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January 2024 by Deborah P.
Great options in terms of group fitness - several options, several different instructors, great space for each type of workout. I particularly enjoy body pump. Love seeing new folks join the class, too! It's fun to watch someone new get hooked.
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November 2023 by Dave N.
Disclaimer: This is not a regular Balance Gym location - this is their Personal Training Studio - which means your membership only works here if you have 1 PT session/month at least to redeem here. Don't get me wrong - with what sessions I've had in the past, the Balance team is excellent and will help you hit your goals. That being said, if you're looking for a place nearby after work and want to pump iron and burn some calories on your own time - this ain't it. With Balance's recent closures, your only options are the Foggy Bottom or Capitol Hill locations.
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September 2023 by Gail B.
Just forward my mail here. I love this place. The gym is inside the Fairmont Hotel. GW metro is not too far. You can also take a circulator. The gym has great equipment. I am not a body builder. I just wanted something that would have a treadmill and items I used in physical therapy. The bathroom is wonderful. There are several locker rooms. You don't have to bring toiletries or a hair dryer. The gym has gadgets that pump hair spray and deodorant. They are mostly empty. The showers are wonderful. They are ADA compliant. The towels are handy. I stopped bringing mine. There is even a supply of little plastic bags to put wet things in. They also have a "salad spinner" for wet items. Your bathing suit xan be mostly dry when you leave. There are trainers available for you super motivated people. I noticed a machine selling meals near the check in desk. The pool is lovely. It has two swim lanes. (Don't tell anyone) There is a shower to rinse off before you get in the pool. The hot tub varies in temperature. The pool is supposed to be 84 degrees. It feels a bit cool to me. If you are moving around, it feels better. I love this place.
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March 2023 by Adeola O.
Pros: classes equipment convenient location outdoor classes including on the roof personal trainers highly recommend Ashley WalshCons: limited space, classes feel cramped; theft seems to be an issueAside from the incredibly obnoxious signs everywhere (who writes "I repeat" on a sign?) and it feeling a little cramped, the quality + diversity of classes and equipment they offer at their price point I believe is unmatched in the city.
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December 2022 by Linda W.
Absolutely the best gym. Great staff, great equipments.
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August 2022 by Madison
Closed! Doors Locked on Aug 1st,After Aug 1st, $$$ taken from account! Without notice or emails to members!!"Building sold" is explanation.When some expensive machines / racks disappeared during June and July, management said: "temporary, equipment will be returned after ... [Painting or something]."Other locations say email "billing", which has not responded........Added after Balance gym response:1. I have retained all the emails from balance gym they were only a welcome email and a monthly email from "gymsales".2. I usually stopped at the front desk for a couple of minutes to discuss the daily question posted;No staff person ever mentioned closing or pointed me to a notice etc.3. I did ask a assistant manager about the equipment, example free motion cable setups, and was told the equipment would be returned.
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June 2022 by Joseph Trunzo
I worked out at Balance for the four years I lived in downtown DC. Monthly rates are very reasonable and the multi-level facility has all the functional fitness and powerlifting tools you could ever want. As long as I avoided peak hours, the number of humans was very manageable. The Balance staff was friendly and handled the pandemic transition quite well. I don't think you'll find a better gym anywhere in DC.
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June 2022 by Arielle M. (Mermaid)
I don't recommend ever using the trainer by the name of Philip Pasch. His attitude and verbal abuse on a daily basis while he's outside of work is atrocious. I don't know if that's anger from steroid use. But he needs to chill out and watch his mouth. We all know an employees behavior outside of the workplace can reflect the company they work for, so here's your heads up!
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May 2022 by J
I was visiting DC and did a few CrossFit drop in classes. The coaches were excellent and welcoming, and all of the class members were very friendly. The facility is excellent. Thanks for making my visit so nice.
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April 2022 by Karen L.
I joined for the pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub. I have been a member for about 3 years. I only use the Foggy Bottom Location. The lockers in the women's locker room have mostly been broken for over a year with many promises of "they will be fixed soon". Takes many tries to find one with a lock that works. The locker room floors are made of a slippery material. There are about 5 non skid strips, not nearly enough, by the door to the pool which we can't even use anymore (see below). Many of us have been complaining for over a year about this and nothing has been done. The hot tub has been broken, almost broken or being fixed for most of 2 years. Now it is most likely going to take a long time to fix it as there is a newly built wall separating it from the pool necessitating a walk in wet swim clothes through the gym to and from. I suggested robes, they told me impossible that I could freeze my membership. Most of the staff is pleasant and knowledgable. Certainly not all. I swim for my exercise as it is all I can do. This gym could be fantastic but no one seems to care to make a few small improvements.
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February 2022 by Scott B.
Solid gym, large with lots of floors and space on each floor to do your thing. I dropped into the CrossFit classes and enjoyed the vibe, mostly young professionals who like to do fitness and were friendly. Coaches were helpful and pleasant as well, and easy to do a drop in if you're in town.
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November 2021 by Domenico D.
Best gym in DC, great staff, great equipments. Don't like much the hours since I'd prefer longer night hours. But that's the only weak point
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November 2021 by Kristin Dion
The staff was friendly, the facilities seemed clean, hand sanitizer was well stocked, and the classes have been helpful!
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October 2021 by Somak Ghosh
Used to be a member of the foggy bottom location and liked it. Not so much this one.-The equipment is probably from the 1980s. Some of the plates are so old they’ve turned red. Yet I’ve been charged multiple enhancement fees.-A lot of the machines are breaking down and don’t get regularly fixed.-The staff is nice but not that helpful. Other locations will actually help you and they have designated staff to hell tidy the weights-Most of the good equipment is in the CrossFit area. If you just want to lift weights you’re second class in this gym.I’ll probably leave soon. I wanted to end my “annual” membership but I learned in the fine text of my contract that it’s actually 13 months. Another scummy move.
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June 2021 by Kristin Roe
Balance does not value its members. After paying full membership rates through the entire pandemic, as well as renting equipment from them, they are non-responsive to requests to return the equipment (but - still charging me!), and have been not at all supportive to most instructors and classes in planning a return. I even got an email telling me how lucky I was that Balance was able to "help" me stay fit during a pandemic! To top it off, they offered me the "deal" of $100 off the retail price of the bike I've been renting, which was used when I got it and has been used by me for over a year! I am so disappointed that Balance's ownership and management are this disdainful towards those of us who supported them in their time of need.
