Best Swimming Lessons Washington Near Me

Lauren Coonen: I took my 8 month old here for his first swim class. Tyra and Sydney were the instructors and they were excellent! They were knowledgeable and friendly. At this age your just getting your baby used to the water. Bouncing them, getting their ears and face wet, holding their belly’s and encouraging them to kick. They had toys and a large floating surface for the babies to take turn playing on. Highly recommended!

Aja Shabazz: Jennifer was very helpful and understanding! Great small business

Katherine Ruth Holloway: My children's SafeSplash swim instructors kept their lessons very focused. Both children had impactful 30 minute private lessons. As a bonus, the pool is nice and warm. One of the owners is a former Olympic swimmer! Both owners have a true passion for swimming and teaching kids to swim.

Amanda Gilman: My children came to swimming at a later age, 9 and 10. Safe Splash was absolutely perfect for them! They were able to learn together in a non competitive environment with caring instructors. They both loved learning to swim, and my son overcame his fear of the water! After a year, they both qualified for swim team! I cannot recommend the company more highly!

Ashra Maude: Our children have been taking classes with SafeSplash for a few months now and we are extremely delighted with their progress. The coach has been wonderful and nurturing with them. The staff is supportive and fun to be around. We were, at first, a little scared to start swimming lessons because of the pandemic, but the owners, Michael and Jennifer, have done a tremendous job at following the safety protocols that ensure everyone can enjoy swimming safetly.They are communicative, flexible and just lovely people. We highly recommend SafeSplash.

Kristen Arbuckle: SafeSplash has been so great for my kids, my kids have improved so much. The staff are well qualified and good with kids, and take COVID precautions. My kids look forward to going and come home feeling good about themselves. With pools closed this summer, I was worried they wouldn't learn to swim, which I think is a very important skill. It was nice to be in a nice indoor pool during the summer, and I think it will actually be great to be able to continue lessons past summer.

Autumn Glenn: We've had such a great experience with Safe Splash for the last few months. They are wonderfully patient with the kids. My daughter went from afraid to get in the water when we started to jumping in just two months later. The staff has always been friendly and helpful. Right now instructors and other adults on the pool deck are wearing masks, and they're being great at temperature checks and providing hand sanitizer.

Eleanor: My family has very much enjoyed being a part of the Safe Splash family. Our daughter has relished her time in the pool each week and has grown so much in confidence and skill over the last year +. Safe Splash's instructors are kind, patient, and eager to teach and be a part of our children's growth. During the global pandemic, particularly, Safe Splash has gone above and beyond for its students, caretakers, and instructors with all necessary precautions. Each class remains physically distant from the other and times of entry are staggered and regulated appropriately as well. They have also made clear their adherence to CDC regulations - every adult in the pool (instructor or parent) as well as around the pool thankfully wears masks at all times. The transparency and effective communication between Safe Splash and its clients is also greatly appreciated. Even with these measures, the children are still able to focus on their lessons and have fun in the water safely. The safety of everyone involved in each class (as well as hotel guests and staff in the building) is clearly of utmost concern to the School. We are so happy to continue to be able to take part in Safe Splash's fantastic lessons and look forward to many more years together! Thank you!

Gen R: SafeSplash has been amazing for my 3 year old son. He has been taking lessons for nearly 2 years and has made so much progress. He is now very comfortable in the water and has started to swim on his own. He always loves his instructors and they have been really great about helping him come out of his shell. They are very supportive and encouraging and let him go at his own pace while still challenging him when they know he can do it! We LOVE SafeSplash and are so grateful for the care they put in teaching our son how to swim and be safe in the water. THANK YOU! They have also made sure to be very cautious when it comes to COVID. Our son is in a class with only 1 other student who we know and who’s family is as careful as we are about taking precautions. We are also so grateful that the staff is willing to wear masks to protect our children.

Caitlin Clark: We have been with Safe Splash for over a year and are so happy to be back safely after time off due to Covid restrictions. Not only have the owners been incredibly transparent about all the precautions they are taking but the instructors have been so reassuring to my twins who were excited but nervous to start back up again after months off from lessons. I highly recommend these swim lessons. They teach children how to swim in a very thoughtful and strategic way.

Melissa Kaplan: I’ve been taking my daughter to Safe Splash for years and it’s been an amazing experience. The instructors are kind and encouraging, making the lessons productive but also a fun experience for my daughter. The owners, Jennifer and Michael, run their business with care and professionalism and are clearly invested in making the experience valuable for their clients. The price is a very good value compared to other swim schools in the area. We love Safe Splash!!

Nassim Safadi: This pool is very nice. Have a big changing room with shower and a locker space for you belonging. The kids swim lesson is fun the instructors are very knowledgeable they take time with kids to learn how to independent swimmers

Sarah Cox: We had a blast with our 5yo son. The pool was a bit cold. It worked well when our hotel who advertised a pool did not have one! Thank you!

JX Mrs: I took several swimming lessons here, and the instructors were very nice and I learned a lot. What drive me down to give a 1 star is the management team. After the lessons I got a 3-month membership with this location. However now, they are closed for almost half month. They don’t notice you with email, they just assume you know everything. I emailed the manager to ask if my membership will be extend to make up the half month they close for maintenance, and now 4or 5 days passed, I received nothing reply upon my question. I guess I paid for nothing. Horrible management team, although the good environment of swimming is ruined and wasted. That’s how I feel now with this place!

