I go to this wonderful venue only once per month but have such a relaxing time I hope to increase…read moremy attendances. I like the steam room, good for my Asthma, I like all the pools, especially the one with the huge fish ready to impale someone (see picture) !! I chat to anyone who will chat back.... I spend three or four sessions in the steam room during the day, topping up my liquids with mango juice or water. I lie flat out in the main pool area and catch up on the news in the dailiies and monthlies available. At 1 pm I go for for lunch, usually the buffet which is superb. Then I have a kip and then after a shower I go back into the steam room for one last time. I go there early morning and leave about 4 pm, feeling good.

Sometimes I take for granted how relaxing this place really is, that is, until I walk outside and…read moreforget where we've left the car. That's partially to do with me going a bit nuts, but I always leave feeling rested, much lighter and incredibly happy. You don't get ultra modern neon-lit eternity pools, but a place where normal people (the ones that appreciate the nice environment that's been created there) can totally chill out. With a separate changing area for members and non-members, there's always a lot of space, secure lockers and hot showers on the way in. Once you get inside robes and sandals are encouraged as everything is quite spread out. My highlights include the giant tepidarium, containing 33 ceramic loungers heated to approx. 35 degrees to soothe the entire body. Each lounger has its own head phone socket, so you can bring your headphones and relax to your choice of music. There's also two large pool, a 49 seat spa pool with massage jets, a hydrotherapy flotation tank (with over 1.5 tonnes of salt in!) and an aromatherapy steam room. Additional things to consider are a fantastic cafe-style restaurant, where you can lounge about and eat. They do the best salads I've had anywhere outside of my home (I just like fresh ingredients and knowing what's gone into something). And the beauty salon does an exclusive range of body butters/scrubs/bath foams in ever changing varieties. I fell in love with the raspberry milkshake 'flavour' a few years ago, and I haven't been disappointed since. My last purchase was angel cake bath melt (a thick bubbling foam) and hot butter fudge shower gel. Oh my. There are three basic ways to go. One, buy a special experience pass (from £65 for entrance, a treatment and 'light supper', upwards). Second, a spa membership ranging from £9 a month for 3 visits a year up to £30 a month for 12 visits, all on top of a £99 joining fee. Or, a combined membership with the MASSIVE Pulse 8 gym across the way (literally a one minute from the spa). It's about £500 (sheesh) joining fee, then £80ish pounds for full come-any-time-you-like membership to gym and spa, then gets less as you strip away visiting at certain parts of the day. Just like most gyms and spas really. Either way, we joined at Christmas time a few years ago. It was on a special offer with no joining fee and one visit per month for £15. Bargain! It pops up at the same each year and often during Summer. I'd recommend holding out for that, because it's SO worth it.

Beautiful! Spray tan, tanning bed (upright) for those sun worshippers. dermalogica and Decleor…read moretreatments. Packages to buy as gifts or to get for yourself. I go here for slimming treatments because they do wonders for my eczema and while I can't say it'll work for everyone's eczema, it works for mine. It's a Decleor treatment for cellulite but they do a brilliant job with it. The treatment rooms are beautiful - I like the one with twinkling lights in the ceiling and wood on the walls. It's so relaxing in there. The therapists are all great as well. I really like it here. The only bad point is that you cannot go from sauna and jacuzzi to spa because there is a whole gym between you and it!

Spa 6 is a really beautiful club in the Cotswold Water Park Four Pillars Hotel . Most people think…read morethe club is only open to hotel guests but you can actually buy membership. The pool is really stunning with experience showers and an aromatic sauna and steam room at poolside. The gym has all the latest Technogym equipment and although I don't use the spa treatments there are seven treatments rooms. I really can't see any reason you wouldn't join this superb club.

I had a wonderful spa day at Bannatyne's this week. I had a massage late in the afternoon, but a…read morespa day gives you access to all the facilities for the whole day. So, in the morning I went to the gym, which has a great range of equipment. It was nice and clean and bright, and I enjoyed my work out. The rest of the day I spent in the spa area, the pool was a good size, not really big enough for an exercise type swim, but fine for a relaxing one. The jacuzzi, steam room and sauna where all great, and the loungers round the pool were comfy. Before my massage I spent some time on the heated 'sunbeds' in the treatment area, they're very nice! They'll get your muscles nice and relaxed before your massage! I had the bamboo massage which was great. The therapist didn't check with me before hand so I almost ended up having a Swedish. The massage was great, nice and firm, and really relaxing. Therapist was always checking I was ok with the pressure which was good. Had an awesome day, will definitely be back.

