Unfortunately, this is the worst Y I have been too. They don't have a good selection of machines. They have tons of cardio machines instead. Floors were horrible. The machines were old and not clean. Some had visible wear and tear. The steam room was smelly and gross. I didn't even try the sauna. The only positive is that they give towels. Parking is hard to find here. Not sure if I will be coming back here again anytime soon. read more

YMCA Anthony Bowen - Gyms Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Pool is great. People use phones and FaceTime in the locker room and sauna; staff does nothing to stop it. Sauna is dingy, partly because people go in there in dirty workout gear including socks and get that sweat everywhere. Women's showers are not very clean and many things are broken for months or longer. Lockers are too small for a coat. Twice as expensive as other YMCAs in cities like NYC, where they keep them much cleaner and enforce rules. It's nice to have towel service. read more

Good gym with a pool and the usual stuff. But not sure why this is listed under the "Indoor Tennis Court" category. There are no tennis courts--indoors or out! read more

Another outstanding YMCA facility. Seriously, I can't believe how awful my local one is in comparison. Huge layout, plenty of machines, everything is clean and modern, lockers have built in locks, towels are provided, the locker room is massive and clean, steam room and dry sauna ... why can't every Y be like this? Love all of the inspirational quotes as well. read more

Beautiful Y - great amenities. Highly recommend to all. Great location. You should check it out.

This place is the best YMCA that I've been to within the DMV area. I've been going to the YMCA since they were on 17th and Rhode Island Avenue and transferred over here to 13th and W at the Anthony Bowen YMCA. I'VE TRAINED FOR SEVERAL MARATHONS AND ONE RAGNAR RELAY RACE. My wife and I both love this place we enjoy the classes. I've taken several classes of Yoga, water aerobics, High impact and low impact weight training and cycling. We think the entire staff is phenomenal. I can't think of any other place I'd rather be. P.S. Pls don't confuse me with the other Brian P. that wrote a bit so nice review and didn't have the fire to show his picture. You can see me and my lovely wife's photo above this glowing review. read more

Many of the staff don't seem to care about customer service. When I pointed out a huge ball of lint in the men's locker room to an employee he responded it wasn't his job. This attitude is pervasive among staff. read more

The best Y I have ever been too! Not a single Y back home is as nice as this one. It is clean, the staff is friendly, they have towel service, lockers that don't need a pad lock, and separate sauna and steam rooms !!! my Ys at home don't have none of that shit! Visiting from out of town often and this is the Y i come to when in DC! They seem to accept my reciprocal membership with NO problems. I see a lot of bad reviews about customer service. They are great to me!!!Maybe the staff just don't like Gentrifiers! ‍ read more

recently tried to enroll my 71-year-old mother in the YMCA's Senior Wellness Program, but the experience left me feeling deeply disappointed and misled. The YMCA website paints a glowing picture of its commitment to seniors, claiming they offer a wide range of specialized classes for older adults with a free membership option supported by donations. I was thrilled by this apparent dedication to senior wellness and was fully prepared to donate as suggested. However, after speaking with a representative at the Anthony Bowen branch on November 10 at 7:55 AM PST, I was shocked to discover that this information is outdated--and has been since 2020! Not only do they no longer offer free memberships or the variety of senior-specific classes mentioned, but it also seems that no one has taken the responsibility to update the website to reflect these changes. It's unacceptable that such critical information could remain misleading for so long, giving false hope to families like mine who trust the YMCA's reputation for integrity and community service. This experience has been incredibly frustrating. For those considering a YMCA membership in the DC area, I'd strongly advise verifying details directly with the branch. The lack of transparency and accountability here is disappointing, and I hope the YMCA makes it a priority to correct this misleading information so other families won't have to go through the same frustrating experience. read more

New cardio equipment but promised restoration of live TV still hasn't happened. Except if you like OANN, Newsmax and Glenn Beck, or skyNews read more

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This YMCA is decent. They have a variety weight machines. The cardio machines are plenty. I wished they had more free standing barbell machines. My only problem is that I don't have good reception in the free weight area downstairs. That's problematic for me. Otherwise it's a good gym to get a good workout in. read more

YMCA Anthony Bowen - Weight area - Gyms Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

While the gym itself is very nice with a ton of- swimming pools, rock climbing wall, etc. The motto (or at least implied motto) of the gym is off putting. They close whenever they feel it's necessary without giving fair warning to members. I was a member for 5 years - on several occasions I would come to the gym to see it was closed. No reimbursement for customers, forewarning, or explanation other than a vague scope of work. Some of the front staff were awesome ... others were just miserable. Generally the most unpleasant experiences in my morning were explaining to them how their membership scanners worked (as they didn't easily scan phone passes). I usually received some attitude from the difficult members from the front staff. I often wondered who the customer was whenever I walked into that gym. read more

