Virgin Active Italia Reviews 977

Terrible company, terrible service, terrible support. Would never ever recommend.

The one and only complete gym

Virgin club e un posto dove trovi amico, positività delle persone, alta stima di allenarsi , staff professionale,

⚠️ 🇮🇹 Avviso per i futuri clienti
Virgin Active Italia è una palestra reale, ma attenzione alle pratiche contrattuali.
Le strutture sono mediocri, le sale sovraffollate e la spa spesso inutilizzabile (bagno turco fuori servizio). A 125€ al mese, gli asciugamani per la spa non sono inclusi.
⚠️ Attenzione: al momento dell’iscrizione spingono attivamente verso i pacchetti più costosi, senza presentare reali alternative. La sospensione “gratuita” dell’abbonamento comporta in realtà l’estensione automatica del contratto.
⚠️ Cercano in tutti i modi di evitare la risoluzione del contratto, anche se ci si trasferisce all’estero in un paese senza alcuna sede Virgin Active.
⚠️ Fin dall’inizio viene chiarito che, se si porta avanti la contestazione o si interrompono i pagamenti, la pratica verrà inviata a un’agenzia di recupero crediti.

Per conoscenza dei futuri clienti: Virgin Active Italia è stata sanzionata dall’AGCM per pratiche commerciali scorrette legate a scarsa trasparenza su abbonamenti, rinnovi e recesso.

⚠️ 🇬🇧 Warning for future customers
Virgin Active Italia is a legitimate gym, but be very cautious with their contracts.
Facilities are average, gyms are often overcrowded, and the spa is unreliable (steam room frequently out of order). At €125/month, spa towels are not included.
⚠️ Warning: at sign-up, customers are actively pushed toward the most expensive packages, with no real alternatives presented. What is advertised as a “free” pause actually results in an automatic contract extension.
⚠️ They will do everything possible to prevent contract termination, even if you move abroad to a country with no Virgin Active facilities.
⚠️ From the outset, you are told that if you pursue the matter or stop paying, it will be forwarded to a debt collection agency.

For future customers’ awareness: Virgin Active Italia was fined by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) for unfair commercial practices related to unclear subscription, renewal, and cancellation terms.

All you need in one space 👌👌perfect gym and spa!

The best spa & the most amazing gym in Salerno with excellent customer service from all the staff, especially Stefano, Gigi & Cristina & all the great staff at the reception. The trainers are also highly knowledgeable & very professional. The bodybuilding machines are all new & amazing. The aerobic classes are great & highly efficient to burn fat. There is also a body scan machine that you can use anytime in the gym.

The lovely spa has everything, including a lovely hydro massage hot pool & an excellent swimming pool. The lockers are very well organized, the showers are plenty & have adequate hot water & the toilets are constantly cleaned. There is also a machine to dry your swimsuits. A great health is the only true wealth. Thank you for everything 🙏🏻

Nice gym, nice raggaza.

da anni e anni cliente.. volevo ringraziare i ragazzi della reception, in particolar modo Pearly per essermi stata di fondamentale supporto ! grazie grazie grazie... my 2nd home!

Me and my husband joined Esporta (which became Virgin) in 2004. We have always enjoyed the gym, and this has become part of our family. A place where we make and meet friends. The instructors and the reception team are efficient and friendly.
However, I have noticed issues with communication (not with the above mentioned teams, but with the top management team).
1. The reception team are forced to put a smile and lie : ie: " we will e mail you.... we just responded by e mail.... we are writing the e mail... the manager knows and is working on it.... " At the end, I feel sorry for them and put the issue to sleep.
2. Approximately 7 months ago, I spoke to a state manager (who I am aware has insisted many times with the top manager "PS") about getting my disabled son to enjoy the swimming pool. As he has severe and complex needs, he requires 24 hours care, uses a wheelchair and requires pads. Because of this later, he would need a specific changing place (with a trolley -like changing place). This costs £800. I am prepared to pay if needed. However, Virgin Active Sheffield is taking too long an they are not responding and not engaging.
As a consequence, I feel that Virgin Active is not inclusive, as it does not take on board the needs of severely disabled people. I have NEVER seen a client in a wheelchair at Virgin (despite there are ~8000 members).
It is frustrating that there has been no positive action after 7 months, and I stopped asking the state manager, as I am aware it is out of his hands.

4. In addition, I frequently share comments with other members about various facts:

- There are not enough toilets: 6 altogether in the lady's area. Showers are crowded.
- In order to build a new studio 4 toilets for disabled people were removed.
- My husband indicates that the men toilets and showers are crowded, smelly and that it is not easy to find empty lockers (it seems many members leave gym equipment in the locker during the week, and that this is also adding bad odour to the changing area).
- There is not enough parking space for the ~8000 members.
- Rewards: despite I attend the gym 4 /week (I do classes and have a PT), I have NEVER used any reward. This is because I am busy and usually need to leave soon after the class (to go to work). However, when I recently tried to use my reward for a coffee, I was told that "It has expired". Can the rewards not have longer valid period?
- Reformer Pilates: This was a well promoted addition to the gym. We all received e mails about this class landing few months. I knew it was a busy class, so on 30th May I was attending a Leadership Course in Lisbon, but I decided to set up my alarm clock at 11: 20 am, so I could book. I disrupted the class when my alarm clock went off, but I was happy that I was able to book ! I was the 1st, and my booking went straight to my diary. However, 1 hour later I received a message letting me know that I was "25th in the waiting list". On my return from Lisbon, I contacted George in the reception, who said there was an issue with the app.... and that a few people had complained. I kept asking for an official response about addressing the problems with the booking of the classes (which fill up 1 minute after a session concludes). So, when a class is so well promoted, but have 24 spaces twice a day for ~ 8000 members, and there is no official response when members enquire about issues, then it becomes a problem.

