Bay Club at the Gateway

This place has so much potential with very few places in the city that offer a club and indoor tennis courts… Alas we were so disappointed even before we decided to join this place.
We were there this past weekend with the decision to join as members. Just wanted to get the nitty gritty on the pricing and court/​golf course use before we did that.
We met with Sonia Raju who had no clue about the details. She completely misinformed us about the price for golfing as well as court use even after our doubts and asking her to double check. She later told us she wasn’t sure about the numbers and would check on it. The damn computer was right there. How hard was it???
She later told us that she would email us with all the info and book us the golf course and tennis court to try… Several days later. We are still waiting on an email. She sure didn’t book a tennis court for us.
Terrible customer service. They just lost 2 members who were willing to pay upfront for the whole year!

Well, I am back at this club. Still not impressed by the fitness center which is all I use. At least it does force me to get out and do some exercise.

I love this place!
The Bay Club at the Gateway has a gym, messages, steam & sauna rooms, pools (with 1 Jacuzzi), and tennis courts. I personally used the gym and the pools the most here.
I love the gym here. It has new equipment, and all the cardio machines have TVs that are hooked up to comcast. It’s the best way to catch up on the Real Housewives (or whatever your favorite show might be). I also love how this place never gets super crowded, where you have to line up and wait to use the equipment.
The pool here is awesome as well. They are all located outdoors. There is a half-​size Olympic pool, already set up with the lanes. There is also a smaller pool that is used more as a family pool, where people can bring their kids and swim/​play. Lastly there is the Jacuzzi, with an amazing view of the Fidi. There’s nothing like jumping into this Jacuzzi on a Friday night (after a long week of work), and relaxing to a beautiful view.
The facility is very clean. The bathrooms/​locker rooms are luxurious. And the staff is very friendly and helpful!

The gym is a cave and for $ 260 is an outdated POS. Don’t try cancelling your membership because it will take a month to figure it out and their billing and other systems are stuck in the Middle Ages… who requires a member to hand in a check and can’t take electronic payment?

the pictures do not really reflect the truth and definately NOT worth the price that they want to charge for per month. However, if you are a avid swimmer and tennis club, its pretty good. The gym is split up between the actual gym and then across the street are the tennis courts and pools. There are quite a few courts and as for the pool, there is a 25 yard pool, a smaller pool for kids, and also a hot tub. It’s heated of course. They also have showers for 2 people at a time. They offer swim and tennis lessons too.
However, the gym itself is decent sized but the equipment is OLD and some of it doesn’t work that great. The bathrooms are nice though which is a bit weird. They need to invest in the equipment more for sure but for $ 170 a month, not worth it. That $ 170 is ONLY for access at this location and then off peak hours at the main Bay Club SF. They do also hvae a small lot that holds 13 cars but otherwise its street or you can park at another club and wait for the shuttle bus.

By far the dumpiest of the bay clubs. i didn’t realize my exec membership does even work here (I used a guest pass).

Great location, friendly staff. The facility is a little run down here and there but overall, really a great place to play tennis in the city — outdoors!!! Love love.

from the moment i tour the gateway club, i have experience extremely high quality of services (i just joined the club a few weeks ago).The membership coordinator Rebecca has been very professional and also very helpful .the communication with the whole staff is super smooth and easy. Of course the pool site is spectacular.
But i really want to write about my day at the gateway club today. I have been experiencing terrible back pain due to stress and being a little bit over weight theses past 3 years:(:(:(
I made an appointment with Monti to exercise today. When i walked in the club i was in so much pain with my upper back /​betwin my shoulder. And Monti was very careful at listening and identifying my difficulties and he made me exercise for one hour with specific moves to fix my problem and after my body felt amazing. the pain was completely gone and the tension was completely gone. like a little miracle!
This morning i called gatewayand i talk wi their super lovely receptnist and he was so helpful to find me a massage spot.
Then i had a 50 minutes massage with Nina… and it was perfect. She gave me a strong but feminine massage. i miss this kind of massage. you cannot get massages like this anymore in San Francisco.
if you want the real deal then it is the place for you… and me.
I can’t wait to go back .
I am so grateful .
Marine.

