Positives: They have like 17 squat racks in a room. It's amazing to see. The chemicals in the spray bottles are blue, so I know the workout equipment I'm spraying it with will be clean. The cardio area looked nice but I didn't get a chance to use it when I went two weeks ago. Negatives: Their upper body free weight area is kind of stuffy. read more

Good area to work out clean organized and great place to work out the pool looks comfortable but small and very close to Berkeley High School read more

The Berkeley YMCA continues to be my least favorite branch, which is unfortunate because it is my home branch. A month ago or so, I was there on a Saturday afternoon, and a staff member comes into the locker room to announce they are about to close. I hop in the shower and quickly get dressed. The staff tell each member on their way out that next time, they need to leave earlier. I can certainly understand wanting people to exit by closing time so that you can clock out as soon as your shift is over, but how about setting yourself up for success by starting with some sort of announcement about closing time? Do they really think all members know the exact gym hours -- which vary by the day of the week? I don't think they have public address system, but it would solve the problem of members not being aware that the gym is closing soon. The public library gets everyone out on time by announcing 30, 15, and five minutes remaining. The YMCA should do the same. One more thing: the men's locker room is has an unpleasant air -- and it isn't just from the men. The vents push warm air in for some reason, making it uncomfortable. I guess it's another way they try to get people to leave. read more

The Berkeley YMCA location was my go-to YMCA location when I wanted to work out on my work break when attending/working at the University of California, Berkeley. The building was close to campus and part of the Bay Area YMCA system, meaning my YMCA membership got me in here and at other YMCA locations in the Bay Area. I only ever walked to this location, so I did not run into any bike or vehicle parking problems. The front desk was just inside the entrance and desk workers were friendly. Towels were typically well stocked and available at the front desk upon entrance. I primarily used the cardio equipment/machines and the locker room. The walk to the women's locker room overlooked an indoor pool, however I did not utilize the pool space. Locker rooms were cleanly as was the cardio equipment space(s). The equipment functioned well, though one time I rowed so hard on the rowing machine it moved backwards across the room. So, I got to reposition the piece of equipment afterwards, for which I was thankful it was lighter weight. read more

I love this place my and the kids when to swimming classes here and we love it, for children they have an indoor pool really nice with glasses so parents can check on the kids and wait for them. For adults the have also 2 indoor pools, the instructors are really good; they do have more things, 2 gym areas, activities for the kids and full bathrooms with showers and lockers. read more

Very clean and safe. Parking is easy if your will to look for it. Water is warm in Graces Pool yet can be a challenge to work out. It can become Social hour. read more

I cancelled my membership over one month in advance by email. The membership coordinator confirmed by email my membership was cancelled, yet continued charging my credit card on file for the next three months before I noticed and asked for a refund. Shady. Keep an eye on those YMCA charges! read more

My favorite YMCA in the Bay Area. Always a nice and friendly vibe, great classes and mindful people. The pool is amazing as is the weight room. Check out the pilates classes as well (they teach the reformer, which I love). Parking is difficult, but if you're in a pinch, there is a garage next door (no validation though). And try to avoid the period between 12 and 1:30. The area is crazy with high school students from nearby Berkeley High. read more

Having put up with 4 years of a college gym, it was nice to finally move on. At $40/month for young adults, you too can experience the magic of the Y. A free weights room, tons of cardio machines, weight racks, circuit machines, a pool, cycling room, courts, and more, you can really do it all. On top of that, they have a sauna & steamroom for a calming cool down after your workout. You have to bring your own lock to use their day lockers in the locker room, otherwise they also have some digital lockers available where you make a PIN code. They also have some weekends where you can bring a guest for free and a referral program. Happy to have a nice welcoming space to get some physical activity done read more

I appreciate this place so much. They offer an affordable way to stay healthy and have fun while doing it. There is a deep sense of community here and it's refreshing to see everyone from all walks of life and aspiring for the same goal of health and aging well. What a treasure this place is for us Berkeley residents! read more

I wish I could return to the YMCA, but now that there are no permanent lockers, it doesn't work for me. I use public transportation and would like to work out on my way home from work. But that would entail hauling sneakers, work out clothes, clean clothes, towel, toilet articles, lock, etc back and forth every time. It's just not possible. I guess they assume everyone is driving there to use their facilities. I emailed them and asked if they could accommodate me in some way, but they can't. So I have to find a place closer to my house with later hours and go after I get home. read more

