BEST PLACES TO WORK UP A SWEAT IN GENEVA
by Chené Koscielny and Alexandra Belz
Want to get into shape for summer – and thinking of joining a gym? Are you into innovative group classes and cutting edge equipment or is an inspiring space more important to you? Do you need guidance to help you achieve your goals or do you know what to do and you just need a no nonsense space and equipment to get on with it. We visited some of Geneva’s best-known gyms to find out what makes each of them different, so it’s easy to see which one will work best for you.
HARMONY – best for quality service and personal attention, including nutritional assessment
LOCATION
10 clubs across Geneva and la Côte, with the latest one opening recently in Veyrier. La Praille, Balexert, Eaux-Vives, Blandonnet, Casai, Versoix, Signy, Gland, Denges, Veyrier.
WHO WORKS OUT HERE
People who live or work nearby – as there are a few gyms in different locations.
CLAIM TO FAME
The most awarded fitness clubs in Suisse Romande. Certified 4 stars and recommended by most health insurances and medical institutes. Awarded Best Wellbeing Centers in Suisse Romande.
PHILOSOPHY
Focus on overall wellbeing, personalised coaching and services.
AMBIANCE
Upmarket, trendy, family-friendly.
FACILITIES
- Service 7/7 – parking, towel service, membership suspended in case of long-term sickness or professional trip.
- Multi-club access
- High performance connected equipment
- Pools (La Praille, Veyrier, Denges) and aquatic center with waterslides and balneo area at latest club in Veyrier
- Cross training area – complete functional zones.
- Wellness area: Sauna, hammam, solarium, Jacuzzi – depending on the club
- Physiotherapy
- Café with organic food (Veyrier, Denges)
CLASSES
400 classes per week including Aquagym, Aquabike, zumba, yoga and Pilates.
PERSONAL TRAINING
- 4 personal coaching sessions included in a full-time annual membership.
- 4 metablolic scans:
- Measure your IMC and caloric needs to help control your nutrition (nutrition driving 70% of visible results).
Measure your muscle imbalances. - Professional assessment, including nutritional advice – creating a personal work-out programme with photographs and detailed descriptions for you to follow.
PRICE
Tailor-made prescriptions – depending on the combination of services you choose.
Annual membership from 830 CHF
WHO IS THIS GYM FOR
Anyone looking for an upmarket service nearby with a family spirit, top facilities, focus on nutritional advice and personal coaching.
WHAT WE LIKED BEST
We LOVE the pools and Aqua classes, the aquatic center at Veyrier with activities for children, and the personal attention!
MORE INFO
HOLMES PLACE – best for the variety of classes and topnotch services
LOCATION
In the centre of town – 50 Rue du Rhône. Also in Lausanne and Zurich.
World-wide access for full-time members to Holmes Place Clubs.
WHO WORKS OUT HERE
Because of its city centre location – the gym is popular with business people who work out during their lunch break of after work. Slightly older demographic than the average lower-cost gym. Lots of expats.
CLAIM TO FAME
Biggest variety of classes and a topnotch gym floor and service – which is what you pay for.
PHILOSOPHY
The aim is to make you enjoy the journey by motivating you to exercise – offering a variety of services and classes.
A dedicated reception department and about 40 personal trainers.
AMBIANCE
Trendy and the place to be seen.
FACILITIES
- State-of-the-art gym equipment on the massive gym floor, including work out equipment connected and integrated with your own activity tracker and other apps. Use your phone to connect via NFC to any of the latest cardio equipment.
- Skillrow – born from the collaboration between Technogym and Olympic rowing champions, allows you to row as if you were rowing in the water. Thanks to the native Skillrow app, it is the first fully connected indoor rowing machine that allows users to perform exercises, challenges, work to set goals and objectives all whilst having fun, as you can compete watching your race on a big screen.
- TEAMBEATS™ combines variety, efficiency and fun in a single workout that is unlike any other group fitness experience. Improve fitness, lose weight and maximise performance by working out to the beat of music tracks. Follow your trainer guidance or a virtual coach on a huge display, do your best and keep up with your classmates!
