Romeo

Oct 12, 2018

ClubVitae Gym - Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley (Part of the Dalata Hotel Group) Review

I was a Member of ClubVitae - The Gym in Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley ( Part of the Dalata Hotel Group ) for 2 Years on full Membership - When I joined, the Full Time Membership Cost €365.00, and then on the second year I paid the same €365.00 . However, the third Year I got a phone call to say that my Membership was due for renewal, only this time it would be €399.00 a sneaky increase of €34.00 without any prior notification. When I attempted to negotiate the price, I got a straight out NO, in other words take it or leave it that's all your getting! I was not informed as to what the sneaky increase of €34.00 was for. Considering in a number of previous Gyms I was in they rewarded loyalty - In fact in previous Gyms I was in they use to lower the price to keep Customers, but ClubVitae Highers the prices without prior notification, and have no incentives to retain loyal customers. The funny part is since July 1st 2018 ClubVite Liffey Valley stopped giving Customers complementary towels, which is a step backwards. Basically your now paying more and getting less. Not exactly the type of service one should expect from a 4 Star Hotel! On top of all that I even sent an E-Mail to the ClubVitae Liffey Valley Manager, giving her an opportunity to enlighten me as to why I should consider renewing my Membership and pay more and get less - the e-mail was not acknowledged or replied to, which speaks for itself! UPDATE: She rang me back on Friday 12th October 2018 - And informed me that she's not responsible for the pricing itself, that's handled by another department. The Gym itself is very small, everything is on one floor, some of the items in recent times like cable machines and chest press were broke for a number of weeks and left that way for a while. And it can easily become over crowded at peak times. One experience that put me off a while back, I had pointed out to the Club Manager that the floor in the changing room was soaking and I asked her if there was a leak and she looked at me, and said in a very patronizing way while making a hand movement of patting something and said "Well you have to feel the floor before you stand on it and see if it's wet" . This comment was highly inappropriate in the context and way it was said and I was offended by it because it was disrespectful implying that it was my responsibility to do their job but I let it go at the time but have thought very little of the Manager ever since for saying that to me. UPDATE: When she rang me back on Friday the 12th October 2018 I mentioned this incident to her and did apologize for it. I have been in contact with A Mr. MM Head of Ancillary Revenue at Dalata Hotel Group on Friday 12th October 2018 who is responsible for ClubVitae - He immediately defended the price and said "I think the price is very reasonable for the area the Gym is situated in" I wasn't sure what he meant by the comment and asked him if he meant there something wrong with the area it was in and he said that's not what he meant. This man was polite but nothing more, he failed to reassure me. and was not open to any kind of negotiation what so ever, it did not bother him if I left the Gym or stayed. And I got the impression that he wasn't too interested. In my view he was not Customer focused. UPDATE: After a number of correspondence(s) between me and Mr. MM he never once clarified what the extra unexpected increase in the membership was for, I raised my detailed concerns and in the end here's exactly what he said to me " I will have to stick with what I said in that I believe that the gym is good value. " To reiterate he was polite, and was not rude to me at any stage, but from a consumer's perspective he demonstrated to me a level of arrogance, and was not customer focused. His belief that the Gym is good value does not represent the people having to fork out the high unreasonable prices they are charging, and again the main issue is here there is no willingness to negotiate or reason on any level, which speaks volumes for itself! They gladly take your hard earned cash but won't reason with you when it comes to renewing your membership! Most other Gyms with common courtesy, and who value Customers will almost 100% go out of their way to retain customers, but my experience from ClubVitae is that your Not Valued, and it's it you Pay what they tell you to Pay or be on your way and find somewhere else. In circumstances like these my advice is from a consumer's perspective if your shown no regard, show none. Take your custom somewhere else that Values you! There's a lot of competition in this particular market and other Gyms near by in around Clondalkin, Lucan and Ballyfermot etc, plenty to choose from. But I certainly would not recommend ClubVitae Liffey Valley - Part of The Dalata Hotel Group, based on my poor experience and the fact that they didn't value my loyal custom. I hope my consumer review in which I am entitled to will help other people looking to find a Gym that will Value you, look elsewhere you won't get it here!! For a so called 4 Star Hotel, Extremely Disappointing and unsatisfactory! I suppose if the service is bad from the top down what can you expect. UPDATE: Flyefit Gym is opening directly beside this gym which means you will be able to join this instead for half the price or less, it's much cheaper!!