Great value! Great teachers. Great location. Comprehensive knowledge. Something for both beginners and also for experts in every class

As an owner of a yoga studio in Toronto, I have to say unfortunately I'm very disappointed. I bought an intro pass to try the studio out. I arrived half an hour before and the doors were locked. I signed up online so I was puzzled. I waited and finally someone came to open the door. During the class the instructor was very hard to hear and difficult to understand. It's very difficult to have a bad yoga session (I didn't think there was such a thing!) but this wasn't as enjoyable as I would have liked :( She was very aggressive in her adjustments. I paid for the month so I booked another class for the following day. It snowed the night before but turned out to be a beautiful day - yet all classes (at both locations) were canceled. Okay, so I booked the following day for a spin class to try that out. A few hours before - the class got canceled! I have 30 days to try out this studio and 2/3 times I book - classes get canceled?! I expressed my concern and the owner refunded me $20. I don't know where she got that number from but I basically paid $30 for one class. As a previous yoga studio owner, I'm so disappointed and would NOT recommend this studio. read more

Yoga and Beyond Truly Goes Beyond A little over a year ago when a small studio that introduced us to yoga closed down, I and my yoga buddy looked around for a new studio where we could continue and deepen our practice. After some research, we decided to give Yoga and Beyond a try. When we showed up at Yoga and Beyond's Kensington Studio and described ourselves as "yoga refugees", Ning Gao, the owner of the studio laughed warmly and we knew we were welcome in the right place. Over the past year we have discovered that Yoga and Beyond is more than a simple yoga studio. It is a true community of students, practitioners at all levels, and great instructors. The "Beyond" part of Yoga and Beyond consists of a wide variety of yoga practices and fitness classes suitable for people of all ages and inclinations. Within a few weeks of joining Yoga and Beyond, having noticed the colourful silks hanging in the studio, we decided to give Aerial Yoga a whirl. One session and we were hooked and we have been dedicated students of these silks ever since. As a member of the active "boomer" generation I can truly say that we are accepted and warmly received by the cross- generational classes at the two studios. While aerial remains core to our practice the great thing about having an annual pass is that you can indulge in any number of fitness activities, any time, from high intensity training and barre, to spin and kick boxing. These alternate exercise regimes complement the fitness, flexibility ,and strength derived from the practice of yoga. Most importantly the yoga here is serious but the atmosphere is freeing and a refreshing sense of lightness provides a nice mental balance to the focus and physical intensity of the yoga sessions. The attention given to individual students enhances personal practice. Ning has rounded up a stable of excellent yoga instructors who deliver sessions designed for novice practitioners as well as those who are more advanced. Needless to say in my brief history with Yoga I have become quite addicted to the practice. The benefits to body, mind, and soul are a tribute to the instructors and community of practice that is called Yoga and Beyond. read more

I was introduced to Beyond Yoga by my other half. He is in the masters ski club and they go to the Beyond Yoga studio, so I decided to join him for a class which was at 6PM. The first thing you probably notice upon arriving is that there is no parking in the front and very limited parking in the back. BUT! The street in the back is always available for parking. I've never had a problem. When you walk into the studio, Ning, the owner is usually at the front with a smiling face, greeting you. I signed up for the 'New to us 2 week unlimited' which was ~$38 or if you wanted to just drop in, it's 20, $15 for students and seniors. The class I attended with Spence was Hot yoga (approximately 85 degrees F, NOTE: that there are different classes depending on the time of day you go). Entering the class, you lay your mat down quietly and relax. I found that the positions and forms I did at Beyond Yoga, are more relaxed than other studios. They don't want you to push yourself to the extreme here. Ning and her other instructors are really great, they're calm and very informative. Ning makes small jokes here and there in class to make it fun with more interaction. She likes to do different things in class, for instance..this past Sunday we went to the 9:30AM class and we did some partner yoga. It was really fun, the whole class enjoyed it...I can tell from all the laughing! She is absolutley dedicated to yoga, I can tell she really loves teaching. Beyond Yoga is now the new yoga studio I go to! I'm currently doing the 30 day challenge with Beyond. You'll have to come check it out if you want to know what its all about because everyday is different at Beyond Yoga. :) And it's great. If you want to be surrounded by great people, fun and relaxation. Beyond Yoga is definitley the place to be!! read more

