WWD Weekend’s Ultimate Guide to Gyms, From Los Angeles to Paris to Beijing
Most hotels might offer decent facilities to keep up with your fitness routine, but finding a good gym while on the go is a must — especially when looking to beat jet lag.
Top-notch equipment, a pool and personal training are no longer the gold standard for gyms and fitness studios in popular destinations for the fashion crowd. Now Brutalist architecture, gourmet fare and storied buildings are par for the course.
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Here, WWD Weekend highlights a selection of chic gyms that are worth breaking a sweat in, try your hand at padel or get your laps in.
United States
Heimat
960 North La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles
The concept: A first of its kind in L.A. — the land of fitness and wellness — Heimat is a 75,000-square-foot, members-only gym that also offers a spa, coworking spaces, restaurant and rooftop pool.
Facilities: You’ll find the latest cardio equipment, with access to a wide range of classes including spinning, boxing, barre, dance cardio, Kinesis, TRX, yoga and Pilates.
Noteworthy: The in-house restaurant Mother Tongue, which is overseen by executive chef Fernando Darin, has a social hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, serving $5 bites including roasted beet hummus, whipped avocado, tikka-masala skewers and sliders. Beer is priced at $5, with wine and cocktails at $10 (there are also $8 zero-proof nonalcoholic options).
Instagram moment: The L.A. view by the pool, showcasing the sprawling city and Hollywood Hills.
Insider tip: Book Pilates with Abe Ahern.
Entry price: You have to apply for membership. The monthly rate is $350 with a $300 initiation fee.
In a pinch: Barry’s Bootcamp is all over town and has expanded with “Ride,” a spin class combined with high-intensity strength training. It’s a killer workout with incredible playlists.
Anatomy
1212 Lincoln Road, Suite 204, Miami Beach
The concept: Founded by former NFL player Marc Megna and nightlife impresario Chris Paciello, this high-end gym open a year ago is an offshoot of the first Anatomy opened in 2015 in Miami Beach’s boutique neighborhood of Sunset Harbour.
Facilities: The one-of-a-kind Miami Beach locale boasts about 18,000 square feet of indoor space and has extensive group fitness offerings, including Training Camp, Booty Blast, Metabolic Meltdown and Yoga, as well as a dedicated WeRide indoor cycling studio. The expansive 8,000-square-foot open-air outdoor workout area has free weights, cardio machines, fitness classes and a dedicated track area designed for sprinting. Among the state-of-the-art training equipment are Concept2 machines.
Noteworthy features: An integral part of Anatomy’s focus on body recovery after workouts, “The Sanctuary,” which offers advanced recovery and revitalization services that include multiple hot and cold plunges, an infrared sauna infused with Himalayan salt therapy, and a soothing eucalyptus steam room.
Instagram moment: The dramatic 70-foot glass skylit atrium by Frossard Fernandez Design, bringing abundant natural light.
Insider tip: Membership perks include access to USA Sports Medicine, a top chiropractic and physical therapy center, and to VitaSquad, a vitamin infusion therapy spa that offers a full menu of vitamin IV and IM shot treatments.
Entry price: $3,000 a year with passes available at $75 a day, three-day for $150 and weekly for $200.
In a pinch: With multiple locations surrounding the South Florida area, Anatomy has also partnered with 1 Hotel South Beach and taken residence at its 14,000-square-foot fitness space, making it one of the largest hotel gyms in the country.
Sky Ting
324 Lafayette Street, New York
The concept: Founded by lead instructor Krissy Jones in 2015, Sky Ting quickly became fashion’s favorite yoga studio. The brand recently debuted a new airy 4,000-square-foot flagship space in NoHo.
Facilities: The design is mid-century and light-driven, with a “neo-Japanese wabi-sabi” aesthetic crafted by the same designer behind The Row’s L.A. store. The overall vibe is clean, meditative, and luxurious. There are two rooms for in-person and livestreamed classes. Digital platform Sky Ting TV offers an extensive library of yoga and meditation videos.
Noteworthy features: Bathrooms feature Chanel and Costa Brazil beauty products, and treatment rooms are led by Osea skin care experts. Retail offerings include a Flamingo Estate x Sky Ting candle and limited-edition Suie Kondi terry sweatsuits.
Insider tip: A spa with infrared sauna and cold plunge opens in June for post-workout recovery and relaxation. Founder Krissy Jones also leads retreats in locations like Greece, Sicily and Portugal.
Entry price: $3,250 a year for all access — drop-in classes are $35.
In a pinch: The all-access membership tier includes live-stream and on demand digital classes.
Europe
La Montgolfière
25 Rue Yves Toudic, Paris
The concept: Billed as a “social sports club” where you can lift weights — or raise a glass. Three levels for training ring a soaring central atrium appointed with plants, couches and tables for socializing, coworking or tippling. “Musique, drinks and quadriceps” is the slogan writ large overhead.
The vibe: Understated, bohemian chic, with a calm atmosphere.
