As the line between spa indulgence and performance-driven recovery continues to blur, hotels and resorts are doubling down on wellness

Travel today is about more than a change of scenery; it’s become a chance to reset, recharge and even biohack your way to better health. From sleep-optimized hotel rooms to recovery labs and outdoor fitness adventures, hospitality brands are reimagining the guest experience with well-being at the center.

And travelers are responding: a recent survey from travel agency FlightHub found that 52% of U.S. respondents are now more likely to choose destinations based on health and self-care offerings, such as yoga retreats, holistic healing centers and hotels with science-backed wellness amenities.

As the line between spa indulgence and performance-driven recovery continues to blur, hotels and resorts are doubling down on wellness-forward features designed to meet the needs of a more intentional, health-conscious traveler – whether they’re traveling for business or leisure.

Biohacking Meets Boutique Hospitality

With its second outpost in Porto Montenegro’s Boka Bay, Siro, Kerzner International’s immersive lifestyle brand, continues to explore how hospitality and wellness can intersect, offering guests a space where fitness, recovery and wellness are built into the travel experience.

The new location builds on last year’s debut of Siro One Za’abeel in Dubai, carrying forward the brand’s blend of technology and wellness centered around five core biohacking pillars: nutrition, fitness, sleep, recovery and mindfulness.

At Siro Boka Place, guests can access a cutting-edge Fitness Lab for group fitness classes, a unique Recovery Lab offering holistic classes and advanced treatments, an outdoor pool and rooms designed for optimal rest. Each room features soundproofing, temperature-regulating mattresses, blackout curtains and a curated pillow menu – alongside a Swedish ladder and an in-room recovery cabinet stocked with essentials like a yoga mat, stretch bands and a meditation cushion.

Inside the Fitness Lab, guests will find the experience box for HIIT, masterclasses led by Team Siro ambassadors, Siro signature classes, the mindfulness studio for yoga, meditation and breathwork, recovery pods, a Zen Room with a Himalayan salt wall as well as Pilates and performance-driven training zones.

Meanwhile, the Recovery Lab offers popular therapies such as compression therapy, physiotherapy, percussive therapy, red light therapy, IV therapy and vibroacoustic therapy, along with myofascial cupping, dry needling and assisted stretching or modular massage by Proverb.

In terms of nutrition, Siro Boka Place features a team of in-house nutritionists who support healthy eating, low- and no-alcohol cocktails and organic and natural wines.

Siro Boka Place guests can also take part in destination fitness experiences, which include tailored tours, excursions, courses and activities, complete with thoughtful touches like hiking packs stocked with sunscreen and electrolytes or specialized aftercare arranged through Siro’s recovery lab.

“Siro’s momentum speaks volumes, the response has been incredible, and Montenegro is only going to take things to the next level,” Siro senior vice president Mattheos Georgiou said. “Boka Bay, with its stunning setting on the edge of the Mediterranean, is the perfect base for bold adventures and meaningful transformation. With destination fitness, we’re turning the outdoors into a training ground like no other, a place to push limits and unlock both mental and physical strength.”

Hyatt Turns Business Travel Into a Well-Being Experience

As wellness becomes a workplace expectation rather than a perk, Hyatt is catering not just to leisure travelers but also to traveling professionals. With employers increasingly embracing holistic well-being for its proven benefits of employee retention and increased productivity, Hyatt is stepping up to meet the moment, offering wellness-focused amenities and programs that support both vacationers and business guests looking to stay balanced.

Underscoring Hyatt’s commitment to well-being, the company recently launched its new Wellbeing Collective Board – a move aimed at enhancing its holistic offerings and supercharging the Wellbeing Collective, a growing group of properties designed to deliver wellness experiences for groups and meeting guests.

“Whether traveling for business or leisure, now more than ever, our guests are seeking meaningful experiences that foster connection, build community and enhance their mental, emotional and physical well-being,” noted TJ Abrams, Hyatt’s vice president of global well-being.