Vinni: This is a great pool, with six Lanes, sometimes eight Lanes, but it certainly gets crowded Monday through Thursday evening after work. Be ready to swim 3 to a lane on those evenings. Best times to go for it not being crowded is Friday night

Mason Eoyang: The kids area gets real crowded in the evenings with classes, and so. Times its a struggle to find a lane, but the facilities are nice, well staffed and reasonably clean for a public pool. Arlington county residents get a discount for entry, all others pay full price (check website for current prices)

karim jana: Great place to swim for all levels. The bathroom facilities are clean, haven't had problems with parking (6pm-9pm),and there's always space to swim comfortably. The temperature in the bathroom area could be warmer.

Sofía Fonseca Muñoz: It is a very nice pool and they are very organized for avoid contact due to covid. The booking system is nice, I just wish that you could book two days in advance or so.

Michael Goldring: Washington-Lee is a great facility. I always get a good workout there. The competition pool is very well designed and maintained. The water quality and temperature are excellent. The staff is friendly and helpful. It is open both to residents and non-residents. I travel a lot, and swim in many pools. Washington-Lee is one of the best anywhere.

john jonson: 10 swim lanes open seven days a week. It can get crowded so plan on having to share the swim lane. It could be improved by better management as there are often multiple classes going on at once with 1 lane open for everyone else.

Jacquie Frazier: Echoing review below. Business is non-responsive and has not communicated with clients regarding canceled classes, etc.

Eric Hanson: The gym is a "hidden gem" in Dupont Circle. Small but has everything you need. Off-peak hours discount avail.. The whole gym will be yours if you go before 4pm. Ms. Howell is really nice.

Angela Obstein: Anything I’m saying has been observations while visiting or things I’ve heard from workers that has led me to write a review on the preschool here. At this school, there seems to be a lack of structure. No staff or employee seems to know what is going on on a day by day basis . This can be observed just solely based on how the school is ran. The vibes of the people are a little off and it seems to be a very messy place. I don’t personally think students benefit much from it. There doesn’t seem to be a curriculum / lesson plan that ACTUALLY teaches kids 123’s or ABC’s , you know, essential things young kids need to move forward. I had an opportunity to speak to a few workers and the following are complaints or concerns : future well being of kids( due to no lesson plans and no school discipline - apparently you are forced to deal with outrageous behavior), the work environment ( apparently it is a very “messy” place and it shows ), and also, the overall future of the school ( with the lack of structure it is hard to know what will happen)

Heath Stewart: I tried calling to reserve a racquetball court and they were very unresponsive. I wanted to play racquetball and was fine with paying the visitors fee. After many phone calls and several voicemails they finally answered their phone but then did not help with what I was calling about. All they tried to do is push buying a membership. I was very disappointed with their service to say the least.

Lisa Paquette: The DCJCC overall is a wonderful place. First, the gym was recently renovated and has good equipment. They also offer a nice variety of exercise classes such as spinning, zumba, body pump and more. The best part about the gym is that the price of membership is less than that of other gyms in DC, so you really get your monies worth. The JCC is also a great venue to see shows or attend any of the other awesome cultural events they host. The staff are friendly and welcoming. You feel like part of a great community!

kira xamashi: Why you didn't fix the operating mode. The web site contains information that you are open. In fact, everything is closed. Absolute disrespect for visitors.

Nicole Lohr: Saw a play here and it was a great, intimate playhouse. Friendly staff.

Alison Rubin: Awful unfriendly place unless you have money...

Sam Greenberg: Great, friendly resource.

אלי מגן: (Translated by Google) An excellent community center for everyone. (Original) מרכז קהילתי מצוין לכל אחד ואחת.

Shawn K: David at WeAquatics is a phenomenal swimming coach for infants and kids. We started working with David about 4 years ago when our first son was about 10 months old after David had been highly recommended to us from a friend who had herself 3 boys who he had coached. He was extremely pleasant and friendly and took things on a gradient so that my son warmed up to him after a few sessions- and he was totally willing to work with us on our input as parents because seeing our kid get accustom to swimming as new parents was terrifying :) After that, we had David back each summer after to teach our 8 month old daughter and then the year after for our second son- and he gave touch up lessons to the older ones too. It all worked out great and Dave was totally cool and flexible on everything from schedule, to multiple lessons, etc. We actually just had him back again this summer for another set of touch up lessons- he really is committed to doing what it takes so that our kids ended up as confident swimmers. Thank you David! ML, The Kimmels

Kimberlee Simpson: We had already tried 5 other rounds of swim instruction in various other states before landing with WeAquatics in Alexandria, VA. The ISR lessons with WeAquatics were by far the best swim instruction we have received. After 6 weeks both of our boys can rescue themselves if they were to accidentally fall in the pool. My 4 year old can actually swim and is working on strokes now. My baby loves the water and is so proud of himself that he can flip over and float. Both kids are confident in their skills and there is really no price you can put on the value of their safety. If you are on the fence about the time commitment just go for it! It is so worth it!

Diplomatic ERA: We initially tried other swim schools in the DMV and were less than impressed with the level of instruction and lack of progress we saw in our son’s ability to learn how to swim. We felt like the classes for small children/babies consisted of parents in the pool with their children doing a lot of splashing, playing, singing and just about everything other than giving our son swim skills. Not that playing with your kids in the pool isn’t fun, but we don’t need to pay a swim school to do that. Anyway, all that changed when we found We Aquatics and started classes with Mr. David. We started with the ISR lessons and within the first week we saw great progress. Since then my son has mastered ISR and is now working on perfecting different swim strokes. Mr. David is an exceptional teacher and his calm demeanor, expert knowledge and teaching skills makes this the best option in the DMV area for swim school. The other instructors are also top notch. Our only regret is that we didn’t discover We Aquatics earlier!

