In terms of equipment and space, this is a great gym. Plenty of cardio, weights and space for group exercise. Love that it has a pool, too. Would've been in it regularly when I was competing in triathlon. Now, probably not so much unless I feel like I need some serious cross training. I keep hearing it's a nightmare during peak hours, so I haven't been during peak hours. UPDATE: Just got back from a peak hour visit, and it is indeed a mad house. There is also no semblance of order or organization of equipment. Also, there's no culture of wiping down equipment here. Ugh! Reasonably priced thanks to tons of competition. HATE their stupid policy of soliciting all of your information before they even show you around under the guise of it being a liability waiver, which is BS. read more

Be Carful of membership services, they will not tell you about the 30 day cancellation policy if you are unhappy with this gym. Not the best gym experience let's just say so I went to cancel after 4 days and was charged $60 for only 3 days. Not to mention they are closing down golds gyms all over the country so if you travel like I do good luck finding a golds gym. read more

This is one of the worst golds in VA the place is always dirty never enough plates and they take 6 months or longer to fix basic things like changing light bulbs...... who ever is in charge should be ashamed of themselves read more

I am trying to close my account but I am getting the run around. I have not been in the gym for over 2 months now. All I got from Kira that I had to come in and talk to manger in person. Or I can cancel online. So far I do not see a way to cancel online. I have found the number to Gold Gym International headquarters(1-214-574-4653) and will be calling tomorrow. read more

Love this gym. No -- it's not your designer gym with new rubberized handled plates -- but it's everything a gym should be. Lots of iron, plenty of machines, (some unique ones would be nice) and a dark atmosphere. Also open 24/7 which is really nice. read more

Gold's Gym essentially extorts money from customers that are trying to close their accounts, insisting that customers appear in-person or mail-in a written request, and continuing to charge customers in the meantime. There is absolutely no justification for this since it takes them 90 seconds to close the account on the computer. They know what they are doing, making it as difficult as possible to close an account so they can keep billing you. I called to close my account many time, emailed and even appeared in person only to be told that I could not close my account at that time since the only employee authorized to do so was not in the building at that time. They said all I could do was "freeze" the account, so I did. Six months later they continued to bill the same card on file even though I had closed the card, having the gaul to insist that I owed them a debt despite not setting foot on the premises in over 6 months and many, many attempts to close the account. On top of everything, the employees were INCREDIBLY insulting. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. read more

I recently relocated to another state and needed to cancel my membership. I had been a member for years and never missed a payment. Before leaving town (in mid-December) I went to the location and informed them in person I'd be leaving January 1st. They told me the manager wasnt available and I'd need to speak to them. I went back a week later and was told the same thing. I then called a week later (I'd left town by this point) and was told I'd need to send a certified letter. I sent the certified letter the same day - due to weather (confirmed by USPS) the letter was delayed, however, was dated correctly. It is now Feb 10th and I've discovered a pending charge for yet another month. I called the location and was told by 3 different people 'there's nothing we can do', including the building manager and general manager. When I asked to speak to the owner I was told "he doesn't speak to customers". I asked for his contact information and was told by Paul the GM that he doesnt have any contact information... I replied "thats not possible, what if you need to reach him" he confirmed his lie by insisting he has no way of contacting the owner. The place is also filthy and gross with homeless people using the showers very frequently.... I only stuck with it because I didn't shower there and it was 24hrs... if you can go anywhere else, you should do it! read more

I have a gym membership at a different gym, but I came here with a friend and I was very impressed. This gym is the real deal! For the most part, it's pretty much what I desire in my ideal gym. They have a great variety of very nice machines. I've been to a few different gyms and I've definitely seen some things here that I've never seen at other gyms. I also like that they have a small football turf area for crossfit or whatever your heart desires. Other cool things are the recovery room with two electronic massage lounge chairs and a dedicated stretch area that has a mirror lined wall, dimmed lights, and super comfy bouncy floor. They also have other things like a pool, sauna, Cafe, kid care, etc. My only complaint is that they don't have a track and hot tub. And although this gym is pretty awesome, it's a little on the small side. So it definitely gets crowded at times. read more

