Yoga Hell Brooklyn - Hot Yoga and Hot Pilates Boutique — Local services in New York

I rarely leave reviews, but this experience was so shockingly bad that I felt compelled to share my thoughts. I’ve been to over 20 yoga studios in New York, and I have never had such a bad experience. If you gave me a free membership, I still wouldn’t come back, and based on the reviews below which just have a fake response, it looks like everyone else agrees.

First off, the hygiene is terrible. The mats are not properly cleaned, and the studio itself feels unkempt. At every other place I’ve been to, they clean the mats for you, ensuring a sanitary environment. Here, that basic standard isn’t met.

The front desk staff was unnecessarily rigid. I get that studios have policies, but there’s a way to communicate them without coming off as rude. I was told that if I was even five minutes late, I wouldn’t be allowed in because the instructor is “strict.” From the start, it felt unwelcoming.

Inside the class, it only got worse. I whispered to my sister to check if she was okay, and the instructor made a passive-aggressive comment in front of everyone about “no talking.” Then, when my sister stepped out to grab her towel, instead of asking why, the instructor immediately snapped, “Where do you think you’re going? You’re not allowed to leave.” What if she needed air? Or to use the bathroom? There was no consideration at all.

As for the class itself—calling it “hot yoga” is a stretch. There are no heated floors, just machines blowing warm air, which doesn’t create the right environment. The instructor barely moved, choosing to stand and verbally explain movements as if everyone in the room had been taking her class for months. If I wanted an audio guide, I could have stayed home.

To top it off, the overall atmosphere was unmotivating, the studio felt dirty, and the instructor lacked the professionalism and approachability that would make anyone want to return. Personal grooming aside, maintaining hygiene in a fitness space should be a priority.

Fuze House, which was a recent studio I’ve gone to offers an infinitely better experience for $35 per class—clean space, engaged instructors, and a welcoming atmosphere. Meanwhile, Yoga Hell Brooklyn feels like they’re doing everything possible to drive new clients away for the same pricing...

I wish I could give 0 stars for the way they treat people ! At the start of the pandemic when everything just closed down, Yoga Hell charged me my monthly payment when we didn’t even know what would happen the next day or if we would return to the studio any time soon. I contacted Katia via phone immediately to ask for a refund or how we can go about this and she stated that I had to give them a 30 day notice before the billing date to pause/cancel my membership. Less than 30 days before my billing date that month , our city was shut down. How was I supposed to know that this would happen? She started saying how our payments go straight to their bills and their payments that they need to pay in order to keep the place going and there was no way to refund me back. That should not be our issue ! I asked her to pause my membership for a few months until the studio reopens and I return back. Suddenly in August, I get charged for my membership again while it was still paused and I was not attending any classes. So I reached out to Katia again and she was able to refund me back right away without any issues but for some reason she was not able to refund me a few months back when the studio was closed. I tried contacting her again multiple times after but was hearing the same responses and that she can offer me those months missed free of charge after I have told her multiple times that I have moved and am not able to make it. After my mom made a comment under one of their posts asking for her to respond to our situation, Katia has sent a message to her saying that her comment was inappropriate and that our feedback is irrelevant and blocked my mom. My mom and I have brought many people to her studio and the way she acted towards this situation was...

I’ve been debating whether or not to write this because I used to be really loyal to Yoga Hell. I went often, supported the studio, and genuinely liked the classes. But after what happened on March 28th, I haven’t stepped foot back and I never will.

That morning, I took an 8:15 AM class with Katia. I had my phone with me in the yoga room. Yes, I know Katia doesn’t like that — but respectfully, I really don’t care. There are no signs anywhere that say phones aren’t allowed, so I brought mine in like I always do. The class ended at 9 AM, and right at 9, I had to send a super quick work text. It was going to take me two seconds.

Now here’s where it got absolutely insane: Katia, the owner of the studio, walked up behind me and snatched my phone out of my hand. Like literally grabbed it and stormed out. I was so stunned I didn’t even know how to react. Who does that? I’m a grown adult, not a teenager in detention. That was such an aggressive and inappropriate thing to do — especially from someone who owns a yoga business that’s supposed to be centered around peace, respect, and mindfulness.

What made it even weirder was that she called me after and apologized — but not because she felt bad, just because, in her words, it “wasn’t very nice.” Deep down, I knew she didn’t actually care. It felt performative. Like she was just covering her tracks, not genuinely sorry for crossing a major boundary.

After that, I never went back. I felt completely uneasy and disrespected. It’s one thing to ask someone to put their phone away — but it’s a whole different level to physically take it out of their hands. That’s not yoga. That’s just control.

Think twice...