| Today and are pleased to have as our guest, Jim | | | | so expect small yet cozy hotel rooms. The |
| Kaese, an elite amateur triathlete, entrepreneurial | | | | Scandinavian flavor, tremendous views, and |
| businessman, and endurance sport coach. | | | | extensive on-site health club make it one of the best. |
| Author of The Athletic-Minded Traveler: Where to | | | | Norm: |
| Work Out and Stay When Fitness Is a Priority, | | | | Why should couples be concerned about fitness |
| Jim visited America's top 78 travel destinations to | | | | activities when they are away on a romantic |
| find the very best hotel/fitness-venue combinations. | | | | getaway or on their honeymoon? |
| Welcome Jim to and | | | | Jim: |
| Norm: | | | | Exercising for only 20-30 minutes each day will allow |
| Could you tell us something about yourself Jim and | | | | you to start the day healthy and help you make |
| what provoked you into writing about the very best | | | | better choices throughout the rest of the day. Then, |
| hotel and fitness venue combinations? | | | | enjoying small indulgences like your favorite piece of |
| Jim: | | | | pie or a few cocktails or sitting around by the pool |
| Through the years, I traveled quite a bit for work | | | | for six hours will not seem like a big deal. Don't forget |
| and pleasure. In addition to finding places to stay that | | | | about that improved sex too! |
| matched my budget and amenity preferences, I | | | | Norm: |
| always tried to identify hotels that offered good | | | | How can we determine the quantity, quality, and |
| fitness options. However, time and time again, I | | | | brand of exercise equipment at recommended hotels |
| would show up at the hotel and discover that the | | | | if we never have been there? |
| state of the art fitness center was a closet-sized | | | | Jim: |
| room with old or broken equipment. Or, the lap pool | | | | Buy The Athletic-Minded Traveler (laughs). In addition |
| was a short oval without lane lines. Or, the running | | | | to providing a comprehensive written review |
| routes consisted of a map provided by the concierge | | | | covering everything you want to know (room |
| that directed guests to jog around the streets of the | | | | appearance, room service, free breakfast buffets, |
| hotel 10 times. It boggled my mind how these hotels | | | | sheet thread-count, etc.) about each property, we |
| could make such blatant misrepresentations. So, I | | | | also specifically detail in chart form the quantity of |
| decided to write the first cross-country guide that | | | | exercise machines, their condition, the brands, weight |
| objectively recommends the BEST places to stay for | | | | strength options, pool dimensions, running routes, etc. |
| those who enjoy healthy living and staying fit. | | | | But, if you're going to a city that's not covered in the |
| Norm: | | | | book, the best you can do is call up the concierge |
| Do you believe that if couples are looking for an ideal | | | | and ask him/her your specific questions. Sometimes it |
| romantic getaway they should also take into account | | | | even helps to confirm with the maintenance workers. |
| the fitness facilities, and if so, why? | | | | Norm: |
| Jim: | | | | Very often when we vacation we seem to return |
| I believe everyone should take into consideration the | | | | home fully relaxed, however very much out of |
| quality of the fitness facilities including couples on a | | | | shape. How do we avoid this? |
| romantic getaway. Exercise not only helps boost your | | | | Jim: |
| immunity system, lower stress, and improve your | | | | Make exercise part of your daily routine, just like |
| sleeping habits; it also helps your sex life. Studies | | | | showering or brushing your teeth. When you think |
| have shown that healthy people have better sex and | | | | about it, 20 minutes is not that much time at all. |
| tend to be happier. And, I believe it is important to | | | | Especially while on a vacation, when you don't have |
| emphasize that when I say exercise,I am not talking | | | | to worry about going to work and all of the other |
| about an hour of hard-core running or lifting weights | | | | hassles at home. |
| at the gym- 20 minutes of brisk walking can do the | | | | Norm: |
| trick. | | | | There is always a temptation to overeat when we |
| Norm: | | | | are on vacation. How can we fight off this |
| If you had to name 5 ideal romantic getaway | | | | temptation while at the same time still enjoy |
| hospitality properties that combine a unique romantic | | | | ourselves? |
| ambience with great fitness facilities, which ones | | | | Jim: |
| would you choose and why? | | | | Like I was saying before, exercise will allow you to |
| Jim: | | | | not fret so much over what you're eating and |
| · San Francisco is one of my favorite romantic | | | | drinking. You may end up taking in more calories, but |
| cities---the bridge, the fog, the rain, the restaurants, | | | | being active and exercising should help to burn those |
| and the cultural offerings create a perfect stage for | | | | off fairly easily. |
| a wonderfully romantic trip. Any of the SFO hotels in | | | | Norm: |
| my book would be great fitness/romance | | | | Are there any food we should avoid when we are |
| combinations, but the Hotel Rex is the best deal for | | | | on vacation and if so, why? |
| the money. A small, intimate hotel property just | | | | Jim: |
| steps from Union Square and China Town, Rex also | | | | Vacation is supposed to be a break from all that |
| provides guests with a discounted pass to a fantastic | | | | troubles and worries you, right? When I go away, I |
| (but small) health club down the street, Club One. | | | | like to eat the local food and experience the local |
| · If money is no object, The Miraval Spa and | | | | customs without concerns about how many calories |
| Resort in Tucson is a marvelous getaway for couples | | | | are in my dinner, etc. Knowing that I performed my |
| looking to stay fit and be pampered. All meals are | | | | daily workout reassures me that anything I take in |
| included as well as any type of exercise option you | | | | will be worked off either that same day or the next. |
| can imagine---horseback riding, lap swimming, rock | | | | So, no, don't worry about avoiding certain |
| climbing, etc. | | | | foods---just make sure to get in a daily sweat. |
| · For those looking to add a little more party to | | | | Norm: |
| their trip, Miami's South Beach hotels are filled with | | | | Is there anything else you would like to add? |
| romance. The Shore Club, Delano, Ritz and National | | | | Jim: |
| are all in the book, bestowing lots of love and | | | | Only that I've been really touched by the large |
| liveliness to their guests. | | | | number of people who have written us saying that |
| · Colorado Springs' Broadmoor Hotel is a | | | | they are so happy we wrote this book because they |
| breathtaking resort beset by serene lakes and | | | | too were constantly frustrated by the travel |
| mountain landscape. Broadmoor's Fitness Center and | | | | industry's ignorance about fitness preferences. |
| Spa is well-equipped with modern machines and a | | | | Letters and emails have come from hard-core |
| regulation lap pool. And, the nearby trails create | | | | athletes as well as recreational exercisers who just |
| fantastic jogging and mountain biking opportunities. | | | | like to put in 20 minutes on a good elliptical machine |
| · New York City can never be left off the | | | | or bike. Our goal all along was simply to provide a |
| romance list. Several properties make exceptional | | | | reliable resource that would help people enjoy a |
| romantic destinations, but Le Parker Meridien, across | | | | healthy lifestyle while on the road. So far, it seems |
| the street from Central Park, tops my list. It's NYC, | | | | that we've succeeded. |