Westwood Gym Clontarf - Whats it like?

s_gr

Thinking of joining westwood clontarf, anyone used it and what is it like? Sounds a bit expensive compared to other gyms? Is it worth it.

empirix

i joined there a few months ago - whilst its a bit expensive etc they do have a lot of facilities - personally i only use the gym - but i plan on using the pool as well.

As for the gym, i think its pretty good with decent equipment. The instructors seem pretty cool - although i tend to get on with it and keep to myself. Its actually the first gym in that had chicks in it and i am still a bit amused by this - tis good, my previous gyms were a bit hardcore and not frequented much by chicks.
On the expensive note - if you can get a usit card or somethin similar you should be able to blag your way in as a student - €50 monthly - one of my lil bro's friends done this without any hassle.

What more can i say - i like it.

irlirishkev

I go 3 times a week after work. I'll go more when I move back into Dublin.
I've been a member for just over a year, and I really like it. Some might be put off by the size of the place, but that's more of a plus than a negative.

Pros-

1) Tons of equipment. You'll rarely be waiting on a machine, or a bench etc..
2) Lots of classes. Different kinds of classes all through the week, if that's what you're into.
3) Climbing Wall. It's a wall, you climb it.
4) A huge pool, large sauna and steam room. Big jacuzzi.
5) Coffee Shop, Sports shop, Vitamins/Supplements shop
6) Free stuff occasionally outside the changing rooms.

Cons-

1) Changing area. In a place so big, the changing area is always going to be a problem. It can get a bit crowded, and the air conditioning is a piece of crap.
2) Parking. If you have to drive, don't bother trying to park on the grounds at peak hours. There's ample parking beside the dart station, in a designated area, a 30 second walk away, with security employed by Westwood. Strangely, you still see people 'queueing' in their cars to get into the main car park..

That's about it. I love it, and have no reason to change. For me, Westwood is worth the 70euro a month.

Kevin.

ixoy

Interesting. I may join up - the company offers it as a perk, although I'll still be paying in benefit-in-kind tax. What's the busy times for the place?

Stark

I love the place. It's huge. If you're feeling too lazy for a workout, you can go enjoy the superb jacuzzi/sauna/steam room etc. facilities. There's also free use of the climbing wall, tennis courts and of course the gym

Couldn't afford to pay €70 p.m. for it though, only got to use it when my company was offering a €30 trial membership one month.

irlirishkev

What's the busy times for the place?

You can expect it to be busy between 6pm and 9pm on weeknights, except Friday.
Opens late though, so you can avoid the peak times, by going up at say 8.30pm. Doesn't close till 11pm I think.
It opens quite early too. I've never been before work, but I believe it has a steady flow of early morning attendees!

Kevin.

tk123

i used to go in the mornings before work but sometimes i'd get a bit weak/dizzy after working out so i switched to going in the evenings so i could go to classes :rolleyes: Anyhoos it's pretty quiet in the morning in the gym and it's quiet in the pool too so if you're a bit crap at swimming you can use the 25m pool or the lanes without worrying about being in peoples way.

The only probs i have with WW are :
1) if you work near by and your company gets reduced membership you meet loads of people from work - it's a bit like you haven't actually left
2) there's always kids in the pool and ladies changing rooms - especially during school holidays
3) some of the classes get really cramped - especially the body balance one with guy instructor!

FX Meister

They are extending one of the rooms so that should make aome of the classes less crowded. The Spa area is quite good as is the pool, climbing wall and tennis courts. The changing rooms can be crowded and are usually quite warm. The gym itself is a decent size and while you will usually have a 3/4 min queue for some machines you're never really left standing around. The staff in the gym are quite helpful but most of the admin staff are really bad and are terrible for dealing with problems. I was told their staff didn't make mistakes when they lost a form of mine with a copy of my student card, then was told a few mins later in the same conversation that the staff member was wrong when they told me I would get a refund for fees I was charged wrongly. I didn't get the money back but I got it back another way
It does have a ddecent mix of males to females also. It does have a very big bar that opens Thursday to Sunday too, bouincers are spas though.

kencleary

Will a normal student card from a University do or do I need to go out and buy a USIT card for the reduced student rate? Also how much is the joining fee for the Gym and is there any yearly membbership fee or waiting list or anything?

tk123

according to our company website the joining fee is €200 - we get a corporate discount thou so it's only €63! I don't think there's a waiting list - why don't you give them a call and ask them abt the student cards etc - the num is 8530353

kencleary

Thanks very much Tk123!

tk123

no problem!!! Now is a good time to join because they are doing the place up!!

petergorman

my advice to anyone thinking about joining up is "dont",
as an ex member i can say that some of the faculities were constantly out of order (take the sauna for example).

more importantly, several months ago, i moved out of the area so went into the gym, in clontarf, to cancel my membership. while there i was given a cancellation form which i filled in. recently i found out that they were still debiting my account. it appears they have lost my cancellation form and refuse to refund me as they have no records of me cancelling. after phoning for six weeks i eventually got in contact with the MD who outright refused to refund me as in her words "we do not llose records". if i remember correctly, the cancellation forms are on dockets which would be sequentially numbered and if this is true then, as they have the date on file when i went in about cancelling, they should be able to see that there is a docket missing. unfortuneatily they are not willing to check up on this.
if anyone is thinking of cancelling, dont get caught out - keep copies of all records and cancel your direct debit through the bank!

Frank Bullitt

i go here,have been since about november,i go mainly for the weight section which is well equiped for what i need,it can get real busy some nights but as far as i know they are expanding it,the climbing wall is a good laugh as well as are the classes they offer,the spin classes are very good. the instructors are quite helpful and are always walking about so if you need a spot or advice they give it no bother.

im on the student rate which is handy for me for what i use in the place and for what they have to offer.

all in all its a decent place

hunnymonster

I like it because the pool and the changing area's are clean. Apart from crunch fitness (clean but more resitircted opening hours, 20m pool and "brothel" feel) all the other gyms I've looked at around Dublin have dubious hygiene standards.

obi604

petergorman wrote: »

my advice to anyone thinking about joining up is "dont",
as an ex member i can say that some of the faculities were constantly out of order (take the sauna for example).

more importantly, several months ago, i moved out of the area so went into the gym, in clontarf, to cancel my membership. while there i was given a cancellation form which i filled in. recently i found out that they were still debiting my account. it appears they have lost my cancellation form and refuse to refund me as they have no records of me cancelling. after phoning for six weeks i eventually got in contact with the MD who outright refused to refund me as in her words "we do not llose records". if i remember correctly, the cancellation forms are on dockets which would be sequentially numbered and if this is true then, as they have the date on file when i went in about cancelling, they should be able to see that there is a docket missing. unfortuneatily they are not willing to check up on this.
if anyone is thinking of cancelling, dont get caught out - keep copies of all records and cancel your direct debit through the bank!

So just in regard to above, I find this scandolous. If you want to cancel, its your business. If you just cancel the direct debit with the bank, sure there is no need at all to cancel with them ?? correct ??

Frank Bullitt

obi604 wrote: »

So just in regard to above, I find this scandolous. If you want to cancel, its your business. If you just cancel the direct debit with the bank, sure there is no need at all to cancel with them ?? correct ??

Yeah,after you cancel the gym membership then go straight to the bank and cancel the debt

g'em

Holy thread resurrection...

OP 12-07-2004 :eek: