Rain Fitness

Cons:
No wifi, internet, phone reception etc. I’m pretty sure you’d have a better chance connecting with the outside world using two tin cans connected by a string.
The locker room was designed by a dick head. There is one shower drain that appears to run down through all the other showers. There are two benches in the mens locker room both barely big enough to fit two men. You end up being uncomfortably close in a huge room. There is so much space between the one little bench and some of the lockers that you end up walking 4 or 5 feet between the bench and your locker.
There is a weird old man in a velvet sweat suit who walks around and is mean to the staff.
The cardio machines rarely get closed captioning or tv chanel

I would not expect a fitness center can effect my life so negatively. I wish I could give them a negative review. They let me lost $ 7000 because of their own mistakes.
I was working in Amazon so the SLU campus so Rain Fitness was only 2 blocks away. Here is what happened when I cancelled my membership:
1) 2012, June — I cancelled my membership. I have a copy of their receipt.
2) 2012, Oct — They said they lost their copy in «corporate» which makes 0 sense to me, so they kept charging me for 3 extra month. Finally their manger sent me email to say «we are going to give me a refund».
3) 2012 — 2013: Refund was a LIE. They kept charging and I had to call the credit card company’s dispute department.
4) Early 2013: They sent my case to Grimm Collection. Since then Grimm Collection people are hunting me.
5) Late 2013: I sent the cancellation receipt to Collection so they stopped calling me.
6) 2013 Dec.: Rain sent the receipt to Grimm Collection AGAIN.
7) 2014 Jan.: When my house in pending and loan broker pulls my credit, I surprising found out Rain re-​fired charge to Grimm Collection and my credit score went from 730+ to 650. Okay, I need to pay an extra $ 7000 to get the loan I could have got when my credit was 730+.
This place really sucks.

Awful techno music. No wi-​fi. Terrible cell reception. Can’t listen to internet radio/​receive a text, etc.
The only thing I really need in a gym is a decent cycling class. There was one that fit my schedule when I started. No one told me the types of classes & times change every month. So I’m left to drag out a heavy bike from the crowded pile in the corner & spin by myself. That would be fine, except the bikes are so low-​tech — there’s no clock, no RPM tracker, no odometer on them. There’s not even a clock on the wall with a second hand.
There’s not enough room in the stretching/​abs area. Again, no clock to time planks/​sit-​ups/​rest.
On the plus side, the equipment is always clean. I like the assortment of free weights & machines. The sauna is nice too.
I’m now about to attempt canceling my membership. Judging from previous reviews, I don’t think this is going to be easy.

Very disappointed that I never received notification from the gym that it is no longer Rain Fitness, but now Soul Fitness. Is it now owned by some religious freak? Who knows…
One day I went to access the Web site and it was gone. Surprised at how bad their process was for rebranding. There was literally no communication to existing members.

The gym is fine, but I need to communicate about my unreasonable membership experience. I signed up a week or two before Thanksgiving break as a new place to shake up my gym routine so I could take classes, talked to the people there about this as a reason for signing up.
Got back from Thanksgiving and all of a sudden, the website doesn’t work and I go into the gym and it has all new branding, it’s a totally different gym called «Soul Fitness»… here’s the best part: most of their classes will now cost EXTRA on top of the membership I’m already paying for! This information totally would have affected my consideration for membership and was not mentioned to me during the sign up process. Additionally, as a member, I received NO communication about this change to the gym.
Sorely disappointed in my experience thus far. The classes I were able to take were good but I guess now I won’t be able to take them anymore… Stuck in a one year contract…

I go to this gym purely for the location. When I checked in today I was given paperwork indicating they are no longer rain fitness, and are now called Soul Fitness. The letter emphatically said there were no changes to rates or terms.
Only now my classes that were free cost a monthly premium. If they can’t even be honest with members on the first day, it doesn’t bode well for the future.

The people who work at this club are jerks, especially the management. After two years of membership I am canceling. The people that work here are unfriendly, give snide looks, ignore your simple requests, hang up on you when on the phone. You’ll be lucky to get a hello or goodbye.
One time I tried to go on a Sunday evening and the guy working was trying to close early and he wouldn’t let me in. Finally another member who was working out let me in and the employee made lame excuses for having the door locked an hour before close.
The same sad mats in the stretching room have been there for four years and are completely torn up and disgusting. I pointed out their worn appearance to the manager and she gave attitude and ignored me.
The cardio equipment doesn’t work properly have the time.
I have the place one star because the locker room has really great soap.