No thanks. I also had a negative experience at Beyond Yoga. I heard that the owner regrets signing up with the social marketing group. Apparently, she said that the deal has brought in "riff raff" and low quality clientele that she does not want to permanently attend Beyond Yoga. Beyond Yoga is snobby, for a low-calibre studio. There are no mirrors, hot yoga is just warm (who are you trying to kid?) The change room is overcrowded and dirty. No parking. No free drinking water. Instructors are ok, not great. If you ask me, it's not worth the trip. Beyond Yoga is Beyond Pathetic. read more

Ok, I'm going on and on about bad deals today because my friend wants me to save the world lol! My hubby and I bought two deal coupons "20 classes for 20 dollars" and yeah, it's an ok deal, the usual, but have you tried to use the voucher?! It's a total scam - run away!! We knew It was a hole in the wall but, what the heck, it was in our neighborhood, we needed a new studio closer to the house, for the weekend, for the summer, and THEY WOULDN'T HONOR IT!! Firstly, she claimed deal company "made a mistake" and the deal was expired. Ok fine, but she said that there was "lots of room" since it was summertime and it wasn't costing them anything so why not honor the coupon and get two new clients from the neighborhood? We already had a membership so likely we'd only come a few times on the weekend at the beginning. All of a sudden, she was packed solid and if she honored our voucher then her clients would not be able to come to classes. Ok fine again, but then she started trying to hard-sell us a membership?! Who wants to go to a studio where clients, in the dead of summer, are not be able to sign up for classes?! Oh, it's never a problem she said. Ugh... I smell a rat! So we gave up, got our refunds, learned our lesson, and guess what. Don't bother with asking for the manager, she was the owner!! BUT, this place is still there so beware! read more

I cancelled my yoga membership with Yoga and Beyond, they charged me 2 months after they confirmed cancellation. I emailed them to have the charge reversed and they are being uncommunicative. I understand sometimes there are errors that happen with these kinds of things and I have been very polite in dealing with them but I am not getting effective communication and now they are just not responding. Very poor way to run a business and they have lost me as a potential future customer. Its too bad and I would not recommend this studio with all the great choices there are out there for yoga studios. read more

I didn't really like this studio. The change rooms are fairly small and the same goes for the studio space. The parking at the back is plentiful on the street. Overall the instruction is really meant more more professional people rather than the beginning or intermediate. I think if you are experienced at yoga you'll enjoy the instruction at this studio. Otherwise you should check out something else. read more

Unfriendly, poor customer service. I called ahead to double check my coupon. Their employee gave me information and said I had nothing to worry about. When I arrived, I was quickly dismissed and spoken down to. I explained my situation calmly, with no luck. Yoga is a place of peace and love - there was no display of that at all. Not recommended. read more

Since I live in Kensington and I like to support local business I thought I'd stop into Beyond yoga when I needed to get a new mat and found out they carried the type I was looking for. It seemed almost too convenient since they had what I was looking for and the studio is only a few blocks from my house, how much more perfect could it be right? Well, it seemed too good to be true and it was. When I first walked up to the door it said they were open but the doors were locked. I could see a bunch of shoes on the other side of the door so I figured they were in a class and locked the door because it was during the day and didn't have anyone to take care of the front of the studio. That makes sense and I was there in the afternoon on a Thursday so no big deal. Just as I sat back down in my car a women left the studio so I thought "oh awesome, I'll just grab my mat and make my way home to get on with the rest of my day'. I went back and the door was open so inside I went. It seemed like a nice little studio and I thought 'hey I could see myself coming here, it seems clean and inviting'. So I started looking around and found the mat I was looking for and was ready to go.... but there was no one around. Ok fair enough, it's the middle of the day, it's a small studio and there's probably only one person working so I don't mind waiting a minute or two. Well about 10 minutes went by and still no one came out even though I could hear people talking somewhere in the studio. A woman walked by me about 5 times but I figured she was just a patron getting done class. Finally she said "Oh did you want to buy that?" (no I just want to stand around a yoga studio holding a yoga mat to look cool) I replied "Yes, but I haven't seen anyone that works here yet" "Ok I'll see if I can find someone then" she said and then disappeared. After a few minutes she came back "Ya, they're doing a yoga exam right now and there's only one person who knows how to use the till, sorry I don't know how". It turns out she works there and it had taken her 5 times walking by me before she even attempted to help me which I thought was quite weird. "How much longer will it be until they're done?" I asked. "Another 15-20 minutes? Is that a problem?" she said. "Ummm... well... I'm kind of doing some errands and I have someone waiting for me in the car" "Well you can always just come back later" she said. At that point I had no interest in putting ANY money into a business that can't train employees properly or employ people who have no customer courtesy. Something as simple as purchasing goods doesn't really seem like a stretch to ask of a business, I mean that is what they're there for, to provide goods and services in which I would give them money for. Anyhow, I have to say my experience with beyond yoga regardless of how limited, it has left me feeling that they have no idea of how to run a studio. It is unfortunate because I was really excited to have a place so close to my home that I would be able to support. But I guess if they don't have the time for new customers I'll spend my money in a place that does. read more

