I've been a member for quite a few years and experienced many trainers. Mijoia Finley ranks among the top I've worked with. Trainers and me need to have rapport and established a relationship to become partners. Mijoia and I clicked. She understands measurable goals and how to direct me to achieve them. I look forward to seeing Mijoia on a regular schedule! read more

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Three months ago I cancelled my membership for a few reasons: 1) job change, 2) training structure limitations (have to follow their program/can't bring in outside trainer), 3) only one class that I find useful; and after an injury 4) not going often enough to justify the cost. After speaking with someone over the phone I was told, no problem, we will remove your card from the account and you will no longer be charged. Within two weeks, I was charged again. I emailed and was told I would be refunded. Nearly three months later, still no refund, and I'm still being told that they are waiting for help from management. read more

I had to change my review because they are scammers. Romello signed me up in the summer for a 3 month membership. He had also offered me a one month option. Well I called to see about termination and another associate told me I had a one year contract! I asked for Romello to call me back but no one has called me. Hopefully a manager fixes this, but appears Romello might say anything to get a membership. How awful. read more

Just canceled after another rate hike to $254/mo. I've been a member since 2018 and this facility is worse every year. Not that clean, light bulbs are out for days to weeks, towels are stained, hours are short. Sad read more

I came for a hydrafacial appt and was very happy with the experience and Melissa the facial specialist. By booking a spa treatment you basically get a day pass as a non-member and I came early to use the steam room and relax a bit before the facial. The facial turned out to be great and Melissa was super personable and made sure to cater to what my skin concerns were. read more

Equinox - Berkeley - Gyms Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I enjoyed going to Equinox when I was still living in the area! Walking in always feels a bit like checking into a fancy hotel - everything is spotless, from the studios to the equipment. The staff are always on top of cleaning, and even the members are courteous about wiping things down. The bathroom area is honestly my favorite part. It always smells like fresh eucalyptus, the floors are super clean, and most of the time there are warm towels for my shower. A big highlight for me has been training with Ariel. I've never been a very athletic person, but she's helped me get stronger and more flexible, and she's made working out something I actually look forward to. She's also taught me a ton about nutrition, like how to eat enough to fuel my workouts without worrying about gaining extra fat. Plus, she's just a genuinely great person and has become a real friend. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars is the price. It's definitely on the higher side, and that can be a stretch. For $200+/month I'd expect more equipment, and a pool maybe read more

Writing a review just to share this one fact: there are no family plans here. For two people, two full memberships are required, which start north of $200/each. To compare, even that new gym in WC offers a $100/mo add-on to the main membership to add a family member, putting their 2 person family membership at about $400/mo. read more

Quality of the classes just keeps going down. The few decent classes are now impossible to get into and they keep giving more classes to unpopular instructors who are completely checked out. There are good instructors here but the gym barely gives them any classes - instead packing the schedule with instructors who've been there for years even if they're terrible. read more

I don't usually write reviews, but my experience at Equinox was amazing, especially thanks to my personal trainer, Ariel. I trained with her for 3-4 months, and she made the entire process less intimidating and helped me build a routine I could actually stick to. She took the time to understand my goals and lifestyle and created a workout plan tailored specifically to me. She's super easy to work with, outgoing, and I looked forward to our sessions because it felt like I was working out with a friend, she's amazing! She also shared great nutrition tips that supported my progress, she'd ask what I liked to eat and then suggest healthier alternatives and even restaurant options to try. On top of that, she encouraged me to explore other classes and connected me with another amazing trainer, John, for boxing--which I really appreciated. I ended up discovering a new activity I genuinely enjoy and probably wouldn't have tried otherwise. Starting my fitness journey felt intimidating, but Ariel made it easy and fun. I highly recommend training with her! And big thanks to David for recommending Ariel to me, it was a perfect match! If you're thinking about boxing, definitely take a class with Vanessa, she's incredible. Or book a session with John at the San Ramon location; he's amazing! They're both super welcoming to beginners and will teach you at whatever level you're at. They made boxing really enjoyable. read more