I am an avid swimmer and need a place to swim laps in City. I swim maybe once a week here, and only when I can’t access a better option outside the City. Lanes are too narrow and it is always a problem when two people are sharing a lane. Maybe because of this, swimmers are uncharacteristically discourteous when forced to share a lane. So you get your swim in, but it is rarely one of those fell-​good workouts. You are aware of your lane partner at all times because the lanes are just too narrow. Then your swim is followed up by a shower in the dreary locker rooms! That being said, the staff members do try their best, and the tennis players seem pretty happy about things, and they do seem friendlier than the swimmers.

Beautiful Décor, great pools, great place to work out and unwind, go for a swim all year long when I am in San Fran. I pay a per Diem Passport fee because it is affiliated with my main Club in Massachusetts

Pool is clean, jacuzzi is, too, and both set to comfortable temperatures. Bathrooms small but clean. Nice amenities. There are indoor and outdoor showers. The outdoor showers are really nice to use in warmer temperatures. Friendly staff. The grassy area is perfect for reading, snoozing, and just appreciating the beauty of the Embarcadero skyline.
Downsides? Impossible to reach folks by phone about confusing bills, about paying for invoices using a credit card online (!), about classes. No summer memberships. And high monthly dues if you are not into tennis.

Love everything about this place. I hit the gym everyday and it works perfectly well for me. The location is bang on. The pools are temperature controlled. The staff is friendly and always ready to help. I am not too sure about the parking. The courts I have heard are great, but I am not a tennis fan. Its pricier that 24 Hr Fitness and other gyms but its worth the amount. I am yet to attend the group classes, so I will add that when I do.

Location, Location, Location. The location of this club is amazing. Swimming outdoors year round is AWESOME. I’ve regularly used the club for lap swimming. The lap pool temperature is perfect for working out, and the recreation pool is a bit warmer, so great for a relaxing swim or aqua fit class.
I’ve never played tennis, but there are lots of courts and they always seem busy but not crazy busy.
The gym is pretty outdated and with very little natural light, but has all the equipment you might need. I like that it’s really quiet, then it’s up to your mood to choose your own playlist.
All the Personal Trainers are friendly and relaxed. I’ve had many sessions with Roberta, and she is a amazing in the gym, but also an awesome swim coach.
Downsides of Bay Club are the cost. It’s not a cheap option for members, or the trainers.

pros:
–nice pools
–great tennis courts
–awesome locations
–toiletries aren’t diluted, unlike SCLA
–showers have strong water pressure
cons:
–tiny parking lot with tight spaces. 15 car lot? I rather park on the street after 6pm.
–cardio/​gym area is DATED. housed in a basement…
–locker room is just as dated
–2 shower stalls in the womens locker room
the pros outweigh the cons, hence the 4 stars instead of 3
it is expensive for what you get (gym area)

this is supposed to be a fancy swim club so i’d assume their service would be good. front desk has no idea about how to assist someone looking for new membership. seems like the kind of place that doesn’t bother training its employees. trying to figure out how to check out the club was like navigating the bureaucracy of the DMV. i think ill just stick with my $ 50/​mo fitness SF if this is what the gateway swim club is like for so much more $$.

Somehow the sun always shines here. Good thing since there are plenty of tennis courts and a nice pool to enjoy. Wouldn’t it be a shame if it were covered in clouds all day long? Anyway, the club is a nice oasis to spend a couple hours in the afternoon. The swim lanes get busy though, so bring a book and be prepared to wait awhile.

