Life Time — Attraction in Berkeley Heights

GREAT FACILITY BUT STAFF NEEDS TRAINING:

I've been a member since it opened in Berkeley Heights and I've enjoyed my experience there for the most part. It's clearly a great facility and I have no complaints about the upkeep. It offers everything I want in a gym and then some.

The fees are high. And they do tend to nickel and dime their members. It is frustrating at times because they are so busy trying to get new members that it does sometimes feel like the existing members are pushed to the side and not treated with as much respect and consideration as they should be.

My biggest issue, however, is with the staff. For the most part they are simply unfriendly. There are a few people at the front desk who ARE friendly, helpful and greet you with a genuine smile. However, once you get past the desk, the sales people are stoic and acknowledge you or say hello, the women who work the activities desk are hot and cold (mostly cold) and the trainers barely acknowledge you.

I was told by someone that the trainers are supposed to say hello to members if they come within 5 feet of them. This is clearly not happening. The only time a trainer says hello is if they are looking for new clients which is not often. I could say hello and have a conversation with a trainer one day and the next day they pretend they don't even know you. It's bizarre.

I'm not saying Lifetime should be like Disney World but there should be a considerable amount of effort dedicated to training staff so that members feel like they are welcome. After all, we are there to feel good. If by any chance the new management happens to pay attention to reviews, please consider this. Make your members feel welcome. A member (especially one who has been around a while) should be called by name or at least made to feel like they are in a place that has positive, happy, friendly people around. When the friendliest people are the members, and the staff walk around with sad faces all the time, you have to wonder if they are miserable or if they just don't care. Either way, this one thing would make a tremendous difference in the way this club...

I have been a member in Berkeley Heights since the facility first opened. I use to love it. Unfortunately, in my humble opinion, it has deteriorated and let me explain how.

When I first joined, the facility was pristine. There use to be an outside service that cleaned the facility. Now management expects the instructors to clean the facility, including the parking lot. Yes, I have several friends that teach there. The bathrooms are not well kept like they use to be.

The facility use to have great dance classes. No more. The yoga teachers are ok but I am fortunate that I learned from the previous teachers who really took time out to teach proper form.

The evening classes have been significantly reduced as if they no longer want to have members that work during the day. Monday - Thursday there were multiple classes until 9 PM, starting in 30 minute intervals in three different spaces. Take a look at the schedule now. It is not easy to locate the one page schedule on the website and I truly think this is because the reduction in classes is only seen on the one pager, thus it needs to be difficult to find.

I have heard from staff that they force the staff to attend "mandatory" meetings but then tell them that if they get someone to join, they do not need to attend a particular meeting. That is how mandatory the meetings really are. Not a good marketing plan in my opinion.

The dues continue to rise although the promise was that they would not, yet the service has dropped in value and existing members are not appreciated. The only service that has held steady is the cafeteria.

I have gotten many people to join this facility. Many are now gone. I and others have complained to management. Management just listens and then does absolutely nothing. I would not recommend joining this facility. It use to be worth the money but now is not. I am seriously thinking about visiting a competitor in Summit.

It is important to note that other locations may not be as bad. I am speaking only regarding the Berkeley...

Joined the gym 10 days ago and cannot wait to leave. Good classes and friendly staff and for the rest I cannot give any stars. Unhygienic environment everywhere from pool to equipment.

I have been to many gyms cheap and expensive in many places and countries and this is by far the worst, especially for almost $200 per month.

The facilities are slightly outdated but not bad, however, the place is not kept clean, no cleaning staff on the gym floor or pool area and in such a busy gym with hundreds of people every day it’s the best place to catch any germs possible including Covid.

In addition, there are lots of people with little sense of hygiene, for instance, going to steam room fully clothed and sweaty after a work out or coming from outside with the dirty shoes and also fully clothed to the sauna. Many people don’t know that they have to take the shower before using pool or wash their hands after using the restroom and that’s only the ladies facility I have experienced. The showers are dirty and never seem to be cleaned. Some people don’t wipe their equipment after sweating all over it and I never seen the equipment being wiped by cleaning team. The pool is open for adults only from 5 am to probably 6 am the rest of the time there are too many children or teenagers that chose it as their hanging spot. There are two hot tubs and 1 hasn’t been working since I joined and there is no sign of it be fixed any time soon. The hot tub supposed to be for 12 years old and over but I saw toddlers in the nappies playing in there. There’s no one in the pool area to supervise and ask toddlers not to play in the hot tub. The large pool had very murky water, possibly because of all the pee in it and lots of dirt at the bottom! After such experiences I don’t think I’d use swimming pool ever in here and I have tried to use facilities on number of occasions and different times but every time the pool area was filthy. Yoga matts smell of dirty feet and I don’t think they are ever...