Gymbox Elephant & Castle - (Near Southwark, UK)

3 /5 A Z: Positive: 1. Calisthenics space - beautiful ! 2. Spacious 3. No PT hassling me (big issue in gym box! Negatives: 1. Busy even at non peak times 2. Extremely smelly sauna and toilets - seriously really v bad ! 3. Gym feels a bit like premium gym in major decline 4. there was only 1 guy in reception so took about 10 mins just to get in A big shame. I suspect it used to be nice with great potential for cali people but now gym needs a major upgrade. I’ve never had such a bad smell in toilets and sauna before. Do better gymbox :(

1 /5 Mr Estrella: I have been a member at GYMBOX since the start of the year and I’m extremely disappointed with my experience so far. From the beginning, the gym has had ongoing problems that never seem to get resolved. • Large numbers of machines are constantly out of service for months at a time. • Air-conditioning units are leaking, creating both an unpleasant and unsafe environment. • Construction work has been ongoing, making the gym feel unfinished and disruptive. • The boxing bags, one of the main reasons I joined, have been removed for several months and still haven’t returned. My main purpose for joining was to use the classes and boxing facilities, but the reality has been far from what was promised when I signed up. Despite all these issues, I’m still being charged full membership fees, which feels very unfair considering the lack of facilities available. I’ve even taken photos as evidence of how poor the conditions have been for months. After six months of the same problems with no improvements, I’m now seriously considering cancelling my membership and moving to another gym that can actually provide the services it advertises. Very disappointing experience – not what I expected from a brand like GYMBOX.

1 /5 Manpreet Kaur: I signed up to use boxing bags and during the tour I was told the bags are out temporarily but will be back soon. 4 months later a different member of staff told me the bags arent coming back so I complained. The manager Michael Stephens first said they can upgrade my membership to include other gyms with bags, then changed the mind and said I can only transfer membership. At this point I was really annoyed and wanted to cancel my membership but Azra at member services said I would have to pay £380. Azra at member services was really dismissive and intimidating, refusing to acknowledge the Gymbox has misrepresented facilities. When I asked for head office details to take them to court they wouldnt give them to me. However I was adamant and demanded contact to send a Letter Before Action, at which point the manager finally said hell let me go from my membership free of charge. The person who signed me up and lied to me was Claudio Espinosa. I wouldnt trust anything gymbox staff tell you before signing up as they have no problem lying to get you to sign up and likely collect comission. On top of that, when I signed up in September they told me I can buy 5 guest passes for something like £20 so I did. Then in December everyone got 5 guest passes as a Christmas gift. But instead of adding 5 passes (so I would then have total 10), they brought everyone up to 5, so if you paid extra initially you got nothing. Great policy Gymbox, well done.

4 /5 Aristotle Bancale: Its a gym! Most like any other gym. The branding. The classes. The equipment. The vibe. These things make it different. Its not 24/7. Its a 6am-11pm thing on most days. Peak hours will be busy, thats pretty much anywhere popular and central. Its Elephant and Castle FFS. You cant expect it to have anything else but E&C population. You get what you signed up for. Its a gym with a sauna. If you dont know what Im on about, thats the reason youre moaning about it in Google Maps. Have a little more street smarts and go to the dozen other gyms around, at least one a few minutes walk in any direction from Gymbox.

1 /5 James: First, I want to start by saying Gymbox is an AMAZING gym — the staff are incredibly friendly, the classes are unique, and the overall environment, including the massage and recovery area, is top-tier. I’d genuinely rate everything else 11/10. However, I’m leaving one star due to an ongoing and uncomfortable issue in the men’s sauna. To raise awareness and safety for others. There seems to be a regular group of men using the sauna either completely naked or semi-naked, with only small towels that often don’t adequately cover their private parts. Some individuals even stand up completely nude, leaving their towel on the bench, which raises both hygiene concerns and discomfort for others. On top of that, there have been provocative conversations and behaviors that don’t feel appropriate for a fitness environment. Once, someone appeared to be using their phone in the sauna — possibly filming, though I cant be sure. These incidents, combined with the atmosphere created by this group, have made me and others feel uncomfortable and on edge. To be clear: I fully support an inclusive, welcoming gym environment where everyone — regardless of gender, race, or sexuality — can work out and relax safely. But the sauna should not feel like a hookup space. As another reviewer rightly said, some of the behavior borders on predatory in the changing rooms. I strongly urge Gymbox to take clearer action. One simple but effective step could be enforcing a rule that men must wear swimwear or shorts in the sauna — just like in a mixed-gender facility. It’s not just about comfort, but basic hygiene and respect for everyone using the space. Until something is done, I unfortunately won’t be using those facilities — which is a shame, because this gym has so much potential and otherwise delivers an exceptional experience.