Perfect gym, perfect community. Increasing prices and limited hours are the only negatives.

Clean, good service. Lot of great equipment. Very diverse gym. Only con are operational hours compared to 24/7 gyms, but it's pretty normal for a standard family, working adult, or older kids. read more

The facilities are top notch, the service is great, group classes are off the hook and pools including kids pool is great. Our family loves to be at HAC for a day of relaxation or to get our workouts. Their food is really good too. The only reason I have 4 stars is the Saturday Sunday timings are not reasonable as the close at 4pm thats a bit early for me. read more

The Taj Mahal of fitness clubs on the east coast. You definitely get what you pay for. The HAC has no competition They are like a resort you see when you travel. REMEMBER: to those who say it's expensive The truth is YOU JUST CANT AFFORD IT !!! Been a member since 1985 when it was the old Pike Creek Fitness Club Then carried my membership over to the HAC Thanks for listening ‍‍‍ read more

Update- HAC definitely worked on improving customer service since last review. We spent the summer here and overall it was great. Only downside is the kids activities- very hard to get into swim lessons, private swim lessons etc. you would hope if they are all full they would add. We actually had to go to the y for swim classes! Same with free kid activities they fill up super fast and the year long ones are full. So that benefit can't actually be used. Place is very clean, and front desk friendly, helpful. Nancy in membership is great the other sales people are hit or miss. read more

Um, Wow. This is how I might have pictured an athletic club in Beverly Hills. I took my son to a birthday party here (the kid is popular) and when I approached the place, the scale of it overwhelmed me. A fitness club with a giant glass pyramid and a its own parking garage? The glass pyramid turned out to be our destination for the first half of the party. It was an indoor swimming park. "Pool" doesn't capture it, because of all the things the kids can do, while the adults lounge in chairs, all under a towering glass ceiling. It reminded me of water park areas in Sesame Place, but bigger. There was also a lap pool and a big hot tub nearby, with concession booths. The locker rooms were impressive, with indiviual shower and changing rooms. We left there to go to the party room, which was average, I suppose. They had party organizers who scrambled around with hgh energy, refilling drinks and food for about 30 kids. Outside that area was an indoor play park with one of those hamster tube things that rose a few stories up, a huge multi-tiered enclosed netted climbing thingy that rose several stories up, smaller little-kid friendly play areas, and a large screen TV so the other dads and I could watch St Mary's beat Villanova (WTF!?!?!). Up above I could see exercise studios, indoor golf places, massive gym areas, rehabilitation areas, and any other gym accoutrement you could imagine. Clean and stunning. There was a pro shop, and a coffee/protein bar that was as nice as any upscale coffee joint. Outside were walking trails and soccer fields, and outdoor pools as well, not yet opened. I have no idea how much it costs to be a member, and refuse to look. I shall just encourage my kids to maintain friendships with rich families, and restrict myself to the humble JCC. read more

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I was a member for maybe 3 months ... I wanted to love HAC so bad since it was so close to home and it was an upscale gym vibe .. but it was always a hit and miss with childcare I have an autistic daughter and I understand she can be a handful with her tantrums but it amazed me that depending who was on staff had a lot to do whether I was going to be able to stay through my time or not. Ended upgrading to black member to do hot yoga and fell in love .. told myself I would start yoga in the morning and when I went to do reservations for childcare there wasn't enough staff for them to accept my reservations for yoga in the morning. I ended up canceling. The whole point as a mom to get this type of membership is to see your kids happy ... we found a new gym it sucks that it's a 40 min ride but my kids are always happy and there's never an inconvenience for class reservations so in the end it's worth it. I gave a star because I loved how the facility looks and the concept and absolutely enjoyed my tour and the lady that signed me up but child care needs work there's no reason someone is paying $280 a month and always have anxiety if I'm going to get a call to get my child because they lack the ability of knowing how to calm a child down. read more

