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Allstar Fitness
Rating Details »
Category: Gyms
Neighborhood: Downtown509 Olive Way
Ste 213
(between 5th Ave & 6th Ave)
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 292-0900
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 5:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- No
18 reviews for Allstar Fitness
If it wasn't for the super convenient location of Allstar (right across from my work) I doubt that I would go as much as I do.
Sadly the time when I have to go is the most crowded (4:45-6:00 PM) but it's only very recently gotten to be a problem. I think that if the women's locker room was a little bit larger it would be helpful.
There is a women's only workout area but I don't use it. However if you're that kind of girl then it's a good thing for you. There is also a spa but for those on a budget it doesn't make a difference since it's as expensive as any other spa in town. I don't plan on using it.
The women's restroom area has a ton of counter space and I've seen women really lay their beauty tools out and it doesn't get in anyone's way (even during the crowded times).
The towel people are super nice and I have some funny conversations with them quite a bit.
There's a lot of TVs around but there could be more wall fans than TVs I think. There's TVs on the cardio equipment... lotsa junk TV but how else would I watch half episodes of Bones and NCIS since I don't have cable? ;)
I've been going to Allstar since I moved to Seattle from Minneapolis - way back to the one that used to be on Queen Anne.
My one major issue is how bloody expensive personal training is.
I really wish that they could make that more affordable (and no, going with a friend and splitting the cost is not an option). That's why the 4 stars.
So All Star has great locations, clean gyms, nice front desk staff, plenty of great equipment, cool classes, yoga, spa and FUCKING HORRIBLE support staff. Like many people who've been members here I'm having a horrid time with the account department and trying to pay my dues, guess what!, on time. Apparently the only option for paying dues is through auto draw, which for most morons is a great options. I however am a responsible adult who would like to be in charge of their own finances so they place a $6.57 charge every month for doing so. Heaven Forbid I go in and pay early because then someone would have to call their auto draft company to have the auto draft canceled, it would be much easier for the accountant to sit on her ass and do nothing. Charging a good member for paying in full and ahead of time is absolutely ludicrous.
Go if it's convenient and you're so irresponsible that you can't remember to pay your dues on time they do have auto draft for you.
For me, I'll just have to be due diligent in writing a 30 day notice to cancel my membership.
I've been a member now for a couple of weeks and so far I want to keep going, so that's always a good sign.
Here's what I like about this place:
- clean locker room
- nice showers in locker room
- actual place to put on make-up and get ready, including blow dryers and curling irons for use
- a women's only excercise room
- a spa where I can get massages and facials, if I so choose
- both yoga and pilates classes - they also have kickboxing
- a climbing wall (I'm not interested but Mitchell is)
- KID FREE!!!
- 2 free personal training sessions when you join - I love my trainer Melissa, I feel like she actually listens to me and the time seems to go by quickly
What I don't like:
- the parking situation sucks! The parking is in the medical dental building and the place is expensive and nutty. If you park before 8am you can get it validated for a $1
- at this point you can't rent a locker - so you have to drag all your crap with you each time you go
- there aren't very many bottles of alcohol to spray down equipment ICK
- The individual TVs are nice, but you only get about 12 channels - though I shouldn't complain - those 12 include Bravo and CNN.
- Lots of boys who think grunting is hot.... it's not!
Way better than my previous gyms I've belonged to - 24 fitness and YMCA. It feels like a grown up gym, which I like.
Comment from Karen J. of
Allstar Fitness
7/9/2009
Good news - we just started renting lockers, so no more…
More »
Still loving it. The parking situation however, totally sucks.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/20/2009
The kettlebells here are really helping me get those coveted bridal arms. Holller!!
Everthing a good… Read more »
I go to two different gyms (pathetic), Sound Mind and Body, and Allstar Fitness, and I like them for very different reasons. Allstar has an endless supply of clean towels, super clean locker rooms and a great steam room. I usually just run on the treadmills upstairs on the coed floor on the (south?) wall, and there are 9 flatscreens, so everyone can watch what they want. They have a nice stretching area. The only thing I don't like is that the upstairs makes me feel a little claustrophobic (very few windows--or so it seems).
Pretty normal people, definite plus. although, there is a woman who runs without using her arms, which, in terms of peoplewatching, is about as good as it gets (molly shannon, she puts you to shame). sorry for outing you, no arm using woman, if you are reading this, but it's really fantastic and keep on keeping on.
