Equinox is one of the biggest and best established exercise places in Manhattan
Midtown East location gets really mixed reviews....I wonder how people can have such different takes on the same place...some people say this is their worst location and other say it is fine..It looks big to me especially compared to some of the other gym type spaces I have seen but people seem to have high expectations of any place with the Equinox name
One person also says it is way overpriced...
Took out some really old reviews...looks like they have spruced the place up some along the line..but some people are still not satisfied at all
Equinox
250 E 54th St
(between 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 277-5400
(between 3rd Ave & 2nd Ave)
New York, NY 10022
Neighborhood: Midtown East
(212) 277-5400
- Nearest Transit Station:
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Lexington Ave./53 St. (E, M)51 St. (4, 6, 6X)59 St. (4, 5, 6, 6X)
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 5:30 am - 11 pmFri 5:30 am - 9 pmSat-Sun 8 am - 9 pm
- Price Range:
- $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Kids:
- No
- By Appointment Only:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Equinox
Review Highlights What's this?
27 reviews in English
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Review from Joyce G.
Great Neck, NYI'm almost embarrased to admit this but I have not yet had an opportunity to work out at this Equinox location (I have a membership that gives me access to all the Equinox gyms in the city and the one in Great Neck). I was however in a jam one day a couple months ago as I had an important dinner and I had just come from working out and getting a massage and I had massage oil all over me and all over my hair. The place I got my massage at did not have a shower. I was a mess. My dinner was supposed to be at Smith & Wollensky in less than an hour so I thought, "Ah ha! I'll just pop into Equinox and get cleaned up and it's only a few blocks away from where I have to be".
I ran over there and I'd never been to that location, I got a little lost but I finally spotted it. I swiped in and I'm not sure what pops up on the screen when the attendants check you in but I guess they somehow knew that I hadn't been there before. The manager, a very lovely British woman whose name I did not remember thought I was coming in to workout (it was late on a Saturday evening closing in on 8pm) and she said, "Bless you for having the motivation to get in here and workout!" - I was too embarassed to say that I was just using the shower and bathroom to clean up. She wanted to give me a full tour since it was my first time at that location so I let her briefly show me around and then she showed me the locker rooms which were 2 levels down.
From what I saw the place is spacious and immaculate. Lots of equipment, not crowded (at least at that time). The locker room and bathroom areas were spotless, I felt bad messing it up by showering and trailing water everywhere but the attendants cleaned up right after me. I love that about the Equinox gyms.
I've read some other reviews with people complaining about the facility and having everything on multiple levels, etc. I have yet to workout there so I'm not sure logistically how annoying that is. But I intend to come back to this location at some point and actually workout. I'll post an updated review at that point. -
Review from Andrew B.
New York, NYBasically a pretty good gym. Good facilities. Good selection of equipment although some of it is rather vintage. Bottom line it all works. Free weight section could be bigger since the benches and popular weight sizes tend to get claimed in a hurry for multiple set users.
But my biggest issue and why I'm still not a member, they play the crappiest music way too loud. Granted "crappy" is a relative term but it's played so loud that even good earphones can't isolate you from it. I'm not a big gym rat and working out is not all that fun for me so I want my workout environment to be as pleasant as possible. Hearing blaring, unpleasant music no matter what I do to mitigate it just pushed me away completely. This is an unfortunate reality at all of the other local Equinox gyms I visited as a possible alternative. -
Review from Alexandra R.
Manhattan, NYIt's fine... I live near this location and compared to 19th street, Rock Center, Greenwich Ave-- literally every other Equinox I've been to, this is the worst location. It's just missing something. Perhaps the juice bar? Perhaps the lively energy and inspiring instructors I've found elsewhere (I'm looking at you, Inten-Sati)? I can't put my finger on it exactly, but this one's just not for me. I love the Equinox brand, don't get me wrong. I love their steam rooms, eucalyptus towels, and state of the art machinery-- it's just 54th and 2nd seems to be missing out on some of the loving. It's a bit dingier and less awesome than all the rest. Also... please upgrade the locker room lockers-- they seriously suck and multiple ones won't open when someone is directly next to you. Sign up for Equinox, but choose another location if you can help it. -
Review from Miranda K. D.
Zürich, SwitzerlandI tried the steam room. It's surprisingly just a room with steam. Not big, no scents or anything. (being honest the 1st min it smelled like athletes foot). But I was feeling a but sick so I stuck to it and it did me a lot of good.
Of course you can have classes here and use their fitness tools. You can also get a personal trainer to make your lazy ass a lucious one. -
Review from jill w.
