I was a member of Esporta for 3 years and really enjoyed my time as a member there. Why did I quit…read moremy membership? My circumstances changed and I felt it was a little too expensive to keep paying the membership. Luckily for me I used to go almost daily at around 2pm when the club was very quiet. After an hour in the gym I would go to the sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and pool which I pretty much had all to myself. I used to sit in the tub over looking the pool fantasizing I was a billionaire and this was my house. I often considered calling security whenever another member tried to join me in the tub. As far as price is concerned they are more expensive but also better and more well equipped than Fitness First and not as expensive and not as good as David Lloyd.

I was a member here for about seven years and always used it at peak time (my kids were training…read morenext door). The good thing was that I always managed to get on a machine even though it was busy. And, mostly, there was enough room to swim. The pool is pretty small, only about fifteen meters but warm and clean. I went to a number of classes - the aerobics was a tad challenging but the 'body in balance' was just the job during a stressful week. Conveniently located next to the National Tennis Centre so the same desk deals with courts, tournaments and coaching. And conveniently for parents there's also a nice café with good coffee. And conveniently for kids they also do chips.

I travel quite regularly with work, and since the Novotel is the hotel of choice for my business,…read moreI'm lucky enough to get to use the facilities here whenever I come down to Cardiff. In all honesty, I've used the pool facilities more often than the gym (forcing myself to get on an elliptical trainer when there's a spa pool I can relax in instead just never goes well!) but the gym facilities - while not the largest around - seem adequate for the clientele. A few treadmills, a few ellipticals as well as some stationary bikes in one side for the cardio junkies, while the other side of the gym is filled with free and static weights for the more buff of us (not me!). The pool is a reasonable size for a hotel swimming pool, with a beautiful spa pool (I love this thing!), a steam room and a sauna. I've also had a couple of times where I've been lucky enough to be the only person in there which is just bliss. Not sure how adequate it'd be if I were a paying member, but as a hotel perk it's pretty great.

From the owner: Exclusive, 4 Star Hotel-based Health & Fitness Club…read more InBalance Wellness by Novotel Cardiff offers contemporary and state-of-the-art facilities in a relaxing environment. Our highly trained and friendly staff offer a professional and motivational experience to help members achieve their personal goals. We offer complementary Lifestyle Consultations with tailor-made exercise programming to support you every step of the way. Whether your aim is to improve your fitness, tone up or to enhance general wellbeing, our facility caters for your needs and with a range of flexible membership tariffs, we will help you to achieve your goals. We offer quality service with the reassuring committment to every individual that we intend for you to make the most out of your membership. Facilities include: Resistance Gym Cardio Gym 15m Indoor Heated swimming pool Jacuzzi Steam Room Sauna Male & Female changing rooms Exercise Classes Personal Training Massage Treatments

Ultimate Fitness Centre is a newly opened gym and kickboxing facility opened just off City Road. It…read moreseems to be a replacement for the old Cardiff Kick Boxing outlet at 166 City Road. Denzil Lawrence and Spiro Micallef who used to operate out of this facility are now using Ultimate Fitness Centre, and the new premises carries the Cardiff Kickboxing insignia. I don't profess to know a huge amount about kickboxing, but it seems that Ultimate Fitness Centre are offering something a little different. Lee, a Muay Thai instructor, claims that Ultimate Fitness Centre are the only authentic Muay Thai Club in Cardiff, Barry, Rhondda and Vale of Glamorgan. He says that "there are many who claim this but can't back it with results, documentation or history". Apparently Muay Thai is different from kickboxing in that it is technically superior, and therefore I imagine it presents more of a challenge. Ring Lee for further details: 07792204881 Denzil Lawrence: 07932 253849 Spiro Micallef: 07710 477524

I have a lot of pent-up rage, so I thought taking a few classes at the Ultimate Fitness Centre…read morewould be like therapy, only funner. Armed with my fellow female partner-in-crime, I was ready for my first tutorial in ass kicking. The tuition is one of several offered by the gym, which includes a beginner class on Mondays and Thursdays at 6. You feel like you're in an authentic set up here, which of course adds to the Rocky-esque experience I was hoping for. The warm-up includes running, push-ups and sit-ups, followed by pairing up with a partner for a lesson in punching, kicking and elbow wielding (my favourite) using standard boxing gloves and pads. As my friend and I were the only two girls in the class, our instructor took extra time to explain self-defence manoeuvres which fell on gracious ears. The class is only £4 for the hour, and no sign up or registration is required. I'd recommend purchasing your own set of gloves, as the ones on offer smell like what you'd expect from sweaty boxing gear. Yeah, this ain't nothing like Boxercise. And I'm so going back.

I am one of these sad people who has subscribed to every website to get discount vouchers and…read morecheap deals so when I got a bargain offer of 3 personal sessions for £33 at VibroStudio I felt that I had to give it a go. My regular gym has these vibrating plates and I didn't realise I could do anything other than stand on them and squat until the vibrations start to hurt my teeth. There is however an art to getting a finely toned bod with minimum effort and these personal trainers defiantly will get you on your way. The service was great, but the studio is just a small unit in the middle of an industrial estate and I kind of wanted a bit more glamour while I try and get that celebrity look. Besides a trip down the docks is a bit of out my way. Still I figure I've learned how more about how to use them now, so I'll be vibrating alone down at my local gym.

This is a members only gym, and yes I am a member so of course I think its good…read more Its out on the new industrial estate by Cardiff City football grounds and this gyms only been open a few months so its in very good condition. Now I have to admit that I can't see very well and I am not going to wear my glasses to the gym which did lead to some amount of confusion for me because there are so many mirrors that I thought the place was massive! It is pretty big, just not as big as I first thought it was!! Anyway its good because it has plenty of every machine so you don't have to wait to use anything. They also have a whole big section of spinning bikes and a large mat area for floor exercises. There's also two separate studio's with one being specially for yoga and relaxation. Its kept very clean and can probably get really busy in the evening, but I go off peak which offers really good value for money at £27 per month. It costs a tenner more if you want to go in the evening.

As a member of this gym for the past 5 years I would have given this 4 stars until the recent…read more'upgrade'. Where there used to be a very pleasant cafe area where you could relax, meet up with friends and get food and a decent coffee there is now what amounts to a an unwelcoming waiting area with a coffee machine. It gives a strong message that DW Sports doesn't want you hanging around after you've used their facilities. Message received and membership shortly to be cancelled.