Equinox Sports Club Washington, D.C.

Call me old fashioned, but I don’t understand the big deal about Equinox. When I go to a gym, I want it to be a gym – sweaty, grunting people working their butts off with minimal décor – not some sort of overpriced, super luxurious club with cramped classes and broken machines. In fact, I’ve had more pleasant experiences with a guest pass at Planet Fitness than Equinox. I recommend saving your money by going to a different gym and using the hundreds you’ll save over a few months on a personal trainer. As a warning, I didn’t have too many problems cancelling my membership, but I know people who have.

Sure, the location is as prestigious and expensive as it gets in DC. My advice is to save yourself the money and frustration go elsewhere. It’s been put under new management since it was Sports Club LA and now staff turns over like the back seat of a NYC cab. While a few of the support staff are really wonderful, customer service and management is abysmal.
Don’t bother trying to talk to the manager because he just hides in his office and is always «in a meeting» or «unavailable». For the price of this membership, the manager should be on the floor, smiling, saying hello and actively engaged with the members to ensure they have a good experience. I’ve tried to see the manager on 3 different occasions and on he has never been available. The standard answer is to try emailing. That might fly at a bare-​bones $ 20 month club but this is…(put on your pretentious 1980’s expensive perfume ad voice and whisper it with me with reverence) E Q U I N O X.
This place isn’t prestigious, it’s pretentious. On more than 1 occasion, I’ve heard employees snicker between each other body shaming heavier members behind their backs. This is not the place to get in shape but the place to see and be seen if you are already in perfect shape. Equipment is older, minimally maintained and some needs work. Cleanliness in the pool area is always a little skeevy. Maybe a reminder that members should shower after working out BEFORE entering the pool would be a good idea. I honestly think there are better experiences to be had within a quick walk of this place. If you want pretentious and high end with poor customer service this is your place.

I’ve been a member of this gym since before Equinox bought it out and my only piece of advice I have to offer is don’t join. Membership is $ 180/​month and classes are crowded, equipment is often broken or subpar, and their service is terrible. There are often instances where they rent out parts of the gym for events and it’s closed to members (usually on weekends when it’s most busy). There was a time when the water was out at the entire gym and they didn’t have the courtesy to email members and tell them. Their spin bikes are poorly calibrated and often wobbly. If you want to play basketball at the gym, good luck. The basketballs themselves are old, they rent out the court for events and don’t tell members and just this week had a big leak in the ceiling. Additionally they promised members a major renovation of the entire facility at the beginning of 2015 and nothing has yet happened.
I wish I had better things to say. I love the trainers here and many of the people I’ve befriended but this gym is NOT WORTH THE PRICE.

I will be quick, For 170 $ per month plus fees for registration, 300 $, this club is disappointing! This place has super old equipment, some of it is damaged/​not working … I m sorry for this price range I was expecting to see something better. I wouldn’t pay even 70 $ for this club and maybe its the worst Equinox club I ve seen.

Reputation for charging after you try to cancel.
It took me 3 months worth of charges to cancel my account, hours on the phone, and almost 10 emails.
Equinox made it so difficult to cancel, so time consuming to fix my membership issue, and so frustrating that I am literally in disbelief. If they say call, email. If they say email, send a notarized letter. If they say they’ll call you back, don’t hold your breath. If you want to cancel, tell a manager you’re a prospective member looking to sign up… that’s about your only shot at getting a hold of someone.
I called in February to cancel. Got charged in March. Was told I had to email a specific manager who was only in 3 days a week. I did. WAS CHARGED AGAIN FOR APRIL. Sent another email and made multiple phone calls. Was told by the manager to resend my original email. WAS CHARGED AGAIN FOR MAY. Called again and was promised I’d receive a phone call from their manager. Did not. Called again the next day. Was told I could only cancel in certified mail or in person (despite being told multiple times to the contrary). Sent another email asking for specifics on the month of February and a confirmation that my account was cancelled. No response for two weeks. I had to call again.
Also, I’m still waiting on the call from the regional manager I was promised by corporate. Right now I’m not holding my breath.
The worst part… despite all of this, every time I speak to the manager she sounds like she can’t remember who I am or what my issue is. It’s like I have to retell this frustrating account every time. I have no faith that her, or anyone in management, cares about their customers.
Save yourself the time and frustration. As far as gyms go, the DC location isn’t that special anyways.