Facilities: Technogym equipment throughout, spaces for boxing training, cycling and stretching, plus hip-hop yoga, hand-stand classes and ropes any style.
Noteworthy features: Montgolfière is French for hot-air balloon, and they were manufactured here in the mid-1800s when the building was roofless to accommodate an easy exit. The soaring nave is flooded with light and offers a majestic ambience.
Insider tip: The hip fashion boutique The Next Door is, um, practically next door.
Entry price: 35 euros for a trial session, 50 euros thereafter for day passes. 185 euros a month, or 2,000 euros a year. Exceptionally during the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, two-week memberships are on offer for 150 euros.
21 Blanche
21 Rue Blanche, Paris
The concept: This Margiela-esque gym is the brainchild of brothers Frank-Élie and Arthur Benzaquen, who also launched the trendy Klay sports club.
Facilities: It’s a rare Parisian gym with a pool alongside Technogym equipment, personalized coaching sessions and such classes as Thai boxing, hot yoga and antigravity training. Starting this summer, classes including tai chi will be held on the terrasse.
Noteworthy features: The sumptuous building, the Hôtel de Choudens, dates to 1901 and its architect Charles Girault also did the Petit Palais museum.
Instagram moment: The Brutalist 20-meter pool, the concrete void punctuated by a skylight.
Insider tip: The airy first-floor BB Blanche restaurant is a great spot to recharge or meet up after working out. Cocktails are named after prominent French actors.
Entry price: 2,400 euros a year — day passes available if you go with a member.
In a pinch: EasyGym has multiple locations open until late, with day pass options, and there’s also a Barry’s Bootcamp in town.
Third Space
67 Brewer Street, London
The concept: If quiet luxury was a gym, it would be Third Space for its minimal gray interiors and spacious workout areas. London’s crème de la crème of gyms, which opened in 2001, now has spaces in Islington, Mayfair, Marylebone, Battersea and more.
Facilities: A 28,000-square-foot gym floor is like being in a techno club, but with better lights and air. There’s also a 20-meter spa-like pool, as well as classes that include reformer Pilates, triathlon swimming, rocket yoga, Brazilian jiu jitsu and swimming lessons for beginners.
Noteworthy features: A 13-meter-high climbing wall with 25 routes to reach the top, swimming pools with UV light technology and a sprint track.
Instagram moment: The mirror wall in the yoga rooms and the ripple-reflective ceiling under the swimming pool. The gym is a Brutalist haven with luxury accents.
Insider tip: A premium locker that can be rented monthly that comes with a charging port, as well as a wash, dry and fold service.
Entry price: From 210 pounds — day passes available if you go with a member.
In a pinch: If you’re looking for a quick class with the same luxury aesthetic, 1Rebel has locations in Oxford Circus, Victoria, Holborn and more.
Ceresio 7 Gym & Spa
7 Via Ceresio, Milan
The concept: Conceived by Dsquared2 founders Dean and Dan Caten as the latest development of their brand’s corporate headquarters complex on Via Ceresio, Ceresio 7 Gym and Spa is all about body training and the general state of well-being.
Facilities: Top-notch equipment for everything from functional training and cardio to cross-fit, spinning and yoga. There’s also a pool, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, cryotherapy and sauna in the spa area, as well as rooms for massages and beauty treatments provided by French beauty brand Biologique Recherche.
Noteworthy features: The office building dates back to the 1930s and was the historic headquarters of Italian energy company Enel. Its renovation was entrusted to the Asti Architetti studio.
Insider tip: Take refreshment breaks in the lounge and roof bar of the Ceresio 7 Pools & Restaurant, one of the membership perks.
Entry price: Price on request. Subscriptions go from day passes to annual memberships, tailored through an initial session with a consultant.
In a pinch: If you’re looking for outdoor training, the perfect spot near Ceresio 7 is Parco Sempione, the city park in the center of Milan where people can find a large athletic field.
Middle East
Matcha Club
20 8 Street, Al Quoz, Dubai
The concept: Located in Dubai’s arts and culture district, Al Quoz, Matcha Club is a hot spot boutique, padel and movement club that has become a fast favorite among wellness aficionados.
Facilities: Six outdoor padel courts, two yoga studios, Pilates Reformer studio and a French Japanese restaurant Nette.
Instagram moment: The viral terracotta padel courts surrounded by lush greenery and fashion collaborations, like a recent Valentino takeover keeps Dubai’s jet set coming back for more.
Insider tip: After a game of padel or a movement class, grab a table at Cafe Nette for coffee and breakfast, a Dubai spot to see and be seen.
Entry price: Movement classes range from 115 Emirati dirham (about $31), Padel bookings from 400 Emirati dirham (about $109).
Asia
Fit Design Prime
Bldg. 55A, Suite 301, Soi Pradipat 17, Pradipat Road, Bangkok
Recommended by Patipat “Best” Chaipukdee, founder of upcycling-chic label Dry Clean Only.
