Envy Sports Club & Cafe, Manchester

Working out at Envy Sports Club & Cafe isn't too different from exercising at home—if your house had state-of-the-art fitness equipment, a well-kept pool, a sauna, and motivating trainers, that is. At this gym, each cardio machine also functions as a personal computer equipped with Internet access and a high-definition screen. Guests can check their email or Facebook, watch TV, or stream a movie as they jog on the treadmill or pedal away on a stationary bike. Private poolside cabanas equipped with TV screens allow swimmers to catch the game, watch a movie, or hear the news in between breaths.

Alternatively, gym-goers can pick up some free weights or hit the weight-training equipment to tone their physiques, possibly with the advice of a personal trainer. A slate of group fitness classes, meanwhile, includes hot yoga, Zumba, aqua aerobics, and high-intensity interval training. After workouts, exercisers can visit the healthful café and relax in a palm-treed oasis with a fresh fruit smoothie.