I signed up for a membership at Virgin Active hoping to improve my fitness. When I was encouraged to try a personal training session, I agreed as long as we could meet biweekly to fit my budget. I was initially told this would not be a problem. However, I later learned biweekly training is only offered as a 6 month commitment, while weekly sessions require a 3 month commitment. This did not work for me financially. Over many emails, I tried to find a reasonable solution with Virgin Active, but they would not bend on their set packages. I felt pressured to spend over £250 per month when I had joined to use the gym facilities. While I wanted help getting started, I cannot afford expensive personal training. The aggressive sales tactics left me disappointed. My goal was simply to get healthy affordably. But I felt their priority was maximizing profit over meeting my needs as a member. I am frustrated by this experience of feeling pushed into services I expressly said I could not budget for. I wish my health and financial concerns had been respected rather than dismissed. In the end, I will have to cancel my membership over their refusal to compromise on training costs. Avoid this organisation. read more

The working out equipment works really well, I like going here because they have the hip conductors which most of the other clubs don't have so that's a bonus. Also they have a decent sized swimming pool and jacuzzi and they have a steam room and sauna too. read more

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Been a member since 2014 but lately the place has fallen on bad times. Quality of service has gone down. They added pilates class but took away extra floor space at the same time so there is even less room than before. Staff change so fast it's like walking into different gym every time. Showers are in bad state, 3 out of 10 are out of action and they smell badly. Today even the feedback tablet wasn't working. The most serious issue is overcrowding. There is just not enough space. read more

Turns out that there's more than just plentiful sans-Madge vibration technology to be joyous about at this Virgin Active location, and her name is Jannett G. Listen, sometimes things get screwed up. I understand that. What I don't understand is when people aren't willing to help fix the problem. This seems to happen more often than not in my UK dealings... until Jannett. Without going into über-boring details, my gym contract slipped through a few cracks and literally became one big fluster-clucked knot that even I couldn't figure out how to solve. Without delay, Jannett made things all sorts of right in ways I hadn't even imagined; fully rectifying the situation, saving me money, solving my constant travel conundrums, and easing my worry of entering into a long contract. As long as Jannett and this level of service can be found at Virgin Active, you can believe I'll be a regular. (Oh, and I'm still loving those power plates...) read more

Now this is a gym with a proper-sized pool - 25 meters! And it even has quite a generous spa area with warm bubbly pools, steam room, sauna and sanarium. The gym itself is not the biggest one, but it has all the equipment that the average Joe needs to have a decent workout. I guess that's all I have to say about this location...it's alright. read more

I have mixed feelings about this location of Virgin Active. There are SO many inconsistencies between individual locations, that I find rather ridiculous (I can't swipe in at Islington, different computer system, they have an online booking system for classes, Tower Bridge has wrist bands, Strand has "tolkens," Holloway has no free towels, etc.). My #1 complaint about Islington is that they have thousands and thousands of members (I heard the actual number the other day, it was ridiculous considering how small the space is.) and evening classes are really, really full. Like, it is nearly impossible to get into Zumba *shimmy* on Tuesday nights unless you are crazy competitive like me (and have free time) and can come sit in the (really nice!) cafe for a while beforehand and be first in line to get the "non-online" wrist bands. In short, if you want to know how to get into a busy class, make sure to ask the people at the front desk, like 10 day ahead of time so you know what to expect. During the day, there is no problem getting equipment or into classes, but there are a lot of kids around, which, being a teacher, kind of bothers me because I don't really want to have kids around at my gym, but I am sure when I am a mum, I'll be glad to have something for my 3 year old to do during the day. Or not. Nope, not taking the kids to the gym, sorry. On the plus side: really nice cafe (costa coffee) with big windows and free wifi. Staff is pretty nice as well. The Zumba teachers (Vivianne, AJ, Guieti) are all fab as well. read more

Virgin Active - Felt like a creeper taking this one... - Gyms Near Me - London, XGL

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Let me count the ways in which I like* this gym. 1. Friendly staff that say hello when you come in 2. Great teachers, Bogusta the pilates instructor. Possibly former KGB, who knows but she's damn good, baby. She'll grab your ass and you'll like it. 3. 25 metre pool. I've been to several gyms in London and a proper pool is rare. 4. Belly dancing classes, an exclusive to this club 5. Such funky fun classes, Roxy Beach workout? Yes, please. 6. Three month memberships and no hassle to quit, cool. 7. I've never been in the gym, but it looks nice. * I did say like not love. I am never going to love a gym, even one with virgins. read more