I haven't had anything but an awesome experience here. Every single staff member has been really nice. During the sign up it was of course kind of pressured, but that's how it is to join a gym. It was certainly better than other gyms I've joined.
In terms of classes I've taken spinning with Ele and it was awesome. A really great workout and she pushed us without being overly aggressive. She introduced herself to me during my first class. I also did the Extreme Workout on Monday morning and I really liked it. A great combo of cardio and strength. A++
The locker rooms are CLEAN which is a huge selling point for me. There is a sauna/steam room inside the women's locker room so there are never smelly dudes sitting in it. No creepy hair clogs in the showers either. Ample lotion/shampoo/conditioner/body wash for you to use. In general, the whole gym is very clean. I love the women's workout area.
It's super quiet in the morning and I realllllly hope it stays that way without an influx of OMGit'sthenewyear resolution people joining. So far, so good.
The afternoon is busier but it's tolerable.
I did meet with a trainer and he was knowledgeable and not pushy although I ended up declining personal training services, I may consult him in the future.
I've used the West Seattle club as well (for the pool) and it was a good experience there as well. It's a little rougher around the edges but still a great club.
This is the 5th gym in Seattle I've been a member of and this one ranks #1 in my opinion.
Like most people, I WAAAAY overate during the holiday and promptly made a resolution to lose that weight by hauling my butt to the gym, something I haven't done in nearly half a decade. I shopped around a while, but decided on Allstar after a tour of the Executive Club facility.
The place was amazing! Leather couches, lounges with flat-screen TVs, wood and glass everywhere - the place looked like someone took a Sheraton lobby and put a bunch of exercise machines in it. The locker rooms were clean and well-maintained, as were the extensive amount of workout equipment.
It's a little spendy, to be sure, but for about $10 a month more than the YMCA, you get access to a 3-story rock wall and their Municipal tower facility which has a pool with a 14th story view of downtown. How cool is that?
The trainer I got was a really cool guy, who didn't try to sell me anything at all, and I've only met polite members and staff - no meat market, or stinky weird hobos.
Did I also mention that everyone there is hot, or on their way to it? Even the old people, damn!
All (5) stars for All Star! After months of walking by and staring into the Executive All Star Club, I finally sucked it up and went in to join. Well, I'll be honest: I went in with the intention of taking advantage of the 2-week trial, testing my commitment, and THEN signing up.
But after taking the tour, they GOT me because it happened to be the last day of their "no enrollment fee" special, and once I found out that the enrollment fees were something like $400, I simply HAD to join.
Here are the things I like:
1*. The facility is beautiful. Large and spacious, they have a big "women's only" workout room and you can quadruple that size for the rest of the cardio machines on the 3rd floor. There is a giant climbing wall, a lounge-type cafe/cafeteria, a boxing studio, a yoga studio, a spinning studio, and another large main studio where most of the classes take place.
2**. The classes are great. I never knew I enjoyed group exercise, but lord knows I'm never going to kick my own ass in the same way that those instructors do, so now I'm all about it. I've tested out a killer ab class, the Survivor Workout (I almost died), tried Nia (great for mellow days), and Kickboxing. So far, there have been people of all levels in each class, which is great.
The online class schedule and calendar is really neat- it will send the class and description straight to your Outlook calendar. You can sort it by type of class and plan your weekly schedule ahead of time, based on what type of workouts you'd like to have.
3***. Locker room is clean, the sauna and steam room are excellent, the private showers are always full of shamp, conditioner, and body wash. They also have razors, lotion, q-tips, cotton balls, hair dryers, curling irons, etc.
4****. Everyone (with the exception of the woman at the front desk at 8am who is so obviously NOT a morning person) has been really friendly. Instructors, managers, sales people. Super nice.
5*****. I like it so much, I actually GO. That definitely deserves at least half a star. Another half star because a couple of my friends have joined too and now we all go together.
I've been looking for a gym with a reasonable membership plan that offers classes in addition to the...gym...part.
Moving forward: This place is fantastic! Truly! The classes offered are diverse, the instructors are great, the facilities are incredibly clean and very well kept.
This location never seems to be crowded, either - there is always plenty of equipment available and space in class.
