Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are great, but here are a few of my favorite things: eclectic interior design, a wide variety of fitness modalities, dreamy spas, charming libraries, and crave-worthy dining experiences. At the risk of sounding paranoid, it kind of feels like Heimat, a Los Angeles “concept gym” looked inside my brain and took all of those things into consideration.
What is a “concept gym” you ask? Well, it’s still a fairly unique idea, but in Heimat’s case, it’s an artful combination of fitness, spa, dining, and co-working—all in one five-story building tucked away in West Hollywood. At this members-only wellness club, amenities abound. I’m talking two gym floors with multiple studio spaces and group classes (Pilates, yoga, spin, weight training, bootcamp, boxing, Kinesis, and more); a spa offering facials, massages, and mani-pedis; a locker room with a dry sauna and relaxation room; an open-concept co-working space; a rooftop pool; members-only events; and a restaurant with delicious offerings. Truly, it’s like a little wellness city — a 75,000 square foot one, to be exact—conveniently housed under one roof. In fact, even the name “Heimat” comes from the German word for the comforting feeling of being at home—which is precisely what this club strives to embody.
With that idea in mind, I decided to put this unique wellness club to the test: What if I were to spend an entire week at this gym, only going back to my house to sleep? Here’s what happened when I made Heimat my home-away-from-home.
My Week at Heimat
It’s day one of my Heimat journey. I slip into my workout clothes and pack a day bag with all of my essentials: sneakers, laptop, headphones, swimsuit, makeup bag, and a change of clothes for later in the day.
The main entrance to this grand gym is pretty discrete; the valet is tucked away into an alleyway, and the main entrance is just a few paces away. The front door, however, is unmistakable. The majestic, brass doorway emblazoned with an “H” makes me feel like I’m walking into the lost city of gold, rather than a wellness club (and I don’t mind it one bit).
Inside the main lobby, there’s a cozy, boho-eclectic lounge area, complete with a fireplace, moody hues, and expertly-curated 60s and 70s era decor that looks like it was meticulously sourced from vintage stores. (Again, one of my favorite things). There’s a smoothie and snack bar across the room, where I grab one of their signature blends (a mix of strawberries, dates, collagen, almond butter, and coconut milk) before starting my day.
On the other side of the first floor lobby is a massive gym space with every kind of equipment you could imagine, along with rows and rows of cardio machines, all surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of mood-boosting natural light. There’s also a few dedicated group fitness studios for spinning, boxing, bootcamp, and strength training (members can take an unlimited number of group classes). You simply have to sign up for a spot using the Heimat app; classes go live two days prior.
Today, however, I walk past this fitness space and head up to the second floor locker room to drop off my bag. Even this area is aesthetically pleasing. The lighting is impeccable, there’s a lovely vanity space lined with mirrors and Dyson hair dryers (fancy), and the waterfall showers are the stuff bathroom dreams are made of.
I take the stairs up to the third floor, another fitness floor, where colorful stained glass-like panels create division between workout machines and cast rainbow light onto the floor. This is also the floor where the Pilates, Kinesis, and yoga studios are located, which is where I’m headed. I take a one-hour Vinyasa flow. It’s a bit more challenging than I expect, but a great way to simultaneously kick off the day and begin my week of wellness. I rinse off in those dreamy showers afterward and get ready for my work day.
With my laptop, charger, and planner in hand, I scale two more flights of stairs until I reach the fifth floor, AKA the most gorgeous co-working space I’ve ever seen in my life. This decor is a brighter and more joyful counter to some of the modern, moody gym spaces on the first few floors — like an eclectic, inviting living room. There are multiple furniture vignettes, along with a long communal table at the center of the room. However, my favorite space is the “quiet room,” designed to look like a chic library, with emerald green walls and built-in bookshelves. (I may or may not also have an emerald green library space in my own home.) I settle into a cozy armchair and get to work.
A few hours later, I’m ready for a lunch break. It’s worth noting that you can order food directly to the co-working space; each table has a scannable QR code that lets you order everything from a wrap to a smoothie. However, I feel like taking a proper break, so I head downstairs and check out the final floor in this massive building: Mother Tongue, Heimat’s in-house restaurant. The interior has similar takes on the eclectic-minimalist styles that’s present throughout, but with its pink-splashed walls and terrazzo tables, it also has its own distinct personality.