Having visited many YMCA locations across the country, I can safely say that YMCA Anthony Bowen is my favorite! Friendly staff, fun classes, clean and conveniently located. This gym provides a welcoming environment for all. Pros: -Clean and spacious: never feels disorganized or overly stuffy, even during more crowded times. Locker rooms are also very clean and pretty as well- stylish appearance and modern design throughout the gym! -Awesome facilities: Variety of cardio and resistance/weight training machines. They also have a nice pool and rock wall, which is super fun. - Diverse classes: HITT, yoga, boxing, dance, aerobics, weight-based classes - Great instructors: bringing energy and encouragement in every class I've taken part of -Extremely friendly staff, always kind staff working at the front desk, and very friendly cleaning staff as well - Inclusive and welcoming environment: I see people of all ages, races, and stages in their fitness journeys at this gym- and I love that! Some folks are wearing fancy workout clothes and likely leading fitness instagrams, others are working off baby-weight or trying to conquer their beer-bellies in old race t-shirts. It's a great and inclusive place, at least from my perspective. We are all here to improve our health, and everyone seems kind and respectful of each other. - Uniquely insuring: Throughout the gym there are quotes, murals and pictures from great African American leaders, which is incredibly beautiful and inspiring. Con: -Hours: decent hours, but I do wish this gym would stay open later on weekends, as it closes at either 7 or 8 pm Saturday /Sunday read more

YMCA Anthony Bowen - Inside the gym- glimpse are some weight machines - Gyms Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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As a Y member in Massachusetts, I inquired about the "guest pass" for $15 for a 60minute pool swim. Given it is one and the same national organization, I thought that was an easy decision for the AB membership person. Apparently not, as unless my Y in Mass is enrolled in a reciprocity program, and I would need to check on this, the only option is a $30 day pass...for a 60 minute swim. Saved themselves $15 themselves and created this review. read more

Shocking customer service. They don't respond to online requests for membership fees and don't respond to phone calls. When I finally spoke to someone and asked what the fees were, she was rude and hung up on me. I've never encountered a gym that tries so hard not to get new members. read more

Was told that memberships were put on pause for the pandemic and then was charged full price every single month in the summer and fall of 2020, when gyms were not even allowed to be open. I didn't receive a single email, letter, or phone call alerting me that they had started charging again. Honestly this is such a scam. They kept charging despite the entire fitness facility being 100% closed for months, and despite the fact that they said both on the phone and on their website that they were putting memberships on pause. No clear communication on their website either. In terms of the facilities: I found it overpriced read more

I was a member for several years and the gym was fine - sometimes a little crowded, and definitely too expensive for what it was, but it worked. Recently, however, Y management finally announced a vaccine mandate for members, as other gyms in the area had done a couple months prior. Then, right before it was to take effect, they retracted it. I see this as a betrayal of the Y's members and the organization's mission of promoting public health. I continued to voluntarily pay my membership fee for months during the pandemic, because I wanted to see the Y stay afloat. I've taken pride in giving my fitness budget to a non-profit that ostensibly gives back to the community, but if the Y isn't taking affirmative steps to protect that community, I may as well switch to another gym in my neighborhood that is interested in looking out for the health of its members. read more

It's getting worse. Been a member for 4 years. The LifeFitness treadmills and ellipticals have Bluetooth and Internet connectivity that you can use to link ur wireless earphones and watch Netflix or YouTube, while doing Cardio. They used to work. Then they only worked on 3 machines. Now, none have Bluetooth or Internet connectivity. I've brought this up to their Front Desk more than once. Nothing has been done to fix them for the past 2 years. It's not 2001. Technology is important now. We make decisions around them. And for the premium price we are paying a month, we expect it. Get your Maintenance issues together and fix this. It's basic Business. Or I'm leaving. read more

I love this Y. Been coming here for some time now, and for the price, it's definitely a bargain. Is it a fancy very expensive for-profit gym? No. However, it's better than most gyms I've been to. Recently, I started to go to the classes and most of the instructors are really just fantastic. They are always pushing you but not yelling. There is a wide array of activities from free weights, diversity of classes, cardio machines, rock climbing, etc. Only comment. The newer front staff are not the friendliest, but eh it's whatever. The other staff is fantastic and kind. read more

