Equinox Highland Park

Reviews 3

A

Anonymous User

Wow--I am not sure how an earlier poster could be talking about the same gym, so it must be a matter of perspective: this is not a "normal" gym. I can say this with complete confidence because I sampled 9 different gyms (from low to high end) in the Uptown/Downtown area on "free trials" before I decided on Equinox. The moral of the story is that you get what you pay for, and one must decide what amenities are important to them, which will in turn help that person determine the gym that is the best fit and thus the ultimate cost of the gym that they join. FIRST, it IS expensive--around $150/month for a non-corporate member & up to a $525 initiation fee--sometimes this fee is reduced based on specials. I paid far less on the initiation fee, but it is not always reduced. However, one is told of the costs upfront. If one does not want to pay these costs, one should walk away and join a less expensive gym with fewer amenities. (If your company has a corporate agreement, the fees are a bit less.) New members receive a 1 hr personal training session, a 1 hr fitness evaluation, a 30 minute Pilates session, and free passes to give to friends; SECOND, the trainers all have multiple credentials and are some of the most credentialed I have experienced. They are rated on a tier system within Equinox based on experience and training. I use a Tier 2 Trainer (out of 3); THIRD, the facilities are top of the line, and I can say this with 100% confidence after sampling so many well regarded gyms: (1) the equipment (free weights and machines) is/are all new and high-end, there are multiple towel, water and sanitation stations throughout, and there are even cooling eucalyptus towels if needed; (2) the cardio areas--there are 2 areas--either have individual TVs or master TVs, and have iPod docking, and are of course top of the line and new; (3) the locker rooms are the best Ive seen, calming, and are very high-end, with private digital-lock wooden lockers, an attendant, an herbal/eucalyptus steam room, Kheils products throughout (in the individual showers, and at the sinks and bathrooms), and there is everything you need to get ready from razors to hair gel, and of course there is towel service, (4) class variety is also top notch, including Pilates, boxing, yoga, spinning, boot camp and others offered throughout the day (with certain one-on-one classes, such as Pilates, costing an additional fee), and you can pre-reserve the spin classes online/on your iPhone, (5) the 2 lane lap pool is salt water, so it is better for your skin and eyes; FOURTH, there is complementary parking valet, or plenty of open parking if you don’t want to valet, an in-gym athletic store, a Greenz cafe, and Apple computers for use (you can even sign in to the gym with your iPhone), and a lounge to relax, as well as full service spa connected to the gym if one is so inclined. Members get a set percentage discount from items in the store, café and spa; FIFTH, the clientele primarily is there to work out not to socialize, nor is it a "meat market" type of gym, and there is a play area for children where kids can play for an extra fee; SUMMARY: I very much enjoy Equinox: everything is top of the line, from the facilities to the locker rooms to the trainers. The one caveat is that it IS expensive, but one knows this fact up-front, and if one is not interested in these extra amenities, this is probably not the gym for that person. However, personally I very much enjoy the amenities. The bottom line is this: you get what you pay for, whether it is a bare-bones gym or a top of the line amenity-loaded gym. Ones preferences on what is important should help that person make a decision on the gym that is the right fit for them. I have found the gym that is the right fit for me, but I can appreciate how some would find the extra amenities at Equinox unnecessary or frivolous, and as such, Equinox would not be for everyone.

DA

Daniel Lorente

JUST HORRIBLE. I was a member almost since the club opened 6+ years ago. I recently cancelled it. The experience at this club has deteriorated dramatically. Parking is a serious problem. The valets for the restaurant next door have turned the parking area into a hazard zone. The neighborhood around the club is crammed with traffic at certain key times of the day. The classes are a pain to get into and nearly always booked solid in my experience, making them pretty much worthless. The swimming pool is TINY and one can spend a long time waiting for a lane. The club closes for DAYS AT A TIME for special events, INCLUDING one today through tomorrow for some promotional cycling event. Seriously, theyre locking their PAYING members out for DAYS to promote themselves at an event that takes over the club? I can go on and on. The locker rooms/wet areas used to be impeccably clean. Now there are HOLES in the lockers and I got a nasty virus on the foot from walking in the wet area. They move the machines around without warning and for no apparent reason, forcing me to hunt down the machine I want way more often than Id like. The front desk staff waste members time by not being at the front desk, or chit-chatting with each other when members need to scan their card to get in. Ask them any question and they will respond with "I dont know" or "Ill let the manager know when he/she returns" (no they wont). In order to cancel my membership I had to try to meet a manager FOUR TIMES, twice over the phone, and exchange at least 6 emails before they finally processed my cancellation. I felt like they gave me the runaround and tried to sell me on staying, and delaying. And Im a longtime member; I can only imagine how they treat new members who are still on a contract. This place used to be worth the price. Now I wouldnt go here even if it was free. There are other excellent gyms available in the area, and Im extremely happy with my new membership at Telos once I finally left Equinox after nearly 6 years. Anyone considering Equinox should take a look at other gyms in the area first before committing, in my opinion.

HA

Harlan Vaughn

EFF THIS GYM. The parking situation here is ATROCIOUS. If you go in the evening between 5 and 7pm, forget even getting INTO the parking lot. They share an area with the seafood place next door and between the gym traffic and the valet, you literally cant even pull into the parking facility. Unfortunately, I have to between 8 and 10pm to even get a spot. So, I cant go when I want to go. I originally signed-up here to attend the group yoga classes. Again, IF you can get a spot (be ready to show up 30 minutes early to get one!). Even then, be ready to have someones foot/arm in your face. The classes themselves are horrible due to the tremendous heat in the classroom. Youll swear EVERY yoga class is a hot yoga class. I cannot get through a class because my mat is so slicked with sweat that I cant properly hold the poses (sorry for the gross image). I mentioned it to a girl at the front desk. I said, "It is WAY too hot in that yoga room. I think the air system isnt working correctly." Her response was, "Got it." As in, "I dont care, Im waiting for you to get out of my face." So I tried the machines. Theyre fine. But Im squeezed into such a narrow window of time that Im rarely in the mood to work out AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME. And its not what I really want to do - Id prefer to have the classes. And you have to be ready to play musical chairs if you want any machine. Sometimes you have to wait. I cant speak to the showers and all that. You cant even get one because of all the overcrowding. In fact, youll spend most of your time here dealing with waiting for someone else to: - Get out of a parking spot - Get off a machine - Get out of a shower - Get out of your way in general There needs to be some sort of capacity control here, because its to the point where its unpleasant and unsafe to deal with. Oh and the people that work out there are all a-holes. But you knew that already. I only regret Im locked into this terrible gym for another 9 months. Will NOT renew. Stay far away - there must be better gyms in Dallas than this.

Other organizations