Big hotels offer exclusivity through health clubs
By Primastuti Handayani
JAKARTA (JP): Relaxing while exercising is the thing for harassed Jakartans in the rat-race of modern civilization.
The hotel industry has filled a need; many hotels have hi-tech fitness/health facilities. Many of them also welcome non-staying guests, businesspeople and executives, who can discuss business in the hotel afterwards.
The Jakarta Post visited some health clubs in well-known hotels.
The Regent
The Regent, the latest five-star hotel in Jakarta, offers a 24-hour health club, located on Jl. Rasuna Said.
Matt Wheeler, director of recreation of the hotel, said that the club would limit its members to 100 people only. At the moment it has 20 members.
Nike Kurniasari, public relations manager of the hotel, said the limitation was to guarantee members a calm experience.
"We decided to limit our members after conducting a survey," Nike said.
Nike admitted that the equipment was the same as anywhere else.
"The difference is our service," she smiled.
Members who wish to exercise outdoors can use the beautifully designed swimming pool. The club also runs two aerobics classes, morning and afternoon.
Tennis lovers can play in two synthetic grass courts near the pool.
What if you are a beginner in tennis? No need to worry, the club also has a professional tennis instructor from the Peter Burwash International Professional Tennis organization.
A qualified tennis instructor gives free lessons to members.
After working out, swimming, or playing tennis, members can rest their muscles in the sauna or whirl pool in the locker rooms. Each locker room has a whirlpool, sauna and spa.
If you feel that you need a massage, just make a reservation and the club will provide.
Members on the wrong side of plump are in for a disappointment; the club does not have a dietitian.
" Just watch what you eat," Wheeler suggested.
During the promotion period, until June 30, the management is offering a special discount price. Members who register as singles will pay a monthly fee of US$200 while couples will be charged $300.
Starting from July 1, new members will be charged $1,500 to join plus $3,000 annually for single and $4,500 for double membership.
Yamano Club, Dai-Ichi
The Yamano Club in the Dai-Ichi Hotel, Central Jakarta, offers an interesting package.
The club has short-term memberships, starting from one month to three months. Members pay $210 for a three-month stint.
It also has other memberships. A four-month membership is $252, a five-month membership $298 and a six-month one will cost $336. The annual fee is $650.
Yamano's manager Yahya Saputra said the club limits its membership to only 30 people to maintain its exclusivity.
"Most of them are major executives, who are busy all day and need a comfortable place to exercise. That's what we offer them," he explained.
"Usually they work out after office hours," he added.
Yamano also has an indoor golf simulator and five relaxation machines, which Yahya says are the only ones in Jakarta.
Many of the club members use the golf simulator, paying Rp 20,000 ($8.7) per hour for the privilege. Hotel guests or visitors are charged Rp 30,000.
The relaxation machines are also a hit. Each consists of a leather sofa with a sound system. Members can choose any of the six music disks, each with its own new age theme music. The magnetic headband and a small button on one side of the ears will make the sofa vibrate.
The club also provides a tanning machine for those who want to get a tan but not in the third most polluted city in the world. One needs only to lie down in the machine and the ultraviolet light will work its magic.
"People have to be careful. We can't assist them once they are in the machine because they are naked," Agus, one of the staff members, said.
"Any damage is not the hotel's responsibility," he added.
The club, and the pool, are both on the third floor.
"The pool is not that big, lack of space, you see," Yahya said.
The pool, which is 1.35 meters deep, uses granite stones and green tiles, and is surrounded by greenery.
The club is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The gymnastic rooms have treadmills, steppers and weights. There are four aerobics classes every day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
A sauna and jacuzzi pool in the changing room are available for relaxation.
Clark Hatch Le Meridien
The Clark Hatch health club has more than 50 branches all over the world. One of them is in Le Meridien Hotel, located on Jl. Sudirman.
Dewi Koes, assistant manager of the club, said that about 200 people have joined the club, which emphasizes aerobics and weight training.
"Usually they come here early in the morning or after work. Some also come during their lunch break," she said.
The club is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on working days and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. It is also open on holidays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Clark Hatch, which has six centers in Jakarta, offers two membership systems, single and couple. A member pays $400 for the initiation fee and $550 in yearly fee or $55 in monthly fee. Couples only have to pay $650 in initiation fee and $900 in yearly fee or $90 monthly.
"Jakarta-based members who pay an annual fee can exercise in every Clark Hatch clubs in the city," she explained. Members can also use the club's facilities abroad.
"We also accept members from other cities but they can only come five times a month," she added.
"Usually the club provides a sauna, whirlpool, steam and swimming pool plus gym equipment. Unfortunately due to space limitation we only have limited equipment here," she said.
The club has four aerobics classes every day.
Club Olympus, Grand Hyatt
The Grand Hyatt's Club Olympus, located on the fifth floor of the hotel on Jl. Thamrin, offers various facilities for its 600 members.
"We wanted to create a balanced atmosphere between locals and expats, singles and couples, old and young," said the hotel's leisure manager, Greg Payne.
The club has nine treadmills, each is equipped with a TV set. It also plans to provide headphones and remote controls for members.
The Olympus, which is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., also provides other exercising machines, four aerobics classes, four rebound ace and two carpet surface tennis courts, two squash courts and a swimming pool.
It also has a jacuzzi, a whirl pool, a steam room and a sauna in the locker area. Inside the area, members can relax with the TV or by having a massage.
The club charges $2,200 in annual fees for singles, $3,100 for couples and $3,500 for families.
Marhan, assistant manager to the club, said that he arranges a new program for the members every month, especially for those who are interested in reducing their body fat.
A Balinese-style swimming pool is available outside the gym, where members can relax and forget about busy Jakarta.
The club has a waiting list for people interested in becoming members.
"Usually we admit about 50 to 70 new members a year," Greg said.
Club Olympus also offers yoga and pencak silat classes.
"But few members are interested," Marhan said.