Attiva Fitness Club

This review is regarding Attiva in Letterkenny Ireland. It has friendly staff, well run and clean. They opened last Nov and I signed up for a full years membership on the strength of a promo DVD that they showed me of another Attiva club somewhere. It showed a well stocked free weights section, large changing rooms and of course the ever ellusive steam room and sauna. Sold!

So far, I have been told that the steam room and sauna will not be there until towards the end of this year (when my membership is up). Their free weights are more suited to women because they are so light and there is no free standing bench. Arrrrrrrggh. I dont see them lasting long. I will be returning to my cheaper dingier but better equipped gym ASAP.

I had a message from a friend yesterday to say that they had closed, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON????? I have paid up until the end of December so they should have the deacency to tell members what is happening.

I have been trying to get one of the free ipods since the club opened last year, I have written to the MD and speak to someone every week, the md has spoken to me personally and assured me that he would get me one, I known of two people that threatened him with legal action and he has turned up at their house with an ipod, months and months after it should have been given to them. This is just not acceptable.

I would advise people to check the finer details of this organisation on the internet. I recently visited family in shrewsbury where attiva head office is based, I checked the official attiva website and got the address and postcode and popped by only to find attiva had moved on with no forwarding address, ( the people in charge of the building are also interested to find out where they have gone, make of that what you will) I would not enter into a contract or give too much money to these people, pay over the counter if you still want to use the club. I know several members who now prefer to do it this way) I have cancelled my membership with the bank and the club but despite this they still try to take the money from my bank every month. To top this off I received a call from a lady yesterday asking why I don't come anymore, I explained all the reasons and although the call started off nice and enquiring once I had reeled off a list of the unsatisfactory issues and that I would not be coming back she turned quite nasty and said "oh well you could have told us you wern't coming back"

In response to mr farman comments, i would gladly meet up with him & juno 2 but would it be possible for the positive comment writers to be available too, i'd like to hear there opinions on the great service and experience that they have had, it does not reflect my view and i'm curious to see how and when they get such different treatment, i go 5/6 days per week. I have now gone to the leisure centre but would indeed come back if that is an accurate view of an unbiased paying member. Yet another member of staff has left only to be replaced with inferior quality, where is your manager, i've had four different stories as to his whereabouts, he's working at one of your other sites, he actually just sets them up and moves to the next one or he has left/been sacked. he was the only one that ever seemed to knox what he was doing and the service has dropped since, irrespective of what your saying.

I recommended this place to several friends after I joined six months ago. I was impressed by the range of classes, the experience and commitment of the staff, and the promise of consistent personal sessions with the same instructor. Around Easter one of the most experienced staff members appreared to have left, and now the second most experienced staff member is no longer around - and he was an excellent instructor, so where's the consistency? There are three permanent staff, all very pleasant and helpful, but none like the staff who are no longer around. Classes seem to me to have been cut month-on-month, oh except for yoga, now available on six days out of seven. I have nothing against yoga, enjoy a class myself from time to time, but there is not my first choice any more for classes - they only offer Pilates once a week, abs/core blast once a week, swiss ball twice, and low-impact aerobics not at all. When I joined, they offered one or more of these classes daily. This is a shame I used to run training courses for business people, and what I do is put on a programme and run it for some time before I can evaluate and review.

I recommended the gym to several friends at first, but feel this is a shame. The gym has been open for almost a year so I think it could improve. It is encouraging to see from this thread that other Attiva centres are working well, I do think the basic concept is good, and if all centres could be just as excellent, I'd be singing its praises here.

Very disapointing. My friend recommended me and he now apologises profusly for getting me to sigh up. The gym has gone down hill recently, lots of classes have been removed and every week there are classes cancelled at the shortest of notice. They than have the cheek to tell you that this is because members have asked for it.

These people do not seem to have the fainest idea how to run a business, I don't know how gyms should work but I'm damn sure it's not meant to be like this.

My health club is somewhere I go to really as well as work out and I think that Attiva have got this just right. I meet pals there and we have a cup of great coffee afterwards as well as a chat. There are loads of things going on organised by the staff and they are all very friendly and helpful. If the gym isn't busy we can get a personal training session for free.

The Attiva journey is a great idea as it gives us something to work towards and we can see the effects the workouts and nutritional advice is having. I am so pleased I joined - and so is my husband.

I would recommend this club to anyone because its got everything ,a beauty salon, hair salon, studios for classes, coffee bar, relaxation area where you can drink your coffee, meet new friends or just watch the tv. I am a lady in my 40s and have been to the larger gyms before and sometimes you feel very conscious about yourself (am i doing this right, are people staring at me etc...) I dont get that feeling here, its so relaxed and if you need any help there is always a trainer willing to help you. The trainers also help me with my nutrition diet so i get the best from my training. All in all excellent value.

No mirrors or pushy staff-such a friendly atmosphere you feel so relaxed and happy to go-not avoiding gym days as I have done with other places I have joined in the past. With a hair and beauty salon and cafe bar also on site what more could a girl want in a day!! I have been a member now for 3 months and can see a difference all ready. You have a personal programme to suit your own needs and level of fitness and already I have seen a difference in my weight and body shape. I have lost 16lbs and dropped 2 dress sizes as my body tones up. Thankyou Attiva!! I can't praise you enough!-Since finding you my life has changed for the better and I want to spread the word to all out there who are wary of joining a gym....find an Attiva near you and change your life for the better.

I never knew being a member of a health club could be so much fun! I am not your typical gym member but at 46 and 2 stone overweight it was time for me to do something about it. From the first time I stepped in Attiva Andover the staff were brilliant and I felt so at home.

The low lighting levels in the gym and lack of mirrors meant I felt at home immediately and all the other members I have met feel exactly the same.

If you thought you were to unfit/fat/ugly to join the "beautiful people" at a fitness club then join your local Attiva club .... its for us "real" people!

If you dont have one there...contact Attiva and tell them to put one in your town soon!!!