New York, NYOf all the Equinox's I've been to I hate this one the most. While there are many floor, each floor is very small and the gym is very compact. It is extremely difficult to get a tread mill after 5 or on weekends and I've given up after waiting for 20 minutes. The spin room is extremely small. I originally joined Equinox because I kept hearing how great the teachers and classes were but I have not been very impressed. For every great teacher there are 5 awful ones. Equinox also keeps losing their good Spin teachers to Soul and Fly and the ones they are replacing them with are horrid. I really don't think this place offers anything more than NYS Club and it's definitely not worth the price.
Also the pictures included below are extremely misleading. Not sure which Equinox they are of but it sure isn't this location. -
Review from Mary S.
New York, NYHad a gas leak in the building. Staff told everyone it was safe to workout in and told us not to be alarmed. One staff member even said that he "couldn't smell anything" when it was wafting through the room. No followup email to alert us as to what happened (if it was fixed, if it was in an apartment above us, if they were sorry for the inconvenience). They did not even do as the NYC and US government safety guides say, which is to leave (hence why the "scent" we come to associate with natural gas has been added - to warn us of danger)! I am shocked and appalled; moving my membership ASAP.
If this issue were rectified with some sort of apology and official safety clearance sent out to its members, I would consider returning. Crowded in the AM and rush hours. Have to wait for showers. One shower has been broken for months. -
Review from Colleen R.
Hoboken, NJAwful. It's like Hotel California. You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave.
And the membership manager is useless and dishonest. After I moved away from Manhattan and tried to cancel my membership they defrauded me of 3 months membership. Stay away and don't get sucked in. -
Review from Tom C.
Bellevue, WAFriendly services. Tried it out today. The lockers needs a wipe down. My locker smelled pretty bad. The handle bars were also greasy. Like the location and free razor blade. -
Review from Nic B.
Miami Beach, FL"How did you enjoy your free pass to our club?"
"I enjoyed it. I had a good workout. The club is nice and it's clean.
"What about our cold cucumber towels?"
"Oh, those cold cucumber towels made me reconsider my strong political feelings toward veal."
"Great! So do you think you'll join? Today is the last chance to sign with me for this low rate before the apocolaypse."
"No. Look, I realize you are going to talk about me behind my back. My kind. The kind who comes in for a free pass, enjoys it, and leaves. We're jerks. But as soon as I marry rich, you will be the first person I come to and I will join this gym like there is no tomorrow. Like a boy band love song, this I promise you."
"Great! Tell your friends!" -
Review from Maria M.
It hurts me to take two stars off, but damn.
One hundred fifty dollars a month?
That hurts more.Listed in: The Office1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/16/2009
First off, let me say that I believe Equinox has some of the prettiest gyms in the city. They are… Read more »
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6/16/2009
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Review from Srini V.
Equinox clearly owns the best health clubs in the city based on the quality of the facilities and ease of finding one around you. Leaves NYSC behind by a few miles. I go to the Tribeca location that is pretty basic. Yet well maintained.
In absolute terms, I don't find Equinox to be particularly upscale compared to the fitness facilities in better international hotels. But then you only need to be better than everyone else in town. -
Review from Karen C.
Recently switched over my membership here from the 44th/Lexington location for the better hours, class schedule, and pool and am not disappointed!
This location is very spread out and never seems crowded when I am here in the mornings. Front desk staff are cheerful and friendly; the day I switched over I had no problem switching over my yearly locker rental and getting a new one at this location.
Spin instructors (been on a M & W at 6:30AM) have been good with upbeat music. The bikes here have the computers so you can see your RPM's which makes it much easier to make sure you are sprinting when you are supposed to sprint etc. Love it!
Locker rooms are immaculate as usual. This is a more residential location so it never seems crowded, I think most people go home to shower/get ready for work.
Very happy with the switch (although to be fair I liked 44th/Lex too; just not that it was closed on Sunday and had no later night classes) and very happy Equinox customer. -
Review from Emily S.
New York, NYThis is one of my favorite Equinox locations, mostly because I am absolutely addicted to the Friday evening Yoga Spa class. It's an hour and a half of very gentle, relaxing yoga that isn't too strenuous and is perfect for unwinding from the week. I leave the class serene and calm, no matter what my week at work has been like.
Layout-wise I find it to be a little jumbled, with the cardio separated on 3 floors, but it's nice and bright with a big front wall of windows. The locker rooms are on the smaller side but they are never very crowded.
My only complaint: of all the Equinox front desk people I encounter (I go to various clubs 5x/week), the people working at the front desk here are the least friendly. I practically have to ask them to swipe my pass, and they never say "have a good workout" like they do at other clubs. It's obviously a very small grievance but it makes a difference! -
Review from John O.
New York, NYDid you know that every Equinox location has its own "theme"? The staff told me that the theme for this one is "pied-à-terre".
