For a university gym, it's decent and... at least better than the Columbia gym?…read more Pre Covid pandemic, I was here frequently. I'd attend the group fitness class here, typically in the mornings. The treadmills and equipment get full quickly. You will have better luck in the morning than in the afternoon. Student workers at the front desk are pretty nice. The staff at the membership office is also nice but the office is operated on different hours, sometimes you have to track the person down. This is the part that gets me, the membership fee is completely different by school. For example, undergrads are free (except summer), faculty and staff pay a reduced fee, and different grad students pay different fee depending on their school. The bathroom is like on every other floor and not super convenient.

The gym is alright. This may be the most used of all the Harvard athletic facilities, since this is…read morewhere most classes and club sessions are held at and the closest to undergraduate housing. Rather peeved... in order for me to get to the left side of the gym, I would have to enter the right side, walk down one floor, and then walk all the way down to get to the left side of the gym. I know some may argue that I'm "exercising" by going through this labyrinth, but I rather utilize my time better by hitting weights than going through a nonsense of a maze.

I like this place. They got me in for June and May 2022 for the small group training. I like the…read morefact that it is a 7am class and the programming and instructor are really good. The cost is $260 for 1 month which is not cheap but also not like, Equinox prices for personal training. Will likely continue in the summer/fall 2022 if they have the space. Parking is a little tough if you do not have a Somerville Permit (need to find a meter in the AM or just hope you do not get towed in front of the Car Wash place). Overall a great spot in the Cambridge/Somerville area. Reminds me of Ethos in the South End.

I started training at the training room during covid (formerly at Healthworks) and I stay for Hua…read more Hua is so empathetic, she knows her clients so well and personalizes the workouts for both ability and goals. The Training Room is a cozy space that produces results. I love it!

Good classes and instructors and staff are really nice. The rooms aren't very clean. The bathrooms…read moreare so gross! The same stall in the women's room has been out of order in months and the toilet paper stands are often broken. They have two locations. The one in kendall square is a lot less busy.

Great gym, but they will scam you when you try to cancel! Fill out a form to cancel my gym…read moremembership since I was moving away from gym. They said it never went through. Refused to give me a refund even when I contacted the same day I was charged. Don't leave the gym until you have proof you cancelled or they will rip you off. Horrible experience, why can't they just play nice with customers. I always recommended this gym to locals but I guess that wouldn't help anymore. Had to go to credit card company to dispute charges.

This gym continues to improve---they've just recently upgraded all their Life Fitness cardio…read moremachines (treadmills, ellipticals, & stationary bikes) to the latest "Club Series+ SE4" version which come with beautiful 24" touchscreen monitors. These monitors feature something like two dozen different "virtual terrain" selections where you can choose different places in the world where someone runs or bikes while wearing a GoPro camera, providing you with their POV experience of moving through scenic urban areas (Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, etc) as well as stunning natural landscapes (tropical island jungles, desert trails, volcanic beaches, etc). This pretty much takes care of the #1 problem with cardio machines: soul-crushing BOREDOM from being stuck indoors huffing and puffing while going nowhere...in this case, a somewhat claustrophobic-feeling, fluorescent-lit basement gym. But with New England weather being what it is, especially those long dark winters when the sun sets at 4pm on icy/slushy sidewalks, what are you gonna do? Coupled with 5 separate free weight areas, a boxing gym with lots of free hanging bags including two Thai bags, and the highest-temperature sauna I've ever set foot in, this remains the best Y in the greater Boston area. Yeah it's in an old old non-pristine building (the Celtics used to practice in the upstairs basketball court during the 1960s, I've been told) that could use some massive sprucing up, but to be honest I'd rather they just invest in the actual fitness gear like they just did with these $11K treadmills! 4 and 1/2 stars (Deducting 1/2 star only because they continue to refuse to restore their pre-pandemic hours, when they closed at 10pm weeknights and 6pm on weekends.) Wish list of further upgrades: matched pairs of 20/24/28kg kettlebells, a Perform Better Glute-Bridge-Roller, and NON-eco showerheads so we don't waste so much TIME waiting for the soap to wash off.

