The Sporting Club at The Bellevue

"Let me start by saying have written"

1 year ago

Let me start by saying I have written maybe 4 reviews in my entire life. I very rarely find the need to leave feedback, especially online, but since this is an instance where people would be spending a lot of money, I figure I would leave my feedback. Let me start with the positives: The gym is gorgeous. I joined in November of 2023, so I'm unaware of what it had previously looked like, but the gym facility itself has come a long way even from when I joined. The space is large and the machines are top notch. They offer many classes every day, so surely there is a time that works for you. The more popular classes like Pilates or spin are definitely tougher to get into during peak times, but if you are able to go during your lunch break you shouldn't have issues. The trainers and staff have been nothing but welcoming and kind. They maintain and take care of the place with great success, and I am always greeted when I walk through the door. The instructors are also wonderful. Each one I've had has been motivating and friendly, making the class a challenge but rewarding! They also have a PT clinic which I took advantage of after knee surgery and the PTs were such a joy to work with. Finally, the location is great for those living in the city. If all of these factors were the only feedback, I would give this place a 5/5. There are some great features about this place that make it a good place to work out. Now for the cons: I'll start with the obvious one, the price. When I joined in November of 2023, they were still not offering tours to the place. So I was unsure of what it looked like when I signed up for the membership. It was something like a $225 sign up fee and $175/month. It's insane and IMO, really no membership is worth that kind of money, but I suppose I see why. They offer classes and really it was worth it for me because I wanted to use the pool, which is also very nice. The main con that is associated with this place is the culture. Gym culture now permeates every single gym in America, so that is not really SCB's fault, but for the price, you would think they would try and put a stop to that. Every finance-tech bro in the city seems to go to this gym. I make it a point to go during work so that I can go with the least amount of people as possible, but lord help you if you decide to go during peak hours. Between the gym shark and TREN, I'm not sure where people would find the space to even work out. Another comment said something about it being "stuck up" and I agree completely. Again, NOT the staff. The people who go there. It is one step away from being an influencer gym. I had one particular interaction that is indicative of what I mean. I decide to play some pick up basketball, and while I definitely am no world class b-ball player, I consider myself athletic. I just wanted to get some cardio in. Boy, did I make a mistake. The dude I was guarding got frustrated at my playstyle which led to him cursing me out and hurling homophobic slurs at me. I get the passion of the game gets to people, but this guy created such a cringe situation that really the only thing I could do was stare in awe. Everyone did that thing where they put their hand over their face to cover how embarrassing it was for him. Not to mention this guy was in his late 40s to early 50s, yelling at me, someone half his age. But hey, I figure better me that night than his wife later. That snapshot I think lends itself to the members of the gym. It is really unfortunate because the gym is beautiful and the classes are such a plus. It's just a shame that when average people like me go, they have to endure the culture that is heightened by the gym's exclusiveness. I want to stress one more time that the staff at the gym are great. However, there is an issue with the type of person who goes there. The environment feels less like a place where you can go to better yourself, and more a place where you can watch a Bryce take up 3 machines.

"Pros cons and overall pros best gym"

11 months ago

I will do pros, cons and overall. Pros: Best gym in the city hands down. Gorgeous interior design (coming from an architect!) Top notch facilities. As a triathlete, I have access to ALL my training tools in at the gym. I love the pool. The pool and locker room facilities are, for the most part, very clean. Excellent classes, great instructors, and great offerings for group fitness. The weightlifting floor is great. All the equipment you could ever want, large and expansive space. Also, a wonderful community. I’ve made friends here and I am constantly inspired and uplifted by the fellow athletes here. It is much more than a gym, it’s a lifestyle! I also find that the front of house staff are really engaged and friendly. They communicate regularly and rapidly with their members, which is good. There is a great community here and the facility is hands down the best, most elegant, social, and versatile I’ve seen in the Philadelphia area. It’s hard to beat. Cons: The gym continues to predominantly cater to a daytime crowd. It closes earlier than most gyms and doesn’t offer the same amount of classes for the 9-5 working people. EVERYONE wants the gym to be open later, especially on Fridays and weekends! There is a high demand for this. Itgym gets REALLY crowded after work, and there are fewer classes outside of working hours. The locker rooms get cleaned and shut down while the gym is open at night. Operations and scheduling for deep cleaning and closing should be adjusted so as to not shut down while members are still using the open and operating facility.. All members should have the same experience regardless of time of day. I will say I’ve seen changes but the issue has never been fully resolved. I think staying open later would alleviate some of this. Overall: it’s a great gym, all of the facilities, staff and management are all top notch and very well maintained. For a more “luxury” gym, no one is pretentious or stuck up and it’s a really friendly and welcoming space. They have lots of fun events and do a great job of cultivating a sense community and engaging and motivating their members. I really hope they extend their night hours and change their housekeeping scheduling to not be shutting down on top of members. Even with this flaw, I adore the gym, spend lots of time here, and happily recommend it to anyone who asks. My mom joined too!

"Give more than stars would joining"

1 year ago

If I could give more than 5 stars I would! Joining was probably my best decision of 2023 and I cannot wait to continue in 2024! The facilities are impeccable, everyone is so nice and friendly, and the location is so convenient for me. The locker rooms and showers are always so clean, the staff is so attentive and kind, and I am always able to book the classes I want or reserve a squash court. They also had a holiday Happy Hour that was absolutely amazing, and I hope they will do more events like this. This is by far the nicest gym I’ve ever seen and I cannot say enough nice things about this place. I can only speak from my personal experience, however I think the facilities are very nice and I have had only the best interactions with staff members.

"Friend brought me long for trial"

1 year ago

A friend brought me a long for a trial to see if I'd like to switch over from City Fitness. I will say the whole building is immaculate and new. The gym equipment is very new, though for the size of the gym floor, there isn't a huge amount of equipment (esp. In terms of cable machines and bench presses) and so I can see it getting crowded in peak hours, especially as they continue to increase their membership (even on a rainy cold day, it was fairly busy). The other facilities, like the spa/sauna/pool and courts, would probably be the thing that would make the very hefty membership worth it (something like $350 sign-up fee, then $199 per month; I pay only $80 per month at CF), since CF makes you pay a $125 supplement for access to their NoLibs pool. Overall, I'm not switching over just yet, because at least with CF I have the flexibility of multiple locations. But if I got more into regular swimming, I would come here; or if they reduced their sign-up fee to something reasonable (like $100).