Most services discontinued during the pandemic never came back. No spin classes, no towel services, limited hours (still). Same price though and super crowded! read more

The facilities are average but I've never struggled with finding equipment. Only major con is you HAVE to end your membership in person. There is no option to end online so beware. read more

I love the gym but the young men really need weight machine manners. They all just sit on their phones between sets waiting for someone to ask if they can work in...then do they do the next set. I would love for that really tall guy who works here to walk in every hour and kick people out who are staring at their phones. They ignore the signs everywhere telling them to not rest on machines between sets. read more

I'm writing this in terms of wheelchair access. There are 2 machines in the entire facility for disabled persons. There is one NuStep machine that has leg stabilizers for those with lower limb immobility. They also have one SciFit arm cycle that is accessible to wheelchairs. The weight machines in one room are not very accessible and I found it difficult to transfer from my wheelchair onto the very narrow seat. There are free weights and cable exercise stations and they can lowered or raised for use at any given level. There is an annex where heavy bags and a double ended bag are available. There are also free weights, rowing machines, one concept 2 ski erg. Unfortunately the lift breaks quite often and it has taken weeks for the lift to be repaired. All in all I've used the SciFit the NuStep some of the weight machines (transfer is difficult from a wheelchair) and the free weight and cable stations. The staff are personable but don't get used to too much help. The other patrons help from time to time but that depends on their mood and compassion, which is optional. read more

So many amenities! Great classes. Kind and helpful staff. I also appreciate how the machines are set up in the different rooms.

Sorry to all the people who seemed upset in other reviews but from my point of view this YMCA is top notch. Just started going here so I'm not comparing it to what it was in the past. It's very clean and has an updated look with lots of new equipment. Women's locker room is nice and clean with a steam room and sauna. There's a hot tub by the pool but I haven't used it. read more

I don't really want the word to get out, but this is a great gym. It's not the newest but it has great athletic training and weightlifting equipment. And a pool! I'm so happy to be a member here read more

Do you like being racially profiled? Do you like getting the run around or that it feels like pulling teeth just getting information or especially to cancel a membership. You can't cancel unless they send you an email then you have to email back a request to cancel your membership. You can't just go to your account and cancel, no they have to make you beg them to cancel membership with an email, you have to beg them stop taking your money from the card you set up your account with. Does any of this sound helpful and or convenient l. No of course not because as long as you are not black or white you get the run around, you get profiled... You get the privilege of being treated like read more

The staff here aren't knowledgeable. I bought a membership to swim with my son. The receptionist said open swim was available, but when we got there, the lifeguards refused to let us swim because of a class in session. Me and my son were in our bathing suits at the pool and they didn't care. The membership manager didn't care either. As I was leaving, I told him what happened and he had no response. Didn't offer to help. He said they would cancel my membership. He didn't try to fix the problem or find out what went wrong. No customer service at this Y. read more

Finally reached my breaking point with this YMCA. They shut down the kids gym. They no longer have child care. They don't open the kids pool and have very limited hours for family swim. It's just not working for us given we pay $110/month. For what? An hour of swimming once a week at most. The math doesn't add up. read more

Great place. I only swim. Jacuzzi, sauna, locker room all good. Morning busy but makes my day so much better.

A membership at this YMCA is such good value, especially if you enjoy powerlifting or weightlifting. They have Rogue bumper plates with 4 power racks in one room, and they've just added another room that has another 8-10 racks and benches. Even during times when the gym's busy (aka evenings when everyone finishes work), it's never a long -weight- to get a rack! The gym also has a pool and a bunch of weight and cardio machines. There was an issue one day with one of the lifting platforms being damaged. I heard a member bring up to the staff, and I saw the staff immediately notify a supervisor to correct the situation, and they decided to replace the platform. There was a new platform by the next day. That's quality that you don't see at a lot of other gyms! A word of caution though: the members at the Y aren't the most covid safe. Although there are paper towels and disinfectant spray available to wipe down equipment after use, most of the members don't use them. They also appear to be pretty lax about masking. Everyone needs to show proof of vaccination to work out at the gym, but just consider that if you're being extra cautious. read more

