Club Pilates — Local services in Montclair

I’ve been a loyal member of Club Pilates Montclair since last March through ClassPass, and until now, my experience has been relatively positive. However, I had a very frustrating interaction today that left me disappointed, upset, and feeling like my loyalty to the club was completely unappreciated.

I arrived for my 6:30 PM class today, February 26th, and although I was 9 minutes late, I explained to the receptionist that parking in the area is often difficult, which is something anyone familiar with Montclair will understand. Despite this, the receptionist at the front desk refused to let me participate in class, citing the policy that no one can join after five minutes.

I was genuinely surprised, as I had never heard of this policy during all my months of attendance. The policy is not posted anywhere at the studio or on ClassPass, so had I known about it, I would’ve been more mindful of the time. I kindly explained that I was unaware of such a rule and assumed it must be a recent change. The receptionist, however, was dismissive, unhelpful, and clearly lacking in both knowledge and understanding of the situation. She seemed uninterested in offering any assistance or clarifying the rule, and her attitude was cold and indifferent.

When I asked to speak with a supervisor to clear up the misunderstanding, the receptionist initially refused but eventually agreed. The supervisor, Ferdinand, confirmed that the rule was actually "no admission after ten minutes," not five minutes as the receptionist had stated. I was in the door well before the 10-minute cut-off, so I was well within the window to join the class.

Despite this, the front desk staff still refused to let me participate. I’m not sure why I was singled out or why there was such a lack of empathy or grace given my situation. The receptionist’s behavior was rude, unprofessional, and unapologetic. She even lied about the time, which further contributed to my frustration and made me feel completely disrespected.

Had I known about this rule, I would have made sure to arrive earlier. It’s very disappointing that, after almost a year of participating at this studio, this is how I was treated. I really hope the management takes a look at how customer service is handled at this location, especially when a simple situation could have been resolved with understanding...

UPDATE: Someone from a third party billing service called me and wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise, saying that she couldn't hear me; I have every reason to believe this was a lie. I spoke with the National Sales Director of Club Pilates Corporate who told me that he couldn't do anything as all of the studios were independently owned and operated. I have now sent 3 emails to the club with a letter from my doctor saying that I cannot do pilates AND I am moving out of the area. They are clearly not interested in settling this matter. This is a truly slimy way to run a business. They will never get a valid credit card from me – I don't trust them to charge my card appropriately even if they said they would do so. What a bunch of cheats.

I had to freeze and then cancel my membership due to a surgery. The staff member who put my on the "freeze" told me that I would pay $15 per month to hold my account, but that I would have to give them 30 days notice if I wanted to cancel. That was it. Full stop. Today (before the 30 day marker started), I called to cancel (because you can't do it online), and I was told that I would have to pay the full subscription rate at the end of the 30 days being told that it was their "policy". What a load of rubbish! I cannot use the membership for medical reasons, and the person who gave me the information regarding freezing my account NEVER told me about this one policy – which I can only imagine is intentional so that they corner you into paying. This is corporate nonsense. Thankfully, my credit card expired and they can't put any additional charges through. I was told "Corporate" would be calling me – I sure hope they do. If you join, be aware – whatever "deal" they claim to be giving you, there are undoubtedly hidden costs which they will spring on you as "policy" as you're walking out the door....

I had a frustrating experience at this studio that I feel compelled to share. Recently, I attended a class and, unfortunately, forgot to bring my socks. I had to purchase a new pair at the studio, which I was willing to do. However, when I attempted to check out, the staff member at the front couldn't figure out how to use the payment machine and informed me they would charge my card on file instead.

I completely forgot about this arrangement and was shocked to later receive a call stating I had been charged a $41 for a late fee. It’s incredibly frustrating that the staff's inability to process payments correctly resulted in this charge. To make matters worse, I received no prior communication—neither an email, call, nor text—regarding the charge.

When I raised my concerns with the lady on the phone, she simply responded with silence and a casual “okay,” yet the charge still stood. Charging someone $41 for a pair of socks feels excessive, and it raises questions about the studio’s practices. I strongly urge management to provide better training for their staff to prevent situations like this from happening in the future. They’re honestly lucky I even called them back to pay because I’m not even a member anymore and will never be returning and will never recommend this place to anyone. I’ll make sure to announce this to my 40k+ followers as well. & I’m truly not shocked by the 1 star reviews of the racist treatment...