AllStar Fitness

Screw this effing place. Seriously. I just went in to cancel my membership, since it isn’t even Allstar anymore and was told that apparently my credit card hadn’t been working since May and I have been sent to collections. NO one ever told me my card didn’t work. I went into that effing place EVERY DAY and no one told me? They let me work out for 6 months without me paying? What a bunch of stupid Aholes. I wouldn’t recommend this to my worst enemy. No, I take that back… I totally would. BUYER BEWARE!

This is definitely a gym in decline. I have been a member of the AllStar Fitness in the Municipal Tower for several years and, until the past few months, I would have given the place four stars. Recently, the facility has been getting dirtier, things have not been fixed (the hot tub has been broken for a month), and the pool is getting progressively more gross (even by normal public pool standards). The only thing that keeps me coming back (other than not wanting to sign another contract somewhere else) is that the folks who work there are really nice.

Bad business under worse management. They just lost their second location (first the Queen Anne, then the Executive Club downtown).
For the high membership cost, one would expect a certain level of service, facility/​equipment maintenance, cleanliness and customer service. Not here!
The staff and management consistently fails its membership, not to mention that they are very unresponsive to calls (Ramon) and constructive feedback.

Friendly staff, clean facility, great location for a business professional downtown.

I have been a member for just shy of a year. I live and work within quick walking distance which is why I chose this gym in the first place. I go to classes at lunchtime each workday, and show up with my ipod to zone out and use the cardio equipment sporadically in the evenings/​weekends. I chose this gym, honestly, solely for the location and for the clean (read: non-​24 hr and therefore non-​bacteria laden) pool. As a gym that appears to serve office workers in this and the tower across the street, it’s obvious the place will be packed from 6−8am, lunchtime, and 4−6pm. After all of downtown Seattle empties and people flee to the suburbs though, the place is quiet.
Pros: The pool, city view, classes and instructors are where this particular gym shines. I love the sauna.
Cons: Like others have mentioned, the layout is a maze in the most ridiculous way. The décor? 1990 called — they want their gym back. I would love it if the carpet would be torn out — ohhh, the stank. It’s seriously foul, especially around the locker rooms and pool area. The equipment is old but gets the job done. The locker room is crowded and has an awkward layout, especially if you get a locker in the 400s — you can expect to crawl over people and squeeze around anybody doing their hair and makeup at the mirrors. I can’t speak to the quality of the trainers — when I joined, made appointments for my free «initial training session» but the trainer cancelled each time due to illness so I gave up trying and won’t be spending that kind of money on that kind of reliability (or lack thereof). No thanks.

I was a member for about a year. Pros, like already mentioned, the view is fantastic and it has an indoor pool, the lockers (at least the womens’) were clean and free towels. Equipments are ok, some of them squeak, but they work fine. I liked going here on weekends because it was quiet and not too many people came in over the weekend.
Cons, I have to agree with Anna, the music they play is awful and for people like me who don’t own a pair of sport headphones, you are forced to sweat to teenie pop the entire run. Ventilation is not really good, this is especially noticeable when I used to go there during their busy hours – it can get really stuffy and stinky. yuck.
Then the staff, some are nice, but I’ve definitely ran into a few that could improve on their attitude. There were several times I walked in to the reception area to hand them my card, some of them look so tired or lazy, sighing between receiving the card and asking me if I have preference for the locker room. That just doesn’t give off good vibe when you are about to go work out.
Overall, its ok, one of the better gyms in downtown.

The Key Tower All Star Fitness SUCKS! After complaining numerous times about their lockers and upkeep, tonight someone saw fit to get in to the locker and steal EVERYTHING. Watch, Kindle, Wallet, Shoes, Clothes, etc.
The staff was rude as usual and made it very clear they were not responsible for any of it.
My company is in the Columbia Tower, and a similar review gets posted tomorrow on the company email.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS CLUB AT ALL COST.
It is dirty, the up keep is terrible, it is too hot and the staff is not helpful

This gym is terrible. Not only is it small and dingy, but the management is rude and unprofessional. When I called with an issue the man on the phone became snotty and accusatory.
I would not recommend this place to anyone who likes a positive workout environment and friendly staff.

