Hadn't been back here since before the pandemic, so I was amazed at the complete makeover and 100% improvement of this place! Back then, they stupidly had a huge men's locker room on one floor, and a similarly huge boys' locker room on another floor---and I'm assuming, ditto for a women's and a girls' LR. In other words, huge waste of space, since all the actual workout space was crammed into a claustrophobic cellar space with low 8ft ceilings, and the equipment was pretty old and fairly rickety. NOW, however, they've combined the locker rooms and have a palatial high ceilinged 2nd floor workout space with excellent and all new equipment including something I had never seen in a Y before: Concept ski ergs! (Google it if you have no idea what I'm talking about.) Said equipment is not all that intelligently laid out, though---but compared to how it used to be, no complaints here! Locker room looks pretty much the same but the showers and restroom are nicely redone. Not so crazy about their cardio equipment, though. All their stationary bikes are the geriatric recumbent ones, with only one ancient Keiser on the floor. They have Precor treadmills and ellipticals that have nice big screens with the wonderful "interactive terrains" similar to Life Fitness's current models found at other Ys---but unlike the LF machines, these Precor machines' video screens are buggy as hell, constantly freezing up and having to be reset within 15 minutes of starting your workout! Also, the one and only (coed) sauna they have, while being brand new and beautiful, sitting right next to the pool, BUT---is uselessly weak. Even on the highest settings, it feels like it only gets to maybe 160F tops. Nothing like the Cambridge Y's sauna which is around a divine 200F, or the Malden Y and Waltham Y's saunas which are closer to a still-passable 180F. I suppose it's meant more for people who just want to dry out after swimming, not for anyone who wants to really SWEAT, which is the whole purpose of a sauna. A good thing about this Y is that it's one of the all too few that stays open until 9pm on Fridays. Sadly, on Saturdays and Sundays they close at a lousy 4pm, just like the Cambridge Y. read more

My family and I have enjoyed our membership at this YMCA for over a decade now. I've worked out in the gym, played in the men's basketball league, taken swimming lessons with both of my children, taken sports lessons with both of my children and we've all had great experiences. I can't imagine Melrose without the Melrose YMCA! As an aside to other yelp reviewers of this YMCA, I would encourage you to voice any misgivings you might have directly to the personnel. My experience at this YMCA is that the staff are receptive to any concerns and will work with their members to find an amicable solution. read more

There is a line between doing your job as a Ymca director and overstepping your position. There is a problem with this at the Melrose Ymca. I am directing this at a certain height challenged director who routinely misjudges the current mask situation and is on his way to being called out for it by at least four full time adult members. This boy needs to be pulled aside and made aware of a few basic management realities. The staff knows who he is. Please respond if have had a problem with this boy. read more

If you need a gym for kids this is the place. If you need a local spin class this is the place. If you want to do cardio and lift weights this is not the place. The weight room is generally overcrowded and no space to work out. Priority is given to classes and trainers and not individuals. If you need to find a place to park your car to go to the Y -- good luck. Parking is very tight in the evening. Lastly this Y has been taken over by the North Shore Y, the staff is new and honestly not very mindful of what is going on. Overall a good place to drop the kids but if you want to work out go someplace else. read more

Serious shout out to the melrose YMCA and all their staff members. The gym is super clean and well spaced out. Staff members are super helpful. Great selection of equipment and classes. I was worried about returning to the gym after lock down but my experience at the melrose Y eased my worry. Really appreciate all the work you guys are doing and I highly recommend the melrose Y for anyone looking to get back to the gym. read more

We are here just about everyday. The machine are new and always clean. The locker rooms are also tidy. The childwatch staff is amazing! There is usually a small army of people playing with the kids and there is little turnover in that department. We have had a great experience in every kids program in which we enrolled. read more

Staff is phenomenal- the sculpt and pump class with Courtney- best class I've ever taken. Fabulous workout.