There is no consideration. I don't live in Richmond anymore. I live on the other side of the country actually. I traveled home for a family member that passed and it took a couple months for that to happen. I signed up to work out during that time. I was not aware of the cancellation policy. When I flew home, I called to cancel and was told I had to come in. Well, obviously I can't do that. Then I'm told I have to send a certified letter to cancel this gym membership however I was still billed for the monthly membership not including the fact that 15 days ago I was just hit for an annual fee when I just signed up in September. When I asked for consideration to be made to credit the recent monthly billing, it was not granted. I never post reviews but this vendor from my hometown not being willing to credit even one month of billing is upsetting at best. **Note: The home address they have on file for me is a CA address** read more

This gym is disgusting and no one re-racks their weights nor do they pick up after themselves. There are roaches everywhere especially in the cycling and GGX rooms. The trash is overflowing, the paper towels are never replaced and spray bottles are hardly refilled. Trying to get a hold of the manager via phone to discuss your membership is frustrating because they leave you on hold until it's convenient for them. Their cameras haven't worked or been replaced in years which is unsafe for children because they have the kid's club. There is A LOT of theft there and whenever a police report is filed, they're "unable" to do anything because there isn't surveillance. Rules and regulations are not enforced by staff or management. They're constantly renovations going on which is unsafe for members and staff. I wouldn't recommend this location to anyone that is new to Richmond or is generally looking for a healthy and respectful place to work out. read more

Great gym overall aside from there only being one water fountain that dispenses warm water.

I moved from Richmond and called to cancel my gym membership and there policy is I have to cancel in person or write a certified letter or they continue to bill my account... This is inconvenient and scam worthy. It shouldn't be such a hassle to cancel a membership. read more

One is hit with the immediate smell of funk and musk as soon you enter the gym. Can't these people do anything about the air quality in this place? It literally stinks in here. Also, the machines stay busy and it is always hot as all get out in here. I am thinking of taking my gym membership elsewhere. When I signed up for membership I did so wanting to use the gym cinema and the pool. Right now, neither one are operable. This sucks! Do better Gold's! read more

Gold's Gym - What is this mess? This has been like this for weeks. - Gyms Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I just moved to Richmond Va. And was traveling from Fredericksburg, Va. To see which gym I wanted to use. This gym is not friendly at all. I would not recommend anyone go to this gym based off of what I am about to say. I was stopped by a Paul Wiggin. This guy followed me into the step class and told me that I didnt sign in. Harrasment. I was instructed by the manager under the General Manager Paul Wiggins to sign in on the tablet everytime I come in. I was doing the right thing and he still stopped me. It was embarrassing and the following in the step class was inappropriate. This private gym needs training in customer service. Even the people at the front counter are taught to be rude. Again I was doing the right thing but this happened today. Inappropriate and unfortunately has to be reported. I would never pay this gym a membership fee. In fact would rather pay more somewhere else. They don't deserve it. The General Manager extended my travel.pass out until June 30 22. I assume this was because of his behavior. Sometimes losing the customer is the best response. I don't want your pass. There's nothing you can do or say to reverse what happened. read more

I overlooked the fact that they screwed up the personal training appointment and didn't care much to try and sell me any services. Very disappointed! But I can no longer overlook the fact that the club has gone downhill and cleanliness and attentiveness of the staff. The front desk associates are so disengaged that my barcode did not work to check me in literally for 4 months and nobody noticed or said anything to me but the absolute clincher was the disgusting tanning booth ( i will refrain from a graphic description). Now as i asked to cancel i am inconvenienced further because they only process such during specific hours- not including the weekends. Peace Out Gold'sI've found another club worthy of my monthly membership and my presence! read more

