US hotel chain partners with automaker for pedal-pushing guests

(Fairmont Hotels)

Luxury hotel chain Fairmont has teamed up with German automaker BMW to help its North American guests take to the saddle on vacation.

Fairmont hotels across the US will soon receive BMW Cruise Bikes and provide a complimentary bike rental service, following the success of the scheme in Canada where the bikes are already available.

Both adult and BMW Junior Cruise Bikes will be offered to guests, complete with Suntour suspension system for a smooth ride, quick braking thanks to an integrated brake routing system, and locks and helmets.

Some hotels' guests can choose to cycle around properties in wine country (Fairmont Sonoma), the Millennium Park (Fairmont Chicago), and Boston's Battery Wharf.

Members of Fairmont President's Club loyalty program can also hire adidas exercise apparel and pre-loaded MP3 players to use during their session.

Fairmont's Canadian competitor Four Seasons already offers bike rental in many of its properties, some even providing picnic baskets or daily tours.

Fortunately, it's not just a North American thing - the mountainous Swiss town of Gstaad recently introduced a "bike hotel" certification scheme to cater for visitors with a preference for pedals, while Hilton hotels in Japan is keen to extend the popular bike-rental scheme underway at the Hilton Nagoya.

http://www.fairmont.com