VIDA - U Street — Local services in Washington

Pros:

They have an entire floor dedicated to power lifting that has squat racks and platforms so you don’t have to wait! One always opens up within 3-5 minutes even at peak hours.

The roof top pool is great and so is the food as well. I love those friggin’ wings and drinks!

They also never run out of sanitizer, sprays, wipes and towels.

Great hours is also a plus. I have a second membership at a competitor for later hours when my schedule entails but vida is definitely my preferred location.

The members are super friendly and great and I never see anyone not masked or sassy when they’re required; I’ve made many friends at the pool so keep that in mind.

Value is a plus; I’m used to spending ~150-300/mo for other premium/lux gyms and I feel what they charge is very fair.

Also a barber in the gym is great and they have quality cuts.

Cons:

Their billing department is deficient, I’ve never had a issue with a gym not being able to schedule recurring charges, and it seems they have been unable to properly due so.

The $150 sign up fee that gets rolled over into credit to use at the gym, it took two months for it to get added into the barber account. I had to follow up about it several times to make that happen. Very frustrating and not a very luxurious feeling to have to deal with that as a new member.

Each month billing cycle roles around and i ask them (FD) if everything is squared away and they say yup/yes you're all good. Yet for the past two months in a row they contact me weeks after it’s due saying I have late fees and haven’t paid. Even when I’ve called and spoke to them each time on the phone after the first warning they still don’t properly process it and it ends up back after 10 days in a email; you have late fees, it’s very disappointing.

I know they’re able to process my card; they’ve charged that same card “no show fees” when I’ve booked for the pool and it’s canceled due to rain. So it seems sus.

It took about 3 weeks of my effort of calling, emailing and talking to the front desk to get that squared away to refund the “no show fee” when they closed the pool due to weather. In that process many emails were not answered.

They did however eventually reverse the charges but it wasn’t easy and the communication was absent until finally getting ahold of the billing manager in person as she was taking out trash one day. She was very kind and apologizes and seemed to be the person who gets things done. If I were the owners I’d give her more tools or people to work in her department to make their billing staff efficient, or let someone else take out trash so she can better allocate her skills to where they’re most needed.

The rude front desk manager in other posts is most likely John/Jon, he doesn’t listen to guests and always responds with attitude. I tried to review my account today and was met with “well maybe you should try paying your card so it doesn’t decline”, like dude I’ve never carried a balance, and when I paid it with the same card today in person there was no issue. I definitely did not appreciate his less than helpful personality. I would like this late fee reversed but I would happily pay $10 to not have to talk to John/Jon again.

Communication Forget about trying to leave a message anywhere, inboxes are full at their billing specialists, pool inbox, everywhere on their phone tree. Emails aren’t answered, so your only chance to have them resolve any issue is in person, provided you find someone willing.

Penthouse reservations; weekend slots for premium seating are booked quickly and often occupied primarily by their employees; seems sus. If you want a spot; set a alarm for 167.9 hours before you want it and immediately book when it changes to 168 hours, else lose your chance to vibe on a daybed or cabana on the weekend.

In summary: it’s a good place and I’m sure they're doing the best they can during this pandemic, but boy it can be frustrating. If it gets better I’ll be sure to update this...

Wish I could give more stars .

I just recently moved here from Boston Massachusetts ,we had low end planet fitness ,mid range LA Fitness High end Equinox Gyms . I would have to say Vida Fitness is ,what in Massachusetts would be labeled a high end fitness facility ,but amazingly ( and fortunately for me) a mid range price . The staff from the front desk to management is the best . The giveaways at signing up for membership ,bonus classes offers ,and two free appointments for most of their offered services . The locker rooms always clean and well maintained,The sauna and steam room occasionally has issues as do occasionally any facilities ,but they work fast to get them back into service if this happens . Get a haircut at the salon ,get a spa visit while you're there . An outside area to exercise, or chill outside . Studos available to get away for a minute when classes aren't in session . A large stretching area with turf surfaces . Extra free weights upstairs for hours when trainers aren't with customers can be used . The cherry on top the rooftop pool .

I also signed up for some personal training ,for me its a bit more .Any personal trainer should be a kinesthesiologist by mere definition of the trade ,but i required someone with a bit more experience when getting assistance because of long term compensatory issues of years after an injury . I was skeptical and decided since everything else had gone so smoothly.. then this should be the same ,but still hesitant ? I went in for my first appointment with Ari Davis person trainer there ,and it was more than expected .He really knows his stuff . After a session i walked away feeling better than in a long time in the sense that i was shown definitively what has been happening and what i need to do to correct it .reasonable payment plans for training sessions. I hope they are paying Ari well as he could definitely make a killing on his own somewhere .I signed up for 12 more and expect to get a package of 50 soon when i can afford more .

The hours are great too open much later than most gyms post covid .and open earlier as well .alot of gyms after covid saw their bottom line improve, and decided to shave hours at expense of a percentage of gym goers ( happened to me at Boston sports Clubs ) and they never went back to original hours . Im assuming Vida did cut hours over covid times (I wasn't there ) and glad they are at normal hours for sure .

Can't say enough about Vida Fitness U Street my new home...

UPDATE 1:

My complaint, filled with facts, was not vague; I approached the instructor and then management about feeling disrespected and harassed. Instead of support, I faced weeks of silence, only to be blamed for the employee’s unprofessionalism. Every attempt to communicate was ignored—even when raising a serious matter like video cameras installed in the locker room, which could lead to legal consequences for the company as it violates both district and federal laws. At every level, I faced denial, blame-shifting, and zero acknowledgment of my experience. An apology? Not even a classic, “We’re sorry if you felt that way.”

Best regards, Ilson Serious Customer Service Failures and Privacy Violations at VIDA Fitness

I have been a customer of VIDA Fitness for over a year, and after numerous serious incidents, it’s clear that VIDA Fitness is not concerned with addressing customer complaints or even serious legal concerns. Here’s what happened:

Harassment during a Zumba class: The incident involved the instructor and another employee, and despite my report to management, I was ignored for weeks. When I finally got a response, the manager protected the employees and blamed me for the harassment.

Mistreated at the rooftop pool: A group of friends and I were mistreated by staff. All attempts to communicate with management were completely ignored.

Poor responses to inquiries: From questions about locker rentals to complaints about broken equipment, I’ve been repeatedly dismissed or outright ignored.

Cameras in the changing rooms: VIDA Fitness installed cameras inside the changing room without explaining why. I emailed management, citing both DC and federal laws that prohibit this, and was ignored once again.

VIDA Fitness’s lack of accountability and their refusal to address these serious issues sends a clear message: they do not prioritize their customers. This pattern of ignoring legitimate concerns is unacceptable, and ignoring me will not silence the truth. People deserve to know...