The locker rooms each have a sauna and steambath - very clean - and private showers. Amenities are included - shampoo, conditioner, bodywash and so forth - and dryers and hair irons are provided.
Did I mention the cleanliness? I've never seen a gym so well kept up. The equipment is functional and great!
Going to the gym can be intimidating if you already feel timid about your body and making the commitment to the gym - for women, this gym has a women's only workout area with the same cardio and strength training equipment throughout the rest of the gym - it's a nice room with lots of light and it certainly doesn't feel like you are being exiled or hidden away - another plus!
Anyway - I highly recommend this gym! The prices are reasonable and the facility is great and it offers everything you could need - including parking!! - oh, did I mention the climbing wall????
If anyone has any questions, let me know! I am not affiliated in any way with all star fitness or healthy living in general - I'm a beginner - and there you have it.
http://www.allstarfitn...
*PS, Allstar fitness, please have classes between 6am and noon! thanks.
I WORK HERE
but i still give it four stars. I hope it's okay i am writing a review, but i really LOVE this club (i get a free membership, as an employee there)
I have not liked other gyms, as the sales staff are are often not too nice. I like what i hear from the sales staff as they walk by me. They are respectful, fun, and they seem to know what they speak of. What more can i say? anyone who used to go the much loved ALLSTAR in queen anne got a membership honering that so they work out with us still. we have alot of the older members come in and say they miss the Queen anne location, but what can you do? If you havent come in, you should. spend the half day, bring your stuff, and come take a tour. You can get a free 7 day pass, i make no money if you sighn up (so i have nothing to gain) but at the very least for 7 days you can go into the sauna and steam room (with real eucalyptus oil and cleaned by yours truly) and maybe like, check out our classes (free with membership) I'm not selling...i'm saying if i met you i would tell you i work at a posh gym, and i do...and i like it DESPITE working there. I just like givin you the truth. i know it's bit pricy...but by all means free for a week. I will see you at the towel desk.
This is the gym that I am allowed to go to.
I would love to say that this is the gym I go to, but that would be a lie. I took a tour of this gym when I decided that it would be a good idea to work off all those Paseo sandwiches, Vivace lattes, and Top Pot apple fritters. But, let me tell you, all this eating does not leave you much time for working out.
The sign up process was as pleasant as dealing with a commissioned sales person can be in a situation like this. So, now I have a card, and I actually have gone a few times. Feel free to pat me on the back next time you see me.
The locker room is clean, has all sorts of things to help you get ready after your work-out (hair dryers, q-tips, a steam iron!) plus a dry sauna and a steam room.
The gym itself is in the Medical Dental building so you can definitely picture the whole place being converted into an orthodontist office at any moment. But, for the time being, there are plenty of cardio machines (with little tvs on 'em) nautilus type machines and free weights. I've never had to wait to use anything but, then again, this gym seems to specialize in signing up people who will never show up.
They offer plenty of cool classes that I am always planning on going to "next week" and the aerobics/yoga/spinning rooms look nice from the outside.
The only real problem with this gym is that there is no pool, cause ya know, I was going to take up lap swimming next week! And to get from the front desk to the workout area there is no elevator and it's kind of annoying to have to walk all the way up a flight of stairs before you work out.
Please, no PM's asking me to be your work out buddy.
UPDATE:
Allstar has a new COO who saw my review and took the time to contact me. She and the manager worked to find a mutually satisfactory resolution to my concerns. I think everyone can agree it shouldn't take a Yelp review to get great customer service, and I'm optimistic that the management of Allstar will have more freedom to use their own discretion when addressing customer related issues in the future. Given the responsiveness of the team at Allstar, I am increasing my original rating to match their effort.
Original comments:
I most often went to the branch in the Municipal Tower on 5th and Columbia. I joined this particular gym because of the pool, which ended up often being busy, even at 8:30 pm. However, they do have a sauna and steam room which saved me money on spas over the winter. They close at 10 pm during the week and 8 pm on weekends. I was surprised to find myself working out as late as 9 pm some nights, and wishing the gym would stay open 'til 11. I would not rejoin because of their accounting department and harsh policies. For example, my credit card was stolen and the bank issued me a new one. Allstar was charging my card, and the card number changed when it was reissued. Allstar charged me $20 bucks for the inconvenience I caused them when they tried to charge a card that no longer existed. Trying to explain the situation or appeal to their humanity was thankless and off putting. A worse situation: I was on a year membership. I called the day it was supposed to end just to make sure they would stop debiting my account. The manager told me to put it in writing. It ended up looking to their accounting department like I was cancelling my membership, so they held me to their policy about giving 30 days notice prior to canceling, and went ahead and debited my account $54. The thing is, when I spoke to the manager he never told me that I would be charged for the month, so I stopped going to the gym, assuming the membership was over. Now I'm out the dues and a month of membership. I want to fight but feel hopeless after reading other people's experiences with Allstar in the past.
