Healthy, fun and great community and variety of activities
Disadvantages:
Need motivation, takes up time, might miss Eastenders !
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
My first Ciao Op, so go easy on me! After piling on the pounds not only after the wedding, but leading up to it Mr Fishbulb was feeling a little unfit and didn’t want to be married to a fat Mrs Fishbulb so off we went to join a gym.
Well, we went round a few of the gyms in MK. Mr Fishbulb wants to get a little fitter and desires a gym with good weights equipment and Mrs Fishbulb wanted to join somewhere with aerobic classes as well as a place to relax and be pampered this is how we came to join Livingwell Health Club (Milton Keynes Premier)
WHERE IS IT? / FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The Parking facilities aren’t brilliant there are literally hundreds of parking spaces but with the club being situated in the Centre of the Central Business district of Milton Keynes and just across the road from the shopping centre. You’d be lucky to get a (free) parking space during the week. There are some free spaces dotted around the building and some pay & display (80p per hour) all spaces are free after 6pm though!
I work in the same building as the gym (Central Milton Keynes Business Exchange / Exchange House – CBX) and to get to the actual gym you leave the ‘office side’ and approach the back of the building. You are walking along a balcony overlooking the most beautiful ‘indoor rainforest’ is the best way to describe it, with palm trees, birds of paradise and multi-coloured plants of all shapes and sizes. There are two stepped pathways that lead down on either side of this jungle or a glass lift in the centre – you see, majority of this gym is underground. The centrepiece to this beautiful garden is a huge pond and ‘stream’ feature with the largest fish in it you’ve ever seen. Some of these fish are as large as small dogs (creepy!!). You will also notice that there are some tables and chairs just outside the main entrance for you to sit and perhaps enjoy a coffee or a sandwich (more on that later) The building is known locally as ‘the Winter Gardens’
RECEPTION
There is a small shop area that sells sports clothes, shorts, swimsuits (all both for men & women) they sell water bottles, towels, headphones, beauty products & some make-up.
There is a café area along with a lounge area complete with several leather sofas and a very large TV! The café sells breakfast in the morning at a reasonable price and sandwiches, pasta, beer, wine, along with several soft drinks, energy drinks, tea coffee and baked potatoes. For a baked potato with cheese & beans expect to pay about £2.00 – bargain!
We have a small plastic membership card which is swiped though the computer and our name and details (along with a digital photo) come up on the computer screen – we are always welcomed by our name! Then you are given 2 towels (1 small & 1 large) and are free then to enter the club.
CLUB
Behind reception you’ll see the swimming pool, you walk past into the club with it behind a glass wall on your left. You can also see the Jacuzzi, when you’re in the pool, you have a wonderful view right out into the gardens I mentioned earlier.
Walking further down there is a huge aerobics studio on the left with three glass walls. For those of you who are more conscious about being watched, you’ll be pleased to hear that these are partially frosted.
On the right there is the beauty salon and hairdressers. There is a second, smaller aerobics studio on the left (mainly used for spinning classes)
Then through a set of automatic doors and you are suddenly at the top of an open plan staircase that looks down on the gym. On your left you have the cardio-vascular area to your right the weights.
GYM
With nearly a dozen Star treadmills, Stairmaster Steppers, Stairmaster Stepmills, Crosstrainers a plenty several exercise bikes (two different types) along with rowing machines, ab-rollers, kayaking machines and some others there’s something for everyone at different levels of fitness (and motivation)
There is a wide selection of machines to work every single muscle group in your body along with a large area dedicated to hand-weights and dumbbells.
There is about a dozen televisions suspended along one wall of the gym and a small bank of ‘units’ plugged into a wall above the staff desk. Basically, the TV’s are numbered (there’s also a comprehensive list of ‘what’s what’ on the wall) and you pick up one of these little units pop it in one of the provided belts and in with your headphones and while you exercise you can listen to (and watch) BBC1 BBC2 Anglia, Sky Sports, Radio One, or the Gym CD, Radio 4, or whatever else they have decided to put on. And all you need to worry about is bringing your headphones.