Three stars for the effort of the people who still work here. I get the feeling that the admin wants to minimize costs and is using the pandemic as an excuse not to replace employees and return to normal hours. . I love the different workout rooms and I used to love the women's fitness center. ( Will they bring it back? Does anyone know the plan?) I've heard nothing negative about using a sauna during a pandemic, high temperatures are the enemies of virus; Yet they keep the sauna closed. They could open it by appointment to thin out the numbers, as they do with the pool. Latest word is that the sauna is back Feb 1. We'll see. We need an activist group for Y members as we had in years past, to assure member input so that what we love best at the Y is not lost. read more

We were avid fans of the Y before the pandemic. I rejoined the gym in 2024 to enroll my 3yr old for toddler swim group lessons and with the hope that I can start using the gym more regularly as well. The group swim lessons for kids was not a good use of our time or money. The swim instructors were completely disengaged and our particular instructor kept looking at the clock literally every 2 minutes to see if her time was up. There was no attempt at making young ones feel comfortable if they were overwhelmed, which was natural given there were multiple age groups and classes happening at the same time and it was utter chaos. We stopped going after 2 weeks as my daughter was very distressed by the chaos and I didn't think she was getting anything in return even if i helped her manage her anxiousness around the class. There is absolutely no semblance of customer service. I left multiple voicemessages for the swim director to give them feedback or speak with them on how to manage the situation, but none of my messages were returned. I finally gave up. I still kept my membership thinking I could make use of the gym more regularly. I am a working mom, so none of the classes during the week work out for me. They have hardly any classes on weekends. I used to go to the weight room which is ALWAYS crowded, especially in the afternoons once Berkeley High kids get out of school. they dont limit registration for any of the classes. They have a weights for women session at noon twice a week and the one time I went there, there were 45 women taking the class in the already crowded weight room. And even if I managed to come before all that chaos began, parking has been an absolute nightmare. The garage is quite expensive to park and the Y no longer validates parking there as it used to before. Metered parking for 1-1.5hrs hrs is also quite expensive and difficult to find close to the gym. But above all, my 1 star rating is for the absolutely archaic customer service system the Y has. You can never reach anyone with authority by phone or email. Something as simple as cancelling your membership is unnecessarily complicated. You cant do it online or over the phone. You have to go there in person or email and they will get back to your email whenever they can!? The Y needs to do better to serve its members. I am not coming back here nor recommending it to anyone if asked. read more

Older building but the equipment is all good. Almost all Rogue equipment with Olympic platforms, a functional workout area, and a small but efficient cardio area. They have a pretty good selection of lifting equipment that not every gym might have like T-Bar Rows, Mag Lat handles, and a Skierg. Overall really good if you're just looking for a local gym with good equipment. Gets busy after school/work but not too bad to get your machine. read more

Absolutely love the gym; I've been coming here now since August, and the facility is great. Since I've been here, lots of upgrades have also been made, like new/ more weight-lifting platforms and new weights. They also converted a section in the top floor to accommodate turf for sleds etc making it a large aerobic space. read more

Hidden gem! Fully supplied and at a great location. I admire the sauna, swimming pool section, public open jacuzzi and so much more. They have a gym, but I used the swim area for the most part. Berkeley is urban-like and the YMCA community is friendly as well as relaxed compared to the vibes of SF. I felt at ease and at leisure. At the moment, striving for my balance pace life and to be noting - breathe. It will all one day come together. While I was releasing tensity in the heated room, clarity struck in the mist. Focus on what matters and everything is simple. Drown out the noises and distractions. Keep on the routine and just keep swimming... read more

Wow. The weights here are exquisite. I've never seen any weights like this before. They fit perfectly in the cusp of my hands like my hands around a warm cup of hot chocolate on December 14th at 8:41pm. There are 8 stories. If you start at the bottom you can keep walking up the stairs forever and you will never get to the top. The pool is Olympic size. The diving board grants access to an amazing view of Berkeley and North America. A lot of amazing young students there. They are learning and growing. I'm excited for the future of America read more