Hossein Noshirvani: David and his team are courteous professional and are quite frankly amazing at what they do! Next step is turning my toddler into the next Michael Phelps!

Tanya Smith: The staff were great with the kids and very pleasant.

Manuel Posada: Very good place to swim, large pool and little people 👍

Steven Murane: Came here for SCUBA Training through Patriot SCUBA of Occoquan. Really nice facilities

C. Mefford: Nice facility. Not elegant or fancy, but serviceable and clean. The staff are very friendly and helpfull. It's primarily a swimming facility, but a small number of treadmills are available. You can generally get a lane w/o having to share, but sometimes lanes are limited due to swimming classes and High School and Masters team practice. Bonus - the locker rooms have saunas! Costs 25 cents for a locker though. Fairly pricey ($74/mo) compared to commercial gyms, but you also have access to all Fairfax County's other 10 Rec centers, some of which have considerable additional features (weigh rooms, running tracks, yoga, et al).

Petra Holden: This recreation center is almost exclusively a huge pool with 10+ lanes. There are only five pieces of workout equipment, and they are in the lobby. I can't speak for the men's locker room, but the ladies' locker room is neat and clean and convenient. It's not much of a general purpose recreation center, but what it does (swim lanes) it does very well.

David Harrison: The neighbors need to take-up a collection to purchase a $5000 sun room extension onto the current concrete pad in order for the weights and sit-up equipment to be moved from the lobby. I am surprised Fairfax County has not taken actin to improve the facility. The neighborhood property taxes should be sufficient to improve the service so we are not forced to go sign-up at Gold's Gym on Rt. 1.

Stephanie J: I came here many years ago when my son was an infant. I brought him here today, he is almost 8. He is having a good time. We have a free pool around the cirner

Erica Lee: Nice size pool, but no place to sit and observe if there for a swim meet.

Ashby Collins: This place needs a deep clean and staff needs customer service training. It would be nice if the hot tub was fixed and they allowed guests to use the diving boards.

Marianne Loves Banner: Nice pool with friendly staff and great atmosphere.

Eric Hanson: Pool! Pool! Pool! A typical but larger hotel gym inside Hilton (open to the public too). If you are a swim person, you just can't afford to pass it up. they have a fabulous pool (don't be deceived by Vida Fitness/U St's facade & shills on Yelp, they're overpriced yet mediocre). 5 stars if they open till 11pm.

susan forsyth: I have been a member for years. The pool is excellent and the gym is great too.

Dave Giefer: Nice machines. Could use some fans on the cardio equipment.

mike Appello: Nice, clean, no stress or bs.

beth peralta-reed: Great pool. Lap swimming available. Kid pool with a beach entrance. Maditory rest time for kids so that adults get some time in the pool without kids. The deep end opens around midday during the week. My only complaint is that the restrooms are kinda gross. One of the stalls in the women’s locker room has been locked for a couple weeks, two of the stalls don’t lock at all and none of the stalls have working toilet paper holders so the roll of toilet paper always ends up on the floor.

Jiya Sohal: It’s a beautiful poop and it’s not too crowded and if it is it’s mostly people sun bathing so the pool is very open and it’s separated in three parts so if your child is playing in water it won’t go to the deep end. I mostly loved how deep it goes and so you can challenge your self if you are trying to dive down to touch bottom and it goes down to 12feet and 5 inches. I was also surprised how clean it was even though there’s many tree near it and you definitely go there except on Tuesday there closed that day and this is my go to pool

Mara Nelson: Love this pool! My boyfriend and I go here during the summer in DC and have the best time. The pool is huge and split into three sections - one for kids, one for swimming laps, and one with a deep end. Best part, if you're a resident of DC, it's free! On the weekends, it can get a little crowded. We go after work sometimes and there is barely anybody there. Definitely go if you live in DC.

Mark Enoch: A great pool, but get there early if you want a chair. Many are plastic and broke many summers ago, but overall it's a great pool. It's size let's families with young children enjoy swimming in a shallow end, lap lanes for swimmers, a standing area for adults, and a deep end for enjoyment.

Dennis Bours: Very nice pool and kind life guards. Always done unclarity about opening times, but check the most recent pictures of the opening times and you should be okay. Life guards go into a discussion of the type of life vest you.put on your little ones. All well meant. DC will have its standard, and so do other states, or Europe. One not necessarily better than the next. Most important, stay close to your kids if they did not complete swimming lessons; a life vest does not mean they can't drown.

Laura Labedz: I love this pool. It has six lap lanes that are open at all times, plus an area to the side of the lap lanes for kids and families to play. there's a kiddie pool for the really little ones and the deep end is separated from the lanes by a wall and is good for just hanging out.. (Deep is only about 7 or 8 feet, so no diving.)

Bossi: PRO - Generally not crowded, though around 6pm it can get competitive as the sun starts setting behind the trees & it gets competitive over remaining sunlit seating. Pools are split into three parts: deep, lap, and wading. Water always a great temp. CON - Every year more and more lounge chairs are broken; never seeming to be repaired. Locker rooms are basic and not too clean. Showers are exceptionally hot. The deep pool is closed more than it's open.

B VanFleet: This pool needs better management. They force people into only 3 narrow lane for no apparent reason. There are two lifeguards who seem not want to do what a lifeguard is paid to do. If you open at noon you should have everything in place and opporational.

