Is it bad to join a gym that's kind of far away?

I've just moved to a new area and I'm looking to join a gym. There are a lot of gyms close by, but they're small and expensive. There's a Bally Total Fitness that I love, but it's 25 minutes away from my house. I've read that you shouldn't join a gym that's far away because you'll use it as an excuse not to go later. It's really the only gym that I like that's in my price range. What do you guys think? Is it a bad idea?