Life Time

Cool gym. Great energy. I took a private Pilates intro class with Cassondra Housek and have been working with her one-on-one since. She is the BEST - love her amazing expert personal attention and dedication. Highly recommend!

I don’t write reviews lightly—especially negative ones—but this location deserves honest feedback. I’ve been a Life Time member on and off since I was a kid, starting in the suburbs of Houston. I’ve belonged in multiple cities, used LifeWork spaces, spent thousands per year on personal training, and countless dollars on spa services. By any definition, I’m a high-utilization, loyal customer and a genuine fan of the brand. The Chicago River North location is the biggest disappointment I’ve had with Life Time. From the start, the experience was poor. When I first toured before relocating to Chicago, the front desk manager rushed me through the building as if it were on fire—no real explanation, no attempt to sell the experience, no hospitality. That should have been a warning sign. Within my first two visits, I had two items stolen: A $370 pair of Sony in-ear headphones (gone after stepping away for under five minutes to get water) A $225 Canada Goose toque, taken from a bench while I briefly stepped on the scale These were not misplaced—they were stolen. That speaks volumes about the environment and lack of oversight. Beyond that, the club is consistently overcrowded, dirty, and disorganized, and staff interactions are largely unhelpful. For a gym positioned as a premium urban location, it simply does not meet the standard Life Time sets elsewhere. The spa experience is especially underwhelming. At Houston locations like Green Street and The Woodlands, you’re greeted, given robes and slippers, sometimes offered a beverage, and allowed to change in a calm, elevated environment. River North offers none of that. It feels far closer to a Massage Envy than the resort-style experience Life Time markets and charges for. The final straw: when I called to cancel and asked to speak with the General Manager to share feedback, my membership was canceled before anyone reached out, asked what went wrong, or attempted to retain me. For a brand built on experience and loyalty, that was shocking. I’ve now joined Equinox—something I didn’t want to do, as it’s not a full-service gym—but this location left me no choice. Life Time is a great brand. This location is not. If you’re considering River North, manage your expectations—or look elsewhere.

I will say that I do enjoy this gym a lot and the Life Cafe is the best place i've found to do remote work. However, there is one main problem I have with this place: I am constantly reminded that I am a customer despite paying high membership fees. **I cannot bring my own food in the cafe**, personal trainers constantly trying to sell BS supplements to me, only $50 t-shirts for sale when i need a spare (EOS fitness gave me unlimited tshirts for $20/mo), and more... Generally the vibe conveyed to someone new to "premium" gyms is that these places are exclusive. But you come to realize that the vibe is actually corporate.

It's a very large facility, - I took a day pass,l as I was traveling to Chicago and though it was pricey at a 100$ a day, it was surprisingly worth the experience. Steam and sauna were very well maintained too.

Lifetime was a huge part of my fitness journey—I loved the amenities, the people, the cleanliness, and the staff. But after relocating to the city, I was told my only options were to cancel or upgrade from $150/month to $300/month plus a $200 upgrade fee. As an 18-year-old who had been a loyal member for over a year and a half, I asked if they could waive the fee or work with me on the price. The answer was no to both. I reluctantly upgraded—big mistake. On my second day at the new location, the cold plunge was down, the water was murky but still open, and the pool license looked expired. Its ridiculous parking isn't included, and was never told the outdoor pool was extra. I also noticed that the water pressure in the showers are always low. For $300/month, I expected a premium experience. Instead, I got extreme disappointment. I’ll be canceling my membership and finding a gym that actually lives up to its price tag!