Club Metro USA

I had cancelled my subscription, last year. They wouldn’t let me do it over the phone, and insisted I go there to sign paper work. I went in, was given a printed cancelation receipt (no email confirmation), and left under the assumption that everything was taken care of. In January, I noticed I was still being charged a monthly fee on my credit card. I thought it was an honest mistake, so I called and let them know. I was told they couldn’t find my cancelation paperwork, I needed to talk to a manager. Yet after calling several times, a manager was never available and didn’t ever return phone calls. I tried looking for the cancellation letter, I had probably thrown it out and since they don’t send anything electronically I didn’t have any proof. They probably bank on this happening.
Their billing company started calling me and I politely explained the situation, they actually called Club Metro to see what the problem was. One of Club Metro’s managers told them that they would find the paperwork (for some reason within 6 months) and cancel my membership. I actually got an email saying this as proof, but alas after 6 months they tried charging me again and I am getting phone calls and emails from their billing department.
I have researched various other Club Metros and this seems to be a common occurrence. Not sure how they are allowed to carry on this fraud. Wanted to warn everyone about my experience, and if you read the comments below there are others with similar experiences at this particular Newark location.

Amalio is super helpful and the rest of the staff is very friendly ! This location is kept very clean and they definitely keep up with the maintenance.

It’s a cheap membership with good hours in an area lacking a lot of other options.
However, too many members are slobs, and the staff, though friendly, does little to foster a culture of gym etiquette. It’s not unusual to find puddles of sweat on weight bench, and there is a glaring lack of effort to re-​rack free weights among both staff and members. Even the club’s trainers leave dumbbells on the ground or in the wrong place during private sessions – during which they should be teaching gym etiquette.
Be ready to go in a scavenger hunt for the weights you are looking for. If you add to that the time waiting for a parking space and searching for a locker in the tiny locker room, a workout could take an extra 15 – 20 minutes. When I asked a staff member about the problem the lack of re-​racking, his response was «it’s Newark, what do you want us to do?» That cannot be an acceptable attitude, especially when there is not one staff member in the weight room to monitor the free weights. The occasional token announcement about re-​racking clearly does not cut it.
The gym could do a much better job of maintaining the cardio machines. On any given day, I can anticipate trying 2 or 3 machines before finding one that works.
Finally, current and prospective members should be warned that a class action has been filed against the club’s parent company for the club’s membership termination practices.

Friendly staff and a nice spot! Great monthly plan for friends and family. Get the Chunky Monkey protein shake!

I started this gym about a year ago and I have loved every part of it! The trainers are so helpful even if your not training with you the people are also helpful I seen in not knowing how to squat properly and now I’m the squat queen! I love the classes Beverly does the best Zumba class… Good parking and good service time so you can get a early workout or a late workout in… Tell Grace you love her every time you see her she makes her shakes with so much love!

Shortly after joining, I had a severe spinal injury that took half a dozen surgeries to fix, and it’s still awful. I gave a prescription note to the location and was told it was suspended or cancelled or whichever term they used. Six months later I’m still being charged, and countless calls later (I’m housebound by this point), I fax in another doctor’s slip and a letter, and it keeps billing me for a few more months. Finally it stops and Israel says I’ll either get a credit or a refund for the now NINE months I’ve paid and been unable to use the gym.
I’ve called, left messages, submitted complaints on the website and I’m still to receive a call back, a refund, or a credit. I think a call to the BBB may be in order since this location clearly has no sense of decency or commitment to its customers. I’d highly recommended if you enjoy being taken advantage of and cheated out of your hard-​earned money.

This place is super convenient to my place so that is a major reason why am a happy customer. The front desk is always helpful and pleasant so it’s something that I appreciate very much. Good Service is key! The gym itself has two floors. On the first floor there’s endless amount of machines, a weigh room, a cycling room, a day care, the locker rooms and a room where they do there classes. On the second floor there are more machines and a very intimate boxing room. The gym itself is spacious and very well kept. A few of the treadmill features do not work properly (the fan doesn’t work on a few of them) but other than that it’s quite a few of them up and downstairs so you won’t have much of a hard time getting on one of them. The clientele is a mix of different ages, genders and fitness experiences. I have been to plenty of gyms and my main concern is comfortability and Club Metro feels very homey but everyone seems to in there zone. The peak times are 8am till 11am and 3:30pm to 7:30pm. It’s a pretty busy place. To avoid a crowd come super early or super late.

