I don't usually leave negative reviews, but I feel other parents deserve to know our experience so…read morethey can make an informed decision. We had been coming to Goldfish Swim School in Gaithersburg for about two years with both of our daughters. There are definitely positive things about this school: a warm pool, a bright and kid-friendly environment, and some instructors who are kind and patient. My children truly loved the water and looked forward to their lessons. However, our experience as a family ended on a very disappointing note. My younger daughter is a playful, energetic six-year-old. She loves to splash, move, and interact with people in the water. Instead of speaking with me about any concerns (I was present at every class), the management decided to remove her from the program, describing her behavior as "aggressive" toward an adult instructor. As a parent and as someone who watched every lesson, I strongly disagree with this interpretation. What I saw was normal, emotional child behavior that could have been redirected by a more experienced teacher. No one approached me during class, no one asked to talk, and there was no warning or attempt to work together. The first and only conversation was an email informing me that she would no longer be allowed to attend. This decision was made right before Thanksgiving, turning what should have been a peaceful family holiday into a very stressful and emotional situation for us. I had to sit down with my six-year-old and explain why she suddenly couldn't go back to the place she loved. Since I cannot take my children to different schools and schedules, I ultimately had to withdraw both of my daughters, including the older one who had no behavioral issues at all. In the end, the school lost two long-term students and a loyal family not because we didn't value swimming, but because of how the situation was handled and how little effort was made to find a solution. I believe this program may work well for very calm, highly focused children who easily follow instructions and don't get too excited or distracted. But if your child is more spirited, emotional, playful, has trouble with concentration, or needs a more flexible teaching style, I would strongly recommend you observe a class carefully and ask specific questions about how they handle different types of behavior, how they communicate with parents, and what steps they take before excluding a child. My hope is that the school will learn from this experience, invest in more training for staff, and improve communication with families. Children deserve understanding, not exclusion -- and parents deserve to be part of the conversation before such drastic decisions are made.

we are still going strong years later. We love this place and choose to be at this location because…read moreof the great service in teaching. Your location has been opened less than 10 minutes from our home and we still drive to Gaithersburg from Frederick because of the surface and the people my son did not want to try new location because he said he's very comfortable with the people this one's worth he feels the teachers and care about him and his well-being in the pool. We are extremely grateful for such a great location.

Dishonest & Not Recommended, Stay Away!.. 7.26.2023, Email sent after 1 pm to cancel class, no 24…read morehours notice or next day courtesy call. Swimlabs refused to provide immediate refund to credit card. The customer does not want a swim token or to have any further business dealings.

My 3 year old had her first swim lesson. I'm so impressed with the facility. Everything is so new…read morewith tons of natural light. I loved the video monitors and the fact that the pools were raised so I could be there watching from the side with my one year old without worrying about her falling in. I didn't need to get in the pool. Rich was an excellent coach. He had unending patience with my child (can I borrow some of that?!) and by the end of the swim lesson she had made a lot of progress. She trusted him quickly and laughed a lot. When we left she said 'I loved it!' Can't wait to go back. Shower facilities were excellent. They have a machine that fast dries your swim suit. We are obviously not competitive swimmers, but the technology available there is impressive. Even as an outsider, I can understand the benefits of having video monitors to replay your stroke and compare it to that of other swimmers while your coach talks you through it. I don't know of any other swim facilities like this in Montgomery County, MD.

DO NOT RECOMMEND. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. Since…read moremid-December, this location has gone downhill fast. The pool is murky and questionable, the bathrooms are dirty, and overall cleanliness has clearly declined- a serious concern for a facility working with children. Management is nearly impossible to reach by phone, and communication is handled almost entirely by text. Jessica, in particular, has been rude and dismissive, providing misleading information instead of real solutions. Long-term staff are leaving at an alarming rate, which raises serious concerns about the new management. The staff is now mostly new and inexperienced. My children went from structured, effective lessons to watching instructors who don't seem to know what they're doing. At this point, I could teach the lesson myself just from observing. After over a year here, it's sad and concerning to see what was once a trusted, high-quality program turn into a poorly managed operation. Parents should be aware before enrolling.

The best swimming program I have encountered. This method builds up skills and confidance. My child…read moreloves going there and actually swims the whole swim lesson rather than sit on sideline waiting for others. Instructors are friendly & experience. They encourage students and are results oriented. They are very good with kids. We find it very convenient to reschedule whenever something comes up. iMuch better than county swim programs and way cleaner. Definitely worth the cost.