So this Virgin Active club is currently a tier 2 club but is undergoing a full renovation (which was very badly needed because the current women's changing rooms are a complete shithole). I recon that the club will bump up a tier at the end of the renovation which will make me happy because then I can make it my home club and can book classes which... brings me to my first complaint... Now, this complaint s a Virgin Active complaint as a whole. Their systems are so archaic (or perhaps restrictive to give home club members priority for classes) that they only allow members to book classes for their home clubs. Since my home club is presently Chiswick Park (tier 1), I can go to this lower tiered club but I cannot book classes which means that I have to show up early (first come first serve if there are extra spots available) and still risk not being able to attend the class. This holds true if I were to, say, head over to Barbican which is a tier 1 club (although I did recently read that they have discontinued booking classes altogether, gasp!) as well. If a member is a multi-club member, then they should be able to book any class at any club that they are permitted to go to. My second complaint is that I can't swipe my Virgin Active membership card at the Angel location because Chiswick Park is "on a different system" so I'm inconvenienced by having to have reception swipe my card for me every time I go to the gym. My third complaint is that the gym floor is in the basement. There are no windows and though ventilation is good, it feels like you're in a cave when you're down there. Last year, I lived through the six-month top-to-bottom renovation of Chiswick Park and the renovation of Angel is shaping up to be at the same level as the Chiswick Park renovation (which is awesome). New throughout, not just new showers or slapping some paint on the wall. Right now at Angel, the men's changing rooms are being renovated and when they are done, then the women will move to the new men's changing rooms while the men move to the old women's changing rooms as they are being renovated. Then we'll swap back to our original changing rooms. I know this because this is how it worked at Chiswick Park. As of writing, the gym floor renovation appears to be complete. GRID classes will soon be kicking off and I can't wait, however, I would be more excited if I could book said GRID classes. The group cycle room appears to be renovated but I hope it hasn't because it's too small and the bikes need to be replaced (they also don't have digital displays). The room currently has 28 bikes but they are so close together that it's really uncomfortable. The room is also of a strange shape - it's a quarter of a circle. I hope that the cafe of this club gets booted during the renovation because the space could better be used for GYM STUFF. I dislike gyms that have services like spas and cafes. YOU ARE A GYM. STICK TO GYM STUFF. If you want to go to a cafe, go to one of the hundreds within walking distance of the gym. Another downside to this club is that it is not adults-only though children are only allowed in the pool. The women's changing room is a bit of a nightmare on weekends when kids are in the club for swimming lessons but this is a minor irritation, however, I must admit that if this club bumps up a tier, that it should become adults-only as well. I think Virgin Active really has an identity crisis here - they are trying to please both families and singles and let's be honest, they need to pick one or the other and since Islington is the borough in London with the most single people, Virgin should probably forgo being a family club. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. I trained at this gym for 3 weeks and it's just so dirty that I couldn't handle it anymore. The bathrooms are filthy and nobody cleans the gym floor. After the evening classes, the main area is covered in sweat and if you go back the following morning you would still find a pool of sweat there...and then the classes start all over again in the early morning! Disgusting! There's a The Gym a few steps away from, £30 instead of over 100. Cleaner, nicer, less busy! read more

I only come here once a month as it's not my home gym but they have the Willpower class which I'm a fan of. I wish I could come more often, it's quite big and the changing rooms are massive. And so is the swimming pool that I still have to try :) read more

The gym is incredibly busy and customer service is terrible. It is not worth the money unless you plan to make an extensive use of the pool and use the facilities off peak. I joined the gym because of the wide range of classes it offers and was satisfied with my choice while I was able to use the facilities off peak. However, my work schedule changed and now I can go to the gym only during weekends, which means that I cannot use the club. It is too busy and so it is impossible to book any classes unless you do it at 7am in the morning 7 days before the class. In January the gym is so busy that it is impossible to book any classes for the weekend on Monday night, that is, up to 6 days in advance. The fully booked classes are packed with people threading on each other's toes and there are not enough weights available for everyone. Virgin Active changed their website and now one cannot overview the full schedule of classes offered during the week. You have to choose a particular day and then click on a particular class to find out that it is fully booked. It is incredibly frustrating and time consuming. There is no space on Virgin Active website for raising a customer complaint. The website request "to call back" automatically gets forwarded to customer acquisition team. When after numerous forwards the e-mail finally gets to the responsible manager, the response is rather unhelpful. I was told to wait until the new year resolutions of other gym goers subside. There was no attempt for even token courtesy gestures of which I can think many. Needless to say that I cancelled my gym membership but there is 30 day notification period during which I continue to pay for the service the gym cannot provide. read more