For groups wanting to mix business with balance, Andaz 5th Avenue by Hyatt is raising the bar on meetings with its curated well-being menu. Think yoga in the park, recharge-worthy breaks inspired by Miraval Resorts & Spas and a “Mindful Midtown Moments” map spotlighting peaceful spots to escape between sessions. Plus, select properties now offer expert-backed sleep tips through the Sleep at Hyatt program, shaped in partnership with renowned sleep expert Nancy H. Rothstein, aka The Sleep Ambassador.

Hyatt has also teamed up with Peloton to offer World of Hyatt members the chance to earn points toward future stays, upgrades and experiences simply by logging a Peloton workout during their hotel stay. The partnership includes in-room Peloton content, featuring guided stretching and bodyweight workouts at select properties. Select Hyatt hotels will also offer equipment-free Peloton classes for corporate meetings and conference attendees.

A Holistic Voyage: Where Relaxation Meets Exploration

Wellness and recovery aren’t just staying on land – they’re setting sail.

Oceania Cruises, known for its culinary and destination-focused voyages, is diving deeper into the wellness space following its 2020 launch of its in-house brand, Aquamar and The Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center, which offers a range of treatments, serene relaxation areas and complimentary fitness classes, bringing a holistic wellness experience to the open seas.

Travelers aboard Oceania Cruises can expect wellness-inspired menus and Aquamar’s Wellness Discovery Tours, which offer immersive global experiences, like soaking in the Thermal Baths of the Popes in Rome, meditating with a Buddhist Thera in Sri Lanka or practicing Tai Chi in Vietnam.

Oceania Cruises is currently rolling out a collection of bath and skincare essentials across its fleet of ships beginning this spring as another wellness perk that can be experienced in suites and staterooms.

“This is an exciting milestone for us as it marks another evolution of our Aquamar wellness brand, a reflection of our commitment to creating a truly rounded wellness journey on board and ashore for our guests,” Oceania Cruises chief luxury officer Jason Montague said. “Aquamar now encompasses our cuisine, excursions, spa treatments and now our luxurious in-room bath and skincare collection, ensuring a holistic approach to wellbeing while on vacation.”

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Relaxation to Revelation: The New Wellness Journey

A new generation of travelers is turning inward, seeking not just relaxation but transformation. It’s a tall order and one that is driven by Gen Z and Millennials who are craving deeper emotional and spiritual experiences that go beyond the surface. In response, some retreats are evolving their offerings with immersive experiences rooted in ancient traditions.

Retreats like North India’s Ananda in the Himalayas are taking a more expansive approach to wellness, incorporating ancient sound healing and mantra chanting into their regular programming. Guests can take part in sound baths led by experienced practitioners using Himalayan singing bowls, gongs and crystal instruments – practices that align with Ananda’s broader focus on Ayurveda, yoga, meditation, emotional balance, spiritual awareness and nutritious foods.

The retreat experience is also tapping into the growing shift of younger, spiritually curious consumers, particularly Gen Z and wellness-minded Millennials who are searching for tools for balance, clarity and connection as they drive a global spiritual wellness market that is projected to have a $9.6 billion valuation by 2034, according to a report by Transparency Market Research.

From Peak Performance to Hormonal Health, Hospitality Gets Personal

A growing number of hotels and retreats are moving beyond generic wellness offerings to create programming that reflects the realities of different life stages. From avid athletes fine-tuning their game at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Florida, to women navigating perimenopause and menopause at Canyon Ranch, these experiences reflect a growing shift in hospitality toward highly personalized wellness. No longer viewed as one-size-fits-all, wellness programming is increasingly tailored to meet guests where they are.

Despite the wide range of wellness needs and life stages, sleep remains a universal pillar. Although hustle culture has long framed sleep as a luxury rather than a pillar of health, today’s wellness-focused consumers are prioritizing rest just as much as their workouts and macros.

It’s a focus that luxury hospitality and lifestyle brand Equinox Hotels is taking to the next level through a partnership with renowned sleep scientist and author Dr. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

The collaboration includes an immersive living experiment at Equinox Hotel New York, where guests engage with sleep technologies and participate in studies led by Dr. Walker – all within rooms designed for optimal rest and recovery. The brand has also introduced a proprietary digital tool, Jet Lag Reset, which delivers personalized strategies to help guests combat jet lag and support smooth arrivals and departures across their properties.

