Before anything else: check that this club is open before you go. That's not a throwaway caution. The Limeijian chain has been in serious trouble.
Limeijian Fitness Club, known in English as Total Fitness and in Chinese as Li Mei Jian, operates from the 8th floor of Zhonghua Plaza at 33 Zhongshan San Lu in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou. The chain was founded in 2001, and at its peak in 2018 it ran more than 50 clubs across Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Chongqing, and Tianjin, with a combined floor area above 200,000 square metres, close to 300,000 members, and over 2,000 staff.
That was the peak. What happened next is the reason for the warning at the top.
The Chain's Situation
Chinese media have documented a run of branch collapses. In 2023 the Huacheng branch shut owing more than a million yuan in rent. The Guangya branch closed the same summer, reportedly owing around 1.5 million yuan in staff wages, and a district court sealed 90 categories of equipment there in August 2023. Another branch closed over roughly a million yuan in overdue rent. In November 2024 the Yayuncheng branch shut abruptly, with reporting indicating that 30 members each had more than 10,000 yuan of unspent balance, totalling over 1.2 million yuan, after the branch had pushed a discounted promotional card shortly before closing.
By late 2024, consumer platform data showed roughly 12 Limeijian branches still trading in Guangzhou, down from the 50-plus peak.
I could not confirm whether the Zhonghua Plaza branch specifically is still operating. It still appears on the chain's own club list and in Chinese reference sources, but given the pattern above, that's not proof of anything. Verify by phone or in person before paying for anything, and be extremely cautious about buying a long prepaid card.
Facilities and Equipment
Historically, Limeijian branches offered a conventional big-club package: a weights floor, cardio, spin studio, group exercise and yoga rooms, sauna, and at flagship sites a boxing ring and a temperature-controlled pool. What the Zhonghua Plaza branch currently has, if anything, isn't verifiable.
The one Google review on record, now over a decade old, called it an amazing club but very expensive. Historical annual cards at some Limeijian branches ran around 3,000 yuan.
Location and Getting There
The location itself is excellent, and that part is easy to verify. Zhonghua Plaza is a major shopping mall at the junction of Zhongshan San Lu and Jiaochang West Road in Yuexiu, next to the Martyrs' Cemetery.
Guangzhou Metro Line 1 stops at Martyrs' Park station, and Exit A connects directly into the mall's basement level. Line 6 also serves the area. You can get here from most of central Guangzhou without ever going outside.
The mall trades roughly 10:00 to 22:00.
Hours and Practical Tips
No verified hours for the gym itself. The mall's own trading hours are the practical constraint on the upper floors.
My advice, and I feel strongly about this one: if you visit and the club is open, buy the shortest possible membership. Do not buy an annual card. The chain's recent history is a case study in why prepaid gym cards are a risk, and members at other branches have lost real money.
FAQ
Is the Zhonghua Plaza branch still open?
Unconfirmed. It still appears on the chain's own listings, but multiple Guangzhou branches have closed since 2023. Verify before travelling.
Is Limeijian a big chain?
It was. Founded in 2001, it exceeded 50 clubs and roughly 300,000 members by 2018. By late 2024 around 12 branches were reportedly still trading in Guangzhou.
Should I buy a long membership?
I'd strongly advise against it. Members at closed branches were left with large unspent prepaid balances.
How do I get there?
Guangzhou Metro Line 1 to Martyrs' Park station, Exit A, which connects directly into Zhonghua Plaza.
What does it cost?
No current pricing is verifiable. Historical annual cards at some branches ran around 3,000 yuan.