Want to get more active? See what Mumsnetters thought about David Lloyd clubs around the country. NOW CLOSED

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

This thread is for the Mumsnetters who attended the David Lloyd tour days in Manchester, Hampton, and Edinburgh. Attendees were treated to a tour of their club and were then able to use the club for a week with their families.

Here’s what David Lloyd have to say about their clubs: ‘At David Lloyd Clubs there is something to keep the whole family entertained - from Mum and Dad, to little ones and teenagers. You can lead a healthy and active lifestyle together as a family with us. With more than 100 kids’ activities every single week and adult classes cleverly timed to coincide, you’ll love time together at your club. While the kids race around at our action-packed DL Kids Holiday Active club, you can work out in our state of the art gym, try a new class, such as group cycling or yoga, or simply relax and unwind in the sauna, spa or café bar. Kids can take swimming and tennis to the next level with our fantastic All Stars junior coaching and enjoy multi-sport and arts & crafts with Club Active. We always time our kids’ classes so that they coincide with group exercise classes for adults too.’

Attendees, please answer the questions below:

• Which David Lloyd Event did you attend?
• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
• What was your overall impression of the club?
• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?
• What was your favourite activity at the club?
• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

If you have any other thoughts please don’t hesitate to add them too!

All attendees who add their feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £300 John Lewis voucher!

Thanks,
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
I attended the Hampton DL event with my 5 year old DD.

• What was your overall impression of the club?

The club itself is very nice, we had a lovely welcome on the event day from Rebecca and the David Loyd team, followed by a tour of the club and then the choice of a gym class or spa/swim while the DC were entertained. This was followed by a lovely afternoon tea. The club is spacious with a nice reception area. It was very busy all week and also at the weekend. The club is obviously very family orientated. It wasn't as clean as I would have liked but I couldn't fault the facilities and amount of activities for the whole family. Great kids area with soft play. Fantastic gym floor with lots of classes. The Gym floor staff were really friendly. Some of the reception staff were not so friendly/happy and unfortunately didn't seem to know what was going on. Maybe a lack of communication as the club was always so busy. Some of the cafe staff were not too friendly on some of our visits and others lovely so a bit inconsistent. There are Lots of tennis courts and a nice outdoor pool area. Overall I was very impressed even with the chaos at reception. I am a member at another popular local health club which has a similar monthly membership and am very tempted to leave and join DL! Although I'm not sure I'd sign up DD as its rather expensive for a 5 year old, especially as she does lots of activities after school.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

DD loved the club. She took part in a dance class on the event day and loved it so much did the same class the next day. She really loved the soft play and we had an inset day on Monday so we spent the whole day in the outdoor pool as the weather was glorious.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

I love excercise and spent the week trying out classes. I was very impressed with the amount of classes on offer and how friendly everyone was. The best class I did was fight Klub. A high energy boxing workout to drum and bass. Hard but brilliant . Emma and Dan (instructors) were fantastic.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

I would definitely recommend the club to friends and family. However I think you need to be a regular gym goer or play tennis/golf to get the most out of it. The fees are on the expensive side so it's a lot to pay to just go and sit in the soft play with the DC. It's definitely a lifestyle club, and so is full of families. On that basis I would recommend the place to friends with DC. Also the Gym area is not intimidating at all so is great for anyone who wants to get fit and lose a bit of weight without feeling self conscious.
Thank you Mumsnet for the opportunity to try out the club we had a lovely day at the event and great week at the club.

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
I attended with my husband and my son and daughter

What was your overall impression of the club?
The club is amazing and we had a nice welcome and enjoyed being shown round. However we could not hear everything the man was saying perhaps he told us but I did not realize they had spa pools as well as the main pool and outdoor pool we were shown. They showed us the spa and we thought that was all there was to it- the treatment area- the main pool was closed for cleaning and so we went and sat in the cafe while the kids did the activities; there was only a short time and we would be collecting them. However we stayed till late and the main pool was re-opened in the evening so we decided to try it out. From the changing area (which only had one private changing cubicle but is having a refurb soon) you have to walk through the spa pool area for strictly over 18s to get to the main pool! Well I was so disappointed we had not seen this area earlier while the kids were being entertained! It looks amazing three private pool areas; warm water with massage spouts and lounging areas, sauna- lets just say I was feeling cheated . It was strange you have to walk through this area with kids, when it says under 18s are not allowed...
The main pool was lovely and warm and lit up with blue lights, it feels a bit like you are in a goldfish tank however as it is surrounded by glass and onlookers in the reception, gym and cafe look in from two levels. I spent ages swimming with my little girl and we really enjoyed, that evening we practically had the pool to ourselves apart from a couple of swimmers doing lanes on the other side. It is a large pool and we so much space and it was very peaceful.

