Santa Monica Family Ymca Child Development Center

Super friendly welcome by Lorena. Geordy was helpful...today Jalynne too answered few queries. The calm reception..attractive entrance...and the tour by Lorena made us feel at home. Pool is nice...you can do laps without booking. The jacuzzi is simply amazing. Sauna steam are separate for men women and place is clean. There is snacks vending machine. Books are stacked near entrance for sale too. Clean play area..camp area and restrooms too. Mesmerizing property

Let me first say this is primarily a fitness facility - a role performed exceptionally well. Firstly, they have a sauna and steam room unlike Equinox, John Reed, and FRD, which are about double in price. Plus, a huge pool, spaces to get work done, a basketball court, a litany of classes and a great location right across from Santa Monica Main Library. My mom (who lives in VA) gifted me a membership and the online process was seamless as was final in-person registration for me. One gripe; however. We paid for a dedicated locker and it took me a day to buy an actual lock. When I went to put it on my locker, someone was using the locker. I went to the front desk and they said "just wait for whomever it is to leave." Feedback indicating that a best practice is to indicate day lockers from paid permanent lockers (all gyms I've ever been to clearly indicate that) fell on deaf ears. They were nice; however, in how they said "we don't care." For <$80 a month (before locker rental which is $15 or $20 depending on size), what a bargain! It is not a good looking as the aforementioned premium clubs, but it's just as clean, and more amenity laden. Highly Recommend.

Good pools and cardio equipment, but weight room and policies need improvement. I’ve been a member at the Santa Monica YMCA for a while, and while there are some things I appreciate, I’ve also run into a number of issues that make me question the upcoming membership price increase. On the positive side, the aquatics center is one of the best parts of this facility. The main pool is great, and the overall area is well-maintained. I also really enjoy the cardio equipment, which is modern, reliable, and usually available. However, the weight room needs improvement. After 3 p.m. on weekdays, the area becomes crowded with teenagers, which makes it difficult to access certain equipment or maintain a focused workout. Additionally, there simply aren’t enough 45-lb plates. Maxing out the leg press requires nearly all the plates in the room, and it creates an awkward environment when other members are looking for weights. For a gym of this size, the plate inventory really should be higher. Another concern is the $5 monthly price increase starting January 1st. With the membership already being on the higher side, I’m not seeing enough improvements to justify the added cost. For example, the aquatics center was closed for nearly two weeks, and the training pool was supposed to reopen afterward but hasn’t. Its reopening has now been pushed back to mid-December. Communication like that makes it frustrating when fees go up but promised timelines aren’t fully met. I also don’t love the new rule requiring swim caps in the Jacuzzi. After years of not having to wear one, it feels unnecessary and makes the Jacuzzi feel even hotter than it already is. Overall, while the facility has strong points, I feel that certain areas — especially the weight room, follow-through on facilities, and some new policies — need attention before raising prices. I hope improvements are made, because this YMCA has the potential to be excellent.

This YMCA location is exposing itself to significant legal and liability risk due to a clear and ongoing failure to enforce basic safety standards in its sauna. Yesterday, the sauna temperature reached 205°F, a level that presents a foreseeable risk of serious injury. This was not a random malfunction—it resulted from members deliberately tampering with the temperature sensor by covering it with wet paper towels. This practice is well known, has been raised in prior reviews, and continues to occur without effective intervention. I immediately reported the issue to the front desk and requested that staff address it. Although staff briefly checked the area, no meaningful corrective action was taken. The individuals responsible for tampering with safety equipment were not warned, removed, or even spoken to during the 20 minutes I remained afterward. Allowing members to manipulate safety controls in a shared facility—especially after repeated complaints—constitutes a failure to mitigate a known hazard. Ignoring this behavior creates unnecessary risk to patrons and exposes the organization to avoidable liability should someone be injured. This issue requires immediate enforcement, monitoring, and clear consequences. Treating it as a non-issue despite documented concerns reflects a serious lapse in management responsibility.

If you’re coming to the training pool with a child, don’t waste your time here—pick another pool. Attendance here is a complete 50/50 gamble. I can’t count how many times I showed up with a baby and stroller (parents will understand) only to be told the pool was closed. Often it “just happened,” so even calling ahead is useless.