I just joined this place is fantastic. Its clean, classes are amazing, staff is friendly, kids club rocks and love the cafe. No one gave me a hard sell which I was expecting. I told Anthony in membership that I belonged to another club but we needed to switch due to convenience and the ridiculously high kids club rates at our old club. He didn't push, gave me a week long pass and told me he would connect with me when I was ready. Very helpful, friendly and made the sell enjoyable. I was worried about transitioning my kids to the kids club and was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it gets crowded but the staff gave my kids plenty of attention and they are happy there. They do not change diapers and honestly I'd rather it that way. Since mine are young I take a pager and so far it has not gone off. The cafe is great. Food is healthy although pricey, but no more so than any other gym cafe. Its large and has plenty of seating. I'm happy with the place and have had no issue with parking as some have complained. This is a gym people, it wont kill you to have to walk a few steps if you can't get a spot right in front... read more

Worse staff Horrible customer service. They speak very rudely and the managers never pick up a phone call and never call back can't imagine I had the worse customer for the most expensive gym I've ever paid for...... read more

I joined Lifetime 10 months ago. I mainly do the pilates classes here & the instructor Donna is the tops for this class. I also use the machines & weights a few days a week. It is not cheap to keep a monthly membership here, but they have lots to offer. I do have a complaint and it's that the women's restrooms are not clean & lots of times not stocked with soap, tissue, etc. This would really be my only complaint. I don't use the showers and only the lockers once in a while, so can't comment on the showers. I would like to attend more fitness classes, but sometimes they are just so darned crowded, that it is uncomfortable to participate in them. People are almost stepping on one another. All in all, a pretty nice club though. read more

They have absolute worst customer service on Old Orchard location. I took my friend to work out with me on July 4th, and they DIDN'T LET HER IN. So we had to pay $30 guest fee. It was only my second time bringing guest! It was never a problem in any other locations and even any other clubs ( I can easily come and work out at X sport and LA fitness as a guest for no charge). Here you are paying so much money for membership and facing such a poor customer service. They also paying banks to get updates of the credit card on file. If you decide to cancel that card and issue different one it wont work - club will receive updates and you will still going to be charged every month. And you claiming that you haven't gone to a club a single time won't make them refund you even half of the price. Freezing your membership is also not free, it costs you $20 a month. Very disappointed. read more

I really don't know what everyone is talking about when they say that the club is dirty, and the equipment is old. Most of the machines seem pretty new to me. Touchscreen, with built in TV is pretty standard in terms of cardio equipment, except the stair masters. When I joined, Mark made the process extremely easy. I didn't even have to go into the club to join. I toured, and joined from my house, online. I really didn't feel like a number in a quota that he had to fulfill. The fact that they have a rock wall is nice, as most other gyms, unless they are dedicated climbing gyms, don't have it. The locker room is really nice, and so is the eucalyptus steam room. Only complaint is that sauna and whirlpool are located in a common area, not the locker room, while the steam room is in the locker room. The facility is huge, and I really love it. Price is a bit steep, but worth it. read more

Last month, my wife signed up for a family membership that we just just didn't use. My wife attempted to cancel over the phone and was told you had to do so in person. I went in to cancel the membership and was told that they needed 30 day notice to do so and that we would be charged for another month, even though we weren't going to use it. That little feature wasn't explained to my wife when she signed up. Called Ted M., a manager, and asked him to waive that month charge. He wouldn't do it, claiming he didn't have the authority. I asked to speak to his supervisor. Told that the supervisor was not available. Asked Ted to have the supervisor to call me to discuss this. That was four days ago and still waiting for the call. How about it Matt T.? What a business model. Terrible customer service. I would give this place zero stars if I could. Join here at your own risk. read more

