Do you offer any exercise equipment?

[Ann783]

We use our cottage quite a bit ourselves and after finishing our basement, decided to add an exercise room. Nothing fancy, stationary bike, yoga mats and some weights. Not sure yet if I want to lock this room or let guests have access - providing they signed a liability waiver.  Any hosts providing exercise equipment? I'm aware of the liability issues, we have bikes, a playset and a pool.

Thoughts? 

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Ann783 

Y'know, I'd  immediately contact my private insurance agent and ask them to go over my STR policy. You may need to add a rider or something to be protected for all these hazards. Until then, I'd lock down everything, including pool, bikes, and play set. 

[Pat271]

@Ann783  Just the word “equipment” sends shivers up and down my spine. As much as possible, I avoid amenities with moving parts, games with small pieces, baby equipment…anything that might increase the likelihood of injury. The worst amenities of this nature I provide are beach chairs, umbrellas, and boogie boards. And I’m fully insured with both short-term rental insurance and umbrella insurance.

And weights? Sorry, no way.

Liability waivers aren’t worth the paper they are written on. People sue anyway, and often win if negligence can be proven, which is a subjective determination. Some judge might decide that providing a certain kind of equipment at all is negligent.

I’d rather avoid these issues altogether and provide only simple amenities.

One thing to look into is equipment rental companies, especially if you are in a tourist location. For instance, we have several baby equipment rental companies. The guest can order equipment and furniture online, and the company will deliver before check-in, and pick up after check-out, all for a nominal price per piece of equipment per night. Perhaps there are similar companies in your area for gym equipment.

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Pat271 @Ann783 

Pat and I are in total agreement on this! 

[Colleen253]

@Ann783 Do you have the liability issue locked down beyond a shadow of a doubt, and are you going to be making more money by providing guests with access to a fitness room? 

[Ann783]

.@Colleen I’m going through the liability issues with my insurer. I don’t think most people are interested in “working out” while they are on vacation… but I could be wrong. Doubt it would be a money maker.

[Debra300]

@Ann783,

I wouldn't provide exercise equipment to guests due to liability and maintenance concerns.  Even something as simple as a yoga mat could lead to problems, because it would need to be sanitized between each guest or a guest can claim they were injured because the mat was too thin/thick/short/long/smooth/sticky, etc.  Also, when a broken/malfunctioning item is reported there may be difficulty in identifying which guest is at fault.

[Lorna170]

@Ann783   Lock the room and direct your guests to the nearest gym/spa.

[Flavia202]

I don't provide exercise equipment, @Ann783 .  I have space in the garden to set up a small outdoor gym but too much for too little, I think.  There are lots of gyms close and nearby so I include them in my welcome book for guests who can pick and choose as they like. 

[Mark116]

@Ann783  No and I never would.  It feels like asking for trouble, not only is there the potential of an injury, people are so hard on things, I would expect that whatever was on offer would soon be damaged.  We don't even give guests a vacuum for the same reason.  

[Kitty-and-Creek0]

@Mark116 

We provide a good quality, small, hand held vacuum, broom, dustpan,  nontoxic type cleaning products and terry cleaning cloths for spills. No one has used it so far, as they are such careful guests. If the vacuum gets damaged, we will just replace it.
 

[Marina2331]

We also offer some basic exercise equipment in our rental, including a treadmill, yoga mats, and free weights. We've found that guests appreciate having these amenities available, especially those who like to maintain their fitness routines while on vacation. Like you, we considered the liability and had our guests sign waivers for the use of the equipment. In addition, providing detailed instructions on safe usage and including proper disclaimers in your listing can help mitigate risks. Since many guests are health-conscious, adding these options can enhance their experience. On a related note, if your guests are sports fans, you could suggest they download the ** to stream live sports and fitness content during their stay—it could be a great way to complement the exercise equipment you provide!

**[Link removed as per the Community Center Guidelines]

[Marina2331]

Thanks!  **

**[Link removed as per the Community Center Guidelines]