My first day here I met so many friendly and accommodating people. The one that stuck out to me the most is Damien. My first time in a pool in many many moons, but I explained to him my situation and he was on point ready to assist every single second. He may think he's just doing his job as a lifeguard, but he was a lifesaver to me & one last worry I felt so free. I plan on spending much more time in the pool I can't wait to check out the other facilities. The building is huge way bigger than it looks from the outside. What I found immensely impressive was the equipment room. It just kept going on and on so many machines.(2 Floors) The CENTER is immensely, clean and organized, I can't wait to jump in with both feet and taking an art class, or perhaps join in a community event . My mother used to belong here and my cousin used to work here years ago and I hope I can get as much fulfillment as they did . read more

Terrible swim club. We signed up our son for try out and Lauren updated the google sheet for the time slot because she missed the appointment. She referenced that we made a mistake, however based on google history she made the update without notifying us. Integrity issues all over the place. Further during swim training I see her working out in the gym while the kids are running laps. Keep away! read more

Exercise machines galore. Excellent personal trainer. Very friendly. All ages, races, religions. And the little kids are so cute.

Our family enjoys the JCC and our son takes soccer lessons. Coach Wayne and coach Lydia are patient and you can tell that they love playing and teaching Soccer. read more

I've been pleased with the Newton JCC. I used to play in their floor hockey league, which was fun, and later after having a kid we did toddler soccer and swimming. Family cost of membership is on par with YMCAs in the area that have indoor pools, and you can do individual classes without membership. Pool is heated to 83°, has handicap lift and wonderful long kid hours (Sat 9 am - 1:15 pm, Sunday 9 am - 8:15 pm, weekdays 9a-5p & 8:30p-9) - even when lessons are happening you can still swim with your kid and do lap swimming. The facility is great, with some kinda dated areas, and they have a big, funded campaign posted, for renovations and addition of a family and meditation center by June 2019. There are child and adult changing rooms, age and gender separated (eg in the women's nobody under 18 allowed, so hopefully I'll never again be naked and have a 7 year old boy walk in with his mom like happens often at the Y). There is a row of family or private changing and showering stalls, that have a nice note that they are for use by folks of any gender identity or expression. (Which makes me a big fan of this place - being thoughtful instead of harmful is a big plus for the JCC.) The bathrooms were renovated and are gorgeous and serene - the women's one has a small but DELIGHTFUL hot tub Jacuzzi with handicap lift, the men's bathroom has hot wet and dry rooms (sauna and steam room I think they're called) and then, separately, a whole pay-only (basically the same cost as family membership, on top of membership) area for men to have a little club, with Jacuzzi, breakfast, etc. So women get hot tub included in membership, men have to pay double to get it, along with basically an Elks Club. (The membership guy said it reflected the polls of members - women just wanted a few features and men wanted a lot, for extra fee. So I still don't love that women get a Jacuzzi free and men don't, but that at least makes sense and isn't based on something weird.) So I'm ok with this. In all, good facility, with plans to get even better, at the same price point of the Y, and more care about changing/restrooms. I'm sold. read more

Literally the worst place I have ever been to. Came for the first time. A very rude and uneducated person at the front desk didn't want to explain anything about the memberships. He only gave me a small piece of paper with prices. He also said that I could not use the outdoor pool if I don't get the membership. Why Would I purchase it without even seeing the pool? When I went to the indoor pool I was told that I couldn't swim because the team was swimming. Very bad experience. Will never come back. read more

JCC Greater Boston - This is what I was given at the front desk. - Gyms Near Me - Newton, Massachusetts

The facilities and amenities are pretty good, and they may arguably justify the high prices of membership and activities. The main problem is that the staff is inhospitable and not service oriented. They are not there to host and make sure you and your kids have a good time, quite the contrary. They are there to police, blow a whistle and find you in every corner, to enforce their countless rules, which were written to inhibit any enjoyment. Other community centers and sport clubs know when to be flexible and turn a blind eye, if the kids wanna try spinning (on those exercise bikes) for two minutes, with a parent standing nearby. At this JCC, it won't take more than a minute until someone will come to kick you out. Their liability and following the rules religiously are more important than letting people have a good experience. Having read the other review, about their shady conduct in charging fees and canceling membership, I'd rather stay away. The atmosphere is always unpleasant, it's not family friendly. Thanks read more

