Virgin Active London, Canary Wharf Estate

Reviews

1. Yana Pampukha ★☆☆☆☆

   I deeply regret that I didn’t read the reviews before buying a membership at this gym. This low rating is absolutely justified. Over the past six months, there hasn’t been a single day when I didn’t regret purchasing a membership in this gym chain. Virgin Active is definitely the worst gym in its price category. First of all, the gyms are extremely overcrowded. And not because they are so popular, but simply because there is very little equipment. Something is often broken. Overall, the facilities are quite small and uncomfortable. The spa zone is absolutely not up to standard. The pool, sauna, and steam room are usually not hot enough. And this is the case in many clubs. I have been to many different locations, and it is the same everywhere. The clubs that have existed for a long time do not update their equipment at all. And in some locations, for example Angel Islington, all the machines are literally rusty, many are broken, and everything is dirty. Overall, the gym is quite dirty and unpleasant. The service is also absolutely terrible. When it comes to equipment, I was very surprised at the Canary Wharf club, considering that this gym is positioned as a premium-level club among their other locations. They have a very limited selection of machines. This was the first time in my life I saw a gym without a leg press machine, without a leg abduction machine, and without a hip thrust machine. You really have to be very creative to do a basic lower-body or upper-body workout there. Also, if you are a tennis lover like I am, keep in mind that Virgin Active has only two clubs with tennis facilities, and there are only a few courts there. Meanwhile, for example, Better Gym has 10 or 12 locations with tennis facilities. They have outdoor courts, indoor courts, and various options. Virgin Active is simply very bad. And of course, the service is what really hits rock bottom. Every time I think it can’t get any worse, they somehow manage to surprise me. The last time, I had an issue with my membership card. I contacted their customer support, and they didn’t reply to me for a week. After a week, they replied saying that since they hadn’t responded for a week, they hoped my issue had resolved itself. And if not, they recommended that I contact them again. I honestly find this shocking. But today something happened that was truly the cherry on top. I arrived at the Angel Islington gym in order to finish my workout before closing. To my surprise, the staff asked me to leave the gym 15 minutes earlier than the closing time stated in the opening hours. I asked why. They told me that it is a rule that the gym closes 15 minutes earlier than what is stated on the website or any other public sources. When I asked them to show me this rule on the website or anywhere else, a lady who introduced herself as a manager came over and started being rude to me. She very aggressively told me that I had to immediately get off the treadmill and that she did not have to show me anything, because since she is the manager, if she says I must leave the gym, I must quickly gather my things and leave — simply because she said so. I find this completely unacceptable. I pay £150 per month for this membership, and this is how the staff treats me when I ask very reasonable questions, politely and respectfully, simply asking them to show me the rule or policy. Instead, I was met with rudeness. I consider this absolutely unacceptable. I will be demanding early termination of my membership, because when I made the decision and signed the membership contract, I did not know that managers have the authority to arbitrarily set opening hours and kick me out just because they feel like it. You are essentially paying for a PureGym-level experience, but three times more expensive and with a long-term commitment that, unfortunately, you cannot break. Please be careful!!!

   almost 8 months ago
2. Casey Haron ★★☆☆☆

   Been a member of virgin canary riverside for around just under 10 years, and it’s disappointing that there has been no massive additional changes to the gym during this time, -no refurbishment of any area within the gym I was excited to see some potential upgrades on the notice board earlier this year yet nothing has changed? -slowly but surely amenities seem to be disappearing, the toiletries within the changing room are minimal the cleanser is always empty, would be nice if they introduced the same toiletries as third space. The removal of robes was disappointing I understand they advised this was due to the environment but I don’t feel like providing robes makes much of an environmental difference? -the lounge area could do with a cafe providing healthy meals with juices, smoothies and light refreshments - the spa could do with a whole refurbishment -gym equipment and machines could do with a upgrade to include a hip abductor machine etc - a reformer Pilates studio is due to be added not sure when It’s important to add that I attend this gym due to convenience as it is close but I feel like I am due to evaluate if it makes any sense paying a high membership fee for such budget interior , amenities and no great additions that make it worth while so I may consider changing to third space in the new year as I feel they focus on providing a much better experience and feel like your getting your moneys worth