“Our mission has always been to redefine luxury hospitality by seamlessly integrating health and performance into every aspect of the guest experience,” Equinox Hotels CEO Chris Norton told ATN. 

“Sleep, as the foundation of overall well-being, has been a core pillar of our brand since its inception,” Norton added. “Partnering with Dr. Matthew Walker, a globally recognized leader in sleep science, was a natural evolution of this philosophy. Dr. Walker’s expertise and shared dedication to applying cutting-edge research and technology to enhance human performance make him the perfect collaborator to advance our transformative sleep programs.”

This article originally appeared in ATN’s report, “Wellness Room: The Art & Science of Integrating Recovery,” which maps the forces redefining how operators retain members, monetize square footage and prepare their brands for a dynamic future. Download the free report.

Do you need a little extra inspiration to be more active throughout the day? Or perhaps you’re wondering if your workouts are challenging enough to optimize your cardiovascular health. And if you have any type of heart disease, you’ll want to be sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard during vigorous physical activity. For each of these situations, a wearable fitness tracker may be a worthwhile investment, especially when you consider that exercise is widely considered the best medicine — not just for your heart but for your overall health.

You may already own such a device, as most smart watches include a range of fitness tracking features alongside their other functions. Other options include wrist-worn bands and smart rings that focus primarily on health and fitness tracking.

“The information these wearables provide is measurable, meaningful, and motivating,” says Dr. Sawalla Guseh, director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. “It’s like having a goal-setting coach with you around the clock,” he says.

Long-term monitoring may also alert you to heart problems, says Dr. Guseh. “I had one patient who didn’t feel chest pain or related symptoms, but he noticed his exercise performance declining over time. It turned out he had coronary artery disease,” he says.

Features to watch

Here are some of the features on wearable fitness devices that are worth checking out.

Stand or move reminders. Many wearables feature customizable notifications — a message on the watch face or a sound or vibration — to remind you to stand up and move around for a short period of time to break up long stretches of sitting. Even dedicated runners need to avoid being sedentary throughout the day to keep their hearts healthy, says Dr. Guseh (see “Stand up for your heart” in the June 2025 Heart Letter).

Daily step counts. Although you’ve likely heard that 10,000 steps per day is a good goal, that number was based on a Japanese marketing scheme and not actual data. Recent evidence finds that a lower number — anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000 daily steps — is linked to improved heart health. A smartphone (provided you carry it with you most of the day) can give a close estimate of your daily step count, but a wearable will be more accurate. Data from your smart watch automatically syncs with your smartphone, and most have apps that display trends in your step counts and other exercise data over weeks, months, and years.

Heart rate zones. Wearables make it easier to assess your exercise effort with heart rate zones, which classify how intensely you’re exercising by measuring your heart rate. The zones are based on your maximum (or peak) heart rate (MHR) — an estimate of the upper limit of what your cardiovascular system can handle during physical activity. A commonly used formula for MHR is 220 beats per minute minus your age, but you should consider this a ballpark figure, since factors other than age are at play.

Different wearables have varied numbers of heart rate zones, although five is typical. Zones 2 and 3 are generally thought to correspond to moderate-intensity exercise, while zones 4 and 5 correspond to vigorous-intensity exercise. But because they’re not individualized, they may not be accurate for everyone, Dr. Guseh notes. Ideally, you should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes or more of vigorous-intensity exercise, or an equivalent combination every week.

Heart rate recovery (HRR). This value reflects your heart’s ability to return to its normal, resting pace after you stop exercising. It’s the difference between your peak heart rate during exercise and your heart rate at a set time after you stop (typically one to two minutes). A value of 20 beats per minute is considered good, and higher is even better.

Maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂ max). This value is the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during intense exercise. It can be measured directly when a person runs on a treadmill with an oxygen mask in a lab. Some wearables estimate it based on an algorithm that uses data such as your MHR, HRR, pace, weight, and sex. VO2 max is a powerful predictor of cardiovascular health. “The absolute number may not always be accurate, but the trends can be useful. If your VO₂ max rises over time, that’s a strong sign your training is improving your fitness,” says Dr. Guseh.