This place is not safe. I signed up for this gym 2 days ago and was told that people had to wear masks when not working out. That there were people wiping down machines. I didn't see any of this when I showed up for my first workout. People were walking around and chatting up friends. No mask on. I asked the front desk if they enforce the rule, if people mostly wear masks. They flat out said no. They flat out admitted that doesn't happen. They didn't seem interested in enforcing it. During a PANDEMIC. Never coming here again. Not putting my families Health at risk because of staff who simply don't care enough if people who pay to be at the gym are safe. read more

You get what you pay for. This is a busy gym and most folks find this place convenient, but there is a false sense of comradery here. Theft is common in the locker rooms, especially men's. If it happens to you, file a police report immediately with the Henrico Police and have them contact the owner about installing all metal lockers to solve the thefts. To get the $10 per month deal, ask a sales guy if you can start a new membership and then downgrade to the $10 rate within 30 days. read more

I've been going to Gold's for over 2 years & until yesterday, this has been a 5 star facility. However, yesterday I was informed of a certain policy for the first time & this is enough for me to drop 2 stars. Here's a little background. A little over a year ago, I began deadlifting for the first time since high school. I'd been apprehensive because of a previous back injury. I made some serious strength gains in a short amount of time. A couple months back, a very nice lady on the platform next to me noticed that when I went up to my heaviest lift, the bar was slipping out of my hands (my hands get pretty sweaty). She offered to let me use a bit of her chalk & the first time I used it, I pulled the weight up with ease & no slippage. In the short amount of time I've used chalk, I've set 3 new PR's after I plateaued for quite a few weeks. I have set a goal to get to 500 lbs by the end of the year. Keep in mind that the only time I use chalk is for 365+ lb deadlifts & for nothing else for the remainder of my workout. Now for the rest of my story: I was doing some heavy deadlifts yesterday & was approached by the manager Aaron who told me that there is a "strict" no chalk policy. First, I want to give him credit for being very kind, respectful, & professional. That being said, before I bought my own chalk a couple months back, I looked all over the gym for anything that said no chalk & found nothing. I understand that maybe I should have inquired with management, but every time I've used chalk, countless employees have seen me & said nothing. I've held management positions before so I understand adhering to policy. If it is posted somewhere that I didn't see, or if it's printed on my contract somewhere, then I apologize. My main point is that if there's a strict no chalk policy, it needs to be plastered everywhere in big bold letters, especially around the Olympic platforms & power racks. Also, many of the rules in this pic need to be enforced more (mainly wipe down equipment & return your equipment when you're done). My contract is up this month. I love Golds & don't wanna leave, but maybe my goals have outgrown this facility. Maybe I need to find a more powerlifting/bodybuilding type of place. read more

These folks can't even be bothered to change their phone message or post a notice on Facebook (or apparently, the front door) to let people know they are closed/have reduced hours because of inclement weather. While it's great that management cares enough about thhe employees that they don't want them driving on icey roads, they don't appear to care enough about their members to try to prevent them from needlessly driving in bad weather (Nevermind that, like, the roads are fine. The fact that people panic over nothing is a completely different issue) Oh, P.S. - the music at this location is consistently too loud, and the playlist usually sucks. Everyone has headphones anyway, so why not try some quiet elevator music or NO MUSIC. That would be nice. read more

If you are joining this gym for the group exercise classes... DONT. It's a joke. I have no idea why they do not use a sign up and limit the number of people that can be in a class. I went to a couple classes and it's not worth it to be running into people or extending your arm and smacking somebody in the face. You are literally packed into a room with at least 50-75 other people when the room should maybe hold 35-40. Plenty of cardio machines (that nobody cleans after they use them) but every other room is constantly crowded. Not a clean gym at all and ALWAYS busy. read more

GOLDS GYM Willow Lawn was always filthy and disgusting before COVID. I can't imagine going there now. They never cleaned anything even after constant complaints to management. The only time they ever cleaned the gym was when Golds franchise management might be visiting. The urinals never worked so it was like using a really bad gas station bathroom. The showers had black mold. Roaches in the locker room and sauna. The equipment might be shiny and new but it was never cleaned. No paper towels or kleenex were ever provided. If you needed to blow your nose, you need to find some toilet paper. I could go on and on but if you value your health, I'd avoid this gym at all costs. read more