Bryan De Rosa: I just discovered this park as part of my kickball league. have not used the pool, but have had a number of practices and watched a few games. great location, close proximity to Georgetown, trader joes, and other cool places. this is perfect for families

Kate Fleming: My SwimBox lessons are the highlight of my week! After an overuse injury to my hip I finally decided to figure out how to swim laps. Learning to swim as an adult is an intimidating prospect, but the staff at SwimBox immediately made me feel at ease. The one-on-one instruction is incredible and worth every penny — I feel like I'm really learning to swim the right way. Also the endless pool is awesome!

Kim Le: I’ve always been a little uncomfortable in water and within four lessons, Dominic has helped me overcome most of my fears! In just a few short weeks, I was able to learn breathing, floating, and swimming techniques other swim coaches have not been able to do for me. I can’t wait to go deep dive this summer (ok maybe not yet, but I now believe anything is possible). Truly has built my confidence in the water and has been life changing!

BLU CHRUSH MEGA TRUCK: Why wasn't this available when I was younger. Being a bit self conscious I love the privacy that comes with this place. My instructor had been informed I wasn't in need of prep for an upcoming race, but rather looking to just relax in a heated pool so he didn't bother me much. Pretty sure he was the owner but he never mentioned a thing. I'll be back , I love swimming against the current, very cool too Thanks Swimbox

ABRAM SHOWKAT: Swimbox is great! I'm an adult and one on one swimming lessons is what I needed. I got very lucky I was able to schedule Lissa at the last minute. She is awesome and very patient! Specially for a high-maintenance student like me. Don't wait around make sure you hit them up. Lissa’s slots gets book very fast as lightning!!!

Sam Watzman: Coach Megan really helped me out during our sessions. I came thinking I had a pretty efficient freestyle but was quite off. She helped me fix a lot of things I was doing wrong and gave me suggestions for drills during my weekly swims. Looking forward to testing them out in my next race.

Irene Hsu: Swimbox have the best swim coaches in the area. They not only teach clients how to swim, but also how to teach you how to swim like a pro. Everyone's goal and body are different and the coaches do a great job to make necessary adjustments. Their swim lessons are very important. I can make sure I can achieve my goal (for triathlon) and avoid any future injuries. Swimming is a very technical exercise, and Swimbox offers the best swimming lessons.

Tiffanne May: I absolutely love SwimBox!!! My instructor, Dominic, is absolutely amazing! I never thought that I'd learn to swim at my age. But the way he coaches and instructs makes learning to swim so much easier than what it has been in the past. I always feared swimming and never grasped how others where able to do it. But Dominic's approach and breakdown from basics to technique has helped me overcome. I no longer fear the water and feel more confident. My comfort in deep waters has increased drastically. I can't wait to jump off the diving board. But he tells me I'm not quite there just yet. LOL I highly recommend SwimBox. It's personalized lessons so you avoid the embarrassment or discomfort if your a first time swimmer. For athletes and professionals it seems like a great place to help improve skill and technique without the risk of a crowded or distracting pool.

Aileen Roder: I highly recommend Swimbox. I work regularly with Coach Dominic Latella. His knowledge and experience are invaluable. His sense of humor and kindness make lessons both fun and helpful. I cannot say enough good things about him. He and all the swim coaches at Swimbox tailor lessons to the swimmer’s skill level and goals. Britany Fisher and Lissa Latella have made scheduling lessons easy. Give Swimbox a try!

JXP: Amazing instructors (especially Kelly), very knowledgeable, patient, and they utilize helpful technology to aid with training. Whether you're a beginner or preparing for an event, I recommend checking them out

Osvaldo Burgos García: This has been a wonderful discovering. It has both an indoor and an outdoor pool and both are open all year round. The gym is very well equipped and it has basketball and other courts. The staff is very kind and friendly and all the community is very welcoming. I think will keep visiting this place daily for a long time.

Ptan Atan: Update: 7/28, 7:30AM Pics of Empty Group Fitness areas, unable to use parts of big gym. Going from stretch room to weight room being unable to do cardio/weight workouts when they have empty dedicated areas for this, but keep doors locked. Other areas Ryan listed aren’t real space for these workouts. Gym has a lot of potential, it has a lot of offerings to include racquetball, group fitness, two pools, steam & sauna room. Although, this gym is lacking in many areas. As a busy working parent with limited time, the system they use has annoying technicalities. If you try to book a 6:00AM session at 6:10AM you can’t book on your phone due to technicality you have to book on the hour. You can’t book for 7:00AM because it would be too early to enter at that time, so the system wouldn’t let you in. You can request staff to put you in once you get there, but it’s unnecessary time. Also, the system has general errors & doesn’t populate correctly, so just getting in the door can take time. It’s not like other gyms where you swipe & just come in. Group Fitness Classes: 62% of classes offered during work week are during average work hours. Classes aren’t as available for those that work during the day. Customer Service: An issue. My mother & son was treated very rudely the first time they came in because they didn’t know how to use the system. I addressed the issue with Ryan, he said he would talk to staff member & see if he remembers. He also made an excuse about them getting hit hard at front. I’ve never seen front hit hard when I was there, as a working professional doesn’t seem to be a good excuse to be rude. The level of accountability for addressing unprofessional behavior appears to be lacking. All you have to do is remind staff about customer service & not see if someone remembers. Just address the issue without implying other party is not telling the truth based on ones memory. So, you can’t address issue or topic if one doesn’t recall? Fitness: If you workout in group fitness or stretch room, there isn’t a sign in for that, you can only sign in for Fitness center when that’s not really the area where you are working out. Issue due to availability of area, the fitness center area maybe full, but the Group Fitness & Stretch rooms are actually empty. They have plenty of space, but no real space dedicated to people who do cardio & weights at same time “H.I.I.T” type workouts. Certain areas get unnecessary congested when really they could just have the stretch room set up like group fitness room to alleviate congestion, having weights, stretch equip included when group fitness is in session. It’s inconvenient going from stretch room to weight lifting room to move weights back and forth before & after a workout. Logistics: You have to take time to ask for group fitness room to be opened. This is inconvenient. I asked gentleman at front if they could open room because there is no class, he says to ask a fitness instructor if I could use it as there is no class in session until hours later. Now, the fitness instructor is down stairs, but they all carry walkie talkies to communicate. So, instead of getting on the walkie, I have to go down stairs to ask & then go back up to get to the room opened. This is a big gym, it adds unnecessary time. Based on previous interaction with the front & fitness staff, I know all he had to do was get on walkie talkie to ask for the door to be opened. Policies: Not clear. Under 13 can’t be in certain parts of the gym. They said there is a sign, I had the fitness instructor show me the sign there was no sign. I got my membership based on myself, Tween & Teenager being able to use gym. There is a policy that both group fitness doors need to be open if you use the room. The staff doesn’t even open & unlock both doors all the time. Now, you as a member get accused of closing a door that was never opened in the first place. Then there is no sign saying both doors must be open, so you could get accused of breaking a rule you didn’t know existed. As another review stated, unorganized process.

