Bannatyne Health Club & Spa Darlington

Fantastic experience: Nice clean and good ev charging too

Positive experience: Got as part of a deal to use the spa and facilities, over all hygiene of the changing rooms, spa and pool area is poor, we did not use the gym. I would not have been happy paying for the services if it wasn't discounted, but I won't use the company again. It's highly regarded on the reviews, but compared to other companies/ services available, it was underwhelming. Using the spa you are charge £20 each to rent a gown, towel and flip flops which come in a thin branded bag, only half of this is refunded on exit and that 5 working days later but you do get to keep the cheap bag and flip flops if you choose. Staff are friendly and parking onsite is available however I believe there are better places to visit for spa treatments

Positive experience: I had a spa package here, which included full body scrub followed by a relaxing massage session. The treatment was brilliant, and my skin felt really soft afterwards, and I was very relaxed. You can park for free, which is a bonus when going to the town centre. I only gave a 4 star rating because I think the treatment rooms are bot located in a convenient place. To be able to remove the scrub, I had to walk to the showers, wrapped in a towel only, and pass in front of other clients. This part of the experience wasn't very comfortable.

Fantastic experience: Lovely staff, very clean and felt very relaxed.

Fantastic experience: Great spa

Positive experience: Didn't like the fact that the swimming pool is on full view from the car park.

Fantastic experience: Great spa day , very friendly and clean , just a few niggles but hey these are popular places and we'll used. Spa day then overnight in hotel well recommended

Fantastic experience: Always a pleasure. Lovely atmosphere. Staff are lovely and helpful. Facilities are plentiful. Lots of choice in classes at all different levels of ability.

Fantastic experience: A superb experience in joining this club whom facilitated my situation and limited time in the area to enable me to maximise their facilities - great work and super cool collaboration from Claire (sales mgr) thank you Team Bannatyne

Fantastic experience: Great place to workout then chill in hot tub after.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic experience there. Everyone so friendly, Fantastic gym overall highly recommend has everything you possible need

Fantastic experience: Lovely and friendly staff. Clean, and very good treatments by professionals.

Negative experience: I recently had an extremely disappointing experience at Bannatynes. The service was subpar from start to finish, and I would not recommend this place to anyone. Upon arrival, I was left waiting in the room for 10 minutes, cutting into my 60-minute session. The therapist began without adjusting the cover or using a hot towel for my feet. Instead, she spent time inspecting items on the sink, further reducing my massage time. When the massage finally began, it was poorly executed. The therapist applied oil directly to my back and started rubbing a stone rather than massaging. Despite my repeated requests for more pressure, she didn’t adjust her technique. She then asked if she could leave the stone on my back, which seemed unprofessional. In the middle of the session, her manager entered the room unannounced, making me feel uncomfortable and intruding on my privacy. The manager’s tone was aggressive, and she offered another therapist to continue the session, claiming this was their style. The new therapist was equally disappointing, applying spot pressure in a mechanical and uncomfortable manner. She finished quickly, and I realized that I had only received about 30 minutes of actual massage time out of the 60 minutes I paid for. Overall, I felt neglected and short-changed. This experience was far below my expectations, and I felt that my money was wasted. I urge others to avoid this place.

Fantastic experience: First class service and treatments where amazing

Fantastic experience: Love the place

Positive experience: Quality gym, some really high end equipment.

Negative experience: I was gifted a Spa day with a 30 minute Back, neck and shoulder massage, which also included ten minute Indian head massage. I also upgraded to include a 25 minute facial. The facial massage was ten minutes late, as the staff were persuading the previous customer to buy the expensive Elemis products. I eventually had my facial for 20 minutes, then she tried to upsell me the Elemis Products. (I think they must get a good Commission on these. The Back massage lasted less than 20 minutes, with very little attention paid to my neck and shoulders. The head massage was ok. Overall this was the worst massage I have had. I will not be coming back again.

