Visiting Vancouver for the week and saw that Stretch offers what looks like the only Rocket Yoga in town on Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturday. I signed up for the 7AM Wednesday Rocket class, and was pleasantly greeted by Boyd, the studio's owner who checked me in and offered me a free mat. The studio is spacious and beautiful. Big front room, and a second practice room in the back. Loved practicing with the Rocket teacher, Risto, who has his own unique style and offered some hands-on adjustments. Started the class with quad & hip flexor stretches (YES!), and I really appreciated experiencing a different approach to the Rocket practice. Definitely coming back again on Friday. And special thanks to Risto who gave me a complimentary Rocket tank top after class. :-) Grateful to find this studio and highly recommend! read more

Came to Stretch for their puppy yoga!! To be honest, I did not end up doing a lot of yoga because I was so into the puppies! But it was an amazing experience. Their space is pretty big and very clean. You have to bring your own yoga mats and be prepared for some accidents by the puppies which is fine... because they are puppies! All the puppies who joined us for yoga were about 5weeks old and were all adopted. Our instructor was super nice and very understanding when we were not able to focus on our yoga poses because we were too busy obsessing over the puppies. It was a great endorphin rush we got on a Saturday morning :) They don't always have the same puppies so I can't wait to return here the next time I'm feeling down and need some furry love! read more

See all

Ive been coming to Stretch for about a year now since I joined a dance workshop. I love Stretch. It's one of the few studios or even businesses that intentionally do not have a social media presence, so they can focus less on posting, and more on building community. As a result, most people hear about Stretch through word-of-mouth. Ive joined a number of yoga classes but because I tend to do my own workout routine during the week, I like to wind down with Cozy Yoga on the weekends. Its a blend between hatha and yin, and I love it. The instructor is knowledgeable, experienced, and always offering a new run through of asanas designed for us to do less. What I also love about Stretch is they are always offering interesting classes and workshops, including aerial yoga, yoga with puppies (yes puppies!), martial arts, yoga with music. If you get on their mailing list, you'll also see they have all sorts of non-yoga things they're involved in as well, which works great to build community. Anyhow, this review may be more relevant than ones written for others mainly because they have no social media, and I hope it intrigues readers enough to check it out. read more

See all

Came here for the first time during a Yelp Elite event and was in awe with the atmosphere of the place! I am a regular at Oxygen Yoga, which is a completely different vibe. I think the difference is that it is very peaceful, and bright. Stretch is also not a hot studio if that's something you are looking for! Apparently the classes are much smaller but on the particular day that I went I think about 30 of us fit into the studio, and it was a tiny bit cramped. I was really happy with the flows and verbal cues from the instructor, but I do wish that she demonstrated more of the moves. In case this was someone's first yoga class, I would imagine it would be pretty confusing because it was more of a verbal instruction style. Tip: Stretch offers classes under class-pass if you have it! read more

First time yoga experience and it was amazing! The location is right off Main and Pender St. The studio is located upstairs and offers everything you need. The front area is a welcoming space, that offers green teas to start and displays local jewelry for sale. The yoga space is huge and bright. It was a beautiful area and really created a safe and welcoming presents. Our class was very full with a great mix of new and experienced people. Our instructor, Kat, was so lovely and very calming/soothing. It was a really nice first experience. She offered alternative poses and was very helpful. Their website is also super easy to navigate through. They offer a lot of information and seem very passionate about yoga! Definitely an awesome introduction to yoga! read more

As someone who practices yoga regularly (daily if I'm lucky), I've found when traveling that it's often very difficult to find a yoga studio with a comfortable environment which has classes and instructors with whom I connect. While there is no bad yoga, some yoga is better than others. Arriving to STRETCH the first time, I encountered friendly, welcoming staff / fellow yogis who greeted me from behind the counter. Yoga is practiced in one large practice studio at STRETCH, and it's full of light and stocked with any prop you could need, including yoga blankets, bolsters, straps, cork and foam blocks and even half blocks(!). The studio's selection of instructors is wide, and they have many classes per day to choose from, depending on the style and form of yoga you prefer. I particularly have enjoyed Sjanie, Fabiola and Krystina's classes. I've heard Risto's classes are awesome, but have yet to get to one. One of the really unique offerings STRETCH provides is a yin yoga class with live cello playing (this may blow your mind like it does mine). STRETCH also has full shower facilities for after class, and allows regular members to store their mats at the studio. If you don't bring your own, clean rental mats and towels also come with drop-in sessions. Bottom line: If you're looking for a well-run, clean studio with great teachers and a variety of classes, STRETCH will more than deliver on your expectation for yoga practice. Highly recommend. read more