Heart rate variability (HRV). This value is a measure of the variation in time between heartbeats — differences that are just fractions of a second. More variability (a higher value) suggests better heart health, because it reflects the heart’s ability to respond quickly to rapid changes occurring throughout the body. Most wearables report this value, but there isn’t a recommended target because it varies widely depending on your age, sex, fitness level, and medical history. However, it can be useful to track trends in your HRV over time. HRV often falls after a period or stress or illness but then bounces back — a sign that you’re good to go back to exercising, says Dr. Guseh.

Image: © Oscar Wong/Getty Images

Heat guard Terry Rozier remains under federal investigation for suspicious gambling behavior during his time with the Hornets, his attorney confirmed to Front Office Sports. 

The news was first reported by longtime NBA insider Chris Haynes after ESPN’s Shams Charania caused confusion during a June appearance on The Pat McAfee Show by saying Rozier “as of right now has been cleared,” and “there’s nothing really active with him right now.” Charania also said during the appearance that an NBA spokesperson had issued a statement the day before saying the league was cooperating with federal prosecutors: “This is a federal matter now,” Charania said.

Following Charania’s comments, it was widely reported that Rozier was off the hook for betting-related allegations. But that’s not the case. Rozier was embroiled in two separate but related investigations, one from the NBA and another from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. A person familiar with the matter tells FOS that Charania was referring to the NBA’s investigation. 

In January, NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said the league “did not find a violation of NBA rules” through its investigation into Rozier, although he added “we are now aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York related to this matter and have been cooperating with that investigation.”

Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, told FOS in an email that if and when Rozier is cleared in the federal probe, it’s unlikely even Rozier himself will be informed: “Federal investigations can take years to complete, and the government rarely lets the subject of an investigation know whether or not they have been cleared of allegations of wrongdoing.”

Trusty also said “to date, Mr. Rozier has not been charged with any crimes, nor has he been characterized by prosecutors as a target.” He added that the NBA cleared Rozier in 2023, “and we hope and expect that the prosecutors in EDNY will reach the same conclusion this year.”

Rozier’s current status comes weeks after Pistons guard Malik Beasley became the third-known player to be tied to a gambling investigation. Beasley is under investigation by the Eastern District of New York—the same office involved in the Rozier probe—for gambling allegations related to NBA games and prop bets during the 2023–24 season when he played for the Bucks. Former Raptor Jontay Porter was banned for life by the NBA in April 2024 after he “disclosed confidential information about his own health status” to a bettor who then used the information to gamble on Porter’s play. 

Status With the Heat

After The Wall Street Journal first reported Rozier was under federal investigation on Jan. 30 for alleged point shaving related to games when he was with the Hornets, he played the next game for the Heat against the Spurs. 

“His status is still the same,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said the day after news of the investigation broke.

The NBA has not taken any action against Rozier, and the league declined to comment further than what Bass had said in January.

Rozier is set to earn $26.6 million next season with the Heat in the final year of a four-year, $96 million contract he signed with the Hornets in 2021. Rozier has yet to be waived, released, or traded since it was reported he was under investigation. He is eligible to play for the Heat for the time being.

Link to Other Investigations? 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver was asked about the investigations into Rozier and Beasley on Tuesday after meeting with the league’s Board of Governors and said the NBA is cooperating with federal authorities. 

“I think we’re combining a few different investigations,” Silver said. “I would say any ongoing law enforcement efforts we are, of course, cooperating with and those investigators have resources at their disposal that a league office doesn’t when we do investigations, so we’re cooperating in every way.”

The investigations of Porter, Beasley, and Rozier have all been undertaken by the Eastern District of New York. Porter was charged, while Beasley and Rozier have not been. Rozier’s and Porter’s cases appear to be linked, according to the WSJ, but it’s yet to be confirmed if Beasley’s is too, or if it’s separate. 

Silver was one of the biggest early advocates to legalize sports gambling and on Tuesday he reiterated that it was the right decision, but expressed frustration that sports betting hasn’t been made legal on the national level (sports betting is legal in 38 states). 

