My continued purpose here is to review my experience on Inspirato Pass and help others decide if Inspirato Pass is a good fit for them. COVID-19 has thrown somewhat of a wrench into most of those efforts for the time being (although hopefully for not too much longer!). However, this unique season also presents an opportunity to ponder some other Inspirato related thoughts. One such thought that my mind has been entertaining recently is related to the overlap of my passion for Inspirato Pass and Peloton. Does that seem a bit strange or outside of the scope of these posts? Or, might you already be nodding your head in agreement as you read this, acknowledging that there is some intuitive connectedness between the two brands. I’ve been noodling this for a while now, usually while pedaling away on my Peloton bike. I also love running on the Peloton Tread, but my thought processing abilities are much more constrained on the Tread as my exhaustion level generally prohibits most anything even resembling a meaningful thought.
I’m often an early adopter. I’ve had the Peloton bike for three and a half years and the Peloton Tread for almost a year and a half. When the Tread came out, I pre-ordered ours and then waited with bated breath for its delivery. I hadn’t been so excited for a product since the original iPhone came out in 2007. Back then in my relative youth, I may or may not have waited in line all night at the Fashion Island Apple Store in Newport Beach for the iPhone’s inaugural release. And with Inspirato Pass, I joined in November of 2019, just a few months into the launch of the product. And that was after about a month of doing my due diligence in figuring out if the value was there for our family or not. As you well know, I found out that the value was and is most definitely there!
So yeah, I do geek out on certain products and offerings. But truth be told, it’s not a common occurrence. It requires a product that, for one reason or another, captures my imagination and inspires me. Enter Peloton and Inspirato. Count me in as one who has drank the whole dang pitcher of Kool Aid with both Peloton and Inspirato. I’m sold. I’m more than sold. I’m a believer, an evangelist for both brands. (It’s probably important to mention that I am not sponsored or compensated in any way from either brand. Not that I wouldn’t welcome that! 🙂 )
Okay, so what’s the deal? Why this overlap in passions? Why do Peloton and Inspirato feel somehow like corporate siblings? I have a few thoughts on this, as follows:
- Community/Tribe: Inspirato and Peloton are more than just a product. You become part of a tribe when you join, an actual community of people that care about one another and share common bonds and values. In my view, when a brand is able to accomplish this experience, I’m sold. I’m all in. For you Peloton users out there, you get what I’m talking about right away. When you meet another member, or find out a friend is also a Peloton rider/runner, the bond you share strengthens immediately as you start talking about your favorite instructor, whether or not you’ve visited the Peloton studios in New York, FTP test experiences (brutal!), etc. We are a tribe. It’s the same with Inspirato. You can’t help but start talking with other members about their favorite Inspirato trip, their favorite on-site concierge person, and that awesome little restaurant at their most beloved destination. Immediately, there is connection. That’s community. And it’s so important for all of us to be connected to community in one way or another. Even more so in these strange times!
- Part of the Team: With Peloton, although you are one of what are now over a million members, you feel connected to the people behind the brand. You “know” your instructors, and you feel known by them. They call out your name when you hit a milestone on a live ride. You are an important member of the team! And all Peloton riders/runners have their favorite instructor, who can feel more like a personal trainer and even a life coach at times as they push you to become a better version of yourself. I train with a few different instructors, but chalk me up as a Matt Wilpers disciple. He’s my guy, my coach. He’s technical. He motivates and encourages. He’s humble. He kicks my butt. But oh man, I also love Robin Arzon, Alex Toussaint, Becs Gentry on the Tread, and so on and so on! With Inspirato, you have your “Team” that takes care of all of your needs. In my case, it’s Team Southwest, and they rock! They are always super responsive and go above and beyond to help however they can. And then once you make a reservation, you’ve got your onsite team that takes care of you prior to arrival and during your stay, making sure you’re all set up and catering to your needs during your stay. There’s a connection. You actually get to know the people behind the product. You’re in it together.