This is by far the worst yoga studio I have ever been to. The classes were overcrowded. What was supposed to be a yin class level one turned out to be something else. We were jammed in like sardines and there was no individual attention. I pulled my knee very badly with one of the poses which was way too advanced for the level of the class. This used to be a great yoga studio but now it's overfull and there's no limit it seems to the number of people they'll cram in to each class. Really a dangerous unhealthy place to be. My injury is 5 months ago and still healing, read more

Stretch is a hidden gem. There are so many yoga studios in town, but Emmanuelle and Boyd have really poured their hearts into this breathtaking space. They are so family centred and welcoming to all. They are continually merging new forms and music with their yogic practice for all of us to benefit from. We're fortunate to have a space like theirs in the city. It truly feels like walking into a home once you arrive. And their rental space is such a bonus offering. We've used it several times for events. read more

I've been going to Stretch for the last few months through ClassPass and it quickly became one of my favorite yoga studios in Vancouver. It's in the heart of Chinatown which some people find sketchy and I can't really deny that but I think that part of town has a character and I like that. The studio itself is very spacious and bright. Half of it is an event space available for rent and the whole place is very artsy and stylish. For me personally the aesthetics of the place are very important and make up 50 % of my overall experience so I immediately fell in love after seeing a little electric bonfire with wooden benches in the lobby and hand-made dream-catchers hanging off the ceiling. Once you reach the counter you can see locally-made trinkets for sale as well as some snacks..I love that part as I'm always on the go and don't have time to eat before class. The class space is very bright and peaceful with eclectic design and new pretty equipment (seriously, those hand-made blankets make me wanna stay in savasana for the whole class). Every single staff member is very warm and friendly and a pleasure to deal with and their yoga teachers are encouraging and inspiring in their practice. Chris Duggan's Funky Flow is my favorite!! I liked the crowd in every class as well- everybody is very social and I never got a "competing" vibe from anyone as opposed to some other studios in Downtown. Overall, this studio appeals to me with it's eclectic design, personable staff and amazing instructors. I'm considering sticking with it and making it my go-to studio. Five stars Stretch! read more

I've attended several classes here, and Stretch has become my favourite studio. Never pretentious, beautiful clean practice space, and spacious change area. Peaceful and welcoming with caring teachers and staff. Tip: bring your bike upstairs into the studio to save it from theft and the rain. read more

STRETCH is a very! welcoming place to practice yoga. The owners are really easy going and have created a space where you do not feel uncomfortable an a newbie or an experienced yogi. Great range of classes with their own unique flare (i.e. live sitar and cello) and experienced, creative teachers. STRETCH is also so much more than a yoga studio. They have additional space where they hold fitness classes, healing workshops, documentary screenings and even wine tastings! Not many other yoga studios can say that. Definitely worth checking out for any of the above and so much more! read more

Discovered this studio because they have live music. Doing yin yoga while Live cello is playing is something out of an other world! Mesmerizing, fascinating experience! read more

ALIGNMENT FLOW REVIEW Atmosphere: it was clean, eco friendly, and the space has huge windows allowing bright natural sunlight. Kat, our instructor, was so soothing and helpful in walking us through each pose and giving us options for poses. She gave us tips for different ways to deepen a certain pose or use our own body weight/gravity to give our spine a bit of a massage. I ended up sweating a bit towards the end once we started holding more lunges etc. Its not quite as chill as restorative yoga but it's a pretty relaxing time. I quite enjoyed it. I love that they didnt charge for mat rentals like some yoga studios do. They also provide foam bricks and a soft blanket for modified poses. Note there are no lockers in the changing room. There are no garbage cans either. It has clean showers and washrooms. Overall, I love the form and function of the space from the front entrance allowing a seating space to the yoga studio itself. I like that it felt welcoming without and pretentiousness. I would return if it wasnt in chinatown. They have a promo for unlimited yoga $225 for 3 months so if you live close by its actually a great deal. I'm personally just not a fan of chinatown or the drop in cost. Overall: would 100% recommend if you live close by. read more