Forget, for a moment, that the locker rooms smell like standing water in a twice-​flooded crack house. I do recommend performing your toilette elsewhere (like elsewhere in the *city,* at best, or take your clothes with you into the showers themselves) as the carpet seems to be the source of the olfactory evil, though I suspect the foot lockers (which I’m told a person can rent monthly for sneaker storage) don’t help any. The smell was funky when I joined, and crescendoed into «complaint-​worthy» by the time I quit going here.
Olfactory crimes aside, the equipment does seem past its prime, though I’m not overly particular, as I mostly just use free weights and treadmills anyway. That said, it’s rather nice to look down onto the city rooftops and watch the Bainbridge Ferry make its way across the sound while exercising.
The only real redemption of this facility, though, is that they have a pool, with a view-​like A Room With a View, but without the corsets, accents, or that one actress that looks a lot like a Pekingese. Well, and also it’s not a movie.
The pool always made this gym-​atop-​the-​city feel more like a luxury to me than it probably has any right to claim, until it became That Night Which Torments My Dreams.
Knowing I would be working very, very late, and knowing exercise, in general, is probably cheaper (and arguably less deleterious) than antidepressants for tough times, I hired a sitter so that I might pretend my gym was a spa… but sometimes tough times can follow you, even into the most sacred places.
As I exited the pool en route to the jacuzzi, I saw this guy, a large guy… a velcro-​covered hairy dude, swim cap on and goggles on forehead, in a Speedo… are you sitting down? ON HIS BACK, grabbing his ankles, and, well, spreading his legs out on either side of his body as if to do the Chinese splits. Gentle reader, may I ask, WHO. The sanctified FUCK. Wants to see that?
I have to say I don’t shock easily, but I really felt I had exited the pool straight into some dude’s nutsack! As I believe George Costanza once said, «People! We’re tryin’ to have a COMMUNITY HERE!» I will admit that my step faltered, it was evident.
What was perhaps stranger, and quite funny in retrospect, was what went through my mind when I first took off my goggles and saw… that. For some reason a Spanish expression flew clearly into my consciousness… something like «A la boca cerrada, no entran moscas,» or, «No flies get into a closed mouth.» Funny, the brain and where the flight/​fight reaction will take us.
So you may wonder: did you remain in that cursed place? Yes of course. I did my journalistic duty (to you all) by continuing to the jacuzzi, where I did remain in open observation.
Helpfully, there were other onlookers with whom to exchange horrified glances. One guy stared even through his foggy goggles. I think he was luckiest of all of us, what with the obfuscation of his lenses.
I had to see it through. Where else would he take it? Well. I understand you’re curious too. He languished on his side for a while, then did sort of a bicycle thing, with his legs straight up in the air. Then pulled one knee and then the other, alternately, to his chest. Then he returned to spreadeagle, prostrate. After that, he appeared to be rather blissed out and I thought he might be asleep.
I care about you, and thought you should have a chance to experience this, too.
You’re welcome.

Overall, if you are looking for a gym I would recommend that you continue on to another and bypass All Star. I have been a member of All Star in Municipal tower for about six month. I joined the gym after moving from the east side. The initial experience was good and the sales process seemed reasonable and they had a pool which was a definite plus. The price was a bit high but it seemed to be a good value.
The pros and cons —
1. The gym is located on the 14^th floor and does offer spectacular views of the downtown area
2. Hot water is a premium from about 8:00 to 10AM. On an average week you can expect to have a cold shower at least three times a week. Several conversations with the staff led me to believe that this was unimportant to them. Luckily I don’t live too far and can go home to take a shower. Really a major pain.
3. They do offer free towel service which is a nice feature — when there is hot water or if you use the pool
4. The equipment is ok — while the equipment is old they do try and maintain it. But there are issues
5. I signed up for personal training. After the trainer was always late (failed to show up twice). I requested my money back for remaining sessions. It became clear that quality of service is not their most important concern. Although, I am not surprised as I was told by one of their employees they are financial issues.
Sadly I have several months left on my membership and money left in personal training. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

Okay, after about six months of regular gymgoing here, I have to point out a couple of significant gripes I have with this place:
1. They play what is possibly the worst music ever made. If I have to hear Miley Cyrus one more time, I might punch something (and since there aren’t any punching bags here, it might have to be a person). Please realize that 99% of Miley’s fans aren’t old enough for a gym membership. That isn’t the case with Celine Dion, but still, do we have to listen to her, too?
2. There are no recycling bins. I’m actually planning to complain about this directly instead of just writing a passive aggressive review, because I feel like it’s deplorable not to have ONE recycling bin in a place that is crawling with plastic bottles by definition. Especially in Seattle. In the building that houses Seattle Public Utilities, an institution that exists largely to help you recycle.
Again, the location is this gym’s draw for me, and since my office is moving in a couple of months, my going here will cease once that happens :-/

they just took out an entire room of equipment to make room for the personal training. Now if you want to use the equipment you have to wait and wait. VERY VERY bad. When I asked about it the response was I should just get training.

