What a good tour should show you
What should a good gym tour show you?
Every area you would use, at the hour you would use it, including the parts gyms are less keen to show: the changing area, the lockers and the route to a women-only section if you need one. A good guide lets you stop, look closely and ask, and never steers you away from a space. If an area is skipped, ask to see it, and count a refusal as information.
Work through the stops below in order. Each lists what good looks like and what should worry you. Talking to staff is a separate job with its own question bank. This page is about what your eyes and hands can check.
On RPM's free guided tour a member of the team walks you round the club. It is a walk-through, not a workout, so use it to inspect, and ask to stop at any area on this list.
Arrival: from the car park to reception
| Check | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Signs from the car park | Clear signs to the lift or the gym | You have to ask security for directions |
| The way in | A short, covered route, which matters from May to September | A long walk outdoors or through a loading area |
| Lift and lobby | Working lifts and the gym's level clearly marked | Lifts out of order, or stairs as the only option |
| Check-in | Quick entry at the desk or a gate | A queue at the desk at your training hour |
| Route to a women-only space | A way to reach it without crossing the mixed floor | Women walk through the mixed area to get there |
At RPM there is free on-site parking at AD HUB, and a lift takes you up to the club on Level 4. Check the walk from your space to the lift as you would anywhere.
The training floor and its equipment
Stand at the edge of the floor for a minute before you walk in. At your hour, count how many people are waiting for a rack, a bench or a cable station. Then test a few things with your hands, with the guide's permission.
| Area | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbells | Pairs racked in order, no gaps in your range | Odd pairs, gaps, dumbbells left on the floor |
| Racks and barbells | Collars on hand, safety arms fitted, plates stored on the rack | Bars without collars, plates stacked on the floor |
| Benches | Steady frames, intact padding, adjusters that lock | Wobbly frames, split vinyl, taped repairs |
| Cable stations | Smooth pulls, handles in place, no fraying | Frayed cables, missing handles, jerky weight stacks |
| Plate-loaded machines | Seats adjust easily and nothing rattles | Seized adjusters, missing pins, loose bolts |
| Cardio | Screens work, belts run smoothly, safety clips present | Paper out-of-order signs, slipping belts |
| Functional area | Turf intact, kit put away, room to push a sled | Torn turf, gear piled in corners |
One out-of-order sign is normal in a busy gym. Several, with old dates on them, suggest repairs are slow.
Cleaning you can judge in five minutes
- Wipe or spray stations are stocked, and people actually use them.
- A cleaner is visible on the floor during your hour, not only before opening.
- Bins are emptied, and water fountains and mirrors are clean.
- The smell at the door of the changing area tells you more than any brochure.
- The air feels fresh. In summer the air conditioning works hard, and a stuffy studio or a damp changing area shows it is struggling.
- Upholstery is wiped after use, rather than sprayed and left wet.
Changing area and lockers
Ask to see the changing area even if the guide does not offer. Many gyms cut corners here, and it is the room you will use on every visit.
| Check | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Floors and drains | Dry floors, clear drains, clean grout | Standing water, mould, blocked drains |
| Ask to see the showers | Clean cubicles in working order | Broken fittings or cubicles out of use |
| Lockers | Locks that work and room for a work bag | Broken locks or lockers too small for a bag |
| Vanity area | Hairdryers that work, clean counters, enough mirror space | Dead sockets, clutter, a queue for the mirror |
| Ask about towels | A plain answer to: are towels provided, or do I bring my own? | No clear answer |
Lockers deserve a closer look in Abu Dhabi, where many people train before or after the office. Check whether a kandura, an abaya or a shirt can hang without creasing. RPM's changing area has keypad lockers, and its grooming hub has a vanity area with hairdryers and products.
Studios and the women-only space
If you will take classes, look into the studio while a class is running. Check the floor, the mirrors and the space between people. For Pilates, look closely at the apparatus: springs, straps and upholstery should be in good order, with nothing patched with tape.
For a women-only space, check how you reach it, whether windows or glass walls look into it, what equipment it has compared with the mixed floor, and who works there. At RPM the Ladies section is for women only, with its own strength and cardio equipment and the Pilates studio, and female coaches on the roster work there. The studio photos show reformers, some with towers, plus trapeze-table frames and a ladder barrel, so ask which apparatus a session uses. The privacy questions for women-only sections go further.
Recovery rooms
If a sauna, steam room or ice bath is part of why you would join, look inside each one. Benches should be clean and intact, rules for use should be posted, and someone should check the rooms during the day. Ask which memberships include them, because some gyms keep recovery rooms for higher tiers.
Heat and cold are not suitable for everyone. If you are pregnant or have a heart or blood-pressure condition, ask your doctor before using a sauna, steam room or ice bath. RPM's recovery suite has a Finnish sauna, an aroma steam room and an ice bath, and the team can tell you which tiers or passes include it.
Score each area before you leave
Fill this in before you drive away, while the visit is fresh, and use the same sheet at every gym on your list.
| Area | Score 1 to 5 | What decided the score |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival and route in | ||
| Floor at my hour | ||
| Equipment condition | ||
| Cleaning | ||
| Changing area and lockers | ||
| Studio or women-only space | ||
| Recovery rooms | ||
| How the guide handled my requests |
A scorecard shows how one gym performed on the day. To weigh several gyms against your own goals, carry the scores into the facility comparison matrix.
Questions, answered.
Can I take photos on a gym tour?
Ask first. Many gyms are fine with photos of a quiet training floor, but never photograph people without consent, and never take a camera into a changing area.
What if the gym looks spotless but empty?
An empty gym at tour time says little about your hour. Ask when it is busiest and, if you can, come back briefly at your training time before deciding.
Can I try the equipment during the tour?
Sitting on a bench or pulling a cable handle is usually fine if you ask. A real workout needs a trial session or short-term access, so ask whether either is available. At RPM the tour itself is a walk-through.
How can a man check a women-only section for his wife or daughter?
He cannot go in, and should not expect to. She needs to see it herself on her own tour. At RPM the Ladies section is for women only.
Is a newer gym always in better condition?
No. A recently opened gym can already show wear if maintenance is slow, and an older one can be in excellent order. Judge what you see on the day.