Gyms in Queenstown
Here I am in this stunning resort, looking for…. Gyms in Queenstown!
1. Queenstown Gym
Level 2, 53 Shotover St, Queenstown
$25 a session. $60 for 3 sessions. $82 for 5.
My visit to Queenstown Gym was brief. As the only obvious gym in central Queenstown, I headed straight for it, to be told the outrageously expensive prices above. A not-very-friendly guy told me there is absolutely no backpacker discount whatsoever and that’s that. Of all the towns and cities across New Zealand, this is the most expensive gym I’ve ever visited, but without any obvious signs of competition nearby, Queenstown Gym seems to get away with it.
I looked further afield and discovered a nice suburb of Queenstown, called Frankton.
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2. Snap Fitness Frankton, Queenstown
5 Hawthorne Dr, Frankton, Queenstown
Staffed hours: Mon – Thu: 10:00 – 18:00, Fri: 10:00 – 15:00, Sat: 9:00 – 12:00, Sun – by appointment only.
24/7 access for members.
Cost: a three day free trial, or $9 for a one day gym pass on Bookme’s website.
After a disappointing visit to the gym in Queenstown centre, I sought other activities to do, on a website I’ve used a lot during my time in New Zealand, Bookme. It’s great for ideas and is often cheaper than booking through agents. To my surprise I came across a $9 gym offer for Snap Fitness – the first time I’ve seen gyms on the Bookme site. I snapped it up, so to speak, turning up at 10am the following Tuesday as planned.
Getting There
You’ll see regular bus services running approximately every 15 minutes between Queenstown and Frankton – get off at Remarkables Park. If you’re planning to make more than one return trip, you’re best off getting a Go Card for public transport to save money. I was sold one on the bus for $5, and the fare is then only $2 each way, as opposed to $5, at the time of writing.
The bus trip is well worth it for the scenery alone and takes around 30 minutes. Get off the bus at Remarkables Park, a large shopping centre, and if you were paying attention, you’ll have spotted Snap Fitness Frankton on the road on the way in.
Location and Entry
As it happens, Bookme had sold me entry to Snap Fitness on a New Zealand bank holiday! The gym wasn’t even technically staffed and the promotion was invalid. However, staff happened to be there and kindly let me in, and I broached the topic of the three day free trial I’d spotted on their website. He told me he could either give me the free trial OR the Bookme promotion, and kindly suggested he could refund me via Bookme (since it was invalid anyway). This would allow me to do the free trial instead. Perfect – 3 free workouts!
Facilities
The gym was medium-sized and in good condition with a rather cosy floor area in the back-right corner of the gym. Both staff and members were friendly and helpful and there was a good atmosphere. Due to the bank holiday it was pretty busy even at 10am, but was quieter on subsequent visits at similar times. It contained everything you’d expect in a good quality medium sized gym chain. I imagine this could get extremely busy in the evenings though, so go earlier if you can.
Summary of Gyms in Queenstown
When choosing a gym in Queenstown, it’s a simple question of whether budget or convenience is your top priority. You can’t beat the central location of Queenstown Gym, but it doesn’t even pretend to accommodate travellers on a budget. A cheap bus fare away (not to mention some stunning views on route) will get you to Snap Fitness Frankton. I found the staff to be consistently friendly and helpful across the chain and on this occasion went out of their way to save me money.
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