The Granite Club, Toronto
The facilities are the best in the city in my opinion, but here is my brief synopsis as a Granite Club member currently in good standing. We are told never to say anything disparaging about the Granite Club by the club with repercussions being suspension or expulsion, which is probably why you don't hear about any reviews online and thus I would prefer not to be identified.
The Granite Club employees are expertly trained to greet you professionally and then you will have to wait an average of 40 minutes to get served your food. The Wait Staff does not receive tips, and are unionized so they're not incentivised to serve you and largely disappear when you want something. This angers patrons and they complain amongst one another, often. What's worse is that you cannot get a dining table during busy times, because reservations will take them all up, however, there are no repercussions for not coming to your reservation, so people just book and then- don't show. I have been refused a table at an empty restaurant- can you imagine? How does the restaurant stay in business you may wonder? They don't care, less people eating, means less service, and the more earlier the staff -head home. However, I must say that the food is decent but slightly overpriced.
You will not get any better at sports being at the Granite Club, it's social sports mostly focused around the after sports beer and wine events. As a member, I had to join additional clubs in order to improve my curling, squash and tennis. You will get calls and emails to come to social events in support of drinking alcohol and having a good time, but nobody will reach out to you to play tennis, squash, curling, and to other sports- it's very insular. As an example they have over 12000 members and less than 50 in the curling section, so most of the time the curling rink sits vacant. The upside of this is you can often get a tennis or squash court whenever you like, however, don't be fooled: They host tournaments and social events where you to pay to play with pros and they close all of the courts. Likewise, if it rains they close the tennis courts as quickly as possible and the employees disappear; maybe they head home. Same for the Pro-Shop and the Gym, if nobody is using it they close them early and send the employees home, probably with pay, and you can show up and wonder why the hours have changed for the pro-shop or why the tennis courts are closed when there is no rain and the response will be you didn't read the Granite News or we have a new policy in place...
They say the programs are very good for kids, and indeed they have programs for kids- I do not have children, so I cannot comment. The hurry up and wait mentality you see an airport is often in place. Lines everywhere for food, slow service, programs booked up 10 minutes after they are announced.
There are a few gems no-doubt and a few professionals that get sports and how beneficial it is for the human spirit and health in general, but by in-large the members and the employees are equally disparaged from my review. To suggest it's run like a government office is more of an insult to government.
Although the incentive systems are upside-down and the place is being run by the management in concert with the unions with the members being shunned- this place will never fail. Think about it 12000 members and only 50 of them registered to curl? Mostly people just join and never use the club except maybe for a meal when their wife is out of town. So you get this big presentation on the facilities to join and pay a rather large fee and then nothing...no follow-up, no training and no service at the dining areas. Why am I venting? Because nobody listens to members at the Granite Club anymore: you get little cards in the mail, and they just ignore you. read more