Vasa Fitness

I recently visited the VASA Fitness at 43rd and Thunderbird for a 3-day trial that I found on their website. Overall, the facility is quite large—spanning over 60,000 square feet—and provides a wide variety of amenities like the boutique STUDIO RED and STUDIO LFT spaces, which are prominent features of their "Studio" level membership. ​On a positive note, the gym was impressively clean and well-organized. The free weight area was tidy, and the Olympic platforms were clear of chalk and debris. I also noticed that the "Revive" area was in great shape; the massage chairs and tanning beds were spotless and fully functional. While the pool and hot tub were open, the sauna and steam room were closed for maintenance, which was clearly indicated by large signs on the pool deck. ​However, the experience with the staff was inconsistent. Since no one was wearing a name tag, I spoke with the personnel manager on duty. When I arrived, he was discussing the conversion of the cinema room into a new group exercise space with some members. While he was polite and gave me a very quick verbal rundown of the layout, a formal guided tour was never offered. I was essentially left to wander the facility on my own to figure out where the different amenities were located. ​The sales process felt unpolished as well. I had to proactively ask for membership information. There weren’t any brochures or business cards available, so the manager printed out a basic price sheet for me. He gave a very brief explanation of the three tiers—Basic ($9.99), Fitness ($19.99), and Studio ($39.99)—but did not dive into the specific value of each or help determine the best fit for my routine. ​My biggest concern was the front desk coverage. A second employee was on his phone for about 60% of the time I was there, and at several points, the front desk was completely empty while the manager was elsewhere in the gym. It felt insecure to have the main entrance unmonitored for those stretches. While the facility is well-kept, the lack of proactive engagement and professional follow-through made the visit feel underwhelming.

I met Zane today and he is very well versed and ready to make Vasa Thunderbird Rock and Roll! Great guy and very pleasant too!

It’s a typical big box gym, nothing special at all but ok. We would never have joined this place if we knew how impossible it would be to cancel, though. When we went through a period of financial difficulty we requested to cancel. Used the app, called, went in person, but charges kept coming. We finally had to pay to block them from access to our bank account because they just kept putting charges through no matter what we did or said. We filed a dispute with our bank who refunded a month or two of the fees, and yet Vasa keeps trying to take money out. The last time I spoke to someone on the phone they informed me that they can’t cancel a membership if you owe money. So those monthly fees just keep stacking up and inflating the debt. I asked what if something has happened and you cant pay the extra months they want to cancel, and they said you just keep getting monthly fees added because the membership is not cancelled. Never seen anything like it, and this is definitely not our first gym membership. My advice is to go somewhere - anywhere - else but here. Vasa, there’s a word for the games you play that you call “miscommunication” that keeps people paying months after requesting cancellation: FRAUD.

Good gym overall, but there are some improvements needed. 1. There aren’t enough clips/collars in the free weight area, which creates a safety hazard when people have to lift barbells without the clips. Weights can slide off easily and the clips they have a damaged and need to be replaced. 2. This location needs to add a dip belt for people to be able to do weighted chin-ups and dips. 3. Would be nice to add more adjustable benches in the dumbell area. There is often people waiting around for a long time to use them.

My husband and I really enjoy this gym. I especially love that they offer Pilates and yoga classes in the evening—they’ve been a huge help with my sciatica in my right hip. The staff is always friendly and helpful, and Zane truly stands out. He’s knowledgeable, welcoming, and makes the experience even better. Highly recommend!