Negative experience: I am a member and trying to get booked in to classes is nearly impossible I am thinking of leaving it is just rediculous

Negative experience: Feedback revision. So after a few weeks of using this gym, it's basic to say the least. The only good side, is the sauna area, that apparently is due a referb, however that's a lie sold by the management, when I first joined. One member told me, they have been saying this for years. The shower's are outdated, and the hygiene standards are shocking, which I found out yesterday by the management, that they only wash the entrance to the showers 4 times a day, which is filthy and disgusting. It should be a minimum of once every hour with a hose would be enough, but you are met with excuses. The gym itself, is basic and not focused on everyone. If you are looking for quality, especially with what you pay, think again. It feels like a council ran gym, that's the standard in quality unfortunately, and some council gyms are better!

Fantastic experience: Excellent quality, loving it

Negative experience: The massage was good, the speaker in the dual massage room is blown, making a distorted and dissonant music, the whole place seems a bit run down and aged, which was a surprise considering the upmarket target audience. The locker rooms were the nicest part. Lovely lockers and a wristband key. The showers were powerful but again decrepit and rattled when you turned them on, the fittings corroded and mould on the ceiling. The gym was tiny, the machines were decent, pretty basic selection but would suffice, was only a few people in but was crowded almost due to the size of the place. The food was run of the mill cafe stuff that was pre made. The smoothie was nice, jacket potatoe just had pre shredded packet cheese and ice cold ham hock sprinkled over it. Scone and was nice as it was recently cooked and still warm. I was given a robe that was far too small for me and a bit raggedy. I swapped it and was given a huge fluffy polyester one which didn’t seem appropriate, made me sweat and wasn’t very absorbent, would have preferred a towel one. I’m big but I’m not that big, and XL would have fit. Pool is tiny, jacuzzi is tiny, sauna and steam rooms also tiny, so on a Sunday afternoon could barely get the use of any. The relaxation room was adjacent a main road and all you heard was cars. All in all really disappointing, run down, ragged, tiny place that seems dead busy cos it’s so tiny. Expected it to be a lot more considering Bannatyne memberships are quite expensive, I’d wouldn’t consider being a member, glad we went on a wowcher. You’d think the facility next to the main office would be decent, maybe the senior managers need to come and spend some time in the place and invest in it a bit.

Fantastic experience: Excellent from start to finish. Great staff and food was good as well.

Fantastic experience: Loved the relaxation room! Great customer service all round and brilliant massages from Shannon.

Positive experience: Great treatment at spa ands staff were really helpful. Great pool,sauna and steam room for the size wasn't bad.

Fantastic experience: Excellent

Fantastic experience: brilliant place ....cant wait till next time

Fantastic experience: Very friendly and helpful staff, lovely environment and great facilities

Positive experience: 1st time to the area and spa , what a welcome went in the bathroom only to find something nasty left in the toilet, but member of staff was using the bathroom. And sort it out . Staff on the reception friendly. Spa was ok not the best for the extra upgrade paid for.

Fantastic experience: I visited this Health Club last month and was really impressed with the facilities and how helpful and friendly all the staff were from reception down to cleaning staff. I would definitely recommend this place. The pool and steam rooms were clean and the people were all very friendly

Positive experience: Good place to relax

Fantastic experience: Had a couples massage therapy session, amazing, clean, definitely recommended

Negative experience: The gym and all equipment is great. Shower facilities are really awful, heavy black mood on the ceiling and boxings, grimy shower heads and an unpleasant experience. Not what I expected from this gym, serious refurb required to shower facilities.

Positive experience: Was bought a spa package here for mother's Day and came with my mum. Spa treatments were lovely one of the best we have had. Pool area was ok but not enough loungers and the heated beds and the water bed room was lovely but again not enough beds. Overall was a lovely day. We had amazing service from the guy at the reception who was also serving us coffees he made us feel welcomed and at ease. Not sure on the hotel being in a different place it would have been better to have the hotel and spa in the same building as once we were oiled and relaxed we then had to jump in the car to go and check in.

Fantastic experience: Had a lovely time here. Facilities were great. Good value for money.

Fantastic experience: Used just for a day as part of a virgin experience voucher. The swimming pool area and changing rooms were nice and clean as was the jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. The reception staff were friendly and helpful. I had a facial and a back massage, both were sublime. Highly recommended.

