24 Hour Fitness

The Marina location is closing on Feb 10 as 24hour decided not to renew their lease. Given that there are approx 16,000 check-​ins a month and a majority of the members are within walking distance (more than 60%), this is a BAD business decision. I predict many people will be canceling their 24hour memberships. It also tarnishes the company image as this decision shows they clearly do NOT care about their customers.

I really like this location. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than the 3 other ones I’ve gone to in the city (Portrero Center, Van Ness, and one of the ones in the financial district.)
Pros:
All the cardio machines, the location, the available free parking, the cleanliness, the paper towels and spray are always available, and the people behind the desk have always been helpful! Sure sometimes they’re talking amongst themselves and don’t see you, but after they do they are very helpful. Also, I don’t know why everyone thinks this location is tiny. It’s medium sized and for city standards, pretty big.
Cons:
Weight room looked pretty crappy for the guys. Many weights were missing. Also, some of the classes get full really quick and you have to either reserve a spot (for $ 1.00) or get on the reserve list starting one hour ahead of time. Kinda sucks if you want to try going last minute. Oh, and the group excersize room, although clean and well ventilated, is pretty small.

the employees here are as pathetic as their equipment. My girlfriend came here to look into getting a 24 hour membership for when she’s visiting and accidentally went to THIS location (slightly closer) instead of the much more palatable Van Ness location I go to.
not only did the goatee sporting douche-​bag of a trainer/​manager make inappropriate comments to her about her nice figure but he started introducing guys at the gym to her like it was some kind of street market and even came up to her later during her workout and actually tried to physically «correct» her form.
I would personally sue this place but she preferred this Unilocal review and a letter from my firm to their corporate offices.
and if the employees weren’t bad enough, this place has some of the worst clientele i have ever seen. some guys are legit and just there to work out (and look like they really wish they could be somewhere else… guys, I’m as sorry as you are that this is the only walkable 24-​hr option in much of the Marina) but there are a few who try to monopolize three machines/​items at once and when asked «how many sets do you have left (on any one of the three)» respond… «oh, 20 minutes» …and then look at you like you’ve just offered to run over their dog with an SUV when you politely ask to «rotate in».
Gentlemen, you’re all paying less than a dollar-​per-​day for this place, don’t act like any of us are entitled to anything more than Rocky Balboa received at that Russian farm in Rocky IV.
Ladies who have to work out here, what can I say but, I’m sorry (and perhaps «carry pepper spray»)

I love this gym and always have good experiences here. I always get my machine and the weight room isn’t crowded, annoying and creepy like some other 24’s I’ve been to. Granted, I usually come during the lull times of the early afternoon, but even during their peak hours in the evening, it always seems to have a good flow with sharing equipment. It’s small, but that’s what I like about it. I guess it’s your preference. It’s nice and relatively quiet.
The staff members are really cool and super nice to me… managers, front desk, trainers and maintenance alike.
Great gym.

Love this place. Staff is super friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. All the equipment is well maintained.
Its not the biggest gym in the world, but everyone who works out there understands that and you can always alternate sets with people. I see the smallness of the gym as an advantage, since you get to know the other people there. Its like having 20 workout partners.
The classes are great too. If you want a serious ass kicking take wednesday night yoga.
Anyhow, I love this place and have been having great results. I should probably keep this place to myself and let everyone else go to north point, but its a great gym that is getting no love on Unilocal.
Rock on!

Pretty pleasant experience here maybe slightly skewed by the fact that yesterday was the first warm/​sunny day we’ve had this cold, cold winter. Said sun gloriously illuminated the workout areas through the multiple windows present. Wood beamed ceilings, deck for out door workouts, good ventilating breeze from the sliding balcony doors. Impressed. Many mirrors for reflecting rippling chesticle muscles pushing up weight. A ton more mirrors in the men’s locker room accompanied by a small 5 person sauna. Cardio room downstairs is pretty basic with a handful of each type of machine. Kinda sucked having to wait for a machine to open up at the noon hour.
The culture of the place reflects that of the Marina. Everybody well kept and generally courteous. Working in sets was not a problem. I’d be surprised to find a person here not re-​racking their weights here, a pet peeve plaguing other locations.
I liked the earlier person’s likening it to fitness-​machine tetris seeing as they definitely fit a lot of things in here. For instance they have a number of different BOSU-​type balance balls that most other 24s don’t bother to have. Luckily my class brings me out here in the afternoons and not evenings, I can see how it would get crowded here in a hurry during peak hours.

With so many athletic types living in the Marina — this is the best they could do?! Seriously a joke.
Tiny. Way Overcrowded. Sweaty. Nasty.
Bottom line: Get your workout in outdoors, or haul it over to the Northpoint location. This place sucks and badly needs an expansion and redesign.