Just an update. Since the last time I wrote my review I have noticed a slight change. Though I wouldn't say that the change is drastic, the staff that takes your cards at the entrance have started to look customers in the eye, say hello, and wish them a good workout. I'm not saying this should be considered earth-shattering but it is an improvement and a sign that even the little things can make a big difference in terms of customer service. Keep improving in these directions and you might get another start. read more

I have been a member for two years and I find myself muttering outloud in the car, "I hate this place!" every time I pull into the lot. It is impossible to find a convenient parking space, the equipment with television monitors are always full, the water in the pool is freezing and two of the yoga teachers are total bimbos. I actually hurt myself trying to follow their unsafe routines. Lifetime just jacked their rates up for no reason and I'd say it's time to find a new gym! read more

Just let them know that some of their personal trainers who work there, have no respect for using spaces when members are doing workout and something else that emphasize membership prices are too high for the service and cleanliness really is very poor read more

This is the 3rd Lifetime club I have gone to. I switched because of work reasons. I do not understand why it is a Platinum club. It offers the same as all the others just decorated different. I guess you pay for the location. Even with that I do enjoy coming here. Friendly staff and helpful. This place gets crowded in the afternoon and parking is a pain. The one issue I have had is that as members we get free towels and lockers. 3 of 4 visits and I had to search for a towel, none available and when you ask they say I will get one and then disappear. Sorry, but I do pay for this service. Overall is is a nice gym with plenty of equipment. When and if I get a job closer to home I will go back to the other location. read more

I really like this gym and would give it 5 stars if my cons weren't such big issues for me personally. The positive about the gym are the large indoor and outdoor pool, many fitness classes, kids academy which babysits kids while you workout, large basketball gym and the all workout machines you could ask for! It's super clean and I rarely have to wait for a machine to use! Cons are the parking lot can get super full and busy, your going to pay a lot-there's enrollment fees, fees for adding people, plus a bunch of little other fees that come up so be prepared to pay. My problem comes with the pricing and rules of the gym on putting your account on hold. I pay about $140 for me and my daughter that's a lot to swallow for me but I do because the babysitting is awesome! Still sometimes I wonder if it's personally worth it for me because I don't use any of the other services. By that I mean I don't attend any classes that they offer, don't use the pool, etc. I only use the kids academy service and the machines. Only because when I workout that's my only interest the machines and being on my own. My main issue with this gym is putting your membership on hold is such a complicated thing. It's absolutely ridiculous. I mean you pay a ton of money that they should freaking understand that people sometimes take a vacation once a year or have things come up like in my case Ramadan (where I fast and don't want to go to the gym). So if I want to put my membership on hold I have to let them know a month beforehand, plus I have to pay $20 each month to hold my spot and lastly I have to be out on hold for a minimum of 2 months. So I can't go to the gym for 2 months or more if I want to use the hold option. So if your going to take a vacation or have something that is going to take up your time where you can't go to the gym for less then a month you just pretty much have to pay the gym for nothing. All in all I can't complain about the physical setting of the gym itself it's nice and clean. But All and all with my personal use, the rulings of the gym in terms of how it runs, and pricing I'm not sure if it's worth it to always stay! If your a gym addict this is definitely your place to check out but if your just trying to get in your average workout maybe with the pricing and rules you should really think about it! read more

Pushy salespeople to get you to join their over price gym. They went to my work and said try it for 7 days no hassle...I've never been harassed and pushed from any gym. Xspor doesn't harass if you use a 7 days pass this is why people like them. read more

Three words: Not worth it. This place is so pompous and everyone thinks they are entitled. Employees wear suit and ties, nobody smiles to one another, and everyone has their head up their a$$. For $103/month, they must somehow think they're better than the general population. Also, I'm not a "hater", I come from an IVY league background and I'm not exactly "low income". Onto a review of the gym itself. I did the one-week free pass. It has plenty of equipment: free weight, benches, treadmills, TRX resistance training equipment, kettle bells, etc. The mens steam room is within the locker room which is kinda cool/convenient. The showers are generally pretty clean. The body and hair products are all JR Watkins, which is pretty nice. In summation, identify what you want in a gym. Do you want classes? Is all you need some equipment? Do you really need an in-gym massage spa and cafe? Will you ever use the rock climbing gym on site? For $103/month you can bet there will be services you'll be paying for that you'll never use. read more