- Communication with members (clients) should improve. I suggested to PS that Virgin Active Sheffield, which is the largest in the country, would benefit from a monthly newsletter, where members are told about what is new, some nice history/experience of members in the gym, some health tips (like info abut checking your body features -muscle, water, fat, etc- with BodiTrax and as a result from physical activity at the gym).
The addition of a communication team able to develop good communication tools with members would be a great addition to the gym.
All this was said in person to the manager PS. He asked me to put this in an e mail, which I did on 9th June 2025. Of course, as an example of the poor communication, there was no response.

horrendous customer service. spoke to a lady from the cerntral sales team and she was so rude. When people are paying extremely high monthly fees, it is outrageous to have such a bad customer service experience

Overall the gyms are alright though can be wildly overpriced depending on location (not all the gyms are well maintained or have equipment in good condition).

This was not a major issue however, and staff at the gyms were great.

The problem comes with cancellation of membership. I informed Vrigin Active in writing that I wanted to cancel my membership on April 28th.

However, now I am being chased for overdue payments and arrears fees. It is very difficult to get in touch with customer service by phone to rectify this.

Shit customer service and also fights with the clients. Rude people at reception without willingness to help solve problems . I tried to suspend a monthly subscription and it was complicated, when I went to request a way to solve the problem they were totally unhelpful and told me nonsense that they don’t read the information from the email, where I specifically said that the suspension was for my mum, the guy said that they don’t need to read the information! No logic and no help. I strongly suggest to avoid going to any of virgin actives gyms, they will rip you off or confuse you with paperwork. Unfortunately I have been a client for 15 years, but as soon as my subscription ends I’ve had enough. Their service gets worse and worse

My last review has disappeared. Looking at over 95% terrible reviews it’s interesting to note that the 2 positive ones are the only reviews to which VA responded. It doesn’t matter if it’s Italy or UK, this seems to be the only avenue to complain because VA don’t listen. Absolutely no responses despite repeated complaints about money being taken from members and abuse, towel and music policy and poor customer service. If you do get through to HO they can’t help. They tell you to sort in the club, the club tell you to speak to HO. VA still forge ahead and take take take from customers. I see prospective members being shown around and wish I could warn them. Don’t be taken in by the shiny bits of equipment, look around at the broken equipment notices ‘taking a break’ as well, members having to wait to ask for a towel, sparse classes, often at same time or overlapping and then listen to the piped supermarket music (main part and classes ), look at the dirt in the showers and lockers, the locks which remain for months when people use them for storage ( the annual locker check up has gone); then go elsewhere. The only way I can comprehend why a company would treat its members so badly is : they want to make as much profit as possible
and then close. I look forward to leaving, being mindful of the review warnings about cancelling.

Again, I would put zero if I could. No movement on the ridiculous towel policy which means I can’t use the gym, swim and shower unless I bring my own towel. Everyone has complained and the front desk staff are embarrassed about it, but the policy persists despite almost all customers being deeply unhappy about it. Also, I submitted my contact details with my last review and received no contact from Virgin. Terrible customer service and arrogance in the face of negative customer feedback. I will cancel as soon as I am able unless this policy changes and I would advise others not to join. This is an organisation that does not care about its customers.

Dont want my kids messed with thanks to your policy on letting men into ladies changing rooms

Terrible service, arrogant FOH team with poor communication skills, passive-aggressive PT (mostly).
No one answers phone calls and senior management are too busy to deal with concerns. This franchise should just disappear.

After moving house I wanted to cancel my membership (I assume as per the contract that virgin never showed me). They never cancelled my membership and instead continued to demand payment to the point where they tried to instruct bay-lifts. The bay-lift company, after hearing my side, decided they wouldn’t pursue the claim.

I’ve had no apology for the 5 months of stress virgin active have caused and they’re still demanding payment.

If i could put zero I would.
I liked the gym but i got offered a permanent contract in france where there is no virgin active. So, as per their conditions, i asked to cancel my membership by sending them my permanent contract.
It has been a month and a half and approximately 15 emails from me without any answers or signs of my membership being cancelled.
That is quite litterally illegal and they are basically stealing my money at this point.

Getting though to customers service is a nightmare club doesn't answer the phone.

Shame on you Virgin Active for using Met Parking to fine members at Chiswick Riverside. We pay a huge monthly sum and were 20 mins late. You are supposed to be a health club not add to the stress of everyone's lives. We now swipe in to the car park so please catch those that are trying to park all day, not the Virgin members. Feeling very let down by this. I tried calling your central office but after 40 minutes, gave up. No customer service channels to talk to?