I knew your cancellation process, and went up to the location. The paperwork was clearly scanned into your system with a cancellation date of 4/29/21, and no one cancelled it. So that is 7 months, over $200. You really dropped the ball on this big time. Also had to close my credit card to ensure that you do not continue to charge me. Wonder how many others this has happened to that don't even notice? Never again. But thanks for responding. **** Additional edit**** just received a voicemail that said "We heard you have questions about your account"? Message from the same exact person, I went and talked face to face with and assured me I would be receiving a refund. I will be looking for my refund, and if it is not applied to my CC, expect to hear from my CC dispute department! read more

Working with my trainer at willow lawn has been a great experience and the space there is solid. However the personal trainer manager, Kris, has refused to respond to me for 3 weeks after spending over a month trying to contact him the first time to resolve a contract issue where I was charged and needed a refund. I've called, emailed, and swung by to no avail and have never been treated so unprofessionally by management. I'll be going somewhere else in the future and recommend the same to others. read more

Walked in to renew my membership checked out the new area looked good stood at the front desk with three guys that didn't say anything to me. One of them look to be a customer representative of some sort from another company Sonos like towards him. The other white gentleman with spiky hair had his back to me the whole time never said hi I just wanted to renew my membership I shrug my shoulders and turned around this was on April 2nd at 11:20. Least I'll save 11 bucks a month or so. I really wanted to come back but they've always sort of been flaky at the front desk I miss the ladies that work there they are always attentive read more

The pool and massage chair makes this golds gym way better than the one on Harvie street. Make sure you read your contract though , it can be a hassle to get out of. Overall it's really clean and not too busy so I like it. read more

In terms of the actual weight room it's definitely one of the best golds in the area but in terms of cleanliness it's gotta be the worst one. For the love of god clean your damn showers/locker rooms. I went to take a shower after a lift and saw 3 bandaids on the shower floor and the biggest cockroach I've ever seen in my life. Hands down the dirtiest golds gym in the area. Thinking about switching gyms if this isn't fixed soon. Nobody should be paying good money for a gym houses bandaids and cockroaches in their locker rooms. read more

Terrible place overall. Management needs to make changes or you will go out of business. I spoke to your managers and corporate office. Because you're a franchise you don't care about your clients or employees and all you care about is sales. Equinox was better even though more pricey. Many of your gyms have bad equipment, moldy water faucets, clogged bathrooms. Hope someone listens and fix the problems. read more

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Ok. I've got to be honest. The only reason I joined this gym is to look at all the fine girls, and then follow them over to Kroger where I can oogle at them in their dirty workout clothes while shopping. Don't let the sour faces turn you down guys. Plus, there isn't a lot a supervision at the pool. One time I forgot my bathing suite so I just when in with my boxers on. Nobody said anything. My boxers even have a floral pattern and look like a swimsuit - Might do it again next time. This is where it gets bad. You know that cute x-stripper that signed me up for a 3 month trial period. HEY! GUESS WHAT! They kept charging me after I screamed at them that my contract was up. I even brought in my signed contract and they told me to call a 1-800 number for customer service. WTF These people are crooks. They think they can boss me around just because I'm fat. Why should I have to keep paying if I haven't even been to the gym in 4 weeks. They don't care. The manager never answers my calls and the people there are all trained to be crooks. AVOID! AMFAM is so much better! Listen up everyone. This is how we get back at Gold's. Cancel your water bill. I've been taking the nicest, longest, hot showers at the gym now. I don't even bath at home anymore. I decided to stop flushing the toilet whenever I take a doose there, let the Gold's manager come and do it. Lasty, you know all those broken machines and squeaky bikes? You guessed it! Abuse the hell out of them. Use them wrong. Wear and tear is a beautiful thing. It's time to revolt guys! Screw Gold's Gym. Just go easy on the destruction - there is usually a cop outside in the parking lot. read more

