Watford Leisure Centre - Woodside

Fantastic experience: My daughter celebrated her 6th birthday at the venue using the badminton hall with the bouncy castles. All the kids had a fantastic time and it was a stress free day, can’t thank the staff enough. We were allocated Hayley, Rose and Will as our party supervisors. They were fantastic, helpful and friendly. The staff went above and beyond, one of our party entertainers cancelled last minute and I had an outfit.. Finley stepped in and kindly offered to wear it, this really saved us from having 35 disappointed children. I liaised with Leanne from start to finish and she was great and accommodating to all my requests. Thank you again - Leanne, Hayley, Rose, Will and Finley!

Positive experience: Richard Rodrigues5D South Thames College Morden SM4 Richard Rodrigues5D South Thames College Wandsworth Richard Rodrigues5D South Thames College Tooting Centre Watford Woodside Leisure centre Swimming Pool Richard Rodrigues5D

Fantastic experience: Great birthday party facilities for kids. We booked the football theme and price is very good

Negative experience: I have been attending this gym for a while, and I’ve noticed a clear need for improvement in terms of cleanliness. The sauna and pool areas require much more attention, especially considering the hygiene standards expected for such facilities. The mirrors are always covered in smudges, and the bathrooms have an unpleasant smell, which makes the experience quite disappointing. I hope the management takes swift action to address these issues, as the gym has great potential, but these aspects significantly detract from its quality."

Negative experience: Very poor experience. It feels like the staff have given up completely. They don’t seem to understand their own timetables and told us to leave the kids’ pool after only 8 minutes. The pool then sat empty for a full hour after we were made to leave, as the lifeguards couldn’t be bothered to do their jobs. The lifeguards were rude, inattentive, and visibly bored, which doesn’t inspire confidence in safety or professionalism. Meanwhile, the café staff, including the duty manager, spent more time gossiping than paying attention to customers trying to enjoy a peaceful coffee. This level of service is unacceptable. The entire team needs to step up and make significant improvements.

Fantastic experience: Best gym ever. Professional, caring, and great value for money.

Fantastic experience: Great facilities, something for everyone and reasonably priced.

Fantastic experience: The best

Negative experience: This Watford Central and Woodside gyms both have absolutely no equipment for training your lower back - such as the very inexpensive roman chair back hyper extension apparatus. When ever I ask if they will get this for the lower back - I get excuses that it will come in a refurb or to make use of some odd make do alternatives. Many members I spoke to have said the same as me on this topic.

Negative experience: All the equipment but no staff to show you. I was there this morning and there was some equipment I wanted to use but I didn't know how. I asked 3 staff members and none of them helped me so I left. Seems like because I'm not paying for personal trainer they don't want to know, it's not enough that I'm paying my monthly membership.... I'm very disappointed, one star is one too many!!

Positive experience: 3 stars due to not being able to use free weights with my son who’s 14 even under my instruction. I understand kids with their mates but I want to teach my son the right way he goes everyday but only allowed to use machines which cause issues later on due to being fixed and not using stabilising muscles

Fantastic experience: It's a nice!

Fantastic experience: Great facilities friendly and helpful staff.

Negative experience: It should be pretty simple to find out when you can go for a swim using the swim membership you pay for, but finding out this information via either the app or website is like trying to get blood from a stone. Luckily, they have a phone number to ring! But alas it is never picked up, so that option is only useful if you fancy spending half your day sat on hold listening to an automated voice repeat itself indefinitely, intermingled with incredibly irritiating elevator music.

Negative experience: Payed good money for squash courts and apparently not available as it’s not on their system. Absolutely useless staff who only care about taking money. Advise to not go here if you don’t won’t any hassle.

Negative experience: Probably the worst gym I've ever used. Limited equipment! Overpriced! Over crowed mostly by children who are going to cause themselves an injury the way they are left to get on with it. Gym staff letting them all do what they like!