I was a member of Sports Club LA since 2000. Equinox took over Sports Club LA. It is definitely expensive, but there is no health club in DC that is even close. All of the equipment has been upgraded since the change in ownership. The wifi is robust. I like to stream video while I work out and the network is fast enough for Netflix, Hulu, and other video services, even when the gym is crowded. The locker rooms are clean and so are the workout areas. You can use all of the former Sports Club LA clubs but you have to have a destination membership since these locations are more expensive. Management has improved at the DC location as well. I don’t have any complaints, so I do not need to contact them Members are great and are respectful of each other.

I would give them a zero star rating if possible but no such luck on Unilocal.I Have been an equinox member since 2000 in NYC, when there were literally only 3 Equinox clubs in the world and all in NYC. When traveling to DC for business and had an afternoon free I thought why not stop by and go for a swim or go to a yoga class. I called in advance and was told that despite having ‘all access’ that I had to have permission to enter the DC Equinox location. I understand that some clubs have different rules but the fact that no one could call me back within a three hour period despite my several attempts and then to be greeted with such rudeness by the obnoxious girl who answered the phone is baffling. She should remember that she works at the front desk picking up phones for a reason and try to be nicer. It may take her someplace in life besides answering phones. NO help at all and rude from the minute I said I was in town from NYC.
I have traveled all over the country and have used my ‘all access’ membership in CA, FL, Canada, you name it, but the experience in DC is the ONLY time I have encountered such a ‘could care less’ attitude.
Will make sure I let friends and colleagues in the area know to join another gym locally.

I was given a guest pass to this gym and I really enjoyed my time here. I did not want to leave! It was a great upgrade from my usual gym. They have plenty of equipment but some are a little older. Personally, I am a fan of group fitness and they offer a lot of different classes at multiple studios. The locker room was very clean. It was stocked with clean towels and toiletries. The staff also was very helpful. The membership is expensive but I think it’s worth it if you can afford it.

Love the gym, great location, great hotel feel, great customer service. A little on the pricy side

I will be quick, For 170 $ per month plus fees for registration, 200 $, this club is a disappointment! This place has super old equipment, some of it is damaged/​not working … I m sorry for this price range I was expecting to see something better. I wouldn’t pay even 70 $ for this place sorry

Horrible experience. They don’t treat you like they care you are a customer/​member. They also don’t honor spa certificates they give you for joining the club, so don’t believe the ‘deals’ they claim.

I was given free one month trial at this gym last fall when it still was under the Sports Club LA’s management. Back then I was shocked by experience especially given the price you are expected to pay.
Cons:
1) super outdated design, worn out equipment, old and weary, everything looks over used plus smell; depressing colors, old painting, no hint of a modern stylish gym you would expect, doesn’t feel warm and comfortable, feels like factory for recycling human bodies … not even hint of a basic maintenance. Very disappointing …
2) cockroach in the pool;
3) dropping temperature in the sauna. No standard for maintaining certain level of heat;
4) Door in the sauna required a very basic fix to close properly. Requests for maintenance were left unattended for the whole month I was there. From conversations with members in sauna I learned that they were inquiring about this door for months and ended up fixing it themselves !!! :O
5) Smell in the steam room (yuck);
6) Cocky assistant manager, who made me feel like i am a five year old and she is a strict teacher, who was chasing me for listening little mp3 player in sauna. I felt haunted;
7) Aqua aerobics for pensioners. Come on where is fun music and a lot of action, fun and youth. Aqua aerobics with no music and slow repetitive movements? huh where did trainers get their certification?
I run away from this place after one month and look no back.
I was hoping with the coming of Equinox things will change but I am sad to learn from reviews that nothing really changed much.