HAC is slowly deteriorating. They continue to keep their short hours, closing way too early in the day. Working adults have to squeeze in a workout at the end of their day, and the cafe closes even earlier and stops offering prepared foods so that is out of the question! The upkeep of the facilities has pretty much halted. Leaky and low pressure showers, shower floors were covered with a cork-like mat instead of being repaired or replaced. I can only imagine what is going on underneath! The exercise machines are old with static tv channels. Single memberships are super expensive, yet they barely cater to the young adults with any amenities. Time to find a new gym! read more

I was a member of the HAC for several years when I lived in Delaware and very much enjoyed exercising there. The club is enormous and attractive, with a little bit of something for everyone. There is private parking out front, including handicap accessible spaces, and an outdoor trail in Tweeds Park for joggers. On the main floor of the building there is childcare, a cafe, the membership office, physical therapy, and a huge open area with state of the art weights and exercise machines, including treadmills, steppers, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, rowers, and more. With the exception of weight training machines (such as isolated bicep curls, lateral pull bars, etc.), all machines have an individual television screen, which is extremely nice and was even more appreciated in the years before I had a smart phone to stream music and videos. It did get busy, but I usually didn't have to wait more than a few minutes to use the equipment I wanted. I took a very personal training sessions, and while I found I don't like the one-on-one attention, the trainers were knowledgeable and I know some people find this very motivating. If group exercise is more your style, there is a full calendar of classes at all times of the day including Body Pump, Zumba, Barre, TRX, Spin, yoga and more. I absolutely loved the Zumba classes and used to attend at least one every single day. Some of the instructors were better than others, but the good ones were stellar. After a few classes they get to recognize and know you, and one even let me lead certain dances because she saw I had them memorized and enjoyed it so much. It was always a good workout, and much more fun than just running on a machine. The club also has an indoor and outdoor pool, great locker rooms with showers and steam rooms, basketball courts, a kids play area, and many group fitness rooms. My only negative experience with the HAC was when I tried to become a member for the second time. Previously I had been a teenager and had signed up under my parents' account until I went away to college. Several years later after completing graduate school, I returned to DE and wanted to once again be a HAC member. The front desk associates and membership manager acted like I was a huge bother and a waste of their time. I was quoted exorbitant prices and shooed away. It was a very frustrating experience and really felt like they did not want my business or take me seriously. I ended up having to bring my mother with me to get the correct price and sign up. Truly a bizarre and demeaning experience to be a professional in my mid-20s with two degrees, and yet a gym won't take my money without getting my mommy involved. read more

I used to be a member here with my family for a number of years until I graduated and moved to Philadelphia. I come home every now and then, and enjoy getting a workout in. I have had no issue using my fathers guest passes almost once a month until this evening. A short blonde haired woman with glasses said my father must have downgraded his membership, because he no longer has any guest passes available. I thought this was odd so I gave my father a call. Turns out he hadn't changed up his membership at all, and should have two new guest passes since it's the beginning of the month. It seems like I was lied to by the Hockessin athletic club staff in hopes of selling me on a $25 day pass. I drove about 25 minutes after work, and was sadly turned away. She offered no compromise, no smile, and no apology. A very disheartening experience. read more

Update November 2020: Single memberships was recently quoted over phone at $136 dollars per month for a month to month membership. Great gym, if expensive. They don't give out pricing info at the front desk. Everyone makes an appointment with their the membership rep after which they reveal the pricing. It's an annoying sales tactic. Single memberships are upwards of $94 a month. Guest passes are $25 pp. Pros: It's clean. Members receive $10 in club bucks each month good toward any cafe food. There are plenty of free classes, a separate pool the kids can enjoy, a therapy pool, and two lap pools. Members get one free class for EACH small group personal training session, and there are around 25 of those. Cons? The indoor pool is sometimes too crowded for comfortable lap swimming. They close the outdoor pool earlier so there aren't enough lanes. The free shampoo and conditioner are probably not sulfate-free or clarifying (to get chlorine out) so I bring my own. I'm grasping at straws here. Lastly I'd like to mention skin color. There were many times this past year I was the only white person in the pool. The club does has a racially diverse membership. The staff just don't seem to care if they get new members, so they are not always the most welcoming, but that is regardless of skin color. I don't take things personal, and I'm there to work out, not make friends with the staff, so I don't mind. read more

