Really mixed reviews, based on different parts of this place's functions--People think pool is too crowded and too expensive
Vanderbilt YMCA
224 E 47th St
New York, NY 10017
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 912-2500
New York, NY 10017
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 912-2500
- Nearest Transit Station:
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51 St. (4, 6, 6X)Lexington Ave./53 St. (E, M)Grand Central - 42 St. (7, 7X)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
10.0 Miles
from Vanderbilt YMCA
Fidelina C. said: "I love this place!!! Joined for 3mths & have taken classes with Phil, Eddie & Wil!! Awesome workouts. Phil the owner is the nicest guy & the place is super clean.…" read more »
24 reviews for Vanderbilt YMCA
24 reviews in English
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Review from Eunhee K.
Manhattan, NYthis review is for the pool/swimming lessons only!
embarrassing to say, but I didn't know how to swim prior to these swim lessons. i had a few "freak out drowning" incidents in the past couple of years ( falling off a kayak in a small lake and feeling like i was going to drown, to swimming in a pool and reaching the point where my feet cannot touch the ground and freaking out)
so when it came to my husband and i planning a trip to hawaii, we both thought it was time that i learned how to swim.
the instructor i had ( i signed up for beginners adult swim lessons group) was so awesome. he was funny, but not offensive to embarrass someone. and really, really helpful. i can't thank the class enough because by the end of the course, i was going into the deep end all by myself and feeling confident. the pace of the class is nice(not too slow, not to fast) and although the pool can get crowded, i never felt like i wasn't getting my money's worth (probably b/c the beginners class does a lot of blowing bubbles, threading water) which don't require a huge amount of space. there were a few classes I had to miss, and the instructor allowed me to make up those classes. Also, no one makes you feel dumb for not knowing how to swim as an adult which was important to me
when the course ended, i was really sad. i will definitely be going back for brush up lessons in the future
conclusion: went to hawaii and was able to snorkel because of these lessons. i wasn't confident enough to be swimming far from shore though or scuba diving, or anything that required more swimming skill ...but i will no longer be freaking out if my feet cannot touch the bottom of a pool -
Review from Charles Alvin F.
Las Vegas, NVThis review is for my stay here.
Horrible staff, decent room, clean bathrooms.
Every check in and check out, OMG, the staff seems like they died. No personality and seemed like they're being bothered. I'm sorry, your life sucks and you work here?
The rooms are very small, but big enough for two people with 1 suitcase each. Plus, you're only there to sleep not hang out.
Bathrooms are cleaned every day. Make sure you have flip flops!
I'd stay here again...if it was a different staff. Hire people who are not miserable. K thanks! -
Review from Paul D.
White Plains, NYMy update for this Y isn't a good one. After swimming here a few months, I've found that every swim session is a struggle.
The lap pool is way too crowded, and oftentimes, it's 3-4 people per lane, so you have to circle swim with all these people. It is really, really annoying.
On top of that, many of the swimmers lack etiquette, and/or are foreign, so they might just jump into your lane without telling you. I'm surprised there aren't as many bump-in accidents in the pool. There are just way too many damn swimmers.
At certain times, there are lessons, or club get-togethers, which can take up as many as three lanes, leaving the other three to lap swimmers. Then, you're really screwed!
Manhattan sucks because there are so few lap pools. Some aren't even regulation sized, and some cost a month's rent. I really hate Manhattan for this reason.
And, as others have noted, the locker rooms are nasty as hell, and the super old men are just nasty. They literally live in the locker rooms, and there are unmentionable things that grow all over their bodies. It's disgusting. I hate this Y.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/28/2013
If I were to review this Y based on the Ys in the state where I most recently lived in, I would give… Read more »
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2/28/2013
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Review from Justin S.
New York, NYI joined this gym because it's close to where I live, and it's one of the few places in Manhattan with a full-size lap pool. Unfortunately, swimming here is a complete nightmare.
First, there are two pools: one for lap swimming and one for non-lap swimming (lessons, aquarobics, "water exercise" programs, etc.). One of the many problems is that people use the lap pool for non-lap swimming all of the time, taking up lanes walking in place and screwing around while other people are waiting to actually swim laps.
Another problem is that, like many membership lap pools, the lanes are marked for different levels of speed so that swimmers forced to share lanes with more than one other person don't have the pace of their workout completely ruined by faster or slower swimmers. This could theoretically work if the lifeguards ever snapped themselves out of their stupor and actually enforced the lane speeds. Unfortunately, you usually see advanced swimmers struggling to avoid hitting beginners who, more often than not, are slowly careening all over the lane into the other swimmers.
By way of example, just last week, I was "splitting" the medium-speed lane (the fastest lane available at the time) with an elderly woman who clearly needed to be in the slowest lane, as she was doing an improvised backstroke that seemed to have been invented on the spot, not for the purposes of propulsion through the water, but solely for the purpose of raking her fingernails against any other swimmers that might happen to be sharing the lane. Obviously, the lifeguard on duty did nothing, opting instead to assume the default position of staring at the opposite wall with the glazed-over expression of the consummate stoner. This is just one example among many, many similar experiences that I've had while trying to get in a simple lap-swimming workout.
One problem that has very little to do with the pool (and other reviewers have mentioned this as well) is the locker room situation. On several occasions, I've found that the air conditioning was broken or turned off, driving the temperature of the locker room up to sauna levels. Additionally, the hot water in several of the showers is often "broken," meaning that there are a limited number of working showers for everyone to use. Also, there is a really weird issue with people sleeping in the locker room, which may not really be any of my business, but let's be honest...it's off-putting to see people treating a locker room like an airport terminal during an 8-hour layover.
