For a university gym, it's decent and... at least better than the Columbia gym?…read more Pre Covid pandemic, I was here frequently. I'd attend the group fitness class here, typically in the mornings. The treadmills and equipment get full quickly. You will have better luck in the morning than in the afternoon. Student workers at the front desk are pretty nice. The staff at the membership office is also nice but the office is operated on different hours, sometimes you have to track the person down. This is the part that gets me, the membership fee is completely different by school. For example, undergrads are free (except summer), faculty and staff pay a reduced fee, and different grad students pay different fee depending on their school. The bathroom is like on every other floor and not super convenient.

The gym is alright. This may be the most used of all the Harvard athletic facilities, since this is…read morewhere most classes and club sessions are held at and the closest to undergraduate housing. Rather peeved... in order for me to get to the left side of the gym, I would have to enter the right side, walk down one floor, and then walk all the way down to get to the left side of the gym. I know some may argue that I'm "exercising" by going through this labyrinth, but I rather utilize my time better by hitting weights than going through a nonsense of a maze.

I like this place. They got me in for June and May 2022 for the small group training. I like the…read morefact that it is a 7am class and the programming and instructor are really good. The cost is $260 for 1 month which is not cheap but also not like, Equinox prices for personal training. Will likely continue in the summer/fall 2022 if they have the space. Parking is a little tough if you do not have a Somerville Permit (need to find a meter in the AM or just hope you do not get towed in front of the Car Wash place). Overall a great spot in the Cambridge/Somerville area. Reminds me of Ethos in the South End.

I'm updating this review since it's been a year and I'm still getting to the TR at least once a…read moreweek. My favorite class is the Thursday 6am spin class. Derek and Regan are my favorite instructors for different reasons. Derek is great at creating a class that mimics an outdoor ride. Whether we're modeling our workout after part of the Tour de France or just taking on a series of hills, I always feel like I left with a great workout. Regan always choose fun, upbeat music that helps you to power through her drills. I feel like sometimes a class can be repetitive, but the music and her attitude make the class go by pretty quickly. I also recently tried a Wednesday 6am bootcamp class that meets outside at Conway park. I'd never worked with the two instructors (with Sean + another instructor who I hadn't met before). I normally DESPISE bootcamps, and it can suck being the new person to a group. But the instructors had great attitudes, were really funny, and made the class enjoyable by changing up our activities frequently. It involved a lot of partner work, but I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. AND--I felt twinges in my abs from all the planking for at least a week afterward. (Which means I should probably do this class more often.) The only downside to these classes is that I would really love another 6am spin class (although obviously not possible if the indoor space is already in use). I feel like a lot of people would do a Friday AM spin class if it were offered. I'm giving 4 stars mostly because I've only found the 6am spin class to be the one class that I really consistently attend, but the Training Room is an awesome place to take classes if you want a low stress, low-commitment trial with a new activity.

Good classes and instructors and staff are really nice. The rooms aren't very clean. The bathrooms…read moreare so gross! The same stall in the women's room has been out of order in months and the toilet paper stands are often broken. They have two locations. The one in kendall square is a lot less busy.

Great gym, but they will scam you when you try to cancel! Fill out a form to cancel my gym…read moremembership since I was moving away from gym. They said it never went through. Refused to give me a refund even when I contacted the same day I was charged. Don't leave the gym until you have proof you cancelled or they will rip you off. Horrible experience, why can't they just play nice with customers. I always recommended this gym to locals but I guess that wouldn't help anymore. Had to go to credit card company to dispute charges.

I received training from Alex for a few months before I moved out of my place a bit far from the Y…read more He tracked my progress, kept me pushing at a pace I could keep up with, and adapted exercises to my needs. I noticeably improved my strength at a steady pace, and I enjoyed my time there. I left with some sadness at missing a pal to talk with about movies and random stuff. Couldn't recommend him more!

