10/2/2011

So thanks to their amazing financial assistance program, my underemployed self officially has a membership at the Harlem YMCA. The process was pretty simple and I heard back from the financial assistance office within 2 or 3 days of me handing in my application. With that said, I still love this YMCA as much as when I took advantage of their summer membership a few years ago. The classes are awesome, the facilities are clean, never really crowded where the machines are so the wait is almost non-existent, the staff is really friendly, and so are the members that I have met.

To speak more on the classes/instructors...

Harold - He's such a great instructor! He is great about trying to show us to use proper technique and his classes are pretty tough. You will definitely break a sweat in any of his classes! This session (9/6/11-10/30/11) he is teaching Total Body Conditioning, Kettlebell, BOSU Ball, and Bootcamp.

Tineta - She has such an awesome spirit and great energy! She makes working out fun and you will also break a sweat in her classes. She primarily teaches Spinning classes this session (Beginning-Advanced) and is teaching a Total Body Conditioning class. Her Spinning classes are some of my favorite.

Barry - I've only taken Spinning with him but I felt that he was a great instructor. His class was definitely challenging and he has the perfect energy for instructing a spin class effectively. His music playlist for spin class is great. He also teaches Core Training which I'm sure is probably great, too.

Linda - I've taken her for Core Training and while I did feel like the workout was effective...I just don't feel motivated to go to her class. Really because of her attitude/energy. Didn't really feel positive to me. From what I can see, she's teaching a lot of classes this session but I'd rather take classes with the other instructors who seem happier to be there and to teach. Just to be honest... (I mean she might be better teaching other classes, not sure).

Jon Q - I haven't taken Jon Q this session, but I have taken his Boot Camp class in the past and LOVED it! Granted, it was at 6:30 in the morning for an hour... but the class was really the key factor (aside from my diet change) in me getting to my weight loss goal. When you start off, it's tough but you'll be amazed and happy to see how much you can do at the end of the session. He has great energy and is very motivating. Definitely recommend him. He also teaches Core Training.

But yeah, definitely  check the Harlem YMCA out if you live in Harlem/in the area. It's a 10-15 minute walk from where I live, which is great!

7/10/2018

What a rip off! I signed up for a membership 3 weeks ago so that my toddler could take swimming lessons and I could attend classes after work to help with weightloss management. To my surprise I just attempted to take the 7pm aqua aerobics class and was told that the class was full and that I'd have to arrive an hour and a half before the class to "hopefully" get a spot (I arrived 45mins early). I'm sorry what about those of us who work 9-5???? The receptionist just shrugged. So i'm paying how much a month for a family membership just so my 17mo old can splash around for 25mins? Its unfair to working mom's who want a little me time to get healthy after work.

1/16/2018 Updated review

The steam room is superheated!  For the past 6 months I've been here 3 times and I can't stay in the steam room longer than 4-5 minutes; today it was a minute.  This was my go-to place self-service "day spa" for the pst 12+ years.  On a monthly basis I used to come here to spiritual detox in the steam and sauna rooms but for the past year, the steam room is unbearably hot and the sauna room is not even hot enough to make you sweat.  Disappointed

10/24/2017

Before I enrolled the class's they didn't tell me that the class (the children )already know basic swimming but not my kids n make them very embarrassed and out of place of the group.i moved them out right away for semi private class unfortunately I am still waiting and almost 2 months now ,giving them flexible schedule for swimming private class n paying every month membership but nvr use it.I DO NOT RECOMMEND ANYBODY FOR SWIMMING CLASS IN HERE UNLESS IT'S A GROUP.

4/23/2018

I visited twice and had a great time in the classes. The classes were great but the staff with the exception of one front desk guy was completely rude.

6/29/2017

Love this gym!  It's been the best I've ever gone to.  Towels are always available, they have a steam room and sauna, machines are always available (never over crowded), people are friendly, classes are on point.  No complaints and by far the best option there is for a full service gym.

11/5/2013

OK...this review is for the hostel not the gym.

I booked a room at the Harlem Y on Orbitz, and let me tell you the nice rooms they show on that site are nothing like the room I got.  Also not mentioned was the fact that I had to share one toilet with a floor of other women.  NOT GOOD.  Overpriced for a hostel.

• 

  Room at Harlem YMCA

  Room at Harlem YMCA

5/3/2016

Used a day pass yesterday to check out the gym, mainly the sauna. I am a sauna addict. Check-in was super busy, but the staff was not unfriendly. The locker room was large, had the essentials not the best, but appeared clean. The gym equipment was excellent, fell in love with the treadmill and the weights were substantial. Folks were friendly and it was super cute seeing an entire family work out together. At the end of my workout I went to the sauna. It was empty and hot (win) but 5 min in a huge roach crawled out from the cracks. Hence the 3 stars. Tragic, enjoyed it all but not sure if I will join now.