As a middle-aged woman who values quality service and is willing to invest in it, my experience with Equinox Berkeley has been deeply disappointing from the start. I have serious concerns not only about the integrity of their services but also about their record-keeping practices, particularly regarding my address and personal information. While they offer personal training as part of the initial membership package, it is only available on weekdays, which is not practical for working professionals like myself. I wasn't able to find a suitable time during the first quarter of my membership, which I initially accepted. However, I later received an email claiming I had a session with a coach I had never met. This raised red flags about the accuracy of their reporting to management and made me question their overall integrity. In addition to these issues, I found it difficult to connect with any of the classes. Many of the instructors seemed either rude or lacked the competency to deliver what the classes promised. For example, a "barre" class barely involved any barre work, and the yoga classes seemed more like unconventional stretching sessions. The class schedule also seemed geared towards college students, which isn't ideal for someone in my demographic. It left me feeling that my membership wasn't worth the investment, especially as younger members likely benefit from group discounts. What further enraged my dissatisfaction was the fact that after surpassing my one-year membership anniversary, I discovered that Equinox had never updated my mailing address despite my repeated use of the mobile app. I received no email notifications about this, which meant I was completely unaware of important membership-related communications. This failure to maintain accurate records and to notify me in a timely manner added to my frustrations and undermined my confidence in their ability to manage personal information. I had a previous membership with Equinox in 2017, and I don't recall any such issues. However, this time, the lack of attention to detail, combined with the cold and impersonal vibe of the facility, left me with serious buyer's remorse. Cori and Matthew in the management heard my issue, didn't do anything but it's customer's responsibility to check on the information until equinox raise the price without letting the client know about the increase. Very customer oriented service!!!! Ultimately, Equinox Berkeley does not seem to cater to middle-aged professionals, and after this experience, I had no choice but to cancel my membership. read more

A small, expensive gym with limited equipment and long waits for machines. Just too many members for too small a space, even if you go early. But it has nice scented towels and good parking. read more

I've been a member at Equinox Berkeley for over a month now, and while they market themselves as a luxury gym, the experience has been anything but. I fell for their marketing ploy, thinking this must be a great gym--equipment always available, customer service excellent and consistent. No. I urge you to read this before you find yourself trapped like I am right now. Let's start with the overcrowding. The gym is consistently packed, especially in the evenings, to the point where getting on a machine requires either a long wait or giving up entirely. I recently received an email from the general manager encouraging members to bring in more guests and expand membership--despite the fact that the facility is already at capacity. How does it make sense to bring in even more people when current members can't even access the equipment they're paying for? And speaking of the equipment, many parts of the facility show a lack of care. Some towels are literally falling apart--they're crunchy, rough, stained, and often have hair in them. Disgusting for a gym that markets itself as high-end. There are also areas that reek of sweat and mildew buildup, suggesting cleanliness is more of a marketing slogan than a daily practice. Staff occasionally clean in front of members, but it feels performative--spot cleaning isn't enough for a facility that sees this much traffic. The customer service, however, is where Equinox Berkeley truly falls apart. I've been trying to cancel my membership for over a week now because of the poor experience I've had with the overcrowding and, even more so now, because of how dismissive and unresponsive the customer service has been. I emailed the general manager, waited days for a response, and when I finally got one, it was dismissive. I followed up again--radio silence. Meanwhile, I know the GM is actively using his email, considering the mass message he sent encouraging members to bring in more guests. After no response, I contacted the online concierge and received a generic, unhelpful reply saying they "couldn't process my request" because I'm within my first year of membership. No effort to assist, no alternatives provided--just a hard no. Feedback and customer concerns are part of any membership-based business, but Equinox Berkeley seems completely uninterested in hearing or addressing them. And if overcrowding weren't bad enough, the gym hours make it worse. Even 10 minutes before closing, the gym is packed with people trying to finish their workouts. If Equinox insists on pushing for more members and more guest passes, they need to extend their hours to accommodate the increased demand. The least they can do is take a serious look at these complaints and escalate them to the highest levels to expand operating hours, which would prevent everyone from rushing in at the same time. If that's not possible, then stop selling new memberships. The general manager is running this location very poorly, and the greed is painfully obvious. For the exorbitant price they charge, the experience here is unacceptable. If you're considering joining, don't let the branding fool you. You'll pay a premium for crowded machines, questionable cleanliness, and customer service that will ghost you when you actually need help. One star because Yelp doesn't allow zero. read more

