Feedback on Westwood clontarf

billyhead

Is there anyone else a current member of Westwood in Clontarf. I was a member years ago and am thinking of rejoining. Just wondering if current members think it offers value for money (as a regualr gym goer) and what the gym is like now. Plan to attend the spin classes mostly and also use the weights area.

SpencerT

Dunno know what others think but I find it good value. I was a member previously and then rejoined in May '12....There's been quite a big investment over the past year - new training and spin studios ...I don't do too much weights wise (shuld b doin more! )but spend a lot of time in main gym area on cardio stuff and also do spin classes which are pretty class...

Expensive member fees still but I've tried joining the cheaper gyms in the past and found myself frustrated with poor equipment and overcrowding...I'd rather pay the extra than be pissed off each visit ))

All in all I find the whole experience and generally like going each time

Good luck

billyhead

SpencerT wrote: »

Dunno know what others think but I find it good value. I was a member previously and then rejoined in May '12....There's been quite a big investment over the past year - new training and spin studios ...I don't do too much weights wise (shuld b doin more! )but spend a lot of time in main gym area on cardio stuff and also do spin classes which are pretty class...

Expensive member fees still but I've tried joining the cheaper gyms in the past and found myself frustrated with poor equipment and overcrowding...I'd rather pay the extra than be pissed off each visit ))

All in all I find the whole experience and generally like going each time

Good luck

Cheers. Same here. Don't like smaller and cheaper gyms with inferior equipment and below par changing rooms. Also the last time I was a member in Westwood I too felt the spin classes were very good. Thanks for the update

goz83

I think WW is just a bit too pricey, which is why it's not as crowded as other gyms. I'm not much of a gym goer myself, but have been a member of the ben dunne gym in santry and found it to be great while I went (a road traffic accident put me out of the gym and I lost motivation).

Even when it was busy, there was no shortage of equipment, with the exception of some of the free weights upstairs. The leisure facilities were very satisfactory and worked as they should (steam room, sauna etc). As a previous Total Fitness member, I became accustomed to the steam room being broken. At ben dunnes, I found it was very quiet weekdays, but still had enough people to have an atmosphere good to workout in.

Value for money....you know where mine is going.

billyhead

goz83 wrote: »

I think WW is just a bit too pricey, which is why it's not as crowded as other gyms. I'm not much of a gym goer myself, but have been a member of the ben dunne gym in santry and found it to be great while I went (a road traffic accident put me out of the gym and I lost motivation).

Even when it was busy, there was no shortage of equipment, with the exception of some of the free weights upstairs. The leisure facilities were very satisfactory and worked as they should (steam room, sauna etc). As a previous Total Fitness member, I became accustomed to the steam room being broken. At ben dunnes, I found it was very quiet weekdays, but still had enough people to have an atmosphere good to workout in.

Value for money....you know where mine is going.

Would you not think the off peak rate at 55 euro per month is okay value. If you pay up front I think you get 15 months membership for 12

shed head

ww updated the main gym area too, boxfit area which gets little use in reality but fads come and go!
Made the weights section bigger but still not big enough in my opinion, peak hours is a no go for me, the place gets jammed. Off peak is fine, busier now than it was back in the day, probably because TF is gone!
Changing rooms were renovated (womens), mens room got new locker doors and the showers were done, however the jacks are still the same and pretty rank in the mens, why they done the womens and left the old mens is beyond me, worst area of the gym!!

Gym staff have dwindled and are basically rubbish, at least back in the day they had a few decent trainers, now i can't pick one out at all, rubbish! Don't have a heart attack down there because you will be ****ed now ha
Is it worth 75 a month, if you use the pool too, i guess so, debatable!

goz83

double post. remove.

goz83

billyhead wrote: »

Would you not think the off peak rate at 55 euro per month is okay value. If you pay up front I think you get 15 months membership for 12

Off peak wouldn't suit me. I don't like the idea of being restricted to going certain times to the gym when i'm actively working out. I would also say that €55 per month is dreadful value for money, considering you're not really getting any more than the ben dunne gym, with the exception of a post code. My membership expired at BD a couple of months ago, but I got 15 months for under €300. That's less than half of what WW charge. The only bad point I would give BD is that you can't pay monthly, but I see why they do this.