11/2/2016

This is the spot to stay while in NYC.  Great deal for your money.  The rooms are super clean; the staff are wonderful.  The women's locker room is under renovation, but in a few months, it'll be golden!  Our room also had a minifridge so we could bring home our leftovers.  The TV was a godsend since the WiFi didn't work in our room :(

4/13/2017

These people in here are horrible I took my sons for the free swimming then had to purchase additional swimming caps that no one told me about the life guard was okay but the instructors favorite certain children the members are extremely rude and have no respect I would not recommend this place to NO one and I don't know how they are still in business

9/27/2016

I'm sorry but I had better expectations for the Harlem YMCA. I moved back to Harlem in 2014, singed up for my member family membership in 2015. So I've been going here ever since. I downgraded my membership because my kids weren't impressed. The open gym basketball court is really open gym. It's like people take charge and don't allow others to play basketball and kids are waiting for hours. Before you know it it's no longer open gym and it's a class beginning. The computers never work so my son said it was pointless to go when he can play on his iPad at home. I now have the single membership for myself and let me tell you this is not worth the money. The women's room is falling apart. The sauna which I look forward to after boxing at another gym never ever is working properly. It shuts off from over heating and you have to call the front desk 100 times before someone actually decides to turn it back on. There are times when they all point the finger and say oh no I don't work up here I can't ask the front desk. The front desk will say the person who knows how to turn it on isnt in today. Or here's my favorite, well it's currently awaiting a part but we don't know if they will actually come to fix it. So I basically pay 64 dollars to wait while some people finish conversations on the machines to workout and look at the cold sauna as I pass it to shower where I have to search for the right shower head with enough water pressure. Sorry but not impressed. Not for 82 a month or for 64.

12/11/2015

This review is for for hostel / room / hotel / whatever you want to call it
We stayed for 5 nights and it was great! The room had fridge, A/c, window, TV, A/c, bunk bed, small closet. I think the fridge/tv option is extra but we just needed the fridge. I used the workout area several times and it was nice to have it right there.  It was quiet living area and staff was kind and helpful :)

6/24/2011

Don't know about the gym side, I was just here for a cheap place to stay during a weekend visit.  The place is more expensive than a cheap hostel, cheaper than a stupidly expensive hostel (of which NYC has many), and way cheaper than any other private room that close to the center of town.

The rooms are small but reasonably comfortable and clean.  Shared bathroom, but that's certainly expected at the price.  There's always someone at desk, which is really convenient for the weekend trip crowd (a lot of hostels seem to have a "you must check in before 11" policy, really inconvenient if there are any delays on the Friday evening bus, which there are approximately all the time).  Also, the tall building with a GIGANTIC NEON SIGN visible from the subway station was a nice change of pace from the usual unlabeled hostel entrance.

3/10/2016

• 1 check-in

I should give it 2 starts so no one will come!  It is so unexpected!  Clean, wifi, affordable, classes, cardio and A POOL!    And the staff knows your name!  LOVE IT!

11/14/2013

OMG! Definitely recommend this place to stay.  The quality & cleanliness for that price was a surprise for us! Far better than other hostels.  Half a block away from the nearest subway station.  We had access to all their amenities.  The room looked clean and it felt clean!  I had no problem leaving clothes around the place and didn't felt itchy when sleeping, something  that i usually feel at other cheap hotels.  The only downside is that we couldn't get the a/c to be an acceptable temperature.

3/18/2011

I've been a member of several gyms in the city since I moved here. I was a member of New York Sports Club, Chelsea Piers, the Hoboken Y, and 92Y. Before that I used the facilities NYU provided for its students.

It's worth noting for people just getting to the city that the name YMCA does NOT connote the same substandard quality that comes with the brand outside New York City. I've been to several Y's here and there's not much comparison. It's difficult to decouple the name from your experiences in California or Minnesota or wherever, but do yourself a favor and have a look at the facilities if the price fits your budget.

The Harlem YMCA is in a strange position because it's more or less the only game in town, which makes it indispensable for locals who want to stay in shape. That said, it really pales in comparison to many of the other gyms I've visited in the city. The weight room and cardio room are cramped when traffic is low and more or less worthless when traffic is high. While there is a pool, which I was excited about when I joined, it's a tiny pool that receives extremely high traffic.* Good luck swimming serious laps there.

Still, the staff is a delight, and being the only game in town the Harlem YMCA could be a LOT worse. If there were any meaningful competition I'd give it three stars.

*-- If I knew you'd better I'd make a culturally insensitive joke about the irony of this sentence given the location, but we're strangers, so I'm gonna keep my mouth shut.

7/21/2015

People swim in the pools without rinsing. This is disgusting. People can get ear infections among other things through contamination. The rules are posted nearby the lifeguard, but the lifeguard never enforces them. So I believe they should post 3 signs behind every door before entering the pool for friendly reminders. This will reassure our safety and health concerns.