So I live three blocks away from this «hub» of 24 hour fitness. I can’t really call it a real gym because it is smaller than many of the not so big houses I grew up in as a child (and we were NOT well off). I had also heard on Unilocal that it was too crowded to get into during the hours after work that I would be most likely to show up to pay my fatty dues and sweat the cheese off.
I had been busing to their north point location even though I live so close to the one in the Marina. One day I decided, let’s try the yoga class. I knew you could show up and get a reservation, so I figured this would take care of my concern over having to fight my way through a crowd.
I showed up 45 minutes before the yoga class was to start. I did notice that the gym was extremely crowded by 7:00, but people seemed patient and friendly enough. I learned that the yoga/​group fitness room is actually several doors down on the storefront — actually not attached to the gym (hub). No prob. I cruise down and take my spot with several other early birds along the wall waiting for the spin class to wrap. I am thinking — wow, I am here really early, this better be a good class!
Soon after, we all filed into the room, placed our mats and proceeded to wait for class to start. I’d say there were about 25 other eager yogis there. Five minutes after class was supposed to start… no teacher. Ten minutes after class was supposed to START… no teacher. Then, I hear chatter from others that this kind of no show situation happens fairly often. They all seemed pretty unphased by this. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! 10 more minutes. The manager was summoned, very friendly and apologetic, stating that the teacher wasn’t picking up his calls.
THE BOTTOM LINE: I spent 45 minutes wait time before class, 20 minutes waiting time after class was supposed to start… for nothing at all. Thinking that I might get on a treadmill or something before leaving, I walked back to the main gym… no such luck. Long wait to get on a treadmill! Seriously disappointed, I trudged back home and drank a bottle of wine for my troubles.

This place is about as roomy as a fedora at a tiny hat party. If you come by during the day (10AM — 4PM), space is not an issue. Outside that, it’s kinda like Tetris with weights (you want to fit what where!!!)
The men’s locker room is very uncomfortable. The showers are completely open, creepy dudes stand/​sit around looking at you, and as half the walls have mirrors, you’ll find wandering eyes from almost every direction, even from the bikes area, EVEN when you’re at a urinal. I could never bring myself to shower here.
They have too many recumbent bikes, and not enough normal bikes. Also, not enough ellipticals. Thankfully, at least one of the tv screens is tuned to a sports channel or a game even during the daytime/​Oprah hours.
The free weights are my favourite part of this place. I usually went during the day and had no problem grabbing my pairs and working my way through the benches I needed. The guys are friendly, and no one really hogs equipment. It’s really easy to work in with someone else. Also, they have a patio area out back where you can combine weights, medicine ball, or other stability equipment with plyometric and jumping exercises.
Finally, for what it’s worth, the girls here are the hottt (many of them Marina types, naturally). I actually went on a couple dates with one who turned out to be a trainer at a different gym. Can’t say I’ve ever gotten a date or a number from a girl at any other gym.
Oh, one more thing — parking is a biatch.

Creepy… but it works.
Anton points out something I hadn’t notice until last night. If you’re standing in front of the lockers and someone opens the door — heeeelllloooooo ladies! Good thing there’s no pool here so at least you don’t have to worry about shrinkage.
The steet level floor had lots of bikes and treadmills, but is a little light on ellipticals and stairmasters. There’s free weights and some random machines upstairs. I was surprised to see a dozen guys up there at 9 PM on a Thursday night. Also what was up with all the eye contact? Not sure if it was a macho thing or homoeroticism. Either way, gotta love the Marina.
I’ve been able to find street parking within 2 blocks every time I’ve went, so fight the temptation to sneak in to Safeway or Fort Mason parking.

This is a good gym, but it has two ideosyncracies that are unique to this location.
First, due to the proximity of the exercise bikes to the men’s locker room door, anyone using the bikes happens to be in position to peep the men’s locker room. That’s right, any time someone opens the men’s locker room door, the locker room occupants — whether they’re ready or not — are brusquely put on display. (I’ll let you decide whether this is good or bad.)
Second, the free weight area on the second floor smells like rotten potatoes. It’s one of those smells that just lingers… but they don’t seem to do anything to clean it.
This gym is decent enough, and there’s usually free street parking nearby. Oh… btw… none of the photos attached here were taken of the Marina 24 Hour Fitness.

I just remembered. it smells bad too, like the inside of a smelly sneaker… so I took off a star.

Tiny barely describes this gym! OK, so that isn’t fair because I didn’t go upstairs and it looked like there was maybe an aerobic facility next door or something, but downstairs was pretty much just the cardio section. It was about the size of an apartment gym if you have ever had that!
10 ellipticals, 10 bikes, 8 treadmills (give or take). The machines were nice though, today I used both the elliptical and the treadmill. Each treadmill has its own TV which is really cool! Mine unfortunately didn’t have a remote and since I didn’t want to watch a soap opera, I had to crane my neck to watch the Giants game on the bigger TV.
The people were nice enough and around noon-​2 this place wasn’t busy at all and there was no issue getting on a machine. It is a big difference in size compared to Van Ness (my home gym), but since I was going to Safeway right after, it worked for today!