Updating this based on their children's jungle gym area. There is no supervision and it's ****** annoying when middle schoolers are running through and playing on the toddler slide and toddler area when babies are on there. Both of my young kids have been kicked and run over by older kids while their parents are in their cell phones and no one is supervising. read more

To start I'd like to say that the facility is very clean, the staff are excellent, and you'll have no problem with being able to use gym equipment. However, if you want to swim here...good luck. In the winter it's usually too cold to comfortably swim outside (if it's even open) as the indoor pool is usually taken up for children's swim lessons, in the summer you pretty much can't swim here. On top of that they close for any sort of inclement weather, for the near $100/mo membership they should be open unless the sky is falling. Also, if you're uncomfortable with seeing a ton of senior citizens parading around the locker rooms completely undressed this is definitely not a place for you. read more

Pilates, yoga and body pump classes are awesome. You can always find an open treadmill or walk outside around Tweed Park. The little restaurant is surprisingly good and they serve wine. I recommend the Kobe beef burger or the buffalo chicken panini. read more

Wow- Misty in membership is rude, abrasive, abrupt and dismissive. Not an impression you want to set for someone inquiring about new membership. read more

Terrific place. It's the biggest health club I've ever seen and they have everything (except squash/racquetball courts). The staff seems knowledgeable and friendly for the most part, and the club listens when you make a suggestion. The massage chairs are also really nice after a workout. If you have kids this place seems to have a lot of options for then (dance, martial arts, free play). they also have on-site physical therapy and a nice cafe. Like any successful club they are always looking for the up-sell but they're not too pushy about it which is nice. The only thing I'd like to see is a wireless infrastructure - maybe a router and a few wireless signal boosters around the club. I recommend it. read more

HAC is more than a place to work out, it's a community that grows with you. We started with small kids - their kid programs are awesome- we all get to do the activity that is right for us at one time in one place. For example, I do yoga while my husband is on the stair climber while my teen son does weights and my teen daughter goes to a small group crew class. Love it! read more

To the staff ., an older women who was very rude! I'm 50 yrs of age and don't need you to account to 7 days of visiting this year! I have been using the facilities for 8 yrs.., no I'm not a member due to travel for my job but I do pay my fees when I am here ! Someone like should not be so ignorant even if they are temporary guess! This was on June 11. Please always check your monthly bills from here, even after you cancel your membership... they will still charge you! read more

We have been members at the HAC for many years and have always great experiences - sometimes it will be several weeks that I haven't gone in and some of the guys at the front desk still know my name. Not sure about some of the negative reviews on here - kind of hard to believe. Keep up the great work HAC, read more

Overall, staff is rude and as an asian-american I can say minorities are not welcome here. It was to my suprise my membership was revoked for my mask being under my nose while running on the treadmill, even though others did too. I tried to come in to workout and was told my membership was revoked and if I do not leave the gym cops will be called. I was told to call Jordan Biscoe of customer service to find out the reason and let me tell you he does not deserve a customer service job. The club is run on poor customer service towards minorities or members younger than him. Bias towards every member that is not white. Members deserve to be treated fairly. There are other great gym options in the area half the cost. read more

Excellent range of activities and exercise options in a friendly, safe, clean and encouraging atmosphere. Trainers, instructors and staff are dedicated, capable and fun. read more

