Open Space Yoga

I signed up for the Vinyasa class on Saturday at 10:45 am. If you are looking for a slow, restorative yoga class where the teacher talks incessantly and has you practice breathing for 30 minutes, then you will love it here. If you are looking for a true vinyasa flow class, where you breathe, move and sweat, then DO NOT take this class. I was so disappointed, especially since the teacher asked us what we wanted. Both myself and another student told her that we wanted a sweaty, vinyasa flow class. Instead, we sat on a mat and practiced breathing for almost 30 minutes. When we finally moved, we did about four surya namaskar flow sequences, the she moved us into bird of paradise and a headstand sequence. We were barely warmed up to do these two advanced poses! She had us hold these poses for about 5 minutes and then ended the class. I think this place is fine for people who want to practice breathing and have a more restorative experience, not for a good flow. When a teacher asks the class what they would like to practice, the teacher should give her students what they have requested.

The place to get a real yoga experience!!!
If you are looking for a place with air conditioner, load music, and robot instructors please go to gym next to your house.
In open place you get a full yoga experience at the minute you climbing the stairs. The place have couple different rooms that look like a beautiful private house at the middle of Diamond Head.
Each teacher have a different way to make you dive into the sweet, relaxing and inspiring world of yoga. Please leave all your old habit and expectations at the car and open your mind to a new journey. And don’t forget to enjoy

I tried this studio out for a month pass. Let me first start by saying it is an expensive studio with 4 – 6 parking spots and small rooms in different buildings, yes, different buildings. One part of the studio is above Monserrat where there are a couple very small stuffy hot rooms and the other building is located a block down the street and up an alley-​like side street. The upstairs portion of the studio unfortunately, you can hear all traffic and they should only put 8 – 10 people in a room but they squeeze 20+. The down the street and up an alley portion of the studio is larger and would be a nice space but there is maybe 8 uneven coats of light blue paint on the hardwood floor. Lastly, in an entire month package I only found 2 teachers I liked and one of them, Tammy, I had previously been to one of her classes at Power Yoga Hawaii and loved her there, the other I forget her name. If you are prepared to be in a very tiny, strangely shaped studio with no space and bad teachers… Well, go for it!

My first yoga class ever was at Open Space Yoga a year ago and to be honest I walked away slightly disappointed. Fast forward to present, I decided to return and purchased the New Student Kama’aina Special $ 40 for 30 days of UNLIMITED yoga. I’m glad I returned because this second time around, I had one of the most pleasurable yoga experiences.
I attended the All Levels class with Chanti 2 days a week. She was absolutely amazing, my body thanks her for the best work out of my life. The same students were typically in attendance and Chanti remembered all of our names and strengths/​weaknesses. Her lessons were always on-​point and I never left disappointed.
Downside: The studios are relatively small, it can feel overcrowded at times. Studio is located off of a main street so noise can be distracting when attempting to meditate.
Parking: small lot on site (about 6 cars), street parking available.
***If you don’t own a yoga mat, don’t worry… you can rent one for $ 1

Nice teachers. Cozy environment. I love the basic classes.

I started going to Open Space in 2010, when they had their additional location in Chinatown above the old Indigo restaurant. I loved that I could just go to either location and use my class passes. Then, I gave myself the excuse of being «too busy» to go to classes and stopped. The teachers I had back then are no longer there.
I started going back to yoga classes last year and I’m happy I did. I still love to pop in to this studio (as well as the newer, smaller Chinatown studio on Pau’ahi St) when I miss a class at the other studio where I have a membership and just NEED to get on the mat in a studio. I’ve had classes with Chanti, Diana, and Ruby at this location. I’ve had Ruby’s classes the most, and I like her Vinyasa classes that will put you to work. Diana will also make you work, which I love. I’ve only taken a few basics classes with Chanti, and I feel like I didn’t get as many adjustments as I would have thought I would like, but it was a fairly large class.
One thing I really like about these teachers: they don’t have «yoga voice»! I’ve been fortunate to have many yoga teachers at any studio who don’t have the hollow, nasal, airy tone of voice when instructing. It sounds insincere and it puts me off. So maybe it’s not quite «yogic» of me to say something like that, but oh, well, maybe that’s something I need to let go of. ;-) For me, it can be really unappealing to have a yoga teacher to feel like they need to «look» and «sound» like a yoga teacher.
The studio is on the second floor of the same building as Happy Valley Pasta and South Shore Grill. There’s a cute room where you check in, use the rest room, and a small boutique set up with mats, clothes, props, books, etc for sale. I love that I can see the trees and you can catch the breeze flowing in. It’s very bright and airy. I’ve only been in the larger room, and I don’t like that the room is L-​shaped. It feels a bit disconnected, from the class and teacher. I feel bad for whoever ends up in that back corner near the prop wall. Sometimes I’ve been that girl, when space is limited and the good spots are taken.
I think the L-​shaped room configuration and the unlimited monthly membership fee ($ 155) are minuses for me in this space. As I have mentioned in another review, I do have a membership elsewhere but their unlimited monthly membership is significantly less than this place. I know Open Space offers a bronze unlimited monthly membership for about $ 100 but it’s only for 6 months. Yes, this place offers more classes and has two locations, but the studio I have a membership at is within walking distance from home. I’m just happy to have options, and this place (as well as their Chinatown location) is on my list!

