Health and wellbeing continues to be an important focus at Stratford Park Hotel & Golf Club with the launch last week of its new Reformer Pilates Studio.
The state-of-the-art four-bed studio is the latest addition to the 14th-century family-owned hotel in Stratford-Upon-Avon, supporting mindful movement, strength training, flexibility, and low-impact fitness in a calm, modern environment.
Co-owner and General Manager Beverley Haynes, said the inspiration came following her own frustrating customer experience. She explained:
“I couldn't find the experience I wanted, most reformer classes near me were either part of a monthly paid gym membership or on a high street. While this is great to see in terms of high street regeneration, they came with no parking, no space to grab a coffee afterwards, no garden or outdoor space to sit in, no changing rooms with showers to freshen up before heading back to work and nowhere to sit and open my laptop and get on with my day."
“And there were often far too many reformer beds crammed into one class, with instructors stretched thinly across a packed room. I loved the workout but just didn't love the whole experience.”
She added: “Here, after class you don't have to leave, you can sit outside in the garden with a coffee, enjoy a healthy breakfast or lunch, answer a few emails or simply spend 20 minutes doing absolutely nothing."
“We also made a deliberate decision to keep classes small, which means more individual coaching, more attention to technique. You're never going to be just another person in a packed room. The Reformer Edits is designed for people who don't just want to exercise, it’s somewhere they will actually look forward to spending time here.”
The studio forms the latest chapter of Beverley’s plans to widen the hotel’s wellness offering and follows the launch of the wellbeing rooms last year, spaces which can be hired for a variety of workshops and therapies including counselling, coaching and classes.
The Reformer Pilates classes are run by four instructors and are geared to all levels, from Beginners, Strength and Flexibility, through to Athletic, Pre/Post-Natal, Mobility and Balance.
Visitors will be in the professional hands of a team including Jessica Daromas, from Alcester, Amy Edwards from Warwick, Tyra Moore from Solihull and Chloe Mason from Stratford.
Reformer Pilates works on Core Strength (Building deep stability and a stronger, more supported torso; Lean Muscle Tone (Lengthening and toning muscles without heavy weights); Flexibility (Increasing the range of motion and unlocking tight joints over time); Better Posture (Improving alignment and undoing the effects of desk work); Stress Relief (Slow, controlled movement that calms the nervous system) Functional Strength (Building real-world power without the strain of heavy lifting) and Injury Prevention (Supporting recovery and protecting the body for the long term.)
Beverley said:
“I’ve spent over three decades in the hospitality business and it’s getting tougher every year, business rates, cost of food and drink and every square meter of our business has to earn its place but it also has to improve the guests’ experience."
“This was an opportunity to create a space that encourages people to slow down, move well, stay longer and enjoy the experience, rather than just ticking another workout off the list!”
The studio is open from August 11th. Further information is available here.