Wish I could rate their service as –ve
Honest review of the gym rather the Gym Manager — Joel. Here is what happened. I signed up for the gym a few months ago and travel a lot of work. So when I asked Joel give me the best deal — in terms of pricing and flexibility to out out/​cancel membership. Joel got us a good price but never even once mentioned it’s a contract that I will be tied to for 1 year, inspite of mentioning and confirming that I will have the option to cancel with two months notice. So I didn’t read the contract [warning never do this!!] and went for a few months. But since I have been travelling a lot of work, I called in to cancel and now he says I can’t cancel since I’m on contract. Basically you cant trust Joel since he was not honest about the cancellation when we signed up. I should have read the contract myself which is entirely my mistake but you CANNOT TRUST HIM!!! So before you sign up please be aware. I am going to cancel my autopay — any thoughts on how I can cancel my membership?

I would like to discourage you from joining Rain Fitness.
The facilities are fine. The staff is friendly.
My cautionary tale has to do with petty and shady billing policies:
My credit card expired and I had forgotten to update the gym with the new info. They charged me a bogus $ 20 late fee when they had to get my new credit card number. I asked them to reverse it and got some B.S. line about it being out of their hands and the bank charges them so they charge me… Unlikely.
Because they clearly wanted my $ 20 more than they wanted by business, I cancelled my membership, but their policy is to dick you out of another two months of payments when you cancel.
I had been a member since they opened the Terry Ave location in 2008, but their greediness to squeeze that extra $ 100 out of me when I left a terrible taste in my mouth and ensures that I will never return, nor will I recommend them to others.

I signed up for a pre-​paid membership of 16 months. I realized that the gym has horrible drowning pump beat music that drives you crazy as you are in the locker room. They gym has a clean appearance, yet the exhaust in the bathrooms is HIGHLY insufficient such that your approach to the room leaves you gasping for air.
The early morning staff is cheery, yet by the afternoon, the staff feels self motivated, east coast and super unfriendly. My membership just expired (thank goodness) and there are several other gyms in the hood that I’ll now choose as an alternative.

I had a Rain membership for just over a year. I enjoyed the club and Michelle’s noon time yoga classes a ton. *****‘s worth for that portion.
The gym is a basic gym. Clean enough and always plenty of machines.
Like many others reported I got the «extra month» added to the end because I didn’t give them «enough notice», billing cycles etc meant that I had access to the club for at least 30 days more than what I needed. I will ding them **‘s as a club for that hence the 3 star rating vs the 4 or 5 stars that Michelle earned for them via her classes. Know this, plan accordingly. Otherwise enjoy your work out it is probably the most reasonable deal in the neighborhood.

You just can’t beat this facility. Rain is a clean well run business with great machines and classes. The people at the front desk are personable and fantastic to work with. The equipment is kept spotless and in excellent working condition and, one aspect of this facility that I love, is that they continue to make changes that make the gym a better place. For example, new paint on the walls, new rooms for up to date fitness experiences and refinishing the floors.
I don’t even live in Seattle but I visit often and this gym is as good as it gets, perhaps even better!
Good work Glen and staff

Like a few others here, I just experienced the «trying to cancel» nightmare. As with others, I was told I had to do in person. I made a special trip to do this. Was told was there «no manager on duty» and manager had to take care of it. Signed a Cancellation Request Form, but couldn’t get copy because it has to have a manager’s signature. Letter to cancel? «Oh, we never received that.»
AVOID THIS GYM AT ALL COSTS!

I signed up for a membership about a year and a half ago, and found it to be an average (fairly crowded) gym. I’ve been traveling a lot over the past six months and decided to close my account. Like other reviewers, this is where my experience with Rain turned from average to nightmare.
The process to close your account is extremely painful and unnecessarily drawn out in what I can only guess is a desperate attempt at squeezing every last dollar out of you that they can.
Call to cancel? Nope. Gotta come in to do that.
Stop by after work? The manager is busy with a customer, would you mind waiting? You can also send a letter to cancel if you like.
Sent the letter? Oh, we haven’t received it yet.
And besides, we can’t close your account while there is a balance due (my credit card had expired the month). So, we’re going to continue charging you for a membership you haven’t used in 6 months.
Wouldn’t it be awesome if you made it easy to manage your account Rain? Like an online interface? Or a simple customer service line? With so much technology available to you, couldn’t you operate more like a customer-​focused service business than the cable company?
Instead, you got an extra $ 100 out of me. And a really unhappy customer.