That theme really sums up this gym pretty well. If you are a wealthy, older person who owns a pied-à-terre in one of the most expensive cities in the world, who likes to go to the gym mostly for show, this is the gym for you.
There are lots of lotions, chilled towels and pulse meters everywhere, but the gym is always really crowded and it's almost claustrophobic. There are three small levels, which is less than ideal for a gym.
The classes are ridiculous, in particular if you're a guy. If it isn't some kind of "salsa booty workout", it's going to be "Bangladeshi fighting pilates yoga".
The "personal trainers" take up more than half the gym by having their clients do exercises fit for a comedy show. This makes it even harder to move around the gym. For some reason, these exercises always involve doing something very strange with a giant green ball...
Hey, I'm not a hick, but Equinox crossed the line of pretentiousness and affordability a long time ago. -
Review from Jessica G.
Staten Island, NYI used to work out in this gym in 2005 and wasn't a big fan of it but since it was one block away from my job, had to make due. At that time, everything was immaculate, machines were positioned functionally in both floors and the trainers were really nice. But it the gym was not as good as the other gyms at 76 and B'way and 64th and Lexington. It felt like something was missing.
I was on Equinox Hiatus until a week ago and was impressed at the gym's improvements. Aesthetically, they have upgraded their bathrooms and equipment. And the clientele is really friendly. Everybody chats with each other and is very welcoming. This gym feels more of a neighborhood gym instead of a midtown gym.
Their classes also seem more varied to the other clubs, ranging from swimming, spinning, step class and kickboxing. I have taken Akin Williams' Cardio Kickboxing class and loved it, even though it kicked my azz! -
Review from Sam L.
New York, NYI'm usually not very picky when it comes to gyms. As long as the gym has treadmills and free weights, it's good enough for me.
But when the gym is across the street from where you live, it becomes a top choice.
The Equinox on E54th far surpasses my few requirements. They have an easy to use website that shows you how many times you've been to the gym, what classes are available in any given day, and which trainer/instructor is teaching the class.
The staff is friendly and there is seldom a wait to use a machine. Equinox is certainly an expensive gym but you can get alot of value out of your membership if you take advantage of all the classes and features of the gym (ie pool, spa, etc). -
Review from Amanda E.
New York, NYNot as nice as the SoHo or Greenwich Equinoxes but less crowded. If you're comparing this to an NYSC, it should get five stars.
There's a pool but no designated yoga studio, so yoga and Pilates classes are in the second group fitness studio.
Lots of group fitness classes. My quick picks: kickboxing with Steve Feinberg and Akin Williams, yoga with Derek Beres and Adrian Molina, Pilates with Krista Loveless and strength/stretch with Johnny Anzalone. -
Review from Bryanne R.
Media, PAThis is one pimped gym. Totally wish I belonged here. Nice new equipment, locker rooms, friendly training and desk staff. Healthy and upbeat atmosphere. -
Review from Ashley D.
I highly recommend their facials and massages. Their new sma manager is wonderful and has really "whipped the place in shape." In addition, this location has a wonderful class schedule which accommodates business hours. -
Review from T T W.
Duxbury, MAIt's not the largest Equinox, but this is the best overall Equinox in the city. It has everything you could want in a gym in a relatively small space. It has a really calming, relaxing feel that none of the other Equinoxes have (I've been to almost every location in Manhattan). Must have good feng shui or something. The pool's kinda small (I think it's a 1/4 Olympic length), but it always seems to be empty! The colors in the pool room are so soothing, and the dry sauna's always hot, and very clean. The yoga classes are great, and in the top floor (3 floors total) studio with lots of inspiring sunlight. All equipment is state of the art, and there's always a lovely orchid or pineapple plant to cheer you! I almost want to move back to Turtle Bay just so I can go to this gym every day. -
Review from Gene L.
Jersey City, NJthe locker room is worse than the one in wall street and the one in tribeca. and this one has a cramped layout. however, overall, it's not bad. it's not immaculately clean - but it's clean enough. they have a decent mix of weights and machines. the treadmills will always include a broken one (but they do seem to try to replace or fix the broken ones). this should get more like 2.78 stars. it rates lower than other locations, in my opinion. it's somewhat claustrophobic. if possible, go to a different location. -
Review from Luis H.
Toronto, CanadaOne of my favorite locations due to it's location in Midtown East, this location definitely is better than other locations nearby (East 45th Street; Grand Central) due to it's natural lighting, adequate equipment, and three levels of workout space. With a spa, drink bar, and immaculately clean locker rooms and steam rooms, when I worked in the vicinity, this was my fave location due to location and atmosphere. While it does lack a pool like some locations (East 63rd Street), it's still decent enough for me to give it four stars. -
Review from Steven A.
ROCKAWAY PARK, NYgreat equipment ,clean and plenty of info if needed
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