I have been a member at this gym for about 4 years now, and go very regularly (3-4 times per week), so I think I have a good frame of reference. Furthermore, I have belonged to numerous Gold's over the past 10 years. This gym used to be my all-time favorite (and I belonged to Sports Club LA in DC just prior). It had a really nice staff, great equipment, easy parking, good hours and the crowd was an energetic one; fit, but not elitist. It would get congested during peak hours, but was usually manageable. Then something changed. I'm not sure what. I find most of the staff acceptable - some are horrible, none are great. The management... what a joke. It's like they found some high school grads and gave them a little authority. Wait, I bet I'm not far off on that. The physical elements, equipment, layout, classrooms, are still fine - it's the overall feeling that is awful. It's really hot in the summer, cold in the winter. The air can literally feel sticky... like Bourbon Street sticky. The crowd is unbearable and continues to devolve. The staff keeps signing up more people... it's WAY TOO CROWDED. Let's call a spade, a spade: this is not a gym anymore, it's a sales organization. I know one when I see one... there are more salespeople walking the floor like used car lot than personal fitness trainers. Ugh. I can't wait until my contract ends, but have a feeling that I will experience some billing issues that everyone else on here seems to be living through. read more

I have been a customer of Golds in Richmond for over 3 years now. Its always been a little on the underachieving side but recently their management and customer service has me looking at more expensive memberships at gyms that are further out from where I frequently shop and do business. The Willow Lawn area is the perfect place to get your gym on - grocery stores, places to grab a quick bite to eat... shopping. Its a shame that Golds can't live up to a basic customer service model. Customer service is terrible, management is worse! The gym is dirty, overpopulated and under managed. Its an overwhelming experience just trying to get a work out in. I find myself avoiding the gym to steer clear of the rat race, the people hanging out having social hour in the free weights and the employees all hiding behind the service desk - too busy to help you out. I'm not sure what made this gym make a turn for the worse but it's not my problem to solve. Now if I could just get their management to contact me back about closing my membership! read more

This is definitely one of the better Golds gym locations. I typically go to the Mechanicsville or the fan location and occasionally this location because they offer a wider variety of group exercises classes and the gym is just overall better. The staff seems more friendly. The location is definitely kept up well and is clean. Some of the other Golds locations have a weird smell in the locker rooms I guess because they're older, but not this one. I love the fact that this location has a pool, sauna, cinema room, kids club, massage area, and a bigger selection of equipment. I feel this location really makes you be able to utilize your full membership. The parking lot is a decent size so even when it's crowded there is always a good amount of spaces left. This location is central to all of the shopping at Willow Lawn. I have to say I am satisfied when I come here and have no regrets in staying a Golds gym member! read more

Loved the gym while I was a member but they keep charging my account after I canceled my membership and moved away. Even after repeated calls they continue to hide from their billing errors. Spoke with Jessica and might as well have been talking to motor vehicles. Take care before you join. read more

I had an accounting problem and had an extremely unprofessional conversation with Charles the manager. I cancelled my membership 5 years ago for the same reason, Gold's looks great, in a good location but there is a serious problem with their customer service skills. There is a reason behind their high turnover of employees, it's starts at the top. read more

Oh hello there. I watch television and movies, and I know that people are supposed to stay young-looking and fit. As a result of this propaganda, I try to stay fit. But I only go to this gym because it's within walking distance to my house. To be perfectly honest, I prefer walking or running outdoors. I'd rather take a risk at being vehicularly manslaughtered than going to this gym. I really dislike going to this gym, but I feel like I'm supposed to go to a gym for weights and things and to make sure my fat doesn't grow to be a problem. I can't really say why I don't like this gym. I just don't. I've never had a problem with the billing. The customer service is consistent with what I've experienced at other gyms. I don't like how loud the music is, but that's to be expected. No one bothers me when I'm there. The yoga classes are pretty good. There's just a persistent feeling of dread associated with this gym. I like working out. I really do. I just don't like this place. Maybe it was built over an old Native American burial ground or something. read more

