I've trained at Meadowbrook and Planet Fitness, and I'm telling you right now -- Gold's Gym Arboretum clears. Best gym I've been in so far. The weight area is stacked, plenty of racks, solid free weight selection, and the vibe is actually motivating. You walk in and want to lift heavy. No waiting around forever for equipment, no weird energy -- just people there to work. Only thing I miss is the hydro beds from Planet Fitness. Other than that? No comparison. This is the spot. read more

1 star - The only reason I still come to this Gold's Gym is convenience, because the overall experience is disappointing. The biggest issue is that members constantly leave weights, bars, and other equipment wherever they finish using them, and it apparently just stays there until the next person picks it up and moves it to its new home. Re-racking weights and returning equipment should be the most basic rule in any gym, yet here it feels completely optional. Instead of being able to move through your workout, you will more often than not waste time searching for the equipment you need because someone else could not be bothered to put it back. What makes it worse is that this is not a hidden problem. There are signs throughout the gym reminding people to re-rack weights, but they do not seem to be enforced in any meaningful way. At that point, the signs are just decoration. I also regularly see personal trainers and membership coordinators standing around the front desk joking, talking, essentially socializing while the gym floor stays disorganized. There is nothing wrong with this, and morale does matter, but when there is clearly downtime, no clients to attend to, and the gym is that disorganized, that time would be better spent keeping the floor in order, returning misplaced equipment, and reinforcing the rules that are already posted. Then in the future they could reclaim that time instead of letting the same problem continue. For a paying member, it gets old fast. People join a gym to work out, not to spend part of every session cleaning up after strangers and hunting down bars, plates, or attachments that should already be where they belong. If you are considering joining, just know that the convenience of this location is doing a lot of heavy lifting, because management and basic gym etiquette are not. read more

This gym is fantastic. The staff are outstanding and true professionals. The equipment is great and the new remodel is perfect. This is the best Golds location I've ever been to. I quite literally have never seen this place before dirty/unkempt. It's also never all that packed since it's a little bit hidden. The pool is also spotless. Great work! read more

I've been a member at this gym for over a year now, and I couldn't be happier with my experience. The facilities are top-notch, with state-of-the-art equipment and ample space for all types of workouts. The staff is always friendly and helpful, creating a welcoming atmosphere every time I walk in. Cleanliness is also a priority here, which is something I really appreciate. Additionally, they offer a variety of classes that cater to all fitness levels, making it easy to stay motivated and engaged. Overall, I highly recommend this gym to anyone looking for a fantastic workout experience! Tony is my favorite personal trainer, he makes my day better everytime he shows up to work. He is not only impressively strong, his character is unmatched. read more

There was a time that I loved this place. My husband has worked out here for years and during the pandemic I switched and was a regular for about a year. What switched for me? My first real strike was getting sexually harassed by a member (he put hands on me and followed me into lady gold's) and I watched as 3 trainers who I was friends with at the time report it directly to Lynn and she gave the member a light slap on the wrist and then had him come apologize to me like this is first grade and not a criminal offense. He continued to work out there and follow me around and I felt unsafe. To add insult to injury, my husband recently filled out an anonymous review when gold's gym asked for feedback and Lynn literally denied that it ever happened. like. You can't make this up Additionally, I know of at least 3 different counts of male trainers sexually harassing their clients and in similar fashion to what I just described, nothing is done about it. If you are known by name in this place, expect to be talked about. My husband is one of the most honorable men I know and the front desk girl thought she saw him outside one night wirh another woman, proceeded to start a rumor and the manager helped spread it. In short : everyone makes mistakes. No establishment is perfect. But If the manager of the franchise won't be humble enough to own her mistakes and refuse to enable predators it's not a safe place. Period. read more

This gym is great for anybody newcomer or veteran to fitness. Staff is super friendly, helpful, and accommodating. They even gave me another day pass to check out another gold gym. As compared to LA fitness the going rates are much cheaper for the monthly and additional fees also. Do recommend checking out the other gold gym's too. read more

Gold's Gym - Day pass and staff member that helped. - Gyms Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Please see attached photos of the filth of this gym. These are the fans that spin overhead on the main gym floor. As you workout on the machines, big globs of gray dust fall on your head. The rugs haven't been shampooed in years and the wipe down cloths are dirty and nasty. Go somewhere else! read more