I am not a member here, so cannot speak to the work out area or pools. I have however, been taking private and group tennis lessons here for the past few months, and have had a very positive experience with the tennis pros and other students/​members here. If you’re interested in taking tennis lessons, I highly recommend BCGW.
Couple breakdowns:
Group Lessons («Clinics») — Usually between 4 – 6 people, co-​ed, mix of levels from beginner to advanced int., evenings, 1.5 hours, lots of drills, doubles play, etc. Cost is around $ 260 for 6 wks (meeting 1x week). Age range is wide, I’ve played with people in their early twenties to early fifties.
Private Lessons– You and a Pro, and can be catered to whatever you want to work on. It seems that there are at least 6 Tennis Pros at the club so there’s plenty of options if you don’t gel with the first one you get. Cost is around $ 90/​hr
As others have noted, this is not a super luxurious club, however it is clean and located on the Embarcadero with a view of the Ferry building and the Bay Bridge. I think you need to level-​set your expectations with a tennis club located in the middle of a major city– you won’t have the same space and set-​up as a club in the middle of the burbs (city space constraints, and city rents!), but what you give up in terms of extras in amenities you gain in the sheer joy of being able to walk mere blocks from your office straight to the courts! Bonus, being right in the FiDi you can then go from the courts to the bars/​wine bars and soothe your aching joints with a nice cold beer/​glass o’ wine.
* Foodie Note– The Plant is located right across the street! I often will grab a smoothie there before or after playing.

I pay far too much to be a member of the Bay Club financial district. Yet I can’t go here without paying the $ 30 guest fee. You’ve got to be kidding me.

I’ve always enjoyed playing Tennis, but didn’t really have anyone to play with. Well, Tennis lessons seemed like the obvious solution for me. I checked out a couple of places, and decided on this one– plus it was pretty close to my work.
For the last 8 weeks I took a group class with a couple other girls. It’s been fun, and I’ve learned a lot! The only downfall is how cold it was outside during some of the classes (but that’s the beauty of living in SF, not.) I would definitely recommend a group class at this club for a beginner or anyone looking to get back into the sport.
The club itself is nice and friendly… totally want to join at some point!

The good, the bad, and the ugly. Golden Gateway Tennis & Fitness Club (and the Bay Club) has it all.
The good — separate 25 yard lap pool. Keep at around 73 degrees according to my wife who swam in college — translates to you’ll be freezing your ass off unless you’re really doing laps. Luckily there’s a separate «family» pool that’s keep at a toasty temp — warm enough for young kids but too warm to do any serious swimming. Decent sized jacuzzi big enough for around 7 people. Absolutely beautiful views of the Embarcadero buildings and the Ferry building. Showers are nice but on the small size thus waits aren’t unusual — 2 shower heads in men’s side.
The bad: You’ll have the tranquil scene disrupted every few minutes with the grunts and occasional screams of anguish from the tennis players. Don’t get me wrong I love tennis but some of the people that play here need to seriously chill out — it’s not Wimbledon or the Open and you’re not Johnny Mack. Also don’t expect the newest equipment here — there’s a bit of a time warp in the Golden Gateway — seems to be permanently stuck in the 70s, perhaps to make the majority of their clientele feel more at home. Nice way of saying most of the people using the adjacent gym is well into their golden years. Not a negative in itself but not a positive if you’re under 40 and definitely a downer if your in your 20s.
The ugly: not the type of atmosphere that makes one go to the gym. Too many soft bodies with too little clothing — again not a knock at any one group but you should know which crowd you want to workout next to and have to change your clothes around. All-​in-​all unless you need a lap pool there are much better offerings around.

I switched from my devoted year plus membership at Equinox over to an executive membership at Bay Club just so I could access this pool.
Now I can FINALLY get rid of those horrid tri short tanlines! Its a good thing my old roommate and former Cal swimmer Annie made a line of 2 piece suits for athletes so I can get my non-​onesie tan on while doing a workout (
).
They also have a Masters swim class and on Wednesday evenings a «Masters Lite» for those who are looking for something a bit less intense.
P. S. I had no idea there are nicer locker rooms across the street– I thought I only had access to that tiny little hut of a locker room by the pool deck (which would have been minus 1 star). Thanks to fellow Unilocalers, I’ll need to check this out next week!