David Whitnah: Outstanding community and wonderful staff! You will thoroughly enjoy your experience from the moment you enter and meet the staff at the front desk. We joined a little more than one year ago and this was because of our initial meeting and tour with Rena Silbert who is so customer focused! We have stayed as the folks who work here are exceptional. Recently we have seen such dedication in people such as Ryan Grant who actually runs fitness & membership, but picked up a shovel after 3 inches of snow fell in order to shovel off the pool deck for the safety and use of the members ....now that is impressive! A special shout out to the Director of Aquatics, Caroline Cardullo who is more than a blessing to all who use both the outdoor and indoor pools! She always is there for the members. The JCC is more than a place to work out as it is a wonderful welcoming community!

Bahruz B: Our daughter went to after school program at JCC for 3 years. Overall it is a great facility with so many different classes to keep your kid busy. That being said I feel their annual membership is very expensive.

matan peltier: Love this place. Came here for programs as a child now still come and use the facilities for the gym. The JCC preschool is an amazing school and the summer camp is just as impressive. With all range of programs ranging from free men's club or spinning classes to paid ones such as Hebrew lessons after school programs and sports for children. The JCC provides something for all people wether you are a child or and elder adult. I have been comming to the JCC for over 20 years and love it. Despite being a Jewish community center this place does not discriminate with 30% of preschool being non-jewish and the gym and sports facilities being very affordable, member ship is open to everyone regardless of backround culture or race.

Gedalia Walls: Here's part of the issue with the BJCC. If you're there for the Early Childhood Care, Swimming Pools or community events, then things are pretty much smooth going. ECE, Pool, child care, social gatherings for seniors and other ethnic groups, and special needs are are all well addressed. The issue is if you are considering using the gym or taking group exercise classes. The exercise facility is regularly neglected, with benches in the weight often found wrapped in duct tape for extended periods of time, or significant amounts of rust to be found on plate equipment or cable machines. There are new(er) weights in the weight rooms. There are a good number of new treadmills, stair mills and elliptical machines, and there are also elliptical machines and treadmills that are over ten years old. Group Exercise is evolving into a large number of Les MIlls classes. The good thing about these classes is that they are choreographed by an internationally recognized business and offer a consistent product every 12 weeks. Downside? There isn't a plan to help along novice attendees and advanced ones inevitably plateau. There's nothing in the routine to challenge long-time Les Mills participants other than increase weight, and this can lead to greater risk of injury such as back pain. Another issue to consider with Les MIlls programs is that the company itself certifies whether an instructor is fit to teach their choreographed classes. This means that the instructor isn't necessarily meeting the requirements of board certified fitness instruction, and this would be an important issue for anyone attending the classes to investigate and consider. My recommendation for anyone attending Les MIlls classes is to ask lots of questions of the instructor and make an informed decision as to whether they should attend this style class on a regular basis.

Empathy Over Ego: I came to the JCC on Montrose Rd to go swimming but they allow WAY TOO MANY customers in at once and the pool was too crowded for me to go in. To make matters worse, JCC DOESN'T GIVE REFUNDS. That's $15 dollars down the drain!The place is filthy and the water fountains give hot stinky water.

Massimiliano Albanese: The Early Childhood Center at the Bender JCC is no more than a large-scale babysitting operation. They claim to adopt a play-based curriculum - founded on Emergent Curriculum and inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach: a lot of nice words to hide the fact that the program doesn't really have a structure and children are given the freedom to choose what to do. They "claim" that they embrace and welcome diversity, and open their doors to everyone, including people of all backgrounds, religions, abilities, etc. Unfortunately, this is a gross misrepresentation, and I had to experience first hand that, if you have a child with special needs, you are not very welcome, unless you are willing to accept the unreasonable requests of the Director, Ora Rosenfeld. They also have a significant personnel turnover, which is detrimental to providing continuity for the kids and a sense of community. In the 10 months my daughter has been there, 3 out of 4 teachers and assistant teachers in her class left, and 2 out 3 staff members who joined to replace them left as well. There are much better preschools in the area, so please stay away from this center for the sake of your children. After leaving the JCC, we used the Goddard School in Rockville and couldn't be happier! They also have a Branch in Bethesda.

one stop: Tried the fitness facility was unorganized and outdated. The manager Ryan was unable to be found when I had a complaint. With all the choices in the area I would go somewhere else. I am new to the area and hope my review helps anyone else looking for a fitness facility in the area.

