Exercise Equipment: Function vs Aesthetic

[Brandon Weis]

I will soon be operating a medium-term rental in a small city in Ohio. While there are certainly no vacationers here, there are a good amount of people that use short-term rentals for contract work for 1-3 months. I'm sure the answer is "it depends" but in general, do people that operate medium-term rentals tend to find a better response from a unit that looks pretty or a unit that might have some more perks while someone is there for a short time? I'm asking specifically because I am thinking about throwing a treadmill or elliptical machine in the living room if the person wants to exercise a little while they're there.

The unit isn't huge (around 1k sq feet) and it will probably look tacky, but I was wondering if other people have found value in providing some simple exercise equipment, even if it seems out of place.

[Miguel Del Mazo]

Congrats on the new MTR operation.

I don't like the idea of putting in what may be a relatively high-cost and low-return piece of equipment in your unit. 

Is there a full-sized gym nearby that would be willing to waive their start-up fees for your residents in exchange for a referral from you?  Your residents would benefit with better gym access on the road, the gym would get a little more revenue each month; and you can advertise the benefit without sacrificing square footage.

Thanks, and best of luck.