Fitness Center

Fitsportland Schiedam Bv

Schiedam, Netherlands

An allegation you should know about before joining

I'll be careful here, because the most serious thread in these reviews is a claim I can't verify and won't repeat as fact. Across the written reviews, more than one person - a one-star from January 2023 and a one-star from February 2026 among them - describes being treated differently as a foreigner or newcomer during sign-up. The January 2023 reviewer wrote that the owner "refused to speak english" during a dispute and explicitly urged readers to "scroll down, there are other reviews by foreigners reporting the same." A December 2022 one-star described calling for a trial lesson and being unable to get help because staff "were not able to speak in English at all," then having the phone hung up. The February 2026 reviewer describes a cold, dismissive registration call and being told it's "completely full right now." That's at least two, arguably three, independent voices pointing at the same shape: a hard, unwelcoming intake experience, and a specific accusation of differential treatment by background.

Here's how I'd hold that. The allegation of discrimination is exactly that - an allegation, and a heavy one. I'm not adopting it or naming anyone. What's checkable and repeated is more modest and still useful: several people found the registration process cold, English-language help unreliable on the phone, and the answer to new sign-ups was often "we're full, there's a waiting list." Bias, or just a brusque, over-subscribed operation? I can't say from reviews alone. But if you're a non-Dutch speaker planning to join, go in person, bring a Dutch-speaking friend if you can, and don't be surprised by a waiting list.

What it is

Fitsportland Schiedam (Stockholm 9) reads as a mid-size gym with group classes. The listing type is sports_activity_location; hours run 08:00 to 22:00 most weekdays, shorter on weekends. It appears popular enough to run a waiting list, which is part of the friction in these reviews.

The review that holds both sides

The most balanced account is a three-star from April 2026, in Dutch. Translated, it calls Fitsportland "a beautiful and well-equipped gym, with nice group classes and knowledgeable, friendly, cheerful staff" - and then describes shivering "on a yoga mat in a freezing cold upstairs room" in winter, and being spoken to by the owner "in such an improper and customer-unfriendly way" when asking for help with the machines that they eventually cancelled. (translated from Dutch) One review carrying both the praise and the complaint is often more trustworthy than five that only do one.

What that 4.4 is measuring

4.4 across 82 ratings is a decent sample, and it clearly splits. The equipment, classes and some staff draw praise; the intake experience and the owner's manner draw the sharp one-stars. Note the shape: the harshest reviews are specifically about joining and about being new, not about the workout once you're in. So the 4.4 is measuring two different things at once - a well-liked training floor and a contested front door.

What's missing

No review states a price or the membership options in detail - though the February 2026 reviewer references choices around "how often you train per week" and off-peak rates, so tiered plans seem to exist. No review confirms the waiting-list length or how to get on it. And nobody resolves the discrimination claim; it sits open.

Who it's not for

Anyone who needs a smooth, English-language sign-up may hit friction - multiple reviewers did. If you want to join today, the recurring "we're full" answer suggests you plan for a wait. And if a cold intake experience would sour the whole membership, the reviews are a fair warning.

FAQ

Are the discrimination complaints true?

Several reviewers allege being treated differently as foreigners during sign-up, including a claim that the owner refused to speak English in a dispute. These are unverified allegations, and I'm not stating them as fact. What's consistently reported is a cold intake process and unreliable English help by phone.

Can I join easily as a non-Dutch speaker?

Reviewers report difficulty. Go in person, bring a Dutch-speaking friend if possible, and expect a possible waiting list. Confirm details at +31 10 471 0404.

Is the gym itself any good?

The training floor draws praise - "well-equipped," "nice group classes," "knowledgeable, friendly" staff in one account. The complaints cluster on the sign-up experience and the owner's manner, not the equipment.

What Our Members Say

4.4
Based on 82 reviews · showing 4
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Powered by GoogleLatest review Apr 2026
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Maaike de Waart
Apr 2026
Mooie en goed geoutilleerde sportschool, met fijne groepslessen, met kundig en vriendelijk en vrolijk personeel. Maar ook, in de winter bibberend van de kou op een yogamatje in een ijskoude bovenzaal. En toen ik vroeg of... Read more

Mooie en goed geoutilleerde sportschool, met fijne groepslessen, met kundig en vriendelijk en vrolijk personeel. Maar ook, in de winter bibberend van de kou op een yogamatje in een ijskoude bovenzaal. En toen ik vroeg of iemand een keer met me wilde meelopen om de werking van de fitnesstoestellen uit te leggen, ben ik door de eigenaar op zo'n onbehoorlijke en vooral klant onvriendelijke manier te woord gestaan, dat ik het nooit meer heb durven vragen. En daarom tenslotte mijn abonnement heb opgezegd. Interesse in het waarom van het opzeggen van mijn abonnement was er niet. Er is een wachtlijst.

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m m
Feb 2026
I've NEVER experienced this before, and apparently, it's a problem for other people with different backgrounds. It's so obvious that the owner is choosing whether or not you're welcome. I politely call to say I'm at the... Read more

I've NEVER experienced this before, and apparently, it's a problem for other people with different backgrounds. It's so obvious that the owner is choosing whether or not you're welcome. I politely call to say I'm at the door and would like to register, but there's a gate and I can't get in. She says, "Well, you have to come in then, that's the polite thing to do!" and hangs up right in my face. I was already in the hallway, but I didn't realize that the entrance on the right also belonged to the gym. This is my first time here?! I then tell her I'd like to register, and she replies, "Oh, and you didn't call first? No, that's not how we work here. And it's completely full right now, maybe in a few months there will be more space..." HUH? What do you get with different memberships where you can choose how often you train per week and whether you want to go during off-peak hours or not? You barely know what kind of contract I want. She had only one goal: to get me out of there as soon as possible. I thought it would be nice to exercise close to home, but I had a bad experience. Thanks to the owner!

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Pablo Mahu
Jan 2023
Being a foreigner, the owner treated me differently from day one. He accused me every time of any disordered weights. Moreover, he implied that I tried to cheat/steal by bringing someone to the gym and trying it out for... Read more

Being a foreigner, the owner treated me differently from day one. He accused me every time of any disordered weights. Moreover, he implied that I tried to cheat/steal by bringing someone to the gym and trying it out for a second time, ignoring the fact that we actually explicitly said -twice- that we wanted to pay and become members (he had said to us there was a waiting list and that he "didn't know" when the other person could join, which is weird for a business owner not to know). Moreover, during a discussion, he refused to speak english with me (my dutch is not perfect) in an attempt to, again, differentiate and mistreat a paying customer. To the reader: scroll down, there are other reviews by foreigners reporting the same xenophobic attitude.

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Vanessa Arellano Quispe
Dec 2022
Today I callled to make an appoitment for a trial lesson but unfortunally they were not able to speak in English at all and they hunged up the phone with out any intention to help. It was dissapointing. I was very intere... Read more

Today I callled to make an appoitment for a trial lesson but unfortunally they were not able to speak in English at all and they hunged up the phone with out any intention to help. It was dissapointing. I was very interested in signing up for the group lessons.

Location

Stockholm 9, 3124 SG Schiedam, Netherlands

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