Positive experience: We booked through wowcher we had to end up ringing the spa up as it wouldn't let us use the code even though it took the money out of my bank and we received confirmation from them. We received no confirmation from the actual spa as the receptionist didn't enter the correct email address for us to recieve the confirmation. When we arrived we were told about facilities from the assistant manager . The facilities are nice but not worth the money you pay . We had booked a spa package with a cream tea when we went through to get the cream tea they didnt have any scones left for us so the lady in the cafe nicely gave us a meal and drink each for the inconvenience. We were the haggled at the spa for treatments we booked it cost us an extra £20 then we were conned into buying products which we didn't receive the £10 off which was also included in the package we booked. Nice massage but left in agony and still in pain today .

Positive experience: Gym itself has decent equipment, but steam room always seems to need a clean (sick of finding toe nails). Toilets and showers could do with some updating (old, mould on doors, bit shabby considering monthly price)

Fantastic experience: Absolutely amazing place I have stayed at the hotel multiple times and used the spa facilities for free, I cannot wait to o back again

Positive experience: The gym is of a good standard, has everything you could ask for and the equipment is of good quality. It’s nothing special but it does the job. The reception/entrance area is nice. As soon as you exit the changing rooms to the showers/pool/sauna area, it all goes downhill and has you questioning why you’re paying so much for the membership. The shower area stinks, the floor is filthy. The toilet area is also filthy and is clearly not regularly maintained. The sauna is just a tad warmer than a room with a couple radiators. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend. I’m paying a premium price but I’m not receding a premium service.

Fantastic experience: My daughter took me for a spa day and it was brilliant from start to finish.We were met on reception by a lovely lady called Lucy who was very helpful and attentive we were booked in for 2 treatments which were completed by two very professional lady's one called Sabrina and the other Lucy.The treatments were amazing and very relaxing we then used all the facilities, sauna,spa,pool and juccuzi.The place was spotless clean and afterwards we treated ourselves to coffee and homemade cake a brilliant day and definitely will be returning

Negative experience: I was gifted a spa experience for 2 as a birthday present and I went with my partner. The treatments and staff were lovely, however everything else was just average. The food was average at best, very expensive, and Luke warm. It was obviously just microwaved. The pool was the worst part. Not heated at all, genuinely freezing cold, tiny (!!), and dirty. There were plasters just floating about in the pool, it was overcrowded as it’s too small for Bannatyne members and spa goers to enjoy, as the pool was barely 25m. Sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi - the same again. Crowded. There were 2 Sun loungers around the entire pool… Not a relaxing experience , I suggest having designated days for just spa goers. Major upgrades needed. Nice treatments but heavily disappointed as my “relaxing spa trip” was overpriced, dirty and overcrowded.

Negative experience: Staff were brilliant but some members of the health club were particularly rude. Sauna was closed and the pool had an aqua aerobics class on so couldn'tuse it for an hour. The relaxation room was OK but one of the beds didn't work. Not a great experience certainly won't be back.

Fantastic experience: Having read the reviews on here I was worried about what I was going to experience when I went for my spa day! Broken showers, broken tiles, rude staff… I even considered cancelling! But I needn’t have worried, it was Fantastic! Some people just like to moan First stop was the relaxation room - Heated loungers were lovely. Comfy waterbed. Relaxing music. It was bliss. Even when other guests came in, it remained calming. Yes, when a lorry went past you could hear it for a couple of seconds but for me that wasn’t a big deal! Next was treatments. I had a back, leg & arm massage followed by a facial. Lucy was incredible! One of the best massages I have ever had. Hard pressure yet relaxing. She got all of the knots out of my back which other therapists have struggled with. Incredible! After this I got changed, grabbed a shower & headed to the pool. As previous reviews have said some of the showers were out of order but they all had signs on explaining when they would be fixed. And there were still 5 available showers - all with hot water! The pool itself was cool in temperature but once you start swimming it’s not an issue. I’d rather this than the stifling heat of some places. As stated, only 2 loungers available but there are available chairs too. The jacuzzi was full when I came into the pool but after 10 mins or so, emptied. The jacuzzi was hot and relaxing! I didn’t use the steam room or sauna but the guests coming out of them seemed happy enough. I personally didn’t use the spa bags you could hire - I brought my own flip flops and just slipped on a maxi dress for going between places. Yes there were lots of gym goers but that wasn’t an issue for me. An aqua aerobics lesson was going on when I arrived at the spa (but there remained plenty of room to swim!) so I just did other things first. The staff were also incredibly helpful, nothing was too much trouble. Locker hire was £2 each but lockers were spacious and money refunded on leaving. It is cashless so make sure you have a card of phone to pay with! Overall I had a fab day. Some areas need updating, but if you’re there to scrutinise tiles & decor of a pool, I feel you’re missing the point of a spa day! Take the bad reviews with a pinch of salt. No it isn’t perfect but it is still an amazing day.

