Illusion is defined as, "something that deceives by producing a false or misleading impression of reality. Boston Sports Club has perfected "illusion" in the way it presents itself as a state of the art workout facility. There is every kind of weight bearing equipment and trainer packages to orientate safe use. There is a wide variety of exercise classes, all included in your membership fee. My first impression from the outside was I've got to belong to this gym. Its name even impressed me! On May 1, 2012, I signed up. The staff was very nice. I was given a tour, a list of classes and the individual signing me up couldn't have been more professional, efficient or friendly. I asked about a Personal Trainer, as I hadn't worked out in a while and felt the need for a guided exercising program. I was told about a " great package" of six sessions at $49 a session, which would be debited from my bank account each month. My friend then presented me with a printed contract, asking me to sign next to the X on various lines. Pointing her pen at the wording above each line, where I would sign, she summarized, "This says you are purchasing a package of six sessions with a Personal Trainer at $49 a session............" I appreciated that she was explaining the wording, as you know how lengthy contracts can be. I trusted her explicitly. The sessions with my PT commenced soon after that. I had chosen to meet with her once a month. On the day of the last session, my PT confirmed that, "Yes, we're done," and I continued on my way, stopping at the front desk to make sure there would be no more $49 debited from my bank account, as this had already occurred six times. To my inquiry, the person at the front desk said let me get so and so and out came the same individual who had signed me up, except that this wasn't the same friendly, professional, person anymore. She told me that another $49 was being debited (even as I sat across from her with my mouth gaping open). I asked why and she told me in a condescending voice, "It's in the small print. Sorry." The small print, by the way, which isn't really small, was the contract wording she had so helpfully summarized while conveniently omitting that it was my responsibility to give BSC 30 days notice to stop the $49 debits for the SIX SESSION PACKAGE AT $49 A SESSION. I have entered into numerous contracts over the years and, knowing that, as a typical customer, I was not about to read an entire contract, a customer service representative has pointed out pertinent information to me, hidden in the "small print" that he felt I needed to know. Apple, Charter and Verizon among others have done this. Have to say, it is only now that I appreciate them for that. I won't be mentioning the location of this particular BSC. Having just read 29 other reviews at this website, I suspect BSC's carefully constructed illusion encompasses all of the Boston Sports Clubs. Needless to say, now that the bubble has burst, I no longer enjoy going to the gym, but I am not about to let $700+ go to waste or to be harassed and bullied by one of your pit-bull collection agencies. On January 1, 2013, I noticed a mysterious $29 debit on my account, aside from the one for my membership. When I asked the reason, (Are you ready for this?) I was told the $29 is an annual fee charged to all members to ensure that our rates won't go up "$2.00 or $3.00 a month!" DO THE MATH, BSC! $29 divided by 12 months equates to $2.41 a month. $29 divided by 0 for the many members, like myself, who won't be back for any more of your under handed nonsense equates to yet another rip off.

12/9/12 the club in Andover is HORRIBLE!!!! 95% of the staff has never exercised in their life (and it shows) and therefore they do not understand how a weight room should be maintained (or they don't care). I have never belonged to a gym that didn't dedicate any staff member to maintaining the weight area. Members leave weights on machines and all over the place, staff members walk right past it and don't care. it's not just weights either, people leave bosu balls, platforms, mats, towels etc.. all over the place an BSC has no one to pick it up. Every time I go there I have to unload someone else's weights before I can use a machine. It's like I work there. Weights are NEVER racked properly either. The staff has NO CLUE that you don't rack 5lb plates on the same location as 45lp plates. they just don't know better. They certainly know how to stare into there phone and text message though, because that's all I ever see them do. I went there the other day, there were 7 staff members standing around the front desk chit chatting, no staff members in the workout area and the place was a gigantic mess. I think every plate loaded machine was loaded up and almost no one was using any of them. Aside from Planet Fitness, this is easily the worst gym I've ever been a member of. And to think, I didn't join Golds Gym because I wanted to pay a little more and belong to a well run facility, boy was I wrong! BTW, I spoke to the manager about this 2 months ago. He told me he agreed with me 100% but BSC won't do anything about it. He said the "trainers" are supposed to do this but none of them ever do, ever. He said he's frustrated but will try to do something about it. This guy actually uses the gym and works out pretty hard. Well, he's since been replaced by an overweight guy that I have NEVER seen in the workout area, he sits in his office, text messaging. Stay away from this place!