One of the biggest things that stood out to me here is how clean the gym and even the locker rooms always are. It definitely has its mixed crowd of gym goers, from the casual, beginner, and serious gym rats both youger and older mix but I must ad not one crowd stands out. Its definitely not an intimidating atmosphere. Niether is it one of those watered down gyms where people spend more time talking and on their phones than working out. Its a good balance. To say the least.
As far as space, its not extremely big. So if you come during peak hours, as most gyms, you may have to wait a little in order to get to a specific machine, and the free wieght area (that range from 5lbs-​150lbs) tend to get a bit crowded. With the fellas all working on trying to get bigger arms. But thats to be expected. However the upstairs area is almost always clear and there are a good amount of machines and cardio equipment up there. Mournings and weekend are generally the best times.
Overall for the price and location its definitely worth it. It will definitely get the job done and most importantly like i stated it doesnt have just one type of crowd going so anyone at any fitness level should feel comfortable.

Awesome gym. And their shakes are amazing !
Been coming here for more than a year and couldn’t be happier.

Not a bad gym at all and the prices are very reasonable in my opinion. They had a special going on for free membership for the month. Problem is I don’t live in NJ. The manager at the time worked with me when I explained I work at the airport. Very understanding and helpful.
There are tons of cardio machines and enough free weights to make it work. Looks like a good selection of classes and they are adding MMA. There is a daily pass option that is convenient and they make pretty good recovery smoothies. As Unilocal says above… «I’m a fan».

I recently moved to the area and promised my bf I’d join him in the gym. My bf has been coming to this gym almost everyday for 6 weeks so far. I haven’t been in a gym in at least 8 yrs, so I was excited. I downed my preworkout on the 5 minute walk there, and when I enter, I hand the attendant a valid government ID, the one from the DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. The attendant proceeds to tell me that he cannot accept my ID because it wasn’t a state ID, and that I had to walk back to get it (or just not workout that day). Apparently there isn’t a manager available after 6 on Fridays. So I walked back, wasted that preworkout making the trip, and came back with my license, which I promptly forgot upon leaving and had to walk back again to retrieve it (apparently they couldn’t release it to my bf, who I walked in with.)
I find this ridiculous. It was my first time in that gym, I went with a member and was willing to sign the waiver. Proper CUSTOMER SERVICE indicates he probably should have taken my military ID and let me go in, stressing that I should bring my license on the next visit. The proper response was not «I think it’s a dumb policy too». The attendant’s complete lack of autonomy may have cost this facility a membership, because that is not a good way to make a first impression or build clientele. I respect rules, but it’s not life or death here, so there sh/​could have been an exception based on circumstance and he totally dropped the ball.

Recently my husband had an accident on the equipment at this gym, one of the clamps snapped in half and cut his chin deeply, it required a trip to the emergency room and 6 stitches. The following day, the owner Rob reached out to him personally to make sure he was ok and to offer his help if we needed it. After meeting with the owners in person, I learned that they were not technically liable for this incident because of the waiver we signed upon joining. However, they graciously agreed to (help) pay for the emergency room visit because we have been customers for a long time and they wanted to ensure our continued relationship and happiness with the gym. The child care provided is convenient, the owner personally stated that they are making changes to their system to ensure that the children in their care will be happy and safe, they also have cameras in the nursery for your protection. I have been a member of this gym for almost 4 years and my most favorite aspect of the gym has always been the Zumba classes with Beverly and most recently Susan. Now, of course there are some improvements that need to be made but I think the owners are trying their best to do so to ensure longevity of their facility and the happiness of their customers. The front desk staff is friendly and attentive, and the managers genuinely seem to take customer’s suggestions and complaints into account. Had it not been for this recent accident, I wouldn’t have been enlightened as to how much this gym actually cares about their clients. We will continue to workout at this gym as long as we stay in this area.

This is by far the worst gym in Newark. Crappy machines that are never fixed. Personal trainers who are not certified. And a greedy ignorant owner who kisses the girls he hires. Staff is very nice though. Shakes are also pretty good.

I just received a call from the manager, Alberto, asking me to remove the photo from my previous post. I could have taken this opportunity to complain about my multiple attempts and inability to contact a manager when I wanted to redeem my vouchers for a free t-​shirt after recommending 2 friends to join the club back in 2011. However, I am in a good mood, after an amazing workout at Club Metro, and decided to update my review.
I have been a member for years and the club is generally clean and in good condition. I will post a photo upon my next visit if I am unable to remove the one I posted.

Wouldn’t waste my money on this place; bring your own towel, bring your own lock, and if I had my choice I would bring my own front desk clerk. Place is almost scary. has to be better options in Newark!
I should preface I was in from out of town, and was treated as such. I travel out there quite a bit and was looking for a cheap place to train. would rather a hotel workout than this place.

Just an ok gym. Music too loud. Classes are not consistent. Reps have poor customer service. They’re there just to collect a paycheck. You can go elsewhere without a contract for the same $ 19/​month or less AND get better customer service.
After your 1yr contract is up they still charge you and give you a lame excuse as to why your cancellation can not be accepted verbally or electronically. They expect you to waste time putting a stamp on a letter to cancel your contract. It’s 2015 who doesn’t accept emails or verbal cancellations.
Highway robbery at its best.
They even charge for a glass of tap water.
Wouldn’t recommend this gym to my enemy. Contract or not they have poor customer service and a** backwards business practices. Wish I was not blind sided by their deceptive monthly charges. The sales person neglected to explain the charges would automatically renew after a year.

