Fitness First Bristol Harbourside 1.9 2 reviews

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I should preface this review by saying that I imagine that anyone who does put 'Fitness First' will probably enjoy what this gym has to offer and that my own experience of it is based on someone seeking more rounded health benefits than fitness per se. I should also point out that I may have just been unlucky but my one and only experience of going to Fitness First Bristol Harbourside and of attending a Body Balance class there was so awful that it completely put me off using up the rest of my 5 day class pass.
Things started well - after registering my Wahanda voucher with FF, I got a phone call from a very polite and pleasant man in head office who contacted the club to let them know that I would be coming along etc. When I got to the club the politeness evapourated however. Meeting the receptionist was devoid of any pleasantries and she gave off an air of complete indifference. I had to ask her which way to go to actually access the club and changing rooms and there certainly was no offer of a tour. I also realised only on arrival that if I wanted a towel I would have to pay £2 for it. There was also no mention of the free drinks that the Wahanda voucher promised and I didn't feel that I could ask such an unfriendly receptionist.

The club itself is also nothing to write home about. I had known from the website that it didn't have a sauna or pool or any of the good facilities you get in proper health clubs as opposed to drop in style gyms but the decor was still surprisingly sparse and make this club's somewhat pricey membership fees seem a bit over the top.

The Body balance class was even worse that my first impressions of the club though - the instructor was nice enough but the kind of moves she had us doing are exactly the kind of thing that 5 years of equipment based pilates have taught me are not good for the body at all and certainly not for its 'balance'!

All in all, this is a very basic gym that is probably best suited to local workers on lunch breaks etc. It is a fitness centre and not a health centre as such so perhaps my expectations were a little high.