Spectrum Athletic Clubs

Brentwood Investment is the current owner of Spectrum Club and they certainly take the concept of “Creative Destruction” & self interest/greed to a new level. Upon receiving ownership of the health club, they retained CEO’s/Presidents whose achievements were not of creating solid market foundations, but whose business plans were to serve the executives & investors. Their short term, their plans did create profits but each left their previous “Big Box Store” companies in a “cloud”….in regards to target, during their regime, their business plan literally drove Target stores market share down substantially, while the other, Best Buy came near bankruptcy…..\r The first priority of these president’s (the current was VP and promoted upon the other’s departure) was to terminate every senior member of the management team- many of which had been with Spectrum from its inception- founded by the owners of Sports Club LA…those making the most, were targeted to leave and most all were not replaced bringing customer service, contract performance requirements eventually to its knees. The current & past president in regards to facility advice, relies on a good out-of-state friend who is supposedly an “expert” in building construction & code compliance…..but what we have seen is nothing but violation of codes and health & safety violations….and materials by anyone’s standards, would be, “you’ve got to be kidding me”! If you look closely at the facilities it is considered “almost normal” for walls to be dirty, marked, scuffed, partially blocked emergency exits, water leaks (both clean & waste water), HVAC systems that have not been cleaned for several years to the point that the dust has formed a mud like substance in the air intake vents and equipment (audio/visual and exercise) that has little to no maintenance….they just wait until it is ready to or completely broken and then they just buy new. In absolute violation of OSHA, the company has been without a qualified industrial safety officer since it’s purchase….there is no OSHA safety compliance program including a contagious disease control program and as such, mold, mildew is again the norm in the areas of sanitation, showers & dressing areas of which more than once, enforcement action by government agencies/staff has been taken. In one case, at the Howard Hughes “Flagship” facility, egress for ADA compliance was eventually obtained by a member of the Los Angeles City Board member (who was also a club member) place management on notice- either fix the main entrance doors or face a formal complaint with the city attorney’s office! As with any membership, it is a contract of which there are laws, rules & regs that are either implied, or stipulated that each will abide by….if you think information protected under the federal (or state) privacy act is secured- think again….every tom, dick & harry working at the front desk knows your birthday! Supervisory/management training….each new hire/promoted person to a supervisory or management role is required under California State Law specifically Health & Safety Code 19995.4 requires a minimum of 80 hours training (40 hours formal, 40 hours under immediate supervision)…..this is simply ignored, because it “costs money” and staff is disposable. There are clearly additional contract breaches as well, such as trainer’s invoking rules for themselves/clients that are strictly prohibited. Use of cell phones (including suspected recording) in dressing areas….even though it is posted…oh well, good luck finding any staff that will address any contract or criminal type violation because…..the trainers are directed not-to-engage and supervisory/management personnel are at the locations less than 50% of all operating hours.\r \r It is just a matter of time before Brentwood Financial either sells the places off or closes the door & walks away with all the money.\r more

i enjoyed some of the classes while I was a member at Spectrum and the equipment is nice. But it wasn't working out - a little too far for my husband and I too drive weekdays with LA traffic after work. When we went to cancel I was reminded of their horrific cancellation policy. Supposedly ""60 days"" although it's actually never that few because you're charged the current month in full (not-prorated for what you use) plus an additional two months. This is ridiculous and I plan on following up with my congresswoman. Even the somewhat-standard but still unfair practice of a ""30 day"" cancellation policy is extortion. From now on I plan on staying away from gyms like Spectrum that take advantage of their members. Unless you plan on being a member for life I suggest the same. more

Just watch out when you use your credit card in the Howard Hughes Spectrum (Power Nutrition) cafe. That's how they stock up on groceries from Trader Joe's.... more

