New Technology Allows Resort Guests to Run Like Locals
Monarch Beach Resort is Orange County’s AAA Five-Diamond rated luxury resort overlooking the azure waters of the Pacific, located in the charming city of Dana Point. The resort offers guests an array of exclusive activities and inspiring experiences that embody Southern California’s serene coastal lifestyle. From oceanfront golf links and restorative spa services to water sports and celebrated dining, Monarch Beach Resort provides a complete luxury experience.
As the premier coastal destination for guests with active lifestyles, Monarch Beach Resort provides an array of engaging pursuits and fitness offerings for all interests and skill levels designed by our fitness experts at Miraval Life in Balance Spa. This fall, the resort launched a program for overnight resort guests to receive complimentary signature fitness classes at Miraval Life in Balance Spa. A large portion of guests visiting Monarch Beach Resort are runners and walkers, and the team assists guests daily with the best places to run, walk and hike. Like most hotels and resorts worldwide, the resort used to provide them with paper maps or verbal directions on where to go. When RunGo approached us to discuss their solution, we immediately saw the benefits and how it would further enhance our guests’ experiences, and improve our internal efficiency.
RunGo acts as a virtual running/walking partner that offers turn-by-turn directions in real time, directly through the runner’s headphones or Apple Watch, eliminating the need for bulky and sometimes confusing maps. Guests can download the free app and will instantly see the different Monarch Beach Resort route options on their phones. Next, they download the selected route to their phones, and off they go. From interviews with our guests using the app we have learned that they appreciate the technology and prefer it over the previous solutions offered. They can leave the map at home and for the first time truly enjoy the views and beauty of Dana Point and its surrounding areas just as if they are locals.
“The fitness experts at Miraval Life in Balance Spa were looking to offer our active hotel guests something special and simple to enjoy the surrounding areas. By introducing this new app we made the whole experience seamless," said Ian Pullan, vice president and general manager.
Our Miraval fitness experts appreciate the simple and fast way they can deploy our own validated routes to guests, and confidently send guests around the local area knowing the RunGo app will guide them back to our front desk safely. Miraval Life in Balance Spa operates on a philosophy of mindfulness and this is not lost with the RunGo app. Our fitness experts have even created a run with guided mindfulness exercises throughout the route.
“Miraval Life in Balance Spa is a standout amenity at Monarch Beach Resort and its emphasis on wellbeing and fitness extends beyond four walls. There are many runners that visit Monarch Beach Resort, and the resort and spa team wanted to help facilitate runs for these guests. Now, runners will actually enjoy the views and beauty that their run offers, rather than spending time looking down at their maps,” states Pullan.
The integration of RunGo with our guest experience was straightforward, and from conception to completion took less than three weeks. The RunGo staff visited our hotel and together with our fitness experts, created and tested several runs which are now available to our guests. By highlighting this service on our website and throughout our marketing communication to our active guests, we are able to show potential guests that Monarch Beach Resort offers the best experience for their active lifestyles.