Please change the hours of operation!! How can you guys close as early as 6PM?? And be closed on Jewish holidays this is a gym in a modern Jewish world.... Needless to say the facility really needs some updating... tough time competing against other gyms in the area. The outdoor poor prices are also pretty crazy to say the least compare to every other facility in the area. read more

The facility is very clean. There are a ton of awesome classes available as well. The parking lot is HUGE so you never need to worry about that! I would suggest going before 6pm because the gym tends to get crowded. The hours are a little all over the place but that is due mainly to religious reasons. read more

One of the most disappointing and frustrating experiences I've had in connection with an activity for children.  I exchanged several emails with the coach of the swim team, Lauren, to ask a few questions about the Karishim Pre-Swim Club and ended up registering my daughter for a tryout.  The last email that I sent to Lauren notified her that we had signed up for a tryout and for which day we had done so.  I checked the sign-up Google sheet several hours before my daughter's tryout just to confirm that it was a go, and the document did indicate that our tryout was scheduled for Wednesday, September 8th, at 4pm.  My daughter and I arrived for the tryout about 10 minutes early, and the JCC appeared to be completely closed, except there were some people there playing tennis and the pool appeared to be open (but no one was there).  I emailed Lauren to let her know that we had arrived and asked her where to go, as the gate to the pool was locked.  I also called the JCC and left a message on the JCC's voicemail relaying that we had arrived for a swim tryout but found the JCC closed and no one there to conduct the tryout.  When I hadn't heard back from Lauren and couldn't reach anyone at the JCC by about 20 minutes later (and 10 minutes after our scheduled tryout time), I checked the registration document again only to find that the entire day's schedule of tryouts had been blacked out during the hour or two before the tryouts were to be held (though my daughter's name was still there on the spreadsheet under the blackout highlighting on her timeslot, as were the names of the other children signed up to try out that day).  I emailed Lauren again to let her know that I was disappointed that the tryout had been cancelled with no notice because of the trouble to which we gone to get there.  No one bothered to call or email to let me know that tryouts were being cancelled before we drove out to the JCC, and I still - 3 days later - have not heard anything back from Lauren or the JCC about these tryouts (rescheduling them, apologizing for the inconvenience, or even acknowledging that an error was made).  For Lauren to cancel a tryout of which she was made aware via email in advance and via the registration site - which I confirmed just hours before the tryout time (I have a screenshot of the tryout registration page verifying that we had indeed registered for that specific date and time) - without a word of notice to us and then to fail to reply to me (after I wrote to ask what happened) to offer a time to reschedule or apologize for the inconvenience is completely unacceptable.  I spent time corresponding with Lauren about the program, signed up for a tryout, confirmed the registration by email and by the registration site itself just hours before our tryout time, stopped pursuing other swimming options for my daughter because we went the JCC route, hired and paid a babysitter for my other children so I could bring my daughter to the tryout, and then spent my afternoon driving out to Newton, which is a 30-minute drive each way for us, for the tryout only to find that it had been cancelled with zero notice just a few hours beforehand.  There has been no response from Lauren or from the JCC whatsoever despite my writing to Lauren to tell her that we had arrived for our tryout and then again to express my disappointment that she had cancelled without telling us and despite my leaving a message for the JCC letting them know what had happened.  This is so incredibly unprofessional.  We will not be coming back and would advise others to proceed with caution when considering activities at the JCC of Greater Boston. read more

If you happen to work, and want to swim after work, don't join the JCC. Despite their having a really nice pool there are not lanes available between 5:30 -8:30 PM. All lanes are used by the swim team. So unless you want to join the kids swim team, I suggest you look elsewhere. read more

Kudos to the JCC for its wonderful customer service. I have been a member for about 4 years --and I am impressed with the continuous commitment to the membership for quality customer service. A shoutout goes to the employees at the front desk that are always there to greet members and answer questions. The membership director, Tim, is always wanting to ensure quality customer service. Another shout out goes to the indoor swimming pool life guards. They are amazing! I have joined other gyms but the customer service pales compared to the JCC of Greater Boston. It is being updated now with major renovations and I look forward to working out in the new and updated JCC when it is completed. read more

