Included, extra or not offered
Premium clubs tend to list a lot of facilities. What matters is which of them your fee covers. For every item on the checklist below, get one of three answers: included in my tier, available at extra cost, or not offered at all.
| Answer | What to write down |
|---|---|
| Included | The item and any limit, such as a number of sessions or restricted hours |
| Extra cost | The price per use or per package, so you can add it to the total |
| Not offered | Cross it off, and decide whether you can live without it |
At RPM, what each of the three membership tiers includes is confirmed on enquiry, and prices are not published online. Take the checklist into that conversation.
The inclusions checklist
| Inclusion | What premium usually means | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Training floor | Access at all opening hours, with free weights, machines and cardio kept in working order | Are any hours or areas restricted on my tier? |
| Induction and programme | A first session that sets up a written plan | Is it included, and is the plan reviewed later? |
| Coaching | Scheduled check-ins, a coached programme or a set number of one-to-one sessions | How many sessions, how long, and do unused ones expire? |
| Group classes | A published timetable you can book into | Which classes are included, and how far ahead can I book? |
| Studios | Sessions in a Pilates or other studio, included or charged per session | Is studio time part of my tier or paid separately? |
| Recovery rooms | Sauna, steam room or cold plunge access | Which tiers include them, and at what times? |
| Changing and grooming | Lockers, a vanity area, hairdryers and products | How do the lockers work, and are toiletries supplied? |
| Towels | Practice varies, even among premium clubs | Are towels provided, or do I bring my own? |
| Women-only space | A separate section for women who want one | Which sections does my membership cover? |
| Parking | Parking that does not add a daily cost | Does parking cost extra, and is there space at my hour? |
| Guest visits | A few guest passes a year, or a fixed guest fee | How many guests, how often, and at what cost? |
| Freezes | A pause for travel or illness without losing months | How long, how often, and at what cost? |
Heat and cold rooms do not suit everyone. If you are pregnant or have a heart condition, talk to your doctor before counting them as a reason to pay more.
Signs the premium is real
A premium price can sit on top of an ordinary club. These are signs that the extra money goes into things you will use.
- Equipment that works. Ask how fast broken machines are repaired, and look for out-of-order signs on your tour.
- Space at your hour. A premium club should not feel like a queue at peak time, so visit when you would train.
- Coaching that is part of the service, rather than a sales pitch at every visit.
- A women-only section that matches the mixed floor, if the club has one, rather than a corner with light dumbbells.
- Changing areas cleaned through the day, with somewhere to get ready for work.
- Terms written down for your tier, including what happens when you travel.
Match the inclusions to how you train
| You mostly | Inclusions that matter most | Inclusions you can skip |
|---|---|---|
| Lift on your own | Racks, free weights, lockers and floor access at every hour | Classes and studio sessions |
| Want a plan written for you | Induction, a coached programme, regular reviews | Extra recovery access |
| Do Pilates | Studio sessions with instruction, and a women-only section if you need one | Heavy free weights |
| Train for HYROX-style events | A functional area with a sled lane, conditioning coaching | Grooming extras |
| Train before the office | Lockers, a grooming area, towels (ask about them) | Late-evening classes |
| Train as a couple | Sections that suit you both, plus guest terms | Anything only one of you will use |
Pay for the lines in the middle column. A long list in the right-hand column suggests that a cheaper tier, or a different club, may suit you better.
RPM's three tiers and what each is built around
RPM has three tiers, and they differ mainly in how much coaching is built in.
| Tier | Built around | Confirm with the team |
|---|---|---|
| Floor | The training floor | Which sections and rooms the tier covers |
| Engine | The floor plus coached programming | How the programme is set and reviewed |
| Atelier | One-to-one coaching | How sessions are booked, and how many are included |
Around the tiers, the club has a Mixed section and a separate women-only Ladies section with its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio, where reformer classes run. There is a recovery suite with a Finnish sauna, an aroma steam room and an ice bath, a grooming hub with hairdryers and products, keypad lockers in the changing area and free on-site parking at AD HUB. Which of these each tier includes is confirmed on enquiry, so ask rather than assume.
Terms that belong in a premium package
Inclusions are half the picture. A premium membership also needs terms that fit life in Abu Dhabi, where many members travel for weeks in summer and timetables shift in Ramadan.
- A freeze for travel that moves your end date back, so you do not lose months.
- Guest visits, so a spouse or a visiting friend can train with you.
- Clear notice and cancellation terms, including what happens if you leave the UAE.
- Written confirmation of what your tier includes, so a change of staff does not change your membership.
The full list of terms to get in writing is in the contract checklist. RPM's team confirms its terms when you ask, so request them in writing.
A message to send before your tour
Paste these into WhatsApp before you visit any club, and name the tier you are considering.
- Which areas does this tier include: training floor, classes, studio, recovery rooms, women-only section?
- Is coaching included, and if so, how many sessions or reviews?
- Are towels provided, and are toiletries supplied in the changing area?
- How many guest visits are included, and what do extra ones cost?
- Can I freeze for summer travel, for how long, and at what cost?
- What is the total price for the term, including any joining fee?
A club that answers all six in writing has given you what you need to compare it. One that will not is asking you to pay a premium for unknowns.
Questions, answered.
Should towels come with a premium membership?
It is reasonable to expect them at a premium price, but practice varies, so ask whether the club supplies them rather than assuming. If they are not, count the hassle of carrying your own every day.
Is personal training ever included in the price?
Some premium tiers include a set number of coached sessions. Ask how many, how long each one lasts and whether unused sessions expire. At RPM, Atelier is the tier built around one-to-one coaching, and what it includes is confirmed on enquiry.
Does a premium club mean fewer people on the floor?
Not necessarily. Price and crowding are separate questions. Visit at the hour you would train and see for yourself.
What if a club will not list what is included?
Count anything unwritten as not included. A club that is confident in its package can put it in a message.
Can a membership at RPM cover both sections?
Men train in the Mixed section, and the Ladies section is for women only. Which sections a woman's membership covers depends on the tier, so confirm it with the team.