The pictures for this place are A LIE. This place is tiny. Its Fine if you can get in and get out, most of the folks here are on the same beat. Not a lot of sit warmers like at ither places (Potrero, Van Ness, etc)
Since they are tiny space is limited for stretching and the machines and free weights are super limited.
It works, not exactly a fun gym but it works. I think a membership at Planet granite is more fun.

My 24-​Hour membership gives me access to all gyms. Obviously, a majority of people go to the ones which are closest to home, work, or other neighborhoods they frequent most.
I’m givin’ them three stars cause I can just get what I need from this place, and it’s a quick walk from my apt.
Starting with the downstairs, the only equiptment I really use are the eliptical trainers. Even though this gym only has 4 with the «arm workout» option, I usually don’t have to wait too long because I go at random hours. However, if it was peak hours, I’d be pretty bummed about it.
The Star-​Trek bikes, they’re fancier, but I have never liked them… that’s a personal drawback for me, but gives me an excuse to go biking outdoors…
Upstairs, not a lot of room, missing some of the equiptment I use at other gyms, but you can get creative and switch around a lot to make sure you hit all the equiptment that suits you.
Today I didn’t have a whole lot of energy, but I got just the right amount of strength training in for what I was able.
The vibe is good. Can’t really describe it quite yet, but I can flow with it. Wish they would clean upstairs more, sometimes it stinks. Yuck!
Nice people, nice staff… I have found more people are open to chit-​chat at this gym vs. other 24-​hours, and I appreciate that. IE, small talk/​friendliness.

OK, sometimes if they were to have a live action Sesame Street movie, I could be cast as Oscar the Grouch.
Yesterday was one of those instances as I dashed from the Starbucks (and foolishly leaving my Laptop) to the 24 Hour Fitness to get one of the passes for the Yoga class (I need to improve my flexibility) at 7:30.
The desk person said they did not have the numbers yet even though it was 6:30.
She must have been a mind reader or I should not be trying to play in the WSOP because I went back to Starbucks and the assistant manager from 24 Hour Fitness came over to give me my pass.
She said, «We could tell you were probably not in the best mood» and I was amazed they went over and above to give me my pass.
On another note, they do need to enforce the towel rule.

Sat mornings are probably the worst time to come here. The weight room is jam-​packed with douchebags trying to get on a machine or find space in front of the mirror to admire their pecs.
Not to mention the malodorous funk this place generates due to the quaint, but small quarters.
It’s better that you go for a run (or stroll) along Crissy Field. Or head to the Northpoint location instead.
Oh, and the Sponsor’s pictures do not represent this location.

The only reason I go to the Marina 24 Hour Fitness is because (a) it’s cheap and (b) it’s close to my apartment. However, it is hands-​down the worst gym I have ever had the displeasure of going to. Every time you enter and scan your card, they want to sell you something: a new Powerbar, a membership upgrade, a towel. The other day they asked if I wanted to refer 7 friends by giving them their email addresses to get free month. Really? You want me to give up my friends contact information so you can SPAM them? I’m no expert on CAN-​SPAM laws, but is that even legal?
Not to mention the ultra-​tiny «locker rooms» and the fact that the place generally smells horrible. The upstairs weight room has some funky smells that I’ve never smelled before. The place is always a mess, always crowded and the members that go there have ZERO gym etiquette. No, it’s not okay for you to set your towel on the incline bench while you use the flat bench.
One day, I will have enough disposable income to go to a quality gym. Until then, I will toil away this smelly sh*thole.

As you’ll read in a lot of reviews, I have tried a lot of the 24’s…
This one is pretty cramped but definitely has it’s pluses. You can park right across the street at the Safeway parking lot… there is a Starbucks next door… the location is pretty good… each treadmill has its own tv with lots of channels… I was able to get a treadmill at 6:30 PM…
However, I did feel like I was working out almost on top of other people and did not find the stretching area but am sure there must be one somewhere…

i don’t really understand the bad reviews about this 24hr fitness because this is my FAVORITE GYM. However i have to admit the machines were outdated in the beginning and the weights were kinda old but they finally remodeled and upgraded everything.
They recently upgraded ALL the CARDIO machines especially the treadmills which are now install with a portable TV with CABLE TV. I love it. I can finally catch up with some shows while running on the treadmill. They also upgraded new bike machines and added two new tread walker (which works your butt like no tomorrow). In additional to the cardio machines, they also upgraded ALL NEW free weights.
I have to admit the gym is smaller than other 24hr locations and it does get crowded during peak times. but the crowd tends to die down after 830pm and you can usually see only three — four people working out in the cardio section.
However, this 24hr fitness location is NOT open 24 hours. I repeat this is not a 24 hours location. their hours are from 5am to 12am weekdays & 5am-​9pm weekends. If you enjoy working out in the wee hours, 24hr fitness on van ness is your best bet.
5 stars: Nice location, right across from Safeway, EASY PARKING (if no parking on the street, you can park in the Safeway lot), friendly staff, and clean bathrooms.
At the end, a gym is a gym. I will work out anywhere as long they have a treadmill open for me. :)