I think when showing people round they should have a lady take the women through the changing area to the spa and a man take the fellas to show them around, this way they could really sell the wet spa area- which is amazing.

Earlier while we were waiting the kids had fun doing the organised activities they had a choice of making paper plate snakes, sporty team relays- my little boy called it the squigy race they did a relay and had to jump on a giant mat- or dance workshop. My little girl really liked the dance workshop and it would be a great way to keep kids fit in the colder months, the instructor and helpers were really great with the kids. My little boy did the craft and sports activities and wanted to go back in after eating. We really liked and appreciated the buffet food, they had a good range of healthy foods (apart form the kids fries, but they were nice).

The next day we went again and the kids used the outside pool, it was heated (not warm enough outside for me even so as I'm pregnant). The kids really loved it and it was empty so they had it to themselves. . It was like a little holiday for them, they really had fun. They really wanted to use the hot tub but were not allowed-fair enough.

We ate in the cafe twice, the first time it was quiet, the food was great and service was ok. The next day the food was also great but some staff seemed unhappy and not keen to help. The table was dirty and the floor was messy- asked them if they would mind giving the table a wipe twice but ended up doing it myself as my little girl refused to eat there if it was not cleaned up- I couldn't blame her it was a mess. Also probably being a bit picky now but the numbers they give you to put on the table need changing they were covered with old ketchup. There was a lady going round picking up dishes but it seemed like everything was too much hassle. I did like that there was water available on the counter. Staff were helpful when there were no chocolate brownies left to go with the ice cream- they warmed chocolate muffins instead which the kids loved.
There is a children's eating area with TV and few games and three computers with maths type games. My little boy loved using the computers but was not happy when he had to wait around because there are only three. There is also an adults only eating area which is nice for those members who want some peace.

I would like to explain that I had a question and tried to call the gym but they do not answer the phone, it rang for ages and I gave up twice, finally found another number and they put me through to reception who eventually answered.

My nephew came with me on the second day as my husband could not make it, ( which is what I needed to phone about) he is 20 and uses a gym regularly, he felt the gym was good, not too busy and relaxed, but needed a proper punch bag.

What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?
They both loved swimming in the outside pool and my little girl loved the dancing, they thought it was great like being in a resort.

What was your favourite activity at the club?
I would have loved the spa, but really enjoyed swimming in the pool.

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?
I would recommend the club, It is a great place to chill out, get fit and spend quality time either with or without the kids. It is a great idea to have activities to book the kids into and it is a nice place to relax. If you have little ones they will love the indoor soft play and the playground outside is nice. The tennis courts are good and there are 9 courts I think and a golf area. But I do feel they need to boost staff morale and provide some training for staff in cleaning and customer service; better communication would improve the overall service. Many staff seemed unaware of the mumsnet trial- unless they were not meant to know! That said, staff were not in your face and you felt free to go about your time without pressure.
We really enjoyed our time at the David Lloyd club and if we could afford it would love membership.

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
I attended with my 2 DDs (aged 7 and 4). DH came along too on Sunday.

What was your overall impression of the club?
The people we met on the day were lovely and enthusiastic and I was impressed with the childcare staff. Unfortunately their colleagues on reception seemed less engaged, with the exception of the person who greeted us on our first day. I also overheard quite a few grumbles from members (and staff!) about various things over the course of our three visits.

The club has fantastic facilities - there was a nice big family section in the main pool and the family swimming times and pool temperature are better than at my current gym. My gym does offer a wider selection of floats and pool toys to play with although the life guard was kind enough to find a few sinkers for the DDs to use. The wet spa area was really lovely and it was great being able to use the outdoor pool during the warm weather. However, the corridors between the various pools/spa were uncomfortably chilly.

