Abbey Spa & Wellness - Barking

vonnie rho

A small place in a leisure centre. The setup is quite awkward. The relaxation area is plain and not close to the sauna area. Make sure you bring a padlock with you if you want to change near the sauna area. As you have to go to the swimming pool area to change if you don't, which is accessed outside of the spa area near the entrance to the Leisure centre. If you do change in the swimming area, you will need a pound coin for the lockers. I was helped by the staff as I didn't have a coin. You will then have to walk out of the spa to get to the swimming pool changing area, which made me uncomfortable. The treatments were good. I had a face and back massage. However, I was supposed to have 3 treatments. I only received 2. I think it's great to go to the sauna or the spa if you have a free day. However, I don't think it's a great gift for someone unless you or they know the area and the type of spa it is. It is a leisure centre spa, so a lot of the people are locals and it is well used.

Rai Jadeja

The facilities are well kept and they are planning on upgrading equipment the gym facilities are well maintained and if you go during non-busy periods you'll get a complete workout without having to wait around. As for the spa it is most definitely a highlight and one of the better maintained spas within the area. The staff are very friendly. You have a great sized sauna room and a few steam rooms You also have a great hydro therapy pool which really helps post workout. I would highly recommend getting the platinum membership as you get unlimited visits to the spa as well as the gym.

C

The staff were friendly, patient, and helpful when asked. The spa looks stylish as you walk in and feels calm. However, the facilities themselves are dated (especially the changing rooms with just 2 private changing rooms inside) and it was very unclean during my visit.

Regular mopping and cleaning throughout its use is needed in my opinion.

The hydrotherapy pool was a hot bed of cloudy germs with hair and bits (of I don't know what) floating about. I saw 1 user allow spit to fall from her mouth into the water which I made a point of letting her know had been seen. If women choose to stand underneath the water that shoots out into the pool (unsure of the official name), take care because the water that sprays off of their backs can sting your eyes and some of the women won't necessarily stop/move to avoid this happening.

No cold shower in use within the spa during my visit which meant I was quite nauseous & light headed being in such hot rooms/spaces without the cool down needed by having a quick turn under the cold water. No ice fountain either. Only a shower that released warm/hot water.

The aromatherapy steam, salt steam and sauna are good. I enjoyed those.

Some women talk too much and too loudly which ruins the 'spa' experience for those who visit to unwind & quiet their mind.

Some women also don't understand cleanliness nor etiquette in that they will place their towel, etc., on top other hanging towels/robes/items that don't belong to them!

The relaxation area is anything but as it's close to reception, with no door and, again, a lot of chat was happening. There are only 3 lounge beds and 2 sofas which I didn't feel comfortable sitting on in my wet swimsuit as the seats are flannel!

The spa is much smaller than pics suggest.

I think each visitor should be permitted 2 - 3 hours maximum time to avoid reaching capacity and having people waiting/queueing for access. It also becomes an uncomfortable experience when it's too busy!

I dare not use the toilets or showers so cannot speak on those.

All of this said, I'll defo visit again (to give it another chance) and hope that it will be a much nicer experience.

Madison Chilvers

We got this as part of a gift voucher and thank goodness we hadn't paid for it is all we can say. Tiny room that was packed full of people with 1 tiny hydropool. We were there 15 minutes before we gave up trying to get in any saunas or anything. Changing rooms were not particularly clean and the facilities were not great either. Was definitely expecting more of a relaxing time.

Lorna Harvey

I recently visited Abbey Spa with high expectations, but my experience was far from pleasant.

Upon arrival, we followed the instructions provided over the phone and arrived a bit earlier. Unfortunately, our early arrival was met with rudeness. A woman at the front desk abruptly told us we shouldn’t have come early and that we needed to wait elsewhere, which set a negative tone for our visit.

The treatments themselves were lovely, and the staff providing them were professional. However, being 9 weeks pregnant, I was disappointed to learn that I was not allowed to have a full body massage. There was no prior information indicating this restriction. Furthermore, I was told I couldn’t use the spa facilities despite having consulted my midwife beforehand, who assured me that it was safe for me to do so. This left me feeling disheartened, especially since I was looking forward to relaxing in the spa.

The spa itself was another letdown. It was small and uninviting, and we spent no more than 10 minutes there before leaving. What should have been a tranquil and enjoyable experience turned out to be quite the opposite.

Throughout the visit, I felt as though I was being judged and made to feel guilty for my choices. The staff’s attitude made me feel like I was a terrible person and inconsiderate of my unborn child, which was not only upsetting but also discriminatory.

In conclusion, what was supposed to be a lovely day turned into a significant disappointment. Abbey Spa failed to provide the relaxing and welcoming experience I was hoping for. It’s a shame, as I was looking forward to a much-needed day of pampering.

Leah Wallace

I have seen some pretty scathing reviews of the cleanliness and facilities, however I only went for a massage so I cannot speak to that. The massage was wonderful, Katya did a very good job of releasing all of the knots in my back and shoulders. This time I used a gift voucher, but I will likely go back for another as I thought the pricing was very reasonable as well. Thank you!

Diana Dabek

Salt steam room out of order last 6 months. Mould in the steam rooms, aromatherapy room didn’t have any scent. Sauna not warm enough. Floor and walls unclean. Receptionists are really lovely. Not worth its price. Cleaning and facilities must really be managed.

Laura Rose

If I could give a 3.5, this would be more realistic. The facilities are okay. The ceilings are in poor condition in all rooms (suana,steam and 'pool' area) considering how much everyone pays for membership or to use the facilities payg, it's quite disappointing. The pool/jacuzzi are very small. You could fit roughly 5/6 comfortably only, it doesnt look that great either. Half the people don't follow the rules, people bring their soaps, phones etc.. it's not well maintained or monitored. Quite disappointing as this the only one in Barking. Will have to venture out to better qaulity and value for money.