I opt for a table on the sunny outdoor terrace with views of the Hollywood Hills and enjoy a miso salmon bowl. I order a matcha latte to go, and bring it back down to the workspace as I wrap up the rest of my tasks for the day.
Before heading back to my actual home, I book a complimentary compression boot session in the spa and let my muscles get some love. Honestly, it’s a pretty great day.
For the rest of the week, I follow a similar routine of workout, work, dining, wellness services — but I mix things up each day. I do a personal training session, try a couple reformer Pilates classes, enjoy a blissful stretching class, get an enzyme facial at the spa, enjoy a workday by the pool, hop around to different areas of the co-working space and order lunch to my table, meditate in the Himalayan salt-lined sauna, get one of the best mani-pedis of my life, meet up with a friend for dinner at Mother Tongue, and sneak in multiple compression boot sessions. In a word, I try pretty much anything and everything Heimat has to offer.
The week flies by in a flash, and, honestly, I’d do it again any time.
What It Was Like to Essentially Live At My Gym for a Week
I’ve been a freelance journalist for the last two years, and worked remotely for nearly three years in my prior role. Admittedly, I love the freedom and flexibility this setup allows me — not to mention the time I save by not having to commute. That said, I can’t deny that there are times I miss having somewhere to be on a daily basis, as well as having separation between where I live and where I work. I know I’m not alone with these conflicting emotions.
Spending the entire week at Heimat filled that void for me. It gave me somewhere to go (other than a few steps to my home office), and every day didn’t blend together a la Groundhogs Day as it often does when I’m working from home. I also discovered that I genuinely enjoyed working in the presence of others again — there’s just something energizing about being in the company of ambitious, wellness-minded individuals.
As for the vibe at Heimat itself, I appreciated how welcoming and unpretentious it felt. Some members-only clubs and studios I’ve visited have felt very cold and elitist, but that wasn’t my impression at all here. I can’t speak for everyone’s experience, but from day one, I felt very comfortable. The staff is sweet and friendly, the instructors are warm and helpful, and I even found myself befriending some lovely women I met in Pilates.
Going to Heimat did require an extra step of packing a bag and driving to a new location, but having everything I needed at my fingertips from the moment I arrived until I went home was wildly convenient. I could get my work done, hop into whatever kind of workout I wanted to, and even dedicate some time to a wellness practice to help me recharge — all without getting back in the car.
The catch? All of this comes with a price, of course. A Heimat membership rings in at $350 per month, with a $350 initiation fee. While that’s certainly a steeper price tag than many standard gyms, it’s comparable to an Equinox membership in the Southern California area, which starts at $297 per month. For further comparison, SoHo House West Hollywood clocks in at $2,875 per year (or approximately $240 per month) with a $1,103 initiation fee. And somewhere like Remedy Place, a unique “social wellness club” with locations in LA and NYC, has memberships that start at $9,000 a year ($750 a month).
Heimat also maintains a waitlist, and while they’re currently accepting new members, a spokesperson for the club says it’s doing so “selectively to uphold the core values of our space,” since Heimat is “committed to maintaining a thoughtfully curated community.” (Referrals are a bonus — but don’t guarantee admission.)
While the price of Heimat is still a bit higher than many gyms or co-working spaces, I personally think it’s challenging to draw a true one-to-one comparison, since these other spaces don’t offer the same range of amenities as the concept gym. And, if you’re someone who would otherwise pay for a co-working space, a gym membership, and boutique classes separately — which could set you back a couple-hundred dollars a piece —then Heimat certainly offers a great value.
My Final Takeaway
I am still so grateful for my ability to work remotely, but I can’t deny that it’s really nice to have a place outside of my home to go for work and exercise — especially when that place is as magical and all-inclusive as Heimat.
I also acknowledge that as human beings, we’re not meant to exist in isolation; we are social creatures, and crave community. Places like Heimat (and other social wellness clubs that are on the rise) recognize the cruciality of connection, and integrate it into their whole model, from group classes that foster friendships to members’ events.
And beyond the space and its offerings (which, as I’ve adequately gushed about, are undeniably incredible) I’m a huge fan of the culture places like Heimat perpetuate. It truly embodies the otherwise abstract concept of work-life balance, putting physical and mental wellness at the forefront—and that is my favorite thing of all.
Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women’s Health. Kristine’s work has also appeared in POPSUGAR, Travel + Leisure, Men’s Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.
