Life Time — Local services in Mount Laurel Township

Update: I visited in May using one of my wife’s passes. She used to love this gym, but says the crowds that used to abate after folks gave up on New Year’s resolutions have not. Over the past couple of months, she began have trouble finding open classes, which never happened before. We found out that Class Pass offers a side door to classes without full membership…so now you can hardly sign up for classes because of this. You should not allow Class Pass membership holders to sign up a week ahead of time. They should have 12 hour advance sign up.

You have people complaining in their reviews about their free Medicare memberships having limited access to services. Others complain about increasing costs, saying that the “average person” can’t afford the club any more. Well…no one gets a free Maserati, and first class airplane seats are not affordable for the “average” person. There are plenty of gyms that cost a lot less that are affordable. Luxury isn’t supposed to a readily available product. That’s what exclusivity is about. Higher cost of entry. More services for fewer people. Higher standard of service. The trouble is that Lifetime doesn’t uphold the standard. This gym should not be a part of a free Medicaid program. There are plenty of available facilities out there. Lifetime shouldn’t have reasonable prices. That’s not the pitch.

My last visit solidified my decision to leave the club, and my wife and son will discontinue after pool season. This gym is ridiculously overcrowded and has become a mess. Double the membership price. Everyone pays. You can afford to lose half of your members if you counter with higher prices…a crowded gym, Saturday classes with 40 filled spots a wait list 15 deep 6 days in advance isn’t a luxury product. Lifetime doesn’t understand its own brand.

Honestly, an LA fitness or Planet Fitness membership and a local swim club membership accomplish the same thing at this point and together are less expensive. Lifetime’s leadership needs to talk to other luxury brand owners. Luxury isn’t a volume business nor a charity.

Original review: Lifetime has excellent facilities and great programming for kids, but it’s supposed to be relatively exclusive. Part of its appeal was that its high prices would deter crowds. Due to its layout, its resistance training area is relatively limited. There are usually dozens of empty machines and the indoor pool is un-crowded when the resistance training area is packed and classes are over-stuffed ti the point at which ventilation isn’t sufficient and it’s uncomfortable.

They have rules as well that they don’t enforce, such as folks gym bags on the gym floor. Some days, the gym floor is littered with them. Management should audit the various sections of the gym and expand or reduce those areas based on usage and space efficiency. I previously was a member of their downtown Bellevue, WA location, which was better managed in terms of space efficiency and appropriately priced. The crowds here are dense enough now that I cancelled my membership and invested what would have been a years’s worth of dues in a home gym. They need to double their dues and rethink their space management…tell the meat heads to put their bags in...

Went here when we lived in Mount Laurel and were one of the first ones to signed up when they open. With a family of 3 at the time the price for membership was a good 300+. Decided to cut costs after a year even though we thoroughly enjoyed the gym. Fast forward to 4+ years and we no longer live in the area, but after trying so many gyms and classes decided to come back. Somehow with a family of 4 the cost is now $260 for 2 adults, a 3 year old, and a 5 year old. The amount of classes (yoga, cycling, Zumba, etc. )they offered is unparalleled to any other gyms out there. My wife was paying for individual classes and packages at other fitness centers that easily surpass the membership fee for a family of 4 at Lifetime. If you enjoyed taking classes instead of just working out by yourself, lifting free weights, etc., this is the fitness center for you. For others that do not like to take classes, I don't believe the membership fee is worth it. For us it is. My only complaint is wish they had more classes on the Saturdays and Sunday. It seems like the classes are limited to the mornings and not all day like the weekdays. Only wish it wasn't 35 minutes away

Absolutely hate the inside and outside pool enforcement. There’s always at least one life guard playing dictator. If you read the reviews and sort it by pool, all of the complaints are true! Some of them include kids playing at the water tables at the outside pool while I’m sitting at the nearest lounge chair less than their suppose 10 feet away. Life guard walks over say I have to be in the water with the kids. They are not in the water!… told we can’t use the mini water guns, no problem. Later on other kids were using even bigger water guns and saw that same life guard not enforcing it. Came over to confront them, got an attitude and ignored. Manager didn’t do anything when we told them… I’m in the inside pool with my two kids 4 and 7. One can swim and one cannot but with a life jacket on. I’m in the middle, life guard comes over and say I have to be 10 feet away from each kid. Ask the life guard why is this kid with a life jacket on about 5 years old in the water by himself while the parent is laying on the lounge chair 50 feet away reading a book and playing phone paying no attention to the kids. They were speechless. Went to the front desk and told them of the situation. Now the parent is mad at me and we was told we had to leave. All I’m saying is the pool inside and outside are run by a bunch of power trips who are very inconsistent!!! Many more complaints but every time I come to the inside and outside pool. It feels like I’m being police and treated like a child. Rules are being enforce inconsistently or just being made up by the police lifeguard

6/19/24 Since my last review my bill has also increase by $120 monthly even without making any changes to my account for a member of 4. It...

After Evolve Fitness closed due to COVID, which is the best fitness center I've been to, due to the friendliness and kindness of owner Jason and staff (Bob), Jacob's ladder, steam room and towel services, I was in process of finding a center that has steam room and towel services as the most important criteria. Only Lifetime Fitness met the criteria, but I was afraid of joining it because of all the negative reviews I read, which are completely unfounded, which I'll address below.

First, the staff here ranges from being distantly polite to extremely friendly and helpful, NONE have been rude, and they all have helped me whenever I had questions or concerns. Andrew, Ben, Danny, and Maria, in particular, are sweet hearts (more will be added as I get to know more of the staff lol)..

Second, they DO care if you're a single member, I read reviews where members complained that they only cater to those who have family members = more money. Whenever I, a single member, wrote to management, they always wrote back and answered my questions immediately (at least right away or latest, the next day) - Yesenia, Devin Riley, Marc Polombo, and another nice woman who called me to get me into my locked account, have gone beyond the call of duty to answer any concerns I have. Yesenia even got back to me to schedule assessment when I wasn't able to do so at time of signing. Small credit card fee was refunded to me by Marc.

Third, the other cringeworthy thing I read was that the music was too loud, which as a migraine headache sufferer is something to avoid at all costs. In the steam room, you can hear maybe the smallest remnant at worst, but since I meditate in there, I don't notice any music, just the soothing sound of the gushing steam. I'm even able to STUDY in the café and front area. If the music is not bothersome to me, a migraine sufferer, I don't think it would be bothersome to anyone, but if so, bring ear plugs and/or your own music.

Lastly, this facility is really clean and spotless, the cleanest fitness center I've ever joined! I don't know where the reviews are coming from that LT is a dirty place, when LT Mt. Laurel is a luxury spa (same as the Ardmore site that I visited). The eucalyptus steam room improved muscle pain and is opening up my lungs/sinuses. If you just use the steam room like me, due to all the luxury amenities, you get your money's worth, albeit I wished they had a Jacob's Ladder, which management is working on as a possibility.

Conclusion: I'm a very happy and satisfied member at LT Fitness Mt. Laurel, the price more than justifies what you get here, management and staff are great, it's clean and luxurious, music is at appropriate volume. Please don't let the negative reviews dissuade you from joining!

LT member for...