Oleg Kozlovskii
October 24, 2017 16:03
Great gym with one fatal flaw - shady pricing policy.
1) Ordered PT session on the lifetime website for 75 LT bucks. At the gym, staff member announced that I actually have to pay $120. I asked why and did not get a coherent answer. After some talk, I did the session for $75. What was this $120 about? Nobody knows. And that happened 3 times.
2) I did Metabolic assessment for $99 right after I became a member. 6 month later, I wanted to repeat it. I went to the PT desk and they told me that I have to pay $249 for the second metabolic assessment. I clarified that I mean the most basic metabolic assessment that they did last time, NOT the advanced one. They told me, yes, to do basic metabolic assessment the second time costs $249. In the end I ordered it on the website and did it for $99. Did the PT desk try to scam me or something? What was that about?
3) And, finally, the situation that made me thinking of cancelling my membership and looking into other gyms. My girlfriend was interested in becoming a member. We live together and have the same mailing address. I though I could just add her to my account for extra pay. Nope. Two issues emerged. One - I have to have a mortgage with my girlfriend in order to get her on my account. Every gym in the US looks at mailing address only, what makes you so special, lifetime? And the second issue - the price for us having a joined account was $169. If we join separately it will be $75 each or $150. The sales manager told me following: "Yeah, you better have separate accounts, it is cheaper." Maybe Lifetime is not aware, but the whole point of joined account is to SAVE MONEY ON MEMBERSHIP COST. Your price of joined account might make some sense in your weird corporate environment, but from the consumer side it makes absolutely no sense at all.
It is really too bad. The gym is great. But I'm sick of its pricing policy and constant attempts of staff to scam me on extra services. I think my girlfriend and I will join another gym not far from Lifetime when they finish renovating it.
Looks like I was right in the beginning and Lifetime is for people who does not count money after all.
P.S. Finally canceled my membership. So, what was the straw that broke camel's back? My birthday present. I turned 27. They gave me a free PT session, which was nice. What else... Oh! 30% hike in my membership cost! Yup, that is right. I paid $81, and for my birthday I got charged $107. Now, isn't that a neat present? That was my new rate! Bottom line - you you make less than $120,000 - it is not a place for you. It is a great gym if you can get past the cost. If not - there are other gyms literally blocks away with same amenities and for half a price.