Kind of conflicted on the 4 or 5 - for the price point this place is a 5. It's surprising how few…read moregood gyms that aren't a billion dollars or jam packed with sweaty students exist in the area. But by a general gym metric, this is more of a 4. The equipment isn't in the best shape, the basement is kind of dingy and sometimes the staff just doesn't have time to deal with you. But most of the time it's just a quality place. Decent classes, all the equipment you could need and it even has a sauna. Fair, the sauna is essentially a converted broom closet, but we're talking about a Y here, I'm just surprised it's not just actually a broom closet. I really found it impossible to find a place that had so much resources in one place, even at a higher price point. I'd imagine Cambridge would be chock full of uppity gym, but it isn't and the ones that are out there don't really hold a candle to what the Y has.

I signed up for basic membership in Feb 2025 (19.99) but they have been charging me for the core…read moremembership (29.99). I went in to get this resolved, they told me I would be able to downgrade back to basic but I would have to pay a fee. On top of that, they said I would not be eligible for a refund or compensation for the extra amount charged. The gym manager (name is Drew) also told me, word for word, that basic members are able to utilize the benefits that are open to core and ultimate members only, because they have no mechanism in place to see whether each individual is a basic member or an ultimate member. So you can go in and use their massage chairs, tanning machine, red light therapy, all for the charge of a basic membership! Gym manager: Drew

I feel like I don't ask for much when it comes to a gym. I use to go to Crunch for years and be…read moreable to achieve my goals, hit my workouts the way I expect, etc. So moving here to Somerville, I was expecting Retro Fitness to fit my needs well as it says it is "inexpensive, offering new and modern equipment" when this gym has doubled its prices over the past year (Been a member since March 2025) and its equipment is standard and insignificant. There are certain machines that have been broken for long periods of times and very little air filtration which doesn't help with the lack of hygiene a lot of the members have. There is never any room to have a successful workout without struggling to find any parking nearby, waiting 20+ mins for machines to open up, staff that seem to barely ever leave their front desk to clean up the gym or replace cleaning wipes. I have always been a simple gym goer who feels accomplished from a good workout routine and seeing the results on myself. I have never been so unenthusiastic about going to a gym before until Retro Fitness. I have no motivation prior to going or any sense of happiness when I am there or leaving. This gym will suck the soul out of your body.

All the instructors here are so friendly and encouraging and really make an effort to learn…read moreeveryone's names. During class, they demonstrate each new movement for a few reps, and then go around the class to correct form. They also expertly and seamlessly control the music (I think on smartwatches?) to set the pace for each movement. Overall I highly recommend this studio!

Love the girls at barre and soul so much! The workout options are great; barre, yoga, Pilates. The…read moreinstructors are so nice and helpful, and the workouts are perfectly hard for all fitness types

I can't believe I have not written a review so far! My favorite gym by far! Amazing classes, a…read morelovely spa area, friendly and accommodative staff and inclusive/judgement free environment. I didn't know I needed to be in an all-women environment to feel comfortable and judgement-free, but here we are! The membership is worth every penny. The Cambridge location is conveniently within the porter square plaza so the er is plenty of parking. Just try it - you'll remember me!

I visited HealthWorks in Cambridge because I am interested in finding a gym while I'm in the area…read more I was able to schedule a tour pretty easily and the front desk was accommodating when I needed to switch my time. This is my review from attending the club during one visit. LOCATION The location is pretty accessible by train and there is parking at the Porter Square parking lot. CLEANLINESS When considering a gym, the cleanliness is of high priority to me. The facility was relatively clean and they had places to use wipes in different locations on the floor. EQUIPMENT The equipment is pretty updated. I went in the middle of the day and there was plenty of equipment available for use. PRICE The price is on par with other health clubs of similar status? I have paid more for gyms but this certainly isn't cheap even with my corporate discount. I could see how you can get a lot of value because they have different classes and is someone that takes many group classes, it's nice to see that they have a number of classes to choose from. I like that you can choose to forgo a contract because I'm not able to lock into a year-long contract at this time. I will say the locker room has a lot of different things that you would need to get ready such as blow dryer, flat iron, feminine hygiene products Q-tips. The showers are standard not very spacious and they have soap or body wash shampoo and conditioner. The lotion isn't the best quality. Despite slathering plenty on my skin, I was was dry soon after. My main gripe was that the bathroom or changing area definitely smell like corn chips. I haven't decided if I'd become a member yet but this is a pretty solid health club.

