Active guests will be able to experience the free, post-exercise ice baths, which are used by almost all top athletes to aid muscle recovery.

Olympic gold medal winning sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis and aspiring Olympian Vanessa Raw, a triathlete, helped to launch the trial as one of the activities planned for part of the hotel chain's partnership with London 2012.

"Ice baths are part of any world class athlete's training schedule and although it's freezing, I'd recommend them to anybody as part of post exercise recovery," said Lewis-Francis, who anchored Britain's 4x100 metres relay team to victory at the 2004 Athens Olympics. 

"Ten minutes in iced water might just seem to turn your legs cold and numb, but it's extremely beneficial as the process floods your legs with oxygen and nutrients, replenishing muscles and removing lactic acid."

The complimentary ice bath service will be trialled across 23 hotels across the country and start today (June 8) and last until June 15.

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