We have been going here for a few weeks now and having a wonderful experience! We tried so many…read moreother swim schools over the years, including GoldFish, but Safesplash is the first location where my daughter has felt comfortable. The pool size is smaller, as are the class sizes and this helps with comfort level. The staff are exceptional, and the trainers are attentive to each child, though I do wish they would communicate updates to the parents more frequently. As for the location itself, it is very clean and well kept. The waiting area has lots of toys, tables, activity items for kids while they wait for class to start. There are benches for parents to sit and observe the class sessions. The locker room is large, spacious, and again well kept and clean. There are plenty of showers. I do wish they had one more bathing suite dryer though. If you are the parent of a young child in the Montgomery Village area I highly recommended Safesplash. There are a few areas that need improvement, some of which I listed (more bathing suite dryers, more communication post class with instructors), but I am happy to give this business five stars!

The staff is really exceptional and understanding, my kids have been attending for three months…read morenow. Not quite experts floaters but we will keep showing up.

Initially, I had the mechanics down of how to swim but could not breathe while swimming. Water kept…read moregetting in my nose even on my backstroke! Thanks to a few lessons with Chris and Sarah, I now can swim multiple laps (freestyle, back & breast) and breathe at the same time. Couldn't have done it without them. Thank you!

From the owner: ** Grand Opening March 2024 ** Hudson Valley Swim has been…read moreteaching infants, children and adults of all ages to swim since our founding in 2003. The primary goal at Hudson Valley Swim is to teach proper swimming techniques no matter the age of the student. Our swimming lesson programs are for students of all ages and abilities starting as early as 6 months through adult. We maintain small class sizes to ensure the student gets the care and support needed in a fun and safe environment. Our swimming instructors are experienced and are trained to teach all levels, so children don’t have to change instructors as they advance through the levels.

Anna and Tony are phenomenal swimming instructors. Our boys have made so much progress thanks to A1…read moreand their gentle yet effective coaching. THANK YOU!!!

Amazing private classes with caring, consistent teachers. We have tried a few places that just…read moredidn't bother to get to know our swimmer, but this place is just wonderful. Anna and Tony are kind, have a great curriculum, and really get their students acclimated to the water. Swimmers come out feeling comfortable and cared for. We have seen little kids up to adults taking classes here and we highly recommend.

Their pricing model is really predatory. They try to hook you into yearly contacts. Even for summer…read moreplans for kids from home from college, exorbitant fees.

Amazing gym, such friendly staff. It's awesome that they have a daycare too for my kids!!read more

Nice pool with indoor and outdoor pools. A large parking lot with plenty of parking. The indoor…read morepool is usually nice and warm. It also has a large seating area in the side of the pool. It's can be crowded during peak times. The only downside is that it only has 2 family bathrooms I wish they had more. Staff here are friendly and helpful.

I would not recommend this place as a starting point for young children for the non-parental…read moreclasses. I tried out this place because two friends had brought their children for the parent/child swimming classes. Those book immediately because there's such high demand. I tried enrolling my 4 yo in the Fearful Swimmers class (supposed to be designed for kids afraid of the water but allows parents to be on the deck). I liked the graded pool with the kids and the inexpensive classes. However I was very disappointed because they started the class without him even though we were on time and showed up 5 mins early (and I had even introduced ourselves to the instructor). The instructor was young and seemed very inexperienced with children. She didn't know how to warm up to my son so he was really scared and shy. The other two kids had already done the class before so they seemed inappropriately advanced for the class at least based off the online description IMO. Basically she focused on the other kids while mostly ignoring my son who was playing on the side (my friend said that was her experience in the class as well- her daughter was ignored the entire time and basically ignore kids who can't keep up), and they told me to do the mommy and me class instead. I felt like I was being blamed or that it was my son's fault even though the class description is supposed to be for kids who are afraid. I was pretty disappointed with the whole experience, so I asked for a refund which they fortunately granted. The following week I took him to Goldfish Swim School even though it's more expensive and it was like night and day- WAY more kid friendly, instructors are trained to really play and work with children of all levels. He was just as afraid during his trial and refused to go in the water, but the deck supervisor at Goldfish jumped in and gave him a 1:1 introductory class instead. By the second session at Goldfish he was totally acclimated and following the teacher and having so much fun, and the time was split evenly among kids instead of just favoring the stronger/more advanced kids. Honestly you get what you pay for in a private facility vs public facility.

The Empowered Performer is aptly named. Through strong technique training and a never ending…read morepositive attitude, Stephanie helped me do what I never thought possible. I was in a local musical and sang trope all in the same 10 month period. She really got the fact that I wasn't going for off or even off off off Broadway. She sees the value in singing as a joy to life and at least for me, a way to relieve stress. She was understanding with my nerves, etc. I am a better performer and person after the time that I spent learning from Stephanie. Erin

From the owner: Singing and speaking lessons. Public speaking. Performance techniques. Presentation Skills…read more Overcoming Stage Fright. Auditioning for Musical Theater and College Auditions. Adult Singing Classes. Teen Singing Classes. Speaking Workshops.