Allstar dues seem a little higher than average to me, and while I'm reasonable enough to accept that policies are policies, I feel badly that the manager didn't disclose the policy at the time I "cancelled", so I at least could have used the last month of my membership.
I work across the street from the Executive Club in downtown Seattle. The facilities are nice, modern, and well maintained. The locker rooms are very nice, but the lockers are quite small; I found it very difficult to hang my work clothes and store my gym bag without having to cram.
Some of the machines aren't hooked-up to TV and the tanning beds have yet to arrive, both were incentives to join, but neither have been fulfilled. The free-weight section is smaller than most gyms, but there are a ton of bikes, elliptical machines and treadmills.
Don't bring your own radio headset and expect to be able to listen to radio stations. The gym has their TVs transmitting on radio stations that block normal FM channels-- which has both positive and negative advantages.
The staff is usually nice, but I've run into a few jerks who have no idea what customer service is. There have also been a few times I've gone to get a towel but found no towels out on the counter or anyone behind the counter to help; this was frustrating not something I wanted to mess with at 6am.
Overall, the Executive club is more like...the mid-level manager club. It's definitely pricey, but for the location and modern appeal + new equipment, I feel that it's worth it.
Nice facility, all the right equipment and classes and a clean, spacious locker room with a great steam room. Love the fresh towels, razors and helpful staff. Just tried the newly added massage and found it to be better than average for sure. Even do reflexology!
although i have a lifetime membership at 24hour Fitness, I purchased a membership at Allstar because 24 was just so filthy, dirty and the men's room smelt of old ass!
allstar was clean, with fresh towel service, equipment was new and well maintained, class selection was extensive and the instructors were wonderful! also, up there on my list, the men's bathroom was spic and span clean.
the only thing i'd have to deduct points from them for would be that the sales people's attitude were standoffish and their hours of operation could've been later.
overall a good gym with extensive classes!
I've been a member of All Star for 4 years. I originally joined the Queen Anne location, which has since closed :-(
They offered a great deal on transferring membership to their other facilities, so I took it, though I was worried that the down town and municipal tower locations would be inconvenient. So far, it's been working out.
The best thing is that you can use all of the facilities. The muni tower has a pool! A lovely pool! It's clean and relatively big.
The downtown facility is clean and well arranged with really nice locker rooms!
Both facilities have nice equipment that's always in working condition. They post 30 minute limits on cardio equipment, but if no one is waiting, no one kicks you off in 30 minutes. The staff is friendly and the classes are varied and plentiful.
The clientele are of a wide age and fitness range, so the atmosphere is not intimidating and not meat-markety.
The towel service is excellent. Bath and workout towels are provided free of charge!
I use free weights, weight machines, treadmill, elliptical, step mill and the pool. I only take spin classes so far and they're great!
I still miss the QA facility, but the DT and SMT are great!
What a F*ING nightmare. I thought this would be a great place to work out and it was convenient and pretty...sure great. Canceling my membership due to a work related move on the other hand has been nothing but hassle from day one. The staff are money hungry corporate zombies who are anything but helpful. They have charged my bank account a total of 4 times after my membership was canceled. Looks like I'm not the only one having problems with their financial department. I've already filed a complaint with the state attorney, and will have to switch bank accounts just so they don't charge me again. Please take my advice and stay away unless you want to be charged hundreds of dollars beyond what you expect to pay. Please feel free to contact me if you've experienced similar problems, I'm seriously considering a lawsuit.
I love this location...so close to my apartment. I haven't any complaints about any Allstar Fitness location at all. It's also nice that they have a Women's Only Workout Area, if I ever needed that. There is also a rock wall if you like that kind of thing. I haven't used it yet but would like to!
