Mariner Square Athletic Club

This is my happy place. The childcare is what convinced me to join. The childcare providers are absolutely the best. It’s the same 4 women and my kids know them all, so it’s a very comforting and fun experience for them! They have lots of toys, they change diapers and you can drop in. No appointment necessary.
The gym itself offers so many classes don’t know where to begin. Yoga, Pilates, Crossfit, Circut training, Zumba, Barre, aqua aerobics, etc. The teachers are all great!
I really like that there is a more «private» room upstairs if you want to get away from the bustle of the main workout rooms. This used to be the «women’s» room but some jerk complained that it was sexist, so they had to change it (WTF, dude? Get a grip). Anyways, it’s still a nice little retreat back there and usually not very crowded.
The clientele is great. Mostly the 65+ crowd, so not competitive and very mellow. Lots of community. I feel like I’m around friends when I come here.
The women’s locker room is pristine. The sauna, steam room and hot tub are all clean and are the icing on the cake of this wonderful facility.
5 stars!

I don’t care about any of the stuff besides the weight room, which is almost always a light-​to-​no crowd at all when I go in the mornings.
The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is because the only «real» pull up bar is in the Crossfit room and the trainer hates when people enter it who aren’t in his classes.
The ‘other’ pull up bars they have in the weight room are really just the ultra-​wide handles, so you’re forced to use a very wide grip which I don’t like.
Still beats 24 on Webster without a doubt.

Open to temporary memberships. Weight rooms never crowded.
Most gyms are very strict about their membership plans and won’t give you memberships for specific periods of time, but not Mariner! Working and living in Alameda for only 45 days, and they gave me a pass for exactly that amount of time and prorated it!
I only lift weights here and I am satisfied with the quantity and layout of the place. Roughly 2 rooms for weight lifting machines, 1 room for free weights, and 1 room for barbells including 2 squat racks. Never have I been to this gym and felt crowded, and many members are older so the weight rooms don’t get as used. I usually go to the gym at 11am though so I can’t tell you the conditions at peak hours.
Also this place is near a Safeway, Target, In-​and-​Out, and Chipotle so it is convenient for errands as well.

I love this gym because it’s not infested with loud and obnoxious steroid injecting knuckleheads. It’s a clean space with almost everything you can ask for in a major gym. Pools, racquet ball, free weights, yoga, Pilates, Zumba and what not.
One complain that it is a bit on the pricey side.

They should have a clue, but they don’t. If the lowered the price by ½ they would have 5 times more people. Most of the time I go there, there are only like 2 or 3 people working out. It is nice not having to wait for a machine, but there is something about having the energy of others working out around you to inspire you. Currently most of the people that go there are retired. The machines are really old. They need to hire a consultant to repaint both the inside and outside… change the lighting and do an analysis on the fees.
Inside it is drab and there just isn’t any energy to it. The paint, the lighting, the music all suck. The outside which they just painted looks more like a meditation studio not a gym. My garage is more inspiring than that gym.
The hours on the weekend are 7am to 7 pm so if you have something to do you can’t work out. I only go there because of the location.
We were also upset they closed it for 10 days and didn’t prorate the fee.

Maybe I was spoiled by Equinox, but I was thoroughly disappointed. I haven’t seen pools stained so much since I visited the third world. This place may have been nice 10, 20 years ago but now it is in bad need of an update. The hot tub smelled more like sweat than chlorine, which is concerning as well.
The locker rooms are not connected to the pool, which is odd, but there is a shower at the pool if you don’t want to walk bare-​chested through the lobby. The soap in the showers seemed watered down to me. I think public facilities I’ve used are more appealing than this place. I’m sorry.
The towels are in the lobby, so grab one before you head to a locker room.

I recently joined Mariner’s Square after ending my 5-​year membership at another health club. I am seriously so happy to have landed here! The vibe is very mellow; the people are down to earth. I have come across some GREAT teachers — in fact, one of my teachers from other spots in town teaches here — such a treat to see her multiple times a week. There is such a range of classes throughout the day– haven’t tried them all yet but have liked what I have tried — a range of teachers, members. The dance studio where they hold dance and pilates type classes (and I’m guessing other classes too) — is the nicest in town. No joke (and I have visited and tried out classes at every other health club in town! Good floors, ample space, well it with natural light. It makes such a difference to work out and have space to move around! I can’t say enough good about this spot. Even after just three weeks or so, I feel right at home. Also, it’s very clean — a big deal for me, and they are really taking the drought seriously — I appreciate that, too. Even got a call about using my two free workouts with a trainer bc I haven’t done that yet — I like the follow up. They just did some remodeling, too — so looks nice. Though I live on the other side of town, it’s been really worth it to make the drive so that I can get my classes in and keep my calm. Totally recommend this club. I know you can try it out for free– that’s what I did — so you can see for yourself if it’s a good fit.

