Pacific Northwest Fitness — Local services in Seattle

While the facility is nice, their sales practice leaves a lot to be desired. I walked in a few weeks ago ready to work out and asked to sign up but instead ended up leaving feeling really frustrated and annoyed. As soon as I sat with the service rep, I was informed that he couldn't tell me what the "official" monthly rate was because the system has not yet updated for the day (??) but that it changes every day (???) and would most likely go up if I waited. There is a classic sales technique where you create a false sense of urgency in order to close a deal. I laughed out loud when he told me this story because the facade was so painfully obvious.

Instead of furnishing me with a printed list of what services are available and what the rates were, he started madly scribbling on a blank piece of paper. The first thing he wrote was a $259 registration fee and a $89 monthly fee (with 1st & last month required), then wrote under that $59 registration and $69 respectively. I got confused and asked why one was so much higher, and he said the first set of prices were their "normal" rates but that they were running a "special" if I signed up today. I laughed out loud yet again and started to wonder whether I had accidently walked into a used car dealership.

I want to be charitable but everything from that encounter indicates they think their customer base is a bunch of imbeciles. Instead of claiming that your system has not updated with the monthly rate, why not just be honest? Instead of claiming your sign-up fee is "normally" $259 (who would actually pay this??), why not just be honest about what the price actually is? As noted in other reviews, they also tack on a $65 "annual fee" that triggers 35 days after you first sign-up; and this is in addition to the registration fee. Why is there an additional annual fee in addition to the monthly fee and registration fee? No idea, but it's suspicious that the "annual" fee triggers so early on in the enrollment period instead of logically at the end of a year. My (uncharitable) guess is that they want to milk customers who cancel for as much money as possible.

I can appreciate how difficult it must be to profitably run such a large gym, but I can't tolerate how obfuscating and patronizing their sales approach is. I showed up to their location in workout clothes ready to sign up if only they didn't pull this blatantly sleazy sales approach.

I would recommend a place like the YMCA instead. Not only is their pricing transparent (no sign-up fee, no "annual fee", etc) but they also offer reduced rate if your income qualifies.

Edit 1/21/20: I reached out to the owner below a while ago and emailed with the director of admin services. It was a weird exchange because they kept repeating that my experience was not representative of their company, but then simultaneously provided a long explanation justifying their pricing structure. Very confusing. None of my observations were specifically refuted so it appears that the sales rep was indeed following company protocol. They offered me a two week trial which was also weird because none of my issues had anything to do with the facility but rather their sales practices. They gave no indication of how they would...

The reason for my 1-star review post for PNW Fitness located in Capitol Hill is to hopefully help warn others around the unethical business practices happening around communicating rate increases, and the horrific experience I ran into when attempting to reach out to their corporate location. I've been a PWN Fitness member for almost 2 years now where I paid $66.14/month, which is still quite expensive for a gym that has NO amenities. Back on 9/24/2024, I happened to look at my credit card and noticed I was charged by PNW Fitness for $87.00 without any notice or explanation as to why they charged me higher than my standard rate. I looked through my entire email inbox to see if PNW emailed anything about upcoming rate increases prior to my card being charged, but I found nothing from them. Upon arriving to the gym the following day, I immediately spoke with the manager who verbally stated that no email was sent out but instead they were asked to place a 'rate increase' policy paper near the front desk to alert members. However, when walking into the gym which I go to about 3-4 times per week, no employee ever told me to refer to their piece of paper on the counter to be aware that they increased rates. I then noticed several Google reviews from others with this same experience where they claim something was sent out in August, but no one from Corporate can provide me with proof or a copy of this apparent notification that was supposedly sent in August. After taking up with management how disgusted I was that my rate was increased by over +$20 without ever telling me before charging my card, management immediately directed me to email corporate, which after I did, the person that responded to me refused to answer my questions around how I was notified, and refused to address my request for my last month to be refunded to me since I'll be canceling my account. Instead, corporate responded back to me on 10/14 stating they "proactively made a decision to cancel my membership, effective 10/24/2024" which I never asked to officially canceled, and still never answered my questions around how people were notified prior to September. Then after responding back asking why Im being treated like this and why I can no longer use the club after 10/24/2024 even though I paid for FIRST and LAST months charges at time of signup, which means I should be able to use my last month, but of course corporate responded back saying that they are unable to provide a refund and last month doesn't apply. After continuing to receive rude responses and no help from the club or corporate, I have no choice but to help warn others to stay away from this gym, as I've never experienced any company increasing rates behind customers backs without notifying, which shows a very shady business practice. And, no one will honor giving me my last month's of 66.14 refunded to me since I'm being told I can't access the club after 10/24, along with me wanting my difference refunded to me for September 2024 since I never authorized my card to be charged for $87.00. Nor does it say in my contract that they can legally do this. Very very shady and extremely disappointed with how bad this...

I've been working out with two friends who wanted to start lifting. They knew nothing so I offered to work out with them. They'd tag along and do my exercise routine with me for months.

After the winter holidays as we were leaving the club after our workout, we were stopped by a woman named Erin who said she worked in the back office. She said that a personal trainer on staff had accused us of using the gym for personal training. She then threatened to cancel our gym memberships if this did not stop.

I asked her to clarify what she meant by “personal training” because my friends and I workout together and have done so for months. She said that personal training was working out with coaching. I pressed for more clarification because I was still confused. She didn’t offer much more that was helpful except to say, “it’s pretty black and white.” She also called the fitness manager Dave "obnoxious." Talk about professionalism.

I'm disappointed that PNW Fitness would allow an employee to approach their paying customers in such an unprofessional manner. First, Erin did not cite any gym policy or refer to our membership agreement during the discussion.

Suspiciously, one of my friends was treated poorly by a trainer after he decided not to purchase personal training. As Erin couldn’t define the prohibited activity, I am inclined to believe that the complaint that started this was motivated by the trainer my friend decided not to hire. Second, she did not provide any written documentation describing the alleged infraction(s).

So I reached out to Rafael, the club's manager of operations. At first he was helpful, and said he'd request a statement from the accusing trainer and discuss the incident with the personal training team. He also said that someone from their corporate office would reach out to me.

That was over a month and a half ago.

I have received no contact from anyone at PNW Fitness since.

I've reviewed the membership agreement and it's a complete joke. It says, "Personal Training. Member and/or Member’s guest will not perform or receive any personalized training with any other members or non-members." With that vague language, anyone offering to spot a friend or suggest an exercise could be kicked out. Also, the member agreement prohibits cell phone usage on the gym floor and just about half of everyone there is on their phone all the time.

In the time since this incident, I've heard a trainer say the F-word loudly twice on the gym floor, I've seen a trainer in plainclothes clearly training their friend on the bench press, and I've seen multiple members teaching their friends exercises, which would also be in violation of the member agreement.

I do not recommend PNW Fitness because they choose if and when to enforce their rules. When a member complains about what they believe is unfair,...