We had a nice lunch at the club on the Saturday and the DCs particularly enjoyed the meatballs (pleasantly surprised by this as DD2 is a bit picky). The children's menu is good value. Service in the restaurant was mixed, as mentioned by a PP. The lunch staff on Saturday were very nice but on the one occasion that I tried to take up the offer of a free coffee, the duty manager knew nothing about it and chose to interpret the email I presented as only entitling us to the one coffee - I had to pay for DH's. This is very trivial in the scheme of things, especially as we had enjoyed a week's free membership, but I felt it was symptomatic of the overall patchy and ambivalent attitude towards customer service.

There were quite a few areas where a lack of attention to detail really let the club down, particularly with regards to cleanliness. There always seemed to be a cleaner on duty but she had quite a task on her hands dealing with the detritus members had left around (lots of tissues around the place and a bamboo kebab skewer in the showers!) and unflushed loos. The towels were grubby on 2 of the 3 occasions I was given them and we had to wait 45 minutes on Sunday afternoon before finally being offered 2 towels for a party of 4. I can see why most members opt to bring their own towel rather than paying £2.50 a pop or the much higher monthly towels-inclusive membership fee.

What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?
They loved the swimming and really enjoyed the dance class at the end of the open day. I had hoped the soft play would be more of a hit but I think DD1 is getting a bit old for it and DD2 followed her lead.

The range of children's classes had been scaled right back during the holidays and I left it too late to book the DDs onto the one they were interested in so we didn't get to try these out. The soft play was out of action for the whole of Saturday afternoon due to a party - if I were a member I think I'd get frustrated by this if it were a regular weekend occurrence, particularly given the cost of children's membership.

What was your favourite activity at the club?
The wet spa!

If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?
Unfortunately not - I don't think the extra frills warrant the additional membership cost relative to other local gyms.

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?

With a friend 4 year old DS
What was your overall impression of the club?
It was lovely, there was lots to do, although I didn't think the gym had enough equipment but the rest of the club was very nice. I really liked the spa area and would happily have spent a lot longer in there. I liked the fact the Hampton gym had two different types of rower. I had my week long trial at a different gym which was equally as nice and the gym had far more equipment in it although there were still times when I had to wait to use certain of the resistance machines but there were always treadmills and rowers available
What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?
DS liked the event day but for 4 year olds in my local club there was hardly any events (2 sessions a week) that he could take part in which meant he didn't visit the local club. In fact the movie time and make and create which he had done at the Hampton club he was too young to attend at our local club which was very disappointing.
What was your favourite activity at the club?
The spa, easily so.
If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?
This is a difficult one, there are so many positives but ultimately it depended on what they wanted from the club. I hardly used any of the facilities even in a week and to be honest you'd really need a month to work out whether it is worth paying the extra a month for all of the extras or if a 'normal' gym would suffice. Also it would depend on the age of their children, if they had a 4 year old I probably wouldn't recommend my local one as it just didn't have enough going on to warrant paying for him to be a member other than to take him swimming.

We were one of the lucky families to do a trial of David Lloyd in Hampton We live less than 1 mile away so were really excited to be given this opportunity.

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
I attended with my Mum, and two children, aged 3 and 10.

• What was your overall impression of the club?

I thought the club was impressive. The tour I had was very informative and tailored to what I wanted to look at. The range of kids activities was excellent (although lacking for my older child). My kids absolutely adored the soft play - although I think this may get quite boring week in week out as it was quite small. I thought the outside areas were great, but can imagine they are incredibly busy when the weather is nice. The spa looked incredible although I didn't actually use it (there were a large group of over 20 teenagers using the facilities on the day of the event which was a bit offputting)

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

Without a doubt my kids loved the soft play the most.
We did go swimming but found several things disappointing. You have to walk through an over 18s only area (the spa) to get to the pool. This was quite slippy as well so not great for toddlers. It felt quite uncomfortable walking through a silent spa with children as it was obvious people were trying to relax. The pool was small in width and my son (who is almost 11) was not allowed to swim in the pool until I got there. I thought this was a little unfair but understand that rules are rules (it is over 12s only allowed without an adult). My kids were also not allowed to play with a ball in the pool. The showers however were lovely and hot and I really liked the little dressing tables you could sit at to do your hair and make up - nice touch.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