I’ve been a member of The Sports Club LA (now Equinox Sports Club) in Washington DC for 3 years. Why is a question I am increasingly asking myself. At this point the only real reason is my trainer Kevin Mullins. He is a real people person, has great customer service, knows his stuff, and he is always looking to improve. I feel there are other trainers that have similar quality customer service at this gym. I can’t say that for many of the non trainer staff members.
Recently I had two friends sign up, but had the hardest time getting the $ 500 in credits assigned to my account. When the «Senior Membership Advisor» Michelle Roberts identified it as her mistake, she did very little to correct it in a timely fashion, provided no apology (all I really wanted in addition to my credits), and made me feel like it was my fault. Her communication skills and frankly any other manager involved was terrible. I constantly had to reach our for updates, for weeks. If I communicated the way they did in my business I would have zero clients.
There have been very few major improvements to the gym area, lobby, carpet, paint, furniture, or locker rooms since the transition to Equinox. I was told there were «big things coming». If you consider new locks on the lockers, or flat screen in the entryway, and some new equipment here and there, maybe. Nothing could be further from the truth though. Everything from the bathroom sinks (not automated), the carpet throughout (stained and ugly), the toilets (not automated), the floors (uneven and with bubbles), to the water fountains (low pressure), to the water coolers (often broken or leaking), to the artwork is old and outdated. Much of the art and furniture is still orange, while not a bad color, is still in place proving not much has changed as that was the corporate color of The Sports Club LA. It definitely does not go with the sleek grey, black, and steel colors you see in modern Equinox branding. Much of the gym looks like a 1975 – 85 library in a Fairfax county public school. Considering the price tag of the membership, you would think you would be enveloped in high end luxury (or something close to that) and ambiance from the moment you enter the downstairs main entrance. Nothing could be further from the truth, much of it appears to be lipstick on a pig and they are getting away with it.
Members and potential new members need to be vocal and demand more or move on. Instead of signing folks up (as I have done) I will actively work to encourage folks to look elsewhere, and I will lead by example. This location needs to feel the pressure, it is dragging the brand down and DC deserves better. I am giving them six months to make major moves or I am moving.

I really liked this gym for a long time and its under new management now. They are spraying strong chemicals in the sauna and steam and it was making me sick. I asked the staff to stop for a few minutes so that I could get out of there. They refused to stop spraying. Many members are complaining of the same thing.
They refused to cancel my membership. The manager informed me that I need a doctor’s notice and 30 day advance for cancellation of membership. I am paying $ 170 a month. So That’s a lot of money for getting a chemical headache.

Following my bad experience, a manager did get in touch with me about a week later (after I wrote a review), and offered me a complimentary 50 minute massage. The therapist this time was wonderful, and the entire experience was very, very good. They redeemed themselves!

I’ve been a member of Equinox for the past 2 years.
From start to finish this is a 5 star experience. And yes, it is priced as such. I’ve used several lesser priced gyms though which don’t quite compare.
The check in is quick and smooth and given with a greeting. And they will certainly recognize you as a regular before long.
The Trainers are popular and use the latest assessments and mix up your sessions.
The classes are always busy and include: pilates, barre, weights, boxing, and things I don’t even know.
The space is great. It is large, roomy with around the edges — lots of windows near the elliptical and treadmills. There are free weights and machines available. A basketball court and raquetball courts (pretty sure that is raquetball :-)) are popular. Also, a swimming pool for lap swimming is also on site.
The machines work, the workers clean, and the place is always in order.
The locker rooms are large and comfortable. The locks are all combination locks and easy to set. There is never a shortage and they are all large. I do miss the slighly slower method of turning in your card, but the consierge staff still circulates through.
The showers are decent with excellent Kiehl products. That is far better than what I have at home. I come out smelling, if not like a rose, not bad! The towels are clean, pressed and sometimes are even scented. And you can use all the towels you’d like to get really dry.
Considering that the trend now is for people to pay for a lot of specialized classes, if you do like classes and want it all in one place, this may be the place for you.
I’m not sure what the spa is all about. And I dont’ know why spa reviews are mixed in here. They shouldn’t be. I won’t review the fancy lunches available here either. But, I have to say the free Wi-​fi is decent.

I’m in town for 3 weeks and was hoping to use their facilities. I was quoted $ 455 for 1 month (minimum time). Seriously?

This club has worked out perfect for me while traveling and staying at The Ritz Carlton (Equinox is located on the 2^nd floor of The Ritz Carlton Hotel). The gym is very clean and has everything that I need. My cell service was spotty throughout the gym, but Equinox has wifi available also.

