Fitness & Wellness Club venues

A fitness & wellness club is a type of club that combines gym membership with spa facilities such as a sauna, steam room, hammam and pool. What sets a fitness & wellness club apart from other types is how it is used: training is at the heart of the visit, the spa area complements the workout, and access is mostly through membership. The massage and treatment menu is usually narrower than at a day spa.

What you find at fitness & wellness clubs

All the clubs listed have a gym; more than half have a sauna and a Turkish bath, and some have a steam room and a jacuzzi. The clubs' descriptions highlight indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a semi-Olympic indoor pool, reformer pilates, yoga and meditation classes, a squash court and personal training. A club in Bodrum combines outdoor sports areas with a sauna and a cold pool, while a club in Istanbul offers nutrition counselling. Some clubs also have spa services such as kese (exfoliating scrub), foam massage and Balinese, Swedish or couples' massage; these services are usually charged separately from the membership.

Who a fitness & wellness club suits

A fitness & wellness club suits those who train several times a week and want to use the sauna, steam room or hammam regularly after their workout. Combining exercise and relaxation in a single membership at a club near home or work can be more practical than planning separate spa visits. Clubs within hotels also offer business travellers staying there a workout and a wet area in the same place. For those who want to come only for massage and the hammam without exercising, day spas are a better option.

Types of club and how they differ from a wellness centre

The fitness & wellness club category includes three sub-types, according to the scope of the spa facilities:

The difference between a fitness & wellness club and a wellness centre is where the emphasis lies: at a club the gym comes first and the spa second, while at a wellness centre massage and the wet area count for at least as much as the exercise programmes. Some of the clubs listed are tagged as both types; when choosing, which areas are included in the membership tells you more.

Membership, entry and arrangements at clubs

Fitness & wellness clubs mostly work on monthly, multi-month or annual memberships; whether day passes, guest cards or trial days are available varies from club to club. More than half of the clubs listed operate inside a hotel; at these clubs, the terms on which hotel guests can use the gym and wet area, and whether outside visitors can come in with a membership, vary from venue to venue. Ask in advance whether the pool, sauna, hammam and group classes are included in the membership, and whether massage and personal training are charged separately. You will need to bring sportswear, clean trainers, swimwear and slippers; at some clubs a towel service is included in the membership. Wet areas are mostly mixed and swimwear is required. Drink water before going into the sauna straight after a workout and keep your time in the sauna short; if you have cardiovascular disease or blood pressure problems, or are pregnant, consult your doctor about using the sauna and cold pool.

What to look for when choosing a fitness & wellness club

When choosing a fitness & wellness club, look at how the wet area is run as well as at the training area:

• How crowded the gym, sauna and changing rooms are at peak times
• Pool arrangements: lane allocation and the hours set aside for swimming lessons
• Whether the sauna, steam room and hammam can be used at all times the club is open
• The range of equipment in the gym and the experience of the personal trainers
• The terms for freezing, transferring and cancelling a membership

Cities with fitness & wellness clubs

Most of the fitness & wellness clubs listed are in Istanbul, in Şişli, Beyoğlu, Ataşehir, Üsküdar and Maltepe. Outside Istanbul there is also one club each in the Çankaya district of Ankara, the Yüreğir district of Adana and Yalıkavak in Bodrum (Muğla).