Vanderbilt Ymca

I am incredibly saddened by the inhumane way the people who I’ve encountered working here treat and talk to you. It is like you don’t matter as a human and have meaning or place in this world. So so sad that a YMCA would treat you this way. I suppose it is the new American way. ‘Merica #1! Treat fellow humans terribly and don’t even give them a chance to say their piece or be heard. Speak to them like a robot and like they don’t matter. You guys are the best. This is the best way to be.

Love this location of YMCA, though it is my first YMCA ever, but the staffs here are nice and friendly. Mainly use their swimming pool, it’s always clean, always have a life guide on duty, though one of them was a bit too “aggressive” over their policy but it did not ruin my overall experience. The members there are also nice and courteous and would ask when sharing a lane, I really appreciate the overall experience I have at this location thus far, that’s why I continued to travel from Brooklyn all the way to this midtown location.

This review is about YMCA summer CAMP at the Vanderbilt location. Our experience was -very- ba, with broken promises of field trips, camp counselors who did little more than day care, and limited facilities. My father grew up around a YMCA in Indiana in the 1930s (reallly), I went to a Y on Long Island sometimes -took swimming lessons there and more. But this Y...is really not geared for kids. They haven't thought it out. Its relatively safe day care, and that's all. My son is attended their 'camp.' Really, it doesn't succeed as any form of day camp. The activities are de minimis. They congregate in a gym most of the time. They promised field trips and excursions to the park(s) but these have been very few, if at all. They provide no amenities at all -no lunch, or snack, or towels for the swimming pool (one day a week at most, unless you sign up for the swimming camp -we've moved over. Maybe it will be better). There does not seem to be much thought put into their activities and the 'counselors' seem young and mainly untrained. My son is usually an optimist. But both he and a friend from school who is in the same camp say the same thing: bored. Forget any intellectually challenging activities. We ran into another friend of his, Josh, on a bus there one day. He had gone to the YMCA last year and was at a camp across the street (I was told). His mom said he didn't dislike it while there, but then realized how much better camp could be at the other camp. One day, one of the few 'crafts' projects, they did 'tye dying' and my son brought home a plastic bag with a small green-dyed cloth knapsack in it. The counselor gave it to me. No one mentioned it was still full of wet dye. And then, on the way home, there was a leak... Not happy. My hands were green for a day and a half. They are not really much good at arts and crafts. My son missed the day they painted a cheap wood slide whistle (he had a nosebleed in the morning). So, rather than spend 10 minutes with him to help makeup and to make a nice painted whistle the next day, he just got the plain unpainted version to take home. Altogether, just kind of a flop as a place. The city is full of opportunity. And there are camps throughout the city that do interesting things. It seems this YMCA.... is not one of them. Update: I received a response from them. An unknown representative asked me to 'contact' them with more information and that they are very eager to respond and improve their services, EXCEPT..... (1) they don't provide a contact person or number, except "Vanderbilt YMCA Team" (go team!); (2) the response is perfectly generic and does not even show that they read the critical review but asks for "specific details" (-itself a sign they don't read -anyone doubt I was ?specific?") (3) generally, seems about as insincere and mindless as one could expect. (4) Originally I gave them 2 stars, we're now down to one. Anyone agree? (5) They told me they were sorry and asked me for more information -but I had provided all of this as a critique. Isn't this detailed enough?

The overall experience was pretty well. The room was clean and they were changing the towels every day. We went in November and the weather was very cold but in our room we had a heater which was working well. Sometimes it was even too hot in the room. There are 2 showers and restrooms in each floor and we never had any problem with it. Now the cons. The hotel staff seemed a little bit unorganized and not professional. The rooms don’t have safety boxes, so if you want to leave your documents, you can leave them at the administrative desk where they have a small safety box, but they won’t let you to take it and you will need to disturb the staff every time you want to put in and out your stuff. And the last one, they charge 2$ for a piece of luggage to look after it after your check out.

You get what you pay for. Always had a good time here (3 stays). Yes, the rooms are very small but always clean. Employees are super friendly and the gym is perfectly equipped! Plus the location is just steps away from midtown Manhattan so this is the perfect starting point for all your NYC adventures.