The best hotel gyms for your summer vacation

As a rule, hotel fitness centers stink, and I don't mean that they smell bad (even thought they do.) Just go inside most hotel 'gyms' and you'll find only a few pieces of equipment and a dumbbell or two ... usually crammed into an airless storage closet. Not to mention, if you attempt to get on one of the cardio machine, you'll be lucky if your head doesn't touch the ceiling.

Fortunately, some larger hotel chains are bulking up their 'so-called' facilities to attract loyal, health conscious travelers--and some are testing travelers to see if they enjoy having treadmills and other fitness equipment in their very own room.

To give us the heads up on who's doing what, 'Women's Health' magazine has rated a few of the better hotels giving each a dumbbell from 1 to 5. So before you head out on vacation check out their ratings before you check in. 5 Dumbbells = Fitness bliss.
Candlewood Suites
Fitness Freebies:

• Gyms open around the clock
• Complimentary laundry rooms next door to wash your sweaty gym clothes

Wallet Workout

• Recharge at the Candlewood Cupboard, near the gym and stocked with great healthy snacks, such as low-fat yogurt, nuts and protein bars (based on the honor system; you fill out a purchase slip and put it in the payment box)

WH Rating:

• 2 dumbbells
• Can blow off steam any time of the day, but doing laundry doesn't sound like such a perk

Fairmont
Fitness Freebies

• Will deliver Adidas to your door; you can test-drive the gear at the gym (used clothing)
• Guests will be provided with pre-loaded Creative Zen mp3 players to use during their workout (as long as they are part of the Fairmont's President club, which is free to join)
• Mp3 players have extensive playlists. Most locations upgraded their workout equipment this spring

Wallet Workout:

• Adidas deliveries are free during your stay
• Unused clothing is available for purchase

WH Rating:

• 3 dumbbells
• Try-and-buy concept is great, but we try to stay away from used items

Hilton
Fitness Freebies

• Fitness by Precor facilities at full-service Hiltons
• Precor-developed strength, cardio and entertainment equipment. A complement of core training, balance equipment and stretch accessories rounds out the performance-enhancement offerings.
• Precor Cardio Theater Exercise Entertainment™, providing entertainment technology either from wall-mounted plasma television or Personal Viewing Screens (LCD) on each cardiovascular machine. Lightweight headphones designed for better sound to use during your workout
• Hotels currently offering fitness equipment under three years old will install new Precor equipment by 2009
• Hilton New York: Offers personal training, yoga, pilates. Sessions can be done in-room or in the fitness facility.

Wallet Workout

• It's all free

WH Rating

• 3 dumbbells
• Work out in a fancy–style gym

Hyatt
Fitness Freebies

• Explore the area with a Garmin Forunner, a wrist-top GPS monitor, which you can borrow from the concierge and use during your run
• A personal training device with GPS that measures speed, distance, pace and calories burned
• Check specific hotel locations for availability (known availability in San Diego, San Francisco)

Wallet Workout

• Concierge will deliver workout clothes for purchase to your room within an hour
• Each Hyatt works with a local retailer, so prices vary
• 24-hour gym with state-of-the-art fitness facility and yoga equipment

WH Rating

• 5 dumbbells
• Cool fitness gadgets and an excuse to shop for cute workout gear without leaving your room

Marriott
Fitness Freebies

• Fit For You program lets you choose from three in-room workouts
• Our favorite: an energy-boosting routine designed by a former Navy SEAL
• 24-hour gyms
• All fitness centers will offer complimentary fresh, whole fruit in the mornings and evenings when the centers are the busiest, filtered water all day and top-quality equipment and accessories

Wallet Workout

• Workouts are free
• Yoga and Pilates videos available on the in-room entertainment systems for a small fee
• Room service menu has low-carb, low-fat but overpriced hotel fare

WH Rating

• 2 dumbbells
• Fit For You seems to be more focused on food than fitness

Westin
Fitness Freebies

• At the gym, choose from a 20-, 40-, or 60- minute workout plan (designed by Reebok's fitness gurus)
• Before bed, tune in to the hotel's TV channel for an in-bed Yogilates routine

Wallet Workout

Go for a WestinWorkout room (about $20 extra) and you'll get your own mini gym in your guestroom: Reebok bike or treadmill, resistance tubes, balls, mats, a yoga mat, a local running map and workout DVDs

WH Rating

• 5 dumbbells
• They have something for everyone

If you end up staying at any of these places or if you find a hotel that has a great fitness program, please let us know.