Virgin Active

I just feel that any staff member who is forceful and controlling when it comes time to terminate or freeze memberships should be marched out the door..do these managers know that it’s one of Richard Branson’s many ventures ? He is virgin and he sure as hell wouldn’t want to pinch a few extra measly dollars out of us regular joe’s and joanne’s. It makes me sick that a fitness staff member or manager thinks they can be rude, not communicate on the phone or email properly or professionally, or not allow people to take home and read forms..sounds like these members of staff need a reality check & need to understand that they are supposed to be there to genuinely help people with their fitness journies not just make money for Old mate Richie B..comical. Also I’ve applied for 5 jobs at virgin active gym over the past 3 years all with cover letters attached and resumes, and never once have I gotten a reply or acknowledgement about the application(s) full stop. I’m fully qualified all fitness reg and insurances plus group fitness les mills rpm and sprint qualified.geez they must have some absolute superstars working at these virgin active gyms.
Mr. Branson if you read this I hope you’re a little bit peeved at the majority of your “professional” staff...maybe some more traditional basic fundamental company values need to be applied to make these gyms more of a staple in this super competitive field of work.

I would not recommend this organisation to anyone. My son joined and then changed his mind only a day after the cooling off period had ended. I offer to take it over as I wanted to join and they would not allow it. So they have continued to steal my money for almost a year. My credit card was stolen and the last couple of payments before the year is up were not paid and they are now chasing me for the money. I could have taken over the membership and would have continued to renew it each year probably for years. They would have been making plenty of money from me. I wonder how may other people have been treated this way. I would never recommend them to anyone and intend to provide negative feedback at every opportunity.

I sent an email to my Frenches Forest Virgin Active Relationship Consultant to let her know that I was terminating my contract. I got told (by email) that I had to come into the club. Rang and left 3 messages for my Relationship Consultant to ring me back (no phone calls returned). Telephoned the Club to ask reception to terminate my membership and told that I had to complete a "Break Up Form" personally at the Club. I then asked reception to send me the Form please - they refused to email me the Form and told me that I had to come into the Club. The receptionist hung up on me. I rang back and spoke to Josh (Duty Manager) who also refused to send me the Form. I eventually negotiated with him that he would leave the "Break Up Form" at reception for me to pick up. I then drove to Club and asked the same receptionist that had hung up on me, for the Form that Josh was supposed to leave for me to collect - the receptionist refused to give me the Form but seemed to know all about it and radioed for someone to come to reception, this was even though I said that I was just there to pick up the Form that Josh had left for me. Suddenly the Club Manager 'John' appears (he knows all about it ) and refuses to give me the Form. He insisted that I had to sign the Form in front of him and that he would be writing all the feedback and comments. I would only be allowed to sign it. I insisted that I wanted to take it home to read and complete it myself - which he refused. he told me it had been through the Virgin Active legal team and that I had nothing to worry about. Finally I got the blank Form (had to pick it up off the reception desk and was chased to the lift by John while trying to leave - he was trying to get it back off me). I completed the Form at home with my feedback and emailed it to the Club. What I observed are poor business practices from Virgin Active (they insist that they do this because it is their policy and part of their T&Cs - which I have read and this obstructive behaviour is certainly not part of either). I have attached a copy of the blank 'Break Up Form' in case anyone has the same problem that I did getting hold of one. I was so upset at what happened and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I've been to Virgin Active Norwest for over 6 months now and enjoy it. I live and work pretty close to this place, so it is personally convenient for me. However, I did hear from lots of fellow gym goers regarding the lack parking here. Some of the classes are packed and it's hard to get decent room to move sometimes. I still enjoy the services provided here, but I do wish it would have been a bit more affordable.