People are rude and policies are very poor and not very accommodating of circumstances out of personal control. Prices are extremely high for the poor service and lack of cleanliness (particularly the stench in the locker rooms). Weight room is nice, but the machines upstairs are showing signs of wear. Many of the exercise bike monitors don't work. Food is pretty good, but shutting down early makes it difficult to use at the end of my workouts. read more

We love the HAC! The Hot Yoga is great and the staff is very personable. Through COVID 19 the staff has wonderful safety measures in place and they have had great communication with the HAC Community. read more

Horrible experience go to the YMCA! I came for a birthday swimming party only to be mistaken on the actual day of the party (it was actually the next Sunday!-oops my fault). Since I was already there with my 2 children, I asked for a guest pass since the kids were already there with me so they could take advantage of the great kids water slide & pool we saw downstairs. I was told by an older Caucasian woman that they do not hand out guest passes for residents. I kindly told the woman at the desk that I had just moved to DE and just got my license 2 days before and still in temporary housing and no car registration so I am not really still a resident. She said NO adamantly that no guest passes are available. It wasn't as if I wanted a free pass I would have paid whatever the standard cost was for all 3 of us. Well since I am new to DE I then asked for a rate/price sheet or flyer for membership for my family so I could read over it since my colleagues at work spoke so highly of the facility. The same older woman said sorry I can't give you one; the membership office is only allowed to give those out and they open at 1pm. WTH! It was 12 pm and I wasn't going to wait an hour with already disappointed children on my hands. She didn't even offer to take my name or number so someone could call me later with information. Awful experience and I definitely won't recommend this place to another person because their customer service sucks! Her demeanor towards me and attitude was so bad I will never return. read more

Clean, staff is always friendly among checking in! I really enjoyed the yoga class, and the smoothies too!

The managers here are legit scum. I asked one of them a question about my membership and they told me that they if i wanted to ask questions they could just cancel it and were incredibly racist in the small talk i heard when i left very angrily. Do not put your money into this place, go somewhere else where you can atleast be treated like a human. read more

This is a really nice gym and what I call the poor mans country club. It has nearly everything you need to get in shape, relax, and socialize sans a golf course and tennis courts. Where else can you crush some deadlifts, get amped doing Bodypump class, shed tears trying to bend your legs into Happy Baby Pose during Yoga class, swim laps in their salt water or regular pool, decompress in the hot tub or sauna, then end the day with a frosty beer all at one place in the same day? Its only expensive if you do not take advantage of everything they offer. Parking is convenient with an open lot and garage. They have classes and sports options for both kids and adults. The facility is always clean and the staff are friendly. A wonderful place to get or stay in shape alone or with your family/friends. read more

This is probably the nicest gym I have ever visited (although, I usually don't visit these types of gyms because they're too expensive for me, and why tempt myself). The pools and the selection of fitness classes and other amenities are really incredible. If I weren't just visiting the area, I would've wanted to spend more time in the free weights area, but they only allow one free trial day for those not living in Hockessin. It's a fairly expensive gym, but given everything that they have, I would say it's appropriately priced. read more

Unbelievable!!! Ive been a member since opening and everyone has been nice and helpful until today. I bring my friend who hasnt been a member in a while to get a 5 day pass so he can see if he likes it before buying the actual membership and an older white blonde lady who works for membership TOTALLY shut it down... she did not help him get a membership and was very rude to me when I was trying to explain. This has shown that this gym has declined and has became selfish. She was very suspicious of us too. I demand something to change because this is unbelievable and I will tell my friends who also are members. - Nick S. read more

Started out as a good gym; management is poor. Machines are not kept repaired, especially in summer; doesn't seem to be any effort to keep equipment in the designated area -- always seem to be searching for something; desk staff has a 'can't do' attitude; membership/marketing seem to be there just for the job; any sense of customer service is absent. When was the last time management was on the floor saying hello to their shrinking base of customers? Wake up, there, guys. Doesn't seem to be any effort to ensure the quality of outside vendors who come in to give classes -- the dance instructor I had was abusive. Classes are geared oddly -- either for the superfit or the superyoung or superold -- the rest of us have little selection. In short, not much thought is given to anything here; the only bright spot are a few of the trainers, who are good. read more