A great local gym club. Very nice staff as well. I enjoy every visit ! read more

The pool and the spa area are fantastic. I love swimming a few laps then kicking back in the whirlpool. I wish I had more time to spend this way. It's really great to have this feature at my local fitness centre. The workout equipment is pretty much all top line stuff. I generally just use the stationary bikes and they are fine. There are mounted TVs to view but I usually have my iPod with me. I've never had too much of a problem using any of the equipment. There always seems to be people around but never too many people. Of course, it should be noted that I'm able to go at off times and can avoid the pre and post-work rush. Come to think of it, I have had to deal with crowding in the lanes of the swimming pool before. But that usually is the result of lessons taking place. After learning the schedule, it wasn't a problem for me anymore. A close acquaintance swears by the early AM spin class, but I've never taken any of the many, many classes. In particular a spin class at any time of the day sounds like cruel and unusual punishment to me. read more

Great gym with a huge pool and spa area, wide varity of classes and helpful staff. That's not to say that members are any good, though. A few pervs in the spa area and imbeciles that leave the treadmill on after they have finished their go (not to mention the imbeciles that don't check to see whether the treadmill is still on before hopping on it, only to fall flat on their face in gym rush hour. Ahem. Lesson learnt) But, idiocy aside, I have found this to be a really good gym and well worth the ££ to go there. read more

This gym is being refurbished and is truly fabulous. The staff are on hand for help and advice anytime and the equipment modern and clean. There is also a steam room sauna and jacuzzi to enjoy after your work out and a great pool for serious swimmers as well as learners. I joined as a flexible member which is s little more expensive but it means you can cancel with a months notice but you can also join as an off peak member or full flexible per year. read more

This club could be much better for that price. It's crowdy, classes overbooked and you can't get in in any class, woman changing room is always dirty, a lot of towels around and no plastic bags. Once I even did an experiment left a paper inside the cupboard and it's still there for several months. The same experiment I did in the training floor and my scrunchy still on the floor as they never hoovering. Also I did an experiment in the steam room! Gosh other my scrunchy still in the steam room! they never washed it! The training room doesn't have proper condition system. Jakuzi is dirty. Also some of the staff are very unfriendly. On the training floor they are ok, but in the reception one spanish (i think) girl not nice. She is very rude, can't understand why she is still there. read more

There's nice changing rooms, but last I went in they were under construction and the weight areas were significantly cramp to a point of a lack of safety IMO. People nearly lifting weights above each other and fighting for room. This was on a weekday just after work at peak hours bare in mind. Will adjust review post-construction. read more

Gym with all the stuff you'd expect including some stuff you wouldn't. Loads of classes, a running track, swimming pool, studios, a hair salon, a beauty salon, cafe, sports shop, internet enabled computers, free wifi and 4, yep 4, changing rooms (2 for boys, 2 for girls - transsexuals and gender-neutral types still need to make a difficult decision). Members get free towels and there is some ok shower gel in all the showers. The staff are professional and polite but unless you ask questions, they aren't proactively available to help you out. Men, watch out as the upstairs changing room is a notorious gay cruising area, so if this isn't your thing change downstairs. There is loads of equipment and I've rarely had to wait or queue to use anything. The running track around the circumference of the gym is a plus as it means you can have a change from the boredom of a running machine. This is generally one of the better gyms I've used. It lacks loads of natural daylight, due to its location nestled within the Barbican complex but if you get membership on a good deal (I'd say less than £75 per month) read more

This place makes me die a little inside. It's "OK" as a Fitness Centre. But a GYM... no. The weights have rubber on them. The 20kg plates are non-standard diameter, screwing up deadlift and Oly-lift starting positions. The staff have no idea how to train free weights correctly (expected), and are happy to come over and question your excellent Barbell Squat form, referring to whatever minsinformation they learned on their 8-week diploma. And Powerplates? Really? It's amazing how little the average trainee and even personal trainer, knows about effective training. Thankfully that is changing, slowly, but in the mean time we'll have to put up with these overpriced mediocre chains. It's marketed as a "fashionable" fitness centre.. and in that respect it succeeds. Serious strength trainees, however, will be unsurprisingly disappointed. Why are there no real gyms in central london? Is a squat rack, barbell, metal weights and Oly platform just plain wishful thinking these days? read more