I really enjoy being a member at Equinox. The thing that makes it a 5/5 experience is my personal trainer Sita who does an amazing job. She has helped to demystify the gym and make it a place where I feel confident. The cardio machines are up to date and they have a good amount of strength training equipment. They also offer a huge variety of classes from yoga, to boxing, to cycling. Other great things include the towels, sauna, and friendly staff. read more

I've been a member here for the last 2.5 years and it's very hard to see myself going anywhere else. The facilities are great, the sauna and showers are always nice and clean and the showers have Kiehl's products. There is usually enough workout equipment for the wait times to be pretty short. The gym has three squat racks with deadlift platforms, two flat benches, one incline bench, one decline bench, and several barbells in case the squat racks are occupied and you want to deadlift off the floor. The staff has also always been friendly and helpful. I've worked with Ian on the training staff for the last 1.5 years and seen significant strength gains (bench press 165 to 235, squat 185 to 315, deadlift 315 to 425) and a massive improvement in my body composition. The head trainer Kristi has also been a great resource for nutrition, training, and lifting technique. The only real knock on this place is they close pretty early (9:00 pm Mon-Thurs, 8:00 pm Fri, 6:00 pm Sat-Sun). read more

Management team does a good job. Easy going front desk and the facility is always clean.

I'm pretty familiar with Equinox facilities, and when my husband I were contemplating joining, we did a 2-day trial. Consistent with the past experiences, the facility is beautiful and spotless, and the instructors are very good. I did not observe it to be too crowded. We didn't end up joining, and honestly a lot had to do with the salesperson being super unengaged. She didn't attempt to get to know our interests to tailor the pitch, and she gave such a fast tour, again with no personalization. I wasn't interested in giving her easy money...maybe we'll reinitiate conversations with someone else in the future read more

This review is for my personal training experience with Arisitotle Daphnis. I have complete trust in Aristotle. His instincts and wealth of knowledge create a safe container for me to push beyond my fears and step outside my comfort zone. Matching my commitment, he has lead me to regain strength and mobility that I once thought was unattainable post-injury. With his help, the support from my doctors, PEMA therapy, and a healthy lifestyle; I've reached this next stage of recovery, free from mobility setbacks, and a renewed focus on my potential. 10 out of 10 recommend working with him. The Club and Community are great as well. read more

The instructors and classes are great and the facilities are clean and well-maintained. If you leave anything in the locker room for even a few hours it will be stolen, 100%, which is a huge bummer, especially for such an expensive gym. read more

Clean gym with a variety of classes offered. I've been a member for several years now and they've consistently kept it up nicely.

Great/clean multilevel gym with a lot of great equipment. Friendly and helpful staff. Restroom areas are cleaned routinely and maintained throughout the day. read more

On 4/24 they sent out two notices. One about part of the garage being inaccessible, the other about No Water the following day for at least 3 hours. Great... thanks for letting me know. On 4/26 while taking a shower, the spray became a trickle, but I was able to rinse off. Unfortunate, but no real issue. Today... no notice, and NO HOT WATER. No hot water? So I get done with my workout, I'm covered with sweat, and I'm expected to take a cold shower? Not what I'm paying $220+/month for. First world problems, for sure, but please. No notice sent, no sign in the locker room... nothing! Couldn't be bothered? No paper towels in the locker room either... Also, more broken machines. I tried to work out on one Wednesday, and a different one today. But the music... loud and annoying. They sure can do that. A real joke of a gym at this point. I'm regretting ever joining. read more