I’m intrigued with another former Equinox Club member who has since canceled her membership. She wrote:
«Considering the price tag of the membership, you would think that you would have robust customer service and strong management. Unfortunately, that is really not the case with this gym. I tried to reach the general manager about the class issue since there was no group fitness manager and he never responded. I emailed him on several occasions and have left him many emails– all of which have gone unanswered. After trying to reach out to several people and getting no response– a terrible practice, in my opinion– I decided to cancel my membership.»
I’m intrigued because I have had the exact same experience. I do not find that Equinox values its members, or simply does not wish to communicate with us. I also have attempted to connect directly with a live person at Equinox but it is very difficult if not impossible.
Interestingly, after I wrote my balanced observations, with praise and criticism, I immediately received this reply on Unilocal:
«6÷3÷2015 Hi Bob, thank you for taking the time to write your review. We will share your points with our management team to address. We’d like to get into contact with you directly. Please email our team at
.»
It is now June 15, 2015, and I have written twice to
, and not one person has ever responded by email or to the telephone number I left.
I guess they do not wish to speak to me after all.
Bob Witeck

This review is for the Spa/​Food court.
Food Court: 4 stars «yay I am a fan»
I am going to start of positively and say that the food court there is very nice. I have had several lunch experiences and it has been consistent every time. Great and healthy options, at reasonable rate and with good service.
The Spa: 2 stars «Meh. I have experienced better.»
In summary of the details below:
I think major improvements need to be made to the front desk operations and whatever new computer system they have. The folks there are kind, but their system does not sync with the gym and think their staff needs better training. The policy’s there are not in favor of the customer. If the customer is inconvenience it feels like you need to fight for things that they were responsible so you aren’t overcharged for things that are already overpriced. Thus leaving you more stressed than when you get there.
If you want an upscale spa go to Elizabeth Arden’s Red Door Spa.
For those who want to read the details of my experience:
I have had four experiences within a month with the spa, two of which were completely unnecessary.
Experience 1: Gift card and premade appointment
My coworker and I received a very generous gift for a 3 hour body wrap and massage from our other coworker who is a gym member there and who wanted to do something nice for us for helping with a big project. The appointments were made for us in advance and everything.
I have gotten massages and spa treatments pretty regularly (on average about 8 times per year) and at one point worked at a spa. So pretty familiar with how spas operate and the services they provide. So when getting this very generous gift and knowing the Equinox reputation I was really looking forward to our experience.
We get to the appointment and the front desk said that we were too early by two hours. Neither of us could have stayed to make as we both had commitments later that day. We showed the front desk guy the appointment card (with the date and time we actually arrived) with someone other than our coworkers handwriting. He said that since they had the appointment down for later. He said that they recently got a new system so there could have been an error there. Furthermore, they said that there is no one available for the services we order when we got there and that we would need to reschedule. Finally that our coworker would be assessed a rescheduling fee.
We embarrassingly called our coworker who got us the gift and made the reservation to rectify the situation. Our coworker told us that he hadn’t gotten a confirmation call, which was promised, and that the person who took the appointment wrote down the date and time to when we arrived! After about 45 minutes and $ 200 dollars later we were able to work out with the front desk a rescheduled date and time. We had to make him create a profile for us and make sure that we each got a call for the next appointment. The front desk guy was nice and helpful but took 45 minutes to get that out of him!
Experience 2: Rescheduled appointment
This experience was MUCH nicer! We got phone call reminders and the next day went to rescheduled appointment. The same front desk guy helped us in and made sure we were taken care of. The services here, when you get them are divine! I really enjoyed my practitioner who did a body wrap and massage. She was very sweet left feeling wonderful.
After the appointment we learned that we got an extra gift card to shop around. I didn’t use it as I was on another planet and thought I would use it for later…
Experience 3: Using the Gift card for a purchase
~3 weeks later… As mothers day is coming I thought, «Hey wouldn’t it be nice to spoil my mothers.» So I went over on my lunch break to Equinox Spa and picked up a few items for them for mothers day. Total charge was 65 dollars and my gift card was for 50. While I was there and getting ready to check out the staff was turning over inventory during lunch hour so would think that would be too busy of a time to do so. I get to the check out and it takes the cashier (who was new), another employee, and a manager to check me out. Overall it took about 15 minutes to check out for 4 items and get a receipt for the 15 dollars over what I spent over on the gift card. The delay again was that they are currently on a new system and they couldn’t find my information.
Experience 4: Phone call
About 20 minutes later I get a call from the cashier saying that they need me to authorize a $ 30 more charge because she rang up the wrong items. I was livid! I said I didn’t authorize the charge and asked for the manager. I spoke with the Manager, Angela, who was kind. I told her about all the above. She kindly didn’t charge my credit card out of understanding my above inconveniences with the spa.
I hope that the Equinox Spa shapes up the front desk person with some experience and that someone there trains them on whatever new system that keeps failing!

