Refinery

I know this is rated one of the best gyms in Champaign but I was not impressed. The machines are too close together, making the gym feel too crowded and intimidating. The shakes were well advertised, but I never saw anyone get one or any supplies they’d have to make them. The bar area seemed barren, not inviting, or like a place you’d have anything to consume. The squat rack area seemed run down and not great quality machines.
I went to a spin class with Dwayne and loved it. It was challenging and he was very motivating and made the class fun. He was energetic and has great taste in music.
Overall I’d find a new, more inviting gym.

Best gym in town! They have everything here and the staff really knows what they are talking about. The smoothie bar is really good too.
They have a very nice child care area too.

I’ve moved from NC looking for a gym and asked around. took me just a few hours to find out about this little gem tucked away on John Street.
I haven’t been able to find a competent yoga instructor since my days on the Caribbean island of Antigua, but was quickly and delightfully surprised after having a class with Kristina. she is amazing and is as close to my favorite teacher as I have found, to keep me coming back on a biweekly basis for the 6am class.
I have heard many good things of Tony’s classes but haven’t found the time to attend one of them.
the gym is especially a wonderful deal for students as their price is low. It has all the equipment anyone would need to have a great work out, so there is never a waiting period for doing exercises.
I suggest talking to Ken, as I have found him to be the easiest to talk to and get along with. he has helped me getting situated with Champaign as well as all questions inside the gym.
I highly recommend Refinery for it’s abundance of equipment, exceptional classes, and wonderful people. This gym has it ALL !!

I’ve really fallen in love with this gym! They have everything you could possibly need and more. Free weights, a plethora of machines, great employees, a smoothie bar, and most importantly, a steam room! Not to mention they have a huge variety of group fitness classes. (And despite the fact that they do get cancelled on occasion, they’re pretty intense!)
The only downfall is that they are a little pricey, but they were willing to work with us (my S.O. and me) to get us the best deal. And in my opinion, you get your money’s worth!

Came here for a wedding and it was a nice venue for the reception. It has a nice bar inside and great space. Looked like a ballet studio with all the mirrors on the walls. Lots of parking spots which was nice. Overall, nice place for big parties

When I graduated from U of I, one of the things I missed the most was Refinery. The class schedule is outstanding and I still haven’t found a gym that comes close to matching it. Instructors and staff are so friendly, and anyone can walk into the gym regardless of how often they work out and no one treats them any differently. The equipment is also exceptional and I never found myself waiting to use it.
I would deeeeefinitely recommend.

Wonderful. The staff are great and dedicated. The classes are super good too.

would give 4.5 stars
I used the Refinery for my wedding ceremony and reception. everything came out perfect! i worked with Steffanie and Michelle and they are very easy to get along with. They even let my husband’s family cater the event and all went well.
the day care center was available for all the kids that came and was stocked with plenty of activities for them.
the setup was perfect and they flipped the room in the time they said they would. the bar was also staffed well and the drinks were great.
the only thing i wish was that the aisle runner was taped down somehow (i am surprised i didnt trip)
i would definitely recommend the Refinery for an event it is their specialty :)

This gym is phenomenal. I am visiting home for the holidays, and i am in the Military so I was looking for a gym to stay in shape on leave. My buddy referred me to this place and dang am I glad he did. The cleanliness, assortment of equipment, staff, and ambiance was without equal. If I ever get the chance to get a recruiting job here in the Paign this will be my go to spot for sure.

Ive went around and tried many gyms in this town and this gym was the best. It’s big, offers classes, a huge variety of cardio machines (so im not fighting someone for it), weights in multiple rooms, etc and the list goes on. I’m very picky when it comes to gyms so i was glad after trying 5 gyms this fit me the best; clean, cool, modern and a lot to offer. Theres also a smoothie bar right in the gym which is cool; esp after becoming dizzy or hypoglycemic after a workout; a life saver! Theres a good family membership deal too! Check it out. Oh and the staff are very nice; they remember you and always willing to help or answer any questions. Lovely!
The personal trainers seem to know what theyre doing to; i like it. There are good PT packages too.

