So, after a week of eating rich food and drinking beers I decided that it was time to take some…read moreaction. I was browsing online looking at various different gyms and I came across Grove Wellbeing Centre. I was intrigued as I had driven past this 'council style' leisure centre before and never given it much of a thought. But after looking online at their facilities I decided to bite the bullet and join up there and then. The cost for a monthly membership is £26 (no joining fee) but for this monthly amount you get access to the gym, swimming pool, classes and sauna and steam room facilities. I think this is a bargain! I had my first session today and I was really impressed with what the gym had to offer. There were around 15 cross trainers, 15 treadmills, 10 bikes and a few step machines and that's just the cardio area. The free weights section consists of a whole rack of weights from 5kg to 50kg, 2 squat racks, 3 benches for free weights and a few frames for bar bells. The gym was quite for a Saturday, I'm hoping it stays that way. But over all I was really impressed with everything on offer. The whole gym and centre was sparklingly clean and the few staff members I came in to contact with were excellent. All in all a great experience, really looking forward to sorting my life out in this gym!

Having finally closed down the decrepit and rotten building that originally house the Grove Leisure…read moreCentre, as well as putting an end to the ancient library round the corner, the powers that be decided to amalgamate the two and combine them as the Wellbeing Centre. A bit fluffy I know, but what else do you call a facility that has a swimming pool, gym, library, coffee shop, computer facilities, dentists, podiatry and so on and so on. It's got the lot this place, and its spanking new to boot - I just hope it stays that way, because if the previous leisure centre is anything to go by, it could end up a shadow of it's former self. As it is, the pool provides 25metres to swin in, aqua jets, a toddlers area and sauna as well as rooms for other sports and activities. Would recommend it if you live in or are visiting the North Belfast area.

I've only used the pool. I win master the front crawl. A few classes is be interested in trying…read moreso will have to fit them in. Then joy of joy Clements. Coffee after exercise. Life just doesn't get better than this. That and the fun of pretending to be a student. Overall the facilities are great. Loads of classes to choose from and good sized pool.

I've been a member of PEC now since just before Xmas, so just under a month. I'm impressed so far…read more Though I've only used the gym its absolutely great. Lots of machines and rarely a wait for anything. Its also extremely good price wise with no long contracts. I'd highly recommend the place if your looking for a well stocked, convenient gym or leisure centre with long opening times. Spot on!

We stayed at the hotel Europa for two nights in Belfast. This is a modern hotel with a breakfast…read morebuffet included in your room. There is a bar on the second floor that has a pianist and live music, and an enormous cheese plate and bread plate that are easily shared among three people. This hotel is centrally located and easy to navigate through the rest of Belfast. Our room was smallish, but pretty standard for European hotels.

Prime location in Belfast - a most ideal setting to play tourist. Step outside and you're in the…read moreheart of the city. So many hot spots are nearby - the metro, grocery stores, the famous Crown bar, restaurants galore, city hall, shopping center, etc. Room size is cozy for 2 people but just right for one person. I especially liked that there's a small desk and chair PLUS a built in booth and table which offers additional seating. It makes for a cozy setting. The one thing to be aware of is the all glass bathroom so if you're sharing the room, there is no bathroom or shower privacy! Hopefully not all the rooms are setup that way. Breakfast is very nice, offering a generous spread. Seating is assigned so the restaurant can manage headcount but generally not a big issue. Look for the Bushmills whiskey that they offer as a generous add on to your oatmeal - haha! It makes for an unexpected boozy breakfast start to the day. :) I thoroughly enjoyed staying at the Europa in Belfast and would gladly stay here again next time I'm visiting.

If your looking for a gym with top of the range equipment, shower and sauna facilities and great…read moreoffers then academy 1 should be your first choice. Situated on the 3rd floor of Conway mill it boosts a huge gym with a great range of weights, cardio equipment and a large open area for circuits. Academy 1 cost £25 for membership if you pay cash, there is no contract so when you want to cancel you aren't tied down. Paying direct debit works out cheaper. There are personal trainers on hand who charge £20 for 2 sessions a week which is the cheapest offer I've heard of. I currently train there and I find its one of them rare gyms that has a relaxing environment. I don't feel self conscious at all training and everyone is friendly and helpful. I've been a member of this gym for 2 years now. Lost 2 stone and gained muscle mass. The support of my trainer has been amazing as I have a diet plan wrote up and I get weighed every week and my inches done every few weeks to monitor growth. I highly recommend this gym if your looking to get fit!

