Fitness First The Strand

Worst gym management ever. The staff person that negotiated my contract failed to fill it out fully, and the manager that I repeatedly approached to correct/​clarify my membership contract is apparently incompetent and hasn’t gotten around to making the change at all. This and their lack of communication with the general corporation has led to the latter harassing me about months I never contracted to purchase. I move frequently and have used several gyms in the States and have never come such terrible, unhelpful customer service. Who knew management could be THIS bad?

My caloric intake probably increases exponentially while I’m in the UK (call it deprivation of good cheese, scones, 99 Flake, and beer while stateside). I need to fit into my skinny jeans for all of the parties at Fabric, so I’m presented with quite a dilemma.
The first thing I do, usually jetlagged out of my mind, is drag myself to Fitness First to get my guest membership. You can purchase daily or weekly guest memberships, and there’s a price discount on the latter. I actually found the weekly guest membership to be quite affordable and the staff were very nice about getting me set up.
The facilities are really nice as well. There are plenty of treadmills, elipticals, and bikes for cardio. The weight section is also really good — all the machines I typically use are there. I just wish that there would be additional space to stretch, it can get crowded during peak times. The locker room is well-​maintained and very clean. I also love that there are tanning booths so I can continue to maintain my color while I’m on holiday.

Fitness First Covent Garden is one of my favourites in the chain. It has a good free weights section where the dumbells go 40+kgs which is great for the big guys. There is also a very good selection of weight machines. For those willing to take the pain there is a designated spinning room.
You’ll find an excellent selection of cardio machines that face the plasma screens to keep you company on long runs. The changing rooms are clean and kept tidy like the gym floor.
This branch has a mirrored studio with punch bags. It is great for stretching and doing your own thing. Due to the studio there is an excellent array of classes, most of which are free for members
Fitness First Covent Garden is an excellent gym with great personal trainers. Once you are a member you have access to the majority of the Fitness First gyms around the world, which is a bonus if you travel a lot.