Spindles Health and Leisure Club is by far the cleanest place in The Adelphi Hotel - this may not seem like much of a boast, considering the general state of the rest of the building, but actually, it's really not that bad in there.
There's a wide range of equipment, both cardio and weights, as well as a sauna, jacuzzi and the gem of a pool tucked away to one side. It's not a big pool, and it doesn't have a deep end, but it is usually kept at a nice temperature and is very rarely so full that you can't actually get some lengths in. For an added bonus, there's a great big plaster copy of the Venus De Milo at one end, and rumour has it that it used to be the turtle tank when the hotel used to make it's own turtle soup.
The showers are passable, although if you are in there first thing in the morning, you do sometimes need to remind them to turn the hot water on. And every couple of months, for reasons which still escape me they swap the changing rooms around for a couple of days - presumably so the men get to appreciate that a changing room needn't smell like 'that' and have a genuine excuse for 'accidentally' walking into a room full of naked women.
In general, the staff (bless 'em) are not the sharpest tools in the box. They're usually friendly enough, but given the wages/staff conditions in the hotel I wouldn't expect them to go the extra mile for you.
So to sum up, considering it is run by Britannia, it's astonishing how good it is. But if you are after a central, no frills, clean, good value gym, with a pool, it's worth checking out. read more