The JCC of Greater Boston is a wonderful facility with a lot to offer for kids to adult! The workout facility is always spotless and the pool is well kept and the staff is outstanding. The lifeguards are professional and the teaching staff is amazing! Also the administration is extremely helpful and welcoming. The new Assistant Aquatics Director, Michael Mowatt, has really done a nice job. He teaches my daughter and does a great job balancing all that goes into help run an extremely busy pool. I would recommend this Community Center for both young and old. Whether it be learning to swim (Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy), shooting hoops or working out it is great. I can't wait for the Summer Outdoor Pool to open up." read more

**FYI** If you want cancel your membership, you had to let them know 30 day in advance, otherwise they will charge you one more month fee. I was never been told this when I started my membership. Member services Susan will be obvious unwarmming on email when you want cancel your membership. read more

I'll say the place is spacious; full sized swimming pool, basketball courts, spinning room, various yoga & zumba studios and a two-level cardio deck. Locker rooms are a bit annoying in the basement and down a hallway if you just want to run in and do your quick work out. Also classes seem abundant, but if you're joining for the family center feel be forewarned, that childcare is very limited. Babysitting , if you'd like to work out with your little one cared for is only 8;30-12 on weekdays and 8-11am on weekends. That babysitting is a small room connected to a child's mat and gymnastic type room. My daughter is 6 and is in school during those times so the babysitting services are of no help to me. Additionally, she cannot walk on the track with me! I can't for the life of me understand why it is not ok for a responsible child to walk next to their parent. :/ I find it absolutely ridiculous that a 'membership' to use the outdoor pool during the summer is an additional $899 for a family of 3 for essentially 3 months. I initially signed here because its a 3 min. drive from my daughter's elementary school and I didn't feel it was a competitive-type gym and that my daughter could do some family classes on the weekend and /or swim with me. The indoor pool is a turn off for me because there is always some kind of class going on with whistles non-stop. Family fitness classes consist of a family zumba on saturdays or a family yoga on sundays. Nothing is offered during the week! I don't know about you, but the last thing I want to do is split both of my weekend days right in half at lunch time. Closes at 6p on Fridays and at 5p (!!) on Sat & Sunday , Jun-Aug. Lastly, cancellation. It's a major runaround. They want a 30 day notice. When I called Dec. 7th to cancel (unfortunately I'd just been billed Dec.1) They said I wouldn't pay past Jan. 31st ...?! That is obviously not a true 30 day policy. I should be pro-rated to pay the additional 6 days from Jan. 1 (my billing date) to the 7th (which would mark my 30 day notice). Paying for the next 7 and a half weeks is a kind of scam. Additionally, I have waited for the member services office to call me back a few days regarding this. I'd look elsewhere. EDIT: Despite being unhappy with paying for 7 weeks of a membership after asking to cancel, i came to get over it. Apparently when they went to run my debit card for the last charge this past Jan. 1st, the card didn't go through. Same card we used last month, same card my husband physically carries in his wallet all the time. When I called in, which pained me to do; following up with them on an additional month's charged after I called to cancel a month prior, she asked if 'maybe I don't have enough funds in my account' - I think that logic is best kept to oneself. Instead, I asked her to confirm the expiration date, and sure enough they had the wrong one. She suggested that my expiration changed probably (HOW?! it's the card i gave you at sign up, the card you charged last month, the card still currently in my husband's wallet)- not it couldn't be their error. And to make matters worse, they sent me a bill in the mail, when the payment didn't go through- for $1,044!!!!!! Another YEARS worth of membership! Why when a payment is declined, do they default to send you a full year's worth of fees, especially since I am already a cancelled member?!!? Shady , subpar place. If they had any professionalism, they'd at least respond to my review. alas..... read more

The facility is very much in need of updating. The swim classes and instructors are pretty good, however the make-up policy is awful and the front desk staff is not very helpful. read more

From the children's gym to the theatre shows, the great fitness facility and classes, and their friendly staff, the JCC is hands-down the best. read more