Unfortunately I did not try as many activities as I would've liked to. I did want to do a spin class, but was unable to book onto it as was repeatedly told by reception that I wasn't to be given a membership number for the week (which contradicted the advice Mumsnet had given). Reception did not seem to have any idea that the Mumsnet event was going on which was a little frustrating and easily fixed by effective communication. Little things like that are the difference between good and bad customer service (especially to customers paying such a premium)

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

We as a family are members of a similar gym chain, and whilst I would recommend DL for preschoolers and those who do a lot of sport, I am not sure I could be persuaded to pay DL prices for what you get. The reception staff were clueless and disinterested unless you were male and in your twenties, the toilets were often unflushed (grim) and I'm sure the BBQ and outside areas get ridiculously busy in the summer. The coffee was delicious but I had similar issues to a previous poster in actually being given my free coffee. I would've loved to have tried a spin class and had an afternoon in the spa sans children.

We did really appreciate the lovely food given to us at the event and the goody bags, and the chance to try out the club, thank you Mumsnet!

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?

We went to the Manchester one for the day then to our local one. There was myself and DS 11 and DD 7.

• What was your overall impression of the club?

I was impressed. The facilities at Manchester are much better than my local one. Staff on reception were friendly and helpful.
I was looking forward to the gym class but unfortunately the instructor didn't really have time for us and you could tell he was fed up at having to train a couple of unfit women. I explained to him that I was unfit and getting back in to it but he had little concept of limitations and expected me to do a minute of press ups etc which I couldn't and the plank, which I couldn't! After two weeks of going twicea day, I can now though!

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

They enjoyed the craft activity, they decorated their own t-shirts and hats. They also enjoyed the pool area.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

I enjoyed the pool.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

Yes, if they could justify the cost why not. I can barely afford it but with the health benefits I will find the money and prioritise it.

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
I couldn't attend the original event day due to health issues, but MN and DL very kindly re-arranged separate induction day at my local club, which I attended with DS15 and DS12 and my DH.

• What was your overall impression of the club?

Overall impression was a good one. The staff on reception were very helpful and friendly. On speaking to the salesperson, she arranged for my DH and DSs to have a gym induction and for me to have a separate induction which would take into account my health problems and mobility issues. Both inductions were brilliant and the personal trainer had an immediate rapport with both children. They were both happy to continue with the plan during the trial week. I was particularly pleased that my less sporty son was happy to visit the gym several times during the trial week and just got on with what he had been shown quite happily.

My gym induction was also very good. The personal trainer seemed to understand my limitations and worked out a good, achievable programme for me to start off with as well as giving me dietary advice. I was happy to visit the gym several times during the week. I had never previously been to a gym.

The club was modern and well laid out. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit the swimming pool as we concentrated on the gym. But both the indoor and outdoor pools looked inviting and were always busy. The only downside was that each time we visited the cafe, both inside and out, there were always tables which required clearing and cleaning.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

Both DCs liked the club. I was expecting the younger, sporty DC to enjoy it (and he did) but the surprise was my 15 year old. We have been unsuccessfully trying to get him interested in sport for ages, but he really seemed to click with the gym routine he had been given and it was great to see him willingly take part. They both enjoyed a knock about on the tennis courts and said they would like to try squash, but didn't get time to do that, or try the swimming pool as there wasn't enough time.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

Very surprisingly I really enjoyed the gym. I think this is mainly due to the great advice I was given by the personal trainer. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do much, but he was able to give me a realistic routine to start off with and I was able to do this, which has boosted my confidence.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

I would recommend that friends/family could try our local club. I was particularly impressed with the standard of advice and support from the personal trainers. The staff on reception were polite and friendly. The facilities were modern and spacious. The only downside is the cost, and in particular the 'joining fee' which I think is an unnecessary and offputting cost to a potential member.

Thank you Mumsnet and David Lloyd for a very interesting and enjoyable week. This could be the start of a new, healthier life for all of us!