Michaela Wieser: I enjoyed the pool at Marie Reed. They did a great job during the renovation. Loved the music they were playing as well. Not too crowded, but I also went super early in the morning. Planning on going there regularly.

cesar maxit: Great playground, basketball, tennis, soccer, swimming spot too.

Ilhan Tanir: Good managed school. Our daughter is going to Marie Reed, in one of Spanish classes. Renovated building, big enough space, two playgrounds and bigger field. School staff are friendly and helpful. We are also happy with our Spanish teachers. It is no surprise the school received 5 stars from OSSE this year.

Michael Vereen: I like it here my kids have fun that's a lot of things to do a good basketball court

Jessica Juarez (Little Bunny): Great playground for all ages.Parking is hard to find it's DC so what else is there to say.A lot of places to eat around this center.Soccer field, tennis courts, Big playground

Milan Predojevic: Went for swimming, staff is awesome, friendly, locker room spotless clean. Recommendations..

Jamie Dailey: I have been swimming here for two years. It’s definitely a hidden gem. The new renovation is fantastic, and it’s free for DC residents!

Stephen Cox: Great public pool! Except I wish showers had shelves and better water pressure

Arash Arabasadi: Awesome, age-appropriate park for my toddler up to maybe 10yos.

beatriz mena: This review is for Claire and Sean! They were amazing with my son who has high-functioning autism. They were so patient with him and Claire gave me the peace I needed. Super clean as well.

Altan-Od Odbayar: Teachers changed every single lessons. Some teachers doesnt have any teaching technics. They looking ,acting and talking so angry. They are teaching for the kids not adults. So waisted my time. Last 3-4 teachers non profetional they cant teach any thing.

Ginia Hurh: We started at the Tom Dolan swim school about 2 months ago. My 4 year old twin boys look forward to this lesson every week. We feel safe and we feel glad to have found this activity to burn off some energy. Thank you to all the staff and especially our swim teacher Storm!

Kiersta Navarro: Today was our first lesson! My little one is almost 6 months, and she really enjoyed her first class! Benjamin was very friendly and made the class super enjoyable for all of the kids. The staff was even kind enough to take pictures with my phone for me while we had the class! I can’t wait to keep going 😊

Audrey Staples: Lessons constantly canceled due to an “incident” in the pool. Better to book first lesson of the day…Obviously not staff fault.

Michael Cieslak: We have been going to Big Blue/Tom Dolan for a couple of years. We really liked the swim lessons that we received at Tom Dolan, and we're a little unsettled when they became big blue. However, big blue is an improvement on what was already great about Tom Dolan. There's a little bit of a difference in terms of the approach to the skills that the kids are learning, but it seems to have made a big difference in our kids' progression in learning to swim. One of the other things that I really like, and this is something that may not be a big deal, but their app is really good in terms of scheduling. Instead of having to call and talk through available dates if you missed a swimming lesson, you can do everything through the app and that is huge! We highly recommend big blue. Go green!

Desiree Soumoy: Tom Dolan swim school is AMAZING. The instructors are patient and professional -- my son loves them. He started as a total non-swimmer and swam the first night (it wasn't pretty, but he was swimming!). We've continued with weekly lessons since summer and he has made incredible progress. If you are looking for a place for your child to learn to swim, I recommend Tom Dolan in Falls Church.

Annie Duffy: My two oldest children (4 and 3 y/o) started taking lessons at TDSS when they first opened in Falls Church earlier this year, and we could not be more pleased with the results we've seen! The instructors are amazing, and the staff is wonderful. My oldest went through a pretty intense regression when the summer started, and I was absolutely amazed with how the entire staff worked together to get him through it. They communicated ahead of time with every instructor he had (for make-up lessons, clinics, and subs) as well as the managers on duty to make sure everyone was aware of his particular situation and help him through it. They were incredible! They stayed in constant communication with me as well, offering feedback and recommendations. They worked so hard to get him out of it, and he was quickly back to swimming on his own, better than ever. I was so, so impressed. Both of my children absolutely love the instructors and get so excited every week for lessons. It's really been our most successful activity to date! They have a blast in the water and often times can't contain their energy, but every instructors are all so patient and kind :-) I also love how there are toys in the waiting area (which is a nice, wide open space!) so my youngest child can play while my others are in their lessons. In fact, many days we end up just hanging out and playing for a while even after they're all done! TDSS has become one of our happy places and we love going there!

Heidi Reutter: Swim lessons for babies are not real swim lessons, just sing-a-longs in the water. Be careful to read the fine print when signing up. You have to cancel two weeks in advance to when you actually want to quit classes. In my case, I went to three classes, the first with a substitute teacher, before I figured out they're all the same routine, same exercises, same songs. And now I'm stuck paying for another month of classes because my last day I could cancel was also the day I signed up. Edit: Star added because the school agreed to refund me an additional month, and says they're going to put more emphasis on the safety points of the class going forward.

maria johnson: Me and my grandchildren really enjoyed ourselves the field was beautiful and the people were so nice I love our city thank you DPR.

justrenia23: Big area for my daughter to ride her scooter, lots of seating and adult workout area, tennis court,basketball court and soccer field

MrandMrs Mateen: Perfect outdoor pool for small children,toddlers.

Saj Popat: Small field with track, basketball court, and kids playground next to the pool.

James Salt: Great little park with soccer field, basketball court, playground, indoor rec center with air hockey and restrooms. There is a small swimming pool open in the summer, but the staff is somewhat indifferent to customer service expectations.

