Gold’s Gym

This is an update to my review from 10 (!) years ago… yikes. In the past decade, I moved to Boston, joined a Golds there, got screwed by the Golds there, boycotted Golds for an entire decade and have now found myself right back at the SW location. According to my review back then, not much has changed — solid location, friendly staff, have the equipment I need. Also, more affordable than some of the other clubs in the area, and they’re contracts don’t seem to be designed to screw customers over as they once were. I’ll up this to a five star when they update some of the machinery and add bath towels to the steam room. (I don’t want to have to lug a large towel with me when I go to the gym.)

Gym is overly packed at peak hours — to the point where youre better off not wasting your time. Trainers here seem more focused on flirting or chatting. I’ve watched trainers «teach» boxing where they did not fix a clients form, just gave em lip service.
It can be confusing as to who is actually staff or some random people acting like trainers.

Gold’s Gym has never been my first choice in gyms but they are right near my work and offered Les Mills classes so I joined. When I first toured the facility I was really impressed how clean it was and not overly crowded even though it’s not a large facility. Now that I’ve been there for over a year I can truly say I am very happy with my decision. I believe I get what I pay for and the staff is wonderful. All the teachers are great, keep you accountable and push you. I have attended the morning classes and more recently the afternoon classes and each one has a regular crowd which says a lot I believe. This Gold’s also offers express classes that I really like and if you’re looking for a solid 30 minute workout I highly recommend the Sports Conditioning class or one of the new Grit classes (warning you will sweat). They have always been accommodating when I wanted to bring a guest to class and even have promotional «Fit Fest» weeks where you can bring in as many people as you want to try out classes. At the end of the day this is a great, basic, reliable and clean gym that I would definitely recommend.

Unprofessional, deceptive and unethical staff. After my contract expired, I asked them how I can cancel my membership. After shaming me for «being a quitter» in front of other gym members and staff, I was told to call the customer service.
Customer service told me to talk to the gym staff. They made me go back and forth a dozen times before one staff member said il help you. He assured me that he had cancelled my membership and I need not do anything else. I had asked at the time if he can give me proof of cancellation, he said there’s no such thing.
4 months later I find that golds gym is still billing me!!! I called customer service to ask about it. They told me my membership was never cancelled and that there is a 60 days notice that needs to be given. Then they told me that I would be charged for 2 more billing cycles!
I’m convinced that these con artists intentionally made the cancellation so difficult. They billed me for 6 months after my contract expired!
Worst gym ever. Oh and did I mention that they charge you $ 2/​towel you use there!

This is the gym that does it right. The price is very reasonable. The staff are friendly, genuine, helpful, never overbearing or snobby. I can always snag a cardio machine (even at rush hour 6pm/​7pm!) The classes are excellent and you basically can always get in. Body pump is often crowded, spin is usually totally empty, other classes are mid-​way full. The facility is clean, has good Wi-​Fi, lots of lockers and showers open for use. Love it. I haven’t gone through the cancellation issues because I’m sticking with this place til I move, but I can only say great things about this location!

It’s a given that ending memberships with gyms, especially Gold’s, can be a nightmare. But what’s happening right now with me is a real piece of work.
My wife and I both had memberships here, with both accounts being charged to my wife’s card. We moved to Charlottesville last September and requested that our contracts be cancelled under the move-​away provision. We provided our leases and both sent email cancellation notices as required. My wife’s contract was terminated.
My contract, however, seems to have remained active because someone at Gold’s either lost or deleted my email, or somehow figured out how to flush it down the toilet. My wife audited her bank statements yesterday and realized the gym has been charging her for my membership every single month since our contracts were to be cancelled in October. I call the general manager at Golds who tells me he can’t issue me a refund because f*ck me (I may be paraphrasing), then I call their billing department which tries to «settle» the matter by parroting the gym’s 90 day no-​refund policy. This is in spite of me re-​forwarding my termination request to billing and HAVING THEM ACKNOWLEDGE, IN WRITING, THAT I’D SENT IT.
Let’s recap: My wife and I cancel our account, Gold’s loses my cancellation notice and continues to bill me anyway, then tries to make me pay for their screwup by shouting «no backsies!»
I’m still waiting for Nick at billing to keep pretending he can’t issue me a refund; I’ve already forwarded the matter to my attorney and the fraud department of my credit card’s issuing bank. Just for good measure it’ll also be going to my rep on the city council, my congressional delegate, and maybe even a witch doctor. Leave it to freaking Gold’s Gym to turn me into Les Grossman.