My "home gym" in the VA chain, Islington's branch impresses initially with the shininess, the gleaming cafe, the huge hot tub, etc. On the plus side, the equipment is largely in good shape. The pool is huge, the hot tub (while a bit too cool for my taste) is an awesome way to relax after a workout, and the staff have been both helpful and readily available on the main gym floor at the "staff island" in the center of the floor. Two major issues, one structural and one temporary. Structurally, this is a massively popular gym and it shows if you try to go during weekday evenings. The place is simply rammed. I've never tried to attend a class, but waiting for a treadmill or a machine would be not at all unusual at 7pm on a Tuesday. Second, the air conditioning. There have been long stretches of time where there has been no or minimal AC in the basement gym. While they do their best to set up fans, etc., the crowding and cramped nature of the place makes for a very unpleasant experience. Even when the AC appears to be working normally, temperatures climb ominously during prime time. Compared to the other VA gyms I've used (Moorgate, Tower Hill), Islington is quite large and the best appointed. I'd recommend it for those who work out in off hours (late mornings, lunchtime). For primetime users, Moorgate is on the same tier, not too far away, and much cooler, airier, less crowded, and more spacious. read more

Great spa and im a big fan of their spinning classes. Also Tony A who does the bootcamp and boxersize will be the one to get me in shape i'm sure x read more

Meh. They dont sell guest passes unless you are with a member (which might be a selling point if you want to join) and the instruction in the Body Pump class was so-so. read more

Really bad experience with this gym. People slam balls and tires on the floor which produces a very disturbing noise in the flats upstairs where I live. I went to complain, because all other form of exercises are fine. They explained to me that acoustic insulation hasn't been done for this kind of exercise because the room wasn't intended to be used like this. They eventually agreed to remove the equipment that was producing the noise, so it was fine for a while. But now the same equipment is back and staff say there is nothing they can do if people want to slam heavy items on the floor. Given how expensive this gym is, whoever wants to exercise should look for a proper facility that provide adequate equipment and environment for it. read more

A good gym. It has good opening hours and free towel service. Towel service is ever so necessary. The gym is not too busy but I also go early in the morning so that comment could be skewed. They could do with one or more squat racks but till then a boy can dream read more

What can I say about Virgin Active at Angel? I'm a member of Bank, which is a pretty swanky club and Angel just doesn't compare. I only come to the Angel branch when I'm either in the area for something else or need to workout before 10 (Bank opens at 10). But every time I step into this gym, my heart sinks. Yes, the staff is friendly and yes, it's a gym and has a lot of the same equipment as Bank, but the quality of the facilities is significantly inferior. The interior is outdated, they don't offer small towels for when you're working out, and there are kids running around, which is the last thing I want to deal with when working out. But, the gym is right by the Angel tube and its convenient and the hours are better than the ones in the city, so that has to count for something. I would only recommend this gym if you live closeby because it's sufficient, just not amazing. read more

One of the better Virgins, the gym area is large and they have quite a lot of free weights and other equipment. Does get quite busy at times though read more

This gym is great - it has all the facilities you might need, inc aerobics studio with a full range of classes, swimming pool, large gym area with a variety of cardio & weights equipment, internet access, jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and sunbed. I love how everything is under one roof, and the place is so spacious that you never feel cramped or crowded (even at peak times) and I've never had to wait to use a machine. The only downside is how expensive membership is, so I would advise waiting until there is a promo deal on or negotiating with the sales advisor after you've tried the facilities after a free trial visit. read more

My boyfriend is a member here but I often get guest passes to come along too; usually quite expensive but the do 2 for £20 sometimes which is a good deal. The swimming pool and spa area is the best bit. They have a very hot sauna there (105 degrees) but also a slightly cooler one (75 degrees). The gym equipment is the latest and I find the free towels a really nice touch. read more

Unfortunately this isn't my home club but I make sure I take advantage of the fact I can use other Virgin Active gyms 4 times a month! This is my favourite! The main gym itself is great, with all the newest equipment. There are lots of flatscreen tvs showing many different channels which is better than the 4 at my home club. The sauna and swimming area is fantastic - it looks like something abroad! The massive jacuzzi pool is worth a visit to Angel itself. read more