3/11/2013

I gave 2 stars because they have GREAT ideas...just the implementation isnt so solid...
Time Available: Good open early and late.
Front Desk Staff: Depending on what time you go you will receive GREAT customer service (staff remembering names and following up) OR HORRENDOUS (Staff ignoring you as you scan in or texting behind the desk)

Equipment: Good, they stay on top of things in that aspect. It's not too busy that you have to wait long for a turn on anything.

Higher Staff: The big bosses (the ones that walk around without uniforms) NEVER have a good demeanor. They always bark orders and dont always think of best ideas for the members. For example: The Director Latoya Jackson always has a sneer on her face and tends to talk down and snap at the front desk staff...I havent seen her interact with other departments...but when she's approaching or leaving you can see the staff eyes light up in terror (okay i may be exagerrating JUST a bit-but CERTAINLY not much...I wonder if the Harlem Y surveys how their staff actually feels?)

Giselle: is willing to stop and speak when she's not too busy...

Tiffany: Is what we members joke around as the 'Ghost of Harlem Y'...she's never really present. I undertsnad if this was a bigger Y we would probably never see her either....however that's why my family hasnt joined the Y on 62nd St...we want that closeness....but that's not important in the bigger picture of things.

Katukee-was GREAT! He knw every single name  of everyone in my family! He knew what classes we took and what days! I have no idea how he could remember all the members stories and families but he did and you could tell he really cared!

Bill (Fitness Director) and Sunny (Aquatics Director) are the epitome of cheerfulness and energy. I see Bill early in the morning working out right next to me EVERYDAY! Later on he's ALWAYS available and ALWAYS follows up!

Sunny IS FRIGGIN AWESOME! Anytime I had an issue (which was rare) with my kids in the classes for swimming. She ALWAYS responded within a day and had no problem talking me thru my fears! I even got involved in classes last year. I still take water aerobics too! I know she moved on but my kids learned so much under her and her staff...I will say taht since she moved on the shifting of instructors in classes have started...and I'm not comfortable with the inconsistency BUT I do know whenever someone new has to come in-there's a period of transition...but I did pull my kids out of lessons until the instructors can be solidified. I wish Geraldine and Alicia could teach more classes!

Exterior: It's an old building but a landmark! I love bringing out of town friends here!

So i gave a 2 out of 5...only because the people 'in charge' rarely speak :-( and I had to take my kids out of the classes... I know it will get better and I will write another when it does!

5/18/2007

• First to Review

OK, so I'll give it 4 stars, mainly for value. Basically, it's a good deal... you'll be hard pressed to get a room to yourself in Manhattan for under $60 a night, except here.

I came out for the gf's graduation from Columbia Teacher's College, and since she was staying in a hotel in Queens with her parents... I had to find my own accommodations. I opted for something close to Columbia. Being a poor college kid myself, I was looking at hostels. After debating between several hostels, I decided having my own single room (that locked) would be the way to go.

My room was a little musty, and sort of New York "clean," in that it's not clean, but not "dirty." It's more just "well-used." The room had sort of a "court-imposed rehab" vibe to it... but I wasn't there to hang out in my room. Furnishings included a table, a dresser, and a little nightstand-type table. Plus, a TV (w/ rabbit ears... tolerable reception), a fridge, and a window AC unit. Only caveat there: one outlet. Therefore, I could have the TV and AC on, but no fridge. TV and my cell phone charging, but not AC unit. Luckily, it wasn't hot, so I just used the AC's fan to get some air in there, plus some ambient background sleeping noise.

Shared bathroom was all right. Again, not sparkling, eat-off-the-floor clean; however, not "dirty." I felt comfortable using it. It was a little small, in that there were just 2 toilet stalls, 1 urinal, 4 sinks, and a little shower room with 2 shower heads. But the shower was fine. Water was hot, pressure was solid. Do take flip-flops (or stop at one of the discount stores and get a pair of 99-cent ones: they have em). I didn't get down to the weight room or pool, but as a guest, you do have access.

Staff was nice enough. Security recognized me quickly, one of the registration ladies even remembered my full name. And on my final day, they let my get a late checkout since the day's graduation ceremony didn't get over until 12.30, and the checkout time is noon.

Overall, it is what it is. More privacy than a hostel. (Although there is a little "lounge" with some padded chairs and a table on the floor.) It's cheap. It's convenient: the 2&3 are at the end of the block; the A,B,C are a quick walk, as are busses (the M60 to LaGuardia is at 125th). I could walk over to Columbia's campus easily, too. And I never felt unsafe in the area. It *is* Harlem. If you're white, then yeah, you'll be well in the minority--as in possibly the only one--so if that's an issue to you...

But if I'm ever in a similar situation, I'd stay there again.

3/8/2009

Pluses: few people and very nice personal
Minuses: you only get 1 towel per person in exchange for your card, the equipment is very worn out, some are not working properly the water fountain is broken and the whole place just looks very old(