It is important to find their right gym that fits in your budget and your daily schedule. If forced to, you should be prepared to compromise on your budget or daily schedule. However, one thing that you should not compromise on is the manner in which equipment is maintained at the gym.
You may meet many persons who have very nice things to say about the gym. However, you can never be sure whether they are members of the gym or have been employed by the organization to speak well about facilities. Rather, you should focus on your own assessment. If you have gone to gyms before, you probably know the standard equipment that is used in all gymnasiums. Check out whether the gym that you are joining has any special equipment.
Find out whether they have gone in for newer technologies to help members get fit faster. If you do not find any such equipment, then you should ask whether you are getting any special benefit by paying the premium on membership fees.
The second thing that you should focus on is quality of maintenance of existing equipment. Remember, going in for a spa, personalized workout and other such optional accessories is fine but everything depends on quality of equipment. At the end of the day, each and every member of the gym is going to use the same equipment. If the equipment has not been greased properly and squeaks all the time, it is an indication of poor maintenance.
The extra force that you exert to use the equipment can backfire as it can lead to strain and muscle pulls. Rather than focusing on the exterior façade, you should focus on the interiors and check whether you are indeed getting value for money.
Make it a point to check the restroom or the washroom before you sign up for the gym. A gymnasium that speaks about importance of health but does not focus on hygiene and friendliness is just not worth joining. Keeping track of small things will help you avoid taking the wrong decision.