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Possibly you can not find what you are looking for at the two major fitness center operators in Bangkok : California Wow and Fitness First. Both have a lot of members at most of their outlets, and especially California Wow offers exercise facilities at an industrial scale, rather in an unpersonal fashion.
Now Bangkok, for many years, has had rather good exercise facilities at its major hotels. But, first, you have to know about it. And second, using the facilities ended to be a bit pricey.
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| Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit houses the Grande Spa and Fitness Club |
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On a suggestion of a friend, we recently visited The Grande Spa and Fitness Club at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.
[health clubs by the same operator are present at Westin Hotel Sukhumvit, and Sheraton Royal Orchid on the Chao Phraya river]
First of all, the prices for the services are fully in view. This can certainly not be said about California Wow and Fitness First, where you have to go through some kind of interview, before they tell you what it all costs, making you feel like you have to bargain for it, and that some people may get better deals because they bargain better.
What does it cost?
Full membership at 34,500 baht per year
Off Peak (9 A.M. till 5 P.M.) : 21,000 baht per year. Off Peak does not allow you use of the swimming pool.
There are also somewhat cheaper corporate rates.
What do you get?
Sheraton facilities. Service minded staff and exercise instructors. A relatively small gym that has : stationary bicycles, crosswalkers, treadmills, rowing machines. It should be pointed out that neither California Wow nor Fitness First have installed rowing machines in their exercise room. At Grande Spa and Fitness Club most aerobic exercise equipment has a private television screen (you get a headset to listen to it).
Weight training equipment. Admittedly this is a somewhat small section.
Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms.
Of course, the locker room and showers are spacious and look good.
There are also classes scheduled, including : aerobics, yoga, body balance, abdominals, stretching, Pilates (twice a month) . There are no extra fees for these classes.
Interestingly, both Fitness First and California Wow make a lot of their 'personal trainers' service. The services are unusually expensive.
At the larger gyms mentioned, you also have to tolerate rather loud disco or techno music, while exercising. It can be a real racket sometimes.
Having your own choice of music (and volume of it) or news on the TV in front of you, or music at lower volume while using the weigh equipment, makes for a much more comfortable environment (we are getting old, I guess). No need to be artificially 'pumped up' all the time.
What is most interesting is that you get to use the swimming pool at no extra costs either. The swimming pool area offers a really 'green' setting. The pool itself is not standard size, but there is section where you can do laps if you want to. Of course, it is an ideal area to cool down, have some fruit juice, and relax after your workout.
Paying the fees for the fitness center at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, also gives you free membership of The Sheraton Grande Club. This entitles you to a discount of approximately 25% at restaurants in the hotel. This discount will also be given to all if you come with family or friends. You can get the same discount at The Grande Spa. You will also get a voucher or two for free dining (2 persons), and two days free stay at the hotel.
Actually, this health club at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit (and also at the Westin hotel right on the other side of Sukhumvit Road) offers fairly priced exercise facilities in a pleasant environment, and with the added bonus that you get interesting discounts on hotel facilities, and use of the swimming pool.
We think, at present, it is a better choice than Fitness First and California Wow Experience, which really are for the 'masses'.
There are many, many top hotel and resort facilities in Bangkok. Most of them have a well equipped gym, and we would think offer services in the same price range as Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit and Westin Grande Sukhumvit. It is worth checking them out and see what they have to offer before, and compare it to what you find at California Wow Experience and Fitness First.
More exercise clubs at California Wow and Fitness First | Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit | True Fitness | GMM Fitness Club
Send comments. You know any other really great facility, let us know, we might check it out. |