Open Space is wonderful. There are so many great teachers here and I love the energy running through the studio. My favorite teachers: Amanda, Cecilia, and Brenda. They are all deeply gifted, fabulous instructors who radiate beauty inside and out. Open Space is a little out of my way but I get over there once in awhile just for them. Highly recommended for kama’aina and visitors who need their yoga.

Oh I love this place… I recently moved to California and I had to go through the process of finding a new «yoga home» and until that happened I didn’t realize how TRULY special Open Space was. This was a yoga studio that I took my very first yoga class and fell in love immediately (well, I am trying to forget one terrible experience in Birkram hot yoga place that was NOT me. Enough said). I took classes mainly from Katrina and Chanti and I still miss both of them. They are very different type of teachers but when I took classes from both, it became such a nice balance. I can NOT say enough about the serenity and beauty of the space. I still remember doing yoga and seeing the white curtains pillowing in wind and looking at the tree branches outside while I desperately tried to balance. Sigh. I miss you Open Space. Thank you for being so lovely!

Have been to both the Monsarrat and Chinatown studios. The Monsarrat is larger of the 2 and a nicer atmosphere. Great teachers who know there stuff. Always feel relaxed and positive after a session! Namaste.

It had been raining all afternoon the day I decided to attend the Vinyasa class here. I mean, I couldn’t exactly go worship the Sun goddess, so I decided to coax out my inner yoga goddess.
The yoga studio was plain and simple, but very breezy with open windows and doors and very inviting for all yogis. The class filled up quickly and was packed on the afternoon I came. Serious yogis were ready to sweat and stretch.
The class was great and worked me very hard. I was soaked in sweat by the end of the class (it was also very hot and humid that day) and I felt energized and very limber after the class. Tons of great hip opener poses and good stretches for the upper extremities (I need those a lot since I am super tight in the shoulders and arms).
Classes are $ 20 a piece (similar to NYC), but you get a great workout. I would definitely come back the next time I am in Oahu. Thanks Open Space for keeping me busy when it was raining in paradise!

I began attending Yuko’s prenatal yoga class during my 2^nd trimester. I had never attended any type of yoga class prior to this. Now I look forward to attending class every Sunday. In fact, I wish there were more prenatal classes offered during the week.
Yuko is an experienced midwife & doula. She is warm, caring and I feel that she genuinely cares about the health & well being of each of her students.
After each class I feel refreshed and energized. I have less back pain now than I did before I became pregnant! I would very much like to continue practicing yoga after the baby is born after such a positive experience.

I love this place. The first day I tried Yoga, the lady wasn’t very thrilled about a number of us newbies being in her class. It was an early evening class of Vinyasa. She was particularly disturbed with one man and stopped the flow of the class to chastise him. It really killed the vibe. It was also my first time and almost my last but I attended Ben and Tami’s classes and realized I just needed to find the right teachers. They are both patient, encouraging and I just felt great after their classes. They teach in the late evenings which I think are the best times to go… it’s not as crowded. If I could afford to keep going I would stick with their classes… many of the positions are challenging but they give us less advanced people alternate positions. I highly recommend them!

One of the most intelligent and well-​run yoga studios I’ve been to, and definitely the one that made me realize that I wanted yoga to be a long-​term practice in my life. Always clean, a diverse set of classes (vinyasa, kundalini, hot yoga, etc.) and some of the most knowledgeable instructors in Honolulu (that says a lot in a state with one of the highest number of yoga studios in the country). It’s safe to say that I was unaware how little I knew about actual yoga before attending this studio, I’d mostly only been to classes affiliated with schools and gyms.
The location is right across from Diamond Head mountain and just a few blocks from Queen’s beach, as if it couldn’t get any better. They also offer workshops outside of regular classes. They have two locations (as of last year, I’ve relocated since then), one at Kapahulu and one downtown by the theatre. They used to have a larger location above Black Cat Tattoo, which was my favorite place for yoga ever, but I guess like a lot of businesses these days, they had to downsize. That’s pretty much my only regret for OSY.
All in all, a great studio with classes offering to beginning and advanced yogis alike. Highly recommended!