- Inclusive Exclusivity: Peloton and Inspirato require membership. They require monthly dues. There is a cost. You are excluded unless you become a member. BUT, all are welcome and invited into this exclusivity. Just commit and join the tribe. Once you’re in, you’re family. You’re part of a movement, something much bigger than yourself. Like anything that provides value, commitment and sacrifice are required. Also important to mention, there is somehow an absence of pretense with both brands. How is there such a sense of humility and authenticity in brands that serve the demographic that they do? I’ll credit their leadership and founders here. This kind of culture trickles down and is intentional. So Brent Handler of Inspirato and John Foley of Peloton, well done!
- Intangible and Immeasurable Return on investment: I love this one. With Inspirato, it is impossible to measure the benefit of spending intentional time with those you love most. Yes, there is a cost. There is sacrifice. But creating treasured memories and developing deeper relationships with loved ones are the things in life that you can’t assign a value to. I experience this firsthand every time I’m able to vacation with family or dear friends. With Peloton, there is absolutely a high cost! It costs you sweat, hard work, time, maybe even some tears now and again. But again, how do you measure the value of improved health and fitness, enhanced self-confidence and sense of accomplishment? In my case, Peloton training got me through my first full Ironman event in Arizona back in November and our whole family (my wife and two teenage daughters) was training on the Tread for a marathon last month until the event was cancelled due to COVID-19. What other products or brands out there offer this type of return to their consumers?
- Commitment to Excellence: Both Inspirato and Peloton are best in class. Their value on excellence is crystal clear. They don’t need to state it. It’s ingrained in their identities. Inspirato has incredible residences at the top destinations in the world, and their hotel partnerships include many of the most desirable hotels and resorts in the marketplace. In the last few months, we’ve experienced the residences at Stein Eriksen Residences and Pelican Hill Villas. It doesn’t get much better than that! Now, we’re hoping to enjoy the Montage at Kapalua at the end of next month, restrictions permitting, but fingers crossed! The Montage at Kapalua is nothing if not excellent! Now, on to Peloton, the Tread is by far the most excellent piece of fitness equipment I’ve ever used. It destroys every other treadmill’s functionality and user friendliness. In the world of treadmills, it is the gold…no platinum standard and was a game changer with the roll up knobs and jump buttons…come on! Of course, the much better known Peloton bike is also a most excellent piece of equipment. Couple the Tread/bike product level with the amazing instructors and training, and you’ve got the most excellent fitness provider/platform in existence. I don’t just mean at home fitness. I mean fitness anywhere!
- Unifying Force: I’m not sure if that’s the best title, but here’s what I want to convey. The Inspirato and Peloton communities include and bring together people from all walks of life. It’s diverse. It’s inclusive. In a world that seems more and more divided by the day, Inspirato and Peloton bring people together. Whether you’re riding and virtually “high-fiving” another member during a Peloton ride, or enjoying a virtual cooking class with other Inspirato members, it makes no difference whether or not later that evening they will be watching CNN, Fox News, or MSNBC. Red state, blue state, all are welcome. We come in all colors, shapes, and sizes in this tribe! I’ve so appreciated this experience with both Inspirato and Peloton.
So there you have it. In summary, I guess it can’t get any better than working out on a Peloton bike or Tread while enjoying a vacation at an incredible Inspirato residence. And I have been blessed to experience this. I enjoyed Peloton workouts while at the Stein Eriksen Residences in Deer Valley and I know that there are at least some Inspirato residences with Peloton’s included! It would be great to see a Peloton in every Inspirato residence! I do know that the Montage at Kapalua has Pelotons in their fitness center so you’ll know where to find me in the early mornings during our trip, prior to trading in my water bottle for a Mai Tai and committing myself to a day otherwise filled with lounging and leisure.
There are currently over one million Peloton subscribers. And I know a huge percentage of them are absolutely loving their experience. My recommendation to my fellow million Peloton riders/runners is that they check out Inspirato Pass. Yeah, the monthly dues are a bit higher, but the immeasurable value is well worth it! Why not explore Inspirato Pass today?! And please stop by and say hello if you have any questions or comments for me.
Thank you Inspirato and Peloton. Keep up the great work! And fellow Peloton riders and runners, I’ll see you on the leader board! I’m BrianSA and ride/run with #Inspirato.
Happy Travels!
(Disclosure: As mentioned above, I am not sponsored or compensated by Inspirato or Peloton. I’m just one of the many satisfied customers that are part of this overlapping tribe.)