Holme Lacy College

Advantages: Huge number of machines, lovely pool, nice changing rooms
Disadvantages: Pricier than other gyms, no automatic weights machines, close to fast food outlets!

...Well, not quite. But for a gym (or "health club" as it prefers to be known), Holmes Place Star City gets reasonably close. I joined Holmes Place five months ago after having been a member of a Birmingham city centre gym for two and a half years. (Before then, I was a certified couch potato) I chose Holmes Place Star City as it's close to my new job and I was impressed by the facilities it offers during my initial visit there. So here's the lowdown... **Location** Holmes Place is bang in the middle of the enormous Star City entertainment complex which is home to the largest multiplex in Europe (30 screen "Vue" cinema), a Mega Bowl and a big selection of chain eateries including Nandos, BK, Pizza Hut and La Tasca - a big temptation after working out but I've resisted these so far! Star City is located near Junction 6 of the M6... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great location and easy acess to trams, buses and rail
Disadvantages: I am soon to change jobs and the town in which i will be working doesnt have a Holmes Place! a huge shame!

...Having been a total virgin to all gyms, health clubs and fitness centres up until just over two years ago, I now find myself reluctant to leave, like a child clinging to its mothers skirt! When i started work in Croydon, i joined Holmes Place as a founder member when it first opened as part of a Corporate Membership. Very reluctant to pay what i thought then to be a phenomenal amount of money (£54 per month), for facilities that I calculated I would use, on average, 3 weeks out of 12 months(namely post-xmas), but with high hopes that the expense would induce me to visit the gym at least a couple of times a month! Needless to say that upon joining I now feel that it is home from home and spend on average 3-4 days/evenings a week down at Holmes Place. (That is a considerable amount of time for someone that lives a good 30 mins train... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: NONE
Disadvantages: MANY

...Apologies for multiple posts Ciao peoples - cannot delete (have removed the capitals if that helps ;) WARNING: Do not join Holmes Place - any of them Holmes Place is a chain of gyms (if any of you were previously unaware). I was told when I joined that I could cancel my corporate membership if I went abroad for work, so when this situation arose I filled in a form and heard nothing from them for 3 months and so I thought it was all ok until a debt collection agency started harassing me out of the blue for the remainder of the contract money - over £400! Holmes Place had not tried to contact me whatsoever in the meantime so this was a great shock and I am considering taking legal advice on the matter. As an additional point, all the clubs have substandard machines and facilities and should not be considered by anyone serious... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful