• ℹ️ Heads up...

    This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks.

Hotels General Discussion

The spa is in need of a massive upgrade, one which could make a lot of sense. Outwith the theme park season proper spa breaks should be a great money spinner. I suppose the issue is whether or not it is able to reach a good level of use during the summer months as the focus is on the park.

As others have pointed out, the advertising for their current product is comical. Add in: does Alton Towers scream Spa break to you? Equally, its location is horrific - next to Cbeebies isn't exactly a relaxing location. Maybe this could be a pre-cursor to a new hotel (or 'day spa') being built?
 
I doubt they would build a new spa. Too costly and secondly where would it go? Besides - we don’t know yet if this is a temporary closure for a while or a definite end to the spa.
 
I'm not sure there was an attendance issue at the Spa, I know they didn't advertise it much - but I think that is more down to its low capacity. They could fill it sufficiently without needing an online booking system or lots of advertising - simply due to the fact it was small.

We know there have been new management at both park and hotel level this year, perhaps the Spa just doesn't fit with the new management vision and they have calculated that the building could make more money being used for something different.

Lets face it, energy costs for running the place must have increased massively over the past year or so, and with limited options to increase guest numbers or to increase prices to counter the cost increases, the profit margins could have plummeted massively - making the business case for switching it for something different more appealing.
 
AT86 said:
Sorry for the double post. but just looking at the virtual tour of the Spa that was uploaded to the corporate events site earlier this year, it seems the place is looking very grubby these days (especially as these are supposed to be the promo shots). Perhaps the cost of brining it up to scratch has played a part in the decision to close it.

spa1.JPG
spa2.JPG
spa3.JPG
Click to expand...
.

Wow, it looks like they gave up cleaning the place a while ago. The grating looks filthy, tile joints too. The furniture looks almost mouldy.

Kind of speaks to the standards of cleanliness they accept across the hotels.
 
Never used the spa, for me it's been one of those things where you go "I should do that sometime. Not this trip though. Maybe the next one, probably not actually but maybe after that" and then never do. I guess that if it's closing due to lack of footfall I'm part of the problem.

For me it's something I'd be much more likely to do on a long weekend or week long stay, and that's just not likely to be something I have any interest in doing with it only being two hours from home, the cost and the lack of stuff to do. It's quite ironic really, it's a thing better suited for longer stays, and would be more or less a requirement for the longer stay market so had to exist, but not enough of a reason for a longer stay in itself so has been let down by the total failure to build up the resort.

Going by those pictures it looks like a real bad state but also like if it was cared for it would be great again. But also lots that could be done with the space. If the idea is to close it to streamline the resort and get the core offering back to where it should be then I'd understand that, not like they couldn't reopen or build a better one in future.
 
The spa has been part of the core offering for 2 decades. Food and bev was for over 4 decades. At one point, opening for more than 6 hours was as well.

But then here we are. As the biggest park in the Merlin estate, it is the only one that maintains 4pm closures as core opening hours. Beef burgers no longer contain 100% beef. A potential (and it is potential, there is no confirmation as of yet) spa closure is another giant leap in the downgrading process. They can't sell food anymore, they can't stay open until 17:00, and now it seems they can't operate a sauna and steam room.

It makes me wonder where the bottom of the barrel really is?
 
Typical. I'd collected enough loyalty stamps for a free treatment 😂

It'll be a shame if it goes. It was always a nice way to chill, unlike the park and water park, and I would go there a couple of times per year. Agreed that the place was never the same after it was neutered by the Cbeebies hotel though.
 
I was a lifeguard at a council run swimming pool. Fixing tiles on a poolside is not very easy. Especially in the pool itself. You have to factor in the noise, dirt that can harm customers and also, tiling in wet conditions and keeping it dry is never fun. Draining and filling pools is a lengthy and tricky business. Draining a pool to fix 1 tile can lead to others becoming loose and it knackers the cleaning and heating systems. Baths will only drain when when it's only VERY necessary.

I sympathise with them. No spa/sports centre can afford to shut areas off for a length of time. Especially when heating the place is so expensive.

Sad it's gone. As I've stated. Surprised it lasted this long
 
Last edited:
Though, given the Spa had a yearly extended closure for maintenance every January, you'd have thought this would have made it somewhat easier than other similar facilities that are open constantly.

In case anyone is unfamiliar with the Spa, as I know a few people have said they never got the chance to visit, I've just updated the Alton Towers Spa page on TowersStreet with new pictures and info.
 
Squiggs said:
Though, given the Spa had a yearly extended closure for maintenance every January, you'd have thought this would have made it somewhat easier than other similar facilities that are open constantly.
Click to expand...

Every sports centre I know would close for extended periods of time. Still not enough time to do whatever will be needed. Like I've said, emptying, filling, reheating and re chemicaling is such a costly and time consuming thing. The tiles can shift and cause further damage, when the pressure changes, that can't be done easily corrected when full. Air will get into the system that Will cause a milky affect, air reacts with chlorine differently. Such a delicate act.

Plus, getting the right colour tiles is easy. After years off wear and tear, plus the chlorine causing de colourisation. Your not going to do the whole thing for a small amount of tiles. Especially, the size of tiles on the floor at the spa.
 
Does anyone have any pictures of when it opened as 'Pirates Lagoon' back in 1996. I can't find a single picture anywhere - but I swear that I've seen pictures before. IIRC it had a ton of greenery in there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top