This is a great gym with a lot of equipment friendly staff and knowledgeable trainers.

Worst customer service in the world. Even though the cheap prices may be appealing, trying to end your membership is a nightmare. They will not let you do it in person, instead you will need to wait on hold for at least 20 minutes. When someone picks up, brace yourselves for the most incompetent individual you will ever have to deal with.
Also, beware: they will try to scam you and trick you into giving them more money. Make sure you read all the paperwork you sign!
THIS GYM IS NOT WORTH IT.

The Women’s locker room could be cleaner: Minus one star
No WiFi/​Internet service, after multiple promises: Minus one star
Other than that, the classes are enjoyable, and the location is convenient.

I am still getting a feel for this place so look for updates on this reviews in a few months.
I actually joined Gold’s Gym at the Rosslyn location, but the Cap Hill location is on the way to work and has a sauna in the ladies’ locker room. (Rosslyn has a steam room). One benefit of the membership I have means I can go to any location. That’s super convenient.
This isn’t the biggest place but still pretty large, but they have a bunch of equipment for notice to expert lifters. A bunch of cardio machines too. I’ve never had to wait for a machine. It’s always super clean. Even the bathrooms and showers.
Staff is friendly and not a bunch of muscle jocks. Real people with real personalities. That’s a nice change from some other gyms.
As with most gyms they offer classes and spinning. I have yet to try any at this gym. When I do I will update my review.

Let me tell you a little story about Golds Gym.
Should you wish to sign up for automatic credit card charges, the only way you can get a receipt for those charges is if you go in person to the gym and ask them to print it out. They used to fax the charges, but that process proved too innovative a system for them. I imagine they still use AOL and dial up internet for their business solutions as well.
Should you wish to cancel your membership, you may not do so in person in the gym. That would be too easy! Instead, you are given a quarter sheet of paper with instructions for creating an online account that you then may use to cancel your membership if you are out of obligation*.
Once you create an account simply to cancel your membership, there is still a good chance that after years of membership, the superior golds gym website will tell you that you are within obligation and you must call a 1 – 800 number. Prepare to be on a hold awhile. Maybe brew a cup of tea.
After waiting on hold for 20 minutes, you may actually speak to a live human about wanting to cancel your membership. They will tell you you owe them $ 40 for the next thirty days to get out of your membership. You will protest, but they will remind you that this makes total sense b/​c its in the small print when you sign up to join the gym.
Of course, all of this is worth it because upon entering any golds gym (and I mean all of them), you are greeted by unmistakable smells of urine and mildew.
Thanks, Golds!

As an out-​of-​town visitor, took a Body Pump class then used a few machines, an elliptical runner and free weights. Everything worked fine, I was made to feel welcome. Changing rooms seemed decent. Right by the Metro. I was happy.

Correction to previous review: the dumbbells go up 150lb and they also have preloaded barbells, both coventional and ez grip, that go up to 110lb.

The facilities are solid, but this particular Gold’s is one of the shadiest business I’ve had the displeasure of dealing with. When I was moving and looking to cancel my membership, I was told it could only be processed after two more months of billing cycles. Pretty shady, but fine. Two months go by, and I’m still getting charged. I speak with the manager Ramon, and he tells me, «We have no record of your cancellation. But if you’d like, we can cancel your membership… it will go through in another two months.» Unbelievable. I ended up having to put a stop payment through my bank. My roommate went through the same song and dance so don’t mistake this for an anomaly. AVOID AVOID AVOID!