Spectrum will welcome you with open arms when you join, however when you want to cancel the treatment becomes decidedly frosty, which I think is very short sighted, as people like me will simply come somewhere like this and write the following type of review.\r \r I was with Spectrum for 9 months, paid a hefty joining fee, then $85 per month. I went on to pay for a higher level of personal training, spending in total around $9,000 in less than a year. Does that make me a great customer? Apparently not.\r \r I knew there was something wrong when all I received for my loyalty and nearly $9,000 in total was a $10 voucher for coffee from the training manager. 'Is this a joke' I thought. That was actually more insulting than rewarding. Something like a free training session would have been more appropriate. Clearly they aren't very knowledgable about best practices for customer retention.\r \r I also disliked the ambience of the place, there are a lot of very grumpy old men who work out here who get very tetchy if you are on 'their' piece of equipment. I'm not ageist or anything, but grumpy isn't good.\r \r The final insult came when I decided to leave and join a more modern gym. I realized that Spectrum ask for a crazy 60 days notice. I really had not heard this when I joined, but sure enough it's there in the fine print. They define 'month-to-month' membership as every 60 days. Would that be your understanding of month-to-month membership? No, but I think that's the point. It's misleading. \r \r When on July 1st 2009 I phoned I told them that I wanted to cancel, and that I felt 30 days was perfectly adequate given California law and that I wanted to fax in my cancellation letter. Then they got difficult. 1) I was told that 60 days is just the way it is. 2) You can only cancel in person (like that would force someone not to cancel) and 3) I had to fill out one of their 'forms' to cancel, not provide a personal letter.\r \r So I got in my car and went round to see them then and there, with a personal letter typed out and signed. I was directed to their business manager Shawn who looked at me very grim faced when I told him I'd like to cancel. At first he refused to accept my letter, until I told him that 'legally you have to accept this'. He then took it. I asked for a receipt. His response - he can only give me a receipt if I fill out a form. ""well I'll just have to trust you then, since I came all the way here from Santa Monica to hand deliver this to you'. Regarding the 30 days notice I provided... I stated that really 60 days was excessive, and that in California 30 days should be sufficient for any kind of subscription and that I thought my membership was 'month-to-month, or at least that's what I was told'. He said that was not what I signed. I reminded him that I had paid nearly $9,000 to the club over the previous 9 months and were they really going to gauge me for another $85? He promised to discuss it with his manager and they would phone me if there was a problem with 30 days notice. I also emailed them, and at least I heard back from their Regional Manager Karen Landsford. But there was no flexibility. They were going to take 2 months of withdrawal from my account and that their policy ""is no different from any gym in the country"". That's patently nonsense. The gym I left them for has no such draconian policy for members who 'dare to leave'.\r \r I don't care about the $85, but the whole experience of the cancellation leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I thought it appropriate to share my experience, and if you don't want a bad experience trying to leave them it's probably wise not to join them in the first place. \r \r Finally I think their 4 out of 5 stars is iffy .. if you look at the glowing reviews I don't think they sound like actual members. I guess everyone does that, but you can tell. Pros: Cafe is good, but otherwise overpriced and arrogant Cons: Treated poorly when I attempted to cancel more

I would give this gym 4 stars, but the trainers seem to have their own agenda. They do not want to work on the weekends and some have a bad attitudes. I used to belong to another gym. They had great trainers, but bad staff. This gym is the opposite. Pros: Pool! Cons: Some Staff more

I like the Spectrum Club and have gone for a number of years but I have had repeated issues with theft at the Howard Hughes location. If you drop or lose something, forget it. And I even had my credit card number stolen there and had to cancel my card. more

Okay, were all these glowing reviews written by staff/owners? Nothing can be as good as some of these reviews. Let me give it to you straight. The facilities are great. The instructors are top-notch. BUT the gym is Very pricey and once you pay up, you can forget about getting any of your requests fulfilled. You can expect to be put-off. Some of the popular classes like spinning and yoga are getting too crowded and suggestions to add additional classes are blown off. Pros: free parking, good equipment and instructors Cons: uncaring management, crowded classes more