I actually searched and searched many gym locations near Wilmette that offered a nice gym with good equipment, a child care facility on site and an indoor pool on a temporary basis for out of state visitors. Enter Life Time. I called and spoke with Roxy, who offered me a temporary pass for one month with child care for $140. Pricey? I don't think so. I was stuck in Chicago for an additional month, in the dead of winter with a three year old, and hanging out at Kohl's, the Exploritorium and the Northbrook Court and Lincolnwood Mall play areas was actually getting pricey, and I was putting on the pounds. The cardio area is nice. Lots of newer equipment with a huge variety. I'm a runner and a rower, so these pieces of equipment were all I really needed. I am more than satisfied with what they have. The temp inside is perfect, and the staff are pretty attentive. I'm a clean freak, and I always wipe down equipment before and after use. Luckily, they have antibacterial dispensers everywhere, and clean towels are in abundance. The areas surrounding the fitness areas are well maintained. The locker room (at least the women's) is clean, and stocked with hair dryers, shampoo, conditioner and body wash, hand soap and mouthwash. It also has a nice seating area with a TV to just chill out in. There's a wet steam room inside the locker room, and plenty of lockers. I read someone else's review regarding getting plantar warts and foot fungus, and this is where common sense comes in-if you've been in the military, participated in any HS or college sports and spent time in locker rooms, you KNOW not to go barefoot, EVER-and definitely not in the showers. The main indoor pool is nice, and they have a toddler area. I did not use, but noticed a dry sauna area adjacent to the main pool, a lap pool for adults, and a couple of whirlpools. There are two water slides, but we did not use them because of my daughters age. Plenty of towels here also, and it is lifeguard manned. We both really loved the pool, and they had great hours! The child care center (Kids Academy) is pretty nice. There is one particular woman, Ms Kiki, who really keeps things squared away and in order, and who has a good handle on the kids. It is pretty big inside, staffed well, and has an indoor jungle gym with slides for the kids. My daughter loves going there, and they have scheduled classes (arts and crafts, etc.,). The area is CCTV monitored and recorded, and as a former LEO, that provided an extra measure of security for me. The only thing they will not do is change diapers (parents must return and change their child's diaper-and for me, that's AOK), or allow snacks or drinks in because of allergies. Liberal hours, every day of the week. I did not use the Spa, so I cannot rate or comment on that service. However, I did use the Life Café, and the service and food I received is the reason why I did not give Life Time Fitness a full five stars. The café seems to be staffed with teenagers, who have zero customer service skills, organizational skills and could really care less about the appearance of the café. I made my order, and the teenage cashier forgot to give me a numbered table tag. So, I walked back up (after realizing this, looking around and seeing them on other tables), explained that I hadn't been given one, and teenager #2 looked at me and said "Oh, OK." And, just walked away. So, I realized that teenager #3 was going to be walking around with a cheese pizza (which he did), and eventually came over to my table asking if I ordered it . I told him that yes, I did, and it would have made his job a lot easier if teenager #2 would have given me my numbered table tag when I went back up to the counter to remind them I didn't get one, but was ignored. He looked at me, and walked away without saying a word. Talk about rude and unprofessional. The pizza was abysmal. I also ordered a smoothie that was pretty decent, but after that experience, will not go back there. I also watched as another Mom, with two kids in tow, who had ordered before me, went up TWICE to inquire about her order. Yes, they forgot the first time, and screwed it up the second time. Looking around after that horrible CS experience, I noticed how dirty the floors were, how the garbage cans were full, yet there were plenty of teenage employees "hanging" about, talking about nonsensical BS and joking around (obviously too much, if you forget customers orders, and simple things like table tags, and your professionalism and courtesy on the job). Maybe the immature staff can handle a smoothie, but I wouldn't order anything more than that, and I would definitely watch them make it. Overall, I would recommend Life Time Fitness at this location, particularly if you're an out of state temp visitor. If I lived here, I would definitely be a member. On my move to Raleigh, I will most likely become a member there based on my experience at the Old Orchard location. read more