CHANGING FACILITIES
Changing rooms are clean, with solid wooden lockers, plenty of seating areas, a playpen for the kiddies. Towel bins, hairdryers, mirrors, private changing cubicles (for when you’re feeling shy) along with lots of showers. There are toilets in here too. Complimentary toiletries include, shower gel, shampoo, moisturiser and facial wash. There’s a little spin drier for your swimsuit and a dispenser of carrier bags next to it, this doesn’t get your costume 100% dry, but by the time you’ve put it in a complimentary bag, you can guarantee that your other belongs won’t get dampened by it!
STAFF
Staff are friendly, helpful, on the ball and very pleasant. Personal training is available at an additional costing of £20 per hour.
CLASSES
There’s everything from Step, Thai Chi, Aqua Aerobics, Body Balance, Body Combat, Yoga, Pilates and spinning. Classes can be booked up to 5 days in advance. Also there are regular ‘activity’ classes for the children so if you fancy a bit of R&R leave them in the hands of a trained professional and go and pamper yourself.
OTHER FACILITIES
The swimming pool, is 23 metres long and poolside there is a whirlpool spa and steamroom – which always smells rather pleasantly of eucalyptus and 2 saunas which smell like sandlewood. There are drinking water fountains placed all around the club so wherever you are you have access to clean, chilled water. There is a crèche where you can leave your little cherubs.
BEAUTY FACILITIES
New hairstyle, massage, pedicure, manicure, perm, sunbed session, facial, fake nails, you name it – they do it in ‘The Sensory’ the clubs’ in-house beauty salon. It’s also open to non-members of the club, but the pricing is slightly higher (only about a pound or a couple of pounds on some things) At £26.00 for a shampoo, cut and blow-dry it’s not going to break the bank.
HOW MUCH IS THIS LOT GOING TO COST?
Well, the costing is based on the type of membership you get. You can get a Gold Membership (individual or joint with someone at the same address) Junior (for kiddies 5 – 16 (but only as additionally to an adult membership) Off Peak Membership (individual or joint) or Student membership.
Each application is subject to a joining fee, (Junior membership exempt from this) a joining fees is a one-off payment for setting up your membership, for any single member to join it is £100 for any joint it is £200. You can pay monthly or a one-off lump sum (which is discounted) but who can afford to do that. (I’ve outlined the prices for both below)
I would advise you to check the local papers regularly because Livingwell frequently offer periods of joining where the joining fee is wavered.
FEES
(Prices in brackets are the price you would pay for a year’s membership if you paid all in one lump sum!)
Gold Individual £53 per month or (£604 per year)
Gold Joint £85 per month or (£969 per year)
Junior £10 per month or (£114 per year)
Off peak Individual £37 per month or (£422 per year)
Off peak Joint £53 per month or (£604 per year)
Student Individual £45 per month or (£513 per year)
WHAT DO I GET FOR MY MEMBERSHIP?
Well, unlimited use of all of the facilities including aerobic classes, swimming, saunas and pretty much everything apart from beauty treatments and refreshments! With gold membership you can do this all day everyday, but with an off-peak membership, you are restricted to attending the club at the following times
Should you join Livingwells, your membership number will unlock a members only part of their website too. (Http://www.livingwell.co.uk)
You may bring guests with you to the club at a cost of £10.00 during peak hours and £5 during off peak and you may bring children in with you as guests for £2.50, but there are restrictions as to the times they may come in and what they may do. They are not permitted to use the actual gym or the sauna and steam rooms for example.
There’s a real friendly vibe about the place. It may be more pricey than your average leisure centre, but it’s worth it for the bonuses, free shampoo, classes included, don’t have to carry wet towels around with you. The club does have its busy periods, the gym busiest on weekdays between 5:30pm – 6:30pm with Monday’s being particularly hectic and I believe that first thing in the morning the club is extremely busy too (probably due to establishing one of the few free spaces near the building before a day at work). Weekends and late evenings however tend to be very quiet, majority of the members are local business people tending to go either immediately prior or after work.
Further information can be gained at the Livingwell website or by calling their customer helpline No. 0800 136 636.
Be Healthy!
More details
Price
£85 - FULL JOINT Membership
Size
Very Big
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