The building is absolutely stunning from the outside and when you go inside it is even more…read moreincredible. We decided to come here for tea time. The service was impeccable and the tea and treats were incredible. It is not inexpensive though in comparisons to other tea times I have experienced but if you settle in and enjoy the experience for what it is and where you are at, it is all worth it.

A friendly gentlemen recommended we come here for a drink as we were getting coffee at Nero. Never…read moreto turn down local recommendations, we came by after a long walk along the docks. The Merchant Hotel is tucked off a smaller street, but it's worth the detour to soak in the atmosphere and for a drink. I had a pot of their spiced citrus tea in their lounge and it was magical alongside the crackling fire and watching the bar sling cocktails. Lovely service and great place to people watch!

I hope this place is still surrounded by barbed and razor wire because of the troubles and to save…read moremoney decided to keep it up. Otherwise its managers may be the most paranoid Leisure Centre managers in history (there's a sentence I never thought I'd write). Inside it is a little bit more up to date and the facilities seem excellent. Personally I've only used the 3g 5aside pitches based just outside the main building. These are fantastic and really reasonable to rent out for an hour. It's advisable to book in advance however, Linfield FC use these quite a bit and can take up a lot of time there.

If there was a choice of ZERO-star rating, I would give it. If you're looking to relax and to catch…read moreup with similarity minded people, then this new Leisure Centre is NOT for you. From a budget of over £20,000,000.00 of public money's, this new Centre of excellence is to be avoided by all whom can't afford the luxury of splashing out £12 a go, on TOP of your already stretched budgets. A membership to many facilities are often out of reach for too many family budgets but to add this additional fee on top of something that aids with healing and rehabilitation of the disabled, the elderly and the injured trying to get back to work, this new and improved facility has failed miserably. If you have a disability or are just carrying a persistent injury or are elderly and you find that a sauna really helps loosen up the joints, then this place is NOT for you. If all you need is a place to relax after the gym or a swim, then place is NOT for you. There is a catch that I found out when I visited this new and improved publicly funded Centre at the heart of Belfast. If you want a healing sauna or a unwinding steam, then this new and improved place will NOT do it for you. There is a catch to using the sauna or steam room, a hefty £12 catch and that is not on top of your monthly subscription, that's on top of every single time you want to use the sauna or steam room. They describe this new and improved £12 extra tax on the poorer or working class public, as a 'Spa Experience' which lasts up to 3 hours. You also need to book this session in advance and to be fair, who would ever remember to do that after a long day. I don't know a single person on Earth that can endure a sauna or steam room for 3 hours. To stretch the healing to 3 hours would be a chore in itself and I doubt that anyone would pay £12 for that privilege. There are of course more that the separate 'Spa Experience' area offers but these too are NOT covered by the £12 sauna fee. You can have a massage or a facial or any other treatments other Spa retreats offer but these will cost you an additional fee. This new and improved 'public' facility was supposed to be for the general public. However, for those who are disabled or injured or even the elderly who need the use of the sauna and steam room to loosen up for 30 minutes, this place is to be avoided, not out of being unfit for purpose but for being unfit for the pocket. No working man or those on benefits could ever justify the £12 extra fee even for a onetime special treat. This new Olympia Centre has in fact hi-lighted that the working class and those on benefits or a pension are NOT welcome. This £12 tax cannot be justified per use of the facilities for healing or to loosen up after the gymnasium, as those in charge of the public purse seen fit to exclude them from this new 'Spa Experience'. No disabled, pensioner, injured or working class person could ever justify the £12 surcharge in their lives to ever be included in this new public Leisure Centre or would they ever be permitted to, due to the foresight of the powers that be to keep the needy from their doors. This Centre basically keeps the disabled, the elderly, the injured and the poor from their doors with this new £12 tax on rehabilitation, social gathering and leisure center for all concerned.

This is one of the best gym's I've ever tried. Spacious with lots of different machines and a large…read moreweights area. There's also a large swimming pool & sauna. The gym is has great air - conditioning and I've never seen it too cramped with people. They have several personal trainers on hand to assist and offer their advice if needed. The staff all come across very friendly and approachable