   almost 9 months ago
3. Gaia Bonanno ★★★★☆

   The aquatic facilities and steam room are outstanding and provide an excellent environment for relaxation and recovery. However, the sauna would benefit from a higher temperature setting and improved ventilation, as the current odor detracts from the overall experience. Group fitness classes are generally well-organized, with qualified instructors supporting a positive workout environment. Nevertheless, some sessions lack the intensity expected by younger members, as they appear to be tailored more toward an older demographic. I have requested more vigorous options to better suit varying fitness levels. It is highly appreciated that towels and all necessary amenities for showering are consistently provided, which enhances the member experience through added convenience. The cleanliness of the changing rooms is also commendable and contributes to a comfortable visit. One area for improvement is the quantity of classes available per day. The club currently offers an average of 8-10 classes, which is below the standard set by other Virgin Active locations. For comparison, Virgin Active clubs in Italy schedule two to three times as many daily classes, presenting better value for their members. Expanding the class roster would more appropriately reflect membership fees and help fulfill the needs of a diverse clientele. Furthermore, the anticipated introduction of reformer Pilates would be a welcome enhancement, aligning the club with current market trends and further broadening its group exercise offerings.

   almost 10 months ago

1. FoodieExplorer ★★☆☆☆

   Great swimming pool with view and amazing hydromassage. I found the place very dirty. Especially the toilets and the studios. Hopefully will be more clean on my next visit as the membership cost so much and it’s a MUST to train in a CLEAN environment.

   almost 10 months ago
2. Olga Fedorishcheva ★☆☆☆☆

   Today especially disappointing and fake after unreasonable responses and time wasting. They care very little about your actual experience and they do not value people’s time. Customer service really needs adjusting. Jacuzzi is CLOSED and the day rate does not change at 4 pm? Never clean, staff is asking you not to hug etc etc. Far far from ideal. Very very disappointing.

   almost 10 months ago
3. Vlad Gorshkov ★★☆☆☆

   Amazing pool, good range of weights to lift, and decent classes. But the gym is a disappointment in a couple of big ways. The front desk can barely be bothered to say hello or goodbye most of the time. The state of the changing rooms is particularly poor. In the men's room, nine or of ten times, there's no shampoo or conditioner. The showers are grimy and at least one doesn't have hot water. The lockers themselves are worn and need refurbishment. For a place that bills itself as an upscale gym and charges 140 pounds per month, it needs to do better.

   almost 3 years ago

1. Sigita Navickaite ★★★★★

   Really great gym. Spa and pool facilities are superb. Gym itself is not as big but has quite a lot of equipment. Love the group classes the most, really great mixture and timings. Staff is always polite and helpful. Customer service has been also super responsive and they are taking their members feedback really seriously. Highly recommended!

   almost 3 years ago
2. Philip Grave ★☆☆☆☆

   I thought for that kind of money you would get something incredible - how wrong I was. Everything inside the gym looks old and tiny. The ceilings are super low and the machines are very close to each other which makes it feel tiny and cramped. There is not a lot of gym space in general. The changing rooms are dirty with tiny wardrobe space. The swimming pool was nice to be fair but not worth paying that much money in my opinion. I just signed up today but I will be cancelling today again. You got to do a lot better for 180£ Virgin.

   almost 3 years ago
3. Auro (Mr) ★★★☆☆

   There is s a wonderful view from the gym. The location is on a Canary Wharf Pier and around there are nice restaurants and coffee shop. However, the gym is on a two floors. The training area is small and it requires to go up and down if you have to use the full tools to carry out a training program.

   almost 4 years ago

1. Victor Sandu ★★★★★

   Swimming pool is amazing, great views of London , no matter if you’re swimming during the day or during the night. Facilities are good, staff is usually nice, but sometimes more should be done to make sure rules are followed.

   almost 4 years ago

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