Negative experience: Oh dear! This was very poor in all honesty. Certainly not a relaxing Spa experience and the worst spa we've visited. It's more like a worn down leisure centre than a Spa. The pool had fitness class on the go when we arrived with music pounding, glass windows all around on to the car park? Only 2 loungers around the poolside was astounding. The sauna was tiny. The steam was really good tho I have to say. The relaxation room upstairs only two of heated chairs worked and you couldn't hear the relaxing music for all the traffic passing by outside? Why on earth wouldn't they sound proof it or something? But the worst thing of the lot was the showers in the changing rooms. I went in 3 separate showers because the thermostat in the first two wouldn't work and just ran cold only no matter if you turn them to the red, then the third shower gave nice hot water but the shower head was hanging off the broken wall and most of the water was just running down the wall? The tiles on the floor were all old and broken, the paint on the doors and handles was hanging off, it honestly was like being back in a knackered leisure centre in the 80s. We actually left after 2 hours even though we paid for all day and didn't even bother having our treatments. We'll never go back to this or any other Bannatynes. Terrible

Fantastic experience: Myself and my daughter spent the day at Bannatynes in Darlington. We bought a spa day for 2. The service and facilities were great. Would highly recommend.

Negative experience: WARNING!!! 0 stars to be honest. Do not join or trust this gym. The classes, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and spa are far too busy and you can never access them as a monthly paying member. When raising concerns about anything you are treated like a robot no matter how many emails you send they just reply with a very inpersonal reply. They will not allow you to cancel your membership and do not care about customer satisfaction or care. One very angry dissatisfied member.

Fantastic experience: Good

Fantastic experience: Great staff and good gym

Positive experience: Been here a few times before so treated my daughter for her birthday was awful

Fantastic experience: The best fitness club in Darlington. If you aren’t a member and are here for a few days and fancy a gym, the day prices are pretty affordable ( do check with the staff for current prices ) The staff is very warm and welcoming. The personal trainers are very professional. They have a nice cafe with healthy food and drinks you can enjoy after a nice workout. This club offers many things. Do check website for more information on what the club offers.

Fantastic experience: My partner had booked a spa day through a voucher, we had accidentally turned up at the site in Darlington when it was in fact booked for the site in York. We were quite frustrated as we had drove a long way and planned our day to revolve around being in the area for the time. Lucy (a senior management member) was great and spoke to their head office and arranged for us to be at the Darlington site with only minor changes to the times we had originally booked. The experience was lovely and the great customer service really shone through!.

Fantastic experience: Great gym and staff! Facilities are best out there.

Negative experience: Facilities need a refresh, sauna, jacuzzi etc. A bit too busy also, lots of day pass people and pamper days in

Fantastic experience: Staff very friendly and helpful, always clean and tidy and offers a wide range of classes, gym and swimming pool. Can’t ask for more.

Fantastic experience: It was fantastic, a great massage and relaxing spar

Positive experience: £8 to hire slippers and a robe without being made aware is a lot to pay out. We had a sausage bun and jacket potato . Large bun with 2 tiny sausages and the potato was luke warm. Our massages were lovely and the staff too. Pool was out of service which we were aware of and jacussi was full all the time we were there.

Fantastic experience: Had a girls day out here yesterday, we had 2 x 2 deluxe spa day Virgin experience vouchers to use, the whole booking experience and customer service wasn't the best and we hadn't held out much hope for the day on the back of this. However we couldn't have asked for a better day from the moment we arrived the check in was smooth, staff were friendly, the spa was clean, massage the best any of us have ever had!! Food was lovely,! As 4 hard working mums we left feeling relaxed and had a great day. THANK YOU

Positive experience: Went for a spa day everything here worked and was running and they had a relaxation room upstairs - it was really good just some annoying woman was in there on her phone talking loudly but that wasn't the Spas fault - wouldn't say it was a spa day we spent 2 hours and had treatments and that was enough

Negative experience: The facility is quite run down and unclean. We paid for 70 mins treatments and were in and out within 50 mins! The massages were good, though.

