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.

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.

Excellent Leisure Centre easily accessible off the North Circular. Great pool and a wave pool too…read more Very adequate workout area. Sauna too.

Not the coolest of cool places to hang out on a saturday night, but the Vue cinema has loads of…read morescreens so is always showing what you want to see, and there is a good selection of restaurants (Nando's, Ask etc) in the complex as well so that you can satisfy your belly before going into the cinema (and stuffing yourself more with popcorn and sweets)

Been twice. it's only a small place but it does what it says on the tin. the Sauna and steam room…read moreare goo they a a 4 item gym room. I've found the staff very friendly along with the cliental. it is not busy all the time and it's good to get your kit of and feel not intimidated.

Quiet when I visited, but truly naturist unlike Rio's. Some of the facilities could do with a…read morelittle TLC - e.g. one of the two showers broken. Small exercise area, sauna and steam room. Jacuzzi now a freezing plunge pool, no doubt to save money. Could do better.

Yeah, good very fun insanely expensive though an absolute rip-off but I had a really good time so…read moreI'll give it four stars

When I was a kid this was like the coolest thing you could ever do for a birthday party. Three…read morepools, rapids, loads of flumes, a pirate ship, a raining cloud, snakes that shoot you with water, palm trees...I know! How awesome is that! As a kid this experience is totally a 5 star, pee in the pool with excitement experience, there is a little cafe where you can have chips and fizzy pop with your friends after hours of fun in the pool. As an adult, it holds all the excitement but doesn't quite deliver. We are grown-ups after all and a big plastic snake is only believable up to a point. It's worth it if you really like flumes though as they are pretty fast. I was call in advance first as sometimes they don't have enough staff to have them all open at once.

Horible place. Really rude managment…read moreThey have ruined the place since they have removed the plunge pool, the steam room is small and has metal seats. What moron thought metal seats would be good in a sauna? Only one that does not use it. The dry sauna is cramped and smells and is rotting. You get 3.5 hrs including changing and they are very strick about that even if its rmpty. The massuse was too stupid as evdn whrn i told her not to put Tiger balm on my skin dhe still did and gave me a terrible rash and itch , again they have ruined what used to be a good Thai massage and sauna established for years and driven the clients away. i can't understand how they survive unless there is something else going on in the back. I would not recommend this place to my worse enemy.

This establishment has been going now for over 36 years that I remember…read more Many years ago I worked at a close-by nightclub and finished at around 3.30am. I was a decent walk in the morning air to get there and nice total relaxation was on offer when I got there. Nice cup of coffee and a couple slices of toast as soon as I walked in. Booked and paid for a sauna and sometimes a massage as well. It was a unisex place and there were many times good conversations would come along and the night was over in no timewoops..it's 7.30am. I picture of me? Nightclub 'bouncer'. My size and job were often of no consequence and many a laugh was t be had. One night the barman in 'only Fools and Horses' was there with onother of his comedian-isque telly friends. The jokes and funny stories were endless with contributions from everywhere..including the staff. This was the only above suspician sauna in London and I'll bet it still is. I have many memories of this place but now, unfortunately, I live in the North-East. Do not miss the experiance of this place. You will come out feeling like a new woman/man and full of energy for the day in front of you. This no b***s**t. I am happy to be contacted on this if it is possible through this site. Ray

Excellent spa club attached to the Crowne Plaza in Reading…read more There's a 25m swimming pool, a jacuzzi, steam room, sauna, and a fully equipped gym, with clean and bright changing rooms. They also do spa treatments, such as massages and facials, which are not the cheapest but were good value considering the very professional and excellent experience that I had. One thing though is you should book in advance for the treatments; I gathered there's only a few treatment rooms and personnel, and they do get booked up quite quickly.

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.