Gold's Gym - Gross dust hanging from ceiling fans over the main floor - Gyms Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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During the pandemic, I never stopped paying my membership a single time. I've been a member of golds for more than 10 years. This made me very upset when this past year I asked if I could bring my 13-year-old son in to let him work out with me to see if he'd like to start getting a gym membership here. They refused. I would have to get a special membership or pay exorbitant rate for him to come one time to the gym. Gold gym does not have your back. read more

If you wanna get sexually harassed by every dude at the gym then go there (even the workers). They also have horrible membership prices and hidden fees. They make it impossible to cancel anything, the only way to cancel anything is through an email that never responds to you, they just wait till your contract is over even if you have a doctors note. The equipment is always dirty and the carpeted area with the fake grass always stinks you can tell they never clean it. Do not do any personal training , it's not worth it unless you wanna spend thousands for something you can do yourself (they make it seem affordable by dividing the sessions but they hook you into a contract) this place is money hungry and they don't care about any of their costumers. I used to work there and I've had many people come in complaining about how they're being charged for things they were never told about and I've seen sooo many people go into debt with this gym. This place is a scam, never come here. read more

Let's just say I will not be using this location as my choice any longer. Management shows preferential treatment and allows certain members to break club rules and invade the space of others without intervening . They allowed a member to carry a large speaker and play their personal music in a blaring manner as if they had the workout space to themselves. This was invading my workout time as well as others. We have technology called EarPods or headphones - use them!! I asked nicely TWICE to have the manager stop the offender and NOT A WORD WAS SAID. I couldn't even hear my timer or concentrate the music was so loud. It forced me to move my workout due to this rude and trashy behavior. Also, at this location, members are allowed to grunt and groan loudly to an annoying level unnecessary; conversations held which are offensive, discriminatory, and derogatory. I'm highly offended at the level of toxicity that thrives here! I pay my fees and yet I'm discriminated against and forced to move and alter my workout and have my workout space invaded by others. Find another gym and don't waste your time or money here. read more

Regarding the facility and features, this place is pretty nice. A wide range of options on machines means that nearly everyone can find something to fit their desired workout. The group class offering is somewhat small, but the instructors are extremely qualified and talented. I've taken Zumba for several years at local YMCA centers, and can confidently say that they pale in comparison to those offered at Gold's. About the membership: This will be a varied experience for everyone, especially regarding your registration. Some staff members are going to seem a bit more sales oriented than others. The most I can say is "good luck" on finding the right person. Membership price IS a game of haggling. This business method was an initial turn-off. But because I found myself talking to staff who offered something affordable, I stuck with it after my company-sponsored trial ended. You will likely hear things like "It depends on what you're willing to pay", when you ask about costs. Also be prepared to hear different joining-fees from different people on different days, with multi-year contract periods, and early-cancellation fees. Not dissimilar to buy a car. read more

Gold's Gym - Typical schedule week. - Gyms Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

The staff is pretty rude and unhelpful, but its near my house and doesn't get too crowded. They never have towels to wipe down machines. Way more expensive than Crunch, but more to offer. There is something wrong with the HVAC because it sucks in greasy exhaust air from the restaurant next door, yuck. read more

This gym is good unless you want to go at night- they practically push you out the door. They count down the last hour on the speaker every 5-10 minutes and they shut off the music and sometimes even the lights early. Clearly the staff only cares about going home and not the guests. read more

I was a long-time member of this location dating back to 2007 when it was American Family, and overall the gym experience is great; however, it don't appear that management is receptive to receiving feedback. As a member I would bring things to the attention of the General Manager, and it became apparent that she did not want the feedback. The General Manager would take the feedback personal, versus exploring professional ways to address the situation while also showing value to a members concern. The staff that work with the children in the kids club are not attentive to the kids, and they are very unprofessional. At times while on the clock they are watching their own children, and giving preferential treatment/interventions. The gym is great; however, if you have children I suggest you going to West Chester where the staff take pride in the oversite of your children. read more

I had such a professional experience here today. The general manager Lynn was welcoming and the front desk staff Leland was accommodating, opening doors for clients, calling people by their first name etc. There was also a trainer there who was excited to be at work offering to help with one on one sessions. The facility was clean and there was a mixture of people working out there which always makes it more comfortable. read more

The top to the lay down tanning machine will not stay up. You have to hold the top to get in, out and while you clean the bed. I just renewed my membership, but was a member for years. I'd think I may be correct to say this has been an issue for at least five plus years. One day someone is going to get hurt because they won't fix or replace it. read more

Women are not safe here. I have had multiple friends be harassed by a trainer while working out here, and management refuses to do anything about it. read more

I am enjoying the equipment and the trainers! Tip get there early and have energy all day! read more

Gold's Gym - The pool! - Gyms Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Compared to most other gold's that I've been to, this place is basically a big apartment complex gym. Pass.

