When an invite to test the brand new fitness suite at London hotel Sea Containers landed in my inbox this month, I was intrigued.
My first thought was how exciting it was to see a major hotel in the city centre putting health and wellbeing at the forefront of their offering. The capital is brimming with amazing studios, gym classes and more and yet, so many hotels seem stuck in the 1950s (read: dingy room with no windows and minimal equipment) when it comes to their workout offering.
Not Sea Containers, though, which has long had a fully functioning gym free to guests available and has this month launched a fully kitted out suite – aptly named the “Ship Shape suite” – for fitness fans.
The website describes it as a “one-of-a-kind space created for those looking for the ultimate private fitness and recovery experienced,” and the room boasts kit including a Peloton, VAHA mirror, Theragun and more.
In the name of health journalism – I headed down this week to check it out. Here are my honest thoughts.
Sea Containers review: “A spacious suite decked out with all the fit kit you could need – we’ll be back”
First things first: a little about the hotel. Sea Containers is situated on London’s Southbank and has amazing views of the city from their rooftop bar, 12th Knot.
The new fitness suite is situated on the fourth floor and has opened this month to offer busy CEO’s or tourists the opportunity to get a good workout in from the comfort of their hotel room (no traipsing down to the gym necessary).
The suite is spacious, sitting at a generous 635 square feet, and complete with a comfortable double bed, steam and sauna room, and ample storage.
Plus, the mini bar was stocked with kombucha, dried mango, and The Gut Stuff bars (although, as a self-professed health snack devotee, I would have loved to see a few more independent and nutrient-dense snacks on offer).
Health Editor Ally Head trying out the fitness suite at Sea Containers
(Image credit: Ally Head)
A definite highlight was testing out the water-thermoregulated and digitalised mattress from sleep pros Eight Sleep – you could control the temperature of the mattress at the touch of a button and gained detailed insight into your sleep pattern, including sleep stages, respiratory rate, resting heart rate and more the morning after.
Working out was a dream – the NoHrD weights were sleek and easy to use (so much so, I’m considering investing in some for my own house… I can dream). There are also Haptik Balls for fascia stimulation and all-important warm up exercises, as well as Technogym Bands for resistance training. Plus, a Dyson air purifier and fan meant you didn’t get too sweaty mid-workout.
The interactive VAHA X Mirror is a great option for those of you who don’t have a set workout plan – simply touch the screen and you’re met with a qualified instructor who will take you through your workout of choice step by step.
Cooling down, it was handy to have a Theragun PRO on hand – I have one at home and they are one of the easiest ways to give your muscles some love after a hard session.
We struggled to get the Peloton logged in, however – I couldn’t work out if we needed our own membership, which we sadly don’t have.
I’d also have liked a sunrise alarm clock or more natural light in the room – studies have found that maintaining your body’s natural circadian rhythm is key to general wellbeing, and the room erred on the dark side, especially in the morning.
Well worth noting is the hotel’s food offering – we had a delicious dinner overlooking the Thames and the seabass tacos were fresh, light and moreish. Breakfast served in the room the next morning was great, too – a light and fluffy egg white omelette with avocado, rocket and tomatoes.
Looking forward to seeing how the hotel continues to develop the space. We’ll be back..
For further information on the Ship Shape Suite and Sea Containers London, visit seacontainerslondon.com (opens in new tab)