Equinox Newport Beach — Attraction in Irvine

I joined Equinox at the end of May 2024 and have been so pleased with my experience so far. I just turned 40 and Equinox is helping me get leaner and stronger (I have already lost 6-7 pounds in 3-4 months and reduced my body mass index, overall body fat %, and blood pressure). Annie, my membership advisor, was pleasant and polished, but not pushy, in helping me join (she has since moved to the Huntington Beach location). I was initially frustrated that the locker room did not have locks, but the Newport Beach location underwent some renovations this summer and new lockers with combination style locks were installed (and in hindsight, purchasing a $7 lock from Target was not a big deal and I somewhat miss the old, bigger lockers which allowed me to hang skirts and dresses easily). All the staff are friendly and professional. The facilities are very clean and the white, crisp towels and steam room are wonderful. I wish Equinox still had a partnership/purchasing agreement with Kiehl's, but Grown Alchemist bath products are still nice. It is an investment and pricey, but it has been worth it for me, especially because I love the variety of classes and instructors. A few shout-outs to some of the incredible instructors: Matthew Makings (Barre, Pilates Mat and Cardio Sculpt... precise, polite, and lovely, master of long, lean muscle building), Danielle English (Pilates Mat... fabulous form and cueing, so happy she is in the OC, I used to take her class in LA at Speir Pilates and excited she will be teaching reformer Pilates at Speir Newport Beach later this year), William Bui (Strength Training - Metabolic Conditioning, Athletic Conditioning, Circuit Training, Tabata... Will and his girlfriend, Cynthia, who also works for Equinox are adorable and so welcoming, you can contact Cynthia at the Huntington Beach location to join, Will's energy is off the charts and his own personal health/weight loss journey is inspiring), Kelly Hesp (Barre... hello model and former Lakers Girl with incredible flexibility who can supercharge anyone's day... work girl!), Rachele Marsh (Barre and Pilates... #bodygoals, hands-on instructor, nurturing/encouraging), Alexis Holden (Yoga... seriously the sweetest and appreciate how she incorporates muscle activation and shoulder flossing)! I have also enjoyed Lindsey Treadwell (Barre... model/former Alvin Ailey dancer, a little bouncy/tough on my middle-aged knees but a great workout), Kisha Maher (Barre... solid, strong and cut, challenging), and Natalie Makardish (great energy and never stops smiling). I am a physician (outpatient) but find the hours and class times to be accommodating. Highly recommend you check out one of the OC clubs (Newport Beach location is my favorite, Huntington Beach location has a beautiful view of the ocean but no pool, Irvine/Sports Club Orange County location is multilevel with more class offerings/larger studios, valet parking, squash, and slightly younger crowd but the facility does feel a bit dated in...

My experience with this gym started off on a fantastic note. The equipment is spotless and everybody seems to have just a generally good vibe. The trainers are willing to put in as much effort as you are, and that is a really good driving force at least for someone like me. However, the issues started once I pre-purchased a 12 pack of training session with them. I had of course, given them my credit card to pay for the monthly fees so once I had my last session, I obviously stopped going to my trainer, who I had a very good back-and-forth with. I stopped going to my trainer and we had a understanding that our training sessions had stopped since it was all pre-purchased and that was on the dotted line and everything. A whole month passes and low and behold, they had been charging me each week for training sessions that I never agreed to pay for. What’s worse is that my trainer and I had had many conversations over that month and once I went to him directly to question these charges, all he had to say was talk to the billing department. I felt an immediate disconnect from the staff and immediately started feeling like a number. I discussed this with the general manager of my location as well as a couple people at their headquarters and you would not believe the amount of effort and time it took just to get my membership canceled. The “canceling a gym membership “is a nightmare, is absolutely true especially with this Jim. Next part is that it frankly got sad. A whole six months after this debacle I received a collection bill for an additional $500 from them saying that since I had turned off my credit card after having them cancel my membership, that they had continued to charge me and they put it on my credit. On my credit! After having discussed multiple times with multiple different people about getting this membership canceled. So it just goes to show that even though the face of a company is welcoming sadly there is always something in the back end that comes to bite you. I thought I read through all the paperwork they gave me pretty darn well and am convinced that they are charging me and other people in a… I won’t say illegal way, but frankly it kind of feels like that. so all in all I was only a member of this gym for about eight months and canceling the membership ended up costing me three times the amount. All in all… As long as you have the money to never cancel your membership then you are good, otherwise I would start with a 24...

Gym Review Summary

Positive Points: Cleanliness and Atmosphere • The gym is clean and smells nice. • Majority of members are polite and respectful. Friendly Staff • Most of the staff are nice and helpful. Convenient Location • Located next to Google and other dining places.

Negative Points: Operating Hours • Closes at 9 pm on weekdays and 5 pm on weekends – considered lazy for a high-end gym. Equipment Issues • Machines are old and rusty. • Machines are not lubricated properly. Pool and Spa Issues • Pool is outside – members have to walk through the gym while wet. • No jacuzzi and pool is not deep enough. • No sauna – other Equinox gyms have saunas. Steam Room Problems • Non-members enter steam room in dirty, smelly clothes – needs security to prevent this. • Some members wear shoes or clothes in the steam room, creating an unsanitary environment. Weird or Problematic Members • Example: A man in grey sweatpants tucked into socks and a yellow shirt leaves smelly food in the locker room and offers open Gatorade to others – suspicious behavior. • Some members stalk others or make inappropriate comments in the locker rooms – potential harassment issue. Rude Receptionist • One receptionist (described as short, Asian, and buff) is rude and negative. Safety Concerns Outside Gym • Street next to the gym feels unsafe due to the presence of homeless people – issue with city governance, not the gym itself.

Suggestions for Improvement: • Extend operating hours. • Upgrade and maintain gym machines. • Add a jacuzzi and sauna. • Improve steam room security – consider adding a buff security guard. • Address member misconduct and inappropriate behavior. • Train or replace the rude...