Planet Fitness — Attraction in Clifton

As a long time black card member I have been to many different planet fitness gyms. As well as many other high quality gyms. I'm stating this because I have been in the fitness world for many years. I want to start by saying that this gym is usually one of the cleanest ones I have been to and I've never had a bad encounter with the staff. The equipment is decently maintained compared to other gyms. The fact that the workout area is on the second floor and locker rooms and water fountains are downstairs is inconvenient.

But the real reason I decided to leave a review today is because of what I'm witnessing. Staff seems to only enforce rules at their convenience. There are signs everywhere stating " no personal training of any kind", " phone conversations in lobby only" "please return equipment ".... if you've been to a planet fitness you know all the signs they have everywhere. Over the past 2 months at least I have been coming to this pf the same time on average 3 times a week. There's one guy that spends the entire time he's there on FaceTime and moans like he's having sex. Today I complained to staff because this has been going on for weeks every time I'm there and not only is it rude,inconsiderate, against the rules, but it interferes with others workouts. If i hear you moaning like that over my headphones turned up its a distraction. When I expressed my concerns to a team member, before I could even describe the man I got told they knew who I was talking about because they received other complaints about him. I said ok well what can be done. I got told he's a personal trainer and he's on FaceTime with clients. Which makes no sense because the man he's on FaceTime with is only ever just sitting there watching him workout, the guys workout and form are definitely not that of a personal trainer, and if he's the personal trainer why would someone be watching him workout? So I said the the rules of planet fitness is that phone conversations are supposed to be in the lobby only and not be on FaceTime for your entire workout. Secondly there's supposed to be no personal training of any kind at the gym. I was told since he's not technically training someone in the gym that that rule couldn't apply to him. I expressed once again how distracting and inconsiderate this guy's behavior is and if I'm not the only one complaining there's a problem. I got told "I'll see what I can do" . Hopefully the rules will be enforced equally across the board so that one person isn't shown favoritism over others considering we all pay the...

Updated in July 2024: I was the first Yelp Elite member who reviewed Clifton PF and gave 5-stars. It is my home gym even though I have a few PFs near home, since I saw its value over distance as I noted in my previous Google review.

I have been noticing the maintenance of this facility deteriorating over time. My wife kept complaining that the sinks in the women's room were so dirty, one of them was covered with a black plastic, and used papers on the floor. One of the urinals is out of order in men's room, including the same condition as the former.

Staff at the front desk are usually kind, but for some reason, I see serious issues in the maintenance and cleaning routine. Years back, I saw a senior staff teaching younger staff how to clean the equipment and the space including the mirrors and sinks, which I don't witness anymore.

I wanted to post some photos but decided not to, since they look filthy and might not be appropriate for others.

I hope these issues are addressed in timely matter.

—————————— Original Review: I had to visit most of Planet Fitness within 10 miles, due to my home gym's unexpected closure. Each PF has its own pros and cons(also individually owned and maintained), but Clifton PF at Bloomfield Ave is a Gem of the Gym!

Not sure if the multi-story gym layout was designed for the facility or repurposed i am architect who did some fitness center as well), it allows for not only upscale feeling of entry but also functional distinction; the upper floor workout area gets enough sunlight and outdoor views, while black card member / shower/ locker/restroom area below are very functionally designed.

With well-thought big and small plants, interior light temperature and background music, the black member area is a place where you want to relax after working out or even before starting your day.

I am happy to be the one who can share serendipity after gym shopping. I switched, and now PF Clifton at Bloomfield Ave is...

You need to start doing a better job of repairing the machines. Every day, there’s someone mopping and vacuuming while the gym is open, yet the same machines have been ripped and torn for literally three months. Bacteria can build up on these surfaces, and simply wiping down the rubber isn’t enough to clean it properly. I pointed this out to a staff member months ago, and still nothing has been done.

Now let’s talk about the ellipticals. One of these days, an older person is going to get hurt. I go through five machines before finding one that isn’t broken, with no signs indicating which ones are out of order. This gym has really gone downhill since I first joined. It’s a pretty simple request to repair broken equipment so that the insides of the machines aren’t exposed. I even have to wear a hoodie just to avoid contact with these areas.

The pictures below show how it’s been for many, many months. I visited the Belleville location recently, and not a single machine there was damaged. All pictures below are different machines. We pay to have a proper gym.

*response to the managements comment. You say to bring to your attention and you can give an eta on when the repairs will take place lol lol . I brought it to your workers attention three months ago. Second, you are never here. Or at least you never come out of your office. That’s part of the problem . If you walked your gym floor we as the customers would never even have to bring these machines to your attention. I literally come here six days a week for the last year and have seen...