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Last weekend, my sister and I traveled toĀ Norwalk, Connecticut to stay overnight atĀ EVEN Hotels. I was recently invited to review the hotel, and I immediately jumped at the chance because of the brand’s commitment toĀ wellness-minded travelers. I love travel and, of course, I love all things related to health, fitness, and food, so I accepted and knew exactly who to invite: my sister! She’s onĀ a health-kick lately and it was a great excuse to have a girls’ trip away!
Never heard of EVEN Hotels? Well, youĀ are in for a treat. They have sixĀ locations, all of which help guests maintain their healthy routine whileĀ traveling, including in-room fitness options, a killer gym, tons of healthy food choices, wellness-savvy staff, and so much more. (FYI: AllĀ six properties are currently accepting reservations, but Brooklyn [7/20/16], Omaha [9/2/16], and Midtown East [10/15/16] haven’t opened quite yet.).
As soon asĀ my sister and I arrived at theĀ hotel, we immediately noticed the brand’s emphasis on wellness. Truly,Ā everything at the hotel is designed to give you healthy choices so you can stay wellĀ while on the road. It was actually really motivating, too!
Fruit- and herb-infused water after a 3-hour road trip? Yes, please!
After we checked in, we headed up to our room to get settled for the evening. And as soon as we opened the door, we saw fitness equipment waiting for us. Cool!
Each room features an in-room fitness zone with resistance bands, exercise ball, and yoga equipment as well as anĀ EVEN Hotels exercise guide (more on this below) andĀ in-room fitness training videos. Yesssssss!Ā Obviously, I was pumped. I had never stayed at a hotel like this before!
You guys know how much I enjoy sticking withĀ my fitness routine when I travel, so these amenities definitely made me happy. I mean, I’dĀ have no excuse to skip myĀ workout with so many exercise options rightĀ at my finger tips!
Other health-minded amenities in our room: Stand-up desk,Ā all-natural eucalyptus linens, eco-friendly bath products, black out shades, and a mini fridge.
There was even an EVEN Hotels water bottle to take home!
Once we got settled in our room, we headed downstairs to the main level to explore the hotel. One of the first things that caught our attention was a water station near the elevator (there’s one on every floor of the hotel) where you can grab a quick drink or refill your water bottle to help you stay hydrated. How’s that for convenience? Eco- and budget-friendly too!
Also on the main level was theĀ Cork & Kale Market and Bar, which serves a variety ofĀ delicious,Ā good-for-you foods that are freshly prepared and fully customizable based on your taste and dietary preferences (i.e.Ā gluten-free, raw, etc.).
There were seriously so many different snacks, sandwiches, smoothies, and the likeĀ to choose from– it was easily the best selection I’ve ever seen at a hotel or while traveling. It was almost like shopping at a health foods store!
The Cork & Kale Market provided all sorts of grab-and-go snacks with the option of ordering a more substantial meal, snack, or smoothie from the restaurant.
You could also pull up a stool and enjoy a meal or cocktail there, which is exactly what my sister and I did for dinner that evening.
First order of business: Wine!
And then: Food! The menu at Cork & Kale had all sorts of tasty and healthy options–Ā flatbreads, boards, sandwiches, and salads.
Each mealĀ included one or more labels to help classify them asĀ vegan, under 426 calories, high in protein, packed with superfoods, etc.
To start, my sister and I shared the Mediterranean Board, which came with hummus, olives, gluten-free falafel chips, pita chips, and carrots. We really loved it and ate every last bite!
I also ordered the Kale Krunch Salad, which wasĀ made with lacinato kale, medjool dates, radish, toasted hazelnuts, pecorino cheese, and lemon vinaigrette.Ā Mmm!
My sister ordered one of the flatbreads and really liked it too!
After dinner, we grabbed a sweet treat from the Market and headed up to our room to hang out. We were both pretty exhausted, so we watched TV, chatted, and went to bed fairly early. #momlife
Getting a good night’s sleep meant we hit the ground running the next morning with a workout. We had seen the EVEN Hotels in-room training guide the day before, so we wanted to give it a try.
It included all sorts of time-efficient and effective workouts, each with easy-to-understand exercise demonstrations.
We also wanted to take advantage of theĀ fancy-schmany hotel gym, so we used the training guide as a quick warm-up before heading downstairs toĀ get our sweat on.
The hotel gym had brand new, top-of-the-line equipment, including a water erg, spin bike, and Woodway treadmills with Slat Belt running surfaces.
The treadmills = so fun to run on!!
The gym also had a full set of dumbbells, Xerballs, TRX, and even a punching bag with gloves that you can borrow.
