Gold's Gym Sosua

IslandPrincess

New member
Jun 16, 2008
83
14
0
I know they are opening a Gold's gym in Sosua Inside the Sosua Ocean Village Project. I heard a rumor that they are charging $1000usd as a downpayment for their membership plus monthly fees, is this true? Has anyone been there yet or spoken with the management? I am Curious..I can understand 1000 Peso, but Dollars?? That can't be right.
 

DRob

Gold
Aug 15, 2007
8,234
594
113
I know they are opening a Gold's gym in Sosua Inside the Sosua Ocean Village Project. I heard a rumor that they are charging $1000usd as a downpayment for their membership plus monthly fees, is this true? Has anyone been there yet or spoken with the management? I am Curious..I can understand 1000 Peso, but Dollars?? That can't be right.

Pesos is far more likely. There's probably no gym in the US (that's not part of a country club) with a membership fee that high. Certainly nothing in Gold's system.

DRob
 

IslandPrincess

New member
Jun 16, 2008
83
14
0
That's what I said

But I have 3 people who INSIST that its in dollars. This is what prompted the question. Anyone who was/has is working for Sosua Ocean Village/Gold's gym please reply.
 

La Verdad

New member
Jan 4, 2009
74
26
0
The Sports Club/LA is over USD$1,000 to join, and $170/month dues.
Sosua Ocean Village is Russian, so nothing would surprise me there!

L V
 

Big Dan

New member
Feb 14, 2009
370
19
0
Recurring fees are the bane of Gold's Gym memberships in the U.S. Fees are either charged directly to your credit card or taken from your checking account. 2 Year membership contracts are the rule of the day, and membership fees vary.

If you are committed to working out as a lifestyle choice for the rest of your life maybe it isn't a big deal. If you are an impulsive kind of person you may be sorry you joined as you will be charged for 2 years, and even in the U.S. it proves difficult to get that membership canceled early.
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
429
0
Santiago
Golds gym in Santiago charges like RD8k for the intial fee and RD1600 a month. Better rates can be had through forming groups.
 
Aug 21, 2007
3,043
1,970
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Could be wrong....but it is my understanding that the $1000USD gives you access to their entire facility, lap pool, water slide pool, infinity pool, and eventually, the club house, in addition to Gold's Gym. Where I come from, it is not unusual for a private club to charge as much as $15,000 for membership, so $1000 sounds very reasonable to me.
 

jrhartley

Gold
Sep 10, 2008
8,190
580
0
64
lol well I suppose they would rather have one rich person joining than 20 not so rich - I wouldnt pay that much for the pain involved in working out, just fill two clorox bottles with sand and power walk along the beach with them
 

DRob

Gold
Aug 15, 2007
8,234
594
113
Could be wrong....but it is my understanding that the $1000USD gives you access to their entire facility, lap pool, water slide pool, infinity pool, and eventually, the club house, in addition to Gold's Gym. Where I come from, it is not unusual for a private club to charge as much as $15,000 for membership, so $1000 sounds very reasonable to me.

Clearly, this is a departure from the traditional Gold's Gym model. I suppose, it's similar to the Papa John's discussion in another thread, where the SD location is actually a very nice sit-down location, and TGI Friday's in Santiago appears to be the toast of the town.

While I am aware of $15k-150k memberships, they are usually for more traditional country or private club memberships. In NA, Gold's is one of many mass-market gyms which has carved a niche by focusing on younger, more intense workout enthusiasts. It is not by any means going to be confused for Augusta or the Harvard Club.

That said, the Santiago location was one of the nicer ones I've seen in any country, and given the lack of first class workout facilities for residents on the North Coast, will enjoy something of a de facto monopoly there. Hope they've done their homework on pricing and know that there's a real market there.
 

IslandPrincess

New member
Jun 16, 2008
83
14
0
Ahhhh

Could be wrong....but it is my understanding that the $1000USD gives you access to their entire facility, lap pool, water slide pool, infinity pool, and eventually, the club house, in addition to Gold's Gym. Where I come from, it is not unusual for a private club to charge as much as $15,000 for membership, so $1000 sounds very reasonable to me.

That makes more sense. I heard it was just for the gym membership. I guess maybe you can't pay for only the gym membership and you have to buy into the community. I get it now. thanks!
 

