Lakeshore Sport & Fitness — Local services in Chicago

Let me start by saying I love this gym and can't imagine going to any other gym in the area! With that said, it is evident that the gym is very much past its prime. I am sure at one point that this place was the place to be, but the pandemic appears to have hit them hard. You just have to look around to see it needs some serious TLC if it is going to stay completive. With that said, here is what I like and what I think needs improvement at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness: Likes: The gym is never very busy. On a weekday at 5:30 pm, there is usually only around 5-10 people on the entire cardio/weight machine floor. This means I almost never need to wait for a machine or feel rushed to get off one. Same for the pool - eight lanes and almost never have issue getting a lane at any time. The gym attracts all types. Regardless of fitness level, there is no reason to be self-conscious here. This is definitely not a "bro gym". The gym has everything - cardio, weights, an eight lane pool, sports courts, etc. The men's locker room (the basic one included in the membership) is also huge and has a nice sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and stall showers - always nice for post-workout. Speaking of the locker room, I love the towel service! There are always plenty of clean full sized towels stocked and free to use. Jesus at the spa gives great massages and at $85 for 50 minutes, it's one of the better deals in the area!

Room for improvement: The place overall just shows its age. Machines are at least 15 years old and the spaces just seems dated. This is especially evident in the pool area where walls are heavily peeled and the roof is rusted. My guess is that they simply do not have the money to put additional capital into it. The pandemic hit this place hard, and as mentioned, it is never very busy. While this is mostly a positive, it does lack the gym vibe that some may be looking for. It can be weird to be the only person working out on a huge cardio floor with 100+ machines. The hours are limited. Currently closes at 9pm on weekdays. Sometimes I think just being open one additional hour would make all the difference.

Overall, I really like this place and hope that...

The 211 Stetson location might be the best valued gym in Chicago. The space per guest is surely one of the best in the city. The amenities are as good as anywhere, and I’ve found that they beat the competition when it comes to the little details. Their towels are top notch and that’s important. The place is very clean and they do a great job of maintaining a clean and neat environment throughout the day. The space is laid out well, it’s very accessible and open in the gym and the lockeroom. Staff is friendly, helpful and personable. The food is good, the kitchen knows what they’re doing and they actually care about guests. The basketball court has a classic vibe, and it is surrounded by windows which makes it one of the most enjoyable places to hoop on a beautiful day. The pool is great and it has like 10 lanes. I’ve almost never seen more than 2 lanes occupied so it makes for a pleasant time to relax and take laps or get some work in. My favorite part about the place is the rock-climbing wall, and it was the reason I joined the gym. If you like top-rope climbing, this will be the reason you join the gym. After being a long-time member of two other 5-star gyms in the city, I’m very happy with my current membership at LSF. I am not one to write reviews like this but if you’ve read this far than you know why I’m writing this. Honestly, I’m second guessing myself a bit now— on the one hand I want to give the club a great review that they deserve, but I also don’t want anyone to join here because I love the low number of guests.... oh well. This place is...

I've been a member of LSF at the Illinois Center for almost 3 years now. They have amazing facilities (climbing, weights, cardio, pool, classes, rooftop pool, restaurant.... the list goes on!) and their personal training is awesome. When COVID19 hit, I thought for sure I would stop going to the gym because of safety concerns. I reached out to Luis to find out my options. He is so responsive, and he kindly let me know that I could easily cancel, hold, or continue my membership, whatever would suit my needs, and they would support me in that. They are very understanding of the circumstances going on right now and I didn't feel any pressure to re-join. However, I decided to come into the gym and try it out a couple times, just to see if I was comfortable. They have a day rate for members who hold their memberships that you can use for this purpose. People were wearing face coverings while working out, and everything was really spaced out (unsurprising, as the facility is HUGE, another big plus of this gym especially now). Luis went out of his way to allay my safety concerns, and make me feel comfortable once again at the gym. I'm so happy that I have the opportunity to go back to the gym now, without any pressure, and to feel safe doing so. I know that if I start to feel uncomfortable, they will be more than glad to pause or even cancel my membership as my safety and the safety of their members is the top priority of LSF staff. It's been a really great 3...