Written by Robert Hamilton-Jones

A month-long stay at Airways made me appreciate just how great its sport and fitness facilities are.

Business travel can be tough, especially at the moment. Travel, meetings, COVID protocols and separation from family and friends can turn any trip into a chore.

But one thing that really annoys me is not being able to exercise properly. You get into a good routine at home, then you go away and all your hard work starts coming undone. Happily, this was not the case on my recent extended stay at Airways Hotel.

As PNG’s premier gym complex, the reputation of Airways’ Health and Fitness Centre precedes it. The state of the art exercise equipment, elegant artificial grass tennis court and that 20 metre infinity lap-pool with its stunning view of the Owen Stanley Ranges are common knowledge.

But there’s much more.There are two squash courts, a table tennis table plus a barre/yoga studio with a weekly schedule of classes. Class Instructor Alex will even become your personal trainer if you need extra motivation.

While there are no less than six modern treadmills in the gym (over-crowding is never an issue), if you’d rather do your cardio outside then hotel guests also have access to the neighbouring Recreation Park. It is a five-minute walk (or two-minute run) away within the secure Airways compound. This picturesque spot features a grass park surrounded by a 300m paved track which is ideal for walking or running (hint: go early in the morning when its coolest), as well as an outdoor exercise area.

If you need a sports massage to help you recover then award-winning Bliss the Spa is located within the main hotel building, and when it comes to refueling the main restaurant offers ‘Light and Healthy’ options of energy-packed salads on its wide-ranging menu.

I’ve been staying at Airways for years but it took this extended stay to make me realise that these days it really is a health and fitness destination.