I absolutely love the Spectrum Club at the Howard Hughes Ctr!! I have kids, and they love love love going to the Kid's Club. It's a small room, which I like. My kids are 17 mos and 3 1/2, so I feel safe knowing they're going to be closely watched and get a lot of attention while I'm gone. The staff there is always smiling, they all seem to genuinely love chlidren, and there's always something new and exciting to do. i don't feel like the staff is simply babysitting, I feel like they're spending quality time with my children. I'm always informed of how their time was spent, what and if they ate, how their behavior was, good or bad, and my kids can't wait to go. The fact that they're really excited to spend time there makes me feel even better about spending a couple of hours out of my day to work out!!! I would reccomend this club for it's Kid's Club alone above any club I've been to. more

This is a great gym for the working professional. I had been procrastinating joining for some time now, but the Spectrum gym is close to my office at the bridge, in fact they came to my office last month to offer a discount to our staff. I had no excuse; I can walk there and I received a company savings...I was surprised at the level of attention from a gym. I guess times are changing. Although, I have only been exercising a few weeks now, I wanted to somehow thank the yound man who came to my office. I have misplaced his card so I turned to City Search, as I value the reviews and feedback I seek out. Pros: gym gave employer savings and came to my office Cons: N/A more

i've been a member for almost a year now, and i can say, with confidence, that i really enjoy working out here. it's never crowded, and all of the equipment/facilities are well-maintained. the members themselves tend to skew older -- there are a lot of seniors, at least when i'm there. i would agree with other commentors that the classes are not the most cutting edge, but fun nonetheless. my only complaints: 1.) the no cellphone policy does not seem to be strictly enforced in the women's locker room. this is pretty unnerving, considering the ubiquity of cellphone cameras. 2.) limited hours of operation on the weekends. Pros: towel service, ample parking, a little on the pricy side Cons: limited weekend hours more

I recently joined the Howard Hughes Spectrum Club and it's hard to compare it to any other health club. Shortly after I joined their Kids Club put on a Family Fun Day event that blew my mind. They had hot dogs, cotton candy, popcorn, bounce house, tattoos, and wacky hair for all the families that wanted to participate in this event and all of it was for free. It's a hard sell when it comes to my kids, but this sold me instantly. Thank you for providing such wonderful services to evey one of all ages. more

Ok everybody let me tell you being a member of the Spectrum club at the Howard Hughes centre has been a unique experience, this club has it all, beautiful front desk people, nice sales representatives, trainers are amaazing and if we have to talk about the classes they have I will never be able to finish, classes are excellent, we have ritmo latino, afro-brazilian class, yoga, cardio kick box, aquaerobics, treeking, cycling, it is incredible, Donaldo knows everybody name who comes to the club, equipment is always working you do not have to wait in line to work out, the hours the club opens fits my schedule so well so it wil fits yours. \r Pros: great hours, great classes, nice staff, plenty parking and it is free more

I have been a member since 2001 and have thoroughly enjoyed my experience here @ the specrum HH, the staff is excellent especially netta and donaldo, they treat me like family ,the the trainers are very helpful and quite attractive too! the classes are great ,espicially brandy's afro-brazilian dance class, the men love to watch and the women love to shake and vibrate those hips like never before. Pros: cool classes,nice mellow vibe ,not a meat maket,extra parking facilities Cons: need more dance! more

What a club! I have been swimming in this clean, friendly, best kept secret of a club for years. Did not think that things could get any better but they have with their new program called HealthMiles. I'm earning rewards for my pool time, and it's even launching me into other areas (I even tried a group exercise class!) because now I wear this HealthMiles pedometer that earns me stuff everywhere I go...even on the days I don't feel like leaving home. Love the way they keep thinking of new ways to help me stay motivated. Always leave that place with a smile on my face. Pros: They've got everything and they're nice more

As a working mother of 2 and 5 year old children, it is next to impossible to find time to work out, not to mention the guilt of taking time for myself. Spectrum has fabulous Kid's Club programming and staff and the Howard Hughe's club is my escape option. I literally have to drag the kids out of the club after my workout. I mean where else do you find the General Manager serenading them on his guitar with kids songs! Thank you Howard Hughes for your incredible staff, challenging group exercise classes and the smiles you put on my girls' faces everytime we come. Pros: Convenient to 405, everything is there and clean! more

