If you could design the perfect Dojo/School, what are things that you feel are an absolute necessity to have, things that would be nice to have, and things that just should not be in the Dojo/School at all. Also, what would your layout/design be.
Your thoughts Please.
Two separate mat areas and a room for privates.
Nice clean showers and an area to shave/brush teeth
Seating areas
Good fans and air conditioning.
Pro shop
Snack shop
Good parking 
Thanks for your input. I definitely like the idea of the showers
Showers
Kids area with glass divider
Lots of parking
Good AC and Heat.
checkuroil - Two separate mat areas and a room for privates.
Nice clean showers and an area to shave/brush teeth
Seating areas
Good fans and air conditioning.
Pro shop
Snack shop
Good parking
agree on showers, and a wash area, multiple toilets (male and female), seated/ viewing area, fans and parking.
the pro shop is also something that is needed for revenue, whereas a snack shop isnt necessary, but having a stocked drinks fridge as well as freezer (acai and ice packs) is also mandatory.
not sure on why u need 3 separate mat areas. a large main mat and a smaller matted room (used for privates) for juniors or female classes is all that u would really need.
I'm sure opinions differ, but I think the physical amenities are so completely dwarfed by other factors, such as who the instructor is, what the cuture of the school is like, etc. I have been to a couple schools like that, where everything seemed "perfect", but I just hated the school. They had all the goodies, but I knew I could NEVER train there.
A small workout area is great to have. Nothing special. Treadmill, dumbbell set, maybe a few kettlebells. Just a little something to justify not having to pay for a gym
I would start with some awesome training partners, badass instructors, and lots of mat space. a shower and locker room...pretty much marcelo garcia's ny spot with a bigger locker room. Yup that sounds good
optional lockers so there can't be any complaining about thieves, a water purifier/chiller, showers,
Mat Space
Climate control (never had it)
A wrestling/judo program
Showers 
I'm going to parrot a lot of people here. In order of importance:
An excellent coach
A friendly, cohesive environment
Good high level training partners
A clean facility
Showers
Early morning classes/training to train before work
checkuroil - Two separate mat areas and a room for privates.I like this, but I would add a TV/Couch for parents.
Nice clean showers and an area to shave/brush teeth
Seating areas
Good fans and air conditioning.
Pro shop
Snack shop
Good parking
shen -
I'm sure opinions differ, but I think the physical amenities are so completely dwarfed by other factors, such as who the instructor is, what the cuture of the school is like, etc. I have been to a couple schools like that, where everything seemed "perfect", but I just hated the school. They had all the goodies, but I knew I could NEVER train there.
this. i train at a tiny hole in the wall gym. love the guys i train with though. still, a sweet facility would be nice!
cswhitey321 - I'm going to parrot a lot of people here. In order of importance:
An excellent coach
A friendly, cohesive environment
Good high level training partners
A clean facility
Showers
Early morning classes/training to train before work
what its all about right here. Ill pay to train in your front yard if you have good coaches and training partners and make me feel part of the family
Obviously a good instructor and good training partners is number one and I have that but our place currently is a small room with a mat and a bathroom and a bench along one wall. I trained Judo at a place with a large sprung mat system and personal shower rooms and even a massage table. It also had a front office and elevated viewing area. It also had an apartment where a guy we trained with lived. That place was nice.
An audio/visual system that announces and displays someone's weight, and max bench-press right before he steps on the mat.
clean mats
good coaches
decent blokes for training partners
no contracts
I would say, in order of importance
-High level, coaching oriented instructors (some instructors are focused on their own development or competition career, as opposed to becoming a more efficient coach; I think it's the most fun to train under someone who is all about becoming a better coach/trainer, though either orientation can be a great instructor).
-A team/family atmosphere with a variety of training partners (active competitors who train constantly and hobbyists with full time jobs, preferably with all color belts well represented)
-Wrestling classes
-lots of mat space with nice, thick mats
-6am classes
-Some basic exercise equipment; I'd settle for chin-up/dip bars and some Kettlebells or barbells
-some sort of snack bar; my coach is starting a side business selling acai bowls, and Brazilian fanboy-ism aside they are delicious and perfect for a post-training snack.
-Showers
-A steam room
I've never heard of a grappling gym with a steam room, but when I joined a wrestling club in college we had practices next to the main campus gym. The campus gym had an awesome indoor, Olympic-sized lap/diving pool, hot tubs, steam rooms, and a sauna, all of which where typically filled with hot college girls in bikinis.
I loved swimming some easy laps and relaxing in the steam room after each practice, I think it was one of the best things I've ever done for recovery.
I always wanted to have a coffee shop attached to the front of my gym, so that at the end of the night when everyone is done rolling but still wants to sit around and chat for an hour, I can move them out of the *gym* portion, lock up for the night, and they can all sit comfortably and buy my coffee ;)
checkuroil - Two separate mat areas and a room for privates.
Nice clean showers and an area to shave/brush teeth
Seating areas
Good fans and air conditioning.
Pro shop
Snack shop
Good parking
All sounds good, except I would never shave immediately before or after rolling around on a mat with other dirty sweaty men.