Gym itself is ok, equipment is passable, but not spectacular. Most of the time I went the equipment they did have was being used by people staring at their phones rather than exercising. Additionally - I cancelled my membership, was charged for an additional month, and was refused a refund. The staff was not helpful in this matter and I'm writing this review as a warning to others. They claimed that 2 weeks is needed to process a cancellation (in 2017??) and that my cancellation form had been lost by the front desk. read more

I am a member at the Woburn Y but come to the Melrose Y very often. I enjoy the group classes here. The Tabata with Mark on Wednesday is great. I can't say much for the weight room being crowded or not as I don't use it at this location. The pool is a bit small but every time I go it doesn't seem to be very crowded and you can grab a lane. By small I mean it has 4 lanes. read more

It offers the basics, gym, pool and classes. Membership is not cheap. However, there is little supervision. Rules in the gym and pool are never enforced. Underage kids can be found playing unsupervised in the weight room and lifeguards do absolutely nothing to enforce the rules. Pool is small and when it is divided in half between open and lap swimming, there are only two lap lanes that is supposed to be only two for lap swimmers. Often open swimmers will spill over into the lap lanes. When lap swimmers get into lap lanes, open swimmers will not move out of the lap lanes and lifeguards do absolutely nothing. With such a small pool and limited lap swim time, lifeguards should monitor the pool and enforce the rules. read more

Located right in Melrose Square they have street parking but gotta be very lucky to get one of the spots they do have parking lot behind building but that's always packed one of main drawbacks for me is the parking situation. I keep my gym membership at LA Fitness but usually around beginning of year I like to switch it up a bit and have another option so when my wife said she wanted to join the Y I went down and got memberships for both as having adult family with no kids it was only like 10 dollars more per month. As for gym I really love the cardio equipment especially the treadmills they're newer and very wide u can log in and save ur workouts and compete against yourself every time u go in if you want but I really like the features they all also have their own TV and controls. Now for a couple things the weight room which is in same room as cardio equipment doesn't have a rubber floor which baffles me I've never been in a gym without a rubber or at least matted floor. Needless to say doing heavy free weights with dumbbells is nearly impossible since you can't drop dumbbells as no rubber floor so I go lighter than I would at LA. I just find it very odd and also dead lifts are tough too. They have lots of classes all different times and classes are included in membership. They have yoga aerobics body sculpting spin and many others. They have a gentle yoga on Tuesday and Friday which is for beginners that I wanna try. The have a boxing studio with group classes although that is 5 dollar charge. They have a pool lots of swimming classes a basketball court Zumba TRX classes Pilates Tabata there's something for everyone. They also have free daycare and something I like is they have towel service which you can purchase for the year day week or month. Parking is a little tough but I can live with that. There's 3 floors lots of activities the only drawback for me is the lack of rubber floor in weigh room I guess that's really my only complaint as parking is a pain but not that bad read more

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Amy Cunningham is the best personal trainer melrose has to offer. She is polite, tough and will give you her best and really motivates and gets you excited about your workouts. Please remember to try her classes as well as personal instructions. That said, the facilities here are decent, extremely well kept and clean. All equipment is 100% clean and wiped down between use. Weights are all reracked and people here are friendly. You will usually find a gym full of nice polite people. read more

Pretty nice place, but lockers are kind of unsanitary and smell bad but overall lots to do

Love the melrose y. Its so convenient for me because its so close. Staff is really nice and helpful. Classes are great. I did the special team training challenge with them and it is awesome! Highly recommend it! Its tough and a lot of work but those 8 weeks make a huge difference! Also very informative, and they really help you to succeed. Yes parking is tight but that's not their fault. Parking is tough all over Melrose! lol Only thing I wish they could work on would be more classes with more availability during the daytime like 830-1030 time slots. Other than that, love it! read more

Stay away from branch administrador Casey, she is rude and very condescending when talking to members. Place is old and smelly. But it has everything and its convenient if you are a family and need different activities for the kids and yourself. read more