I worked out with Equinox in Marina Del Rey for 2-3 years. I can afford the gym so I just won't mention that part since it almost feels like a bias to an honest review. If you can afford it, great, if not don't. Their cancelation bullshit during COVID notwithstanding. Anyway, this version of Equinox to me is a B-. The reasons for that grade: 1) Mostly well kept machines, some need replacing (had to switch trend mills twice this week), 2) Showers always feel like they are backing up with water (clean the drains dudes? Draino?), 3) hours are weird, LA was always open an hour later on everyday, stay open later or are you cheap?, 4) when I started they asked me if I wanted the 1-1 session. I returned that email saying sure and then...nothing. Actually they did send a very standard email suggesting a pilates session. Okay. I could afford more sessions, but on second thought you are amateurs and I don't trust the experience of your trainers if they cannot find the time to learn to communicate like adults. - Overall, not terrible. read more

TL;DR: The price keeps going up, as the facilities & equipment degrade, hours shrink, and the club grows more crowded. I've been a member here since this location opened and am so frustrated, I'm about to cancel. PROS: *Classes are generally excellent. They do get very crowded, so you have to plan accordingly and get there early to ensure a good spot. *Free Kiehl's products are nice. *There is garage parking. CONS: (1) The hours are HORRIBLE. It closes at *9 pm* Mon-Thurs, *8 pm* on Friday, and *6 pm* on weekends. They often start vacuuming and mopping well in advance of closing, creating a hazardous and unwelcoming environment. Because it closes so early (and is so small), it gets quite full in the evenings, which causes long lines for the showers and waits to access various machines. (2) This is an extremely small location w/ limited equipment. There's very little space for lifting or HIIT unless you can snag an empty classroom or block traffic. Many of the pics uploaded here by the owner are actually from other Equinox locations; only two appear to be of the Berkeley location. Do not get your hopes up for those beautiful exposed-brick rooms LOL. Despite being WAY less glamorous, roomy, and well equipped than every other Equinox I've been to, this is the same price as the much swankier NYC locations (now $188/month). (3) The cardio machines are old, haven't been upgraded since the gym opened, and many are in various states of disrepair. Stair machines are relics. The two Concept2 rowing machines are crammed in so tight you cannot comfortably use one while someone is rowing next to you or you'll bump elbows, and the seats are loose, chains need to be oiled, etc. (4) Standards of cleanliness/upkeep are just okay. Mold & caked residue on the shampoo/conditioner/lotion dispensers, clumps of hair and discarded razors in the showers, etc. Many of the shower doors are out of alignment and don't close without considerable effort. Water sometimes doesn't work in certain stalls or has very low pressure. There was a broken lock on a bathroom stall for months, and I almost brought a screwdriver and fixed it myself. The equipment is very rarely treated to a cursory wipe down, and there's absolutely no enhanced cleaning going on during gym hours that I have witnessed in recent months. I could go on, but the fact that they have maintained Covid-era hours (while continuing to raise the prices) is by far my biggest gripe. read more

They charge you even though you cancelled the membership. When you are asking for a refund, they ask you for a proof LoL like txt message or email dialogue read more

Equinox - Berkeley - Gyms Near Me - Berkeley, California

Alyssa is a results driven professional & did an incredible job at enrolling me into my membership. Cleanest, nicest gym I've ever been to read more

I have been a member of Equinox gyms across the country. This one is the worst I've been a member of. The facilities are limited. The class schedule is limited and all the same types of classes are at the same time each day (i.e. all morning spin classes are at 9 am). The rooms are not cleaned well between classes. My biggest complaint is the reception staff. Not friendly or helpful at all. On the plus side, you don't really need a membership because they hardly acknowledge you when you walk in or check your membership. For the money you pay for this membership, one would expect a greater deal of professionalism. read more

I tried to cancel my membership after paying $215/mo for 4 months and only going twice. They told me I can't cancel and they will continue to charge my card $215/mo for the next year and if I opt to freeze my account, there will be even more charges added on. I can't delete my cc because it's hidden on the app. All I can do is close my bank account and take them to court to remove the approx $5k in unused gym fees submitted to my creditors next year. This is a nightmare - now I understand why there were always upset people in the lobby wanting their money back. I get it now. Equinox Berkeley does dirty business. #DirtyBusinessPractices read more