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with? DH and 2 teens

• What was your overall impression of the club? The approach was impressive and it really felt like an oasis of calm from the busy surroundings (we went to Hampton). The club is open plan, which surprised me, with the pool open to the entrance and the gym. Although we were here on a damp dull day, I could imagine the spacious outside patio and tennis courts in full swing in the sunshine.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit? The DC were slightly overwhelmed and, as the other children attending were younger, opted to give the activities a miss and try the pool. Unfortunately the indoor pool was closed, so we all braved the outdoor pool, which they thought was quite warm considering the weather.

• What was your favourite activity at the club? Due to illness, we didn’t get the chance to re-visit, which was a shame because I wanted to try the spa and some classes.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why? I think it would suit families where the whole family would make use of the activities that the club offer – gym, swimming, tennis - and would get the use out of the membership. It is a lovely environment and felt exclusive, and if you can afford it, why not? It's definitely more of a lifestyle choice than using the local leisure centre.

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
I attended with my husband and with 7 years old DS and 20 month old DS. WE live less than 5 minutes away from David LLoyd Club Hampton that's why were really excited about event and possibility to trial David LLoyd club.Mumsnet and David LLoyd organized creche free of charge for our 20 month old toddler and while older son was busy with crafting activities me and my hubby enjoyed tour and 30 minutes in spa.That was a luxury!

• What was your overall impression of the club?

Club is lovely. Nice indoor swimming pool, great outdoor pool too,wet spa, gym, tennis court,soft play,lot of classes and other stuff,even place to eat.Club is always busy and offer lot of activities for all family.Staff at reception is friendly and helpful and was pleasure to deal with.Organization however could have been better, as staff didn't know anything about complimentary towels or complimentary coffee,we got our own towels anyway they are more colourful ;)Unfortunately as both my kids catched cold on friday, we didn't used club on the rest of the days. Was a bit disappointed as wanted to try zumba class and pilates for beginners,son was so unhappy and grumpy that it was impossible to leave him with hubby.. We loved indoor swimming pool and both my sons were so excited.David LLoyd club is lovely with lot of things to do for older kids but for toddler nothing really going on,except swimming and creche, even soft play area are more suitable for a little bit older kids. Some kids classes for toddlers would be really popular, like mum and baby yoga, or dancing and gym classes for crawlers and walkers.Also David Lloyd Club need to pay more attention to cleanliness as dirt, mess,dust don't add to this luxury feeling at all.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

Both sons loved swimming pool a lot,weather on school holidays was not really nice, and we didn't tried outdoor pool.My older son liked soft play area too.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

Spa,it was so relaxing to have some me time in jacuzzi or get bit warm in sauna!I liked swimming pool too, I am awful swimmer and don't feel confident in deeper swimming pools especially when I am with kids, this one was perfect.Not too deep!!!

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

Yes, I would recommend to try David LLoyd Club a try,as time from time David Lloyd club offer 2 weeks not too expensive trial and it is the best to see for yourself if it is worth the money or not, as club offer a lot and for family who lead active lifestyle and use club nearly everyday this is amazing value for money.I would love to be a member of David LLoyds club but for those who don't use it everyday just couple of times a month it would work out too expensive and at the moment we don't have so active lifestyle. Thank you Mumsnet and David Lloyd for warm and friendly event, for amazing opportunity to enjoy club for a week and for goody bag!

Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?
I attended the David Lloyd event day with my whole family: husband, two young children and a teenager.

• What was your overall impression of the club?

We were very impressed with the club. It's very clean and rich looking. It has got a good variety of activities and is suitable for the whole family. It makes you enjoy quality time with your family. Staff were friendly and helpful.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

They loved it! My teenager daughter loved the gym but my two little ones loved outside pool the most. They were smiling the whole time and it made us (parents) very happy.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

Pool. We love a good swim and outside pool is a game changer.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

Definitely. It is pricey though and prices are quite hidden. I didn't like the secrecy. But you do buy the whole life style so if they can afford it, definitely a yes. It caters for the whole family, it has a crache and soft play, what else could you want?

We loved it very much and we want to thank Mumsnet for this opportunity to attend the even day. Sorry for later feedback but we were dealing with some personal stuff.

• Which David Lloyd Event did you attend?

Edinburgh

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?

Me, DH and our 5 DC (DD14, DD12, DS9, DS7, DD3)

• What was your overall impression of the club?

