11/02/04

Take a sauna, play racquetball, and dip in the pool, all beneath Miami's blue skies.

by Contributor

The Scene
The International Hotel's eighth-floor health club attracts a mix of air travelers, hotel guests and airport personnel. Potted palms and a jogging track border the alfresco swimming pool and whirlpool area, where a poolside snack bar serves sandwiches and salads, beer and wine. Utilitarian locker rooms evoke high school memories with their steel lockers and blue tile floors--patrons will want to bring their own toiletries as very few are supplied.

The Workout
The health club has a small Nautilus gym with handful of cardio machines. Bodybuilders might find the pickings slim, but these facilities do the trick for working up a quick sweat or stretching out a sore back. The racquetball court is reservable in one-hour blocks for under ten dollars--the club can provide rackets, ball and goggles. Manicures, pedicures, face massages and hair services are all performed in the downstairs salon just off the hotel lobby.