STRETCH is a rad vancouver yoga studio located in chinatown. i love the sunlight that comes into the studio in the early morning classes and i love the beautiful community they've built. read more

This place is the absolute best studio I've been to in a long time...If Yyoga is your thing, this isn't the studio for you. It's a hip indie studio, not pretentious, and small classes. It's seriously awesome. read more

This place is very good for yoga. Staff are kind. not very crowded. everybody is friendly. I have had very good sessions here! absolutely recommended! My favourite is Flow Yoga with Jennifer. read more

A lovely little studio with some great teachers! Always very tidy, simple but with a modern edge. Showers are available. Be sure to check out Chris and Sina's classes, very different styles but both excellent teachers with a groovy vibe. And if you're lucky - Fern might be around...Be sure to ask for her! read more

So grateful for this wonderful yoga studio in the heart of the Downtown Eastside. The space itself is beautiful and has everything you need, like really great showers, yoga mats, yummy tea, community hang out space etc. Stretch consistently has top notch teachers and their latest addition to the studio is no exception to that. Kat Colla new to Vancouver from NYC is bringing a fresh new vibe to the studio. Her classes are a balanced blend of deeply rooted yoga knowledge and easy to follow physical instructions. read more

Love the ambiance in the Stretch studio! Also Looooove and really appreciate that I don't have to take my mat & shower towel 'cause they loan you those FREE!! And I can take my bike up to wait for me inside! Aaaaand on non-cycle friendly days it's Super easy to get there on transit! AND if I do have to drive, there is 'free' parking underground at Tinseltown! (shhhhh ;) read more

My favourite place! So warm, welcoming and beautiful, the best instructors in the city. They have live cello every week in the Monday night yin class! They even offer shower towels service complimentary which is so so nice not to have to drag around my wet towel after class. I highly recommend trying a cozy hatha class with Emmanuelle or Carolyn. read more

I used to love this yoga studio but in the past few months they've lost my three favourite instructors (one was pregnant) and the new ones all teach very slow moving, almost hatha like classes that just don't do it for me. I haven't had a good sweat here in months. The new instructors are skilled but it's all really geered towards beginner students. Disappointing change. read more

If you're looking for a place with a great sense of community look no further! STRETCH has it all- passionate teachers, inspiring space to practice in, and genuine, warm students. Not to mention the owners are fantastic unique individuals always there to welcome you to the space. I've been hooked since the day the opened! read more

As a middling-aged male who is inflexible (in many respects), I am delighted by the Hatha class. For the first time in a long time I didn't feel like I was a problem to be solved. It's a beautiful facility with great change rooms and showers, the studios are very light and airy, and every once and a while they have yoga with cats! Take that, downward dogs. read more

Stretch is a wonderful yoga studio located in the heart of Chinatown. It offers a bright , warm atmosphere that caters to all levels of yogis, no matter your experience. The studio offers a great rooster of experienced, thoughtful, and mindful teachers. Their friendly staff are always eager to attend to your needs. If you are looking for a warm, welcoming community, this is the place to be! read more

I recently tried Stretch Yoga for the first time. The Yin Yoga w/cello sounded like an interesting class. The space is definitely nice and relaxing, the instructor was great as was the class. The following week, I had a very stressful and exhausting day, too tired for a workout I attended the Restorative class. The instructor was okay, the poses seemed a bit disjointed but that was fine as I was getting a good stretch. However, I found the class more stressful than relaxing as there was the sound of a baby crying non stop in the next room. It started about half way through class and went to the very end of the class. I do understand that it is probably convenient for the workers/owners to have their baby at work however as a paying customer I retreated to the yoga class to escape these stressors in my own life. I came away more agitated than I arrived. I wasn't willing to give up on this studio yet as it is very close to home, so I decided to try the Warm Hatha the same week. I enjoy Hot Yoga because of the warmth and the fact that this was advertised as a 'warm' class I was eager to try it. This time the baby was part of the class and did cry on/off . . . the baby was removed to quieten and was then brought back in the room. I found this very distracting to my practice and difficult to concentrate on my poses. In addition, the room was FREEZING! I was confused b/c I thought it was advertised as 'warm hatha'. At the end, the instructor did make mention 'oh by the way the heat is not working'. It would have been nice to know this in the beginning, or an offer to comp the class would have been a nice gesture. If you are looking for a relaxing and stress-free experience this is not the studio for you. read more