Virgin Active Gym Durbanville — Local services in Durbanville

Been going here for 7 years and I have mixed feelings. After 2pm don’t bother going if you give a damn about training properly. It’s aftercare for the high schoolers and by 5pm it’s horribly crowded with people laughing, talking and quite frankly doing nothing that builds muscle. There’s strange individuals at this gym that stare constantly, stare at women exercising and one time the police were called for a grown man touching a minor I had mutual friends with. The person still trains there..

And ladies there is only 1 glute machine, the variety compared to other gyms is vast. Only recently with the January upgrade did the get a Hack Squat but that’s not saying much. Some of the old stuff was better

I’ve gotten sick twice in 1 month from something I picked up at the gym (I’m a bodybuilder I don’t go anywhere else so I know it’s the gym) I was hospitalised the second illness…

The roof is CONSTANTLY dripping with water. There are blue buckets EVERYWHERE around the gym to catch it. It drips on my head, my clothes and my bag. Cleaners busy cleaning the machine while you’re still on it working out..

Machines are out of order constantly, the elevator, the studios, the sauna is gross. In the mens bathroom people don’t wash their hands and go up to train, they shave and brush their teeth in the basin and don’t wash it up. I’ve heard straight up racist conversations in the sauna using slurs. I don’t know why people still walk around changing rooms naked. It’s weird, nobody wants to see you hair drying your Johnson and his friends.

Staff turnover since I’ve been here is CRAZY. Had a major issue cancelling my contract, Alexis the manager atleast helped, the other managers are clueless, the hotline was USELESS - asking for my ID and email for security purposes one call and nothing the next try. Erica and Hailey at the front desk are great. Their biokineticist is amazing

Not sure I’ll miss it, not too...

— January 2024 review 2 stars — The equipment needs maintenance. The leg press machine was out of order for several days (at least 5). Reduced from 4 to 2 stars because of the gym being so full and the equipment being so old or broken. The leg extensions machine makes a big clapping sound because something is catching, which is encouraging, but unwanted. The running machines that don’t use power feel like they’re wearing out - not smooth underfoot and quite sticky.

— July 2023 review 4 stars — After regularly attending the gym I’ve noticed there is a lack of equipment for the number of people attending during the evenings. There’s also missing equipment, like that one you use to work your back by pulling your arms out and facing the machine.

I would hope that since the gym is so busy, other people are as frustrated as I am having fewer options available, and that they might add to my voice of complaint.

It’s a great gym, and the vibe is peaceful - I would just ask for management to invest in more equipment - maybe use the open space at the top left for more machines and make it a really well-stocked gym.

— original review March 2023 5 stars — The first time I was given a tour of the facilities I was overwhelmed by the size - impressive! I could not believe that the gym extended over such a large area, which includes a 20m pool. It’s a decent gym too, free weights, equipment, open areas, and classes of all kinds.

When the gym is full it’s practically impossible to do what you intended to do because most everything is taken - but the joy of going when few people are there is the best. That’s when you can try new things, and get...

Exactly 1 week after my LOCKED locker was broken into and my phone, etc, stolen. The gym was very quiet.. It was a Sunday night @19:00. Reported it to the front desk, and a report was filed. I must also state it was not in the valuables locker as was pointed out to me, so I do take responsibility for that. It's been a week.. the gym has done nothing. I did not even receive a call or email or message. I myself had to go and see the manager.. I only saw her because I heard of 3 other cases of the phones being stolen. Nothing I feel is being done about it. Clearly, there's a huge problem here. The gym does not take any accountability. So I'm now forced to carry my bag and cellphone everywhere I go. It's really annoying having to pay for the gym and do this. I have no faith in this gym.. safety wise. ALSO, mind you when I signed up last year for R600 a month. I was training there for 3 weeks and then I just got a mail saying I will now pay R800 a month. The gym response was read your contract. So the contract you sign is worth nothing. I REALLY feel let down a bit by virgin active and this gym. All I wanted was a safe place to work on a better me... stress free and not have to worry about my belongings.. Guys PLEASE look after your belongings. The gym only cares about getting your money at the end of the month. Sad but true. On the other hand i must also say that the staff are always friendly and there is someone cleaning the equipment everytime im there.. so its...