Worst gym ever!!! Don’t ever think about joining this gym. They would not let me cancel the membership even though I moved months ago. Always giving excuses when I try to cancel.

When it comes to engage you in a contract they all are nice and friendly, but when the same is over and you don’t want to keep paying, you only get excuses, busy managers and bull crap! Even if your contract is over they still make you keep paying unnecessary! What a way to steal money from customers! Worst place, I won’t recommend to anybody!

This gym suits my needs. I just needed a place that has a treadmill and free weights.
There are TVs on the treadmills but they only get two channels: ESPN and Jersey’s local news channel. On the plus side they have free wifi and if you have an iPad and Netflix you can watch anything while working out.

Just joined a month or so ago. Place is great
The way their floor is laid out you can get in and get out in no time. Everything is close to one another, some gyms you waste to much time walking from machine to machine. Not here. Whether you circuit train or a seasoned body builder the place has it all.
Rates are super low $ 20 you can’t beat it.
Super clean nothing broken like some other $ 20 gyms half the equipped is broke this is a real nice place to work out

I joined the Club Metro in Union about 7 months ago now and was curious about the Newark location especially because of all the good reviews it’s gotten. I have the exact same impression of this location as with the Elizabeth location. The parking lot non-​existent, the staff really nice, the availability and quality of the equipment was also non-​existent and poor respectively.
The lack of lighting in the weight room was really weird. It was dark and flickering on and off. It made it a little dungeonesque doing front raises. I actually laughed during my sets because of this. A large group of «boys» stayed crowding around the empty dumbbell racks not working out. Which is a little rude. Why does no one understand the concept of re-​racking?!
The very top floor of the gym had a much warmer temperature compared to the first floor. Overall it just seemed like a funhouse experience. Without the fun. I would like this gym more if it was better equipped and had way more parking. Like way more.

My friend joined this gym in the beginning of the year (for new year resolution) after my boyfriend recommended it.
Pros: They are clean, decent hours, and prices, very friendly staff, juice bar, little sauna, no need for IPOD the music is good.
Cons: crowded late at night, people just sit on the machines for a very long time with out using it. No privacy in the locker room. Machines constantly do not work properly. The TVS on the machines do not work most of the time. Many men and woman just visit to stare at other people. Lastly they offer us a t-​shirt when we singed up we are still waiting on it.

Horrible! Do not work here! The group fitness manager is horrible and very unprofessional. There is no proper system for on boarding new employees. The gym is hot… the sound system in the exercise room sucks. Parking is horrible and there are no accommodations made for employees.
The only good thing about that gym is the ladies who took my class. They’re so nice an it’s a shame that they won’t have any consistency with some classes. I’m one of 3 instructors who have left because if the nonsense that you have to deal with.
I hope the ladies get a good instructor soon. I don’t even wanna give this club a star but the site makes you.

Ok… but alot of meatheads.

The gym I was using closed down, so I had to find another gym. I first went to Colosseum which was actually farther than I thought it would be and also tried Club Metro in Newark.
Overall the gym is fine if you like using weight machines, dumbbells, or cardio machines. However, their squat rack is a little bit lacking and the barbell weights are not the standard size.
I usually just deadlift and squat, so without a proper power rack, barbell, and standard weights, it definitely makes the gym experience a little less enjoyable. With that being said, I think Club Metro is good for typical gym-​goers, but if you are in need of a power rack, this is not the place for you.
A couple pluses: Gym is pretty clean, you can try before you buy (look online for that guest pass), they have dumbbells that go past 100, and they have lots of space.

This is a great gym that’s always keeping up to date. They just installed nice n. new floors, be careful, it is a little slippery. I signed up for a 3 month membership since I was only out there for a short period of time and they were nice enough to give me an extra few more days for my membership.
They have pretty much every free weight, machine, thread mill there. Its a small gym but for the number of people that go it is perfect. One of the best features is that it has its own parking lot! And its gated so its pretty safe considering its in Newark and right by Irvington.
They have nice weights that are fairly new, they keep it clean, the locker rooms are really clean. It was too bad that my last day there they just installed a small sauna/​steam room in the locker rooms that I wish i could of used out. That was pretty cool.
I like that I can go after work and its not super crowded, its a perfect crowd where you can do whatever workout you have planned for that day. Sometimes when you go to the 24 hour fitnesses you want to do back and biceps but its just way to crowded so you have to do a different workout that you mentally prepare for. Over here thats not the issue and you have a lot of regulars that come in on a daily basis that are very friendly.
They also sell smoothies at the front which is nice to get after a hard workout. So thats always a bonus. But they are nice people here and are very helpful if you ever need anything.