This gym continues to improve---they've just recently upgraded all their Life Fitness cardio…read moremachines (treadmills, ellipticals, & stationary bikes) to the latest "Club Series+ SE4" version which come with beautiful 24" touchscreen monitors. These monitors feature something like two dozen different "virtual terrain" selections where you can choose different places in the world where someone runs or bikes while wearing a GoPro camera, providing you with their POV experience of moving through scenic urban areas (Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, etc) as well as stunning natural landscapes (tropical island jungles, desert trails, volcanic beaches, etc). This pretty much takes care of the #1 problem with cardio machines: soul-crushing BOREDOM from being stuck indoors huffing and puffing while going nowhere...in this case, a somewhat claustrophobic-feeling, fluorescent-lit basement gym. But with New England weather being what it is, especially those long dark winters when the sun sets at 4pm on icy/slushy sidewalks, what are you gonna do? Coupled with 5 separate free weight areas, a boxing gym with lots of free hanging bags including two Thai bags, and the highest-temperature sauna I've ever set foot in, this remains the best Y in the greater Boston area. Yeah it's in an old old non-pristine building (the Celtics used to practice in the upstairs basketball court during the 1960s, I've been told) that could use some massive sprucing up, but to be honest I'd rather they just invest in the actual fitness gear like they just did with these $11K treadmills! 4 and 1/2 stars (Deducting 1/2 star only because they continue to refuse to restore their pre-pandemic hours, when they closed at 10pm weeknights and 6pm on weekends.) Wish list of further upgrades: matched pairs of 20/24/28kg kettlebells, a Perform Better Glute-Bridge-Roller, and NON-eco showerheads so we don't waste so much TIME waiting for the soap to wash off.

I signed up for basic membership in Feb 2025 (19.99) but they have been charging me for the core…read moremembership (29.99). I went in to get this resolved, they told me I would be able to downgrade back to basic but I would have to pay a fee. On top of that, they said I would not be eligible for a refund or compensation for the extra amount charged. The gym manager (name is Drew) also told me, word for word, that basic members are able to utilize the benefits that are open to core and ultimate members only, because they have no mechanism in place to see whether each individual is a basic member or an ultimate member. So you can go in and use their massage chairs, tanning machine, red light therapy, all for the charge of a basic membership! Gym manager: Drew

I feel like I don't ask for much when it comes to a gym. I use to go to Crunch for years and be…read moreable to achieve my goals, hit my workouts the way I expect, etc. So moving here to Somerville, I was expecting Retro Fitness to fit my needs well as it says it is "inexpensive, offering new and modern equipment" when this gym has doubled its prices over the past year (Been a member since March 2025) and its equipment is standard and insignificant. There are certain machines that have been broken for long periods of times and very little air filtration which doesn't help with the lack of hygiene a lot of the members have. There is never any room to have a successful workout without struggling to find any parking nearby, waiting 20+ mins for machines to open up, staff that seem to barely ever leave their front desk to clean up the gym or replace cleaning wipes. I have always been a simple gym goer who feels accomplished from a good workout routine and seeing the results on myself. I have never been so unenthusiastic about going to a gym before until Retro Fitness. I have no motivation prior to going or any sense of happiness when I am there or leaving. This gym will suck the soul out of your body.

All the instructors here are so friendly and encouraging and really make an effort to learn…read moreeveryone's names. During class, they demonstrate each new movement for a few reps, and then go around the class to correct form. They also expertly and seamlessly control the music (I think on smartwatches?) to set the pace for each movement. Overall I highly recommend this studio!

Love the girls at barre and soul so much! The workout options are great; barre, yoga, Pilates. The…read moreinstructors are so nice and helpful, and the workouts are perfectly hard for all fitness types

For more than a year, I was a member of this gym because I loved that it was a women-only space. I…read morebelieved it would be a place where all women felt supported, respected, and welcome. Unfortunately, my experience was very different. On several occasions, I felt a cold and unfriendly attitude toward me from the moment I walked through the door. As a Hispanic woman, I never felt completely welcome. The situation with the guest passes was simply the last straw. My daughter had previously been a member of this gym and is still in their system. She does not come with me regularly, which is exactly why using one of my guest passes seemed like a reasonable option. However, the way the situation was handled and the way I was treated left me feeling uncomfortable, embarrassed, and undervalued as a customer. I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for the basic respect that every person deserves. It is sad to realize that a place that should make women feel safe and welcome can sometimes make some women feel excluded. After this experience, I decided to find a place where kindness, respect, and professionalism are part of the culture--not the exception.