This is probably one of my favourite studios & ive been to a few in the city. Ning the owner is very friendly and gives hands on adjustments during class. Great studio for the beginner. They offer a TON of yin classes for hips, back and shoulders so if those are your trouble areas this is the place for you. The aerial class is also really good. I tried a few of their flow classes and they are definitely slower paced (think foundation). Their crystal bowl class was AMAZING. The instructors seem knowledgeable and dedicated to the practice of yoga. They ensure you are doing the poses correctly. This is definitely a slower paced yoga studio. The hot classes aren't super hot, just enough to keep you cozy. This is an affordable studio price wise, one of the cheapest. The parking can be tricky at times as they don't have their own parking. read more

I was looking for a yoga studio that was in between hot and cool yoga. Yoga and Beyond keeps the room at a moderate heat, just enough for my liking. The instructors do a great job of adapting the class to suit the students, and work with you to help improve your posture skill. read more

I also got the great deal on dealfind, unfortunately i didn't have a positive experience there. My first visit there was alot of new clients due to the deal and the owner spoke very loudly about dealfind taking all her money (she only sold 5000 @ $20 each) and didn't think it was a very yoga attitude. The room was full and cramped past capacity meaning the instuctor had nowhere to sit and had to describe each position - as there was alot of new people most were confused for most of the class, the instructor commented on this yet still didn;t demonstrate. It was a class for beginniers. I did return a few more times and the first class was by far the hardest - if it was intended to prevent people coming back it sure worked- the classes got smaller each time. Unfortunatly it also got dirtier wach time - a shame since it was brand new at the start. The owner and the receptionist could also use a lesson in manners/customer service - have overheard them being very rude to clients - very off putting for a supposed place of calm. never finished the course and would never return - its not a place to relax. read more

I've been to a couple yoga places but decided to give this one a try from the online deal they had. WORST PLACE EVER we sat by the door and there were ANTS!! And this is definitely NOT hot yoga like they claim, warm at best. The class was completely packed and you didnt' have room for anything and I don't even think I'll go back and finish my 20 for 20 classes cause it's not worth the one dollar. read more

The wonderful thing about reviews is that they provide feedback to businesses, and Beyond Yoga has responded and adapted favorably. The "silence" sign on the studio door has created a favourable atmosphere for pre-class mediation. I also noticed special attention to the details of poses--possible even in a workout as rigorous as some of the ones I've been to recently. Kudos to the instructors and management!! Now, this is a workout--with or without the extra heat. read more

This place is a joke. I purchased a DealFind coupon and I have been trying to schedule time in since April 2011. They continur to tell me that they are full. The deal was 20 classes for $20. This is completely untrue. They explained to me when I went in this morning that in order for this pass to be valid I need to purchase a two week package. Complete waste of time and money. The woman who answered the phone got mad at me because I asked to speak to a manager dto discuss why the purchase was not being honoured as it was supposed to. read more

I am a beginner yogi (if that is what I'm called) and I have sporadically done hot yoga with friends over the past few years. I don't practice yoga on a regular basis but seeing as how the Kensington location is 2 minutes walking distance from my house, I decided to give it a try. I bought the 1 month unlimited for $40 and I have gone 3 times in one week. I definitely got my moneys worth considering a single drop in class is $20. The studio is quite small but very welcoming. As I said before, I am a beginner yogi and have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. The thing I love about this location (aside to it being SUPER close to my house and convenient) is the instructors all take their time with their practice. I have been to yoga classes where they are going SO fast that I can't keep up and I get so frustrated (along with being in a 100 F room). I don't know any of the poses and need guidance so that is why I was turned off yoga. This place is great because all the instructors take their time to explain each pose and how to do it. I have tried 3 different types of classes and I enjoyed them all. The "hot" yoga isn't the class where you sit in a 100F room. At first I was disappointed but after the class was done, I was relieved because I was already sweating enough as it is when the room isn't a sweat box. Because the room wasn't super hot, I was able to enjoy it more, got to focus on my postures rather than focusing on whether or not I was going to pass out. To make a long story short, it's a great place and i'm considering getting a 1 year unlimited pass. :) read more