We thought it was fab. It's clean and well maintained without the 'sterile' feeling that you get at some clubs. The facilities are great and all the staff we met were helpful and friendly.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

The DCs all begged us to buy a family membership! Their favourite activity was swimming. They all LOVED the heated outdoor pool (although it was MUCH chillier than we were expecting and the family changing rooms were a bit smelly - our only criticisms). Our two older DDs took part in an organised gym activity, our DS's played football and basketball and then played on the Wii console together. DD3 was too shy to go into the crèche but wanted to go in the soft play instead and used one of the tablets in the area set up for the little ones.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

I'm a sucker for a spa so I enjoyed the spacious sauna and steam room. I also appreciated the 'adult only' areas. DH really liked the gym. We both really liked the themed spin and yoga studios.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

I already have. With 5 DC from toddler to teenager, we find days out and family activities a challenge now because no one ever seems to want to do the same things these days. Here, we can all go together and regroup throughout the day but in between, we can enjoy activities tailored to our own interests/age groups and there's something for everyone. David Lloyd feels more like a 'country club' than a 'gym'. It's the kind of place I could imaging us hanging out at together as family a lot if we were to become members.

Thanks so much MN and David Lloyd. We really enjoyed our day and our delicious lunch and we are all looking forward to coming back and using the club for a week during the school holidays.

• Which David Lloyd Event did you attend?

Edinburgh

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?

Myself and DD (5)

• What was your overall impression of the club?

Very quiet, welcoming and well-equipped. Cleanliness was a bit of an issue throughout and took the shine off otherwise lovely facilities, although we did see pool staff cleaning the windows while we were there, which was great. The family changing rooms were a good idea in principle but were very smelly and didn't create a great first impression of the pool area. Also people tended to congregate in front of the lockers which made accessing the pool a bit stressful for people trying to shepherd multiple kids through a narrow, crowded passageway.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

My DD loved the activities put on for the children. The outdoor pool closely followed by the soft play area near the cafe were her favourites. We are looking forward to going back to try more activities as part of our week long trial.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

We loved the outdoor pool and would consider joining just to be able to sign up for specific swimming classes online. Our local gym/public pool does not even respond to emails looking to find out more info about lessons full stop so any improvement on this gets my vote, but we struggle to be able to attend at the same time every week due to work and family commitments so being able to book into different classes at the same stage really really works for us and is worth paying a premium.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

It's very close to where I work, so I would definitely recommend it to colleagues for convenience as well as being a bit different from other hotel gym options nearby. Having decent parking and being next to the park are also big plus points that make it stand apart from other local options (mainly hotel gym memberships). I can imagine popping in just for coffee or a meal as well as spending time in the gym or pool.

Having said all that I was none the wiser as to how much it costs after visiting so I will have to wait and see if it fits budget. It would have been really helpful to have some ballpark figures or sample costings in with our goody bag/passes.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to try it out, we have really enjoyed it.

Which David Lloyd Event did you attend?
Edinburgh

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?

Went with hubby and 2 kids.

• What was your overall impression of the club?

The club looked very good, and much bigger than I expected. Nice big changing area, private showers, lovely big pool, a little bit heated outside pool - though not heated enough for me! Maybe when the weather is warmer it would be good. Pool was not busy Sat pm. Huge gym, nice cafe. It all seemed clean in Edinburgh.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

They loved the pool, and the teenager liked the chill out area to lounge near the pool. 11 year old was so chuffed to be old enough to use the gym.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

Hubby liked the gym, I liked the pool. Would be interested in trying classes in our free week. We all liked our free lunch!

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why? Hard to say because I have no idea what it costs. I didn't ask and it was nice that they weren't pushy about it. But I did expect some material in our goody bag (which wasn't up to much). Bit annoying I can't even find a clue to the cost online. Looking forward to trying our free week.