Serene atmosphere with helpful caring instructors. Some of the classes are pretty small (at certain times of the day) so there are great opportunities for individual instruction. The area is a bit noisy with the traffic from Montsarrat, but it tends to fade into white noise after awhile (at least for me).
The only negative thing I can think of about this place relates to the horrible Italian restaurant beneath it. It has nothing to do with Open Space, of course, but wow is it bad! I once got a ‘Margherita’ pizza there once which was nothing more than a soggy cheese pizza with a circular swirl of green pesto sauce on the top. Huh?!? Every time I leave yoga class, my heart goes out to everyone sitting inside thinking they are eating authenitc Italian food. I pray they someday get to the mainland or Europe and get a taste of something that isn’t flavorless, undercooked and an abomination to all things Italy. Yuck, it’s so gross I have to stop writing now!

I have been a little yoga bug, hopping from one studio to another. Why? You may ask. Well I love doing yoga with a variety of teachers since their flows and teaching styles are different. I like to be kept on my toes since I get extremely bored with even the slightest monotony in life.
Open Space is literally in my backyard. ok I lied in my neighborhood. I have heard of Open Space and drove past it numerous times. It’s one of my gf’s favorite studio to practice. I checked out their website and saw a $ 40 new student special in which it’s unlimited yoga for 30 days. I made my purchase at the Kapahulu studio and have attended quite a few classes. My favorite classes has to be Pablo’s and Monica’s classes. Pablo’s class is great, yet a bit challenging at times, which I like. Monica’s class is simply fun and by the time the class is done (1 and a half hour later), all you can say is «we’re done!!!» I have tried Mary’s Parayoga class, which is great on a Saturday morning. It’s really chill and nice after having a little too much fun on a Friday night but you know you need a little yoga in your life so you go to a Saturday class regardless of the night you had.
Open space in Kapahulu is nice and comprised of three studios. The makai one is bigger than the other two and located behind Pioneer Saloon. The other two is above Happy Valley Pizza. It can be a bit noisy since it faces Monsarrat and the windows are open. However, the nice breeze that you feel trumps the noise so you’ll forget it real fast. If you like yoga, check this studio out!

I started doing yoga about 3 months ago due to back aches and the very first time I did yoga here, my aches are gone. Its cheaper than getting a massage and a great way to keep you fit. Try and do yoga if you never done it before, it might change your life. There is so many classes to choose from and almost all the teachers here are great. I LOVE IT HERE!!! :)

Got a free two week pass here for new members. I liked the atmosphere and there are plenty of classes to choose from. The best part was the opportunity to try and experience as many new classes as I could fit in my schedule. The instructors here are friendly and helpful. There are plenty of hip people who come here. Only downside: the studio is located right on Monsarrat Ave which can be kinda loud and distracting with all the cars going by. It also doesn’t help that the windows are facing directly at the street. Other than that, it’s a great place to check out. There’s another studio in Chinatown.

I’ve been coming to Open Space for years and very rarely leave disappointed. The instructors here are numerous and they come and go, but I’ve yet to have a session with someone who wasn’t warm, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about their students’ growth in their practice. I only go to the Diamond Head location, but I really like the studio.
It can be a little warm during peak heat, and parking can be a pain if you drive, so come early! Saturday morning classes and weekday afternoon classes can be crowded, so book your session in advance online and come with enough time to pick out a prime piece of real estate for your mat.
I like to treat myself to an acai bowl at The Health Bar across the street when I’m done.
My only complaint with Open Space is probably the price, but I guess it isn’t much more expensive than other fitness classes.

Oh how I wish my employer had a wellness program that would help subsidize yoga studio rates. That would be such a dream!
Although the Diamond Head studio is farther away than the Downtown location, nothing beats the DH feeling and views! So when I take a class, I venture almost 30 minutes away from home for some «me» time.
I must say that my fave instructor is Brenda Kwon and I am a huge fan of her Yoga Nidra session!!! It is so relaxing and needed after a long work day or week.
I am reminded of my fondness of Yoga Nidra whenever I glance down at my key chain and membership card…

I’m extremely impressed with the prenatal yoga class, I can’t wait to come back next week. Since getting pregnant 5 months ago, my physically stagnant life was reawakened and gave me the inspiration and confident to exercise and be healthy for baby.
First of all, the whole energy of this studio is so welcoming beginning from the moment you walk in as well as the instructor and the class participants. If there is one thing I can’t stand about going to a yoga class is the dreaded «yoga snob» who’s been doing yoga every day since they were five yrs old and love to show off their skills by touching their ankle to the back of their necks while in an inverter pose. No such thing here!
Everyone in class were in different stages of pregnancy and different levels. Also, the best perk was that the instructor is an actual doula/​midwife and recently had a baby herself. So, it’s not like she doesn’t know what you’re going through. Pregnancy experiences is not something you can learn from reading a book or watched a video on. You gotta live it to see what it’s all about!
This class was challenging enough to have me sweating during poses and sore in the morning as well as the poses being helpful for the impending discomforts of the 2^nd and 3^rd trimester and labor.
Please do your body and your baby a favor, take this class!