Dive Brief:

• InterContinental Hotels & Resorts broke ground on the 125-key Even Hotel Sweetwater – Doral in a western suburb of Miami, the company announced Tuesday. 
• To promote health and fitness, IHG said, the hotel will feature three guest room types with in-room exercise amenities such as yoga mats and Peloton bikes, a community athletic studio and “health-conscious” menu items at its on-site restaurant. 
• IHG follows other hotel brands such as Choice Hotels International developing prototypes designed to cater to a growing market of wellness-focused travelers.

Dive Insight:

IHG’s Even brand, which the hotel company claims was launched as the industry’s “first hotel brand with wellness at its core,” debuted a new prototype in September aimed at helping travelers “restore, rejuvenate and retain their unique personal routines while on the road.” 

Aligning with the updated prototype, the Even Hotel Sweetwater — Doral is slated to open in summer 2024 and will feature amenities designed to “capture more demand from guests looking to stay well when they travel for business or leisure,” according to IHG. 

In May, Choice Hotels similarly launched a new wellness-focused hotel prototype for its Sleep Inn brand. The prototype features a fitness center, smart technology and water refill stations. Choice’s Sleep Inn brand also recently partnered with hiking app AllTrails to bring guests closer to nature. 

The brands’ focus on wellness offerings comes as travelers increasingly seek these types of accommodations. According to Hilton’s 2023 emerging travel trends report, 33% of those surveyed said being able to address their physical well-being while traveling is a priority, and 26% of travelers said accessibility to fitness amenities will be top of mind for them this year. 

With wellness travel conversations up nearly 500% year over year, according to Sparkloft’s new Travel’s New Frontier report, hotels that provide additional wellness offerings can capitalize on consumers’ increased prioritization of health and well-being while on the road. 

The Even Hotel Sweetwater – Doral is a collaboration with owner and developer ASI Diaz Doral Hotel Investment Group LLC, a Miami-based ASI Global affiliate, as well as architect Tony Rodriguez-Tellaheche and interior designer Kathy Kesler. 

IHG currently has more than 50 Even properties with the new prototype open or in the pipeline. Planned openings include in Austin and Waco, Texas; Beaverton, Oregon; and Bozeman, Montana.