Also...€75 per month is just daylight robbery :eek:

Gummy Panda

goz83 wrote: »

Also...€75 per month is just daylight robbery :eek:

Not really. Barrier to entry.

Hanley

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Not really. Barrier to entry.

This. If you want a cheap gym, there's plenty to choose from. If you want what WW offers, pay for it.

goz83

Hanley wrote: »

This. If you want a cheap gym, there's plenty to choose from. If you want what WW offers, pay for it.

Seems like the other poster hadn't much to say about their facilities, or their staff. You don't always get what you pay for, sometimes you just get ripped off. I was there a good few years back on a 3 day pass and it was bright, clean and had good equipment, but nothing more than I was getting at BD tbh. Certainly not value for money.

TommyKnocker

goz83 wrote: »

Seems like the other poster hadn't much to say about their facilities, or their staff. You don't always get what you pay for, sometimes you just get ripped off. I was there a good few years back on a 3 day pass and it was bright, clean and had good equipment, but nothing more than I was getting at BD tbh. Certainly not value for money.

Can I ask what you would consider to be a reasonable per visit price for a pay as you go gym?

I have posted this previously on similar threads. I was a member of WW Clontarf up to TF closed down. Then it just became too busy for my liking, so I bought equipment for home and workout here now.

I paid a €95 joining fee and 75/mth contract which worked out at €995 for the first year and €900/yr after that.

I went to the gym 6 days a week, so €995 divided by 12 gives you €82.91/month. This equates to €20.72/week or €3.45/visit.

For €3.45 I had access to a well equipped gym with multiple power cages and squat racks, lots of benches, lots of Oly bars (from 17kg - 20kg), lots of weight plates and dumbells up to 55kg I believe was the heaviest DBs there.

There was also a huge amount and assortment of cardio equipment, threddies, CII rowers, bikes, steppers etc. 99% of classes were free with the exception of Yoga or Pilates as they had to bring instructors in for these.

There was also 3 pools (50m, 25m and kiddies), the wet area with Sauna, Jacuzzu, steam rooms. Climbing wall and tennis faciliteis were also available to you.

WW is open all year round with the exception of XMas day, Stephens Day and NY day AFAIK and are open from 06:30 am to 10 pm. There are also a good amount of parking spaces available both outside the gym and in the overflow carpark, which was free at that time (assuming it still is).

AFAIAC, €3.45 would just about cover the cost of a miserable looking sandwhich in Centra or Spar etc and for the facilites WW offered, I felt €3.45/visit offered great value for money, even though I only used the Gym, rowers, Spin classes, the pool and wet area.

Of course if you are going to go only once or twice a week and/or leave after 2-3 months, then there are cheaper options than WW. But if you are into being active and keeping fit and will visit frequently, then IMHO the facilities available for ~€3.50/visit are hard to beat. Again, IMHO not everything can or should be judged purely on the price tag.

Hanley

TommyKnocker wrote: »

Can I ask what you would consider to be a reasonable per visit price for a pay as you go gym?

I have posted this previously on similar threads. I was a member of WW Clontarf up to TF closed down. Then it just became too busy for my liking, so I bought equipment for home and workout here now.

I paid a €95 joining fee and 75/mth contract which worked out at €995 for the first year and €900/yr after that.

I went to the gym 6 days a week, so €995 divided by 12 gives you €82.91/month. This equates to €20.72/week or €3.45/visit.

For €3.45 I had access to a well equipped gym with multiple power cages and squat racks, lots of benches, lots of Oly bars (from 17kg - 20kg), lots of weight plates and dumbells up to 55kg I believe was the heaviest DBs there.