It’s really unfortunate that I have to write my very first 1-​star post, but this really warrants it and I want to warn others about my experience before they sign their life away.
From a staffing and quality of gym perspective, Rain Fitness has a very good concept going on. It’s modern, clean, and everyone is pretty friendly.
Initially, I was annoyed because they charge for towel service given how expensive their monthly dues already are. For someone who enjoys weight conditioning, they don’t have enough racks for squatting and dead lifting, and a cement floor is not the most common sensed decision for a gym. But these are preferential things I can swallow in exchange for an easy access to a gym.
Now, as I am relocating to California, I am experiencing first-​hand of all the horror stories I chose to neglect in other Unilocal reviews. I am totally paying the consequences for giving this gym the benefit of doubt.
The Club Membership Agreement states in 6(d), «Such evidence shall be either a fully executed residential lease, fully executed residential purchase agreement or a current gas/​water/​electric bill.” — in regards to showing proof of relocation. Not only did they refuse to accept a copy of my sublet agreement in their physical location, I had to mail it in using certified mail.
I was not happy to receive a call to find out my sublet agreement is not a recognized form of residential lease, and that I would have to provide additional evidence for my relocation. I don’t know if any of these people have ever relocated to another state before, but people relocate to temporary housing all the time. If the State of California can recognize a sublet agreement, why can’t a gym? Her next recommendation was to pay through the end of my contract. While that is only two additional months, I refuse to oblige to paying for a service that I will not be able to use.
Dear Rain Fitness, if you think that I’m trying to game your system, my advice to you is to put a little more trust in your customers. You could have lost a customer temporarily, but now you have lost a customer for life.
***UPDATE 9/​2012***
After finally caving in and letting my contract ride out through August, I am STILL being charged for a monthly membership at Rain Fitness. I’ve sent an email to the people I was corresponding with, but looks like their emails bounced.
At this point, I’m feeling very helpless. The BBB did not help and I’m afraid to stop payment because I’ve heard horror stories about people getting sent to collection. Is anyone out there experiencing this? Unilocal community? Please help! :(

I go there. I work out. I come home.
The people at the front desk say hi in a friendly way.
The locker room is clean.
The equipment works.
It’s not crowded when I go around 4 – 5 pm.
Parking is validated at 5. But I just pay for street parking. Sometimes I can find a free street parking.
They have a nice cedar sauna that could a little hotter.
I don’t really like going to the gym in general. But I really hate a meat-​market atmosphere. So I love that the members aren’t there to be pretty.
I don’t go to the classes so I can’t speak to them. I just go to do some cardio and a couple machines and stretch. (I’m kind of a lazy gym-​goer). If they had 4:30 classes, I’d probably go. But whatevs. I get why they don’t: it’s kind of an awkward time.
I wish they would replace their stretching mats. They are getting icky.
Anyway, it’s simple and all I want and that’s what I pay for.

I really want to like this gym, and maybe I was spoiled by the Pro Club, but I just can’t give this place more than 2 stars.
On the good side: The people are friendly and don’t try to pressure you into personal training sessions. The classes are included in the membership fee. The gym is pretty clean. During the middle of the day it doesn’t get that busy. And the nice thing for me, is it is right next to work.
On the negative side: I think it’s a little pricy for what you get. In the evenings it gets busy and is hard to find open equipment. The men’s locker room is a little small, and they only have 4 showers. There have been multiple times that I’ve had to wait for a shower to open up. Also a friend who has a membership there broke his arm. So he asked them if he could transfer his membership to his girlfriend to use while it healed, and they said no. Not the best customer service on that one, as they might have been able to get her to sign up later, and he might cancel now when his membership is up.
The biggest negative about this place, though, is the music they play. I would rather listen to techno dance remakes than the crappy club style, dance, house music they play. My ears will never adjust to the video game sounding with a beat crap that makes me glad I bring headphones and sad that I can’t wear them in the locker rooms when changing, as it’s the only time I’m consistently forced to listen to the crap.

my adventure started with me trying to speak to someone about becoming a member. I go in day one and am told there is only 1 person who talks to perspective members (interesting given getting new members is kinda a key part of business) and i’d have to wait 20mins… so i leave and come back a week later and am told that there is NO one available to talk to me about a membership and the desk person isn’t allowed to give my any information or talk to me about the club… OKAY.
So i call the Queen Anne club thinking that the management there MUST care. All i get are excuses but the woman does offer to meet at the club the next day. So, given my already bad experience I decide to come on Unilocal and check them out. Wow, there are some unhappy people (some with some very valid points) and double WOW they have an F/​D rating with the BBB!
So, meet with Taylor today. Nice enough, but not too bright. I bring up the Unilocal reviews and BBB ratings. She says that its just angry bitter people and all clubs have those. I say yes, but you guys have a lot and those other clubs dont have F/​D ratings with the BBB. Her response about BBB? «Oh, well, the BBB requires you to work with the people that complain and you cant please some people». Honey, you DO REALIZE that tons of businesses manage to not have a F/​D rating.
Icing on cake? they don’t ‘do’ week trial memberships. Oh, so I’m supposed to just sign-​up with you with all these bad reviews, the BBB rating and my personal bad experience so far WITHOUT ever being allowed to try the place out? OH, and i’m guessing you have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell me too?
So yes, I did not join. I’ll continue to walk the extra 3blks to All Star Fitness.

