Not just a buzzword: Bleisure travel takes off around Australia

“During the pandemic, people were working remotely and still being productive,” said Alison Hulm, the director of ATYPICAL, which provides business strategy, concept creation, design and operation management to hospitality developers. “So, when hotels opened again, they provided alternative places for people to work, and also to enjoy some leisure time.

“Hotels quickly caught onto that and made their offerings as user-friendly as they could. So, now we’re seeing increasing numbers of people go to stay in hotels, that have good Wi-Fi and lots of spaces for them to work, with coffee and food, but also great lifestyle options.”

The new bleisure converts around Australia have never had it so good, with more workspaces, sockets and charging stations provided all around hotels and resorts, and upgrades to services to make work feel more like play.

Fancy a hearty breakfast before starting work? Check into Rydges World Square Sydney and book a table at its restaurant Amber to kick off the day. How about a game of golf or a massage to freshen up between assignments? Then there’s the Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort in the Hunter Valley. Plan a stay at the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort and go for an ocean dip or paddleboard in the Zoom meeting break.

Feeling too stressed to concentrate? The QT Melbourne has its Rooftop at QT for a breath of fresh air and its outlook over the city skyline to relax you. Or have a problematic project to tackle? Maybe a stint in the gym or a ride up a nearby mountain bike trial at Atura Dandenong would be perfect to clear the mind. And if all else fails, there’s always its micro-brewery for solace.

“Bleisure is a massive trend now and it’s really accelerated due to COVID,” said Norman Arundel, director of hotel and resort operations at EVENT Hospitality & Entertainment. “There’s a lot of talk now about people having to go back to the office but many are reluctant to do that and, equally, they don’t want to sit and work at home either.

“So, more and more are checking into their local neighbourhood hotels, particularly lifestyle hotels, to connect to Wi-Fi and sit and work in-room or in lobbies, and have small meetings and Zoom conferences, and enjoy the facilities at the same time. Others are travelling to stay in hotels further away for leisure but combining it with work.”

Hotel groups wanting to make the most of these new opportunities ensure rooms have areas suitable for work, strong Wi-Fi and making space in lobbies, restaurants, bars and corners for guests and their laptops.

Only occasionally does the bleisure mix become problematic. Shaun O’Bryan, the general manager of Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, recounts the time an IT expert guest was playing golf when he received an urgent call from his bosses needing his help, believing him to be working from home, a short distance from the office.

“We brought him in from the golf course and set him up in our conference room so he could solve their problems while still here,” said Mr O’Bryan. “They were none the wiser. He even came to stay with us again, later, and thanked us again for our help.

“It’s hard for some people to work from home with a family and we have now at least 20 per cent of people coming for conferences but then adding a family getaway onto the end or at the beginning. They can work, have a round of golf, have some family time and it works out well for them and, for us, it creates another stream of revenue.”

The opportunity for bleisure has also seen a jump of up to 30 per cent in the average length of stay at hotels and resorts, according to John Thompson, head of commercial for Minor Hotels Australia and New Zealand.

Where weekend guests used to book for Friday night and then leave on Sunday morning, they now often arrive at least by Thursday and don’t leave till Monday, or later, safe in the knowledge they can do a bit of work while they’re there.

“We’re seeing this bleisure trend particularly in hotels on the Gold Coast, Central Coast and Hunter Valley, places that you can easily drive to for the weekend from cities like Sydney and Brisbane,” said Mr Thompson. “If you’re going to work, why not do it while overlooking a beautiful river, or looking out over the ocean, where you can have a swim at lunchtime and know you’ve not got a stressful commute through traffic at the end of the day?”

It’s a concept that can strike fear, however, into the hearts of those who may already have enough trouble trying to find a balance between work and leisure. But if it’s managed well, it can mean more freedom, says Ms Hulm.