There was also a huge amount and assortment of cardio equipment, threddies, CII rowers, bikes, steppers etc. 99% of classes were free with the exception of Yoga or Pilates as they had to bring instructors in for these.

There was also 3 pools (50m, 25m and kiddies), the wet area with Sauna, Jacuzzu, steam rooms. Climbing wall and tennis faciliteis were also available to you.

WW is open all year round with the exception of XMas day, Stephens Day and NY day AFAIK and are open from 06:30 am to 10 pm. There are also a good amount of parking spaces available both outside the gym and in the overflow carpark, which was free at that time (assuming it still is).

AFAIAC, €3.45 would just about cover the cost of a miserable looking sandwhich in Centra or Spar etc and for the facilites WW offered, I felt €3.45/visit offered great value for money, even though I only used the Gym, rowers, Spin classes, the pool and wet area.

Of course if you are going to go only once or twice a week and/or leave after 2-3 months, then there are cheaper options than WW. But if you are into being active and keeping fit and will visit frequently, then IMHO the facilities available for ~€3.50/visit are hard to beat. Again, IMHO not everything can or should be judged purely on the price tag.

Exactly. Price is what you pay, value is what you get

shed head

goz83 wrote: »

Seems like the other poster hadn't much to say about their facilities, or their staff. You don't always get what you pay for, sometimes you just get ripped off. I was there a good few years back on a 3 day pass and it was bright, clean and had good equipment, but nothing more than I was getting at BD tbh. Certainly not value for money.

i pay the 75 euro, i just use the gym, the gym staff are crap, they just give new members a set routine now and show them the exercises to do, the majority of which appear to be all machine based now, also note the word show, they don't appear to guide them through each exercise, which is somewhat farcical.

However, if you have trained before, more than likely you won't want to have anything to do with these trainers anyway, if not, i suggest maybe get a few sessions with a PT to start off with then hit WW, there are a good few about these days.

WW does offer great facilities bar the mens jacks for me, i train a lot, so 75 euro a month is worth it for me.
The joining fee is b****x though, haggle them down, it is a very good gym!

The Guvnor

Lads just on this it always surprises me when the yoga and pilates are extra which they usually are, surely the odd gym instructor is qualified to teach yoga and or pilates?

hardCopy

The Guvnor wrote: »

Lads just on this it always surprises me when the yoga and pilates are extra which they usually are, surely the odd gym instructor is qualified to teach yoga and or pilates?

BodyBalance is basically a mix of yoga and pilates AFAIK and is free.

goz83

TommyKnocker wrote: »

Can I ask what you would consider to be a reasonable per visit price for a pay as you go gym?

This heavily depends on how much use one person gets out of the gym. A true Pay Per Visit, I would honestly say €5 per visit is not excessive, but it offers no commitment to the gym and takes away some incentive for the client to go. I would say €30 per month is reasonable for membership of a Gym like WW, which is very similar to BD in Santry. The BD gym is doing a €235 per year offer (better offers for doubles). €30pm = €360 per year, which I would pay if they did it monthly. It's safe to say that the average person will not visit the gym 6 days per week. You're also not counting sick days and holidays, so the sums given are not entirely accurate. Still, value for money really depends on ability to pay and how much use the gym gets from the client. When you line up WW facilities to BD facilities, I definitely think BD is is far better value for money and the gym itself is just as good, even if the pool is not as big and it has no rock climbing wall.

I have posted this previously on similar threads. I was a member of WW Clontarf up to TF closed down. Then it just became too busy for my liking, so I bought equipment for home and workout here now.

I may do this myself.

I paid a €95 joining fee and 75/mth contract which worked out at €995 for the first year and €900/yr after that.

The joining fee alone is a major put-off and is nearly half of the total cost to join BD. I would not pay €1000 per year to use any gym.

I went to the gym 6 days a week, so €995 divided by 12 gives you €82.91/month. This equates to €20.72/week or €3.45/visit.