After many years as a member of LA Fitness I had to look for a new gym since I moved from one side of Lk Union to the other and it took way too long to get to/​from the gym on the bus. I’d read numerous bad reviews of Rain — most of them regarding shady financial practices, plus a friend of mine had gotten screwed by the Queen Anne location. BUT I decided to take a look anyways since my boyfriend already joined, another friend is a member and said it was really nice, and most importantly, Rain is within walking distance from my work.
I was met by James, who I believe is the manager. He showed me around and was very friendly. The gym is in great condition, which impressed me since I’ve seen how quickly the new LAF has fallen into a state of disrepair. I did have some hesitations, however, as the gym is smaller than I expected and did not have many weight machines I use. I knew it would be more expensive than LAF, and for the money I feel I should get more equipment instead of less. I think James sensed this and moved into a more aggressive sales pitch. When he handed me the enrollment form I said I’d like to look at a couple other gyms first. I mentioned 24 Hour Fitness and he bluntly stated that the place was crap and I’d hate it.* I then explained that payday was Wed and I couldn’t afford to join that day anyways. James became quite persuasive, telling me he really wanted me to join and that if I gave him my info he would make sure the transaction wouldn’t go through until Fri AND I could change my mind up until that point. LIKE A FOOL, I believed him. Here’s what happened next:
– Mon June 13: About two hours later James called and said the girl at the desk «accidentally» put my card through. OOPS! I called my friend that had belonged to the QA Rain and she said that’s exactly what happened to her. My, what alot of accidents you have! After getting off the phone with Chase bank, I called James and told him that I wanted the charge reversed and didn’t want to wait for a refund. Because of the other reviews and my friend’s horror story, I knew a refund could take months and way too much effort. James told me to come in the next day to sign something and it would be taken care of. BTW, first and last month’s charges plus a processing fee (but no ridiculously expensive enrollment fee with a SLU card!!) was about $ 177. The charge was pending and had not actually gone through when I checked at the end of the day.
– Tues June 14: The charge was still pending when I went back to Rain on my lunch break. I was expecting James to try to convince me to stay by offering me some deal, but he was just like «Sorry this happened, I understand that you no longer want to join.» I signed a «Request to Stop Rain Fitness Membership Dues» form and James confirmed that my sign-​up was null and void.
– Wed June 15: Much to my dismay, the charge posted AFTER I signed the cancellation form! I also realized that while I’d canceled the never — really — begun membership, James did not explicitly state that my full amount would be refunded. I called and left a message for him but he did not return my call.
– Thurs June 16: I checked the BBB website and saw that both Rain locations have many (unresolved) complaints and the QA location has an F rating. Why am I not surprised?
– Sun June 19: I received an alert from Chase, checked my account, and saw that Rain was attempting to CHARGE ME THE FULL AMOUNT AGAIN! WTF? I called Rain and spoke to CJ. He told me he would contact Glen and get it sorted out. I had very little faith in this as Glen’s name was already known to me from the reviews. Glen is the notoriously impossible to get ahold of owner/​manager of the QA gym. The matter of getting back $ 350 was now in his dishonest hands.
– Mon June 20: CJ called and told me Glen had refunded me on Sunday. As far as I know, charging someone twice is not the same as a refund, right? I will add that CJ was polite, proactive, and professional. He may be one of Glen’s pawns but at least he acted like he cared.
– Tues June 21: The second charge was still pending and I did not have a refund for the first charge. I left a message for Glen. But of course he did not return my call. He must have been too busy stealing money from people!
– Wed June 22: Same as above except this time CJ again insisted Glen had refunded me on Sun. Must’ve been another «accident» that I got charged again instead of refunded.
– Thurs June 23: No word from Rain, but the first charge was refunded and the second one disappeared. If anything changes I will be reporting them to the BBB ASAP.
4 Stars for being a lovely gym, 3 for being too small and expensive, 1 for refunding me in days instead of weeks, 0 for unscrupulous business practices.
*I joined 24 Hour last week, worked out yesterday, and hated nothing. They have more equipment than any gym I’ve ever been to and cost less than Rain and LAF.

Most well-​maintained gym in Seattle. Never crowded, no waits on machines. Friendly and accommodating staff.
PS…this is a gym, not the Washington Athletic Club.