Fantastic experience: It was GREAT!

Negative experience: Never been to the place before so I had high expectations since we was gifted a spa day here. I work at a spa myself and I didn’t look into the details of that it was also a some what “leisure centre”. The receptionist at the main desk was slightly rude and spoke to us as if was stupid and no one showed us where any of the facilities were, we had to wonder around until we found the treatment section of the “spa” to ask a kind therapist to explain where things were. There was no flow to the “spa” things were here there and everywhere and you couldn’t really feel relaxed which is what a spa day is truly about. The relaxation room was probably the nicest thing about it. At times it was too crowded in the sauna and steam room that you felt uncomfortable as well as the hot tub so you was just left wondering what you was actually able to use and do. We was told off about having a kindle by the pool side as apparently it has a camera and we could be taking photos of children and that it could smash….it’s plastic!! Unfortunately we won’t be coming back or recommending.

Positive experience: Been a member here for years and really enjoy swimming but I wish they would get the showers sorted out.... too cold! Needs a complete refurbishment, after all it is over 20 years old!

Fantastic experience: Amazing staff, great clean facilities

Fantastic experience: The staff are friendly and the classes are great - suit wide age and ability range.

Fantastic experience: In my opinion best gym in Darlington hence the rating staff are always nice and polite on arrival & on leaving faculties & facility are 2nd to none

Fantastic experience: Only delivered there,a bit tight for an artic,but a very helpful forklift driver, cheers mate for a quick unload.

Negative experience: Don't join. I am moving and I emailed on the 13th October. They told me I would need to provide a utility bill with the new address. I sent in the contract for my new house. I don't mind paying up till mid November, but have been told I have to pay until the 30th November. I wouldn't care but I won't be using it from the 29th October. A good way to make money in today's economic crisis. Well done!

Fantastic experience: Excellent friendly staff

Positive experience: The sauna and jacuzzi were good spa was average

Positive experience: This was my first visit to Bannatynnes ( a Christmas present from my daughter and son in law).Unfortunately I had to cancel just before because I got covid when my husband phoned to let them know( as soon as I found out)we were told it was against rules and regulations that we did not give 2 .weeks notice and had to pay 25 pounds cancellation fee ,This was very disappointing as this was out of my control and it caused me a lot of anxiety that I didn't need ,It was a shame because wen we did finally manage to go the staff and treatments were amazing.

Negative experience: I really enjoyed going to this gym. But that stopped accepting cash. I then got a wake up call of just how expensive going to this gym was when I saw my bank statement Shame.

Fantastic experience: I was gifted a back shoulders and neck massage and elemis facial for my birthday. I arrived and was in the room within 5 minutes, Shannon was fantastic, very polite and professional. The treatments were fantastic. Super relaxing and my skin was glowing when i left( which as a mother of a 3 year old and a 5 month old, is hard to achieve!) I'll definitely be back.

Negative experience: Avoid the Spa completely. Booked via Spa gift voucher. Began badly having to pay £6 to hire a towel. Yup… £6 for a single towel for a spa day!!!!! Having had spa’s around the world I have never been asked to pay for a towel, let alone having access to only 1 towel. On top of that they don’t tell you that in advance so that you can bring your own (or don’t make it clear enough). Add to that the towels aren’t very nice. Thin and small and scratchy. I probably would have let some of this slide but having had to fill in a consent form days before arriving for treatment declaring any medical issues / surgery et . On arrival to the spa treatment room I was asked the same questions only to be then refused treatment. In addition: Bannatynes are in breach of fire regulations risking peoples lives with fire doors propped open everywhere. They even clearly sat on them KEEP SHUT!!! Disgusting customer service Total waste of my day Will NOT be back

Positive experience: Not a great Spa, basic describes it best. Limited seating areas and facilities.

Positive experience: Friendly and helpful reception and spa staff. Enjoyed treatments and like relaxation room.

Positive experience: I join recently .. it's good and clean

Fantastic experience: Had a spa day and the staff were very friendly and helpful. Loved my body scrub. Definitely going again.

