De Vere Cotswold Water Park - Hotel Gym
Location: South Cerney, Gloucestershire GL7 5FP
Type: Hotel & Country Club Gym
Membership: Hotel guests + Local members
For travellers or locals wanting a nice environment for general fitness. The spa facilities push it above typical hotel gym standards.
The free weight selection is limited with dumbbells to 25kg and a Smith machine rather than a squat rack. Still, you can put together a solid session with the cables and machine circuit
Best for: Maintenance sessions, active recovery, cardio work, or anyone
Equipment
Walk in and cardio dominates the floor space with five treadmills, two rowers, five exercise bikes (different types), and a cross-trainer, plus one of those vibration plate machines. There's a storage rack with stability balls and medicine balls for functional work. The wood flooring looks smart but limits what you can do with the free weights.
For the lifters, you've got a Smith machine, backed by a full Technogym pin-loaded circuit covering chest press, shoulder press, lat pulldown, seated row, leg press, and assisted dip/chin. The dual cable crossover station has proper adjustment and runs smoothly. Dumbbells go up to around 25kg with several flat benches scattered about.
Arnold Score: ⭐½ / 5
Equipment ★☆☆☆☆
Smith machine only - no barbells. Dumbbells cap out at 25kg. Cable station is decent and a better selection of machines for upper body, but limited machines for lower body.
Convenience ★★★☆☆
Part of a hotel near the M4/M5 junction. Opens at 5am for hotel guests which is handy for early sessions. Wood flooring throughout means you're not dropping anything heavy. Facilities are clean with proper changing rooms and showers. Very few people at the times I visit so fully access to equipment.
Community and facilities ★★☆☆☆
Mixed of hotel guests and local spa members. Technogym kit is well-maintained.
Radcliffe Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Equipment ★★★★☆
Over ten cardio machines is properly generous for a facility this size. Two rowers is a nice touch - most hotel gyms skimp on those. Vibration plate is a bit gimmicky but some people swear by them for recovery.
Convenience ★★★★☆
Hotel location with pool, steam room, and sauna makes this ideal for a proper recovery session after long runs or rides. Easy to piece together a solid cardio session with what's available.
Community and facilities ★★★☆☆
Wellness-focused crowd means no one's hogging the treadmills for hours, but also means limited accountability or training partner options. Cardio area has decent space to spread out. Fine for solo cardio work. Clean facilities with good showers and changing rooms.
Total: 11/15 - Actually quite good if you're focusing on endurance training or active recovery.
Wim Hof Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Equipment ★★★★☆
This is where the gym shines. Full Technogym machine circuit with proper adjustment ranges, smooth cable stations, and enough variety to work everything safely. Perfect for controlled, joint-friendly training.
Convenience ★★★★★
Spa facilities (pool, steam, sauna) integrated with the gym is brilliant for recovery work. Opens at 5am for hotel guests. Wood flooring looks smart even if it limits what you can do. Storage cubbies for personal items. Everything you need is on-site.
Community and facilities ★★★☆☆
Mixed age range and wellness-focused atmosphere keeps it non-intimidating. Staff offer health consultations and personalised fitness programmes. Clean changing rooms and proper amenities throughout.
Total: 12/15 - Genuinely decent for sustainable training and recovery-focused work.
The Habitude Scoring System
The Arnold Score - For gym goers focused on building strength and muscle through heavy lifting, progressive overload, and serious hypertrophy work.
The Radcliffe Score - For gym goers prioritising cardiovascular fitness, endurance training, and maintaining aerobic capacity.
The Wim Hof Score - For gym goers focused on long-term health, safe training, recovery practices, and sustainable fitness habits.
