I was surfing the Internet searching for that great deal on a New York City hotel, a criterion that managed to elude me on my previous trips to the Big Apple. Desiring a Midtown location that would place me within the theater district and close to a litany of fine dining establishments, I came across a boutique hotel replete with my desired amenities – value, cleanliness, room size and, of course, an exercise facility with treadmills and weight machines.

I thought I had hit the jackpot when I entered the hotel lobby – a friendly receptionist, high-end furnishings and a spread of chocolate chip cookies and truffles.

Upon opening the door to my room, my eyes gazed quickly around my new quarters and, voila, nirvana! I felt surrounded by an oasis of comfort in a desert of overbearing skyscrapers, blaring sirens, stalled traffic and street corner vendors. I placed my suitcase on the bed, shuffled through my untidy assortment of clothing (my wife reminds me constantly that I am a sloppy packer) and pulled out my shorts, T-shirt and Nikes so I could head down to the fitness facility and pound the treadmill.

But alas, that’s when my bubble burst. The hotel’s fitness facility turned out to be a small room consisting of one non-working treadmill and a recumbent bicycle with a partly-AWOL pedal. Yet, I remember the hotel’s Web site showing a photo of a treadmill and therefore assumed, wrongfully so, that a comprehensive workout facility awaited my presence.

Plan, Plan, Plan
The mantra in real estate is location, location, location. My mantra for maintaining fitness when traveling is plan, plan, plan. Don’t believe what you see or what you’re told. When I planned my New York trip, I thought I had been extremely thorough in determining how my fitness requirements would be met. While the Internet is a valuable and often necessary research tool, it may not make you aware of everything you need to know. That certainly applies to your travel/exercise plan.

I recommend that if you are looking for a hotel to fulfill your exercise needs, in addition to doing some online researching, it’s also a good idea to call the hotel and ask many questions. For example, how many treadmills does the hotel have? What other kinds of equipment are in the workout facility? If you don’t have a workout room, is there an arrangement with a neighboring health club whereby hotel guests can use that facility? Is there a fee for using a facility at another location? If so, what is the fee and if you expect to have an extended stay, are there discount packages available?

There is much more than hotel amenities to consider when planning your fitness itinerary for your next trip. After many years of travel and extended stays at different hotels throughout the world, here are some of my recommendations that can help facilitate a productive fitness experience:

Pack the appropriate clothing. If you’re like me, you probably desire to pack lightly and compact. I could travel for a week and survive on one shirt and one pair of shorts, socks and shoes for my workouts. You might wonder how I can do this without forcing a mass exit on the hotel elevator when I enter after a vigorous workout. Simple: I wear a technical shirt, socks and shorts. After my workout, I wash my clothes in the sink using a small amount of liquid detergent that I pack. I hang my clothing on the shower curtain rod and, in a matter of hours, the technical clothing is dry and ready for another workout. Unlike cotton or wool, technical material dries fairly quickly.

Pack the correct exercise equipment. If you like to use equipment, think about packing a resistance or exercise band. It takes up little room in your luggage and is an excellent accessory for working out your muscles. You can use the bands to do bicep curls and shoulder presses to strengthen your upper body. You can tie the bands around your ankles and step side-to-side to strengthen your inner and outer thigh muscles. For an aerobic workout, stand in place holding the band while it is braced under your foot and march in place.

The kinds of exercises you can incorporate into your fitness plan are limitless. Walking is ideal. Walk up the stairs in your hotel. Or, take long, fast walks around the community you’re visiting. This will help you determine which sites you’d like to visit more extensively, and which restaurants might stimulate your culinary curiosities. After all, eating is an excuse to exercise.

Dr. Philip Heit is Professor Emeritus of Physical Activity and Educational Services at The Ohio State University.