I had never heard of The Cove Spa before, but after being given a voucher for my birthday, I…read moredecided to book myself in for a luxury pedicure. On entering the building, I was a little surprised. Most of the spas that I've been to in England have been bright, modern places that border on sterility, and the name makes me think of Maine or Cape Cod: nautical decor and seashells and lots of light and airy spaces. Instead, The Cove is a colourful, Indian-inspired place that is reminiscent of somewhere you might visit in Goa or Kerala. Peaceful Eastern music plays throughout the building, Asian artefacts and colour schemes dominate, and the overall effect is tranquil, comforting and welcoming. Rather than the reclining pedicure chairs with attached basins that I'm accustomed to, at The Cove you're seated on a banquette piled with cushions while you soak your feet in a wooden tub. It's very low-key and natural-feeling, unlike anything I've ever had done in England, and it made me feel sort of like I was on holiday. However, don't mistake low-key for low-quality - staff are well-trained and talented. Kayleigh, my pedicurist, described herself as "a perfectionist" and it shows in the job she did. My cuticles were perfectly trimmed, my nails were shaped well (or as well as they can be - years of ballet have left the toenails growing quite strangely), and everything was massaged, buffed and polished. The only bit we had some trouble with was the calluses on my heels - the combination of going barefoot year-round, and neglecting my foot care for the last 18 months, has left me with extremely thick skin that will probably require chemical peels to treat. However, my heels were considerably softer and smoother after my visit here than they've been in months. Overall I would say it's one of the best pedicures I've ever had. In addition to doing superb work, Kayleigh was both friendly and professional. She was happy to talk when I felt like it, but wasn't exceedingly chatty, which I appreciate more than I can state. As an introvert with a hectic lifestyle, I turn to spas and salons for relaxation. More often than not, I like peace and quiet when receiving a beauty treatment or massage, as it's one of the few times I actually sit down and do nothing. Until about five years ago, this peace and quiet was easy to find, but in recent years beauty therapists seem to have become much chattier, and I find the constant small talk overwhelming. Happily, I didn't have that issue at The Cove, and I left feeling chilled and rejuvenated. Five days after my treatment, I have no noticeable chips or other damage to the polish, which I'm quite happy about. Despite choosing to come here because I had a voucher, I actually forgot to use it, so I'll probably come back soon for a back massage. At £44, the luxury pedicure isn't cheap (particularly to a half-American girl used to US prices!), but it's not considerably more than other salons in St Albans. In addition, each month the spa runs a different offer, and this month (June 2015) the offer was on pedicures - buy four get one free, or buy six get two free, which saves quite a lot of money if you get your nails done regularly. Overall, I was very happy with my experience at The Cove Spa, and would absolutely return. Updated 17/12/2015 - On my second trip here, I'm still very happy with everything. Patricia is wonderful, and I have another lovely pedicure. I really must come and try the other services!

From the owner: The Cove Spa provides a vast range of Rituals & Packages, Holistic Therapies, Beauty and Cosmetic…read moreTreatments using world class products from the IIAA - International Institution of Anti Aging including ENVIRON, Jane Iredale and Advance Nutrition Programme in addition to CoolHerbals' products. We are known as a results driven skincare clinic, performing a number of anti-aging treatments inhouse.

A well equipped gym and lots of diverse classes, this is a lively club. The pool is c.20m and there…read moreis a steam room, sauna and hot tub. The cafe is a great feature and sells the usual drinks and snacks along with some great made-to-order smoothies. Members also get a 10% discount on beauty treatments at Spa:5.

The Ozone health club is quite a large complex, near the Kassam Stadium. Has a large free car park…read more The gym is quite spacious, new equipments gym with TV screens on some of the machines, which is great, there is also a spinning studio which is used for classes with an instructor. There are 2 aerobic studios which are used for teaching various classes such as body combat, body attack, step, pilates, body balance. I recommend the Step class - a really good work out! All the instructions are good though. There is a swimming pool, sauna, steam room and spa. When you become a member you get several sessions with a personal trainer to sort out a programme, they are really friendly and helpful. They also have open weekends for the public, if you want to test out the facilities. Sometimes there are promotions when you can bring guests along and get day passes. The gym does get quite busy in the evenings, but day time isn't so bad. Lovely place to workout! The prices are quite reasonable and competitive.

Superb club set in a easy to reach location. I have just joined and the staff were fantastic…read more Really enthusiastic and helpful which makes a change to the bigger clubs in Oxford who just want to take your money. I left Esporta 2 years ago due to customer service levels and couldnt be happier that I moved clubs. I would definately recommend it.

Innovative treatments in a relaxing spa environment. Located in the heart of the city, Vita Skin…read moreSpa is a quiet haven. We had the Swedish back massage and it was great to have our treatments side-by-side. They also do side-by-side pedis and manis and you can relax with a pre-ordered cream tea when all the treatments are done.

From the owner: Vita Skin Spa offers a wide range of spa rituals, skin and body treatments for both men and women…read morefor the face and body. It has Double Treatment rooms which you can share your experience together, a Relaxation Room and Infrared Sauna to spend some extra time to relax in. You can find amazing Spa Rituals, Indulgence Spa Packages, Luxury Manicures and Pedicures, Dermalogica Facials, Hot Stone and Bamboo Massages, Intimate Hot Waxing for men and women, Advanced Skinbreeze LED Microdermabrasion, non-surgical facelifts, cryolipolysis, Infrared Sauna plus much more at Vita Skin Spa in the heart of Salisbury, Wiltshire.