While Pilates is a great workout, and I enjoy that part of it, the companies business tactics are sketchy. When you sign on, they never actually hand you a copy of the contract and they never give you a copy of anything that they ask you to sign. Often times their words are different from what they’re asking you to sign. They give you an online app, that has everything available to you, however, there is no way to access your contract on there. Everything is very vague. They also have a cancellation button, but once you click the cancellation button button, you have to actually go in to cancel. Then when you go to cancel, they charge you another month. This is why the cancellation button is there, to trick you.
Everything they do is a scam to getting more money for free. I would definitely never do business with them, again no other gym or work out facility that I’ve been to in my 50 years. Does this kind of business.
RD
Randi D.
I went to the introductory session
I went to the introductory session. Instructor not very helpful as it was my very first time. She called the following day suggesting private lessons. $$$.
This club was on my insurance. I also asked if a private lesson could be shared. Received a really rude message that insurance no longer covered Club Pilates and my membership was null and void. It doesn't consider everyone's level. Better be in good shape before you go. I would never recommend this place to anyone.
PO
Pat O.
I had high hopes for this club
I had high hopes for this club, but have been very disappointed. The classes/instructors are good enough but scheduling them is a nightmare. By the time your credits refill, the classes are waitlisted - so you are never really sure if you will get in. Then this morning, I woke to a message stating my next week's class was cancelled. They said it was a software glitch in the middle of the night and they were unable to do anything about it, but I'd likely get in anyway being on the waitlist. Not good enough. Bad business practice. I'd suggest searching for a more peaceful place to spend $30/hour on a workout.
JY
Jasmin Y.
I had a 8 classes a month subscription…
I had a 8 classes a month subscription for 3 months and then it changed to monthly subscription. My 3 first month subscription classes was just ok because was hard to get into a class that match with my work schedule and credit classes are not rolling to the next month. Then I had a month to month subscription, I had an automatic payment. 20 days before finishing my month I wrote them to stop my automatic payment but they said I had to pay the next month because it has to be 30 days notice. I understand the 30 days notice if you have a long subscription agreement but a monthly agreement? Come on! My actual month I paid it but once finished I am not interested in another month. Anyway, I had to pay a month of classes that it was not possible for me to go and they do not do rollovers so I can use my paid classes when I can.
Terrible politics!!!
CC
Christa C.
False advertising
False advertising. When I joined and purchased the unlimited class membership, I was told it could be used at any Club Pilates Studios. I tried to sign up for classes at a nearby studio, about 5-7 miles away and was told that was different franchise and cannot.
It's VERY difficult to get classes, you're just waitlisted or there's only easy classes, which aren't challenging nor a workout. Very disappointing for the cost.
GI
Gina
Not practical if you work for a living
Not practical if you work for a living. The evening classes are always full, credits do not roll over to the next month if not used. How can you use a credit if the only available time slots are at 10 am and noon when you work 8 to 5? Cancelling a membership is also a scam. You have to talk to a manager over the phone but the manager is only there for 2 hours on certain days. Avoid at all costs.
SS
Sara S.
Avoid this place like the plague!
This review is specifically for Club Pilates Burke
Avoid this place like the plague!
If I can give this awful place no stars, I would do it. I’m so shocked that this establishment has “5 star” reviews on Google! They must be phony because I have heard rumblings among members about this place. The owner Julie Karickhof who runs this place is awful and trains her employees to be rude and disrespectful to customers.
The so-called “General Manager” is Larry who has a super awful attitude just like the owner. If you are not white or East Asian, expect to be treated badly at this establishment. I believe the owner has prejudice against people of color based on preconceived prejudice and it’s reflected in the people she hires. I have noticed that this club is full of white and Asian clients and I’m usually the only brown person in the class most of the time. I’m quite sure the owner is going to respond to this trying to discredit me because that’s what she did when her staff treated me terribly.
I pay $200 a month for my membership with this place and got treated terribly! I noticed that Julie, the owner was filming around me when she was taking videos of the class for IG and Tiktok. It was almost like she didn’t want me to be seen in her videos. I thought that it was just a coincidence until it happened more than 3 times! I also noticed that she was filming the whole studio and all the clients in all her other videos of classes in which I wasn’t.
I thought they are just people with bad personalities until a few incidences confirmed it's more than that. The club recently introduced a policy that members must arrive on time and if they are more than 5 minutes late, the front desk staff won’t let them take the class. This is a real problem for busy customers who sometimes, run about 7 or 10 minutes late. Personally, I have never been more than 3 minutes late. Usually, I’m early or on time. I have seen other members who kept coming in about 7 minutes late and not getting tuned away. I was running 2 minutes late one day and the front desk girl was super rude to me and asked me to leave. She almost seemed to have a personal issue with me being only 2 minutes late! The instructor asked me a few days later why I left, and she was shocked to hear that I was asked to leave. I called Julie and she sounded annoyed that I called because she didn’t want to handle customer complaints.
Recently, I had to buy a pair of toe socks from Club Pilates Burke. The receptionist was on the phone as always. I showed her the socks and she waved at me to indicate that she will charge me when she got off the phone. When the class was over, I asked if she charged me and she had forgotten. I did her job for her that time. The second time I had to buy socks, she was the phone again and I asked her to charge my account. I thought she did, especially, since I had bought socks from her before and I’m easy to remember as the only token brown person in the class. When I showed up to class a few days later, I was treated with judgement because their receptionist forgot to charge my account again! Larry, talked to me in a condescending manner as if I couldn't pay $20 for socks when I was paying $200 for the membership! When messaged Julie she responded saying that her time is valuable and can’t talk on the phone. She finally called me and accused me of being "chronically late to class" when I wasn't and blamed me for her staff member’s failure. She also asked me to leave her club because I wasn’t happy. Yes, that was her solution! She further stated that she doesn’t like to bother with handling the club and wants her employees to be able to run it. She said that doesn’t want her staff to feel uncomfortable! She told me in a condescending tone that a YMCA might be a better option for me and not a boutique club! Yes, that’s exactly what she said! If she says things like that to customers in the age of social media, can you imagine what she must say behind closed doors? I told her that I would like to leave her Club Pilates and join another one in the area! Avoid this place like the plague!
IP
Irina P.
Horrible place
Horrible place. You pay 200 dollars each month for a wait list, You have to book a couple weeks before, but who knows what my schedule will be permitting. Sometimes I couldn’t book a space class for two weeks. And now they are giving heard time with cancellations. Greedy . Lincolnshire location