Optimum Gym — Attraction in Tampa

I had high hopes of becoming a member at this gym as it was recommended to me by a friend who is a pro bikini competitor who has trained there and knows Reuben the owner personally.

I have decided not to join this gym, nor will I recommend it to anyone for one reason, and that was due to my experience and exchange with Hope at the front desk. She was condescending, patronizing, and pretentious.

I had called 10 minutes prior to my arrival to ask about parking. I found the lot and walked in. There was no one at the front desk for about 5-10 minutes so I decided to call again in case personnel was located at a different location. (I wasn’t sure if I could sign up to join same day). Hope answered the call and I could see her coming towards the front and I told her I was actually there and we made eye contact and hung up. She didn’t greet me with a smile, but more so a temperament of annoyance.

I asked about a few different types of machines, we spoke about membership, and Hope indicated that the gym is great and offers a month to month gym membership, meaning cancel at anytime. We did a tour, she showed me a few pieces of equipment I asked about, then we went back to the front. That’s where things took a turn.

As we got up to the front, another member approached Hope and told her that the machine she was using short circuited.

Here was the conversation -

Girl -“The machine I’m using short-circuited, is there anything you can do? Maybe there’s something loose?” Hope - I’m with someone - just jump on another machine” Girl - “it’s the only open treadmill” Hope “just find another machine.”

It was rude and curt and instantly made me regret coming in. Zero empathy or care in her customer service. Maybe ask if she’s okay if a machine at your gym malfunctions?

Hope continued with me and told me she’d write down numbers as to what a membership would look like. This time around, she included first and last month deposit, including the enrollment, which took me by surprise.

I told her I was confused about the first and last month as I thought it was month to month. She instantly turned on this rude, defensive tone and, despite our miscommunication, turned the blame on me telling me she ALREADY told me at the beginning. Again, curt. Zero sense of customer service.

I looked down at the paper that had $268 written on it trying to understand how we went from $99 - $268 in a matter of minutes, and looked back at her. She then said to me “clearly money is the issue, so tell me what you’d be willing to pay”.

It’s one of the most demeaning remarks that has ever been said me, no less from someone that works front desk at a gym.

It turned into this weird barter car salesman-type sales pitch where she became pushy and wanted me to say a number while also trying to make me feel small. It’s one of the weirdest exchanges I’ve ever had trying to join a gym and management should know how off-putting both her sales approach and customer...

The attendant didn't really know what she was doing, and the owner or manager has a permanent scowl on his face which was a putoff but I guess whatever, it's a gym.

It's a decent gym if money is not an object. Unfortunately money is an object, so I almost choked at the $100 enrollment and $65 monthly fee. I can't even fathom how they are asking for first and last month fees up front like it's some kind of apartment rental agreement. This was the first time I had ever even seen that tried at a gym. (Let's be honest, we all know you will keep that last month fee if I switched!) All in all they were asking for $230 which is genuinely mental for what they provide.

The gym has an actual bazillion machines which is both good and bad: you are less likely to wait, there is a lot of variety, and its less important if one machine is broken, but it is pretty cramped (but workable) and some machines are old/decrepit bargain finds they picked up cheap, like I'm talking some early 2000s stuff.

The AC seemed to be set to a cool and crisp 82 degrees which kinda sucked. Combined with a lack of fans in some places like the far corners and you won't have to lift weights to break the sweat you're looking for.

Again I really cant comprehend the $100 enrollment. I get that you want people to have a 'gym for life' or something, but jacking up enrollment to almost 3x what other gyms charge is just an anticompetitive tactic to stop people from leaving to better gyms and incentivising stagnation (clearly) of your own gym. Just really left a bad taste as an avid gym tester who has been around the block! No...

This gym is truly one of a kind. I signed up with Neil, who was by far the most helpful and knowledgeable front desk person I’ve ever met. I was originally interested in their Pilates program, and Neil went out of his way to provide every detail I asked for without hesitation.

I chose the $100/month membership, which includes unlimited Pilates, the glute station, and sauna access. (It also used to include a cold plunge, but while that’s no longer in the gym, there is a recovery location you can go to for it.)

One of the biggest highlights for me is the on-site sauna. It’s a huge part of my routine and one of the main reasons I continue my membership here. Having that available 24/7, alongside the gym, makes it incredibly convenient and valuable.

The equipment is constantly being updated, showing how much the gym cares about its members. There’s also an outdoor area and a small but versatile “free studio” space. The fact that the gym is open 24/7 is another major win.

Cons: The app still needs improvement. When booking classes like Pilates or the glute station, the addresses for the sessions don’t appear in the description. I’ve requested this update months ago but haven’t seen changes, which makes it frustrating since I don’t use social media to look them up.

Pros: A fully updated 24/7 gym, excellent Pilates and glute programs, and—most importantly—an on-site sauna that makes all...