that doubles as a standing desk. Hydration stations with both ice and water were outside the elevators, but they were out of order.
Criticisms
An Unfortunate Sight for Immediate Hydration - Christian Pizarro | CP Personal Training
Besides the hydration stations not working, I could not think of any negatives during my stay. If anything, there’s no free coffee and the food selection is limited. Even some of the grab-and-go options looked okay, with sandwiches and other snacks available. As always, it would be beneficial if the fitness center had either a barbell bench set or a Smith machine, as well as some slam balls. However, the equipment included was sufficient. Interesting enough, there’s no swimming pool on the property, which is expected at most hotels.
Verdict
With limited locations, you would be lucky to find one of these on your next trip, but if you can book one of these hotels at the right price (we paid around $180 per night for two double beds with tax), I highly recommend it. As of this writing, EVEN Hotels has 19 locations, ranging from three in New York City to one as far west as Seattle, Washington. The closest two to Cleveland are Pittsburgh and Ann Arbor. I did not have the chance to try the food or explore the outdoor parts of the property, so that may have to be for an updated entry. Even without those aspects, it’s still worth booking with all the wellness amenities EVEN has to offer. In terms of earning points, the chain is part of the IHG One Rewards program, which was relaunched recently with improved benefits.
Other Pros
-Free Parking
-Accessible Rooms
-King, Queen, and Two Double Bed Options Available
-Free High-Speed Internet and Standard Wi-Fi
-Outdoor Patio with Fire Pit
-Plenty of Spaces to Work and Hang Out (i.e. Meeting Rooms, Foosball Table, etc.)
Have you stayed at an EVEN Hotel before? Let me know in the comments what you think of the brand.
For more information, go to ihg.com/evenhotels.
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for reviewing my stay in this specific chain.