If it's used so often, it certainly makes it cheaper. I used to sell mobile phone contracts for €50 per month and said that "it's less than the cost of a loaf of bread per day". High prices are often sold in this way, but it's still a high price for basically the same service that can be purchased for a quarter of the price 15 minutes away.

For €3.45 I had access to a well equipped gym with multiple power cages and squat racks, lots of benches, lots of Oly bars (from 17kg - 20kg), lots of weight plates and dumbells up to 55kg I believe was the heaviest DBs there.

I don't know what the heaviest DBs were at BD, but there were some big feckers lifting them that looked like a pin prick would result in a major clean up op in the gym. There was a decent rack of DBs. I generally used the smaller 15kg ones, because i'm no Arny, but they were on the light end of the rack and there were much bigger ones at the other end.

There was also a huge amount and assortment of cardio equipment, threddies, CII rowers, bikes, steppers etc. 99% of classes were free with the exception of Yoga or Pilates as they had to bring instructors in for these.

They had all that stuff at BD too. A sea of threddies and bikes and steppers. They had free spinning classes when I was last there, but it may have been a temp promotion.

There was also 3 pools (50m, 25m and kiddies), the wet area with Sauna, Jacuzzu, steam rooms. Climbing wall and tennis faciliteis were also available to you.

BD has one swimming pool, which is maybe 25-30 metres long. It has a hydrotherapy pool you lie down in and 2 jacuzzis you sit in. 2 saunas and 2 steam rooms.

WW is open all year round with the exception of XMas day, Stephens Day and NY day AFAIK and are open from 06:30 am to 10 pm. There are also a good amount of parking spaces available both outside the gym and in the overflow carpark, which was free at that time (assuming it still is).

Opening times would be similar, but I think it closes at about 5, or 6 on Sundays. Car park was never more than half full, was also free.

AFAIAC, €3.45 would just about cover the cost of a miserable looking sandwhich in Centra or Spar etc and for the facilites WW offered, I felt €3.45/visit offered great value for money, even though I only used the Gym, rowers, Spin classes, the pool and wet area.

Actually €3.45 wouldn't even cover the cost of a miserable sandwich in Spar :pac:
Once again, value is depending on how often you use the gym, but if you currently spend €3.45 per use at WW; you would only spend €0.75 per use at BD. And the changing rooms are much cleaner too

Of course if you are going to go only once or twice a week and/or leave after 2-3 months, then there are cheaper options than WW.

There are cheaper options even if you went every day, twice a day. I think WW is the most expensive Gym in Ireland without a PT included in the package.

But if you are into being active and keeping fit and will visit frequently, then IMHO the facilities available for ~€3.50/visit are hard to beat. Again, IMHO not everything can or should be judged purely on the price tag.

That price is based on visitin 6 days per week, so won't apply to most people. Matching, or close to matching facilities are available for less at other gyms i'm sure. I can only speak for BD, because that's the only gym, still open that I can compare to WW, as a past member. TF doesn't count, because it's closed. TF was a rip off too, considering how often the leisure area had broken equipment. The Joining fee at WW is just a way to try to prevent people from not renewing, or missing payments.

Reply is in red.

swededmonkey

Apologies on bumping an old thread. Any idea what its like at the minute: How busy is it, quality and amount of equipment, parking etc

rondog

Great Gym.All types of classes from curcuits to spinning to box fit.

Classes start from early morning and run until 8/9 at night.

Large weights area with tons of equipments.Large weights machine area.

Abs area,functional strength with all kinds of equipment.

Obriens sandwhich shop at reception serving protein shakes,sambos ,coffe etc.A nice place to chill after a workout,also shows premiership matches.

Nutritional info available onsite,all types of assessments.

Huge pool area with area for kids and large jungle gym for members.

Lovely spa area with hot tub,sauns, steam room.

Fabtastic facility in my opinion which is reflected in the price.

paul7g

Value for money should be evaluated at a personal level and not at a gym level.