I work out in a daily basis (7 days a week, 2-3 hours/day) and after being a member of equinox in LA (Hollywood), and home gymming for 2 years for pandemic reasons, I wanted to get back to the gym. I had LOVED equinox in LA, and it had been a vital part of my day, so I was ready to commit to the closest one to me when I decided to come back to the gym, and that was the Berkeley location. Sadly, I am regretting my decision badly, 3 months later. I so wanted to love this place, because I love the gym. But from the start, from meeting with rude and dismissive sales people who never called back or followed up after I asked for more membership information before signing up, to facilities that never work, to managers and staff who do not respond to feedback, to the laughably limited hours of business, to shower facilities that are constantly not working properly, I've been so disappointed. Equinox is notoriously an expensive gym. When you're paying that much for a facility, you expect the facility to work at functionality, at bare minimum. But the showers have not worked properly for months; several in the women's locker room consistently don't have hot water. So you get in a shower, turn it on, wait for it to get hot and then discover you actually have to get out of the shower and search for one that works--oh also you can try up to 3 before finding one that works. You should feel very lucky if that working shower also has shaving cream in it or conditioner. I speak to multiple members and we all complain that the music from the speakers is overbearingly loud. Others have mentioned this here and I personally have given this feedback to staff, so they know that this is an issue for many of their members. When I requested to staff that they adjust the music volume, I was told that they'd take it up with management, but that it was a "corporate standard." Having been a member of other equinox club locations and after speaking to staff there to inquire about this, I know that this is simply not true. Not sure why staff would tell me that if it was not true, but it doesn't feel great to be lied to with platitudes after making a reasonable request to turn down the music on the floor so that we can listen to our own music, podcasts, videos, whatever, without the cacophony of competing sounds and floor music blaring from speakers at a volume higher than what I can hear from my own earphones that are literally in my ears. Many of us who join equinox do so because we really care who it the gym, because going there is an important part of our day, a highlight. I'm starting to build up animosity for a gym that ritually takes my money and then adds irritation to the start of my day when I'm going there to pursue a start to my day that sets me off on the right foot. To be clear, if there were to be another local equinox location, I'd consider joining it. Overall, I still think the brand has something to offer. But if you're thinking of joining this location, please join literally anywhere else. EDIT: 6 months later, I have followed up with Equinox staff MULTIPLE times following Equinox's response. Nothing I mentioned has been fixed or changed. I followed up with corporate, and was given factually conflicting information regarding my complaints. So don't waste your time providing feedback either. Just go somewhere else before you get stuck in an expensive one year contract with a club that is far below its own brand standards. EDIT11/13/2023: today I was told, for the first time, that I'm not allowed to use the yoga studio outside of a class, even if there are no classes scheduled. Of course, in the club, if there is a class in the main studio, there is nowhere else to do yoga. Also, there are no classes scheduled for an hour and a half. This is both frustrating as somebody who uses yoga as a basic part of their routine, and also the first time I have ever been to this, and six years of being a member at various equinox clubs. There is nothing in the equinox policy or the contract that I signed that makes this claim, and I've never heard this claim at any other Equinox club location that I've ever attended. If it is a policy, it's a ridiculous and prohibitive one, if it isn't a policy, then the club is violating member rights. I can't wait until this contract is over and I can leave to go to a reasonable club. Also, don't waste your time contacting the concierge that responds to these reviews with an apology and an offer to be in contact to resolve the issues. They don't respond. I've never seen such horrible member service in my life. read more

Equinox Berkeley is definitely not on brand with what I experienced in other cities (member since 2003). I will echo what others have mentioned - the facility is always having issues (water, cleanliness, insufficient a/c, equipment, weird smells). The staff is unprofessional and dismissive, with no sense of who's in charge (usually in a cluster at the reception, talking to each other and rarely a welcome or see ya). The music on the gym floor is extremely loud (and no variety, mostly rap/hip-hop), despite the majority of people wearing their own headphones. The music in the locker rooms - so bad, so so bad. Like AI generated bad. Overcrowding at all hours, since the majority are Cal students, many which will park on equipment and intermittently work out while texting. On occasion I will get a smoothie, but instantly regret it when I sense I somehow upset the person working in the juice bar for asking for a Muscle Up. All of these frustrations are so consistent, I've given up expecting more. I rush through my workout and skip the showers. I only go because in Berkeley/Oakland, this is as good as it gets. read more