Super nice gym. Lots of equipment and space although very expensive. I wish they had a deal for bigger families. like maybe, their 4 person family deal and then a discounted price for additional family members. :|
Group fitness classes are excellent and you will burn a lot of calories.
Most challenging — Least challenging that I’ve taken (in terms of being 2 weeks or less used to program) :
Body Attack (I didn’t make it through this one. LOL)
Piyo (I have weak arms)
Yoga
Cycling
Body Jam (cancelled)
Power Flow
Zumba
Oh, and they have great tasty smoothies that a selection of add-​ins that are cheaper than Smoothie King.
As mentioned in other posts, facility is kept clean and personal tvs on most cardio equipment.

i have to agree w/​one of the reviewers above for the poor service. they keep saying it’s the ‘best gym’ in champaign. and i agree in terms of their equipment. but the staff, itself, is really poorly trained. the morning staff tends to be very friendly – greeting you as you walk in – but the evening staff – you might as well be invisible – she’s too busy reading a magazine or zoning out to pay any attention. so «A+» for facilities and «F» for customer service.

I really like this gym. They have a lot of cardio equipment downstairs and I have never had to wait for a treadmill, even during the busy seasons (New Years, Spring Break, etc.) Almost all of the cardio equipment has a personal viewing screen which is great to help time fly while you’re working out. There are plenty of free weights and weight machines as well. The classes are great. They have the Les Mills series there which is updated frequently and has pretty good music. The cycling classes are fun, some classes fill quickly because the instructors are THAT good (Dwayne, Lindy) Also, they have a Child Activity Center there. I’ve been taking my child there since she was 4 months old and they take really good care of her. At first I was apprehensive about leaving her there, but whenever I would pick her up she would be in a good mood and all smiles. The staff seems to enjoy taking care of her and the other children as well.

I LOVE the fact that its 24/​hrs because I am one of those people that love to work out later in the evening. I was surprised to see the variety of equipment they have. It was a sure step up from The Fitness Center. I also love the classes and the fact that you can give free guest passes to friends so you don’t ever have to go alone. The prices are more than legit for everything you get back in return. I love this place!

have you ever experienced absent customer service, then been confused because the absence made you like the place more? i went yesterday to sign up for a membership to take advantage of their 24 hour schedule. the first woman who i talked to literally threw a clipboard at me to fill out a form (that part i didn’t like, in fact it hurt.). the second woman spent about 30 seconds talking to me then took my money. i was literally on the treadmill 2 minutes after i paid. nobody offered to show me the locker room or let me know where the weights were. (that’s the part i liked.) so i can’t comment on anything other than the treadmill which was very clean, had a personal flat screen with cable and a dvd player, very nice. minus one star for the bruise on my arm from the clipboard and minus one star for the overt staring by the male staff. not one, not two, but every single male staff member made me feel like i was at a singles bar. quite disgusting. if i wasn’t so desperate for 24 hour availability to work out, i’d still be at gold’s gym down the street or crce on campus…
note to the management:
train your female staff to spend more time interacting with customers.
train you male staff to stop staring at the female clients.

I love my gym, love love love! I also joined soon after it opened, which means I have been a member now for just over two years, and I have loved it universally the whole time. I trained for 2 10K and 3 5k races here, and I also have gone months and months only casually working out.
For me, a cross training session doesn’t get better than watching West Wing on my own DVD player on my own TV on my own elliptical machine!
The locker room and gym space are clean, there are tons of classes, and I think the attitude is very laid back for a private gym.

I joined Refinery shortly after it opened in 2004.
I was looking to escape the anorexic sorostitutes smeared with makeup that like to spend hours on the machines at campus gyms (along with their meathead boyfriends who snarl as you approach the free weights).
What I found was a super friendly staff, lots of new machines, a very clean facility and a diverse crowd. Awesome!
And the majority of the machines have their own personal flat screens with cable and DVD players. That was a major selling point for my lazy ass.
I really miss the Refinery. Bally’s sucks in comparison.