I always find it strange when people think €75 per month is expensive, as the further I dig into it with most people, I find they spend €75 per week on booze, and then pay €40 per month for a gym that is twice as far away from them, compared to the €75 gym... so they don’t tend to go as much... i.e - have one less pint a week and join the €75 gym which is closer to you.

As per my original point, I think it is wise to weigh up your own personal situation, as you need to take a lot of things into consideration to really understand what value is when it comes to a gym.

I’m probably on the complete opposite side, as i’m a member of 4 gyms (3 x Dublin + 1 London), as I travel a lot with work and work from different offices in Dublin. To some people €280 per month on gym membership is absurd, but to me I think it is a relatively small some of money in the grand scheme of your health (the older I get), and I would rather spend €280 a month on health than other vices... but that’s just my personal situation, which again is back to my main point.

Lastly, on the WW side of things... I am a member of WW for over 7 years. When I went to join WW in Clontarf, they would simply not move on the €500 joining fee... so I walked out of their office, drive over to WW Sandymount, and started the process again and managed to get them down to €50 joining fee and a free water bottle :-)

I went back out, got in my car, drove back to Clontarf, walked in and waved at the guy I had been dealing with, and did a session in the Clontarf gym... stubborn but will never forget the look on his face.

Final point... pick a gym that fits your life routine, one which you will be happier in. If it’s more expensive than another gym, make the financial sacrifice in some other part of your life... as your health is more important than anything else you are investing your time or money in.

Thelonious Monk

I have been a member of this place a couple of times in the past but not since about 2011 at this stage, I'm thinking of going back.
Do they still have a joining fee? Is it steep? Can it be haggled?
How busy is it nowadays? I remember back when I went it would be absolutely crazy busy some evenings.
Thanks

rondog

im not sure of the joining fee etc as i just renew each year.

Fantastic facility-TONS of classes,great spa area- hot tub, steam room and sauna.

Great huge pool area free for your kids up to 4.

i really cant fault the place,it is more expensive than other places but what you get IMO is well worth it if you use it frequently enough.

...Ghost...

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I have been a member of this place a couple of times in the past but not since about 2011 at this stage, I'm thinking of going back.
Do they still have a joining fee? Is it steep? Can it be haggled?
How busy is it nowadays? I remember back when I went it would be absolutely crazy busy some evenings.
Thanks

They do indeed have a joining fee, but if you have patience, you can get it down to about €40. Pay a visit and ask for the tour. They will take your details and explain pricing and joining fee. If they don't go below €50, don't join, cite the join fee as too high. They will either drop it on the spot to a favourable sum, or they will send you mail/email with offers.

It's January, so all gyms are busy. You may have to wait until February before you get some good offers and a quieter gym experience.

Thelonious Monk

...Ghost... wrote: »

It's January, so all gyms are busy. You may have to wait until February before you get some good offers and a quieter gym experience.

Well Flyefit has been the same as ever really so far this month, just generally speaking I remember WW often being absolutely jammed.
I'm gonna pop in on way home from work anyway, let's see what they charge me!

Thelonious Monk

So I can't see WW opening up again any time soon. Should we be cancelling our direct debits? Money gonna be tight for a while. I doubt many gyms will be reopening after all this anyway.

silverharp

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

So I can't see WW opening up again any time soon. Should we be cancelling our direct debits? Money gonna be tight for a while. I doubt many gyms will be reopening after all this anyway.

you have to do you, I'll let mine run for a while, hopefully they are paying their staff in some way. I'd cut them some slack for a few weeks anyway. chances are they may so something on the back end in the future.

Thelonious Monk

silverharp wrote: »

you have to do you, I'll let mine run for a while, hopefully they are paying their staff in some way. I'd cut them some slack for a few weeks anyway. chances are they may so something on the back end in the future.

I'm pretty sure flyefit have said members will be repaid for the time by getting free time at the end of their membership or something, I wonder what WW are going to do? 80 quid is a lot of money in recession.