Emler Swim School of Austin-Westlake — Attraction in Austin

UPDATE: I just wanted to add an update to my post. I just received a call from the manager Megan who was so so sweet and empathized with the situation and has granted the refund and offered a complimentary orientation when we are able to come back.

I'm super impressed with how quick Megan's reponse was to the review and I'll continue to recommend them as a swim school.

Thank you again! :)

I'm sad to have to post this, but I would NOT recommend. I've been bringing my baby here since he was 2 months old and the classes were great (they're babies, it's mainly just playing in the water but I knew what I was signing up for.) The classes were $45 per month.

I went to re-enroll him through the website, using his previous student profile they only show you the classes that are a fit for the child's age.

I just selected a similar time as his old class on Saturday. The box said $35/tuition. I thought to myself that it was cheaper than it had been previously.

When I put the class in the cart, it says it will be $75. I assumed it was the tuition plus a re-enrollment fee.

I missed the first class, attended the second class, which was nearly identical to the classes we had been taking before.

I was then charged an additional $188 to my card.

I called numerous times and sent emails trying to figure out what the additional charge was for.

I finally hear back from a Tiffany who says it was the March tuition. I explain that it used to be $45, I am not open to paying $188 per month and I would like to be refunded as I won't be attending the classes. She said that he is in a different class now and they aren't enrolling for the previous class. This information isn't anywhere on the site, and if I had known this was the case I would not have re-enrolled.

I was told that they don't do refunds and only account credits. I said I will not be open to paying $188 for swim class any time soon and would just like to be refunded for the $188, I'm fine with the $75 I agreed to even thought I didn't attend both classes.

Tiffany refused to help me. I called the corporate line and they refused to help me. The rep on the help line only spoke over me, interrupting me, and trying to explain the value of the class and how the new class is more skill-based than the previous one (didn't seem that way in the class I went to).

And because the website only allowed the soonest "drop date" to be 3/27, and then it took them half a week to "approve" the drop date -- Amex says that because they listed it as a recurring charge and the cancellation date was after the charge came out, that there is no dispute option and I would need the merchant to assist me. Which they have refused.

It's a shame because I've only spoken highly of Emlers and have really enjoyed our time there, but the way this situation was handled seemed intentially deceptive and at the...

I quite literally can't say enough great things about Emler Westlake. I was just recommending Emler and this location yesterday to another friend. My little guy started at Emler when he was 2 months old in the Bathtime Babies class and we've been hooked ever since. It's very important to make it fun and safe and they tick all the boxes. Bathtime Babies is a must for your little one! We've gotten so much out of the classes - to the point where Newt practices in the bathtub the things he learns in class and sings the songs. From the very beginning starting with Emler, they make it fun and engaging. Newt is so excited to go to swim class every time. We've had our days where we've missed a nap, or are just in our feels and they go ABOVE and BEYOND to make sure he has what he needs to succeed. It may be a deck person sitting next to him with toys, or choosing colors of things, something so simple but they're able to turn it around for him and it means the world. You can tell that everyone that works at Emler loves their job, loves teaching swim safety and they really care about us. We're not just another client, they know us by name when we enter and everyone says hi to Newt and he just loves it. He's advanced so well in swim, even with having to take months off during the pandemic. He came back and took it back like it was nothing and now he's swimming on his own . We love all the teachers and we've had nearly every teacher at Emler! They're all fabulous and have enriched Newts swimming time in different ways. The managers and front desk staff are always there to help and guide you in making the right decisions for swim classes - they even helped us when our car was dead in the parking lot after class. I'm not kidding when I say they care and go above and beyond. I don't say that lightly. I feel so confident and safe having Newt swim with Emler. WE LOVE...

We live in steiner ranch but drive to Emler in Westlake because the staff is worth the drive! Our now 4 year old daughter started here when she was 3 and last summer she ended with being able to swim under water without assistance for 10 seconds. We took a break for the winter and tried again this summer but our daughter has grown into a bit more fear so she was a little more slow to warm up this time around. The staff was nothing but amazing with her despite the challenges of getting her to go under water again and tried so hard to help her leave on a positive note. In the end, we decided as a family to take a break from swim as it was a fight every saturday.

I wasn't there to witness but my husband took our daughter to swim last week and she just didn't have a good time but my husband told me there was an employee who was fully clothed that was out just supervising around the pool who came to give her a high five just to have our daughter leave on a positive note and when my daughter gave her a high five she fell in the pool as a joke to make my daughter laugh. She obviously thought it was hilarious and apparently this employee did it again to make her laugh a second time! That is the kind of effort this staff will take just to provide a positive experience for the kiddos.

We have only great things to say about this place as every interaction we have had has been such a great one and we will definitely return once we can work through some of the fears our daughter has! When we called to cancel they even offered to do a private lesson so that she could leave on a positive note but we just decided to move forward with taking a break.

The staff here are so so great! We'll be back for sure when the...