So far we are happy with this school. It is very warm and clean. coach Zara is very nice and my…read moredaughter like her. I hope she can improve fast.

I recently started adult lessons with Bella as a refresher to feel more comfortable in the water,…read moreespecially with my kids spending more time swimming this summer. While I knew the basics, Bella taught me essential breathing and safety skills that boosted my confidence. By the end of my second lesson, I was able to swim across the pool, a personal milestone I wouldn't have reached before due to fear. The pool is in a residential home backyard and is covered/heated so it's weather appropriate all year round. Although the pool is smaller than your average gym pool, there's usually only 1-2 lessons at at time so you don't have to dodge other people like you would at most swim schools. Be sure to text the number on the site after you book online and arrange payment before you show up to your lesson.

I didn't see Debbie's name in these reviews, which felt like an oversight worth correcting. We're…read moreso grateful we found her. Our 4-year-old had always loved the water until a couple of bad experiences getting water in her nose during lessons turned into a real fear of it. Eventually, even getting her ears wet was off the table. We tried well-regarded instructors, but somehow seemed to be going backward and had pretty much resigned ourselves to waiting another year. Debbie was our last try, mostly because she happened to fit our schedule. I have no idea what kind of negotiations took place in that pool, but apparently Debbie is very persuasive. By the end of the first lesson, our daughter was putting her head underwater and beaming with pride. By lesson two, she was dunking herself, popping back up asking to do it "again! Again!", pushing off the wall, and starting to float on her back. After watching her fear build all summer, the turnaround has been incredible. She now looks forward to swimming every week and can't wait to see Debbie. Her confidence and skills have come so far in such a short time, but most importantly, the joy is back. Debbie clearly has a gift with nervous little swimmers, along with such a warm, easy way about her. If you have a child who's developed a fear of the water, I can't recommend Debbie highly enough. We feel incredibly lucky to have found her.

We started swim classes in September of last year, but over the first several months there was…read moreminimal progress. Our child is particularly sensitive and anxious in the water, and likely needed a more tailored, confidence-based approach. We made an effort to encourage her to push through and stay consistent with the program. However, during that time her discomfort increased, and she became more resistant to participating in lessons--to the point where we were close to discontinuing classes altogether. We later had two or three makeup sessions with Stephanie, during which we observed clear and immediate improvement. After switching our regular schedule to a more suitable day for us and having Stephanie as the permanent instructor, the progress accelerated significantly. In less than a month, our child became noticeably more comfortable in the water. She no longer shows the same level of fear. This is not a reflection on the previous instructor's ability, but rather a difference in fit and teaching approach. The connection and method used by Stephanie have proven to be more effective for our child's needs. There was a recent comment from staff noting that our child does not meet Level 3 criteria. While we understand that evaluations follow established standards, our primary goal is water safety, confidence, and functional swimming ability. From that perspective, the progress made in the past month is substantial and meaningful, especially compared to the prior seven months, and it's largely thanks to Stephanie. Overall, we value the measurable improvement in our child's comfort and capability in the water.

We started here in January and my girls have tried all the instructors at the Monrovia location,…read moreand I can say in confidence that the male instructors here on Thursdays are so amazing. You can pay extra to stick with one, but my girls love them all! The pool is indoors, warm, and the instructors are super patient. They know how to push the kids to improve, yet still be kind at the same time. We took a few classes at Waterworks before and they couldn't swim independently whatsoever. However, after just 3 classes here, my girls are swimming with such confidence! Biggest, biggest downside (for the 1 star down) is the admin side. The main girl in the front is so disorganized. We were told we could use one account for both kids (not true), and scheduling gets mixed up. Had to go back and forth to get even one make-up class because we were not informed to download their app. I had the biggest headache communicating with her by phone and text. Nevertheless, still highly recommend for beginners... just make sure to download their app and stay on top of your account!

The front desk staff Christina was super friendly and helpful! Great customer service and made me…read morefeel very welcome. Really appreciate it!