Current member here! While the location of this Y is really great (located right off of 14th Street), be warned that there aren't very many amenities here. I'm personally a big fan of using stair stepper in my workouts, and there's only two stair steppers that always seem to be in use when I work out! Additionally, I also enjoy using the arm and leg machines for lifting, and the variety here is just... sad. While there's plenty of other amenities that the Y offers here (workout classes, swimming pool), it's just sad that I can't use the Y here for a regular workout. TL;DR: Great for classes, bad for "normal" workouts read more

I should start by saying that the conventional gym options in the 14th street area are not fantastic. I used to have a membership at a different gym but the Y is definitely the nicest looking gym (both outdoors and indoors) that I've seen in the area so far. The prices are extremely high for membership, but that's honestly not the part that even kills me - I can't do my normal strength workout routines here! This is for one of two potential reasons: - They don't have the machine at all - There is only 1 of it and there's a long line of people waiting to use it I'm sure there are alternatives to the machines I use to exercise the same muscle, but I have seen the machines in question at every gym I have worked out at so far. Overall, a bit disappointed for sure with my purchase. read more

Current member. I'm a fan! I use their stair master (tho wish they had more than 2), bikes, free weights/machines, and cycling/boot camp classes. I haven't tried rock wall, pool, or cooking classes. Pros: quality instructors, quality equipment, well-stocked/kept locker room/steam room/sauna, good hours. Cons: there were 2 occasions that an instructor did not show(!) and the gym just canceled the class on one instance, and on the other they found a random trainer to "teach" tho he admitted he didn't know what he was doing (lol). Also, no basketball/volleyball court. And price... Though other local gyms charge $200+ (Mint & Equinox), the Y still makes you shovel over $100/mo. It's a lot more than other Y's I've joined around the country. I've considered switching to Washington Sports Club just to help my budget a little... we'll see. read more

I've been a member of this Y for about 2 months now and it's generally been 1 disappointment after another. A few lowlights: (1) The membership price is too high considering the very average quality of the equipment and classes. My prior gym was half the price for the same level of product. Maybe the presence of an indoor pool inflates the Y's price so you should go elsewhere if you don't plan on swimming often. (2) Speaking of swimming, swim lessons are during the best times of the day ( weekday early evenings and for most of the weekend mornings), so good luck getting a lane. (3) The front desk staff are comically unhelpful. (4) The trainers are impossible to pin down. Maybe they're too busy or just flaky but get your act together if you want business. (5) The babysitting area is pretty grimy. I don't think I'd fell comfortable leaving my child there especially during cold and flu season. read more

I joined this gym around 2 1/2 years ago. It has continuously gone downhill since I joined. The employees are lazy and often rude. On one occasion, I was locked out of the building while using the rooftop deck. It took them 15 minutes to send someone. I had to call the front desk 3 times and it began to rain while I was waiting. Management is apparently ineffective. The wifi in the facility is terrible. At one point, you could watch TV or YouTube while running on the treadmill. Now, you'll be lucky to find a machine that works properly. Other advertised amenities are often not operational (e.g. the steam room and sauna). I mean not working 2-4 days per week. Available lockers are difficult to find. Some members lock them before leaving (they are combination lockers) and the staff members are too lazy to reset them. Don't waste your money. Many members have left. The gym is often empty. I've cancelled my membership. Joining another gym soon. read more

I came by for a tour on Sunday, July 10th and was told to come back the following day for a free one day pass. When I came by in July 11th the front desk person was extremely rude and would not let me try out the gym. Too bad as I was going to sign up for membership. read more

Classes are amazing! If you never use a piece of equipment take all the classes you can. I have literally been to almost every class offered and none are repetitive even if they're taught by the same instructor. The instructors take time before, during, and after classes to ensure you are properly grasping the techniques and will guide you through the class. You can tell every one is sincere about their job from when you're greeted at the front desk every time you enter to the cleanliness of the locker rooms and the gym itself. Coaches and personal trainers take the time to tell you if you're using a piece of equipment incorrectly or how to improve to see maximum results and feel the burn. This place is awesome! They have really nailed the customer service experience read more

I attend the YMCA 5 days a week to the numerous FIT and WeLL classes for Seniors, which are great. Regularly take 2 classes a day. Also, love the Sauna and Steam room and my personal trainer Liz!!. It is a great​ facility. Martin read more

Would not recommend. They close in the middle of the day, and the hours posted on Yelp are incorrect, they close at 7 every day. Cost is less than a Vida Unlimited membership all-in, $120 v $170, but the service is quite bad. read more