We joined this club as a family, with our two children. We had problems right away with lots of things. First of all, there is NO parking at all. The gym oversold memberships and people double park along the sides of the gym. People will fight you for parking spots and try to cause accidents in the parking lot. The crowd is very North Shore Chicago, i.e. rude, rich, and snotty. The lockers are always taken, even at 5:30 a.m. Rumor has it that people put their stuff in the lockers and leave the gym. The locker rooms are over-croweded during peak times like the weekends. People are very rude and will also take advantage of the free hairspray, lotion etc., things that make this an "Onyx: club. There was even a "walk out" of the locker room staff one day and the locker rooms were not clean; I even saw black body hair on the floor of the shower -ewww!!!!!! Also, if you belong to any of the other Lifetime's in the area, you cannot go to this club. They push their spa and $100/hour massages and overpriced food in the LifeCafe. This gym is way overpriced for what you get. Good equipment and good classes. The Zumba classes are ok, I have been to better at other gyms that are more lively and energetic. Oh, and they lie about the Lifetime bucks also....say you are going to get some after six months of membership and never give them to you ( you can only use them for personal training or some paid classes like swim lessons or yoga workshops). read more

Beware! Lots of stealing is afoot at this center. Last night we went there for an hour's workout and while we locked up our bags and wallets in the locker, we left one winter coat (down filled, new) on the coat hanger in the men's locker room. There were 2-3 other coats hanging there as well. By the time we came back in 45 minutes, the coat was gone! someone just either walked out with it or locked it in their locker to walk out later. The fitness center people were polite but unhelpful in next steps to find it. They filled out an incident report which they WILL not give us a copy of and told us their manager MAY be in in a couple of days and only he is authorized to check footage in the corridor. all in all, poor experience. It seems like a public place where people can hang out with a hot shower and warm environment for $80-90 a month. anything valuable will be stolen so keep things locked up and beware of the people around you. read more

5 stars for their kids academy, which includes several classes for a variety of age groups such as karate, rock climbing, yoga, zumba, cheer, hip hop dance, Spanish, sports, and arts and crafts. All except Karate are included in the membership. Their jungle gym is new. Their computer area has all new iPads. My daughter loves that there's so much to do and the staff are so polite. read more

If you are willing to go here, great parking, pools, fitness center, jacuzzi, steam sauna, maple cabinet lockers, cafe, massage therapist, marble floors and great raquet ball, b-ball, rock-climbing and children center facilities. Per month prices are a great deal! read more

I hate this location!!!! The pool and locker rooms are never clean enough. The bathrooms near the pool is so disgusting, I walked in to something that was beyond gross. I am sorry for the amount of money we pay a month to use the gym and pool this bathroom should be gleaming 24/7. I end up going to Vernon Hill even though I live in Skokie! read more

I'm updating my review after getting in touch with the sales manager Edwin. He was able to fix my membership dues, and refund me for my overpayments. He is a great manager and contacted me promptly when hearing about my incident. Also, my previous statement saying not to sign up here was more towards the original salesman I worked with, the gym is great and I enjoy coming here. That being said, I am still referring my family and friends to sign up, just not with the person who made a mess of my membership and blamed it on a "computer glitch" instead of human error... read more