This is an ok gym. It has everything that you need; elliptical, row, treadmill, stationary bikes, freeweights, machine weights. punching bag and classes.
I was kind of annoyed when they remodeled. You had to go downstairs in the parking lot to take a shower in a one stall bathroom. I didn’t go to the gym during this «two week» time period. When the two weeks came and went, the locker room was still not fixed. so two weeks turned into three. The management never offered anything like a one month free or something like that. When it was finally «fixed», the showers were not 100% fixed, they blocked off 2 at a time. then the following week, the sauna was closed. Poor project management if you ask me.
I’ve been doing the spinning classes for some time now. As of late, just about every bike has a problem. Either the tension knobs don’t work or they cause the bike to squeal. A handful of them have broken height adjustment knobs that don’t fasten/​screw down to lock things in place.

This place is going through a major remodeling. Great equipment for the serious training people. Worth the cab ride to get here if you are from out of town.

I’ve been a member here for about three years, and have many great memories – from spin classes and Body Pump with co-​workers to watching friends win the weight loss challenge there – but I have to be honest, it’s a pretty average gym. It has everything I need, doesn’t ever get too terribly crowded and my work gives us a sweet discount, and, if there’s anything I love anything, it’s sweet discounts.
I love the fact that it’s convenient and full of friends, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to work out there (unless the sweet discount continued). If you work or live in the area, I’d definitely recommend it; otherwise, unless you’re planning on running or biking there for a little extra exercise, go somewhere closer to you.

Not great. Unimpressve lockeroom. Dimly lit workout area, and no in-​machine tvs. Meh.

I’ve been a member of Gold’s for about four years now – this particular Gold’s for about two. I moved to Maryland from Illinois where I was a member of Lifetime Fitness – the gold standard of fitness centers, if you ask me. I found a Lifetime in MD, but 1) I lived in Bowie and that gym was in Columbia and 2) while my membership dues in IL was $ 49 a month, THIS Lifetime wanted a whopping $ 80! I had to give it up… and I cried like a teenaged girl who just caught her boyfriend making out with her bestfriend. But, hey, life goes on. I signed up for the Gold’s around the corner from my home at the time; it was newly constructed and still had that new gym scent… but it was no Lifetime Fitness. Nevertheless, it had pretty decent state-​of-​the-​art equipment and a friendly (if green behind the ears) staff.
When I moved to DC I found this Gold’s, which is down the street from my job. Thank God I had that transitional phase between Lifetime Fitness and the Gold’s in Bowie… it was a gradual step down to this gym. Not to dog this place out or anything, it does have all the basic equipment and everything you need to get a good workout on – plus classes and a pretty decent staff – and all for a reasonable $ 40 a month. But don’t come looking for any frills or namby-​pamby conveniences; come here to work out and get the hell out. I DO like that this isn’t exactly a «cruising» joint either. I haven’t seen too many Pink-​thonged Barbies or guys who think they’re too sexy for their shirts (or underwear) here – could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you’re looking for, I guess. If you’re looking for a decent gym at a decent price – or, for those who like to pay dues on a memebership they never use, a reasonable rate on your monthly «fat tax” – you really can’t beat the $ 40 price.

There are two different entries for this gym so I’ll say the same thing on both. Golds in SW should be called The Great Petri Dish Experiment. It has great equipment, several super instructors, and a good location. Indifferent mangement, however, and about the worst housekeeping I’ve seen in a gym. I think they clean the place once a week. The weight room is a mess, no one cares if the weights are racked or not, and after lunch there are so many weights scattered around that it is a safety hazard. About the showers, I used to ride my bike to work and park next to Golds, then shower there and head to work just a block away. But the housekeeping in the mens’ locker room is disgusting. At 3 PM, there are dirty towels scattered around and a film of mold on the showers. The dry sauna is repulsive. Go there and take a shower if you want to catch some cooties.