Premium Fees, Third-World Facilities: Planet Fitness The Marc

Planet Fitness The Marc used to be one of the best Planet Fitness branches. Sadly, the standard of this gym has declined dramatically, seemingly since the change in management.

According to other members, the women’s showers have been in this condition since May 2026. It is now September. For months, members have repeatedly been told that the showers are “being worked on”, yet on 22 September the entire bank of showers was still stripped apart, with exposed walls, dismantled fittings, building debris and makeshift barriers.

For approximately three weeks, the men’s and women’s change rooms were swapped so that female members could use the men’s functioning showers. That arrangement ended last week, allegedly after male members complained about having to queue for the showers.

No kidding. Neither do the women! Yet we have apparently just been expected to tolerate this inconvenience for months.

The rest of the facilities are also deteriorating. Locker doors are coming off their hinges, including the door of the locker I was using while my belongings were still inside. Planet Fitness advertises “secure lockers” as one of The Marc’s facilities. How exactly is a locker with its entire door falling off secure?

Members at Planet Fitness Sandton are currently being quoted R1,299 per month on a 12-month local contract or R999 per month on a 24-month local contract, plus a R150 tag fee. At those prices, what exactly are members paying for when basic facilities remain unusable or broken for months at a time?

This is not a budget gym charging budget rates. Members are paying premium fees and are entitled to facilities that are functional, secure and properly maintained.

Renovations are understandable. Months of disruption, deteriorating facilities, inadequate communication and no visible urgency are not.

I personally observed the facilities in this condition at Planet Fitness The Marc on 22 September 2026. I will update this review after each visit so that there is a dated public record of any progress, or continued lack thereof.

Stay tuned. ✌🏻