Dre Hunter: The Life Guard is amazing very helpful Thanks For the Support today for my nephew's Birthday

Angel Myrick: There was bloody teeth sitting next to the poolside. Also bandaids in water and friend got an ear infection with tons of water in her ear after it.

Diana Delgado Vélez: It is very nice but some afternoons and during weekends are several teenagers smoking inside the park. They do not care about babies and children.

Paul Montesano: The pool (like a warm bath) is nice for little ones when it's about 150 degrees. Weird/thoughtless design makes for an unnecessarily crowded space.

Urban Capitol Photography: No one answers the phone and when they do the person you need to speak with happens to be at lunch and they don’t know when they’ll be back. How are these government employees? Very unprofessional to say the least.

Allison P.: No one ever answers the phone.. I’ve called twice and been waiting on hold for over 20 minutes each time.

MoneyCounter_28f: Very unprofessional I called to inquire about several positions this morning & been calling for a week to check the status of my applications & the customer service lady Vanessa I believe keeps saying the same thing they are reviewing applications. we are suppose to be helping our people & Dc is suppose to be uniting but they are not helping each other seek employment or going above & beyond to help or even do they job I’m so disappointed!

Andrea Williams: Have left several messages with DPR and no one has returned the call. I continue to call and get voicemail each time! Does anyone work there?

Olivia A. Chase: DPR takes on an intergenerational approach with my family and many families like mine. I am a grandmother raising a grandchild. They generate many programs that are suitable for this type of family. As an example, DPR has various Swim Teams in all 8 Wards of Washington, DC. DPR not only organizes Swim Meets each week; in addition, transportation to the Swim Meets is also provided making it possible for families to engage in the swimmers activities. This also allows families to participate as time keepers or to volunteer their time and energies in various other and sundry ways. Personally, I was ecstatic to be able to CHEER MY SWIMMER ON TO VICTORY!!

idell morse: Does anyone work here?? Today is Thursday 12/28 and I've been calling and leaving messages since Tuesday with no return call.

Eva Salvetti: Pools close because it's TOO hot? Not posted in your website. Always such a mess! When are you guys going to get it together?

Monica Sukhatme: I've called over 10 times and left messages. Nobody has bothered to call me back. Does anyone work there?

Gregory Jackson: I've had a great time at DPR, especially DPR Rec Day when we got to play Bubble Soccer for the first time! Thanks

David Gershman: Today I signed up and had a great experience. Mike, in membership, not only showed me around- they answered every question with full clarity, gave me far more insight than I expected, and was simply very nice and sweet. I knew I was going to get a membership going in, but it’s nice to get warmth and comfort instantly upon arrival. Felt like I was one of the regular folks

June Wade: Scheduled a spa massage for my friend’s birthday at the Ritz Carlton/ Equinox (Foggy Bottom) location. The staff was courteous and the gym was clean. I was disappointed the spa does not offer champagne or snacks for special occasions, instead we were given “swag bags” full of gym advertisements and trinkets. If you’re not a guest at the hotel, arriving early is highly recommended (parking, etc). Must walk outside to enter Equinox since elevator access to spa is for guest only. My massage therapist was (Donna) friendly, courteous but chatty. I was not interested in talking about where I live, hearing comments about my “poor”elbows🙄 or asking why my shoulders were so tight during my 80 minute massage. Unfortunately , the massage was not good (technique). Ambiance was fair in the room, there was no soothing music or waterfall fountains, just dim lights, and a cool quiet room. The warm bed with robes was a nice perk.Not a fan of the massage lotion (dry paste) used, she had to continuously spend time stepping away from the massage to reapply. I’m giving this spa 3 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️since my girlfriend had a positive experience with her masseuse. In addition, they provided a quiet space and champagne glasses for us to enjoy our BYOB champagne post massage. Would not recommend, lacks luxury for the price. $500+ ( 2 people)

Lauren Arquette: As all the other reviews said, horrible customer service. The club itself is fine, but don't try to bring a guest and don't try to cancel the membership because it's impossible and no one responds. I was a member for all of a week and tried to quit because I was told when signing up a guest of mine could come if I gave them that guests info. Gave them my guests info- they never put it in the system and turned them away at the door without even trying to investigate the problem/track down the person who gave my guest the ok. Was also told they hard certain equipment for rent when they didn't. If this was a planet fitness I wouldn't complain, but this is a $200+/month club that markets itself as elite. Nothing is elite about their customer service. Per the customer agreement you get 15 days to cancel and get a refund- tried emailing the manager for my refund, tried calling the concierge and nothing yet. I'd love to know if they actually even answer the emails they get when they respond to these complaints "sorry to hear about your experience! contact us as at..."

TPMT Associates: Love it here as usual - they take care of the place and most importantly, the people who works out here take care of the place and is clean and tidy and doesn’t trash the place. As usual, it’s the people who come to gyms that are the messy/dirty and this place doesn’t have those ppl - not that I saw anyways!

John Heinemann: You get what you pay for. This gym doesn’t make sense for everyone, no one is a better person for going here, and a free gym in an apartment building is going to do 90% of what Equinox does. But the other 10%? I actually look forward to working out more when there’s both a sauna and a steam room, a saltwater pool, luxury bath products, memory foam floors for stretching, and refrigerators full of Eucalyptus infused face towels. I go for the amenities, and then I just decide to work out because I’m already there.

Lena Fleischmann: Lots of amenities (pool, basketball court, steam room, sauna, soulcyle bikes...), good customer service, they constantly make improvements by adding products in the changing rooms like razors, hair ties, curling irons etc. What I don't like about it (apart from the price obviously): it's pretty much packed no matter what time you go which is annoying - wish they had a gadget in the app that would tell you how busy it is beforehand. Also, showers aren't always very clean.