But the biggest problem with the men's locker room (and I hate to even bring this up because it makes me feel like kind of a jerk) is the old men. Obviously, this is a YMCA, not an Equinox, and there are plenty of other gyms that I could go to if it was remotely important to me that I be surrounded by people my own age (I'm in my early 30s). And that whole "old people don't mind walking around the locker room naked" thing is something non-prudish people learn to make peace with and even laugh about. But, I kid you not, the Vanderbilt YMCA men's locker room takes this to a whole other level. The old men shower naked and stand around naked while changing (obviously), but they also use the bathroom facilities naked, use the sink naked, shave and trim their nose hair naked, brush their teeth naked, attend to their personal grooming naked (I'm 99% sure I saw someone trimming their pubic region at the communal sinks last week), and at a certain point, it's just disgusting.
Long story short, I'm seriously considering whether the pool access is even worth it. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this gym to anyone. -
Review from Morgan W.
New York, NYThey have a company policy that doesn't allow visitors to go up and see their guests. Staff is incoherent and barely able to speak fluent English. Frustrating! -
Review from Claire F.
I 100% agree with Sarah K. on all points, so I'll just add a few things.
It IS too expensive for what you get (my "corporate discount" gets me a citywide membership where I can go to any NYC Y, for ~$80); the hostel kids are SO ANNOYING and take up the lobby in a really rude way, the staff handles them first when there's a line, and even the camp kids in the locker rooms can get to be a bit much, running all over the place, if the counselors are overwhelmed.
I live for Brent's spin classes.
Terrence's Tuesday lunchtime spin class is great, but populated by groupies who get there an hour early and save bikes for their friends, so it's hard to "get into" if you don't have three hours to kill at the gym midday. For example, today I came 20 minutes early yet could not get a bike. The room was nearly empty with one or two women hoarding ten bikes and just saying "they're coming". Y'uhuh.
For Brent's classes, in efforts to avoid this, they have numbers which are given out at the door to the classroom up to 20 minutes before class. It's slightly easier to avoid the groupie problem in this case, especially if you're willing to kill 15-20 min in line. Would it be better if -- like at other Y's -- they gave out numbers at the check in desk 30 minutes before class? Yes. But he's worth it.
I'll also add that Kyle's Tuesday pm spin class is great for beginners -- he is very hands on with helping you and gives a very good stretching session at the end of class.
Monday noon yoga class is also good and easy to get in and out of quickly. It's very rarely too crowded and the light from the windows is very relaxing. -
Review from Lily G.
Holland, MAI will always stay here just for the fact that it's AMAZING location, and super cheap price. Here are some problems that I have always had (been there 3 times, each time with 3+ nights stay):
1) They always seem to run out of toilet paper early evening. It gets super gross in the toilets. My sister and I bought our own from drugstores. I recommend doing that. And get your own wet napkins for the room - so you don't have to keep running back and forth to the rest room if you just need a simple wipe-down.
2) The rugs are gross in the room. No matter what you do, it always seem damp.
3) There is only ONE (duel) outlet in the room for two. NOT ENOUGH!! I had to wake up in the middle of the night just to switch my devices over. Not cool.
4) Chair was missing in our room one time and we repeatedly asked for one and it never came. Really needed it coz there was nowhere to put stuff on.
Some Pros beside location and price:
1) Very friendly staff (even if ineffectual sometimes)
2) Clean linens
3) Fridge and TV in room
4) Relatively quiet rooms
I'd say if you plan on just exploring the city during the day and you're with a friend who can split a bunk bed room with you this is it. Don't try the other hostels in the city. -
Review from Lee L.
New York, NYThis is a review of the YMCA Volleyball program which encompasses 3 different YMCA branches (Vanderbilt, Westside, & McBurney).
Late last year I joined the Westside branch for the 2 international sized squash courts. One day I noticed on the website there was a volleyball session, all levels welcome, and my life has changed ever since! Here is how it works:
1.) You should get a Citywide membership that allows you to attend any YMCA branch in NYC an unlimited number of times.
2.) For beginners / low intermediates, show up on a Wed. night in Westside or Thursday night at McBurney at 7PM. Go to the volleyball courts and introduce yourself to the coach. His name is Kypros V., a super nice guy who will be setting up the net or asking people to sign in).
3.) Once you play for a few sessions, ask the coach to rate your playing. Based on your abilities, you'll be placed in one of the divisions -- beginners play on Tue, early Wed, early Thu, and Sunday nights, advanced players take Mon, late Wed, late Thu, Fri.
4.) Every night is basically a warmup for 20 minutes where people practice bumping, hitting, and serving... then for the rest of the session you play full games with the coach keeping score and acting as referee. Most nights have about 12-18 people showing up and since the coach knows everyone's abilities quite well, he forms fair and balanced teams.
5.) There is no commitment at all -- just show up on the allowed nights for your skill level and enjoy a great game, a nice crowd, and a great workout! At first I came one night every other week, which ramped up to weekly, and has now hit 2-3 times per week! It doesn't take long to get to know most of the pool of players in your skill level; for me that's huge because I gel with teams a lot better once I know the nuances of everyone else's playing style.
If you are serious about improving, this is also a great program as you will often be playing alongside some much more skilled players on certain nights. It can be a bit intimidating at first for beginners but everyone is so helpful on giving pointers. I also emailed the coach once for tips and he replied the next day spelling out my strengths (speed and reflexes) -- and my weaknesses (ball control and hitting placement). Then, over the next few sessions he spent a few minutes during the warm-up reviewing my technique!
This is an outstanding program for anyone interested in volleyball, whether you played competitively in the past or haven't played since middle school gym. I highly recommend it!
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