I used to love the YMCA and recommended it to friends and family. However, they have poorly handled the pandemic/post-pandemic. After the pandemic started I tried without luck for weeks to reach them so that I could cancel my membership; I finally had to resort to having my bank block my payments to them since they never responded (they ended up not charging but took forever to let the membership know). When they finally opened up again in 2021, they still charged their FULL membership prices for very limited hours, including no evening, weekend, or Friday afternoon hours, and no in-person group classes. So instead of paying premium prices for limited services, I signed up with a different gym that was half the price, had in-person classes, and was open nights and weekends. Finally, almost 2 1/2 years after the pandemic started, I decided to try the Y out again since they were offering the first month at a discount. The first thing I tried was the stationary bike with a 'live TV' that wasn't working and a ridiculously complicated procedure to connect to my device, which also didn't work. There are in-person classes now, but the choices are still very limited compared to pre-pandemic, as are the hours - if you like to exercise in the evenings or weekend afternoons, fugget about it! Yet they still require you to pay a premium price. On top of which the discounts at their parking garage during the day are not great; assuming you use it for 2-hours at $3/hr, 5 days per week, you're paying another $120 on top of your monthly membership. Street parking is not really an option at either the Berkeley or Oakland gyms anymore. Even though it was prime time when I went, the gym was strangely empty, unlike before the pandemic when it would be full, or unlike my cheap gym which is always pretty crowded regardless of the time of day. Maybe if they offered the services and classes they had before the pandemic OR lowered their prices to reflect the restricted services they wouldn't need the promotions. just saying. So, after this month is up, I will end my membership and go back to my cheap gym, where I can exercise anytime during the weekends or evenings, there is a wide choice of classes, the live TV works on the bikes, there is free parking, and the price is 1/2 that of the YMCA. read more

I'm a YMCA Member from outside of California and was told that to use this facility for 2 hours I would have to pay $16. I have used my YMCA membership in locations throughout Washington, California, and Arizona when I travel and thank goodness for YMCA membership reciprocity that I have never had to pay a fee to use a facility until I came to the Berkeley Downtown YMCA. I asked what about my YMCA membership national reciprocity and was told the $16 is the YMCA Member-Guest day pass price because I am not a member of this particular facility. They also would not validate my parking since it was after 9:30am. So I paid $2.50 to park and NOT work out. Waste of my time and money. Go to the Oakland YMCA where they won't charge you extra to work out. read more

I went to this gym for a year and a month and what I loved was the friendly service, competitive pricing, and the range of classes. What I didn't like were how cramped the classes were, how smelly and stuffy the classes got, and the mixed caliber of the instructors. Some of the instructors were absolutely incredible, but then others that really lacked the enthusiasm I look for in a fitness leader. Their classes include Zumba, HIIT, hip hop, yoga, pilates, and more. I do also like that they have a whole section dedicated to women-only. Tons of machines available and an entire matted section that's nice and quiet. They have clean towels available, a pool, and also options for kids. All in all, a good option if you're looking for something affordable. read more

First time at a Y and I was surprised at how big it was with 3 levels. Huge swimming pool in the basement with lockers and separated sauna/steam rooms in Men/Women locker rooms. The first floor has the reception area where the staff I encountered were helpful and friendly. Weights/cardio equipment are plentiful. The 2nd floor has a few bball courts and cycling studio. A great alternative to the active 24 hour fitness a few blocks away. read more

I love the Y for so many reasons. During normal times, it is an exemplar of community building. The staff and management are kind, inclusive, and equitable; the members respectful of the space and one another. Unfortunately, during Covid, the Y has not managed to adapt to our new reality, one that asks for more emphasis on safety, particularly in terms of mask wearing. I have worked out twice in the last 2 weeks, only to encounter Y members who were either partially or fully unmasked. It is difficult to believe, as we approach 600,000 pandemic deaths, that anyone would be so selfish, or callous, as to uncover their face in an enclosed public space. What is almost as difficult to believe is that the Y seems to have no plan to insist that members mask up. Both times when I saw folks without masks, Y staff were literally standing right next to them (in one case, staff were talking to the unmasked person and laughing with them about the fact they'd taken their mask off). I had to insist that they approach the members to make them put masks on -- staff are either not empowered, or not inclined, to enforce mask use once members are inside the facility. I will continue to go to the Y given that I am relatively young, fully vaccinated, and have no underlying medical conditions that put me at risk for death or hospitalization due to Covid. However: IF YOU ARE A PERSON WHO IS WORRIED ABOUT THE NEW COVID VARIANTS OR WHO MAY BE AT HIGH RISK DUE TO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ASTHMA, HEART DISEASE, ETC., KNOW THAT ANYTIME YOU WORK OUT AT THE Y, THERE WILL LIKELY HAVE BEEN SOMEONE THERE BEFORE YOU WHO EXERCISED WITHOUT A MASK. THEY WILL HAVE WALKED THROUGH THE BUILDING OR RUN VIGOROUSLY ON A TREADMILL (I WITNESSED BOTH), AND YOU WILL BE INHALING WHATEVER THEY HAVE LEFT BEHIND IN THE FORM OF AN AEROSOL. It is sad that the Y is not taking this more seriously. If we ever return to normal, the Y's old way of doing things will serve us all well. If we don't, the staff will need to figure out new modes of operating, including the containment, and banning, of members who have so little care or regard for others that they are unwilling to do that smallest of things -- wearing a face mask. Given where we are, and what we have seen, any community member who needs to flout the rules out of some sense of entitlement or rebellion needs to be encouraged to stay home. It's a matter of life and death. The anti-mask brigade has no place at the Y. read more