“What we’re seeing now in some of the investigations you’re referencing is operational data, which causes in many cases, betting companies or independent agencies who are overseeing this betting activity to raise flags and say, ‘What’s happening here?’” Silver said. “I think the issue is if you didn’t have that legalized structure, what would otherwise be going on that went undetected?”

DENVER—Imagine Communications has announced that it is deepening its commitment to the North American sports and live events market with investments in its product portfolio and in its staff.

As part of that effort, it has promoted of Jimbo Haneklau to vice president of sales, sports and live events and the hired of Sophee Mink to the newly established position of business solution associate, sports and live events.

OPPO is introducing the Watch X2 Mini, a compact wearable device that integrates continuous health monitoring and professional-grade fitness tracking. The device will be available in Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the European Union, the Middle East and Africa. It will be launched in Mexico at MX$6,199 (US$330.6).

“The OPPO Watch X2 Mini brings intelligent wellness tracking to a smaller form factor without compromising capability,” says the company. OPPO is positioning the device as both a consumer fitness product and a personal health management tool. It supports over 100 exercise modes and offers biometric monitoring features intended to provide early indicators of physical and emotional stress.

Equipped with 24-hour heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring, the device applies proprietary algorithms to deliver continuous data collection and risk assessment. A multidimensional sleep monitoring system tracks rest quality, and analyzes respiratory patterns to flag potential disruptions, contributing to early detection efforts in sleep-related conditions. The device includes a new “Mind and Body Evaluation” that aggregates HRV, resting heart rate, activity level, and sleep metrics to present an overview of emotional and physical fatigue.

The Watch X2 Mini also integrates features typically associated with clinical-grade wearables, such as fall detection (configurable manually) and menstrual cycle tracking. These functions support user-led health management in daily environments, with visual feedback provided through customizable animated watch faces designed to encourage behavioral change.

OPPO has expanded its data capabilities with a Pro Running Mode that tracks running form metrics — such as ground contact time, stride length, and lateral balance — used in physiotherapy and sports science. A new Fat Burn Evaluation tool enables users to maintain real-time heart rate within optimal zones for weight loss, a function aligned with evidence-based training practices.

The hardware architecture uses dual chipsets — Snapdragon® W5 and BES2800BP — to toggle between Wear OS and a power-saving RTOS mode, extending battery life up to 60 hours in standard usage. Fast charging via Watch VOOC Flash Charging provides a full day of use after 10 minutes of charging.

Additional integrations include Google Wallet for contactless payments, Google Maps for real-time navigation, and YouTube Music for offline playback. The device is also expected to support Gemini, Google’s generative AI assistant, in future updates—suggesting deeper potential for personalized health insights.

LEXINGTON — The NFHS has announced a new three-year corporate partnership with Game Day Signals as the Official and Exclusive Baseball and Softball Coach-to-Catcher Electronic Communication Device Partner of the NFHS.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in enhancing communication, reducing sign-stealing, and streamlining game flow for high school baseball and softball programs across the country. Game Day Signals’ cutting-edge wearable technology allows coaches to send pitch calls and strategy instructions directly to catchers using an encrypted, wireless communication system—replacing traditional hand signals with a faster, more secure method.

“We are excited to partner with Game Day Signals, a recognized leader in the electronic communication system industry, to enhance the communication tools available to our high school baseball and softball programs across the country and further our commitment to equipping coaches and teams with the latest game-enhancing equipment,” said Chief Executive Officer Karissa Niehoff. “This partnership represents an important step forward in empowering teams with innovative solutions that streamline in-game communication.”

“This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our shared commitment to equipping coaches and teams with cutting-edge tools to enhance in-game communication,” said Erica Beers, President & CEO of GameDay Signals. “We have always viewed the NFHS as an ideal partner, and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces with them. This partnership reinforces our mutual dedication to innovation and the continued evolution of coaching strategies.”

Game Day Signals’ easy-to-use system has already been embraced by teams nationwide for its simplicity, reliability and ability to reduce confusion on the field. The NFHS partnership will help bring this innovation to more high school teams while reinforcing best practices for communication and sportsmanship.