I have joined and quit this gym three times in the last 10 years. It has a lot of things going for it: an indoor swimming pool, some good classes, and a wide variety of equipment. It has a couple things not going for it: I had a personal trainer not show up twice for appointments and it is more expensive than the other clubs nearby.
I just decided to quit again. I was thinking about it because of the price anyway, but what made me decide was that the gym closed for 10 days for renovations and didn’t pro-​rate the month at all. I was paying for a whole month when I could only use two thirds of the month. when I called to complain they pointed out that it’s written into the contract that they can close for renovations without refunding any money.
I don’t know why anyone would want to pay for a gym when it is closed.

This is a really lovely club. Clean, spacious, friendly and attentive staff. I love the pool — swimming and water exercise is so good.

Good amenities. The pool and bathrooms are kept clean. Gym and weightrooms are neat, aside from the occasional broken treadmill/​s cardio area is good. Staff members are friendly, knowledgeable. I haven’t joined any group classes, so i’d assume they’re good cus they get people to join.
Bad. Crossfit. If you are a beginner, look somewhere else. 4x i requested for a beginner session. 4x they told me to come back on a certain day and time, 4x i had to adjust work/​personal schedules, and, they saw me in the gym. 4x they told me to come back on a certain day and time. One excuse after another: «no trainer, no beginners class, they’re preparing for a competition, etc.» They should not tell prospective clients things that they cannot deliver. Or better yet, if they want to get more clients/​business, they should get the new members and beginners more involved. Next, they should invest a little more on the basketball section. Hoop is old, and so are the balls. Management should realize if the balls are getting worn out fast, means they’re used a lot (or they’re buying cheap basketballs).

Great gym! Glad they have the Green Fare Café upstairs now! That way I can eat breakfast or lunch there or pick it up when I don’t have time to make my lunch. I like that there is healthy choices now! Plus the people are friendly!

They have complimentary passes! Definitely fits my travel needs. Loving this gym while I am in Alameda. It is never packed and there are multiple rooms that are spacious and not crowded. You are able to get a workout in without feeling overwhelmed.

One of the worst club that I ever experienced. The membership is non-​professional and doesn’t have the skills to deal with the customers. The stuff and manager are very rude. Watch out! It’s not worth it.

Womens locker room is fixed so the club is cool. Lots of equipment.

Me and my boyfriend would usually go night swimming here every weekend. It’s very relaxing since there’s no time limit on using it and stuff. I love their new women’s locker room. They put a hot tub/​jacuzzi where you can swim naked! Lol. But anyways, the only thing me and my boyfriend experienced was when were there one time, there was this couple who just finished working out went straight to the pool! Like really? Doesnt it say everywhere around the pool area to take a shower first before getting into the pool?! That was it… But other than that, we enjoyed here.

Great renovations with this facility!
My parents used to bring us swimming here in the 80s and 90s… So coming here today as an adult it brought back many good childhood memories, the family swims free days (on weekends) keeps a huge double lane open just for kids that want to play, and there are many other lanes for doing laps. The hot tub is also very relaxing! After spending an afternoon doing laps and then relaxing in the hot tub, I felt like I just came from a nice massage ! :-)
Speaking of massages, Hilda has been doing an excellent job as a maseusse at that health club since I can remember. my mom still gets massages with her frequently. I really must start coming here more often, what a pleasant experience!
Also I do not have to worry about being gawked at by men trying to pick up on the next girl that walks by… This is not that kind of gym! (About 100 steps up from any 24 hour fitness or Ballys)!
The renovated showers are so nice I actually felt comfortable not wearing sandals in the shower stalls (although everyone should for health purposes). Also everyone takes showers before entering the pool or hot tub!
This is a clean, relaxing gym. They also have good food in the new dining area, and most importantly their workout /​weights area is outstanding and plentiful! 5+++++ stars!!!

A lot better than 24hr fitness. I like to work out in peace and not have to wait for someone to get off the machine and then be able to use it.
It’s very relaxing and peaceful working out here. They have almost everything you need. Been a member for almost a year now and still loving it!