When I went looking for a club I wanted three things; convenient, clean, and friendly. This club has it all! Located at Howard Hughes Parkway and the 405 it is super convenient from my home and it has easy accesible parking. Inside the locker rooms are spacious and clean like an upscale hotel. They have plenty of equipment and most of the treadmills have their own private TV. Most important the staff is very friendly. They know my name, they say hello and make me feel at home. Perfect escape from my stressful day. Pros: Parking, Locker Rooms, Equipment, Staff Cons: Cafe more

The gym facilities are quite nice with plenty of equipment. The locker rooms are not as plush as you would expect but comfortable. All in all, the facility is worth the $80/month fee. However, the customer service which includes sales and billing is horrendous and by far the worst customer service I have ever received. 1) I purchased an annual membership and incurred a monthly membership fee 2) When asked to reverse the fee, I was told to just use the credit towards another month's membership, 3) When I asked for a refund, I was told that it would be processed immediately and a month later have not been credited. I called customer service and they said ""Oh its because we don't keep your credit card number on file"". How were they going to process my refund in the first place and why didn't they ask me for the number when I initially asked for the refund? 4) I signed up for personal training for which I was quoted a price, which was charged differently from the quote. All in all, when I explained my dissatisfaction with the customer service, all blame was put on me. Therefore, I do not recommend this club - and if you do join this club, pay cash and never give out your credit card information as they are quite liberal in their charges. Pros: Convenience and towels are provided Cons: Staff more

Do you want an immaculate well-kept gym and trainers with the expertise in physical fitness? Then, you have to join the Spectrum Howard Hughes club. I am having the best experience of my life since i joined the Spectrum. I am able to lie down on a clean mat and stretch, using a towel the gym provides, as well as the ability to wipe down machines with readily accessible anti-bacterial wipes. \r \r I can't say enough good things about the Spectrum Club at Howard Hughes Shopping Center. Pros: Well-maintain and clean gym Cons: Monthly rate is expensive (but actually worth it). more

If all you do at the gym is get on the machines then you will love it here. I always go after work (get there at 5:30 or 6pm) and I have never waited for a cardio machine and rarely had to wait (and not for long) for a weight machine. It is airy and bright inside. Most cardio machines have their own TV's attached, making it painless. I love all the foam rollers and extra equipment that are available to use. I was in physical therapy for my back and needed an arm bike and would you believe they had one! I was so impressed.\r \r BUT I love aerobics classes and have taken them for the past 15 or so years of my life. I like to think I'm fairly good at them. So when I wasn't catching on all that fast, I got kind of disgusted with the instructors. They just weren't making very good calls. I realized that it was definitely an ""in club""--people who had taken classes from these instructors for years and knew all the moves so well that the instructors weren't even really giving the calls anymore. It was very frustrating for a newcomer who was trying to figure out what ""come up, spin, hah!, side, knee, and back around..."" meant. Plus, the instructors go at the top speed that the sound system will allow them to go. Now, I'm all about going fast, but that is FAST! Especially for someone like me, who doesn't know what the heck is going on. I have finally figured out what most of the moves are and now I have to say--it's BORING! Because they really are all the same. While the old ""in club"" might get a kick out of not needing the calls done correctly, I'd prefer new routines (and instructors who make good calls). I actually enjoy what they consider ""Beginners Step"" the best--it's done at a fast, but not top speed, level, the steps are broken down with good calls, and she throws in new moves now and again.\r \r So, the gym is clean, well-maintained, and never crowded. But if you like classes, definitely shop around. Pros: Well-maintained, never crowded Cons: Need new instructors, new routines for classes more

This is a beautiful gym, however limited hours and a nasty billing department really detract from it. When we signed up we were treated very well, however, afterward we were treated as ""just another sale"". We were double billed the first month and it took a very long time to resolve. We gave it a chance for another month but then decided to buy our own equipment. When we tried to cancel it was a nightmare. We had to wait nearly 3 weeks to be credited for another over-charge. Toward the end the manager became very condescending and cold. Would not recommend going here - our ""salesperson"" basically treated us like dirt after our check cleared and the price is just not worth the snobby attitudes. Pros: Free parking Cons: Bad service more