The Best Boutique Wellness Studios in the NYC Area

Spring has officially arrived and with the change in weather often comes a newfound surge of energy and opportunity for renewal. New York is arguably the capital of health start-ups catering to self-improvement—in addition to the ever-growing fitness scene, wellness studios focused on mindfulness, meditation, and well-being are popping up all over the city. We like to think of them as gyms for the soul.

No one knows this city better than our very own agents, so we asked them to tell us about their favorite wellness studios and spaces in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. While these small businesses offer an array of services, they all provide peaceful and energizing respites from our agents’ busy lives.

WOOM Center
The Bowery, NYC

A studio that specializes in multi-sensory meditation, the WOOM Center is particularly popular for its sound vibration therapy. After a relaxing sound bath, you can head to the café for nourishing juices and superfood products.

Bodhi Holistic Spa
Hudson, NY

From yoga and Pilates classes to a spa with massages and other healing therapies, Bodhi in Hudson is an oasis of relaxing and transformational services. In addition, there is also a functional salon as well as a shop where you can pick up bath essentials, body products, and more.

MNDFL Meditation
Greenwich Village & UES, NYC
Williamsburg, Brooklyn

“MNDFL is the home of warm, welcoming meditation studios perfect for everyone from curious first-timers to highly experienced meditators,” Mindy Feldman says. She appreciates that you can either sign up for a class or drop in to meditate whenever it fits your schedule. Mindy has been meditating for over 30 years and encourages anyone who has hesitations about starting to get in touch with her. “Or better yet, be my guest for a session at MNDFL!”

Prehab
UES, NYC

At Prehab, physical therapy and wellness specialists work with individuals who are dealing with an injury or simply want to avoid future injury and pain. Francyne A. de Buck goes here regularly for treatment for back problems, and she recommends physical therapist Alex Gometz. Francyne appreciates his diagnostic ability and focus on whole-body wellness.

Humming Puppy
Chelsea, NYC

You can often find Nikki Greenberg at Humming Puppy, her favorite place in New York. She describes it as a “boutique yoga studio offering mellow, dynamic, and unified vinyasa flow classes in a ridiculously stylish setting.” You can do your practice in a heated room to the sound of a hum, and then enjoy herbal tea, coconut water, and a hot shower afterwards. All equipment is provided free of charge, too. Above everything else, Nikki enjoys learning from “fantastic teachers in a beautiful setting that makes you want to come back every day.”

Maha Rose
Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Katie Thurber describes Maha Rose as a “reiki, acupuncture, and wellness mecca in Greenpoint.” The center for healing offers workshops, trainings, and holistic healing sessions that nourish the body and mind. From acupuncture and craniosacral therapy to crystal healing and hypnosis, Maha Rose is a wellness lover’s dream.

Powerflow Yoga
Hoboken & Jersey City, NJ

Maria Oblow recommends wearing moisture-wicking exercise clothes to Powerflow Yoga because the rooms are heated to 95˚ and you’ll definitely sweat. “It’s a sweaty, powerful, and meditative experience that will help you turn down the noise of everyday life,” she says. The classes aren’t easy, but they’re upbeat and “get you out of your head and back into your body.”

Core Pilates
Flatiron District, NYC

Core Pilates offers both private and group sessions as well as specialty pre- and postnatal classes and classes for seniors. Richard Grossman, who has been practicing Pilates here for over 12 years, enjoys the studio’s low-key atmosphere, reasonable fees structure, and great instructors.

The Mercedes Club
Hell’s Kitchen, NYC

The Mercedes Club has all the conveniences of an indoor fitness club while also offering beautiful outdoor spaces. The fitness oasis boasts a 10,000-square-foot sunlit fitness floor, group exercise studios, sauna and steam rooms, and indoor and outdoor pools. “There’s a clubhouse feel to it,” Deb Miller says. “In addition to working out, you can have a sauna and steam, get a massage, enjoy a smoothie, sunbathe, and take part in movie nights and other social programming.”

Kaia Yoga
Greenwich, Darien, and Westport, CT

Kaia Yoga has four locations in Connecticut, and they offer a range of yoga classes for all levels that include: pre-natal, family, mommy-and-me, and hot yoga. There are also frequent events and workshops on meditation, yoga, health, and more. Christa FitzPatrick’s personal favorite offerings are the hot vinyasa flow classes.

Keri Gans Nutrition
UES, NYC

“She’s an inspiration,” Judy Mendoza says about Keri Gans. Keri is a nutritionist and yoga teacher whose nutrition philosophy forgoes diets and deprivation in favor of balanced eating. She offers personal nutrition counseling as well as private and group yoga instruction.

INSCAPE
Chelsea, NYC

At INSCAPE you can take part in group guided meditation sessions, which are audio-guided rather than led by an instructor. INSCAPE also has a guided meditation app, which allows you to seamlessly transition your practice from the beautiful Chelsea studio to anywhere else.

Namastuy
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

A small studio in Bed-Stuy, Namastuy Yoga Healing Collective is Donna Myrie’s happy place. It’s a yoga, healing, and arts space that takes its students beyond the physical dimensions of yoga. “The teachers are amazing—true yogis,” Donna says. “Their mission is to unite the community via individual self-care. Namastuy truly heals the community one chakra and ‘om’ at a time.”

L&S Fitness
UWS, NYC

Through study of many forms and philosophies of exercise, fitness partners Lia Sanfilippo and Selene Martinez have designed a unique approach to helping clients be strong, pain-free, and active. They work with people of all ages, addressing movement, skeletal alignment, meditation, and nutrition. “Lia and Selene are amazing,” Leanne Stella says. “When I started working with them I had chronic, daily knee and heel pain. Within months I was pain-free and on my way to a stronger, healthier body.”

mang’Oh Yoga
Midtown East, NYC

An oasis aimed at helping New Yorkers reach their optimal physical and spiritual wellbeing, mang’Oh offers all types of yoga classes. You can also attend wellness-focused events and workshops, as well as yoga retreats. Deb Miller’s favorite aspects of the studio are its intimate size, the quality of the instruction, and the orderliness of the space.

Kinespirit
Riverside, NYC

Amelia Gewirtz has tried all the gyms on the Upper West Side, but her favorite is Kinespirit, a Gyrotonic and Pilates studio. Gyrotonic uses weight and pulley-based equipment and draws on the principles of yoga, swimming, and dance. Most of the trainers at Kinespirit are dancers, in fact. “It’s very low-impact,” Amelia says. “If I am consistent, my waistline shrinks and my back feels good.” She has had aches that doctors could not fix, but which the trainers at Kinespirit were able to relieve by recommending the right stretches.

The Assemblage
NoMad & FiDi, NYC

The Assemblage is a wellness-centered coworking, co-living, and community space. Members have access to nightly programming that includes workshops, live music, and speaker series that focus on improving and growing both personally and professionally. You can also take part in nature retreats with other community members and join in on curated travel experiences.

March 2019, for the Halstead Real Estate Blog