Grace is awesome!! She gave my 7 & 5 yr old private lessons summer of 2016. Prior to Grace, our…read moredaughters had years of lesson at Waterworks Irvine. We must have spent $1000+ but it did not work. 5yr old spent her lessons screaming and crying. It got very stressful and traumatic for ME! We also kept switching teachers at Waterworks...some were just not as good with kids. I've come to conclusion that places like Waterworks has a business model to keep you paying for lessons not necessarily getting your kids watersafe. Then we heard about Grace on the Irvine Mom Facebook board. I told her @ my 5 yr old. Immediately she CUSTOMIZED her teaching method and brought in toys. She is always smiling and calm with my daughters. And this is key with my 5 yr old who hated the pool. Grace also ask parents what the focus should be- swim safe or technique. Net net in just 2 months of private lessons- both girls love and ask to go to the pool. My 7 yr old can swim around by herself and my 5 yr old is no longer afraid. Plus Grace is super responsive with text & email, flexible with schedule changes. Other places are not. Only downside is I wish Grace had more Irvine hours. She splits her time her and San Gabriel Valley. I will definitely resume lessons with her the coming Spring.

Fantastic swim teacher. She's patient and gives good feedback. A few lessons go a long way. I saw…read moreimprovement after just 1 lesson! Highly recommend. Book early - she gets booked up fast!

My child takes recurring lessons with Janness. She has been wonderful at getting children…read morecomfortable in the water. Less than a year ago, my daughter hated putting her face in the water. Now, she loves being in the pool and has learned so much. Janness is patient and makes the lessons fun. We've also had good experiences with Zachary and David when we've had to schedule make-up classes.

David is a very Good swim instructor to i like how Patient he is with my child and he is very…read morepolite to

This review is long overdue! I have been bringing my kiddo here for swim lessons for one year. He…read morestarted at 3 years old not particularly wanting to learn how to swim or even enjoying his time in the water but his coach Elysa was exceptionally kind, caring, nurturing & PATIENT & began to really get him comfortable in the water. After about 4 months of once a week semi-private lessons he began once or twice a week private lessons with the most wonderful coaches. Ashley Z. is so loving, upbeat & passionate about working with children, she really understands how to teach all types of learners & has also been so patient with my child's varying needs. We've also been able to recently swim with some other coaches that are remarkably able to determine exactly where he's at and push him just enough. Coaches Yudit, Nicholas & Avery, who we recently just met are all seriously rockstars! It's not just the swim coaches though, the entire facility feels like our home away from home. When we walk in the front desk tries their best to greet us & all families with warm hellos. The manager, Franklin (I hope I got his name correct) is quite possibly the kindest man you'll ever meet & truly feels like you could tell him anything & he'd try to help. The office manager, Vic (Victor) is also so kind, helpful & incredible, I could probably chat with him all day, he's got a heart of gold. We've also had wonderful help from CJ & Courtney at the front desk as well. The lead trainer to the coaches, Megan, is absolutely outstanding. She has been so positive & uplifting with my child she really deserves a special shoutout. She always takes the time to say hello & make a special connection with my kiddo & we feel so lucky to call her our friend. The main deck guard Lojo is AWESOME with the kids. He makes the free swim area safe while still allowing it to be the best part of our kids' day. He can somehow get the kids who are going a bit wild to get back in line a bit and behave safely, all with a big, friendly smile. He somehow even welcomes all the families to the pool as they walk in. Dahan (I don't know how to spell his name) is the kindest lifeguard ever but he's off to college soon; he'll be so missed, we're happy for him but sad to see him go! The center is inclusive & works really well with children that have special needs & are neurodivergent. Some facilities say they are inclusive but this place really is a gem in that arena & you feel how welcome you are as soon as you get started. It's magic for us & I hope we can continue to take lessons here throughout childhood. Thank you all for your commitment & dedication to teaching our children how to be safe in the water & make swimming fun! So grateful!