The gym itself is nice enough and the upstairs has a nice lookout over Chatswood. BUT the gym seems more focused on money than its clients. First of all it is ridiculously expensive, you get roped into a 1 year contract of paying full price ($$$) and the money is taken from your account on their fortnightly basis which means you may want your holidays to coincide with their billing period or you will be paying for a week your not there or won't be able to go to the gym for a week.
The thing that makes me most annoyed though is that I had a little bit of a sore lower back but had my first PT session and thought it was too late to cancel. I told the trainer but the exercisers they were getting me to do made my back sorer. I told them which ones were hurting and would only do them for short periods of time and refused to do longer. I still wanted to try and get my moneys worth. By the time I left the session I was hobbling out. Turns out I now had a ligament sprain and torn disk in my lower back. The disk will take 1-2 years to fully heal. The PT session made a little bit of a sore back into a state I could barely walk! I didn't want to go back for another PT session after that and asked to transfer my PT sessions to a friend. They said no but they would remove the PT sessions expiry. It's been a year and my back is mostly better but I could not get myself to go to another PT session, not after what happened the last time. I was afraid that their PTs lack of knowledge of possible injuries or how to avoid injury would make me mostly bed ridden again! I begged to transfer my sessions as I had paid for them but they said "it's in your contract that they're non-transferable". After what I went through in the 1 PT session I had with them!

I cancelled my membership as I could not afford their ridiculous prices as a full time student and I didn't like how anything that meant the company would make less money, they made difficult. For example you can't call and pause your membership, you have to email in and wait for a response... And remember it has to be within their fortnightly pay basis. If you take 2 weeks off in the middle of their pay basis, you may either continue to pay for the 4 weeks or not be able to go to the gym for 4 weeks.
Also, your still billed while you have paused your membership, and any time gets added to your contract. There's only x amounts of weeks you can pause your membership for too.
You want to cancel your membership? You have to go into the gym to do it.
Also, be aware of the ridiculously priced exit fees within the first year... etc.
It's a trap! Go somewhere cheaper where you're not locked into a contract that is a nightmare.

I've never been a fan of gyms, but I really like Virgin Active.

If you want a gym where everyone knows you by name, this probably isn't for you. If you want variety, they have everything from boxing, pilates reformer, yoga, barre and Les Mills and they are always coming out with new classes. Some gyms cost way more than you pay at Virgin, but with a lot less variety.

This is my third time back over the years due to moving locations for work. I'd love to give 4.5 stars, but only due to the lack of locations.

I have and always will highly recommend Virgin Active.

Have been a member for over a year and mostly just work out on my own. Prior to today would have easily rated the gym 5 stars but ran into a very unhelpful staff member today which was very disappointing. Seemed like she was trying her best to make my life as difficult as possible.

I am a member currently and attend a few classes each week. The gym itself and classes are good. But it has definitely gone down hill . I have been a member for about 4 years and the rising costs in membership are absolutely ridiculous. The gym is no longer clean and there is no new exciting equipment. It’s the same as it was when it first opened. The increasing costs are not justified.
I went to sign up a new person as was told 3 month casual is now $44 week!!!! Lol - no thanks. Not worth that amount at all. Not to mention the sales manager there is lacking some serious customer service skills, she’s a definite put off, with such a nasty attitude.

The trainers are forever changing and there are only a few good trainers there now. It’s good but not that good.

I enjoy antigravity classes at Moore park and I singed up for the yearly membership, but virgin active just cancelled whole program! It’s really disappointed!

I have been to about 30 gyms over the past 30 years, and think Virgin Active is the best. I have signed up as a casual, which is a little more expensive but I like the flexibility. I am 50 and due to an illness last year, I am now overweight and out of shape. The gym caters for ALL ages and levels of fitness, and if you are older and unfit like me, you will fit in without embarrassment. I use to be a member of Fitness First and always felt embarrassed there, as it was full of posturing young men (the staff) trying to pick up slim clientele. As a result, I could never get proper help in using the equipment and I felt uncomfortable in my daggy workout gear. This does not even cross my radar at Virgin and I feel totally at ease there. The staff are very friendly, cheerful and helpful. Even when it is super busy, it never feels overcrowded, as so many classes to choose from. The spa, sauna and plunge pool are very refreshing and relaxing after a stressful day at work.