I believe this is a good gym. I frequent it in the early mornings where I find there is plenty of access to equipment.
I will concur that I have never before been to a gym where the men’s locker room feels like a «meat market», but this one can be from time to time.
I am happy to hear they will renovate. While the gym is reasonable condition, the lockers could use a looking after.
The staff is very friendly and at least in the mornings a few of them remember your preferred locker location.
Also, I have found the classes an excellent way to try different routines. They offer a lot of different classes throughout the day and week so there is something for everyone and everyone’s schedule.

I love this gym. I don’t understand these bad reviews, they just aren’t true.
The management here is not rude and i have even made several good friends. The trainers are great and they work with you closely.
Broken equipment is fixed in a timely fashion. They don’t have cardio theater yet but really is that such a big deal? there are plenty of TV’s above for viewing
This is a very cozy place to work out, complete with ice cubes, towels, provided keys for the lockers, shaving cream and bags for wet stuff. It’s a nice place to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown streets.
As for people being rudely treated, i am guessing that the complainants were rude to begin with, i’ve never seen anyone treated rudely here by staff or management.

I love this place. It’s close to work and so I can run in and get a quick work out during lunch or right after work. I like the staff, everyone is very cool. I love the towel service and also the key service. The classes are great… I especially dig George Sommereck’s classes. A strange thing. I love him and hate him all at the same time cause he WORKS you. I curse him for days after… :)
I do think they need to replace the yoga balls and a broom wouldn’t hurt in the class rooms. Leaning forward, with your nose to the floor isn’t too appetizing when what looks like a pube is sticking to the floor. And there seems to always be that same looking hair just kinda floating around. Broom, people, broom!
The dues are reasonable for the location, $ 49 for all clubs. They have a special bring in your current gym ID and pay no dues.

For my safety, or so the sign said, I was locked out of pilates class today because I was late. Fine. Whatever. I didn’t want to work out anyway.
Ok, yes, I did.
But, I didn’t have shoes. Damn it. Pilates doesn’t require shoes.
Luckily there was a yoga class starting in 10 minutes. So I went in there. I don’t like yoga and I really missed out on pilates… but still, how cool is it that there was another alternative? That’s what I like about All Star — there are multiple locations and there are always a few classes going on.
Since this location is located on the 14^th floor of the Municipal Tower there are some amazing views. There’s nothing like staring out at part of the city skyline with the skyscrapers lights twinkling and peddling as fast as you can go. It’s fun to pretend that you are powering all of the lights in downtown Seattle!

Truly awful. The staff (for the most part) are rude. The pool is always empty and it cut off from the rest of the gym and thus you are always swimming alone or with one other person. Too bad if this other person is creepy. Which they often are.
The dues are very pricey for a gym that’s not open very smart hours and will close whenever it feels like it. Head down a few blocks to 24 Hour Fitness. Way better experience.

Why do I feel like I am entering a rat maze here? The women’s locker room is also confusing and the methodolgy of the locker assignment must be of great amusement to the front desk. When you enter, you are given an assigned locker and key, which is very convenient. However, when you enter the locker room, generally, to my great dismay, they have clustered 5 or 6 women together when the rest of the locker room is empty. Far from being a fun experience in disrobing or reclothing after a workout [insert male fantasy here _​_​_​], however, the reality is quite different. Think of jammed ribs and elbows… well…near misses, at the very least.
There are also loud and vigorous classes going on most times of the day. The showers could use some *updating* in that a few rounds of bleach would not hurt!
They do have a line of treadmills and machines near the windows, providing for a great view. It can get a little crowded during lunch hours and right after work, on occasion.
The location in this part of town merits the two stars. Because if you work in one of the adjacent buildings, this is a convenient place to get in a workout.

This gym, located on the fourteenth floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower, is a modern and friendly place. The staff is always helpful, and except for the before– and after-​work crushes, the gym is usually pretty empty, meaning no wait for machines.
The showers are OK, the locker rooms are nice enough. They have massage available in private rooms. They have a good range of classes with enthusiastic teachers.
Coolest of all, they have an indoor pool and a whirlpool that face west to Elliott Bay (peekaboo view)… it’s very cool to be able to look out of the pool into the variety of downtown. The lap pool is kept too cold for my tastes; it’s meant for the serious swimmers. The whirlpool is comfortable though.
The membership rates are a little high and unless you have a monthly parking pass at the SMT garage ($ 240) you’ll have to pay $ 3/​month for an after-​hours and weekend parking pass, and regular rates during the workday.

Okay, okay, shameless self promotion — I’m a personal trainer here. But, I did spend quite a while looking for the perfect place to work, and I’m convinced that I’ve found it. I’ve been to A LOT of gyms, and if you have too, you’ll see that this facility is pretty amazing compared to the rest. Our equipment is new and functioning, we have a great pool, and the personal trainers are brilliant :)