My brother has been going here for years. I went 4 years ago until I moved to LA. Recently went back and it still looks brand new! So well kept, machines are clean, it's so open, I love the staff as they're so friendly. My only request is that they add towels, ie equinox has the eucalyptus chilled towels which are amazing! I think this gym is worth the price and people are great. read more

This gym exceeded my expectations! I was in the area one evening and wanted to give Gold's a try. I was assuming to enter a place much smaller, but that's not the case. Gold's at arboretum has a large freeweights and cardio area. All of the machines seemed to be in great shape too. I was surprised they also had a lap pool, a racket ball court and a basketball. I thought the "Cinema Cardio" room was a great idea too. It is a room with a featured movie playing and various cardio machines in front so you can watch and run. I also like the lady Gold's area, it was a nice touch. I just wish they had a partnership with the downtown locations and then I would be able to join. read more

I have officially written this gym off... I am done with them... I brought a couple issues to their attention and they ignored them all. The worst one... here it is... I have been a member here for a year. My credit card gets billed every month for 79ish dollars. So the other day their billing department calls me and tells me that I am two months behind on dues. Okay... that sounds weird... so I ask her why they stopped billing my credit card. She tells me that someone went into the system and unchecked automatically bill. Okay... NOT MY FAULT! I inform her to continue billing the credit card on file. She gets snotty and asked me how I would like to take care of this bill. I again inform her to CONTINUE billing the credit card on file. After a couple round robins she hangs up on me. I try to call back and of course the number she calls me from no one answers. So I call the gym up and they are unable to fix the problem, I had to drive to a sister gym 30 minutes out of my way. I did get the issue resolved. Christian Morganti fixed my problem, and he was very apologetic, but the whole situation was annoying and time consuming. I payed off the remainder of my contract, freaking $960.00 for them never to bill me again. I still have till February 2017 I can use the gym but I will never go again. They opened a new Planet Fitness next to my house. That is only $20.00 a month and much nicer.... Golds got me good... lesson learned... read more

I have been a member of t Gold's Gym of Southside since 2007. Back when I first joined, the facility was located near Chesterfield Towne Center right beside Laser Quest. While the gym was somewhat small, it had everything that a gym rat would need. The move over to the Aboretum location had its pros and cons. Here is my review. The Good: Bigger and Better- The old Golds Gym had three main areas: cardio, free weights and weight machines. This Gold's Gym has a racket court, basketball court, swimming pool, cycling room, exercise cinema, cardio area, instructional class area, free weight area and weight machine area that are broken down by which section of the body you would want to work on. Price of Membership- Price is relatively inexpensive, far less than $50 that some places charge. And my membership did not come with a contract. I pay monthly. Pimped Out Gym- In addition to being a bigger facility, there is pretty much a flat screen TV everywhere int he gym, even in the locker rooms. The Bad: Rush Hour Traffic- This type of traffic is pertaining to the traffic of people within the gym. During the early mornings and evenings, the gym will be a madhouse. Going to the free weight area and/or getting on your favorite cardio machine can be hectic during these times of the day. Lacking Free Weight Area- If you go to this area, you will likely see a lack of flat benches and weights near those stations. Dumbells are sometimes out of order and/or missing from the rack because members forget to put them back. This is an area that staff can greatly improve upon. This is a Gym, Not a club!- Guys, I say this with complete honesty... DO NOT TRY TO HIT ON THE WOMEN AT THIS GYM. Majority of the women who look somewhat decent are either married, have a bunch of kids or will gladly reject any attempt by you to talk to them. These women usually only talk to the personal trainers or other women in the gym. If you still want to try to talk to a woman at this gym, just know you have been warned. Overall- Nice gym, reasonable membership but has a few shortcomings. I would recommend this gym to anyone looking to get fit. FOUR STARS. read more

