It’s no understatement to say that the pandemic brought many changes to the world. People began taking a renewed look at their own health and well-being and how it affects the many different aspects of their lives, including travel.
With that renewed interest, hotels have been looking for creative ways to provide their guests with health and wellness amenities and activities they desire.
To better meet the needs of its guests, Proper Hospitality and Proper Hotels have formed a national, brand-wide partnership with The Class, a mindful movement studio that blends cardio, strength training and guided meditation into a music-driven workout.
“We are always seeking and developing new ways to offer Proper guests the best in wellness,” said Brian De Lowe, cofounder/president, Proper Hospitality. “We’ve long admired The Class’ cutting-edge yet accessible approach, which is in perfect alignment with our philosophy of considering balanced wellness an integral part of an optimal daily lifestyle, both at home and when we travel.”
He continued, “We’ve always seen the Proper guest as a modern traveler seeking a luxury experience that epitomizes what it means to live well, but the pandemic certainly made this more of a focus in lifestyle choices and priorities. By offering highly curated, flexible and convenient experiences, our guests can feel confident that wellness is at the core of the Proper experience.
Founded in 2013, The Class currently operates studios in New York and Los Angeles. Through its digital studio, students around the world practice The Class workout, yoga and meditation via any connected device with no equipment required.
While guests at Proper Hotels in Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles and Austin can currently access The Class as an in-room amenity, the program is growing across other properties.
Natalie Kuhn, co-CEO/founding teacher, The Class, said that the new partnership comes at the right time for travelers.
“During the pandemic, we all had to shift how we were staying active,” she said. “Plus, the isolation—and the anxiety that isolation created—meant that our mental health also became a priority. The Class has always been at the forefront of mindful movement, and we were very lucky to have launched our online presence pre-pandemic.”
When locations began to close in the onset of the pandemic, the company experienced growth in its digital offerings.
“It gave people the flexibility and community they craved,” she said. “People wanted to take care of their physical and mental well-being, and they needed it to fit into their lives. There’s something to be said about a 60-minute, in-person class and being surrounded by the energy of others, but there’s also something to be said for the quick, 15-minute meditation you do when you wake up on vacation. Health and wellness doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It should be what’s best for you.”
The partnership is something that will help guests when they perhaps need it most.
“Travel can be stressful and throw you off your routines,” said Kuhn. “Pair that with everyone’s growing need for movement and mindfulness. The Class Digital Studio offers travelers staying in Proper Hotels access to our signature method, as well as yoga and meditation practices. Through this partnership, we’re able to make it easy for travelers to prioritize themselves with workouts of various intensities and durations, no equipment required.”
In fact, specific classes, called Travel Rx, were created just for travelers. “These classes were specifically created to help guests beat jet lag, sleep better on the road and handle the stress of travel,” she said. “Our Digital Studio offers so many classes, and it’s always exciting to add new ones designed to cater to a new audience.”
De Lowe noted that guests have responded extremely well to the partnership.
“While there will always be guests who gravitate toward our spas or fitness centers, we’re happy to offer diversified experiences for those who want to mix up their routine or are limited on time but are still seeking to fit in a workout or have a moment of relaxation,” the Proper Hospitality executive said. “This exclusive, in-room offering from The Class provides just that.”
Between visits to Proper Hotels, guests can take advantage of The Class’ full suite of offerings, including livestream and on-demand classes, themed Class collections and music collaborations, as well as yoga and meditation practices, with a complimentary 14-day trial to the platform.
While the partnership with The Class is a recent addition to Proper’s health and wellness offerings, it is not the brand’s first.
“Our partnership with The Class is one piece of the larger focus we’ve put into wellness across our hotels,” said De Lowe. “Across our properties, you’ll find a range of experiences centered around well-being, including our exclusive, destination spas—Surya Spa at Santa Monica Proper Hotel and Verbena Spa at Austin Proper Hotel. In addition, our properties include 24-hour, state-of-the-art fitness centers outfitted with the best in strength training, weight training and cardio equipment. We also integrate group wellness offerings across our properties including complimentary weekend yoga and HIIT [high-intensity interval training] classes.”