This is a quality gym with something for everyone. It's not a very mixed crowd. You get either the over plastic surgeried stay at home wives of the north shore, the new trier kids after school that come in packs, and a nice selection of manthers, very few guido types, some pro athletes off season, and the few and far between random single young adults like myself. Staff - Very friendly, always greeting you with a hello and goodbye...and sometimes lingering a bit too long just to chat. Not a bad thing! Locker Rooms - For the most part clean and up to par. But they could stand to actually refill the toilet paper more and not just leave a giant role balancing against the wall on the floor, that's gross. Hairdryers need to be cleaned too. Hairspray bottles are often clogged, and need to enforce the use of the "family locker room" a bit more to parents. Too many screaming kids in the shower area. Group Fitness - Amazing, knowledgeable instructors. Equipment - Always in great shape, good amount of space between machines as a buffer between you and the smelly people. Lots and lots of weights and machines. You'll NEVER wait to use something, even on the most crowded days. Parking lot - A bit tricky for those who are eagerly waiting a spot up front. Park in the back and avoid the madness. Sometimes they set up a valet during the winter months which is helpful. Salon/Spa - Awesome! They put in such effort and never make you feel rushed. Even the new talent (who's prices run lower) do a great job, I always book with them. Pool - The water in the lap lanes always look a bit cloudy...but the hot tubs they clean and drain daily and those are worth using. read more

Very disappointing customer service. This first began in the very beginning of my membership when there was a break in communication with staff communicating with one another to schedule an appointment for me. Worst part of this, is when I requested to cancel my membership, for the simple fact that my 7 month old baby had not gotten on the sleep schedule I needed him to be on, so that I could go to the gym. Even after explaining this to the general manager and asking for an accommodation and understanding, it was denied! Not only this, but when you go for your complimentary sessions with the personal trainer and nutritionist, they try to upsell you to buy more times with them. This made me feel quite uncomfortable. Only join if you know you'll be a member long term and no life circumstances get in your way. Also, I hear they increase your rates every year! Heard this from an employee actually! read more

Where to start on this one. First I signed up understanding what the rate was high and I understood that, no one put a gun to my head and made me sign up. But with the $103 a month which is not $116 a month you get. 1. kids running around everywhere not working out just sitting in the bathroom or wandering around the weight area or just standing in the pool doing nothing, which would be ok if they didnt get in my way constantly. 2. I still get emails from them trying to get me to sign up. Hello I am already signed up, after the 4th email back to them I just gave up. 3. They shrank the pool lanes down to almost nothing i couldn't do butterfly in there if I wanted to, I mean I can if i dont want skin on my hands. 4. Dont leave anything of value in your car there are literally break ins every day there and they don't care one bit, for $116 a month I EXPECT my car to be safe especially in Wilmette of all places. 5. I have never been to a gym where i go 4-6 times a week and not one person actually knows my name or at least says hey. Never ever give them your real email they will never ever stop harassing you. I dont usually get mad but man these people have worn me down. read more

By far the cleanest gym I have been to so far to date. Never over crowded always enough room to complete your workout.

I have waited six weeks since canceling my membership of nine years at LT Old Orchard (13 years if you count being a member of an acquired gym in MN). It was quite convenient for me but given the circumstances brought up by Giselle on the class changes and the way it was handled, communicated, and reinforced by LT Executive Management made the decision that "change is good" the right one for us as well. When 90 active members protested at every management level to keep certain vastly popular group fitness classes, they were greeted with the mantra "Change is good" and the voice of the customer was ignored. This particular club has to be in the top 1% grossing fitness clubs for LT if not the industry because it has been oversold (maybe not any more) so the comments about waiting for showers, usage of equipment, parking issues, etc are the tip of the iceberg. Its a lot like they say about Disneyland with Mickey Mouse always having a hand in your pocket the way you are constantly being solicited for everything. Classes were shrunk so that normal working people have little options, I guess in an effort to improve profitability. And all of that can be ignored, I grant, but not the following: After attempting to discuss with the Fitness Director (FD) and Club Manager class schedules and types and getting nowhere for 6 months or more, the group tried to reason with Executive Management and were rebuffed even to the point of allowing the local FD call some "Car...'s..bi.ches" That classless, immature attitude did it for me and showed how little-minded the industry self-proclaimed leader is and certainly not worthy of spending my money in support of the business. I feel very sorry for those that work there and really respected some of the excellent teachers but they were muzzled this spring and all had to quote "change is good" if you tried to discuss what was going on with the club and why were they so unhappy. They had little choice but to toe the line. I'm a businessman and if 10% of my active customers who were long time members that paid a $400 initiation fee plus $1600 a year for 9 years (e.g., the top tier not the bottom that don't pay fees any more and trash the place) and ignored/disrespected their wishes, I'd be run into the ground by my competition. Well my experience after 6 weeks with a local competitor with eager, happy, friendly assistance from staff as well as other members being much nicer than most at LT OO taught me that "Change was great." Jim read more