I have to admit I had a problem recently. I came in and checked in at the front desk to tan like always... Signed in the book, told the front desk guy 15 min in the stand up, he set the time and I went to tan. I noticed it seemed like I had been in there a while so I opened my eyes to look at the time and saw that the time had been reset and was counting down from 20mins! I stopped it and got out. When I was walking past the front desk one of the employees asked if I came out of the tanning bed and I said yes. He asked how I got in there and I told him the man at the front desk set me up. I have to admit it seemed for a second he was accusing me of doing it myself. I should also say that when the man set up the tanning bed there were about five people standing at the front desk including the woman who is usually working there and the man that asked me if I had just come out. I told him while I was in there it was reset and he said they didn't think anyone was in there so the woman went to open the door and said it was locked from the inside, that in fact someone was in there. I'm just a little confused by the whole situation. I signed the book, the timer was counting down, and the door was locked... All signs point to someone is tanning so why was the timer reset? I said I only wanted 15 mins and I had no idea how long I was in there. The man told me he thought about 30 mins and he noticed my skin was "hot". It just seems the whole situation was handled very unprofessionally and potentially dangerous. I told my husband and he left a message for the manager but never received a call back as far as I know. I still love the gym and hate this unfortunate event occurred. I just hope they handle it so nothing like this happens in the future. read more

One of the few gyms out there that really makes you lose weight. Open 24 hours on weekdays.

Joined Golds two years ago and it was the best decision that I could make. I was at AFF and I was paying an unreal price. You get basically the same services at Golds that you do at the other gyms for an affordable price. At the southside gym, there is a hot tub, which I like. The midlothian gym doesn't have one. I also like the ladies only area. That's a huge plus for me. read more

Great place to workout for an overweight person like myself. A big mix of people, not just races but body types as well. Not full of swollen muscled people making you feel bad for your swollen gut. Amenities include- private ladies workout room, a cardio/cinema room, sauna, pool (I was told it's not regu), hot tub, racquetball room, basketball room, and of course cardio and free weights. read more

Joined Gold's in August of 2010 in order to have a place to run during my Half Marathon training, out of our horrible Richmond humidity. I was a bit nervous at first, being that Gold's had that sort of "beefcake" reputation in the past. I was totally wrong about the whole "beefcake" thing! This gym is awesome. It caters to all shapes and sizes. I love to see people who are beginners as well as the seasoned athletes working out side by side. There are plenty of cardio machines to go around even at the busy times. Many rows of free weights and weight machines. I really love the TVs built into some of the cardio equipment since it is a great distraction for pounding out treadmill miles. I recently started taking Phil's Spin class on Monday evenings. Never have I felt so included in a group so quickly, plus challenged and energized. This Spin class is absolutely amazing. So I thank The Arboretum Gold's not only for great well-kept equipment, but for getting me into Spinning as well! read more

I just ask the person at the desk if they had a shoulder cushion for the squats bar, and he told that there "should" be some up there, but not a budge to leave his chatting. After I stated there wasn't, he then took one of the yellow sanitation towels off his shoulder and dangled it towards me asking, "do you want to use this towels?" I said no, and then he offered me to buy one if not huh? What? You offer guess a towel you've been fondling or to buy functioning accessories that all other gyms have, even high school gyms, but not once thinking maybe to help me locate one? I still give a 5 cuz I ain't a hater and not charging his response to the to the gym, but that's just a basic expectation to have at least one. Otherwise, I love this location and I don't think the more seasoned staff would've responded that way. read more

This is my first gym membership and so far I am absolutely satisfied. The Arboretum location has a great facilty with lots of machines. The foot traffic isn't too bad on weekday evenings either. So far I've taken advantage of the free consultation with a personal trainer and I was assured that I would be working with knowledgable and friendly professionals. read more

I took the Cycling Class with Eboni and never thought I would ever survive a class like this. (I barely did- but I will be back next Sunday to push myself even more.) Eboni is really friendly and she made me feel comfortable as a first timer. Her music choice and positivity made this experience one that I want to be apart of every week! read more

Great workout equipment with not too much wait time. This gym does not over charge. It costs a bit more, but you get what you pay for. It has a pool, and women's workout area. Only problem is they close early on the weekends, and are not 24 hours all week. Weekends are when people have the MOST free time to do fitness. Weekdays they are a 24 hour gym. read more

