VillaSport Athletic Club

Yesterday, our family decided to join the new gym in town, VillaSport Athletic Club.  We had been getting mailings from them for months and I thought about joining back when they were offering 50% off the enrollment fee, but it is hard to commit to a new gym without seeing it.  Before opening, the discount on the enrollment fee was only 20% off, so I thought that I should at least get that savings if I was going to do it.  I toured last week and was really impressed, but just wasn't ready to pull the trigger because I have been getting back into Bikram and have been doing a ton of Pilates in addition to cardio.  My three year old was all set to join; he loved everything about it, but back and forth I went, should I or shouldn't I?  So I brought MrRuckus with me yesterday to help me decide.  I didn't think that he was going to join with me because he has such limited free time and never comes to the gym.

Well, all it took was a tour for MrRuckus to decide that this is the place that will change his habits and make him "want to work out".   Today was the opening day so we were there!  This place really is fantastic.  It is like belonging to a great resort.  First of all, it is HUGE so there is plenty of space for everything.  The VillaKids area is really innovative.  They separate the kids by ages, so that there is a dedicated baby room complete with cribs, swings and toys. Then there is a toddler area, a pre-school area, a school age area, a computer lab, a "gym", an art studio, an enormous indoor play structure, an outdoor area, and a movie theater.  The kids switch around every half hour and get to do lots of different activities.  I didn't bring my son yet, but my daughter did great in the baby room playing with all of the toys.  The woman in there gave me a written report of what she did.  Impressive.

The gyms for volleyball and basketball are downstairs as well as all of the weight and resistance equipment.  Every kind of weight equipment you could want is there, and there is lots of room to move around.  Upstairs are all of the studios as well as dozens of every kind of cardio equipment you could want.  There is a dedicated Pilates studio with reformer/tower combinations as well as pilates chairs (yay! can't wait).  Next to that is a lovely yoga studio, a spin studio and another multipurpose studio, which I was in today for Body Pump.

Downstairs is a full service spa, which is really lovely.  Members receive discounted rates for spa services.  I can't wait to have a facial and a mani/pedi without having to arrange for childcare.  The locker rooms are like spa locker rooms.  There is a lounge area with tons of magazines and a large plasma TV as well as a beautiful sauna and a large steam room.  (The men's sauna has a plamsa in it.  How come the ladies don't get that?) You don't have to bring your towel or your products, as these are all stocked.  Each locker room has a huge saltwater jacuzzi and then leads out to the pool areas.

There are indoor and outdoor pool areas.  Inside, there is a zero entry kids' pool with two waterslides, a large jacuzzi, and a lap pool.  Outside is a huge waterpark pool with enormous waterslides and a kids' play structure and an adult area with a lap pool and enormous jacuzzi.  After our workouts, my husband and I sat in the jacuzzi and remarked that it was like belonging to a great resort.  Oh, there is a snack bar outside that has a good menu as well as smoothies and "real drinks".  There is another snack bar inside with all of that PLUS a Starbucks.  

I might go back later today just to take the kids in the pools.  Will definitely be back tomorrow.  Color me happy!