It's not my home club but I still like to visit for a swim and jacuzzi because the facilities are fantastic. Friendly and helpful staff and some great teachers too (Wednesday night spin is great). read more

Great variety of classes that i am willing to explore. Up unitl recenlty I have been using only the pool. Have not been here recently, but I am certain to come back next week. read more

This is my local club, and I am extremely happy with the recent-ish renovations. The staff are super awesome, the trainers aren't overly pushy and will give you a hand with the machines if you're confused. The classes are awesome (Adonis's Body Balance is heavenly) and never over-packed. Peak times are definitely busy though! I usually go right when they open or after 7:30 in the evening. The only thing that keeps it from being 5 stars is that the tropical shower in the spa area has been quite dirty at times. (PS - I hear they're about to build a salt room!!) read more

All good till you want to quit. I am pregnant and because of medical reasons was advised by doctor to stop exercise. Virgin Active still charge me even if I pay £80 per month which should allowed me to quit whenever I want. I was told they will call me and tell if I need a medical certificate confirming that I can not exercise. Nobody bothered to call me. Now, I have a certificate and fighting for refund. Wonder if there will be anyone interested to talk to me. I was with them for 2 years. Paid to them nearly £2000 and the customer service I received recently is appalling! read more

I have been at this gym for a long time and have seen it get from one of the best to one of the worst value gyms I have ever used (been gymming for 20+ years all around the world). Others haven't commented on the post-refurbishment state of the gym so I will cover that also. So far AFTER the refurbishments have COMPLETED: - constant leaking of water from men's toilet into changing areas (including water with urine) - the toilets seem like they designed it to be the smallest size cubicle possible; similarly with the lockers - gym running out of towels - gym being closed for due to water leakage - gym not having any water for showers, basin, etc - removal of a really nice member's sitting and entertainment area that has been replaced by an area for personal training. The area is now wasted and hardly used - removal of a major number of weights equipment for The Grid. The Grid is the dumbest thing I have seen in a gym. It is basically a wannabe area for cross fit type group exercises - again majorly under-utilised. I have seen it maybe being used three times in the last 2 months. Majority of this area is not used - the gym was much much better off with the large number/types of equipment they had before the refurbishment - major crowding of what little equipment is left - people literally working on top of each other in very dangerous conditions. I go in off-peak often and due to the little equipment they have even at these times it is tough to get machines - dumbbells that go up to 50 kg but lack of multiple sets of the other more used dumbbells (e.g. in the 14-30 kg range) I can't even begin to tell you how incompetent the staff are. It took over a month to get a simple piece of communication to the right person. So the renovation is a MAJOR FAIL.. the gym has gone from amazing to absolutely a place to be avoided. I don't think the renovations have managed to give the gym a modern look anymore than it already had. The area now has many new gyms with newer and better equipment (e.g. The Gym just in the next block, fitness first across the road, etc) - these offer much better value for money. The swimming pool is usually too full to swim anyway during most of the day and as it is not an adults only pool multiple lanes are often blocked off for kids/family use only read more

I tried this gym once just over a year ago and the experience was appalling. Temperature and aircon couldn't cope with the numbers of people. I asked several staff what they thought the max temp should be and none of them could answer. Half way through my shower all the water suddenly went off. I guess that might not be their fault. but the staff remained profoundly disinterested and unhelpful. When I left , although it was my first visit , nobody asked what I thought of it. I submitted a feedback card but despite countless reminders my complaints remain unresolved. Keep clear of this place! Virgin are pricey , which is OK if they actually provide the frills, but you might as well go to one of the cheaper ones as go here. read more

The problem with this place is not the facilities or the location (although I agree w other reviewers that the staff are rather dismissive and unfriendly) but the members. more specifically the number of children in what is supposedly an adult club. The changing room is frenetic, with screaming children and mothers showing off their great parenting by speaking really loudly to them. It may not be as bad in the male locker rooms, with gender roles being as they are. Sticking soiled nappies in the bin without a nappy sack and allowing children to run rogue. Staff have told me the reason there is no weighing scales is so many have been broken by children playing on them. If you are a swimmer the problem is here, as there is no adult only time in the poolit is always populated with noisy babies and chidren. Not a relaxing experience at all. Virgin need to sort out their targetting and priorities.Adult, expensive, high end club or family friendly? they dont co-exist certainly not at this centre. Some adult only zones or times would go a long way read more