This place always smells like poop. It's telling me I need more characters to post my review but…read morethat's all I really had to say. They need to figure out their septic system or something. It literally always smells like human feces, especially near the locker rooms. None of the other members seem to mind.

Planet Fitness at Porter Square is a mixture of pluses and minuses…read more Pluses: 1. Kind people at the front desk 2. Very clean 3. Plentiful and a good variety of workout stations 4. Low monthly cost Minuses: 1. Revolving door of managers. 2. Parking is difficult. Can only park around perimeter of lot. 3. Machinery that is broken doesn't get fixed quickly.

Amazing fun workout with supportive instructors and lots of variety. I'm hooked! I think I'm…read morestronger now than I was in my 20's. Certainly more well rounded.

Finally made it to the 100 Club! And they rewarded me with special sticky socks! Woohoo!…read more I love PB Harvard Square. This studio, in particular, is open and bright. I have taken classes with Amanda, Michelle, Hilary, Angela, Liliana, Steph, Julien, Nada, Olivia, and Khrystyna. They are all very good instructors! Some instructors give more hands-on corrections than others, which is totally fine because some days I just won't want to work as hard. The classes are costly. If you are a Harvard affiliate, the MAC/HEM also offers barre (under group fitness) classes for a much more affordable membership price. The link can be found here, https://recreation.gocrimson.com/fitness/schedules The Harvard Barre classes are less intense and slower-paced when compared with Pure Barre. I went there for a year but ultimately started looking for specialty barre studios. I went to a class at Harvard Barre & Soul, the pace was good, but the studio was too stuffy/small to me. I also took an Intro class at The Bar Method. I didn't like how the music was more in the background, and the instructor calls out your name over the mic to give corrections. I also went to a Barre3 class but felt more like a yoga + cardio class than a barre exercise. I have to say after 100 classes, there are some movements and forms that I am still trying to get used to. There are a couple of positions that I absolutely do not like (e.g., flat back chair pose) and try to cheat my way through. If you want to get a good idea of what to expect at Pure Barre, check out its Foundation class on YouTube. If you are new, just know that you will be sore everywhere on your body for 2 -3 days after your first barre class, the key is to go back and get used to the routine and exercise. Even though I have taken the Harvard Barre classes, it still took me about 3 or 4 sessions to fully get familiar with what to expect at the class here. I normally wear sticky stocks because it is highly recommended. I have also seen other people wearing normal socks and they seem to be okay. There is no shower here (though I don't typically sweat too much after Barre classic, Barre Empower is a different story!), and only one changing room with one unisex bathroom. I also like the Harvard Square studio better because it is comparably less crowded than its Boston location. There are classes here with 20+ people say for a weekend morning, but other lunchtime classes are usually around 5-10 people. I'd highly recommend this location if this is convenient to you!

i'm a new spin-er so my experience is only after the three classes I've been to but so far I've…read morereally enjoyed them. They are challenging for me but very fun! I've seen two different instructors and like them both a lot. I'm excited to keep coming. The girls at the front desk are welcoming and knowledgeable and the instructors are fun. The class itself is very intense, but I know that I'm getting a good workout in.

The Handle Bar has been my favorite cycling studio I've tried in the area! Switched to the Harvard…read morelocation after being a Charlestown regular because of the Hotbox studio update, and I've been so happy attending classes here. The studio is really spacious and I've loved every instructor I've tried. I give myself extra time to drive in so I can find parking but I've always been able to find decent street parking. Highly recommend Raisa and Courtney as instructors!