Bally Total Fitness

Pros: Gym was fine
Cons: Cancellation paperwork "lost," they kept billing, fraudulently put me into collections

I joined Bally's in Renton, WA back in 2000. I used it for several months without issue, but then I had to move back to Oahu. Since there was no Bally's for 30 miles (BTW, is anyone going to drive 1 hr+, easily the time of crossing a big city?) I was ...

Pros: None
Cons: Despicable sales tactics

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER call Bally Total Fitness!!!!!!!

After initially contacting Bally to enquire about membership, which I subsequently didn't take, I received 15 + phonecalls from their sales reps. I told them on every occasion I...

Pros: Cheap, but you get what you pay for.
Cons: Disgusting clubs. Lieing agents. National membership really isn't.

I've been a member for 3 years now and recently moved from my original club. Since I travel a lot for work, I got their "Premier" nationwide membership. I was assured by the "agent" that it would work in any Bally fitness club in any part of the nation, ...

Pros: the staff seem concerned about the trash and security
Cons: Just got a bill for $501.93 ( a savings of $203.86) for 3 more yrs

The Riverside California club is disgusting - more than once I have pulled into the parking lot only to step out onto a poopy diaper, vomit, trash, homeless people pandering, abandoned vehicles & tons of trash. An adandoned pool hall and bar is right ...

Pros: Nothing good to say.
Cons: Trail contract can lead you to a real trial. DO NOT sign the contract.

My wife wanted to go to the local Bally with her daughter (17 at the time). She wanted to know if they had a monthly membership (she wanted to try before buying). She was told no, that she would have to "buy" a lifetime membership, but that she could ...

Pros: i hate everything about them
Cons: how do they sleep at night? they treat their consumers like crap.

On 3/28/03, I signed a three year Contract with Bally's. First of all, I was promised under the plan I chose to receive 2 free sessions with a personal trainer. I made the appointment and the trainer never showed up. It was such a hassle that I gave up ...

Pros: The clubs I've been to are clean and have endless machines.
Cons: Very crowded in population dense areas, closes to early. Problems with billing.

I was very appalled by the computer systems and accounting center. I paid monthly $30 and one month ...

Pros: good equipment, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Cons: poor customer service.they lie and protect their own asses even if they are at fault

I must say in this day and age of poor customer service I should say BALLY FITNESS has proved to be the worst of all. I left one of their clubs laughing in disbelief at what I had just experienced. When did it not become all about the customer anymore. I ...

Pros: they have some items--like a pool--that some other gyms do not
Cons: machines not available at peak times; bad customer service

I am canceling my lifetime membership to Bally's because I don't like the fact that Bally's owns casinos. Moreover, there are never any machines available when it's convenient for me to come to Bally's. When I took their kickboxing class, they let ...

Pros: Joined this particular gym because of convenient location.
Cons: Deceptive sales practices. Read your contract. Sales staff useless.

Deceptive sales practices. Beware of the three year contract you sign and read all the fine print s ...

Pros: Huge facility
Cons: no parking, deceptive/pushy staff, lengthy contracts

My experience with Bally's was brief, I just wish it could have been more brief. After a decent tour of the huge busy facility my wife signed us up. After a close review of the contract I knew this was not a good club.
If you move away you can...

Pros: signing up is easy
Cons: high pressure on sign up, unclean facilities, rude or hostile employees, sexual harassment

I only wanted to sign up for a year. I was told this wasn't possible but it was "no problem" to cancel at anytime as long as I moved out more than 25 miles from the club I signed up at. Now, I'm moving for grad. school and am told that I can't cancel...

Pros: None
Cons: Dishonest sales people, no customer service

I went in for a free six-week trial at Bally Fitness in Chicago after having moved from North Carolina. The sales guy told me I could sign up for a membership and if i decided to cancel within four weeks, I could do it with no penalty and no hassle. He ...

Pros: Good variety of equipment
Cons: Equipment is very variable between different clubs. Contract is a nightmare.

I have had a terrible experience with Ballys. Unfortunately I have a contract with them. I have moved to a location where there are no Bally clubs. It's been 2 months now since I have requested a refund of my dues and nothing is happening. Plus I am told ...

Pros: Two brand new facilities near my house. Somewhat spacious with nice cardio set up.
Cons: HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE customer service!!

We were lucky as the two facilities near our house are new, and somewhat spacious! There were lots of cardio machines, etc. But, the customer service is SOOO awful, that we were completely turned off by the company. The first time we visited a ...