Virgin Active appears more interested in sucking as much money out of people as possible rather than improving the experience. I recently cancelled my membership less than 24 hours after their cut off'. This resulted in another entire fortnight being charged to me (despite the fact I haven't been able to come in ~6 months due to the changes in their booking system) and then they've continued to attempt charges, quoting that their contracts specify they can continue debiting even after someone has cancelled the membership. What is the point of the cancellation form I wonder? Let alone the fact that you have to physically come into the gym to cancel.

The cancellation was prompted by changes to the booking system that affected my ability to a) get into a class and b) be late or not able to make a class. When I advised the team at reception of my troubles in being able to book in because classes were always full I was told "You just have to turn up and wait to see if someone that booked doesn't show up". Sorry what about the rest of the world required to be at work on time? You can't expect people to pay $33/week to wait outside classes 'in case' they get a spot.

Managerial interpersonal skills are incredibly lacking. What a disgusting customer experience. The team conducts business in a way geared towards cheap revenue raising schemes rather than attempting to improve customer experience. How these processes are justified is beyond me.

Virgin Active Moore Park appears more concerned in increasing its membership instead of maintaining happy members. The lockers are a disgrace.....many are broken and they had the doors removed but these have now been replaced without being fixed....what message does that send to the members who pay for "world class facilities" (Virgin Active's words) whilst providing "third world facilities". And on top of this they have increased the fees....surely justification of the fee increase should be providing facilities in working condition.

Been a member at Virgin Active Norwest since it first opened. The constant is the prices keep going up. The equipment and the cleanliness going down. Every year the prices increase. 25 % of the equipment is broken and does not get repaired or replaced. The cleanliness of the place is terrible. The floor staff are now non existent compared to 6 years ago. This company is not about members but is all about profits. They don't care.

I find the staff and the instructors extremely helpful and cheerful. Yes, fees are high, but what price do you put on your health? Cleanliness of gym is generally of a good standard. Majority of members are polite and respectful.

I am happy with the environment and facilities at Moorepark virginactive but after a week exercising I injured my back in a way that even couldn't walk. When I wanted to ask to freeze my membership for the period I was under medical treatment, they told me was not possible and reminded me terms and conditions. So you should predict your injuries and sicknesses before Sunday otherwise you are not able to freeze your membership for the incoming weeks after that and you should pay for it.

I used to have membership with Fitness First, now I switched to Virgin because they have variety of Pilates class. However, they don’t have locker for recharging phone while I am attending the class. Also, they don’t help to keep my phone for recharging at reception while Fitness First does. It’s a good gym but it’s not worth for paying 35/week. I’m not happy about lack of modern locker in Virgin. Like small thing make me happy.

Reasonably new member to Norwest offer of classes is great but I work and occasionally I can not get a chance to cancel ... nobody cares there are no exceptions to rules virgin is simply out to make money ... nobody ever explained strike procedure figured that out by myself and no one really has time to discuss or make a resolution I have given up unfortunately I have signed up for 12 months don’t make the same mistake!!!

Equipment fine but you have to line up to get to use it. The staff are minimal and the customer service is non-existent.

I love the variety of classes at virgin, Pilates reformer to anti gravity yoga, they have it all. The body composition scanner is so handy and I have never had an issue getting a treadmill even in peak times (which is an issue I have had at other gyms). It is definitely not cheap! But you do get what you pay for. It can get busy. The front desk staff are lovely, some of the PT staff are not super great. Definitely do make the most of my membership

Main reason for joining Virgin Active was the classes, particularly Pilates. They used to have an excellent range of classes and instructors. One reason or another the instructors kept leaving and the variety of classes kept reducing. I have got to a point now where I am going to an alternative physiotherapist gym to attend classes (Pilates and strength training) as these are of a much higher standard. The gym is often crowded, gym equipment is often not maintained (spin class bikes) and equipment not updated (stretch bands, etc.). Overall, Virgin used to be excellent, but now I feel they have dropped the ball.