Beacon Hill Athletic Club

10/14/09

nice clean club and friendly staff

by jn3008 at Citysearch

bhac brighton center has been my gym since the day it opened. it is a clean and well maintained club with friendly and competent staff who are willing to listen. i've made several requests which have all been met with expediency and respect. additionally i work with a trainer at the club who motivates me in each step of my workout. i am lucky to be able to work out during "non peak" hours but try finding a club in boston that's not crowded between 5:30 and 7pm. and for those whining on about parking, here's a novel idea.....park on the street where there's ample parking ALWAYS and walk to the gym. isn't that the point, to get some exercise? quit your whining on here and put some more effort into your workout. i'll be the one actually sweating!

• Pros: cleanliness, cybex arc trainers, cardiotheatre
• Cons: needs olympic equipment and kettlebells

10/14/09

The staff keeps me coming back

by btriggs at Citysearch

I've been going to BHAC for over a year now and I can honestly say switching to this gym is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I've lost 10% of my total body weight, dropped 2 dress sizes and shaved nearly 2 minutes off my 5k race time from before I joined.

A huge part of that success can definitely be attributed to my work with the trainers at this gym. It's obvious the other people ragging on them have never actually been trained by any of these wonderful people. I've had a session once a week for the past year. I'm not the kind of person who just has money to blow so trust me when I say it's been WORTH it.

I've never worked out harder in my life than when I'm in a session with my trainer. And yeah, he does sit on the windowsill cracking jokes, and thank god he does because if he didn't I wouldn't be able to make it through a session. He also keeps perfect count of my reps and crafts workouts every week that continually kick my ass.

The comment someone else made about letting clients use poor form is completely laughable. My trainer would never miss an opportunity to bust my chops about doing something wrong. Both because he cares about my health and safety and because I'm paying him to help me get the most out of my workout and he does just that.

It's too bad informative sites like this often turn into dumping grounds for complainers. BHAC is a wonderful gym. I've recommended it to all my friends and will continue to do so,

• Pros: friendly staff, fantastic trainers, great classes
• Cons: parking lot gets crowded at peak times but it's a city so...

09/25/09

Not worth the fee!

by DJ2009 at Citysearch

I'm perplexed. Instead of actually refuting the valid arguments I presented in my analysis of BHAC Brighton Center, it appears "fake positive reviews" have surfaced on the same day to bolster their ratings here.

To the neutral observer, don't be taken in by the obvious "advertisement" posted by the Owner/Manager/Staffer. The same pattern happened on Yelp. I posted a negative review. A few days later, a torrent of positive reviews "suddenly" appeared in their favor from "new members". How convenient?

If my speculations are wrong about these comments, the premise of my original argument must be refuted. Both recent "postive reviews" failed in this regard. Why? Because it's accurate.

The long and the short is that BHAC is just over-priced and overrated. The owners would be better off just marketing the place as an alternative to the McBally's of the world and charge members based on what they can offer.

So my review stands and if anything, it's confirmed.

Trainers are fat and have a penchant for inappropriate language and window sills.

The locker rooms are a health hazard. Never once did I see a staffer disinfect it. I literally saw the same stains everywhere for months at a time.

During winter months, the lockers are never cleaned of the accumulated mud and debris.

Visit during the "prescribed" gym time from the more "positive reviews" and the place will look like a Brazillian prison yard. I kid you not.

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I wrote a very objective and honest review on Yelp for this place. As you know, any unfavorable reviews to 'paying customers' quickly get deleted.

My impression of this gym is that its not worth the high monthly fee due to the following reasons..

-the equipment is average to substandard

-the locker room is never disinfected

-only two olympic benches

-very crowded with Brazillian teens

-the towels could use some bleach

-machines smell like body odor

-complaints are usually ignored

-owners promised 'new equipment'-never happpened

-lack of parking spaces during peak hours

-average size but men's room only has 1 urinal

-weights are rarely organized accordingly

-dust is everywhere in this place

-mats are hammered and beaten to death

-basic inventory of strength resistance equipment

-water fountain taste "unfiltered"

-Trainers sit on window sills mocking people

-Trainers here are actually on the 'heavy side'

-Reg. Mgr sits there, reads the Herald and never greets people

Based on my experience with other gyms in the area, BHAC in Brighton Center is below industry standards in all areas. There's no logical reason why the monthly fee should be as high as it is for what you get here.

• Pros: Not much
• Cons: Plenty