Traveling To London & Want To Stay Fit? Try Well Aware, Your Bespoke Wellness Concierge
It’s the classic modern traveler’s dilemma: how do you keep healthy on the road? You’ve just gotten off a long-haul flight. You’re jetlagged and waking up at 3am local time in strange surroundings. Room service may not be available and you end up reaching for that can of Pringles in the minibar. Not only are you eating random (and often unhealthy) foods, finding the motivation to work out is so much harder when you’re facing a small, sad-looking hotel gym. Unless you happen to have superhuman discipline, the first thing that drops off when people travel is healthy diet and exercise.
Most of us have been there at some point or another which is why companies like Well Aware have popped up, a luxury wellness concierge service out of London. Founder Rebecca Fairbrother promises to help you stay on track with your health and fitness goals and make sure you’re feeling your best, even when you’ve been living out of your suitcase.
On a recent trip that took me from New York to London with stopovers in Geneva and Paris, I decided to test it out. Ahead of my arrival, I got in touch and told them I’d be interested in their Jet, Sweat and Reset package. It’s a standard package to help adjust and re-energize fatigued travelers and includes a welcome box, three boutique fitness classes, and a massage to help the body get back into its natural rhythm. Well Aware isn’t just for travelers. The company also creates programs like Bridal Bootcamp, for those getting ready for their big day, a Yummy Mummy package to help new mothers get back in shape post-pregnancy, corporate packages and completely bespoke programs depending on whatever your needs are.
I already had hotel arrangements but if I’d gotten in touch earlier, Well Aware could have arranged that too. Rebecca herself came to meet me at the hotel I was staying at to give me the welcome box. Inside I found three cold-pressed juices by CPress Juice, some healthy nibbles like Qnola, a quinoa-based granola that’s all the rage in London, bath salts, and a pair of black Lorna Jane crop leggings. We talked a bit over the phone and in person about my likes and dislikes. For me, that meant no beetroot in my juices. For workouts, I’m a big yoga fanatic but I was also kind of interested in trying something different than my usual routine so we discussed me giving a barre class or a boxing sesh a go. In the end, I skipped out on the fitness classes in favor of trying out Equinox by myself. I had worked out at Equinox in New York the previous week and I’d gotten recommendations from a trainer there to see someone at the London location. At the same time, I really felt like my skin needed some pampering after sitting through a few long haul flights. When I told Well Aware that, they had no problem adjusting my program to take out the workouts and book me in for a facial instead.
I was emailed my itinerary complete with directions from my hotel to the spa called Azure Beauty which was conveniently located a five minute walk away. Being the tourist that I was, I still wandered down the wrong street. Luckily, a quick call to Rebecca sorted me out. Azure was a wonderful and serene experience with a top notch therapist I felt I could trust with my skin sensitivities. The facial was followed by a one-hour full body massage using aromatherapy natural balms from French brand Decleor. I’m all about the deep deep-tissue-I like my massages strong and though I said as much at the spa reception, it wasn’t nearly as strong as I had hoped for. That being said, the other massages I got throughout the rest of my time in Europe at well-known international hotel spas were all a bit soft for my liking. I guess they don’t pummel and knead you quite as hard as they do in Asia, despite my reassurance that they really could push harder on me! For my next Well Aware package, I am hopeful that Rebecca could find something more suited to my somewhat masochistic massage tastes.
Beyond the services in the package, having Rebecca as a resource in London was a godsend. Not only did she sweetly check in in on me from time to time to see how I was doing but she was also very helpful with restaurant and sightseeing suggestions. It was my first time in the city and I only knew a handful of people there, all of whom who were busy with their office jobs during the daytime, so speaking to Rebecca felt like having a close friend who is really switched on and has the same interests as you.
I was originally skeptical about the Well Aware concept- did I really need a separate concierge to advise me on health, beauty and wellness? Shouldn’t most good hotel concierges know this stuff? But to my surprise, even though I stayed at two five-star hotels during my London stay-one boutique, one global chain- their concierge desks weren’t able to help me much. One didn’t even know what Whole Foods was! (How do you spell that, Miss?) In New York, fitness feels so mainstream: almost everybody speaks gluten-free, AMRAP, and bulletproof. While the wellness scene is no doubt flourishing in London, it’s not all cold-pressed juice bars and yoga studios on every street corner. You do need to do your research, especially as a visitor. I left with such a fantastic impression of London and I think a lot of credit goes to Well Aware- no doubt I’ll be looking them up again upon my next UK visit.
Photo credits: C-Press Juice Facebook, Well Aware, Qnola and Lululemon Facebook.