This is my first time ever being a member to a golds gym and I gotta say it's eh. When I first signed up they just gave me a form to sign and gave me a shirt and a tag and sent me on my way. I didn't get a tour or they didn't tell me my benefits of being a member, nothing. I guess that's fine but when I go and see a new member getting a tour, I kinda wish I got one. The place it's self is okay. Gets busy in the mornings and around the time people get off of work. Another thing that bugs me is the fact that the place you can work on abs or stretching, there is usually no space to stretch or do ab work outs. One epic thing about this place is that you can watch movies while you run. Also they offer really good classes as well. The women's locker room is nice. But you have to bring your own lock for the lockers. Which isn't too bad but since you do, I just change at home and then come to the gym. It's easier and you don't have to worry about your things. Overall this gym is okay. If you join you probably won't be like me and not get a tour but who knows you might not. But it's still a gym and I just go work out and leave. No one really bothers anyone, so ladies you won't get the creepy guy trying to hit on you while you're sweating like a dog. read more

Terrible cancellation policy. Had the account frozen and they unfroze it without notification and began charging again. Finally got it canceled after six months of charges and a $30 cancellation fee. Terrible business. read more

BEWARE: Poor gym experience! CON's: - Very overcrowded! Gym membership very oversold for size of facility - General upkeep and maintenance: be prepared to see equipment broken for weeks on end. Also there have been several recent water outages forcing gym members to use portable toilets - Front desk staff understaffed to quickly accommodate gym patrons during peak times - Must sign lengthy contract PRO's: - Affordable but keep in mind you pay for what you get - Gym is kept fairly clean including locker room I've been a member of several other Gold's Gym franchises in other areas of Virginia, this particular one has by far been the worst. Think twice before joining this gym. read more

Yes, Gold's is a chain, but this particular gym has a few special features. First off, it has a cardio cinema that you can use for free as a memeber. What is a cardio cinema you ask? It's a small, dark room with screens in the front that's filled with bikes, ellipitcals and Cybex machines. They play a different movie on a loop every day, and they often get new releases. I'm a big fan of this feature because sometimes if I get into a movie it'll inspire me to stay on a machine longer. Zoning in on a big screen in the dark definitely makes the time pass quicker. Gold's mostly does Les Mills classes like Body Step, Body Combat, Body Jam, Body Attack, etc. There are new routine releases every few months, and the instructors make big deals about them, planning special classes with multiple instructors to try and increase enthusiasm. For a really good workout, go to 6 a.m. spin on Wednesdays with Anna. This class will seriously kick your butt! Body Step (step aerobics) is a good workout too. Unlimited tanning is available for $10 a month to members. There are both stand-up and lay-down beds. Sooner or later this location will be getting a pool and some other sports amenities. All I'll say is I wouldn't join based on this, as they were trying to sell memberships based on the new amenities at least two years ago, and I still haven't seen construction start. Because this Gold's and the Fan location are owned by the same people, you can use both locations. This is nice because it gives you more chances to catch the classes you like. read more

Holy eye candy Batman! Never did I expect to find myself in Richmond, let alone a Richmond Gold Gym and then drooling at the southern gentleman of Richmond, VA. Sure, the hottest find in Ledroit Park and I admitted we were most definitely the only 'mos in the joint but mercy me! The eye candy is made seriously sweeter, I mean buffer but the tons of equipment here, the 3 rooms for group exercise and the serious tone of the gym. The staff totally let me roll all over them to get into the spin class on time even though I was a visitor. The spin instructor with the dark tan and thick, muscley arms, he was pretty himself but even better was the room, the nicest spin studio, I've ever seen, all blacklights and stage lighting on the instructor and all. I could've gone for more machines than free weights but this gym seriously separates the men from the boys with the mostly free weights only. If I took the 730 pm Abs class from the Tuesday night instructor, I'd be putting my abs picture up on Yelp in no time. She rocks and sticking with her, so will your abs! read more