The Alaska Club South Gym, Health & Fitness Center

If you belong to the Summit and are a late afternoon person, you may know me by sight. I have been a member since 2007, most weeks coming to the gym 4-5 times a week. I like the gym and it has some pretty unique features. The snow plowing of the parking lot is so subpar year after year, I have now decided it must be a feature. As you navigate the deep ice potholes you can test your agility. We all know agility is a feature of fitness we all aspire to. That last big snowfall Wednesday through Thursday in early November was not plowed until the weekend. This allowed the snow to pack down to ice that will probably be around until March. They did put down gravel, that either has melted into the ice or been pushed to the low spots, so your agility can still be tested. If you do happen to fall you can access your bone density. Nothing broken or cracked, you are good to go.👍The Summit provides large fluffy towels that you can use along with some ice from the lemon ice water they have strategically placed around the gym if you fall requires icing. Currently the parking lot light by the entrance is out so you can test your low light vision when you try to determine where the slippery edges of the ice potholes are. The gym can be a bit dirty sometimes, but mostly it’s okay. The Summit has an employee, Helen, that I think of as the locker room ambassador. She is always upbeat and actually works out at the gym so she is very aware of what is needed. She often cleans things that don’t need cleaning everyday, but do need attention. She is an upbeat addition to the locker room. I have worked out consistently for the last 45 years, in many locations across the country. The gym is pretty good, you rarely need to wait for a machine. The online classes are a gift. You can create your own yoga environment anywhere, and take a great class with Xochitl. She is easy to to follow, the workout is always different, and she provides modifications, the online feature is part of membership. So please join our gym so they can be profitable enough to have snow plowing that is comparable to the food store a quarter mile away. I would give the gym 4 or 5 stars if the parking lot was not so dangerous.

Has the best equipment because of being on the nicer side of town. The single family bathrooms are dirty, like to the point I’ve taken notice on multiple days just to see if they change. They haven’t ,not sure if it’s short staffed but that’s no excuse for not scrubbing bathrooms. Especially at the price families pay. Also keeping the steam rooms at 102? The rest of the clubs keep at 123 ish so you actually have a relaxing experience. I’d rate 5 stars due to the fact of it being a better place than the other Alaska clubs but due to the dirty bathrooms, and the steam it kinda ruins the experience.

Alaska Club has really gone downhill. They can't seem to keep workers due to minimal pay which affects the club. They are almost always out of towels in the locker rooms. There is obviously a need for family swimming but they are extremely limited on times and overcrowding the times that are available. The small pool is closed half the time due to camps and swim lessons. The hot tub is even worse. They are far overpriced for the availability. There are very limited options for family swimming in Alaska but I will not be choosing the Alaska Club.

Yesterday I made an appointment for a tour with Ian for today at 3:15. He sent several text message reminders, which I responded to . We met and executed the tour. I didn’t sign up because I need time to think about the 12 month commitment. Later tonight I get another text from him; “Hi Pamela, missed you today for our Club Tour Appointment! When can you reschedule? ~Ian” Well. That sucks. Way to meet friends and influence people Ian. You just lost a client. Get it together.

Don’t usually do reviews but felt it would be good to share. Shady sales team. just moved back to town and purchased a $20 guest pass the other day to access the club. A few days later At the Alaska State fair I was given a free day guest pass to access any club from Alaska clubs fair booth. I came in to use my guest pass and the front desk required me to check in with a saleswomen and the saleswoman told me it was policy that I have to be wanting to sign up for membership if I wanted to use the guest pass. She showed me no such proof of policy. Then when I asked for my guest pass back she refused to return it to me. Wanting to note I had been a member for 10+ years before I moved.