- Terrace for relaxing on sun loungers and (seasonal) outdoor classes.
- Pilates studio and Indoor cycling
- Physiotherapy, osteopathy and the very first full-body cryotherapy machine in Switzerland
- Café serving Green Gorilla superfood meals – including poké bowls, acai bowls, smoothies and salads
- Spa and jacuzzi
CLASSES
Around 120 classes per week in 3 studios – including many on the weekend – for example 7 on a Saturday.
Classes include world-renowned LesMills classes, indoor cycling, meditation, yoga, Pilates and AirFit (fun trampoline cardio class – one of the classes created by the Holmes Place innovation centre.)
PERSONAL TRAINING
40 personal trainers – during the busy lunchtime hour expect to see up to 25 personal trainers working their charges on the gym floor.
Pilates Studio for private and small group machine training with Cadillac reformer and more.
Personal assessment including postural analysis machine to compile your personal workout programme.
Membership includes a welcome session and support session.
PRICE
1-year membership full-time: CHF189 per month (CHF169- for a 2-year membership)
WHO IS THIS GYM FOR
City workers who want top-of-the-range services and facilities and like a trendy, buzzy gym.
WHAT WE LIKED
We love the variety of the classes and the weekend classes and the cutting edge cardio and strength equipment.
MORE INFO
INDIGO – best for working out (and hanging out) in a beautiful space with stunning views
LOCATION
14 Rue du Rhône, across 2 floors
INDIGO also has a gym in Zurich.
WHO WORKS OUT HERE
City workers, bankers, professionals, traders…
CLAIM TO FAME
Top-level fitness solutions and a focus on relaxation and an element of exclusivity.
PHILOSOPHY
To create not only a place to work out, but a place where you can relax away from the stress of everyday life and build a community of likeminded gym-goers.
AMBIANCE
Bright open, beautiful spaces, a very calm, chilled atmosphere and personal attention
FACILITIES
- Cardio section overlooking Place Fusterie
- State-of-the-art fitness equipment in the light-filled gym area
- Continuous supervision by qualified instructors
- Fully equipped functional training area and a wide range of free weights
- Help yourself to coffee and tea – unlimited
- Fresh towels and Swiss natural mineral water bottles as you enter
- Two terraces with stunning views
- Molton Brown products and luxury details in the changing rooms – everything is provided.
- Rain showers
- Club lounge with free W-lan
- Wellness area with sauna, steam bath and relaxation room
CLASSES
One studio with 40 classes per week including yoga, pilates, boxing, TRX, body art.
Express classes in the training area – for a minimum of 3.
PERSONAL TRAINING
4 Indigo coaches and 3 coaches from outside and one physio, who will assess you and work out a tailor-made programme – 1 free trail session and paid for thereafter.
PRICE
CHF1790 for full-time membership per year.
WHO IS THIS GYM GOOD FOR
If you like to work out in a beautiful space, which is not too busy and want to spend time to relax or hang out after your workout.
WHAT WE LIKED BEST
The views, the light, the attention to details and little luxury touches.
MORE INFO
NON STOP GYM – best for value, no frills
LOCATION
7 clubs in Geneva – Servette, Carouge, Champel, Eaux-Vives, Lancy and Jonction
Your membership is valid at all clubs, including another 7 clubs in Nyon, Lausanne, Fribourg, Biel & Zürich.
WHO WORKS OUT HERE
Mixed from 16 to 78 year olds, but on average younger. Most are regular people looking for a workout, but some (night workers etc) whose schedules only allow these hours and some whose budgets only allow this gym.
CLAIM TO FAME
The best value gym, most accessible. The idea is to make health and fitness available to everyone, whatever your lifestyle, offering a gym at a great price that’s always open.
The hi-tech entry system lets you get in at any time you like, even during the hours without a staff member around.