Negative experience: Receptionist very rude and aggressive shouting at me and my wife and kids making them very upset. Avoid this gym worst gym and staff in watford

Positive experience: The leisure centre itself is good. The gym is okay when it’s not overcrowded. The sporting facilities are decent. Swimming pool is good and big and they have a pool for kids aswell. Staff are really nice and friendly. Cons: Swimming pool is quite dirty and needs to be cleaned. The wet changing rooms smell of pee. The gym can get overcrowded all the time.

Positive experience: Bit dirty, can do with a deep clean in every orifice (including the inside pool walls). Staff are lovely, facilities are great. In general, love this place.

Fantastic experience: Very well organised and free flowing. Nice helpful staff

Negative experience: Gym over crowded, always same group of 5-6 guys just sharing all the machines and not allowing anyone work out in peace, part of that group is a ginger guy who is a member of staff and hangs around with them as well, literally just leaning on the benches 2cm away from you like what the hell!

Negative experience: Classes are pretty good and the staff are nice enough but the changing rooms are absolutely disgusting. An overpowering stench of urine, drawing of a mans tackle in a changing room which luckily (?) my daughter thought was a middle finger sticking up. Filth and grime, needs a real deep clean and regular cleans (with a CLEAN mop). This was all just today! Is a shame as would make such a difference if the changing areas weren't so unbearable.

Fantastic experience: Great

Negative experience: Take good care of your belongings . At the wet changing area there is a big sign that shows shows are not permitted and everyone leave them at the entrance ( near the benches ) . However , mine were stolen today and had to go barefoot home . The only thing they offered was shoes from the lost and found ( thank you but no thank you , that is not hygienic) . They do have CCTV , but they said they wouldn’t share anything due to GDPR . I mean they can look , but will not reveal the thief as they do have to protect the thief rights and that they are not liable for it . My rights as a paying customer ? 0 ! They said they would reveal the CCTV only to the police so had to call the police . Obviously not for a £200 UGG boots , but for the principle . I came here for my daughters swimming lessons and I go barefoot . You , as a centre , tell me you are not liable for it . You protect the thief’s rights . I was with my daughter and she had to see what justice we have in this country and how I walk in winter barefoot . As I said , I don’t care about the boots , I care about the attitude . The helpful guy / staff then asked me if I have a car and I said : how is that helping me ? Don’t I have to go barefoot to my car ? And he called me rude and that he wanted to call me a cab :) I was called rude for pointing out the obvious . I never used any bad word or say anything to the staff , even in my moments of despair , when they kept saying with the smile on their faces that they are not liable . this is what they kept repeating for all of my questions :) And calling me rude . oh , and they asked if I was sure somebody stolen it or maybe I didn’t see it . Really ? I can’t believe a centre has not proper means for this things not to happen . If you are new and don’t know you need a coin for the lockers , then you are susceptible of all your things being stolen . I did put , save God , my valuables in a locker as my daughter had a coin . now what should I do ? My daughter has payed swimming lessons ( it was her first ) , I have paid and booked also Family swimming . What would you do in my shoes ? Pun intended

Fantastic experience: Very nice space

Negative experience: The gym is so oversubscribed. Absolutely nightmare. 7.45pm and cant get on a running machine or a weights bench. Don't waste your money!

Fantastic experience: Good place

Negative experience: I'm nearly 70 and can't use apps so even though I've paid to join I can't get in past the barrier.

Fantastic experience: Nice gym . Decent pool . Never really too busy , place is massive so enough to go round

Positive experience: Took my daughter to Watford leisure centre to enquire about gym membership and was surprised to find out that for a 13 year old membership was £22.95 per month not what I was eating.

Fantastic experience: By far the best gym ive been a member of in my 15 years of training. Lots of equipment and friendly atmosphere. Special mention to PT Dave Andrews who has given me some great advice FOC when necessary

Negative experience: Absolutely rubbish with their customer service and phones. What a joke!