Well... here's the update, tried to speak with the manager. Not available... i called the manager the person said 'they would put a note in my file that i was requesting the manager to call me' after going back and forth trying to understand just what that meant... like if manager happens to look at my account, he might call? I couldn't get a straight answer... but the manager never called i emailed the concierge like they and and even called there... didn't get through and never heard back from anyone. Spoke to another person yesterday who plans to quit. Equinox level of caring has gone from 5 stars to 1. read more

Huge fan of this place pre-COVID and was happy to finally return once they reopened... Lots of social distancing. Members wipe down equipment before and after use. All masked! staff is attentive and friendly. Unfortunately, after reopening and with zero amenities except the equipment, i can't justify paying the same rate, as they are expecting. The company has frozen my membership foe three months so I may reconsider once amenities are available, assuming COVID is under control. Truly disappointed they aren't willing to work with loyal patrons at this time... It was my mental therapy. read more

Equinox - Berkeley - Empty locker room. - Gyms Near Me - Berkeley, California

CONS: it's super packed in the afternoon ... and they close @ 9pm ... they should at least extend the hours to 10pm or 11pm (so at least u have the option to go in later, and not have to workout when it's super packed ‍ especially during "corona times"... PROS: good location / the facility is nice and it even has a cold shower inside the steam room read more

I trained with Aristotle during my time here. I learned a ton about dynamic stretching, functional movements, and how to push my limits in a safe manner. He made sure that my form was correct and left me with knowledge to be able to continue to weight train on my own. If you're looking to start weight training or to improve, Aristotle is the one to ask for! read more

I've done my fair share of trying different gyms, online training, even gave crossfit a try, but haven't stuck to any until I started personal training at Berkeley with Aristotle. Since March 2022, I've finally stuck to something! On average I train 2-3 times a week with him and have always felt supported during the workout. At the end of each session I'm completely tired but feel accomplished because I was encouraged to learn something new. Aristotle thoroughly explains each movement we go through and even goes through the "why" during training. I have a new understanding of what I can do physically and am super happy with my strength progression. This review is partially prompted by me being able to bench the bar today! Other notes about other areas of the gym: - Clean bathrooms, Kiel's products - There's always parking available (I've gone early morning and evening) - The EarthBar has odd short hours, but I think they're understaffed. When they're open, great smoothies. - Highly suggest Randy's or Megan's cycling classes, motivating and fun. - Pilates with Rachel, super friendly. Overall, if you want a change in pace from your average gym and want some structure while you're at it, give Equinox a try and training with Aristotle. read more

I trained at Berkeley Equinox with Aristotle Daphnis for most of 2022. The facility is lovely -- it's an Equinox, you know what you are getting -- and Aristotle is literally the best. This guy is such a nerd about body mechanics and it's a joy to spend an hour lifting heavy things with him. I always looked forward to our sessions. With his help I lost a bunch of fat and gained a bunch of muscle and emerged from my post-pandemic weight gain moment into a stronger and leaner present. He really helped keep me accountable to my fitness goals. I found him reliable with scheduling but flexible on the rare occasions I needed to change to a different date/time. And his knowledge is vast on the topics of lifting, training, fitness, and recovery. People of Yelp, you couldn't ask for a better ally in the struggle for gains. Nor could you ask for a better lgbtq ally. Aristotle taught me so much and I'm a bit heartbroken to not be able to train with him anymore due to changing life circumstances. If you are looking for a trainer, Aristotle is Him. And if you train with him, you can tell your friends you are off to study physics with Aristotle. read more

