Working out just got tougher – at least that’s the case at one New York City gym that describes itself as a ‘private members club’ complete with a rigorous vetting process and high membership prices to boot.
Ghost, founded by entrepreneur Aqib Mamoon, has a nightclub-like feel to it, with promotional images showcasing the all-black interiors and mood lighting.
Yearly memberships cost $6,000 – or $3,300 if paid upfront – and to get in the ‘club’ potential members are asked to fill out an application form with their social media handles listed along with their job title. If they pass this stage, there is then an in-person meeting and an internal review to navigate.
One gym-goer – who managed to access Ghost in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, by attending a yoga class with Class Pass – described the locker room as being ‘like a peaceful nightclub.’
Ghost, founded by entrepreneur Aqib Mamoon, has a nightclub-like feel to it, with promotional images showcasing the all-black interiors and mood lighting
Yearly memberships cost $6,000 – or $3,300 if paid upfront – and to get in the ‘club’ potential members are asked to fill out an application form with their social media handles listed
One gym buff said the studio space ‘really transports you to another place’
Memberships at Ghost include full access to the club and amenities, two personal training sessions a month, and unlimited Pilates and yoga sessions
They also gave the Himalayan salt wall in the sauna a thumbs up along with the ‘nice towels.’
Another reviewer described the fitness center as a ‘truly stunning space.’
They added: ‘The workout space and the locker rooms may be the most beautiful ones I’ve ever visited in New York.’
And one fitness fanatic said of the studio space: ‘[It] really transports you to another place.’
Despite the slick design getting the seal of approval from many reviewers, one person who visited the gym said it was almost too cool – particularly when it came to the locker rooms, which they noted were marked with chromosomes, instead of the traditional ‘male’ and ‘female’ labels.
They explained: ‘[The] bathrooms and showers were beautiful but they marked the locker rooms by chromosomes which was a bio quiz I hadn’t studied for. [I] walked into the wrong one.’
One Insider journalist who tried out the workout space made the same observation, writing: ‘Ghost has a row of gender-neutral restrooms, and then there are the ritzy locker rooms, which challenged my public school education.
‘Instead of “men’s” and “women’s,” the locker-room signs read “XX” and “XY,” which nearly sent me into a breakdown because I couldn’t remember which symbols identified the chromosomes.’
Mamoon told DailyMail.com that the gym’s membership is currently capped at about 200 members so there are never queues for workout stations
‘The workout space and the locker rooms may be the most beautiful ones I’ve ever visited in New York,’ one reviewer said
On the membership page there is a detailed code of conduct with ‘excessive noise’ forbidden
One gym-goer – who managed to access Ghost by attending a yoga class with Class Pass – described the locker room as being ‘like a peaceful nightclub’
If the potential members pass the initial application stage, there is then an in-person meeting and an internal review to navigate
Another Yelp reviewer complained that the gym seemed so exclusive that they didn’t even respond to his membership attempts.
He said he had walked by the ‘cool’ spot many times and then when he received an advert via Instagram he decided to apply.
However, ‘despite twice filling out their online form to try to schedule a tour to signup, and actually dropping by in-person to leave my contact details, I’ve not heard from them in almost two weeks.’
He added: ‘So, would hate to prejudge, but a gym that doesn’t seem all that interested in responding to potential new members, despite running a paid marketing campaign to promote itself, is a bit confusing.’
Memberships at Ghost include full access to the club and amenities, two personal training sessions a month, and unlimited Pilates and yoga sessions.
On the membership page there is a detailed code of conduct.
On the subject of ‘excessive noise,’ it states: ‘Members will refrain from slamming or dropping weights, and be respectful of others at all times.
‘Members must also refrain from grunting, screaming, or shouting of any sort whilst training in our facility, please be mindful of others within the space.’
There is also a section around ‘being kind.’
The website notes: ‘Ghost is dedicated to building a community of forward-thinking individuals, and encourages you to build relationships with fellow members and staff. Please employ kindness with each interaction.
‘In order to facilitate spatial harmony, we ask that you moderate your cell phone usage while in the facility, and instead spend time engaging your peers.’
Mamoon told DailyMail.com that the gym’s membership was currently capped at about 200 members so there were never queues for workout stations or jam-packed classes.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk