The Downtown Club At Houston Center

The Downtown Club is far more than a gym, or a restaurant. I left a very lengthy review for The Downtown Club on the The Met’s page, be sure to check that review out if you want to know all of the details.
In short, I enjoy my membership to The Downtown club greatly, and find myself spending more and more time at both clubs because I like the people, events, atmosphere and offerings… and if you’re trying to get into shape, and improve your life — wanting to spend time at your gym is key.

I am a member of the Downtown Club at the Met and thought I would check it out since we have privileges there.
First, upon the elevator doors opening to the club, I was greeted with the smell of cat urine. Lovely…
This gym, just as the downtown club is not really a motivating gym. The equipment is good repair, but it is focused on someone who is an older adult rather than an athletic person who really wants to get a strong workout in. The basketball court floor was just recently redone, but it is in an awkwared place.
For the price to be a member, they could really use a face lift on this place.

Love the gym!
Clean!
The classes are great! And you never have to wait for a machine!
Worth every penny!

Here is an interesting concept: The Downtown Club at the Houston Center. How to describe it? It’s a place for professional networking but in a different context. It’s got a restaurant, bar, and also fitness amenities. So it’s like an urban country club almost. They’ve got these amenities so that you can either entertain or get to know some new people here. It’s also part of a chain of 200 other clubs nationally that provide the same benefits. I’m not sure if your membership here would grant you access into the other clubs…
I came here for a Theatre Under the Stars event. The space allowed for about 8 tables for standing around, a few for sitting, and at least a couple dozen chairs lining the back. The event also had microphoned capabilities, for those moments when you need to be able to speak over the crowd. Also, the food was very good, and I’m pretty sure they must have catered in-​house from the restaurant. Light bites were available: salmon/​pâté on crackers, egg rolls with sweet and sour sauce, black bean quesadilla quarters with salsa, fruits, and cheeses.
Free street parking wasn’t too hard to find right at 6pm on a Wednesday night. There’s also a for-​fee garage available if you cannot find a spot.
Seems like a cool concept. Not sure if I would need this as my downtown office provides similar amenities. It does seem pretty cool for those who work for smaller companies downtown!

This review is only for the gym portion of the Downtown Club at Houston Center.
I joined the Downtown Club mainly due to the central location in downtown Houston and the close proximity to my office. It’s incredibly convenience for me personally because I take the light rail and this club is only about a 3 – 4 min walk from the station.
At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of the gym because of its older dated locker rooms and workout machines. However, as I have been going more regularly, I’ve developed a liking to the unique environment. The first thing that any new member will notice is the fantastic service from the staff who take care of the club. They are all incredibly attentive and willing to make sure that the members have a smooth and comfortable time. The second thing is the inside of the «Wall Street”-esque (original movie not the Shia Labeouf re-​make) interior of the locker room. There are wooden lockers and couches for members to cool off after a nice sauna, steam, or shower. The cherry on top is that they provide complimentary workout clothes (shirt, shorts, and socks) so that you don’t have to worry about carrying away your sweaty clothes.
The interior of the gym has the following: full length basketball court, running track (12 laps to a mile), several squash/​volleyball courts, 1 spinning room, 2 workout/​training areas with hardwood floors, and all of the cardio equipment and weights that you would get from any conventional gym. Because membership is small and fairly limited, the workout areas are rarely packed so you should not have much a problem getting access to any equipment or weights. I’ve been at all hours of the day from morning till the evening and have never had trouble getting on a treadmill or elliptical.
Overall, this is a great gym in a very good location. If you ever get a chance to give this place a visit, please do! Chances are that if you work downtown, someone you know is a member of the Downtown Club which allows you access to both this gym as well as the Downtown Club at the Met (which I also like but does not have the same sense of coziness as this gym) and they most likely have some of those 3-​day trial passes available. Try to snag one and give this place a try!