It's a beautiful gym, but you pay $210 to sign up and then over $100 each month. I've always known YMCA's to strive to be accessible to the entire community, this one definitely is not like that and they don't offer any financial assistance unless you push and really ask for it. I'm also not sure what their requirement is to actually receive that assistance. When I asked why the price was so high they told me because of the location and amenities. Felt like I was at an LA Fitness instead of a Y. It's in a very gentrified area of DC and it's obvious that this Y is for those who are able to afford to live in that part of town. read more

Great place! Aside from their astronomic membership prices, YMCA Anthony Bowen is possibly the greatest gym in the DC area. Coming from a national competitor, what sets this gym a part is their ability to maintain cleanliness and organization. In terms of their lockers, everything is well kept together. Towels are nicely arranged, showers are clean, and the floors seemed to be on a vacuum schedule. It sounds basic, but as much time as a person spends at a gym, the locker room is certainly invaluable. As a beginner swimmer, all the gear you ever needed is here. Floaty devices, fins, and plenty more, I had the opportunity to improving my swimming skills because of the resources this space offered. Yes, the membership is incredibly expensive, but you do get what you pay for. read more

This Y is literally twice as much as my Y in LA, which I hate, but there appears to be some sort of weird gym price inflation in DC so here we are. And then also, I must admit, after a couple of months of coming here, this Y is awesome. They have a climbing wall! I love using it and the yoga classes are actually challenging (which I've found hard to find at gyms, including my old Y). As others have noted, the free weight and machine selection is not enormous, but I've never really had a problem finding machines/free weights to use. And as always with the Y, the staff is super friendly. From my shopping around, I must say this place is the best gym deal in the heart of DC (not sure what kind of gold plated caviar routines are happening at 'the Mint' etc., but baby ain't buying). read more

Great gym and pool in a convenient location and the people working here have been super friendly and helpful. Have also enjoyed the fitness classes read more

The only reason I've maintained the rating bar at three stars is because of the awesome instructors who teach the group fitness classes. I come to this YMCA about twice a week (much less, I'm assuming, than the average DC person who uses this gym), and each time it seems like there is something that's falling apart or has taken week/months to be repaired. The maintenance of this place is definitely lacking: the women's locker room was torn up for ages because it was being reformed, functional use of the saunas seems to be hit-or-miss, the wifi is spotty. While the overall facilities are great, such as the swimming pool, roof, and fitness rooms, I feel increasingly uneasy paying the $100 monthly membership because the service and quality of this place seem to be going downhill. read more

I'm currently at Mint, off Florida Ave between 17th and 18th, but I'm considering switching to the Anthony Bowen Y. I used the Y intensively on the three-day pass that they give you with the tour. Here's a fact-based comparison of the two gyms. 1. Cost is a tie. Mint is $105 per month for the basic membership (no classes) with the initiation fee waived. The Y is $91 per month with an upfront fee of $130-150 that I'm told is never waived. So Mint is cheaper until you've been a member for 9-10 months. The Y is cheaper after that. 2. Pool: Y wins. Mint doesn't have one. The Y pool is only 25 yards, but the lanes are spacious and the three times I went I did not have to wait. I like that pool. It's the #1 reason to join the Y. 3. Weights. Mint wins. Y weight room is rather cramped and it wouldn't take many people to fill it up. 4. Machines. Tie. Both have all of the standard machines, including lots of treadmills etc. 5. Pull-up bar. Mint wins. I found this aspect of the Y really annoying. A pull-up bar is a very basic piece of equipment that you shouldn't even have to think about. The Y has 3, but they are all attached to weight cages, and the lifters prevent you from using the bars. The bars are also very high. This is coming from someone 6'4', and even I have a hard time reaching them. I can't imagine what shorter people do. Not that Mint's bars are great either, but they exist and are usable. The best bars are in the park off Calvert Street, or on Maryland Avenue across Independence Avenue from the Museum of the American Indian, or at the bottom of the Exorcist stairs. 6. Showers. Depends. Most of the Y's showers are big tiled cubes with frosted glass doors, while Mint's have plastic curtains. But Mint has shampoo, conditioner and liquid body soap (plus free razors and deodorant), while the Y has pathetic soap dispensers like you'd find in a high-school gym or a second-rate gas station. 7. Sauna. The Y wins. The Y's sauna is nice and hot. It's wonderful. Like every other sauna I've tried, Mint's is not hot enough. Plus it's on a timer. You have to keep checking to make sure it will be warmed up when you're ready to use it. Sometimes other users turn the sauna off after they're done and if you aren't checking every five minutes you can show up to a cold sauna. Obviously this review covers only the things important to me. I couldn't care less about classes or trainers or the Y's fancy rock climbing wall. Your mileage may vary. read more

