Stay, Sleep and Sweat: Hotel Chains That Go the Extra Mile

These days, you expect every hotel to have a fitness center. Yet some hotels are dishing out extras to appease even the biggest exercise fanatics, and that's always a welcome treat. For instance, when I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale, I found maps, snacks and drinks for runners and walkers -- all free! During another trip, I took a free yoga class on the rooftop of the hotel where I was staying.

Want to take advantage of some of these extras on your next trip? Take a look at what popular hotel chains are doing to help you keep your fitness program on track:

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts: Join the President's Club (it's free), and you'll have access to the Fairmont Fit program, which delivers Adidas workout apparel and shoes to your room. (If you're at the first of three levels of the club, there's a $10 fee for the gear.) You can also get pre-loaded MP3 players to use during your workouts. Fairmont Hotels in Canada even offer complimentary BMW Cruise Bikes so you can pedal your way around the destination.

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts: If you want to relieve stress and ease travel aches, StayFit@Hyatt offers in-room, on-demand yoga videos. You'll also find a 24-hour StayFit fitness concierge at North American resorts who can provide workout attire in under an hour and complimentary GPS Forerunner armbands so you can take your walk or run outside without getting lost. Don't trust technology? Pick up palm-sized route cards (routes range from two to eight miles) with directions on one side and mileage markers on the other.

Westin Hotels & Resorts: Feel like going for a run but don't want to go alone? Through runWESTIN, running concierges lead free, roughly three-mile "discovery" runs, tailored to your fitness level. If you want to go solo, you can pick up pocket-sized running maps. Or if you prefer sweating in the comfort of your room, request a WestinWORKOUT room, which features a treadmill or stationary bike, Pilates and cycling DVDs, adjustable dumbbells and core training equipment. Expect to spend $30 to $50 more per night for those rooms.

Here's another option to keep your fitness program on track when you travel: Take a fitness retreat.