Fitness, wellness and recovery are driving new investments in the hotel and resorts market, with Kerzner the latest to enter this space, as Megan Whitby reports

Kerzner International, the owner of One&Only Resorts and Atlantis Resort & Residences, has developed a new immersive lifestyle hospitality concept called Siro, inspired by fitness and wellbeing.

The new offering will invite guests to aspire to live at their fullest potential through a specialised blend of hospitality, fitness and wellness.

The immersive lifestyle destinations will be ‘places of connection’, creating welcoming social spaces and “bringing together a global community through sports, mindfulness, nutrition, education, fitness, recovery, achievement and holistic health”, says Philippe Zuber, Kerzner CEO: “We recognise that holistic health is more important than ever, and Siro’s primary focus will be an exceptional fitness and wellness offering to support a modern and balanced global lifestyle, delivered in a transformative and nurturing urban environment.

“We look forward to Siro becoming part of key cities around the world,” Zuber told HCM.

It’s a model being pursued by several other operators, including Equinox, but Zuber told Bloomberg he does not see this as a competitive threat, saying: “Equinox will be our competitor to a certain extent, but they are a gym that has tried to go into hospitality. We’re a bulletproof hospitality company with so much success over the years.”

Facility mix
A cutting-edge fitness club will be at the heart of each Siro hotel, offering a spacious gym, dedicated space for yoga and meditation, dynamic activity classes, a pool and use of local sports venues.

In addition, guests will be offered a variety of performance fitness activities reflective of each destination, such as cycling, sailing, hiking, boxing, climbing, kite surfing, parkour, and skiing.

To aid recovery and healing, Siro will also offer a Recovery Lab delivering a selection of health spa services including specialised massage therapies, cyrotherapy, infrared saunas, meditation classes and sports rehabilitation, for mindful regeneration.

Health and nutrition will be central to the Siro concept, with culinary teams working with local farms and artisans to serve seasonal and organic food.

Specialists will also provide nutritional advice and seminars to supplement guests’ lifestyle.

Launching in 2023
The first Siro hotel – called Siro Boka Place – will launch in Porto, Montenegro in 2023, while Kerzner has outlined plans to expand with more urban destinations. SIRO properties will be digitally integrated to deliver a smooth guest journey.

Siro will also be building ‘Team Siro’, a group of top athlete ambassadors from around the world who’ll each play an advisory role as Siro develops the fitness and wellness elements at the heart of its ‘immersive lifestyle experience’.

The first ambassador to be appointed is swimmer Adam Peaty, an Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth champion, and favourite to win Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

“Our partnership with Adam Peaty is a first for us,” said Zuber. “The primary focus of Siro will be exceptional fitness and wellness and he will bring his experience, insight and understanding of all aspects of high-performance lifestyle, holistic health, and wellbeing to this new role. “Adam personifies everything we’re looking to achieve with the new brand – he’s the embodiment of living to your fullest potential, and we’re excited to bring him on board at the very start of our Siro journey,” he says.

Peaty told HCM, “Siro is an exciting new experience that seems to be missing in the hotel space.

“As an elite athlete who strives for perfection in everything I do, I know just how important the tiny details are with an environment such as this. From the tranquillity of the bedrooms to the best-in-class nutritional advice, to the state-of-the-art fitness facilities and recovery lab, Siro is aiming to revolutionise the guest experience.”

Community spaces
Siro will provide “thoughtful environments” for both local residents and guests, aiming to become a meaningful part of the community.

A social bar for guests and the community will be the “heartbeat” of the hotel, says Zuber. Public spaces will be “fully immersive and social” and will offer an opportunity to “celebrate the triumphs of the day,” says Zuber. “They will create an experience for all the senses and will focus on exploration and play, coming to life through sight, touch, and sound, being spaces where guests will want to linger, blurring the lines between virtual and reality.”

Guest rooms will be designed as sanctuaries – places of calm, where people can recharge. They’ll be styled to have restorative properties such as air filtration and circadian lighting to provide an optimal sleeping environment, while in-room spa and steam showers will aid rejuvenation and recovery.

Wellbeing will go beyond the physical and mental, employing smart technology and using sustainable materials to enhance the space and building and offering a private refuge for rest and recovery.

The concept will expand beyond the hotel and include streaming classes, workshops, and knowledge-sharing events to connect the Siro community and integrate with people’s day to day fitness routines.