This shd b the best club in the area. The place is clean, plenty of parking. Plenty of staff. Upkeep in critical areas could be much better. Showers are falling apart. They put too much money in glamour, not enough in guts. I was a member b4 they opened and had seen lots of changes, some for the better too many for the worst. U pay top dollar and get 60 cents back. If u are into excercising ur money is better spent someplace else. If u like racquet sports stay away from this place. read more

WORST customer service you will ever experience. Watch out if you want to cancel. They will keep putting all sorts of road blocks in front of you to do so. "Oh the person you need to speak with is not in today". Having to come in at all is complete BS. Then the completely incompetent Yolanda who doesn't seem to know how to work a computer can' make a simple cancellation. There are tons of great local small gyms to workout at. Go anywhere but here. Clubs like this will be afterthoughts in a few years. read more

Outstanding SPA! Stylist Shammii is the best. Highly recommend scheduling your next hair service with her.

I went here for an indoor triathlon and this club was great. I was very impressed with this club and enjoyed my time there. The equipment looked new and worked like new. There are some machines that are equipped with tablets if you are into technology while letting 'er rip. The club was nice and clean and the event went smoothly. I went on a Sunday and it seemed liked everyone was there. It was pretty busy but was clean and tidy. I was pretty impressed with the whole experience and would definitely go back if I'm in the neighborhood. read more

this place is amazing!!! i give it 5 stars only because i don't pay for membership here (it's pretty pricey). my friend is a member and he brings me as a guest. there is a salon located on the main floor along with a cafe and spa. there is a large indoor and outdoor pool with water slide!! this place is great!! they have lots of treadmills and elliptical machines so no more waiting and/or fighting over machines. the lockers and showers are nice. they hand out full size towels so you don't even have to bring your own. i would highly recommend this place. read more

Getting very tired of the constant barrage if advertising and sales pitches at this club. Every surface seems to be covered with sort ad or banner. At certain times, employees line the hallways to pitch various products. If not for the trainer I regularly work with, I'd probably find another club. read more

I have been a member of Lifetime Fitness in Skokie with my family for the past 6 years. When we joined, it was a very nice place. It has done nothing but go downhill. The costs keep rising and the facility and the service keep going down. My number one concern is security. Both my son and I have had money stolen out of our lockers. Lifetime takes no responcibiliy and really does not seem to care. The locker rooms are getting worse and supplies are scarce. I have been there at least 4 times when there was no hot water. My wife has gotten sick from the swimming pool and had to wait 25 minutes for a towel. Once at night, there were male floor cleaning staff in the woman's locker room. On many occations when my wife would complain, the manager would not take her seriously. I would advise people to think twice before joining this Skokie facility. read more

One of the best gym and fitness club! First of all, nice spacious parking. Second, they have everything in the building: spa, cafe, gym, pool , jacuzzi etc. literally best and so spacious! Loving their jacuzzi , they have 2 of them and right next they have 2 pools , one with cold water and second with warm. Also in the summer they have outdoor pool open read more