California Wow

[ricklev]

Just Curious; California Wow tells me they will open in Chiang Mai at the mall close to the airport in February. I live in Bangkok but will be moving to Chiang Mai soon. Anybody notice if have they started construction? I hope their opening helps rationalize fitness center pricing ín Chiang Mai.

[ThaiPauly]

My Wife and I signed up with them a month ago to get their discounts... its gonna be big 3,000 members or so and will be located at the Airport Plazza You are right..they are opening in February

Not cheap..but u gets what you pays for I suppose

They have now finished the discounts..so it would seem that if you want to join you will have to pay the going rate

[Yorkshire Lass]

Does anyone know the full price of California Wow once it opens? Moreover does anyone have experience of their gyms? What are the facilities like?

I am quite a keen runner and currently go to Leaders at Tesco/Lotus on the Hang Dong Road. It is far too hot to do any serious exercise as they have the air conditioning set at a minimum with no fans... so its too hot to run on the treadmill above 20-30 minutes. In addition they have Thai soaps blarring out of televisions all day... I set my IPod to full volume and can still hear them!

[Loaded]

Unless they can match the white miniskirts of the staff at Platinum, I won't be moving.

I think they're still offering promotional discounts to Thais as the missus was phoned by them yesterday.

[ricklev]

Based on their Bangkok gyms, the equipment will be the the best in Chiang Mai and the music will be LOUD.

As you may know, there is no fixed price at California Wow. It would be interesting for people to post what they have paid.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I don't like the way they poached most of the staff at Powerhouse and then tried to poach their customers too.

Nice way to do business.

I won't join. Parking is a nightmare at Airport Plaza all the time. During the week the students from the Far Eastern College across the road park there and at the weekends I have seen myself driving for half an hour to find a space.

[tigerbeer]

I don't like the way they poached most of the staff at Powerhouse and then tried to poach their customers too.

Nice way to do business.

I won't join. Parking is a nightmare at Airport Plaza all the time. During the week the students from the Far Eastern College across the road park there and at the weekends I have seen myself driving for half an hour to find a space.

ditto! no swimming pool too. they should have spent the capital they have more practically. IPO couple years ago. lots of money.

[Ulysses G.]

I don't like the way they poached most of the staff at Powerhouse and then tried to poach their customers too.

Nice way to do business.

Sounds like what happened to a certain restaurant on Loi Kroh road.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I don't like the way they poached most of the staff at Powerhouse and then tried to poach their customers too.

Nice way to do business.

Sounds like what happened to a certain restaurant on Loi Kroh road.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer fella!

[Mahseer]

Spent an hour in Neo gallery this afternoon assessing hi fi options and decided to wander into California Wow which is a couple of doors down as I left. I asked one question which was ''how much does a 1 year membership cost''. After 25 minutes on the wrong end of a financial discussion the last thing I needed was a work out although a massage would have gone down a treat. The answer I received was ambiguous to say the least and depended on a number of factors including how often I intend to use the gym, what bits of kit, what time of day and how far in advance I was wiling to pay up. Seems to me someone is trying to apply the finer points of timeshares into something as simple as joining a bloody gym.

[Ulysses G.]

Seems to me someone is trying to apply the finer points of timeshares into something as simple as joining a bloody gym.

A very expensive gym with NO swimming pool, sauna or steam.

What a rip!

[ThaiPauly]

Suits me Sir!!!

I have my own pool and sauna.. I went along today and was very impressed by the running machines and bikes they have..I have never seen such high tec stuff before.

We have joined and are looking forward to being members..and the cost (because we brought our memberships early) is not a lot more than Tesco's prices, where we are currently members.

I have NEVER experienced any difficulty in parking at AP...are you guys on Motorbikes? If so then Yes the bike parking lot is always jammed packed

TP

Calafornia WOW fan......4 times cheaper than if you joined the same club in BK thats a FACT!!!

[Ulysses G.]

Suits me Sir!!!

I have my own pool and sauna..

WOW!

I would never leave home.

[ricklev]

In Bangkok it is sometime possible to join for 10k cash for a year for single gym access. Has anyone paid this price in Chiang Mai?

[The Dan Sai Kid]

In Bangkok it is sometime possible to join for 10k cash for a year for single gym access. Has anyone paid this price in Chiang Mai?

Fitness Thailand above Rimping Chotana is about 8000 per month.

[Swelters]

Suits me Sir!!!

I have my own pool and sauna.. I went along today and was very impressed by the running machines and bikes they have..I have never seen such high tec stuff before.

We have joined and are looking forward to being members..and the cost (because we brought our memberships early) is not a lot more than Tesco's prices, where we are currently members.

I have NEVER experienced any difficulty in parking at AP...are you guys on Motorbikes? If so then Yes the bike parking lot is always jammed packed

TP

Calafornia WOW fan......4 times cheaper than if you joined the same club in BK thats a FACT!!!

They are advertising in Bangkok for a squad of internal fraud investigators to find out where the money is leaking out. They should include the marketing staff and a general review of the ethics and honesty of the whole operation.

[ricklev]

http://webboard.mthai.com/7/2006-08-02/256054.html

Check out the response to this complaint about California Wow.

How does a company get seemingly decent people to engage in unethical marketing tactics? They indoctrinate them into a belief system preaching that the end result (a new member) will change the world for the better and reinforce that message with team spirit meetings and financial incentives.

That said, I like the quality of the equipment.

[Wizzard of Oz]

Did I miss the cost or did no one mention it?

[ThaiPauly]

http://webboard.mthai.com/7/2006-08-02/256054.html

Check out the response to this complaint about California Wow.

How does a company get seemingly decent people to engage in unethical marketing tactics? They indoctrinate them into a belief system preaching that the end result (a new member) will change the world for the better and reinforce that message with team spirit meetings and financial incentives.

That said, I like the quality of the equipment.

Unethical marketing tactics are normal ...whats the big deal..they have meberships to sell and will do so by fair means or foul.

it all boils down to one simple statement

"BUYER BEWARE" You really do have to suss out what you are gettiing for yor money..nobody is forcing anyone to sign on the dotted line..take their promises with a pinch of salt..like everything in LOS...things are not always as they seem

[SoloFlyer]

i think i saw a sign that said 900 per month.

That compares with 1500 in bkk.