Positive experience: Took the kids swimming, good facilities and was free, which is amazing in the day n age

Positive experience: Front of desk staff and very rude. There’s a young girl with black hair with a very condescending manner. Attitude stinks. The gym staff however are friendly. Something needs to be done about the men’s toilets because they absolutely STINK. There’s a plumbing problem and anyone drinking the water from that gym in the fountains is brave. Bring your own water. Gym is good bt it enough equipment or benches so don’t go when it’s crowded.

Negative experience: Cafe is poor as not much food and so slow. Need a mortgage to buy anything there .we went to a dance competition there. 1000+ people no the sports hall with no Aircon

Fantastic experience: Excellent swimming facilities

Fantastic experience: Great venue with plenty of badminton courts. The staffs are very friendly and the place is very clean. Customer car parking is free for first two hours. I really enjoyed playing badminton at this venue.

Positive experience: I've only played badminton here a couple of times but the court floor is really good.

Negative experience: My daughter has been having swimming lessons here for several months. I feel the instructors spend a disproportionate amount of time chatting to each other and ignoring the children; it’s very frustrating. I would recommend the facilities in general and the staff are friendly, but be careful regarding swimming lessons- level 1, our instructor is very young and doesn’t possess the requisite maturity for this level of responsibility.

Negative experience: I've been using all facilities of this leisure centre for years especially the badminton courts the prices of these courts were previously £6.20 which is very good per hour and all of a sudden they have increased this to £18.50. Before 3:00 it is £5.50 but no child or working adult can use this venue before 3:00 and almost all Primary and Secondary schools end at 3:20 or later. I would not advise this Leisure centre to anybody the floors have many problems and the swimming pool and Gym are very crowded.

Negative experience: I was informed by samuel C that he had done a wee in the pool. Please check the changing rooms i am fearful of what he’s done to the urinals!

Fantastic experience: Amazing place! Strongly recommend.

Positive experience: The gym itself has fairly old equipment (in particular the machines). Other Everyone actives nearby have upgraded there machines so it's a shame they haven't, but still increased their prices

Negative experience: Horrible customer service

Negative experience: Rude staff . me and my friend paid for a double session . Were yelled at immediately even with proof that we had paid then banned us for the day when we tried to pay again . Horrible service

Fantastic experience: Great roller disco

Fantastic experience: Staff are amazing

Fantastic experience: Modern, well equipped gym with a good class schedule.

Fantastic experience: The gym here is really good! It's incredibly spacious and filled with really good quality equipment! The gym classes are also very helpful and the professional trainers are very friendly and motivating towards anyone wanting to hit their goals. The swimming pool gives it the finishing touch where again its spacious and you can swim at pretty much anytime that's convenient for you. 5 stars!

Positive experience: Very good place

Fantastic experience: Nice place for bring family for swim. Ample free parking . Needs to display a receipt from the parking ticket machine once obtained free. Very pleasant staff , Safe place to bring kids. Additional learner pool available.

Fantastic experience: Big up Toby for Hooking me up with a good discount

Positive experience: Gym is spacious and not too crowded. Gym lessons are included in the gym subscription and really good variety. Gym instructors are amazing, I’m attending twice a week minimum those lessons. Pool is not great. Attended myself and was ok for adults once a week. But for my kids it does not make any sense. Apart from couple teachers the rest don’t care. Just 30m per week of doing the same, not spending time with kids to teach and just trying to get time to pass with not much effort. Changing rooms are getting worse. Cleaning lady is doing her best but with patents wearing shoes in changing rooms it’s messy, dirty and smells. They really need to enforce no shoes policy and hire one more cleaner to support the one, she can’t do everything by herself. Reception and management is a joke. Boilers were failing and had to talk to the manager too many times to do something. Some receptionists are very kind indeed but couple of them are super rude. It had potential to get better but management for the pool is ridiculous. And for £40/month per kid without giving the option for bundles or something more just 30’ it’s a pity. Convenient due to location for me but pool needs work.