I have been consistently disappointed by this Equinox location since I joined the club several months ago. My primary issues have been with the service and with the caliber of the classes. Equinox has an aggressive campaign and boasts about being the best gym. However, I’ve been to some classes at this location that have left me totally unmotivated or really disappointed. I tried to provide feedback after a particularly bad class, and then was informed that the Group Classes manager had left and no one has since filled the position.
Considering the price tag of the membership, you would think that you would have robust customer service and strong management. Unfortunately, that is really not the case with this gym. I tried to reach the general manager about the class issue since there was no group fitness manager and he never responded. I emailed him on several occasions and have left him many emails– all of which have gone unanswered. After trying to reach out to several people and getting no response– a terrible practice, in my opinion– I decided to cancel my membership.
Overall, I would discourage anyone from joining this Equinox. If you have high standards and want a genuinely good workout experience then don’t waste your time and money here. Several of my friends are also in the process of canceling their memberships.

Equinox is the gold standard for a high end gym. I’ve been a member for about 3 years since it was Sports Club LA and after the acquisition there have been some cool improvements.
Service: 5 stars. Gyms have a horrible reputation of bad customer service, which I have never experienced here. Actually several times they have gone out to their way to provide amazing service. Last year I had to pay for some large unexpected expenses and the gym allowed a significant discount to my rate for two months. When my trainer moved away they comped a person training session for me. The staff are friendly, helpful, and respectful.
Classes: There are SO MANY classes! The gym’s largest asset is the robust class schedule with pilates, yoga, weights, boxing, you name it… they have it. It was a worthwhile investment for me, since when I started I was a newbie and didn’t know any technique.
The People: It’s pretty much jerk free and has a good mix of professionals, grad students, seniors, etc. You won’t feel super judged in the weights area or on any of the machines, which is a HUGE differentiator compared to other gyms… hem hem VIDA. I think the slightly older crowd makes it an easier place to work out as its judge-​free. I REALLY hope this doesn’t change too much with the change to Equinox as it is one of the best things about this gym.
Space: The space literally makes me feel relaxed, this is difficult because I’m ridiculously self-​conscious about working out. The ceiling are tall and there are more state-​of-​the art machines than anyone could use or imagine. Everything is very clean and I’ve never in my 3 years seen a broken machine or piece of equipment on the floor. The locker room is fantastic and looks like that of a golf club. Equinox carries Kiehl’s products and sometimes I’ll shower here (despite living 3 blocks away) because the water pressure and products are so great! Oddly enough this gym smells great, which is the oddest thing for a gym. Also in the summer they open a tanning deck, which I used every weekend.
Price: Okay, it’s the most expensive gym ever and is only worth it for a certain type of person. It’s worth it for 1) gym newbies like myself that need a lot of group classes and personalized instruction 2) people who don’t workout except for in group classes (it actually is cheaper than a yoga/​barre/​cycle membership or pay-​per-​class model!), 3) higher income professionals in the nearby vicinity who want the ability to work-​out and clean-​up comfortably and with ease (products and tools are great so you can look and feel polished) and 4) retired seniors (during the daytime there are some senior-​specific classes and a solid group of seniors that go frequently).

This gym gave me a plantar wart. Nasty stuff. You’d think that for $ 185/​month (that’s US dollars, not pesos) you’d get flip-​flops at the locker room. But no. You get a plantar wart. I know I got it here.
So I emailed the person in charge to cancel my membership and has to hunt her down for a few days to get a response. Emails, calls… Of course, no one else could handle membership cancellations. Just her. When she finally got back to me, she told me the cancellation takes 30 days. Yes, I checked and the 30-​day thing is buried deep in that contract. I emailed asking nicely if we could make the cancellation effective now and the response was, verbatim, «No I am sorry». I think it was that email that motivated this review, but anyhow. I can barely use the gym because I have a limp due to the wart that the gym gave me, but I have to pay for one last month. Sigh.
If you’re going to invest $ 190/​month on a gym membership, invest an additional $ 5 and get yourself some flip-​flops. And carry them around with you.