Had a great massage there with Katie! The massage rooms are as nice as any spa that I've ever visited (well OK, they don't serve champagne or herbal tea afterwards). As a regular member you never get to see how nice the massage rooms are, I'm glad that I gave it a try. read more

I've always had a strange relationship to gyms / fitness centers. Having been a member of other centers in Delaware, I have to say that HAC is one of the better ones. Their childcare center is great, especially for my autisitic son. The staff is always very friendly and not sales driven. The facilities are very clean. Their cafe has decent fare and a monthly food credit for members. I see myself working out here for many more years. I see many regulars who have worked out for as long I have been there and some obviously who have been going way before me. I don't have to worry about over-competitive gym bros as most persons will give you space when working out. The membership is well worth the cost and I hope HAC will continue to be a great facility to workout at. read more

I have been a member for four years. My experience has always been positive. The trainers are professional, the facility is clean, and cafe serves food of good quality and freshness. With the variety of programs and classes, anyone from newbies to athletes in training can get a great workout. I take advantage of classes at noon during the week, to fit my work schedule. If you are looking for less gym traffic, try afternoons on Saturday and Sunday after 1:00pm. Every issue or request I have had has been addressed promptly. The four star rating is a reflection of two concerns: not enough lighting in the parking garage, and the women's locker room is too small, it gets very crowded at peak times. Other than that I am one happy member. P.S. I am not related to any of the owner's, or management. This is a legitimate review. read more

A wonderful place to workout and a place to meet some terrific people. Lots of options and lots of personal assistance!

Food here is great! They have a poolside bar which is an extra special treat as well for the adults while the children swim :) I loveeee being a massage therapist at HAC. HAC is a mini vacay away from home! read more

I've been a member here since 2005, when it was in a different facility in Pike's Creek. Doesn't seem very well run. Cardio machines seem to often not quite work and finding equipment --e.g., bosu balls or stability balls -- can take more time than the excise I'd planned to do. Annoyingly, either the entrance or exit gate always seems to be broken; after four years, you'd think they'd get that sorted out! And the ladies' room on the main floor has only one hand dryer -- someone ends up standing around with dripping hands. Staff seem to need a stake in the place, or customer service training. Desk staff has a "it's not my responsibility" attitude; membership/marketing seems to focus on primarily on families with young children. Some trainers are excellent; others don't pay enough attention to form and I worry about their clients. I must not be the only one to see these deficiencies because I've noticed the place is less and less crowded during the mornings. read more

Amazing how one person can ruin an otherwise good experience. Too bad the director of customer service is such a bad example, perhaps that's why this club gets terrible reviews. read more

The building and equipment are great, but there are way too many kids there that run around unsupervised. At times it's more of a day care facility and less of a gym. The lap lanes in the pool are supposed to be for people over 14 but that is never enforced and the adults only section of the cafe is always full of kids. The staff should enforce these restrictions without members having to complain. read more

Swim program looks ok but is weak link in the business. Can't keep any swim instructors. Swim team is a joke.

The membership cost is really not that bad. It's around $99 per month for individual. We joined about three yrs ago (they were just celebrating their 1 yr anniversary) and it was around $1,500.00 per year for two adults. It's probably gone up some since then. Once you join they usually don't increase your fee. If you have kids this is the place to join. The membership pays for itself with the pool privileges alone. A lot of the classes are free such as water therapy, zumba, etc. You also get a $6.00 per person credit per month for the cafe. $6 doesn't buy much there but it helps. Food is good also. Alcoholic bevs are served in the cafe and outside at the pool area. It is the Cadillac of health clubs and you don't have to worry about showing up and finding the doors chained with an out of business sign hanging on the door. read more