Fantastic experience: Lovely venue

Negative experience: This gym is horrible. It's too crowded and the bathrooms smell. Front desk staff is very rude and unhelpful. Very overpriced and be ready to pay extra for things like badminton or squash courts. The swimming pool is crowded with too many kids and there is no room to actually swim in the lanes. Definitely finding a new gym... Also there was a old lady at the counter who was rude to me she had white hair and was a karen.

Negative experience: No one picks up the phones and the information on the website is not clear enough.

Negative experience: Gym is fine this is about mens dry changing room but in all the years I was using various gyms in London I never had to share the shower cubicle with others. Before you get excited I’m talking about the three or four flies sitting on the walls of the cubicles. After reporting to reception and management five or six times you get fed up and just give up

Positive experience: I've been going to aqua aerobics on Thursdays and it's really great. The instructor is so fun and energetic! But the changing rooms are horrible, they are dark and dingy and always dirty. More regular cleaning of them would be great as they really are filthy compared to other everyone active gyms in the area

Fantastic experience: State of the art sports facilities, including indoor and outdoor.

Fantastic experience: Really well maintained and the trainers and staff are cheerful and helpful. Worth the money.

Fantastic experience: Lovely staff very clean all round and helpful staff and Free parking

Fantastic experience: Early morning? Take a (n)ice and cool dip in the envigorating pool. Mmm, this feeling after swimming 50 lengths before breakfast. :)

Positive experience: Always good to go to. Awesome gym, large pool, plenty of facilities - I'd say Sunday afternoons and mid morning weekdays are the best times to go.

Fantastic experience: Amazing facilities, friendly staff at reception and in the gym. Fabulously easy booking system and Spacious studios (with air conditioning) with a variety of in person and virtual classes. The spinning class also has a fun vibe and I love the special events like the lights off glow stick classes, you can really get into the exercises with out any one watching you. The sports out door athletics track is a hive of activity in the summer months with schools using the athletes track for sports day. Highly recommended

Positive experience: The website advertises a Fast, Medium and Slow lane...... should be a Fast, medium and stop for a natter lane!! Booked myself in for a lane swim in the slow lane (I'm not the strongest swimmer) at 11:30 on a weekday morning. To start with, there were only about 4 people in the lane, which is fine. By 11:45, another 3 or 4 people had joined the lane (again fine) but rather than swim lengths, they decided to stand at the shallow end of the pool and chat for about 10 mins, before doing a couple of lengths and then stopping for another 10 minute chat. They would also take up the whole width of the lane, and so rather than complete a full length, I was forced to stop short and turn around. I know this rant may sound a bit petty, but surely the whole point of a lane swim is to actually SWIM?!? The website says it is for 'continuous' swimming so why is this not being enforced? The pool could also do with a good clean. There is black dirt all around the bottom of the pool. Positives..... the staff on reception are always very friendly and the showers are (usually) hot. Cafe has good selection of snacks and drinks too.

Negative experience: I found it to be very expensive for what they offer, no one is available to answer your phone calls, showers always have cold water, and there are a lot of children swimming with lesions. waiting for them to response to my email for weeks now.

Fantastic experience: Nice place for badminton

Fantastic experience: Regularly swim here. Top people especially Alison,Lynn and Gemma always go above and beyond.

Fantastic experience: Great swimming teachers!

Fantastic experience: I didnt actually go into the Centre but was picking somebody up but have used facilities before & have been very impressed.

Fantastic experience: Great cafe here, which I use when in town for work. Superb!

Negative experience: Denied access to pool

Positive experience: Good parkin facility, showers don't have hot water and this is the 2nd week running

Positive experience: Good leisure centre, pool, equipment, classes, coaches, staff but cleaning needs attention to detail & unpleasant smells addressed

Negative experience: Bad help desk. Tried asking for information about family pool and got redirected online.

Positive experience: Nice size swimming pool and the learning pool with warmer water for the little ones. Cleaner comparing to the Woodside one.

