Would You Like a Bike with Your Room?

Seven hotels that offer eco-friendly alternatives in transportation

By Hannah Monahan

If you’re an environmentally conscious person or just fed up with the price at the pump consider an alternative type of transportation on your next vacation. More and more hotels are now providing bicycles to their guests. With gas prices affecting bus and taxi fare, try an alternative fun and healthy way to tour around the city or plan your vacation around adventurous biking trails and trips!

The Bowery, New York City

The Bowery Hotel in New York City is just one of the beautiful city hotels that offer guests cruiser style bikes in their list of free amenities. The custom Bowery Red bicycles match the décor of the classic Bowery hotel and come with a bike lock, helmet, and even a front-loading basket to hold all your needs for the day ahead.

Located in the heart of New York City, the hotel is just three miles from scenic Central Park and bustling Times Square, where you can spend the day touring classic big apple spots. Or take a trip to the water’s edge and ride around Manhattan.

“Our guests just love the free bike offer” the Bowery concierge boasts, evident from the huge increase in popularity the hotel has seen in guests who are excited to take out the cruisers. With the money you’ll save from using these bikes, you can take an extra tour of the many New York museums or eat out at the many delicious restaurants.

You can book your stay at The Bowery Hotel at 212-505-9100.

The Charles Hotel, Cambridge Mass

The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts offers a bike program to its guests including six electric Amsterdam style bicycles with a shopping basket attached. Located a few blocks from Boston’s famous Charles River, the hotel encourages its guests to take the eight-mile ride along the waterfront, enjoying the picturesque scenery the city has to offer.

Take the bikes out on a day on the town, touring the historic Beacon Hill, or Harvard Square. The hotel offers a one-way ride with and return trip by means of taxi or public transportation. Enjoy beautiful Boston in an environmentally conscious way!
Plan your trip to The Charles at 617-864-1200

The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma San Diego

The Pearl Hotel in Point Loma, San Diego offers not only a bike rental amenity to their guests but offer an incentive for their guests to opt for the eco-friendly option with a brunch for their guests visitors that bike.

“We do a Bikes ‘N Brunch on the last Sunday of every month where you can have an entree and endless mimosas for only $10 if you ride your bike!” a hotel representative explains. Only moments from the San Diego Harbor, you and your friends can take the bikes on a trip to the stunning California coastline and enjoy the many restaurants and shops the city has to offer.

Enjoy your trip to San Diego at The Pearl Hotel in Point Lomas 1-877-PEARL-SD

Montafoner Hof, Montafon Austria

If you’re looking to plan your trip around adventurous e-biking tours, try an abroad trip to the Montafoner Hof Hotel in Tschagguns Montafon, Austria. This hotel specializes in providing guests with all that is needed for a thrilling mountain biking trip through the Austrian Alps.

Free ebike rentals, toolkits for repairs, first aid kits, and laundry services for your biking clothes, the Montafoner Hof is a perfect place for any adventure seeking biker.

Their tours start out with a healthy breakfast to fuel up the guests, tailored to their likes and nutritional needs to power them through their day on the bikes.

Lead by certified Alpine biking guides, guests are sure to experience an exciting, thrilling, and safe mountain biking trip, and after a long day, guests can relax in the mountain lodges owned by the hotel.

Book your bike adventure at info@montafonerhof.com

The James Hotel, Chicago

Through reservations with the hotel concierge, guests at The James Hotel in Downtown Chicago can make use of the complimentary Paul Frank designed bikes offered for both adults and children. With helmets and maps provided by The James, families can easily travel through the many bike paths of Chicago on self-guided tours.

Just minutes from famous Millennium Park and the numerous dining and shopping choices on the Magnificent Mile, The James is an ideal place to reserve a bike for a day and see what Chicago has to offer without the costs of taxis or public transportation. Experience classic Chicago at the James Hotel by contacting them at 866-487-2241.

The Oxford Hotel, Bend Oregon

In Bend, Oregon, the Oxford Hotel has bikes guest can borrow to enjoy this outdoorsy city at no charge. With baskets, bells and big fat seats, these bikes are a great way to get to the trail that runs beside the Deschutes River and to the redeveloped Old Mill section of Bend. Here you can find a cheery fire pit behind a row of chic shops, restaurants, and bars. Across the river is the large outdoor amphitheater where top-name performers are featured during the summer.

The White Elephant Residences, Nantucket Island

Here at this ultrachic resort, full sized apartments with up to three bedrooms (with flat screen TVs in all the rooms) can be rented, and bikes are available too.

While the bikes at the White Elephant aren’t nearly as classy as the BMW 750i hybrid that the hotel will use to take you wherever you want to go on the island, it’s fun taking the bikes out on the many bike trails that lead to some of the finest beaches on the east coast.

Especially recommended is the 10-mile trip to Madaket where you can enjoy a cocktail at the Westender, best at the end of the day facing the sunset.

Hannah Monahan is a freelance writer from Boston.