Old, greasy equipment. Smelly, ugly carpet. I mean this place literally smells like a house-​trailer full of cats. Not what you’d expect from «The best sports club in America».

If your looking for a gym, look no further. This is it. The best in DC!
When I was looking for a gym in the area I looked at a lot of options adjacent to Dupont/Georgetown…and there are many. I’ve been a member of Equinox since the end of last year and I am impressed! If your going to join a gym it needs to be convenient… this Equinox is located next to the Ritz Carlton, at M and 22^nd, the location cannot be beat, which means I go almost every day.
Here’s whats so great about the gym:
Every piece of machinery is state of the art and there are a ton of them. You never have to wait to get on a bike, treadmill or elliptical. Ever. You can do laps in an indoor pool if you enjoy swimming or, if you like classes, there are a TON. Well over 100 a week… racquet sports, basketball… and the list goes on.
But wait, there’s more!
The locker rooms are reminiscent of a country club, not a gym. Everything is VERY clean, which is rare for most gyms. The lockers themselves are very nice and you are given a key to them by an attendant at the gym… no need to bring your own lock. The sauna and steam rooms are enormous and are the steam room especially produces magnificent steam.
The water pressure in the showers is incredible and Kiel’s products are everywhere, which means you don’t need to shower at home to feel truly clean.
Equinox can’t be beat!

Since it’s become an Equinox, there have been noticeable improvements! (even though the Sports Club LA is the same brand)
The machines have been upgraded /​replaced for the most part.
And overall, it was always a great gym. Clean with nice amenities /​offerings (pool, basketball court, squash courts, towels, spring water cooler, nice bathroom /​showers), many class offerings, plenty of machines & space.
The staff is always nice/​polite and attentive too.
Sometimes I wish the gym would be open later (till 11pm would be nice since there are many apartments around the area)

Short version: old equipment, bad layout, over-​subscribed — waaay too expensive for what they actually offer — not at all in-​line with some of their other locations. If they charged $ 50/​mo — I would say it is pretty decent for the price — but they are upwards of $ 200. Save your money for something else (like VIDA maybe).
Equinox is supposed to be top notch and they charge the most of any gym — unfortunately, this place falls far short. I am actually a member at another location and visited this one the other day. It was sad.
The Equipment
Clearly the equipment is an amalgamation of the last gym (s) that used to occupy the place; it’s not new, it’s not even matching — there is a lot of old equipment that’s strewn around without much thought to being able to find what you need. I could go on, but just imagine having too little space and three or four generations of equipment that are tucked into every corner without any thought. Nothing like you expect to find in an upscale gym.
The Layout
The layout is bad. There is small center floor area and a second floor that overlooks it from every side. The first floor area serves as a focal point of everyone around, because almost everyone is facing it on either side. This makes it incredibly uncomfortable for people, because you feel like you are performing for the crowd. Your other choice is to find some tucked away machine in a random corner or overlooking the floor. The remainder of the equipment is scattered about on the second floor with no particular thought to order or feel. It’s very strange, not inviting, and generally to be avoided.
The Features
There are some theoretically nice things like class-​rooms, a basketball court, a pool, and a sauna. That could be ok, but everything is packed — so you won’t get to use it (or enjoy it much), and things can be dingy. Most of those features haven’t been updated from the last gym (s) that were there, and look like they are primarily there to say that they have them. Looks nice on paper, but not great in reality.
If you are expecting a super-​nice gym for the huge price-​tag, you will be very disappointed — as I was.

Even though the name of the gym has changed, the top-​notch experience has only gotten better with the change to Equinox gym. The front entrance is located next to the Ritz Hotel front entrance, on 22^nd street. You can check in using the plastic key chain card… or you can enter that information into the app for your phone and check-​in via the app!
The gym provides two floors of cardio and weight equipment with squash courts, a basketball court, a spin studio and two rooms for group classes. After Equinox purchased the gym, they made improvements to both group class rooms. Members are told that there are more improvements on the way for the rest of the club.
They have lockers so need need to bring your own lock. The best improvement to the locker rooms is the introduction of Kiehl’s products.
Looking forward to seeing all of the other improvements that are in store for the club!