Our workout:
It was a fun one and only took us about 20 minutes to finish.
After our sweat session, we headed back to our room to shower and get ready for the day. After that, we popped into the Cork & Kale Market to get coffee (obviously).
The Market had a nice selection of coffees and teas as well as milk, cream, and non-dairy options (almond and soy milk).
There wasn’t an iced coffee option, so I made my own using one of the super strong varieties + soy milk + ice, and it turned out perfectly!
Once we had our coffees, my sister and I ordered breakfast. We shared the “Power Juice,” which was orange juice blended with banana and fresh ginger. It was phenomenal, and I definitely want to recreate it at home! To eat, I went with theĀ Fritatta made with baby spinach, quinoa, roasted red pepper, Havarti and Pecorio cheeses, red onion, Italian sausage, and sun-dried tomatoes. It was so tasty, and I practically devoured it!
I really enjoyed myĀ time at EVEN Hotels (and even raved about it non-stop to Mal when I got home). Having access to so many healthyĀ options made me want to stick to my usual routineĀ while on the road. Even just being in the presence of health-focusedĀ amenities motivated me toĀ eat well and exercise during myĀ stay. If you’re someone who prioritizes health and wellness when you travel, EVEN Hotels is definitely for you. They make it SO EASY to stay well!
Question of the Day
How do you stick to your healthy habits when you travel?Ā
24 Comments
Oh my goodness – it’s almost too good to be true! If only all hotels looked like this…! Awesome.
We, most hotels don’t have a functioning treadmill. This hotel is amazing, plus ice coffee and a stand up desk?! I stay healthy by working out, drinking water and bringing pre portioned nuts for snacks.
Wow – amazing. Those treadmills look awesome! I wish all hotels were like this. I make sure whenever I travel that the first things I pack are my workout clothes. I also have a Pinterest board dedicated to hotel/home workouts so I always have a quick workout handy. Thank you for sharing!
I’m curious, what are those treadmills like? Are they better for your knees or does it better mimic outdoor running?
AWESOME! My biggest pet peeve about traveling and staying healthy are the gyms. I try and stay at the lower priced places (Holiday Inns, Best Western, etc), and those places never have dumb bells, which is what I always work out with. I’m not sure if they are worried they are going to get stolen? But it sucks that most hotel gyms have a treadmill or two and weird weight machine. I browsed prices for these and they are reasonable! Plus there is one in Omaha, and us folks in the Midwest never get anything cool! Thanks for letting us know!
What a cool hotel! I always workout on the road and stay as hydrated as possible.
Wow what an awesome idea. I get so worried about not keeping up with my healthy habits and lifestyle when I travel.
My best method of staying on track is deciding before hand that I’m not going to ditch my healthy eating and exercise just because I’m away from home.
That looks awesome! I definitely like to work lot when I travel and this hotel makes it so easy!
What a cool idea for a hotel, I love it! No excuse to not workout when traveling!
Wow, I love it! I travel so much for work and would love to stay at one of these hotels, too bad they are not in Colorado š
I love this! What a great hotel. I hope they expand quickly. š
Wow! I’d definitely stay at a hotel like this. When I travel I bring healthy snacks and google the nearest juice bar so I can get a green smoothie in the morning. Would be so nice to only have to go downstairs to the lobby for a healthy breakfast!
OMG this place is beyond awesome. What a great hotel. So many healthy perks!
What an incredible idea! Love that healthy traveling options are becoming available.
P.S. LOVING the new blog look š
Ok I want these hotels to make their way to the west coast! We can only get away for weekends right now and that would be such a fun place to stay at!
That hotel looks amazing. I’d love to stay in one like that!
What an awesome hotel! I wish there was one in Northern CA to stay at when we visit my in-laws. We are a healthy family and the workouts and food would be a huge plus for us. Thanks for the great review.
Impressive! I have never seen like this…workout equipment inside a hotel room!? Normally they have separate gym for guests but this is too good to be real! Awesome article…really enjoyed it. Thanks.
Wow. The hotel looks awesome. Super convenient for travelers to stay on track! Great review.
I stayed at EVEN Hotels in New York (Time Square South location)… I loved it! It was quiet, small, and the staff was super friendly. I love all the fresh options, and their gym is seriously bomb. That water erg is no joke!
I never even heard of EVEN Hotels but it sounds like something I would absolutely love! The next time I am in the states I need to stay at a EVEN Hotel. Thank you so much for this post š
I needed a hotel for my stay in NYC coming up for the MTV Awards for work and remembered you stayed at a fabulous wellness hotel. Searched to find the name and YES they had a location in NYC.. just booked it! THANK YOU SOO MUCH!!!
So glad to hear that!!