Planet Fitness — Local services in New York

Update August 16, 2025: UNSAFE LOCATION. The aircon issues continue here; not surprised another reviewer fainted. Everyone has pointed this put for years and years (“dangerously hot”) and no one doing anything about the 80-plus-degree temps. But there’s issues a-plenty here. This location DOESN'T FEEL SAFE on many levels: It’s up on the third floor of an empty-feeling East Harlem mall with numerous shut-down storefronts including a Target closed over theft issues. The escalators and main elevators are broken for many months at a time as other reviewers mention. Meaning: gym members are forced to use lonely parking garage elevators and stairwells before and after the Costco closes, and it feels very, very deserted. And the crowd here is mainly local, and you get some very VERY belligerent members, hogging the machines, spoiling for fights. Some great working-class people too, but this can be a rough crowd. And the front-desk staff is (rightly?) terrified to say anything or get involved. And that’s kind of the bottom line explaining why it’s so dysfunctional: other reviews report managers not on site an awful lot of the time (unsurprisingly), and if you’ve got a problem, and you get someone on the phone like the awful/much-complained about manager “Johnell Smith” (no record for someone of this name anywhere, and she is immediately hostile when asked to give her name) you will find yourself playing defense, especially if you are white. “Johnell Smith" lies, speaks over people, is blatantly disrespectful and shouldn’t be doing anything like this for a living. (See what Khaleef Dickerson has to say about “Janelle.”) It may be that parent company Supreme Fitness is trying to avoid lawsuits/any conflict at all, but like reviewer Lucia Bautista, you can find yourself kicked out even if you’re the one who complains first. A friend was assaulted here by someone using a hamstring machine instead as a personal weight bench—who had said she’d be done “soon". As with other reviewers, my friend tried to go for help and only after being literally ASSAULTED finally got to deal with the horrific “management” (every bit of it over the phone), "management now inventing just anything to make it look like the complainant is in the wrong, everyone getting kicked out supposedly to head off lawsuits. (Note to management: don’t bother providing an email below so people can “talk” about “what happened.” It’s all bogus, the fake concern.) Take a close look at the vaguely worded positive reviews and the other businesses this gym's reviewers are reviewing—in New Jersey and so on. The reviewers appear not local, their reviews smell fake/paid for by management. Look these employees up on Linkedin as employees of Supreme Fitness instead of Planet Fitness; they are unfindable on purpose.

Update July 17, 2023: The hot temperature of the gym is still a problem. The staff has no intention of remedying this in spite of the pathetic pretense of having everyone who complains be in touch. Well perhaps that is for a refund. Thermostats routinely at 79 degrees. Someone else reports seeing 81-degree readings. It's disgraceful, uncomfortable, goes against trade-organization recommendations, and it's unsanitary.

The uncomfortable rooms are supposed to be 69 degrees, at least that's how the thermostats are set though the IFA (Intl Fitness Association) recommends 65...

For at least 3 years now the temperature inside during the warmer months(like now) is at least +92 degrees. I've noticed a couple of other reviewers mention the same thing.

It's disgusting and unsafe and every time I ask about it I hear the same thing "We have to be cautious about running the AC as it'll shut down the entire AC system for the club or it's the Mall's problem" Seriously? I have a solution, either the Mall or PF FIX it...bottom line!

Additionally they've made some bone head moves that shows that management/ownership has no idea what their members want.

For example, they unexpectedly took out a member favorite, the stretching cage and in it's place put 3 small back stretching benches that I've noticed very few people using. Granted the cage was rather large but it was one of the fav machines at the gym. Every member I speak with scratches their head about that move..Bring back the freaking cage as it was a great way to start/end your workout. Every other gym I've visited understands the importance of having at least one stretching apparatus.

Additionally, there's no oversight of the members so people will take dumbells and other weighty objects and just place them next to where their working out and completely block passageways. How the people at the front desk don't do something about this amazes me..actually I know why, they just don't care.."not my yob":. Sometimes I have to weave through already tight corridors with the hope I won't trip or bang my toes against these heavy objects..not safe at all.

And lastly, in another example of how management has no clue what their doing, they only have 2 of the very popular chest/pec fly machines(when one's not broken) and their location in front of the bank of TVs encourages people to sit there longer(play with their phones in-between sets) while a steady parade of people walk by trying to drop hints..not very strategic at all. Should be in a location where members will use it and move on..not watch sports on TV..either that or get 2 more of them..yes, they're that popular.

Anyway, it's a shame as it's a nicely sized club and it's clean..

I think their attitude is you get what you pay for buddy..well, many like myself are thinking about exiting and if you're thinking about joining you might want to save my post and reference it when you visit and see for...

I've been coming here on and off for about 6 years at this point. I also have a black card and have been to most of the other PF gym's so I have a pretty good frame of reference and what to expect from a Planet Fitness. I like to compare it to McDonald's experience because it's inexpensive, ubiquitous, and the “product” is fairly consistent, regardless of where you go.

I've heard horror story about cancellations, but when I had to cancel my membership during COVID-19, it was pretty seamless. My only gripe is that I had to do it in person, and it couldn't be done through the website. But I'm certain if that made that easy to cancel your membership, revenue would tank drastically.

As for this location itself, this is one of the better locations for several reasons.

The staff are pretty attentive, and I've never had any issues with them. Most of them making it a point to say goodbye when you leave, which is not the case in many other PF locations. The staff are always wiping down the machine and mopping the floors.

The gym has natural lighting. It seems like a small thing, but makes a HUGE difference in how you feel. A lot of the other PF locations are in cramped basements, and it's an entirely different vibe.

My gripes are as follows:

Because this location sees pretty heavy utilization, the weigh machines breakdown fairly often and don't get repaired for days on end every so often.

There is limited room to stretch out. You have to awkwardly situate yourself between machines to do so.

There are far too many cardio machines. The ratio is off. To be fair, this is every PF I've been to. Perhaps it's a formula they have that is dictated by corporate, but it needs to be reconfigured. I know space is limited, but they can get afford to get rid of some cardio machines to make room for 1 or 2 Smith Machines, which is probably the most popular machine at the gym. Do that and I'll give this place 5...