DavidZ

Silver
Aug 29, 2005
3,512
238
63
www.vipcigartours.com
I am looking at the price list right now. Apparently they have no separate membership for just the gym...membership also includes the beach/pool club and "aquapark". The fee is $1000 per year for a pincipal member and $800 for additional members. It does not appear to be an initiation fee, but a yearly membership. They also have 1,3, and 6 month rates as well as a daily rate: $10 for gym and pool, additional $10 for beach/pool/aquapark.

Ive heard there is a discount for owners/residents of S.O.V.

Seems like an odd (and high) pricing model...I guess they're putting a lot of value on the additional amenities...
 
Aug 21, 2007
3,043
1,970
113
I checked their website and did a Google translate from Russian to English. This, apparently is what is included in the membership.

"Unique projects, members of the Casa Club, designed for your comfort:
Fitness Gold's GYM global standard with the latest models of simulators;
Prestigious SPA salon with new methods of care for face and body;
The luxurious Italian restaurant on the shores of the ocean ?Al Porto?;
Aqua park with several slides for adults and children;
Tennis Courts;
Hall of video games for all;
And especially for your kids - children's village. "

If any of you have not been inside the complex, it is impressive and has more plans in the works......I was told yesterday that they purchased a strip of land to the east where they are going to build a colonial village with a shopping mall and grocery store.

I tried to call the number or the business card given to me to confirm the cost of membership and what, if anything, is involved beyond the initial fee, but their office must be closed today.

I am in no way connected to this project. We have gone there to eat a couple of times and made inquiries about the condos and other amenities. In no way do I mean to be pretentious. For my own situation, it makes more sense to spend $1,000 a year to take advantage of the facility, rather than potentially over extend myself by purchasing one of their condos or townhouses.

I encourage any and all of you to visit the development and see for yourself.
It will give you a better understanding of what they are undertaking.

And the restaurant is great!

Lindsey
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
8,367
842
113
Its not for me at this time

The membership price for this gym is rediculous. There are three pretty good gyms in this small town, DLouis, Golden Park and Platinums. I have listed the three in order of price. This gym is a blatant attempt to sell a "lifestyle" via an inflated membership fee. The food is not that great, (I ate there on Saturday) There are lots of pools in Sosua and we have a wonderful clean ocean to swim in if you go down to Sosua beach. A gym is a gym and no attempt to try and connect it to a "lifestyle" changes that fact. They open the door this Saturday. I see two possible futures. One is that they come down to earth and make a genuine honest effort to attract members with a no frills reasonable membership price, (unlikely considering the Gold's Gym franchise fees they have to pay) and two they will be selling their equipment to the other local gyms and turn this facility into another clubhouse.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
83
I agree with zoomzx11, the food is not that great. I ate there Tuesday night.

There is a very large pool and an interesting waterpark that would especially appeal to the kids, and you get to use their club.

The gym seems to be well equipped and the machines are more heavily padded than are the machines at the other gyms, including Platinum, the new gym on 3rd floor of casino.

Unless you really think that you want to make use of all the extras, yiou are better off at one of the other gyms. I'm going to Platinum, enjoy the AC and view, and meeting all my exercise needs with the machines and free weights provided.
 

aross

New member
Nov 15, 2007
451
75
0
... the food is not that great. I ate there Tuesday night.

4 of us had early drinks and a couple of hors d'oeuvres and a pizza yesterday late afternoon and the food was very good. However the drinks were not great. A very dry martini tasted like pure sweet vermouth and a rum and orange juice tasted like orange juice. However they were very good about it and replaced both with the proper ingredients.
 

FritoBandito

Bronze
Dec 19, 2009
681
34
0
Does anyone know the current price of a day pass for Gold's Gym at Ocean Village? I am passing through town and would enjoy a workout if it is feasible.

When I was there last, about 4 years ago, it was like $10-12 American, I do clearly remember it was an outrageous price.

Go to Platinums gym, 4th floor of the Sosua Casino building.....take the elevator. It's only like 100 pesos for a workout there. They have cardio equipment, weight machines, and free weights......it's a pretty well equipped gym, all things considered.
During the day it's mostly expats and tourists working out there, in the evening it's about 50/50 Dominicans and ex-pats and tourists.