I visited this YMCA from out of town. My home YMCA is in Philadelphia, and I had heard about this branch as a state of the art facility. While it certainly is a beautiful and even a luxurious facility, I feel like it goes a little too far into the "premiere" gym realm. I was surprised to see a Sweet Green restaurant attached to the lobby and luxury apartments on the floors above. My experience with YMCA branches around the country is that they feel accessible to all, and this branch felt like it caters to upper-class folks that can afford to be there. I went specifically to attend a group cycling class and the instructor never arrived. The front desk staff didn't have information nor did they cancel the class. Overall, I think this facility is quite beautiful but is lacking some of the elements that make it a YMCA. read more

Hosted an event here. Their terrace is absolutely amazing and perfect for events. Our event hosted over 150 people and they all had a great time and alot of space split between the terrace and other rooms. Above all this, the staff were EXTREMELY helpful about working with us through different issues that arose including weather. They were very accommodating and were more than happy to work with us. read more

Really nice YMCA! I got my 3 day pass and really enjoyed this place!! I'll definitely join :)

Occasionally, I get emails from friends who are debating between Washington Sports Club, ClassPass, or VIDA. I refer all of them to the YMCA Anthony Bowen because it's the perfect compromise. AB is the most beautiful and modern YMCA branch in the DMV. The hours of operation are convenient, located on 14th St, excellent instructors (who often teach at other boutique/high-end gyms like Mint and VIDA), and well-maintained facilities. The locker rooms have lockers, and I'm willing to take a shower due to the saunas, steam rooms, and rainfall shower heads. It is a smaller, but well-designed gym. The gym clientele is a good, diverse mix too --Lulelemon, Nike and Old Navy kinda crowd. My favorite classes are forrest yoga by Darin Volwiler. Evening yoga on the roof deck gives you that I-can't-believe-I-am-lucky-to-live-here vibe. The swimming lap lane, rock climbing wall, cooking classes/kitchen, and childcare center are also great membership perks. * Caveat: I go to the gym during off-peak hours...followed by a stop at the neighboring Sweetgreen. read more

I was a member of this gym, and after months of trying a variety of classes, I found that they just weren't meeting my needs, so I decided to cancel. I followed their instructions and submitted my termination request in writing with more than the required notice, and asked for confirmation of my cancellation. The membership coordinator wrote me an email stating that my account had been terminated, and that last month's draft was the last one. And then, I was charged again the following month. When I called the gym, I was told that there was no cancellation in the system, and after a series of questions that tried to place blame on me, I was transferred to the coordinator's voicemail. When I did not hear back, I called again, and was once again transferred to her voicemail. I followed-up with an email, requesting that the cancellation be processed and a refund be issued. I asked for a call back and never received one. I did finally receive an email that had one sentence: "Please allow 3-6 business days for funds to appear." I did not receive an apology or explanation. Just a one sentence email that says funds should appear. I hardly think the gym would be okay with my not making a monthly payment and saying instead, you should receive it within 3-6 business days, without explanation. Well, it's been five business days and nothing has happened, but I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow before I invest yet even more time in following up to see what has happened, and learn if a refund is actually being processed. I find it ironic that an institution that purports a mission of social responsibility can behave so carelessly-- they clearly lack respect for my time and have no sense of responsibility for their actions. read more

I don't often write reviews on Yelp, but my experience with the YMCA Anthony Bowen was so obnoxious that I thought I should warn others! I've been a member at the YMCA Anthony Bowen for several months now. The facilities are pretty good, but the staff is TERRIBLE! My boyfriend and I went in recently to upgrade to a family membership. We had to wait over an HOUR while the incompetent front desk staffer fumbled around with the paperwork, joked around with coworkers, and swiped in other YMCA members. No apology for the ridiculous wait! The staff just sat around laughing and not getting any work done! After that fiasco, they messed up our billing details and charged us twice for two different kinds of memberships. When I tried to resolve the matter over the phone, the front desk staffer was incredibly rude and unhelpful. I was put on hold (phone placed on the desk) and could overhear her chatting with a friend. Needless to say, we are leaving YMCA Anthony Bowen for a gym with a more friendly, professional staff! With all the billing mixups, this place ended up costing us more than a REAL gym! So frustrating! read more