Marriott International is reworking fitness center layouts across its portfolio because guests now arrive with established workout routines and treat travel as adaptation, not pause, according to Tony Nicastro, senior global manager of spa and fitness for the company.

"Travel no longer disrupts fitness and wellness routines," Nicastro said. Guests bring their own devices, follow apps, and expect the hotel stay to support a rhythm they already maintain at home. That shift has moved fitness from a box-checked amenity to an integrated part of the guest experience — and it carries direct design and staffing implications for operators.

What is changing in fitness center design?

Space now matters as much as equipment. Guests need room to move, stretch, and follow digital workouts without feeling boxed in, so Marriott properties are adjusting layouts to support personal devices, open movement, and flexible training styles. In-room accessories — bands, kettlebells, and lighter weights — extend that flexibility and let guests stay consistent without visiting the gym at all.

Strength training has gained far more importance than in the past. Cardio equipment still sees steady use, especially for quick sessions between meetings, but guests increasingly expect proper weights and functional training tools. Hotels are responding with duplicate weight sets, expanded free-weight zones, and congestion-reducing layouts so travelers can train efficiently on tight schedules.

Where does recovery fit operationally?

Recovery has become a growing focus across hospitality, and the economics point toward solutions that work without added staff. Many properties face staffing limitations, which has increased interest in automated options.

Some Marriott locations have introduced robotic massage as a self-guided recovery solution. The systems give guests access at any hour and fit particularly well in properties without spa services. Hotels are pairing them with checkout items — massage guns, stretching mats — that guests use on their own schedule. The model expands recovery access without increasing operational strain, a rare combination in a labor-constrained environment.

Why is the guest room now part of the fitness product?

Fitness and recovery no longer live only in shared spaces. The guest room plays a larger wellness role than ever, and sleep has moved to the center of guest priorities. Many travelers track rest through wearables and adjust daily activity based on how they feel.

Hotels that support sleep through quiet environments, lighting control, and wellness content help guests stay balanced on the road — an alignment with how guests already manage energy and recovery at home, not a new behavior hotels have to teach.

What does this mean for 2026?

Hotel fitness is moving toward continuity, flexibility, and recovery, Nicastro said. "Guests want to feel good during their stay, not reset once they return home."

Properties that support routines across fitness, wellness, and sleep create experiences guests want to extend — and that, per Nicastro, builds loyalty and sets the direction for how hotel fitness will evolve in 2026 and beyond. Operators still running amenity-era gyms face a widening gap between what guests track at home and what hotels offer on the road.