Which David Lloyd Event did you attend? Edinburgh

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with? My husband couldn't attend so I came with my sister in law who is already a member, my two year old son and 7 month old daughter
• What was your overall impression of the club? It was lovely, very relaxed and spacious. For a Saturday afternoon it didn't feel to busy or noisey. The facilities look great - pool and lots of gym equipment.
• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit? This was the hard bit about the event day and young children, the only thing we used was the soft play which my two year old loved. The tour was late kicking off and too, so long that my 7 month old couldn't stay in the childcare any longer. We were there about an hour and 40 min and all I had done was a tour and had a bite to eat, by then my 7 month old had had enough. 1pm till 3pm is a difficult time for wee ones, generally nap time.
• What was your favourite activity at the club? I didn't get to do anything other than the tour, I thought the spin studio looked ace
• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why? I would recommend David Lloyd as an option but I wouldn't say to attend an event day with little ones as young as mine, there is a window and kids get bored and we didn't really use facilities on the day and we would have really liked to have used the pool. I thought alanna in the crèche was lovely and so supportive, I would recommend to anyone thinking of using the crèche. I think it's hard to just dip in for one/two crèche sessions as a club visitor. I left none the wiser about cost overall and whether it would be value to us as a family. I think potentially it would be more beneficial when kids are 3+

Which David Lloyd Event did you attend? EDINBURGH

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with? My 11 year old DD
• What was your overall impression of the club? I was very impressed with the layout, decor, restaurant, location, and reception welcome. The David Lloyd rep who had come up specially was very friendly and helpful and we were really made to feel welcome. I don't think there were any negative aspects to the club and I'm quite picky!
• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit? DD liked it very much but didn't want to take part in the children's activities because she felt too shy and was probably at that in between age - too old for the games and too young compared to the other children present who went off to the gym. She ended up being bored with the tour, however, (of course) but enjoyed doing the gym activities later on with me that she had observed the other children doing such as pulling the rope and throwing the medicine ball at the trampoline. Her favourite activity was the tennis and the body/fitness analysis machine which we both used and would be marvellous for bench-marking progress.
• What was your favourite activity at the club? My favourite bit was the tennis courts which were carpeted indoors, happy with that surface, first time I've used it, with a whole wall of windows looking outdoors and the outdoor courts looked great too complete with sun terrace. They also had smaller courts for younger children which would be a huge bonus if you have younger children. Tennis sets David Lloyd apart, I think, so I was particularly keen to try it out.
• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why - I definitely would, especially if they have young children as there are activities and a separate eating area, soft play area, creche etc. If they didn't there is a huge, very pleasant (I think the lighting was just right) space for eating and an enclosed adult only club area for peace and quiet. The cafeteria-style restaurant was particularly appealing as some have counters where you order and wait and have less choice. David Lloyd is also the only pool I know that operates outdoors over winter although ( and here is my only negative comment) - I felt the water was too cold to be comfortable in June.

If you have any other thoughts please don’t hesitate to add them too!

I really appreciated the opportunity to have a proper taster as it is quite an expensive commitment.

• Which David Lloyd Event did you attend?

Hampton

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?

My 1 yeSt old and almost 5 year old

• What was your overall impression of the club?

The club looked fantastic and very well equipped. The locker rooms however need a revamp as they are very tired. The reception staff were unfriendly and not very knowledgable. Either that or they did not care about the job - nig very good first impression!

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

My son did not want to stay. A lovely young lad noticed his apprehension and engaged him results in him having a fabulous time as they played together the whole time. They were also brilliant with my 1 year old who had not been left with strangers before. She had a good time with them and even took her first step - typical but shows how relaxed she was there. My son loves he swimming and the soft play. We actually have a party there next weekend and he is ecstatic to be able to go to the soft play again.

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

I loved being in the gym again. And it was so easy to access it as I knew the kids were well looked after while I had some me time!

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

Yes I would as the facilities were really good and the kids are entertained too. The holiday clubs are a added bonus. My only apprehension is the price. And it's for that reason I am unable to join.

Gatecrashing the thread to say that David Lloyd bought up some green fields near where I live and built a huge, ugly building for their club, that people from the nearby wealthy town may well attend but which nobody living nearby could ever dream of paying for. Their immense expanse of tennis courts etc. never seems to have anyone on it, and the floodlights burn on for all these nonexistent people, filling the sky with light pollution and eating up electricity.

L

During my free week I attended my local DL. As DS is 11 he could access both 5-11 yr old activities and 11+ activities so there was lots for him to do. DD 7 enjoyed street dance and cheer leading etc which gave me valuable child free time to enjoy the classes. In particular I enjoyed the Body vive and Body pump. As the weather was fab that week we had a great time in the outdoor pool. I even did the Aqua and Aqua Zumba in the outdoor pool which was great fun. Even within a week my fitness level improved so much. I can highly recommend, if you can afford it and want to get fit and healthy it's a complete lifestyle change not just a gym.

