By June Ramli
It all began when Simon Hamilton, together with Anthony and James Simonetta, recognised a gap in the market for affordable and accessible wellness facilities.
As Simon put it, they noticed that, “a facility like this is very, very expensive to come to and is not accessible to everyday people.
So the goal of the business was to make sauna, ice, steam affordable and accessible to everyone.”
Embarking on this entrepreneurial journey with Anthony—brothers by choice if not by blood—put their partnership to the ultimate test.
“Hamilton and myself Anthony Simonetta and James Simonetta are the owners of extra clubs,” Simon explained, emphasising the close-knit relationship at the helm of the company.
This shared vision led them to create Xtra Clubs, focusing on the “extras that gyms typically don’t have.”
Simon clarified, “We just wanted to solely focus on providing the best experience for sauna, ice, and steam.”
Their approach is not merely about wellness, but about removing barriers.
“We believe that we do deliver on the best experience,” he said, and insisted that everyone should be able to benefit:
“Much like most people have a gym membership… we believe that everyone should have a membership to a facility like this.”
Xtra Clubs has quickly grown to three open locations—Green Square, Marrickville, and Bondi Junction—with new clubs in Parramatta and Manly on the way.
Their ambition stretches even further
“Next year we’re looking at doing Canberra as well… we want to go across Australia, that’s the goal.”
Memberships are designed for inclusivity and flexibility, with three tiers that start at just $27.95 a week. “Essentials, Elevate, and Thrive,” Simon listed, “and essential starts at 27.95 a week. So it’s very, very similar to… Anytime Fitness, kind of membership price point.”
For those who don’t want to commit, casual sessions are available for $39 each, and there is “not like a six or 12 month lock in, like most gyms do… our membership are 28 day cancellation notice.”
The club is open from 6am to 11pm, seven days a week, and advanced booking ensures a personalised experience by limiting attendance per session.
Luckily, technology makes all this possible:
“We’ve built the app in house. The app opens the front door, the app opens the turnstile, the app gives you a locker, the app opens the fridge and charges the car… we’re very, very tech focused.”
Simon’s own health journey added a personal touch to the business’s mission.
“I used to get quite overweight, and I really got into my health and fitness and started prioritising that much the same as Anthony.
James always has been pretty, pretty fit and healthy, but James, Anthony, and I have really honed in on our fitness over the last five years.”
As the business matured, the team stayed true to their original vision of flexibility.
“If you wanted to add a peak session to your membership, but you didn’t want to go up to the tier above, you can do that… you can add towel service… it’s all very customizable to suit and tailor the individual.”
This journey, built on discovering a need and surviving the ultimate test of partnership, has created a community where “affordable and accessible” is more than a slogan—it’s a reality for every member who walks through the doors of Xtra Clubs.
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