PHILOSOPHY
You don’t need to pay extra to get fit, work out how and when you want.
AMBIANCE
Functional, bright and very spacious industrial-style spaces. We visited the latest gym in Champel, which is a very inviting, open space with huge windows, overlooking trees.
FACILITIES
- Open 24 hours
- Staffed hours at specific times of the day: 12-14h & 17-20h
- Nice clean changing rooms – just no sauna or free towel.
- Free intro class with personal trainer
- Brand new, world-class equipment – no fussy extras
- Extra security: On top of the personalized entry, facilities are watched via surveillance cameras and there are night-time security visits.
- A woman-only area with direct access from the cloak rooms, which is very popular.
CLASSES
No classes – but there are free group training sessions available in some of the gyms under the guidance of a coach.
PERSONAL TRAINING
One free introduction is offered, thereafter personal training available on request and paid extra.
PRICE
Memberships from CHF49 per month if sign up for a full year’s membership.
WHO THIS GYM IS GOOD FOR
Students, anyone on a budget or who doesn’t value extra personal service when they go to the gym, anyone who wants to exercise at unusual times.
WHAT WE LIKED BEST
We love the concept of exercising when and how you want and the bright, open and inviting spaces.
MORE INFO
LET’S GO FITNESS – best for flexible contracts, access to clubs across Switzerland and free tailored fitness programs
LOCATION
With your Let’s Go Fitness membership you can access all 52 gyms (5 in the canton of Geneva) and more to come – Champel, Eaux-Vives, Nations, Pâquis, Meyrin, Versoix.
WHO WORKS OUT HERE
Everyone. Students, bankers, doctors…The Let’s Go philosophy is that when you’re in a fitness outfit everybody is equal and this is evident as you move throughout the club – there is a great mix of people across all ages and from all walks of life.
CLAIM TO FAME
Quality, quality, quality… People are not looking for low-cost services in Geneva. Quality is very important.
PHILOSOPHY
The aim is to offer a top-of-the range, friendly, well-rounded health and fitness service to help every gym member achieve his or her personal fitness (or health) goals.
AMBIANCE
The Let’s Go Fitness in Champel that we visited has a real buzz to it. The fitness trainer who welcomed us knew every gym member who arrived by his or her first name. “We are a family,” she said.
FACILITIES
- High-end equipment
- Cardio-training space
- Free weights
- Functional training zones,
- Well-being area: sauna, hammam, jacuzzi
- The latest technology
- Parking facilities near most of the clubs
- More than 50 clubs
COMPETITION: WIN ONE MONTH’S FREE WORKOUT WITH LET’S GO FITNESS.
DOWNLOAD a one week FREE workout trial with Let’s Go Fitness and you will automatically be entered into our contest to WIN ONE MONTH’S FREE WORKOUT WITH LET’S GO FITNESS. (3 x monthly workouts up for grabs)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD your one week FREE week trial:
Winners to be decided and notified first of June.
CLASSES
Let’s Go Fitness offers around 20 classes per week per club, featuring a wide selection of interesting and innovative classes such as spinning, CAF, yoga, cross training, aero dance, body combat and even pole dancing!
PERSONAL TRAINING
Let’s Go Fitness is strict on recruitment and only employs instructors who have a diploma in fitness. They are Qualitop certified.
Tailored fitness programs are developed for members, including follow-up sessions to check your personal progress. This follow-up service comes at no extra cost – which is a big plus, if you need guidance to achieve your goals.
Personal training is available at additional cost.
PRICE
One year full membership: CHF1190.
WHO IS THIS GYM GOOD FOR
Anyone looking for an accessible, quality gym with great service, including tailored and monitored fitness programs. This gym is great for anyone who works in Geneva and lives elsewhere, as the access across so many clubs allows you to work out in more than one place.
WHAT WE LIKED BEST
The excellent, user-friendly website, the personal attention and the fact that you can suspend your membership for up to 90 days a year without incurring any additional cost – so, you don’t lose out when you travel.