I joined the Watertown Boston Sports Club when it first opened and it was great, but after the first year things started to slide. The cardio equipment is still great, state of the art and lots of variety but forget going right after work (5:30-7pm) or early in the morning before 8 am because you can't get on anything. The group exercise schedule looks terrible, strength training classes are too late at night and there aren't enough classes. Very high turnover (the good instructors leave). As mentioned above the trainers are pushy and mine got lazy after about 5 sessions ( cutting the sessions short and putting me on a piece of cardio equipment which I can do on my own). Great location with lots of potential but they just are not listening to their customers.

When I signed up I was interested in being able to switch gyms, knowing that my office was going to move and that the Copley location was only going to be my home for a short period of time. I was told, I could switch at any time. When I went to make the switch, I was told it was a $40 fee to make the switch. I looked in the contract but didn't see anything about the fee. I presented the contract to the manager, who highlighted two places where it was noted that a transaction fee would be assessed. Neither note gave the amount of the fee. It seems rather excessive to me to charge over half the monthly rate for what's essentially a small, administrative task.
Another problem with the person who sold me my membership was with the "off-peak" hours. I was told they started at 8 pm but I could probably come a little earlier and not have a problem. The first time I tried to go to another gym off-peak I showed up at 7:30 only to find out off-peak didn't start until 8:30. The person at the desk let me in but noted the actual hours.
Finally, there were some machines that are consistently broken. Even after a month, they weren't fixed. The one nautilus-type machine that was fixed, broke at least two more times. There are a lot of gyms to chose from, this is a good one if you want to work out in an atmosphere that's filled with people who, for the most part, are serious about working out. It's not overly social but it's not totally intimidating either.
If you're looking for a family atmosphere, go to one of the recently renovated YMCA gyms as they're cheaper and more relaxed. If you're a business person who needs a gym close to your office and doesn't want to deal with dolled up chicks and muscle heads prancing around for one another, this is a good option for you.

I like to swim and I joined Boston Sports Club at Copley Square to use their pool, but unfortunately, I am not getting my money's worth. The pool is frequently out of service and it happened more than once that I came in, changed into my bathing suit and jumped into the pool, and only then someone came in and told me to get out, because the pool out of order at the moment! Today I was so fed up, I went to ask for a manager. The girl I talked to said she was the manager and what was my problem. I told her that I would appreciate if they put a sign on the door to the pool - or even on the website or the main door to the street - that the pool is out of order. She said that they were not allowed to do that until they knew what the specific problem was, they were still waiting for the verdict from a technician, and that she apologized for the inconvenience. I told her that her apology doesn't really help me much after I already jumped into a pool and had to change back from my wet bathing suit after not getting my work out for the money I pay every month. I would like to see some reassurance that this won't happen again. She told me I am more than welcome to inquire if the pool is functional next time I want to use it. So, if I am getting this right, its really all my own fault and next time I should politely ask ahead of time if the services I am paying for are actually available before I do something so dumb, as to try to use them. I wonder how BSC would react, if I just suggested that next time, before they charge my account, they politely inquire if its still functional. I am very very dissatisfied and the only reason I am not rating BSC at 0, is because occasionally, the pool actually works.

Everything is awful at the Central Square location. The staff is very rude and completely incompitent in my opinion. I recently moved and have been trying to cancel my membership for months now. I have been told I can't cancel over the phone; I understand there is a termination fee. Every time I actually make it into the city now the manager is "unavailable" but if I call back they can schedule a time to come in. And the trainers are awfully pushy from what i have seen. I would never join another gym from this company again and certainly not recommend it!