It's okay for $200/month.... Nothing too special compared to other premium gyms I'm signed up with. Facilities are clean and nicely laid out. They've got a water fountain in the middle of the gym that's been out of order for like half a year already which is a pain. Towels are sorta rough. The wet ones in the fridge, even though scented leave a really bad stench on me after use. I wonder if they bleach them in the wash - they need to. Sorry, I got a thing for towels. Best if they're super clean and fluffy, which unfortunately they're not.... Water pressure in the showers is pretty weak - so I rarely use them. Wish they had a dry sauna. They only got the steam one and I hate those because those water drops that hit your head are like some torture chamber.... Ice bath would be so baller, but nope. Equipment is fairly standard, but paying a premium price I wish they had more selection in machines and gear. They don't have a hack squat, the attachments for the pulleys are fairly basic - like where are the V handles and the wide V ones? There's a lot of other leg equipment I wish they had, but I might be asking for too much. They have hella cardio machines, maybe swap them out for more leg workout gear? Honestly who uses the Pilates room? I never see it in use. There's space for the hack squat!! Class selection is okay. Very subjective topic I guess, so I won't say much. The yoga teachers are a bit intense for me, I prefer them a bit more zen. One of them is the shit though. Really good instructions in a calm and clear manner. She really knows what she's talking about. A couple of other good teachers. I don't want to name names cause I don't want them to know who I am. Staff here is really friendly and super helpful. They normally greet everybody with a smile. I've seen them tell non-mask wearing members to mask up - which I appreciate. I like the fact this space is a mandatory vaccination space and currently masks are mandatory. Being close to Berkeley campus, most people are fairly informed on the facts here which is reassuring in these times. It's probably the main reason I train here and gave them 3 stars. Give me my machines, fluffier towels and a dry sauna for the other 2 stars read more

I've been a member for many years but am seriously considering canceling. Friends of mine already have. It's just not the same gym it was before. The biggest drop off is in the quality of the classes. Almost every time they get a really great teacher, they end up driving them out by giving bad time slots or not enough time to build a clientele or bc they have no patience when a teacher has a temporary personal difficulty that requires time away from work. When I try to communicate with management, they either don't respond or just respond with a brush off. I'm just really disappointed with the current group class program, especially when you compare it to other equinox clubs. read more

This place is just really breaking my heart. It was so good in the years when it fort opened, but lately the classes have just really been drained of their intensity, commitment and inspiration. I really loved the classes taught by Carlene, Aviva and Ricardo, for instance, but the gym plays favorites and gives tons of classes to people who are actually less popular. I think they must game the numbers they give to headquarters or something. Anyway, just such a shame because this was a special place or a long time. Also, what's the point of signing up in advance? No one checks and the really popular classes (few and far between lately) are totally overrun with people and you can barely move. But most classes are empty these days. read more

I found out about this gym as I was looking for a place to work out every week. The gym market in the Bay Area is insane; seriously, If I had money to invest I wouldn't think about it twice and I would buy a gym. There are few around here (especially in the East Bay), and the ones that are available are totally overcrowded. Not to mention that the prices are ridiculous. Yes, I understand we are facing the worst inflation since the second world war, but yet, I have not heard about other cities charging anywhere from $70 to $200 for simple memberships. Equinox is good though, during the peak hours the gym is packed, but for anyone who can make it earlier during the day it's totally worth it. The trainers are the best ones I have had, and all of them get 5 stars -- there is not even a single one that won't make your drills appealing. Anyway, given the circumstances I'll rate this place with 4 stars. Would love to give them 5 stars but my feeling is that the gym is oversold. Not sure how many more people will be allowed to register and use the facilities. read more

Great amenities, great service, high price tag. Coming into Equinox feels like arriving at the spa. Clean, bright, airy space. The cardio equipment comes with built in screens that allow you to stream Hulu or Netflix while you workout. They have water stations and chilled eucalyptus towels stationed throughout the facility. The locker rooms have towels, Kiehl's products (shampoo, condotioner, body wash, face wash, lotion, etc) and lockers that allow you to choose your combination. The classrooms are well maintained and thoughtfully designed- including all equipment you would need to participate in the class. For example, the yoga classes provide mats, mat towels, blocks, bean bolsters, straps, etc. They also have a smoothie bar and store in by the check in desk! I was extremely happy with my workout experience here... just not sure I can afford that monthly price tag!! read more