My experience in alaska I can tell you that ymca is one of the best gym in anchorage after few…read moremounths it's totally chage my personal perspective. And now after few mounths I love this gym already but still the schedule in the gym Monday to Friday is sucks but. I love the gym

I live nearby and wanted to rent a kayak last minute towards the end of the day. I called and they…read morewere very accommodating and said I could pick up before 6 and keep all night and bring back the next evening or just leave when I finished that night. They had everything I needed, including several kayak choices to pick from. I paid $40 to use from about 5pm-8:30. Rates on door say $10 an hour or $50 per day. I stayed out on the lake about 4 hours and it was a great solo trip! They were doing a class about the time I was going out and the ladies looked like they were enjoying their time. For being so close to town, the lake and location are still tucked away and make you feel like your getting out in Alaska's beautiful scenery. The store is off the Palmer-Wasilla Hwy in a red and yellow building. There's a small port-o-potty behind the building for facilities, otherwise, use Fred Meyer or go before you come. If you have your own kayak, you can put in at his dock for $5 (says a sign). Great experience and plan to come back until I get my own.

Took the 2 hour basic kayaking class with my adult son (22) and two younger kids (12 & 13). Randy…read morewas a great instructor and explained everything clearly and answered any questions we had. Once in the boats he explained each stroke and then demonstrated before letting us try each paddling stroke. Everybody had a good time and we all learned something. The only minor improvement I can think of is to have each student get into and out of a kayak on dry land to make sure everything is adjusted and fitted to them before getting in at the dock. If we had done this I think my kayak might have been better fitted to me. I am a bigger guy at 265-270, 5'10", and not in the greatest shape (unless round is a shape). The kayak I used is what I would call a hybrid kayak with a very large square shaped cockpit. Anyway, the seat was all the way back (I didn't know this when I got into the kayak), and I couldn't reach the foot braces at all - even adjusting them all the way to the shortest position. By the time I realized this, everybody was in their boats and we were moving on with the course. I was able to learn and complete all the different paddling strokes despite not really fitting the kayak very well - I was positioned too far in the stern of the kayak. Definitely plan on renting kayaks from them again in the future - I'll just make sure that I fit the kayak better than during the class. We will probably try out the Cottonwood Lake Family trip sometime this summer.

Not a good time at this pool if you have active, energetic kids around preschool or Kindergarten…read moreage! Every 2 minutes the manager or lifeguards were calling me out because my boys were splashing too hard, not entering the pool in the right area, of course running and a bunch of other trivial stuff! I was constantly being monitored and being made to feel I wasn't doing my job as a parent! AND you have to be in the pool with them and pay for yourself; you can't just stay up in the bleachers and watch your kids! You can't even go to the restroom alone for one minute without being confronted for leaving your kids unattended! In past times, it was the lifeguards job to keep the kids in line at the pools, but instead they are relying on the parents to keep up with the kids at all times! And the place is old and falling apart! Chugiak pool is FAR better and friendlier staff!

Wasilla pool staff are excellent, friendly and helpful.read more

Alaska Club just seems really poorly managed. I threw a birthday party here and noticed the week…read morebefore that there was something going on and a big portion of the area was shut down. I asked the front desk and was told they were closing things for reupholstering, and that someone would check on the timeline and give me a call. No one ever did. I followed up--no response. I left a voicemail to the general manager directly and never heard back. Then today there was water leaking from the ceiling in the pool room by the wall. I noticed when it dripped on me and saw there was already a big puddle on the floor. There were multiple holes/cracks in the ceiling and evident water damage. I told the front desk, one person followed me to have me point it out, then left. Forty-five minutes later nothing had been done no signs, bucket, cleanup, etc despite a bunch of extra staff around for a Nordic spa event. Staff were also talking about the steam room in the locker room being down but the one in the Nordic spa was working. It really feels like all the attention is on the new Nordic spa while the rest of the facility is suffering. Overall, just really poor communication and lack of upkeep.

I recently visited the new Nordic spa at the Alaska Club East. The pools and saunas themselves were…read moreclean and well maintained, and I'm glad Anchorage has another Nordic-style spa option. However, there were several aspects of the experience that made it fall short for me, especially considering the non-member price point. The biggest issue was the changing room setup. I did not realize the spa uses the regular gym locker room rather than having a separate spa-only locker and bathroom area. There was very little privacy for changing, which really took away from the relaxing spa atmosphere. I also had no idea guests are expected to bring their own lock for the lockers. The FAQ mentions bringing sandals, but I never saw anything mentioning needing a lock. At Alyeska Nordic Spa, lockers are already provided and ready to use, so I assumed this would be similar. I wanted to change in the shower or bathroom stalls for more privacy, but both were extremely small and narrow with nowhere to hang a bag or place belongings while changing. There really needs to be a more functional and private setup for the spa. I also think the spa would benefit from a private entrance for spa guests instead of entering through the gym itself, aside from existing gym members. It would immediately make the experience feel more elevated. There also should be a bathroom directly inside the spa area so guests don't have to return through the locker room/gym spaces during their visit. Atmosphere-wise, it feels much simpler than other Nordic spas. The wood fencing around the spa is a nice natural color but doesn't create the immersive feeling of being surrounded by nature as is what a Nordic spa is all about, like how Alyeska does. My other major issue is the pricing. At $95 for 90 minutes for non-members, it feels extremely overpriced for the overall experience offered. For comparison, Alyeska Nordic Spa is around $120 for a full-day luxury experience 10am-9pm with significantly more amenities, a much more seamless setup, and a far more immersive atmosphere. I understand this is a different type of facility, but the pricing should better reflect the size, amenities, and overall experience being provided. Personally I think a non member price of $55 would have been much more reasonable. Overall, it was clean and enjoyable in some ways, but it felt more like an enjoyable outdoor pool/hot tub experience. There are definitely improvements that could make the experience feel more polished, spa like, and more worth the current cost.

the gym is great. tons of amenities…read more only issue is the entitled pickle ballers. sheesh! they need a 4-hour block on the weekends? wtf? I was in there there on a Saturday and they were setting up the nets early. no respect for others gym time and space.

Is it just me or has the sanitation/maintenance at the ACS really gone downhill? The place looks…read morelike a disaster zone every Monday morning like no one has cleaned all weekend. The showers in the family locker room are either scalding or broken. I guess I expect more for the hefty dues.