Interesting that so many of these responses comment negatively on cleanliness.

I went to a DL as a guest of a friend who is a member (at ridiculous cost) and was really shocked at how dirty the changing rooms were and that the lock was broken in the toilet door. Interesting that it seems to be a 'thing.' I thought I must have been unlucky.

Just to add more info to my comment.
Over free week we used swimmingpool 3 times,both our sons loved it a lot.Once I used spa area when my hubby babysit kids at home and once my hubby got his me time in spa area.I got programme with child classes which started after 4 pm and adult classes, as this was school holiday week,my youngest one was perfect age for creche but oldest one was too old,I didn't have programme that there was something going on especially for school holidays, that's why didn't used any classes as when there were classes for older son creche wasn't working anymore.My seven years old son felt bit bored in soft play area as it is not too exciting for his age. However for my younger son it was unapropriate,as soft play area looked more suitable for bit older kids.hey both tried to play in soft play area before or after our 3 swim sessions.There was fantastic activity cube for little ones to play with, but it was so dirty.sorry even in free children centres toys looks much cleaner.on weekend our both sons was unwell and we didn't used club anymore.
Our local David Lloyds Hampton club offer kids classes for non members too and my son goes to karate class, he loves those classes a lot. I love convenience as I don't drive and live 3 minutes walking distance.Those classes are perfect.

Our local club in Edinburgh have been kind enough to agree to allow us to use the free week in August when DH has annual leave so that we can all enjoy it together, so I'll post my feedback on the week after this.

David Lloyd is very expensive and is not at all transparent about pricing. This puts me off: gyms should have their rates easily available on websites.

Just to build on my earlier feedback as we have started our free week after getting back from hols. It all seems a bit of a minefield trying to arrange something for my DD to do that frees me up to do a swim or workout or even to manage a gym induction so we are probably just going to stick to doing a lot of swimming this week.

It would have been really helpful to give us access to the app etc for this week so we could get our heads around booking things, timings etc. I've had to phone in or check at the desk a couple of times on basic info like which parts of the club close at different times (not all facilities close bang on the dot of the closing time).

I've had a coffee on two of the occasions I've been in, the first one I put down to maybe having a bad day in the cafe, but the second one I tried on a different day and both tasted of very strong chemicals, like the machine had either not been cleaned properly in a while, or that staff were getting the cleaning product ratios wrong. I love a coffee and it's a good way to get an extra few pounds out of me when I visit if this could be something DL could get right. My DD really loves the soft play area and it would be great if I could have a coffee while I watch her.

Having said that, we've found that the club isn't right for us given our needs and circumstances at the moment, and while I'm still not clear on costs, looking at other forums where fees have been shared online, they are out of our price range for now. We are instead looking at hotel gyms nearby as the costs and opening times are a lot more transparent and convenient for us, so I would like to thank MN and DL for helping us on our path to getting more active, despite the atrocious summer weather!

I think if I were on mat leave the gym would be perfect for me, and I would be most likely to use it during school hours while the creche is running. I loved the self-guided cycle studio even though I've always been intimidated by spin classes before, and also how the gym equipment was not completely over-subscribed. Price wise, I think we would need to be paying less than £80 pcm for a family membership, but from what I've read from other customers online, this is an utterly unrealistic expectation! I forgot to mention that DH has been coming with us during the trial week and he gave it a thumbs up facilities-wise, and on the food on offer in the cafe.

• Which David Lloyd Event did you attend?

Edinburgh.

• Who did you attend the David Lloyd event day with?

DS, aged 3, and DH.

• What was your overall impression of the club?

We thought that overall it was very good. The club was impressively large, nice and clean. It wasn't overly crowded either which was great.

• What did your DC(s) think of the club? What was their favourite bit?

DS loved it! He loved the soft play area, and made a new friend!

• What was your favourite activity at the club?

I loved the swimming pool- it was HUGE, and not too busy.

• If it came up in conversation, would you recommend friends and/or family try a David Lloyd Club? If so, why?

Definitely! It fully surpassed my expectations, and has something for the whole family to enjoy.