I can't believe I have not written a review so far! My favorite gym by far! Amazing classes, a…read morelovely spa area, friendly and accommodative staff and inclusive/judgement free environment. I didn't know I needed to be in an all-women environment to feel comfortable and judgement-free, but here we are! The membership is worth every penny. The Cambridge location is conveniently within the porter square plaza so the er is plenty of parking. Just try it - you'll remember me!

It's a good gym but it is not open 24 hours. To include it in a listing of 24 hour gyms is…read moremisrepresentation.

I've been a member of Planet Fitness for almost 6 years, with the Porter Square location as my home…read moregym. Although it has gone through ownership, management and staffing changes over the years, I have to say, Samantha (Manager) and her team have the gym in a state of near perfection. New equipment has been added. The entire place is ultra clean and maintained. The team members are all very knowledgeable and personable. I highly recommend this gym/location.

Amazing fun workout with supportive instructors and lots of variety. I'm hooked! I think I'm…read morestronger now than I was in my 20's. Certainly more well rounded.

Finally made it to the 100 Club! And they rewarded me with special sticky socks! Woohoo!…read more I love PB Harvard Square. This studio, in particular, is open and bright. I have taken classes with Amanda, Michelle, Hilary, Angela, Liliana, Steph, Julien, Nada, Olivia, and Khrystyna. They are all very good instructors! Some instructors give more hands-on corrections than others, which is totally fine because some days I just won't want to work as hard. The classes are costly. If you are a Harvard affiliate, the MAC/HEM also offers barre (under group fitness) classes for a much more affordable membership price. The link can be found here, https://recreation.gocrimson.com/fitness/schedules The Harvard Barre classes are less intense and slower-paced when compared with Pure Barre. I went there for a year but ultimately started looking for specialty barre studios. I went to a class at Harvard Barre & Soul, the pace was good, but the studio was too stuffy/small to me. I also took an Intro class at The Bar Method. I didn't like how the music was more in the background, and the instructor calls out your name over the mic to give corrections. I also went to a Barre3 class but felt more like a yoga + cardio class than a barre exercise. I have to say after 100 classes, there are some movements and forms that I am still trying to get used to. There are a couple of positions that I absolutely do not like (e.g., flat back chair pose) and try to cheat my way through. If you want to get a good idea of what to expect at Pure Barre, check out its Foundation class on YouTube. If you are new, just know that you will be sore everywhere on your body for 2 -3 days after your first barre class, the key is to go back and get used to the routine and exercise. Even though I have taken the Harvard Barre classes, it still took me about 3 or 4 sessions to fully get familiar with what to expect at the class here. I normally wear sticky stocks because it is highly recommended. I have also seen other people wearing normal socks and they seem to be okay. There is no shower here (though I don't typically sweat too much after Barre classic, Barre Empower is a different story!), and only one changing room with one unisex bathroom. I also like the Harvard Square studio better because it is comparably less crowded than its Boston location. There are classes here with 20+ people say for a weekend morning, but other lunchtime classes are usually around 5-10 people. I'd highly recommend this location if this is convenient to you!

i'm a new spin-er so my experience is only after the three classes I've been to but so far I've…read morereally enjoyed them. They are challenging for me but very fun! I've seen two different instructors and like them both a lot. I'm excited to keep coming. The girls at the front desk are welcoming and knowledgeable and the instructors are fun. The class itself is very intense, but I know that I'm getting a good workout in.

The Handle Bar has been my favorite cycling studio I've tried in the area! Switched to the Harvard…read morelocation after being a Charlestown regular because of the Hotbox studio update, and I've been so happy attending classes here. The studio is really spacious and I've loved every instructor I've tried. I give myself extra time to drive in so I can find parking but I've always been able to find decent street parking. Highly recommend Raisa and Courtney as instructors!