Fantastic experience: Thought this place was lovely. They had nice food. The staff were friendly but there were a few that really stood out. Claire Wheldon and Lorraine Ripley. I can't remember the names of the other two. One lady worked in the cafe and other on reception. They were so welcoming and friendly and they acted like they were genuinely happy to be at work and engage with their customers, which you don't see very often nowadays. They went above and beyond. Treatments were good and we recieved lots of information on skin care. The only little negative I could give would be that it's not as private as I thought it would be. The spa shares facilities with other people with memberships. So I felt a little awkward walking around in a robe while everyday people were in and out using the gym and pool ect. So I suggest finding a much more private place if you want it to feel more luxury and personal.

Positive experience: The staff are all very friendly but the lack of certain equipment takes it down to four stars.

Fantastic experience: Having never had a spa treatment before I was pretty nervous. I'm not body confident but I knew my partner really wanted to go so booked a couples spa. From start to finish the staff here were super helpful, very respectful and made me feel at ease. We had the full body scrub and the massage and we loved it. We had planned for a swim but found the relaxation room and stayed there for ages. If you haven't done it before, trust me, I let my fear stop me for 40 years and it was absolutely amazing. I'd go back for sure.

Fantastic experience: Friendly staff, excellent food, high quality massage and really accessible location. A bit far to be a regular for me but the facilities use whenever you use the spa makes it excellent value

Positive experience: Friendly and efficient staff. Excellent value for money.

Positive experience: Had used a voucher and actually had a lovely time. We used the spa first then had our massages. I wasn't too keen on how they lean over you and basically push you to buy the products used when your supposed to be relaxing and also trying to give both me and my partner different information over the music playing too was uncomfortable. You have to pay £2 for a locker and get told you will be refunded, however this is not the case and nearly 2 weeks have gone by and still waiting for my refund.

Negative experience: No Roman Chair/ Hyperextension bench. No pec-deck and no calf-specific press but you can get away with that one. No roman chair /bench is a significant oversight. Considering it's the flagship health club you will be excused for thinking management and staff presence on the gym floor is causal to none. Well kept changing rooms.

Fantastic experience: Love it. Great place super service

Fantastic experience: People say it's expensive but if you're using everything available to you it's cheap! The staff greet you every time you walk in and are always there to help if you need it.

Fantastic experience: Great gym and pool

Fantastic experience: Great helpful staff, loved our treatments and the facilities were great highly recommend!

Fantastic experience: Lovely and clean and always made to feel welcome. Wouldn’t go anywhere else.

Fantastic experience: Helpful staff and professional equipment. Nice place

Fantastic experience: Amazing experience great facilities and the spa is 10/10 would highly recommend

Positive experience: Had a wonderful day... daughter an mum time ... thank you so much just a shame I cut my toe on missing tiles going into hot tub... bit of TLC needed in some parts ..I could go on but iv got to say staff were amazing and so friendly which just added to experience... thank you all so much ❤️

Negative experience: So many people , had to wait to long time , cold water in swimming pool , no staff in front desk except assistant manager , I got scared when I saw sun bed , like torture machine from 15th century , not recommended .

Fantastic experience: Lovely and clean, friendly staff, really lovely relaxation room. Good choice of facilities including pool, jacuzzi and sauna and steam, spa treatments gym and classes all fully functioning, and cafe

Fantastic experience: I want to thank Lucy and Shannon for a beautiful relaxing spa session for me and my partner. We had a Swedish relaxing massage and Elemis facial treatment that was amazing. Staff was very nice and helpful . Highly recommend

Positive experience: Some confusion when booking as told couldnt use facilities even though on a spa day. Disappointing. But the spa treatments were excellent

Positive experience: Saunas and steam room and jacuzzi always dirty the gyms good, the staff are terrible all changed new people with the covid don't think they can afford decent staff on the gym side of it by looks of things ..✌

Positive experience: OK but can get busy, check online to see how many members are in to avoid disappointment but still good

Fantastic experience: Very friendly staff..staying for my partners birthday at the hotel..the spa experience was great...using all the facilities there.. thank to all the great staff who made her day special...

Positive experience: Excellent gym just very expensive aswell. Would be my first choice if there wasn't cheaper options.