Local Guides World
Ashley Betances
1 reviews on 1 places
This review reflects my disappointing and discouraging encounter with the front desk staff, Danielle, and the studio manager, Melissa, at Orange Theory Fitness Studio 0415 in Staten Island, Richmond.
I gained weight over the holiday and with the encouragement of my best friend finally gained the confidence to start my fitness journey. My best friend, who made the trek from midtown Manhattan to support me on my gym journey, was by my side as we eagerly awaited the 12pm class. To ensure a smooth experience, we even notified the studio of our expected arrival at 11:40am, considering rain-related traffic and an accident.
Upon reaching the studio, we were told to sit down and even placed our items in the lockers. I was in the process of settling in and going over paperwork as this was my first class when Danielle abruptly interrupted, rudely informing me that there wasn't enough time to participate in the class. Her actions made the situation unnecessarily confrontational, and the timing seemed deliberate, as if she wanted to make an example out of my situation by waiting for the previous class to form a crowd before intervening. The entire interaction was embarrassing and made me feel belittled. Not only did Danielle make me feel uncomfortable but I could see that her colleague assisting me also looked stunned and was left speechless.
To compound the frustration, another first-time member patiently waited to speak with the coach—a process I was told would take ten minutes. Had Danielle not disrupted my conversation, I could have reviewed the introduction paperwork and joined the new member for a discussion with the coach. The fact that the new member was still waiting to speak to the coach even after I left the studio at 11:55pm just shows the disregard for the schedule, especially considering Danielle being a stickler to the 12pm class start time. This inconsistency suggests that the studio may make clients wait but does not uphold the punctuality they advocate for.
The studio had several opportunities to inform me that I couldn't take the class—before my arrival, during the introduction, or even when I sent the initial text. Regrettably, the unprofessional and deflating conduct I experienced has influenced my decision not to return to Studio 041 and it has even discouraged me from continuing my fitness journey—a process that took a lot of effort to initiate in the first place.
My hope is that nobody else has to feel demotivated on their fitness journey, recognizing the significant effort it takes just to step into the gym. For a fitness studio that claims to value community and inclusivity, they really missed the mark.
***I do not have anything negative to say about the coaches or the condition of the facility, as my interactions have been limited to the front desk staff and management.
I gained weight over the holiday and with the encouragement of my best friend finally gained the confidence to start my fitness journey. My best friend, who made the trek from midtown Manhattan to support me on my gym journey, was by my side as we eagerly awaited the 12pm class. To ensure a smooth experience, we even notified the studio of our expected arrival at 11:40am, considering rain-related traffic and an accident.
Upon reaching the studio, we were told to sit down and even placed our items in the lockers. I was in the process of settling in and going over paperwork as this was my first class when Danielle abruptly interrupted, rudely informing me that there wasn't enough time to participate in the class. Her actions made the situation unnecessarily confrontational, and the timing seemed deliberate, as if she wanted to make an example out of my situation by waiting for the previous class to form a crowd before intervening. The entire interaction was embarrassing and made me feel belittled. Not only did Danielle make me feel uncomfortable but I could see that her colleague assisting me also looked stunned and was left speechless.
To compound the frustration, another first-time member patiently waited to speak with the coach—a process I was told would take ten minutes. Had Danielle not disrupted my conversation, I could have reviewed the introduction paperwork and joined the new member for a discussion with the coach. The fact that the new member was still waiting to speak to the coach even after I left the studio at 11:55pm just shows the disregard for the schedule, especially considering Danielle being a stickler to the 12pm class start time. This inconsistency suggests that the studio may make clients wait but does not uphold the punctuality they advocate for.
The studio had several opportunities to inform me that I couldn't take the class—before my arrival, during the introduction, or even when I sent the initial text. Regrettably, the unprofessional and deflating conduct I experienced has influenced my decision not to return to Studio 041 and it has even discouraged me from continuing my fitness journey—a process that took a lot of effort to initiate in the first place.
My hope is that nobody else has to feel demotivated on their fitness journey, recognizing the significant effort it takes just to step into the gym. For a fitness studio that claims to value community and inclusivity, they really missed the mark.
***I do not have anything negative to say about the coaches or the condition of the facility, as my interactions have been limited to the front desk staff and management.