Oakland YMCA - Oakland, California

Alison M. C.

A maze inside, but overall fantastic, clean facilities. I did not see anybody that wasn't here specifically to work out (as mentioned in past reviews). I went for lap swimming today. At 9 am on Wednesdays they start a water aerobics class in half the pool so ended up lane sharing, which is understandable. $20/day to use the pool or $45/month for membership. Pricey for a day pass but I don't mind as a trial, especially for the nice conditions of the locker rooms and the pool. Lanes divided by fast, med, slow, etc. which was more or less adhered to. If you compete (2'44"/100m or faster), this is probably not the best pool for you. There are lots of seniors and water walkers. I swam around people--NBD for one day. Beginners or intermediates would probably be happy here on a regular basis. Full shower facilities and lockers available for free--just leave an ID to borrow a padlock.

Carolyn R.

Bring back the hot tub!!! I work in the trades and I would soak after working hard all day. It was the best part of my day. I miss the multicultural intergenerational interactions and the stress relief. I am going to switch to the Berkeley y for the hot tub now, but I’ll miss the Oakland Y A LOT!!!

Daniel C.

Gym areas are very clean and have good natural light. Free weights area has a double height (picture below). It does not get too crowded and there is enough room between machines. Staff is friendly and helpful.

J

Really nice white dude at the front desk (wish I got his name) but honestly overall it's among the best Y's I've been to (and I've been to a lot)

Russell W.

I was a member of the Y for almost 20 years, but I no longer go to this Y. Which is sad. I grew up in the Y, and the Oakland Y is a good facility. However, they no longer have towel service, they closed the spa and steam room, and reduced hours.

Quitting was hard though. I mean it turned out to be impossible to cancel my membership by phone. I called multiple times to cancel, which they never did. I asked for a confirmation callback. None came. Instead, they just kept taking my money. "Christian values?" I had to finally go in and put a stop to it, but what a disfunction bunch of people behind the counter. What happened to this place?!

Anyway, check out SF Fitness for more local locations and good amenities (including towel service), at about the same price. The Club at City Center is also very close by, and has all the amenities the Y used to have, plus an outdoor pool, for just a little more money.

Osa G.

During my 11-month tenure at the Oakland YMCA, the atmosphere was marred by vivid, discriminatory behavior, particularly from a young Asian female staff member. Her indifference was strikingly evident each time I walked in. I still vividly recall how she would warmly greet a white woman ahead of me, only to abruptly turn away when it was my turn, deliberately avoiding eye contact and blatantly ignoring my presence. This selective acknowledgment was not just cold but felt like a deliberate act of racial profiling. Adding to this was the aggressive response from a white male staff member when I attempted to report these issues of racial bias. His hostility was alarming, transforming a place meant for community and wellness into a space of discomfort and anxiety.

This YMCA, moreover, seems to struggle with external community issues. Over the past year, there has been a noticeable increase in homeless individuals from surrounding areas coming to the YMCA, often seeking day passes to use the facilities. While understanding the complex social issues at play, this influx has further impacted the overall environment and member experience. In light of these experiences, I strongly encourage those seeking a fitness community to consider other options such as the Berkeley YMCA or Berkeley Equinox, where inclusivity and respect are more deeply ingrained in the community ethos. I am a member of both organizations and can attest to their current status. Elderly black members of the YMCA also recommended Berkeley based on similar experiences in the past decade.

Cheers!

Mathew L.

During my stay in Oakland I signed up for 1 month at the Y. Very happy in my decision. So many squat racks / shells means I never really have to wait to do my most important workouts. The facilities are clean and the lifting room is bright and spacious. Highly recommended.

Richard

Not sure if the staff are deceitful or just incompetent, but we were misled in the costs for signing up for the Y and we are definitely turned off by it.

We signed up under a promotion to get one month free, but because we signed up on the last day of the month, our free month was just that one day. We were then charged the full rate for a family membership despite us being on a financial assistance discount. We repeatedly asked why this was and they kept reassuring that they would refund the difference, which took them weeks to do. Eventually they refunded the difference for store credit only, which we never agreed to. Every member of staff we spoke to wanted to pass us on to somebody else and nobody seemed to know what was going on. It was completely unprofessional and outrageous.

We ended up disputing the charges with our credit card carrier because the YMCA doesn’t want to provide adequate customer service.