Ton’s of regular here, which is a good thing!
Reviewing places where you are a regular feels risky but here it is.
First and foremost; BRING earphones; explanation somewhere below.
1. The #1 and #2 reasons to come to Mariner are Jean Claude’s spin class and Ann Moore’s re-​posturing class. Ann’s class costs members $ 10 but is SO worth it. If for some random reason you care I think of Ann’s class; refer to her Unilocal page (Back to Life Wellness) where I praise her through and through.
JC’s class is worth a good 50% of my membership dues. This dude brings it 300% every single day. He teaches multiple spin classes and is still working 100% harder then anyone in the class is; and believe me, everyone in that class is working their little legs off! The techno music took me by surprise but you barely hear it when you are working on those «steeeeep hills or following Jean Claude’s commands of «faster! 1−2−3−4−5… 1−2−3−4−5−6−7… OK slow down down down…»
2. The real reason I joined MSAC is because I got fed up w 24 hour fitness (read that review– it is full of truth.) Show up here any time of day or day of week and get your full workout in 100%. There is always a treadmill available; everyone allows you to work in, and the clientele is older and much more considerate. The equipment is not state of the art; but everything works, and is clean. They’ve upgraded a lot in the past few years so that has been great.
PS: I think the last treadmill on the left (next to the elliptical and directly in front of the tv programmed to CNN) has a permanent incline of 1.5%. It doesn’t read that it does, but whenever I get on it, it is noticeably different then the rest.
Now I’m going to list the thing’s that I feel like everyone else MUST be thinking, it can’t just be me right?
— The regulars that have been here since the doors first opened. They congregate and talk LOUDLY and relentlessly, as if the rest of us are non-​existent (earphones!) I get it; it’s a gym community and you’ve established friendships. But at 6am I don’t need you to be shouting about how as a child you were always told you talk too loud, and felt repressed. Although we have earphones to drown out the drones; they aren’t 100% noise isolating and I don’t need to know about your childhood history.
— The ladies locker room. Thank the lord they are renovating it; I just erased 4 sentences of my thoughts on this because it’s a moot point. Now if only they offered refresher courses in locker room etiquette…
— Racquetball league. I am for certain that I am not the only one who thinks that the racquet-​ballers think they own the joint right? On Tuesday night’s part of my workout is navigating through their crowd in the front hallway. The scent of the smörgåsbord potluck makes me either want to gag or binge eat and negate all my hard work. Watch out– the crossfit people are going to take this place over– move over racquet-​ballers! Speaking of– I’m really glad cross-​fit has taken «gangnam style» off it’s playlist. I love kpop and it gives kpop a bad name!
–The music! I don’t know what kind of music a gym should play; but the choice of music is poor; has anyone ever considered working out to the scissor sisters? I don’t know what should be playing– but there must be something better. This of course is my personal opinion, my bf says sometimes he see’s people singing along– so I guess it’s a preferential thing.
–We all know the pool deserves it’s own Unilocal page; hopefully when Aqua-​tech moves out, it’ll get better.
That’s about it; I actually like this gym and am glad it’s doing well. They seem to be attracting a diverse crowd and weights continue to be consistently re-​racked w most members wiping down machines after use .
Also the employees in membership and at the service desk totally rock!

If you’re joining for the swimming pool: don’t.
The facilities are fine, it’s just that if you come during any normal hours, the pool will be so crowded that the only way you get a swim in is if someone’s nice enough to share a lane with you. After 10pm at night (pool closes at 10:50) is basically the only good time to get a swim in. Super hard to do that if you have a job.
On the weekends it’s even worse! And because the membership fee is so expensive, it’s just not worth it for the pool.

One of the best equipped gyms I’ve seen, certainly the best in Alameda, and nearby, and I’ve traveled all across North America over the years, and sampled gyms in different locales.
The big problem with this facility, however, is getting repairs done. They needlessly take forever, due to the private owner’s cockamamie way of doing things. Simple repairs that could be handled in an afternoon with a trip or two to Paganos, the local hardware store, take weeks.
For example — see the pictures I uploaded regarding an out-​of-​service faucet in the men’s locker room. Someone stuck a note on it that read, «Faucets like this can be bought at Home Depot for $ 29.95.» The faucet has been OOS for at least two weeks now with a sign saying that parts are on order. The guys in the locker room joke constantly about running to the hardware store and fixing things themselves much faster.
And it’s not the maintenance guy’s fault, his hands are tied by his boss, the owner.
So, if you don’t mind water fountains, faucets and swimsuit dryers needlessly being out of service for weeks on end, then it’s a good gym.
Here’s hoping management/​owners see this and take heed.
UPDATE: 7÷26÷2013 — the new faucet ‘on order’ for a month or so, finally came in and was installed. It was billed as some special ‘commercial grade’ faucet, but it’s clearly nothing more than a run-​of-​the mill bathroom faucet available at any hardware store. I’m uploading a picture of it.