Izabella Ritz: The club has a pool with saltwater which is very convenient, covid safety is great, the thing why I didn't join is no natural lights in a building, which is very important for me personally.

Gelila Sebhatu: I called to inquiry about membership packages and I found the sales rep, Erica, a little rude and she did not directly answer my questions, which was irritating. Based on the reviews here, I’m not surprised I received this type of experience. I guess I’ll be looking elsewhere. I just wanted a nearby pool 🏊‍♀️

Ebony Williams: Do not work at equinox if you have living situation or just a situation period the manger Duane don’t care if you have living situation problems he even told one of the employees that mid shift is childish because we all going through something sorry if you hired people who have living situation or who gave problems and be careful of the Towels and hand towels they wash them in hot water only no solution that why the towels look a little dirty Yess I use to work their and got fired because I was trying to find a place to stay the days I called out because I was homeless the cleaning manger is horrible at his job and HR needs to send a Secret Santana to see how they clean the place

Eric Horne: While the Goldfish experience does teach young swimmers the basics, the 30-minute group lessons are not long enough nor is there enough space allotted within the pool to advance students at more than a snail's pace. During an average 30-minute lesson, my son only spent about 5 minutes in the water. This is simply not enough time, particularly for school-age children. The "factory" pace of lessons also makes it difficult for parents to speak with instructors and gauge progress. We did find the staff to be friendly and helpful. I also found the app to be handy in managing lessons and see some progress updates. For parents teaching their toddlers how to be comfortable in the water, Goldfish may be worth a look. For those with older children looking to build strong swimmers, there are better options.

Muthanna Jabbar: The best thing you have, that are not available at other swimming schools ( we tried before, and left after 3 months of frustration) is the idea of supervising and coaching the coaches as they need. In other places, the whole learning process depend totally on the enthusiasm of individual coaches and level of distraction they get from other other coaches chatting with them, and many other factors. Also at your school getting a post class feedback, when there is one, from the coach makes us aware of the progress, the areas of good performance and the areas that our child still need to work on. Your whole staff at Gold Fish of North Washington PA is into what they are doing. I honestly feel that each one of them is a the business owner, and believe me we tried two (non Gold Fish) different swimming classes before, one in Fort Collins, Colorado and one in Blue Bell, PA. Your school is the best. I think, the managerial support to the rest of the coaches and the team makes them do the wonderful job they are doing right now. I see all coaches are doing their best. Also they way the classes administered (lanes next to each other) makes every coach want to give his/her best and compete for a better coaching compared to their colleagues. I have great respect to each one of them. Your swimming school made me happy and totally satisfied. I am really glad that I heard about your school and decided to try it out!! I have two kids (8 & 6) years old, the 6 years old is coached by Ms Noella, she is the best because my daughter did not even learn how to float from past classes, with Ms Noella she has learned that and more and she likes to go to the class every Thursday. My son's coach is Mr. Ioan, he is a great swimming coach, a friend to my son and very task oriented professional when training my son and the other 3 kids, he just shared with me during last class that my son will be promoted to the other level very soon!!

S G (TooGoode): The instructor truly cares for my child. I like how she champions for the children with high fives, smiles, and other positive reinforcement. My child loves the water and even though less than 10 classes have been completed, my child practices when possible. The front desk staff is great. Also, the kids get a free prize every week. I look forward to seeing the progression of my child.

tiffany lerch: My daughter is 8 years old and has been with Goldfish for about 2 years now. (Including pandemic). Within a few weeks at Goldfish she learned the strokes and skills needed to keep her safe in water. She is still just working on her confidence and a few sills to graduate lessons. The small group sizes allow her to be in the water almost the entire practice. She is very comfortable with t instructors who make the lessons productive and fun!

Kelly Conaway: The teachers and staff at Goldfish are so warm and welcoming. They do a great job making all of the kids feel comfortable in the pool and confidence to keep working on their skills.

James Edinger: My daughter loves her instructor Em and is always excited to go. She’s been learning a lot and even practices in the bathtub. Always asks how many days until her next class!

Faith King: I love this swim school for Madison. Everything is centered on student safety and learning. Madison was terrified at first. During her 1st session, she cried so loud it broke my heart & I wanted to pull her out then and there. The team and her instructor remained calm, consistent and persistent while respecting her boudaries and words (you had to see it). Soothing her & challenging her without blame or shame from the second she entered the pool. She came back the very next session still timid but no tears. By the end of the 2nd session, she claimed she was a "schwimmer now" & motions for me to wait so she can get her last moments in!! She goes to each session, now, excited to wave at her instructor through the glass (interrupting his current session) & he readily waves back. Thank you so much!!

Victoria Bohdanova: My daughter is really enjoying her swimming classes at Goldfish Swim School! Special thanks to her wonderful swim coach Mr. David Roach for his professionalism and patience. I'm glad to see how my daughter has been progressing in her swimming skills from lesson to lesson! **EDITED** the only thing I forgot to mention is that it would be great to have at least 5 mins break between classes OR let in 5 mins earlier to allow everyone to follow a basic rule like taking a quick shower because now nobody follows it, kids walk barefoot in the hall and then enter pool without washing their feet. So I think that would be a good point to work on.

Sun Park: Goldfish swim school is suitable for infants to elementary kids! All the staffs are friendly and nice, and the facilities are so great. My 7 & 9 yr kids learned swimming this summer and they still come here for the 'family swim', which they could practice by themselves. And the best part is the WARM WATER👏👏!