25m length lap pool!!! Called to confirm (because this information is nowhere else on the web...). If you've been looking for a new year's resolution gym, let this be the one! FACILITIES: Clean and modern cardio, free weight, and machine weight training areas. Cardio area has a nice set of windows (for a row of the machines), so it doesn't feel like you're Mario running on endless loop into a brick wall. Weight area has everything you need (though I do wish they had a reclining lower back machine), and dumbbells/weights are well organized and return to their proper places on the rack. SERVICE: Front desk is always friendly, helpful, and welcoming. When you call the Y, a human always answers the phone. Love that there is a consultant in the weight training area--many people can work themselves into injury without the right form or knowledge, and having someone friendly and ready to help on site makes all the difference. AMBIANCE: Given that this gym is oversubscribed (no other public options in downtown Berkeley), there is always a bit of a wait on equipment (workouts take 10-15m longer here) and likely more than one person in the lap pool lane with you. That said, it truly feels like a community--everyone is friendly, most are willing to (or trying to!) chat, and there are more smiles per person on average than any other gym I've been to. read more

This is a disappointing time for me. I discovered the Berkeley Y about four years ago when I was at an unhealthy weight and in a dark place. This gym quickly became my temple and as an OUSD teacher I really needed a safe space to get healthy and also maintain my mental health. The fact that they had a womxn's only gym, and that means anyone who identifies as a womxn, was incredibly important to me. Now I can't afford to come anymore. Their idea of "financial aid"is roughly the price of less than a sandwich a month. For a teacher living in the bay area that's just a little bit insulting. The landlord raised the rent and we also have to cover all the utilities. This comes at the worst time for me personally. I would love to continue to be able to financially afford the YMCA because as a teacher, I am committed to supporting people that do good work for the community and for the children that live in it. Unfortunately that is no longer an option for me. I am super bummed that we have to part ways. Shout out to ALL the staff, but especially Noel, who helped me loose almost a 100 pounds and get healthy in all the ways with that contagiously bright light and positive energy of his. The best instructor I've ever had, hands down. read more

There is so much to the Y than I ever knew. To be honest, the first thing I knew about the Y was the song. Thanks Village People. Probably true for most people who like me, didn't grow up with a Y near by. What I'm learning is that the Y is a community hub, where people TALK to one another and get to know each other. I've gone to other gyms before where I'm in, I do my thing and I get out. This place however has a chill vibe. It makes me want to engage with people. Like the other day I saw another person rocking the Spartan shirt as me (Spartan Race is an obstacle course race), so I went up and said hello. We got talking for a bit about our upcoming races how we're training for it. It's moments like those that make me want to come to the gym more- which in turn surely will be better for my health. You can workout almost anywhere you want but I workout here because I enjoy coming here. The Y I'm learning is more than just a gym, its a community and I'm happy to be a part of it. 4/100 read more

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Rude staff. I've been a YMCA of San Francisco member and previous employee for nearly 20 years. I hold this organization in high esteem for the community services and promotion of good values. My experience with the staff at this branch was seriously lacking the application of the principles that the YMCA stands for. The caring and respect were absent in all three of my interactions, as well as a lack of responsibility in giving misleading information. Very disappointing to have my second negative experience with the YMCA of the Eastbay. read more

I love the Y. I'm a swimmer and the have great pools. Also, weight rooms and classes, such as senior stretch, yoga, etc.

Will always have a soft spot in my heart for the good ol' ymca. My dad was on the board of the one by my house growing up! This one holds up the tradition. Clean, useful, and convenient being right downtown. It's worth the cost vs therapy and can't beat price. read more