Facility looked nice. Was thinking about joining. Sucks the front desk guy was so short, rushed me, and honestly seemed annoyed. If that's the first person that greets, shouldn't they be nice and accommodating? Didn't seem homie. Felt cold. Still might join, but man, I would hate to be greeted at the gym every day like that. read more

Golds Gym Arboretum has an excellent assortment of weights and cardio equipment, as well as a good mix of instructor led classes and other amenities (e.g., pool, hydromassage and tanning for example). I've used their personal trainers and they've definitely moved my workouts up to the next level. The gym itself is clean and well maintained, and the staff is friendly. One of the advantages of Golds over other gyms is they do offer various membership plans. As someone who works out several times a week, I was able to put $300 down and pay only $20 per month, which is a steal compared to competing gyms. In addition, I can visit any other Golds gym up to 12 times per year, per gym when I travel. If you're serious about working out, and the location is convenient to you, this gym should definitely be on your short list. read more

Shady on every level. Crowded, dirty gym. Impossible to cancel membership. Staff at gym will not assist. Emails to Taft services go unanswered. read more

Been going here for over 3 years now, and have never had a problem. I started with a personal trainer for the first 4 months and got results immediately. The gym is always clean and well maintained. read more

I would be very skeptical of this location and their policies, not everyone knows them. I joined the gym because it was across the street from where I worked making it convenient even though I live in Chester VA. I recently changed work locations to Ft. Lee VA making this location out of the way for me from work and from home. I spoke with Joseph at the gym and he told me since my new work location was more that 25 miles away that I could cancel my membership for free. When I called the number he gave me I got the run around of course, they told me I would have to move from my physical location. Of course I'm upset because now I have a membership that I have to pay for and will never use anymore. This gym is definitely not accommodating to it's customers, I would not recommend them for that and their lack of knowledge as well as professionalism. read more

If you ever want to cancel your membership, it's NOT "super easy". This experience has left me annoyed and feeling like I will never join another gym. read more

Gold's Gym-Arboretum located on Midlothian.This is one of the few Gold's in the Richmond area with a full basketball court.There are nice racquetball courts as well. The workout area is spacious and modern. Gold's Gym is never cramped, so you can workout comfortably.There's a lot of workout equipment to do all of your exercises. Some of the cardio machines has TVs attached. The locker rooms are modern. This location also has a nice size pool. Gold Gym also has a special section just for ladies. I usually come to this location with friends just to play basketball. Sometimes,I will workout before playing basketball. The staff was nice when I visited to play basketball. Parking is right outside of the gym in the lot for Arboretum Shopping Center customers. Gold's Gym-Arboretum is a good choice for working out and playing basketball. read more

Would give zero stars if possible. For a $34/month contract you would think facilities would, at least, provide non-diluted soap and sanitizer. You will also be expected to grab soggy yellow towels to wipe down equipment vs actual wipes. These towels do get rotated out but not often enough that you won't have the experience of grabbing a DRIPPING towel of sweat and diluted sanitizer two to three times in an hour. Equipment maintenance is severely slacking. At least three pieces of equipment had broken pins in them, not allowing you to lower the weight. These remained for over two months until I left the facility. Leaving the facility was another Hell in it's own. Billing and cancellation department are nearly impossible to get a hold of. And when you do, they're outrageously rude. When called out on the vagueness of their contracts they spitball and dodge actual quotes from it. For example, cancellation by way of relocation requires "some type of bill in your name with the new address", word for word. But a student registration and bill to a college far from any Gold's Gym facility didn't suffice and turned to a now specific, "Send us a utility bill." Another notable detail is no matter HOW EARLY you contact them in the week (in my case two Monday's) they will ALWAYS contact you COB Friday evening. This way they can snare you for another billing cycle. Third and final experience was getting to know the staff that was not in the management while attending the gym. The employees themselves considered the management morally corrupt and were open to sharing how their schedules weren't worked with and subject to a lot of demoralizing behavior. Things I would suggest an ethics investigation for. So, Gold's Gym. If you're not good to your consumer.. and you're not good to your employees- what good are you? Would not recommend this gym to anyone. The Aboretum location as well as the whole business. read more