When I walked into the lobby of Sports Club / LA in Rockefeller Center, I was amazed by the grand entrance, reminding me somewhat of a fancy hotel lobby with a long front desk, which made the one person there look minuscule. After meeting with my member representative, Renee, a fellow Californian, I was given a tour of the gym and to my surprise, even though it is really nice, it just felt a bit dated.
Encompassing one floor, there are two sides, which are basically two really, really, REALLY long, humongous rooms. One side has mostly cardio equipment and weight machines, and an enormous studio for classes with every piece of free weight equipment for a class that you can imagine. The other side of the gym has free weights, more cardio equipment, a Pilates studio and a temperature-controlled workout room for hot yoga. I may be missing a room, but you get the idea—it’s gigantic!
The locker rooms are my favorite part; you are provided with daily workout attire (for in-gym use only)! I am guessing the clothes are made available because of the many commuters here, due to its location in Rockefeller Center. I didn’t know this before coming to the gym, so I brought my own, but 90 percent of the people working out around me had on the “free†gym clothes…branded with Sports Club / LA, of course.
There are two separate locker rooms: one regular and one VIP. The VIP locker room is only available through the Executive Membership, costing a grand total of $300 per month ($1500 initiation), but you are provided with a personal locker, 24-hour laundry service, fancy water, snacks and access to a TV. Not really worth it for me; at CLAY, this service is offered to all members, and the monthly dues are less expensive. For a regular “Health†membership to this club, the dues are $170 per month ($650 initiation). You can also do BiCoastal for $235 per month or an Access East Membership for $235 per month (both with a $1200 initiation fee). (All memberships are based on a month-to-month commitment.)
Although the price tag is pretty high, there are lots of fun classes to try including Capoeira, Kickboxing, Boot Camp Xpress, and more! If it weren’t for my poor directional skills in the Rockefeller Center area, I would enjoy frequenting this gym.