We had a very concerning experience at Waterworks Pasadena today, and after what happened, I…read moredecided to transfer my children's remaining lessons to another location. There were multiple issues during the same visit. During my daughter's lesson, her instructor pushed her head underwater when she was clearly uncomfortable with it, and she came up crying. With my other child, the instructor apparently confused her with another student and thought she was a Level 5 swimmer when she is actually Level 2. The instructor was also initially in the wrong pool area. Confusing a beginner with a much more advanced swimmer is particularly concerning to me from a safety standpoint. During the same visit, I also witnessed a serious pool emergency involving another child that required police and ambulance response. Out of respect for that family's privacy, I will not share further details. However, witnessing that emergency on the same day that I experienced two separate issues involving my own children's lessons left me very concerned about overall supervision and safety at this location. The regional customer service manager has since contacted me and said that Waterworks will look into my concerns. I appreciate that they reached out and hope management thoroughly reviews what happened, including swimmer identification, instructor assignments, supervision, and overall pool safety. Unfortunately, given everything that occurred during this visit, I did not feel comfortable continuing my children's lessons at this location and transferred their remaining lessons elsewhere.

I have had several instructors, and all of them have been professional and welcoming. One…read moreinstructor, Miss Zay, has made a really big impact on my child's learning how to swim process. She is patient, welcoming, and easy to work with. My son gets distracted easily, but Miss Zay is able to keep him focused. I appreciate the love and dedication she brings to her work. She truly shows a passion for teaching. A downside is their last-minute cancellations, which disrupts your schedule.

So thankful my daughter swimming teacher with Jessy and Ms. Deanna. They both are really passion…read morewith our children

I was looking for private adult swimming lessons and contacted Swimphi through the contact form on…read moretheir website. I got a call back within a day and was able to schedule lessons that same week, which I really appreciated! I love how they have all the information clearly laid out on the website so I know what to expect when I get there (even directions with pictures on how to get from parking lot to the pool, which was super neat)! I'm pretty much a beginner when it comes to swimming but my coach made sure I felt comfortable and safe in the water. My coach brought all the equipment needed for the lesson so it's super hassle-free. I was initially intimidated by the deeper end of the pool but my coach has always been very patient and encouraging and stayed right next to me the whole time to make sure I'm safe. I mentioned I was preparing for an upcoming trip since it will involve a lot of water activities and my coach really catered the lessons to my needs. I genuinely appreciate how patient my coach is, if I don't get a particular technique right away, we would try different variations and my coach would always remind me of the key points to remember. In the Pasadena location, it's an indoor pool that's heated and there are changing rooms available. Onsite parking in the lot is another plus! Highly recommend Swimphi to anyone looking for adult (or kids) swimming lessons in Pasadena!

My kids have been attending swimming classes at this location for the past few months. We've had…read moresuch a great experience! Alex and Jade are amazing -- super patient, encouraging, and great with kids. They make lessons fun while still helping my kids build confidence and skills in the water. Highly recommend!

Most of the staff at this pool are friendly and professional, and we've generally had a good…read moreexperience--until today. My 10-year-old son is on the swim team. After team practice, he has a 30-minute dryland session, followed immediately by private swim training. For the past several weeks, he's been allowed to re-enter the pool area without waiting in the general line, which makes sense due to the tight timing. If we were warned that it was against the policy, we would have not done this. But today, a staff member named Sara (who did not give her last name) suddenly yelled at him as he walked in, insisting that he go back outside and wait in the long public line. We explained that his private training is only 30 minutes, and waiting 15+ minutes would waste half the session. We offered to follow the rule next time, saying we'd have a parent wait in line on his behalf--but she still refused and wouldn't make a one-time exception. What bothered me most was not just the rigid enforcement of a rule--but her attitude. As a city employee, Sara was harsh, dismissive, and showed zero empathy for a child trying to follow his training schedule. It felt unnecessarily personal, and frankly, we couldn't help but feel targeted--possibly because we're Chinese. In today's social climate, it's hard not to notice when someone goes out of their way to make life difficult for no good reason. We understand policies are in place for a reason. But government staff--especially those working with kids and families--should be trained to enforce them with basic courtesy and common sense. Yelling at a 10-year-old and refusing to understand and work with parents trying to cooperate is not how a public facility should treat its community.

I'm not sure why they let incompetent high school kids run the front desk, but no one ever knows…read morewhat the correct hours are for adult lap swimming. I called in the morning and they gave me the wrong time so I had to wait 40 mins for the lanes to open. I recommend checking the actual Rosemead community guide pamphlet online for the times.