The concept: Imagined as a “holistic gym experience,” this 8,600-square-foot facility is an oasis for sporty wellness in bustling Bangkok.
The vibe: Clean and modern with incredible lights and never feels crowded.
Facilities: Only Technogym equipment. There’s also a studio area with class ranging from HIIT strength and yoga to combined high-intensity weight lifting with aerobic exercises. “I like the motivation from my personal trainer who always keeps me on the right track,” Chaipukdee says.
Noteworthy features: The cozy Prime Cafe, which sells delicious healthy fare for a restorative post-workout meal as well as complimentary coffee, infused water and fresh fruits.
Insider tip: Continue your work out with a wander in the vibrant Ari neighborhood with its multitude of cool cafés, delicious street food and art galleries, or if you want to go for a shopping marathon, the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market is close at hand.
Entry price: Free trial session by appointment, 1,500 baht ($40.75) for day passes, 6,000 baht ($163) a month, or 45,000 baht ($1,222) year, with unlimited access to facilities and group classes. Personal training sessions are also available, starting at 1,880 baht ($48.90).
ZWYN Urban Gym
33 Sanlitun Road, 6F-6008 Beijing
Recommended by menswear designer Xander Zhou.
The concept: Located in Sanlitun, Beijing’s epicenter of fashion and entertainment, this futuristic establishment was created almost 10 years ago by Yang Yang, an underground music producer, and Bo Zhang, a former basketball player.
The crowd: China’s PR pioneer David Liu and Zhou are some of the high-performance humans, or “Hi-Perf Humanz,” working the stations. Apple chief executive officer Tim Cook also stopped by during a recent Beijing trip.
Facilities: A generous offering of Technogym equipment, including several skillmills. A Hyperice recovery room is also in the works.
Noteworthy features: Designed by the local Anyscale Architecture Design firm, this gym is a sleek white box that can be transformed into a nightclub with a live DJ set. It recently launched a spinoff project at Shanghai’s K11 Art Mall, designed as a Balenciaga-adjacent immersive concrete box and offering special group classes that emphasize mindful strength training.
Insider tip: Zeq, Zwyn’s in-house “performance drive” drink, can be a good caffeine alternative. Sanlitun’s embassy area is nearby, offering many light brunch options, most of which are alfresco.
Entry price: 13,069 renminbi ($1,809) a year, 1,980 renminbi ($274) a month or 972 renminbi ($134) a week.
In a pinch: Sign up for a weekend yoga class at Dongjingyuan Temple, located within a James Turrell-like installation. For serious bodybuilders, there’s also Trainyard at Hotel Jen.
Asaya Fitness Center
Rosewood 6F, 18 Salisbury Road, Victoria Dockside, Hong Kong
The concept: Body training and fitness are only one of the facets of Rosewood Hong Kong’s Asaya wellness center, billed as “a sanctuary of self care.”
Facilities: A 2,800-square-foot fitness center filled with state-of-the-art equipment, coaches and group classes that range from yoga and cardio to meditation.
Noteworthy features: A sky garden, outdoor infinity pool as well as sauna and spa facilities. For those wanting to follow their workout with an alfresco moment, there’s Asaya Kitchen and most recently, the Rossano Ferretti HairSpa opened in the wellness complex of the luxury property.
Instagram moment: The views of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour are unmissable.
Entry price: 44,890 Hong Kong dollars ($5,740) for six months, 65,980 Hong Kong dollars ($8,426) for 12 months, 77,980 Hong Kong dollars ($9,972) for 18 month-membership. Complimentary access for Rosewood residents.
In a pinch: With daily and weekly passes, Ozone Fitness in Wan Chai is worth checking out – it has a heated Himalayan salt hot stone stretch area. In Central, H-Kore is a neat option and there is also Pherform, a female-specific gym.
LÝFT Gym
Jingumae 4-12-10 Omotesando Hills B3F, Shibuya, Tokyo
The concept: The offshoot of direct-to-consumer fitness brand LÝFT, the gym opened last year in the Omotesando Hills complex as a futuristic and ultra-convenient place to train.
Facilities: With around 50 top of the range machines from the likes of Technogym, Prime, Hoist and Stairmaster, there’s something for everyone and then some from cardio and weight training to HIIT.
Noteworthy features: The futuristic entrance, complete with a café offering healthy smoothies — boosted with LÝFT’s range if desired — also available to passersby.
Insider tip: You can come to the gym empty-handed and rent everything you need here, right down to apparel, footwear and towels.
Entry price: After a one-time 22,000 yen ($2,813) enrollment fee, it’s 22,000 yen a month for the standard plan and 33,000 yen ($4,220) for the advanced one, which gives larger discounts on LÝFT products. Weekly passes available for 13,200 yen ($1,688). Women get a 25 percent discount on all subscriptions.
In a pinch: Gold’s Gym has multiple locations across Tokyo and even more around Japan, with day pass options, and for spin aficionados, FeelCycle is the place to go, with one branch located in the upscale Roppongi Hills shopping complex.
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