Fantastic experience: First time back after lockdown and so well organised with restrictions. Loved the class aswell

Fantastic experience: Used the gym. Felt covid safe. Will go back.

Fantastic experience: Regular badminton sessions at this venue, undergone a massive refit recently and extensive improvements. Always friendly staff so a great place to serve up all your fitness needs!

Fantastic experience: It was great to get back, it all ran like clock work

Negative experience: -Can never get through on the phone. -Too expensive. £40 a month and you have to pay EXTRA for badminton courts -Even though the gym was CLOSED in November and I was unable to give a month's notice to cancel, which is their rule, they would not refund my one month deposit that I paid when signing up when I called up to cancel in December. The worker told me 'you should have called up last month to cancel for this month' WHEN THEY WERE SHUT DUE TO A PANDEMIC!!!! JOKE. Avoid this dump and go to The Gym instead at half the price and twice the service.

Negative experience: Stop stealing people's money. I was emailed saying I wouldn't be paying December as I paid for swimming lessons I didn't recived in November BECAUSE you took payment in October which is earlier than you have be authorised to take payment. I have now been charged December. What is wrong with your company I have so many people complain about you over taking payment when not due. Over priced and improperly run. Get your act together and fix this.

Fantastic experience: I had a great experience here. Now with COVID mitigation measures in place.

Fantastic experience: Clean , friendly staff and free internet so I can watch my shows while gaining W's

Fantastic experience: Amazing value membership. Friendly staff. Really quiet post lockdown.

Negative experience: Disinterested and unhelpful

Positive experience: Better post covid as more room

Fantastic experience: We went to see a movie in the field ...Watfordbigevents The field was socially distanced with circles sprayed onto the grass, 6 people per circle. Plenty of space for everyone, big screen so everyone can see and loud enough for everyone to hear. Amazing experience, I highly recommend going

Negative experience: Staff working at the reception are at times extremely rude. They allow people and certain groups(dance, yoga, etc...) to make extreme amount of noise in the main hall while not considering other people using the hall facility at the same time. Spoke to the receptionist and operation manager... both were extremely rude and would not take action considering others whom were also using the hall facility.

Fantastic experience: Awesome facilities and group classes......

Fantastic experience: Friendly gym with a good mix of people attending. Nice people and personal trainers

Fantastic experience: Great place for outdoors when the sun shines

Fantastic experience: Lovely to be back doing well organised socially distanced classes.

Fantastic experience: Out of a horrible experience came an absolute gem Tonight my locker was broken into the thieves stole my wallet, keys, watch and trousers, the staff and manager on duty were 1st class but special mention goes to Megan what a gem she is a credit to the centre, a polite helpful young lady that the centre is very lucky to have

Negative experience: Never answer phones.

Fantastic experience: Great leisure centre. My son does his weekly swimming lessons there. The lessons are reasonably priced and the teacher are always nice and friendly. My son has come.a long way since he started there. The changing rooms are clean and cleaned regularly. We also had a birthday party with a bouncy castle there which was great value for money.

Fantastic experience: Great trainers fab classes made many friends and got great results on my fitness journey. Highly recommend

Negative experience: Great facilities. Wet side changing rooms are disgusting. Always filthy, makes you wonder when they were last cleaned! I wouldn't use them to clean my donkey.

Negative experience: Good facilities but the website is absolute rubbish and the phones don't get answered. Been trying to book a swimming lesson for 3 days now and can't use the app, the website nor will they answer the phone

Negative experience: It appears that loudness of music in gym area depends on the staff preferences; some days it's painfully loud - to the point that it becomes impossible to listen to own headphones. Also, some staff members tend to be intrusive(walking around the gym seeking attention/trying to chat people up), and loud(as to speak to someone they have to out-shout the music). As mentioned in previous reviews management should put more manpower/effort into the cleanliness of the establishment and make exercise experience less interrupted.