You know Nobu Hotel London Portman Square for its central location, exceptional luxury, and outstanding service. But did you know that it is also considered a leader in wellness and fitness?
Let us introduce you to Liliana Gutierrez, Project Manger and Head of Wellness & Fitness at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square. With an immense passion for fitness and wellness, 18 years of experience in hospitality and a keen interest in all things fitness, she has been curating the most holistic wellness experience, focusing on both physical and mental well-being, prioritising client comfort and providing customised services that are tailored to individual needs.
Nobu Wellness & Fitness offers diverse wellness and fitness programs catering to clients of all levels, from beginners to advanced enthusiasts. Before each treatment or Pilates session, a thorough assessment is conducted to understand clients’ goals and progress. This enables the team to provide suitable recommendations and advice based on individual abilities, often starting with one-to-one sessions for a personalised approach.
Collaboration with other hotel departments, such as Food and Beverage, is key to creating a comprehensive wellness experience for clients. By partnering with different departments, Nobu Wellness & Fitness enhances client experiences through activations and offers. Close collaboration with the Events team further elevates the overall client experience.
Here we catch up with Liliana for an in-depth discussion on all things Wellness & Fitness:
How do you stay updated on the latest trends and best practices in wellness and fitness to ensure Nobu Wellness & Fitness’ offerings are current and appealing to clients?
“I do this through attending and networking at tradeshows, professional beauty shows and hospitality events. Additionally, through following social media influencers to follow trends and by analysing our competitors. It is important to keep innovating to continue improving the business and always be ahead.”
What strategies do you employ to create a holistic wellness experience for Nobu Wellness & Fitness clients, including both physical and mental wellbeing?
“It is fundamental that each client who enters Nobu Wellness and Fitness feels comfortable and at ease. We provide the appropriate service specific to the individual. It is therefore important that our team is highly trained and suitable for the job.”
How do you tailor wellness and fitness programs to meet the diverse needs and preferences of clients, from beginners to advanced fitness enthusiasts?
“Prior to any treatment or Pilates session at Nobu Wellness and Fitness, we do an assessment with the client. During this screening, it is important that the client is comfortable to be open about their goals and the progress they want to make. This allows us to make suitable recommendations according to the client’s needs and abilities. We are always honest in order to give the correct advice according to our knowledge and expertise. We often recommend one-to-one sessions initially, to find out fully what the clients’ capability is. My team will always give the initial advice and then the professional therapist or instructor can do a deep dive.”
How do you collaborate with other hotel departments, such as Food and Beverage to create a comprehensive wellness experience for clients?
“We constantly think about where there are different opportunities for us to team up with different departments at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square. The Food & Beverage department is especially important for us as we collaborate with them to run different activations and offers wherever possible. In addition, we work closely with the Events team to see where we can offer an elevated client experience. Our gallery, The White Box has proved to be an amazing window showcasing what we do best in Wellness and Fitness.”
How do you recruit, train, and manage Nobu Wellness & Fitness staff to ensure they deliver high-quality services and experiences to clients?
“Recruitment for Nobu Wellness and Fitness is a rigorous process where we really evaluate the candidate. Nobu Pilates instructors need to have a full comprehensive qualification on all the traditional equipment. They are also required to teach a lesson at the Nobu Pilates Studio, observed by our renowned Director of Pilates, Marsha Lindsay. Nobu Wellness therapists are highly skilled and have top qualifications in beauty and spa therapy. Personality is an important factor to ensure our instructors and therapists are engaging with our clients.
What is your approach to sustainability and eco-friendly practices in managing fitness facilities and wellness programs?
“When a brand reaches out to us with a partnership proposition, it is fundamental that we learn their approach to sustainability. We enquire about all stages of their supply chain, from manufacturing to delivery and sale. We must know as much information as we can before we collaborate and this applies to any brand.”
How do you ensure that fitness equipment and facilities are well-maintained and safe for clients to use?
“The fitness equipment and facilities at Nobu Wellness and Fitness undergoes continuous testing. Our team do regular daily checks and we have an onsite engineer that does routine weekly safety checks. On top of this, we have a contracted external team who do routine checks and services as part of their contract.”
In your opinion, what sets Nobu Wellness & Fitness offerings apart and makes us truly exceptional?
“Nobu Wellness and Fitness offers unique products and services, starting with Nobu Pilates. This is our exclusive studio offering a selection of group classical Pilates classes on a variety of specialised equipment. We have an amazing team with many years of experience and skill. Additionally, our purposefully built gym is open and spacious with natural daylight. It houses top of the range equipment, suitable for all fitness levels. Furthermore, we work with carefully selected, unique brands. It is important that we partner with companies that are aligned with the Nobu brand’s values. More than ninety per cent of our clients visit us from outside the Hotel and this is testament to the unique offerings at Nobu Wellness and Fitness. We also have a great residential following, thanks to our ‘home away from home’ approach for clients who travel and can still keep their fitness and wellness regime.”
How do you see the future of wellness and fitness in the hotel industry, and what innovations or changes do you anticipate?
“I predict that the hotel industry will start offering more advances services, using more specialised equipment. Whether it’s related to skincare, lifestyle or health, the expectation from clients is constantly changing and evolving and it is therefore important that this demand is met.”