David Lloyd Purley Review
Reviewed by Emma Rogers
The swanky new spa facilities at David Lloyd Purley in Croydon have recently opened to members of the club with a tranquillity spa complete with de-stressing hydro pool, multiple saunas and a deep relax room.
We visited David Lloyd on an autumn Tuesday morning. The car park was rammed, but this was because there was a huge tennis teaching session going on – which reminds anyone who belongs to the club that David Lloyd clubs were originally opened as tennis heavens. The tennis element is still there (6 indoor courts and tennis lessons are evident throughout the day!) but the spa has taken over in a big way. Relaxation is probably just as important, if not more than fitness nowadays.
The Tranquility Spa features both indoor and outdoor elements to the relaxation process. Inside, there are four heat rooms to maximise the experience. The delicious crystal steam room promotes healing and relieves stress. Probably a good room to start with, then onto the citrus steam room. Here, you can feel the detoxifying qualities of the heat as the stress melts away, your skin purifies and hopefully, you can feel your energy levels rising.
As well as steam treatments, there are two sauna rooms. The Finnish sauna is what you’d usually expect, but there’s also the Himalayan salt sauna, which promotes detoxification but as with all salt inhalations, clears the respiratory system. This is especially good when you have a cold or hay fever as it clears out the lungs and the throat and has healing properties.
There’s also a relaxing salt water hydro pool, suitable for increasing circulation but also proves somewhere to relax after being in the gym, and is one of the more social areas of the spa where you can chat to friends. The hydro bubbles and salt relax all the muscles after a workout or a particularly stressful week at work. You can keep your muscles warm and continue the healing after that with the heated indoor sun loungers.
Special feature showers accentuate the luxury at the spa, and adding to the extravagance, there’s a plunge pool too, to keep you awake and vital after all the detoxing. Outside it was a bit cold this time of year for us to sit there, but there is an outdoor hydro pool, a sauna, a firepit and seating area (again, good for socialising) and comfy beds for if the weather is warmer and you fancy sunbathing or just getting some air.
The David Lloyd complex also boasts a Pure Spa beauty treatment facility and we were lucky enough to experience a back massage from the excellent Jennifer. The spa facility has four treatment rooms, all of which are larger than average size and even the treatment couches are heated! The towels and oils are kept at a constant temperature too to alleviate the shock of cold after your relaxing spa day. Jennifer worked on my tense neck and shoulder muscles, even finding knots at the base of my spine that she managed to work out. I was very nearly falling asleep, even though it was a very firm massage, as I like, but like butter, I was melting away under her hands.
The rest of the David Lloyd spa includes a large gym (with Life Fitness equipment) tennis courts, a kid’s club, café and multiple adults area.
If you’re looking for the full gym, sports and relaxation package, David Lloyd Purley has an excellent suite suitable for everyone, kids included. You’ll have a fantastic time!
Rating: 5/5
For more information or to join visit www.davidlloyd.co.uk.
David Lloyd, Hannibal Way, Croydon, Surrey, CRO 4RW | 0344 848 4735
