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New AbFab venue review
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By *erksduo OP Couple
over a year ago
Newbury |
Because AbFab does not seem to be allowed in the club review section we thought it might be useful to post something in this forum with our thoughts on the new venue. Hope its useful - maybe other people have have visited could add comments too.
As members of the previous AbFab club this was our first visit to the new venue. We’d heard mixed reviews but were excited to try it. We visited on Saturday 26th October with another couple and also met a few friends at the club.
The location is superb with a Premier Inn (where we stayed) right next door with loads of parking and a Thistle Hotel directly opposite. The building is completely anonymous – you’d have no idea it was a swingers club from the outside (which we reckon is a good thing).
The building used to be a health club / gym and there are some elements that are still recognisable, however the team at AbFab have done an amazing job to transform the space.
When you arrive you start in the reception area. It’s a great set up where members are signed in and you can get a locker key (just like the old club). New members can sign up here as well and if you have not signed up online there are computers you can use. We’d highly recommend using the online forms on the Abfab website ahead of time). You also need ID – driving licence is perfect as it has your picture and address – otherwise you need a passport and some form of proof of address. When we attending there were lots of new members signing in – super positive for the club as it shows it is getting some momentum. That said, we were stunned people were turning up without having filled in the forms and without ID. This meant they could not get in of course.
On your first visit you get a full tour around the club – this serves a double purpose. It means you get to see all the different areas in the club (it’s a real maze!) but also it gives the staff the chance to tell you the health and safety things like panic buttons by the pool and fire exits.
One of the first things you come to are the locker rooms – these are outstanding – best we’ve seen in any club and are clearly from the original health club. There are also two shower areas (which we used and they had plenty of hot water). There are also two steam rooms but these don’t seem to be in regular use – you have to ask for them to be turned on if you want to use them.
Downstairs there are a few playrooms – but also the *amazing* pool + built in jacuzzi. This is a real highlight of the venue and we had a fun time in there with several other couples.
There is also a jacuzzi / hot tub room next door to the pool. This has three hot tubs / jacuzzis with a strict limit of four people each. This is a bit of a shame but understandable. The night we attended only two of the tubs were in action. There are also several playrooms adjacent to the hot tubs.
Upstairs there are loads more facilities. The lounge and bar area is huge with a mixture of high tables with chairs and also plenty of sofas. The bar itself is quite small but there is a huge range of drinks – lots of beers, spirits, wine, soft drinks etc and we thought the prices were reasonable. You can pay with cash or card (tap and pay was a great way to pay – no need to carry cash around or get change).
Early in the evening this area is popular as friends can meet and chat and you also have a chance to talk to other couples. Next to the lounge is a separate area with a dark room and also a section with glory holes with separate male / female entrances. We did not see anyone using this on the night we visited – it’s probably more popular on evenings where single men are visiting we guessed. Some of the cabins from the old venue are also in this area if you want some privacy and private play.
In another room off the lounge is a dungeon room – we did not really take a good look at this but there are swings, a spider’s web and some other “furniture” which we’re sure must be popular if that is your thing.
Heading in the other direction there is a huge room with a DJ area, dance floor, table football and pool table – the pool table was particularly popular the night we were there – and for its original purpose – nothing sordid! This space looks amazing and we reckon as the club becomes more popular it could be a really fun place to spend time – e.g. New Years Eve – dancing the night away in between other fun in the club.
Further down the corridor is the cinema room. This was one of the legendary rooms in the old club and the new cinema is also great. It has lots of leather sofas and a huge screen. It was very popular at the end of the night with standing room only and we enjoyed ourselves in there.
There is also a canteen / restaurant area in a different direction from the lounge – complimentary snacks were offered at midnight but in future the plan seems to be to do more than just a cold buffet – again – it would be ideal for something like New Year’s Eve when there is a huge crowd.
So what’s our verdict? We really liked it! It’s a fantastic space and the progress so far is nothing short of remarkable given the challenges the owners have had getting the new club up and running. There seems to have been loads of improvements even in the few months it has been open. We’ll definitely be returning and expect it to get better and better.
If the owners keep on investing it’s possible this could become the premier swinging venue in the UK – the potential is limitless.
One final note – we have no connection or relationship with the owners. We were not asked to do this review and it’s completely impartial. But we are keen to see the club succeed and thought that it would be helpful to share our thoughts. Good luck if you are visiting – we hope you won’t be disappointed! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions - but again - we reiterate this is a completely independent review - we just wanted to help others in the Fab community.
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"Because AbFab does not seem to be allowed in the club review section we thought it might be useful to post something in this forum with our thoughts on the new venue. Hope its useful - maybe other people have have visited could add comments too.
As members of the previous AbFab club this was our first visit to the new venue. We’d heard mixed reviews but were excited to try it. We visited on Saturday 26th October with another couple and also met a few friends at the club.
The location is superb with a Premier Inn (where we stayed) right next door with loads of parking and a Thistle Hotel directly opposite. The building is completely anonymous – you’d have no idea it was a swingers club from the outside (which we reckon is a good thing).
The building used to be a health club / gym and there are some elements that are still recognisable, however the team at AbFab have done an amazing job to transform the space.
When you arrive you start in the reception area. It’s a great set up where members are signed in and you can get a locker key (just like the old club). New members can sign up here as well and if you have not signed up online there are computers you can use. We’d highly recommend using the online forms on the Abfab website ahead of time). You also need ID – driving licence is perfect as it has your picture and address – otherwise you need a passport and some form of proof of address. When we attending there were lots of new members signing in – super positive for the club as it shows it is getting some momentum. That said, we were stunned people were turning up without having filled in the forms and without ID. This meant they could not get in of course.
On your first visit you get a full tour around the club – this serves a double purpose. It means you get to see all the different areas in the club (it’s a real maze!) but also it gives the staff the chance to tell you the health and safety things like panic buttons by the pool and fire exits.
One of the first things you come to are the locker rooms – these are outstanding – best we’ve seen in any club and are clearly from the original health club. There are also two shower areas (which we used and they had plenty of hot water). There are also two steam rooms but these don’t seem to be in regular use – you have to ask for them to be turned on if you want to use them.
Downstairs there are a few playrooms – but also the *amazing* pool + built in jacuzzi. This is a real highlight of the venue and we had a fun time in there with several other couples.
There is also a jacuzzi / hot tub room next door to the pool. This has three hot tubs / jacuzzis with a strict limit of four people each. This is a bit of a shame but understandable. The night we attended only two of the tubs were in action. There are also several playrooms adjacent to the hot tubs.
Upstairs there are loads more facilities. The lounge and bar area is huge with a mixture of high tables with chairs and also plenty of sofas. The bar itself is quite small but there is a huge range of drinks – lots of beers, spirits, wine, soft drinks etc and we thought the prices were reasonable. You can pay with cash or card (tap and pay was a great way to pay – no need to carry cash around or get change).
Early in the evening this area is popular as friends can meet and chat and you also have a chance to talk to other couples. Next to the lounge is a separate area with a dark room and also a section with glory holes with separate male / female entrances. We did not see anyone using this on the night we visited – it’s probably more popular on evenings where single men are visiting we guessed. Some of the cabins from the old venue are also in this area if you want some privacy and private play.
In another room off the lounge is a dungeon room – we did not really take a good look at this but there are swings, a spider’s web and some other “furniture” which we’re sure must be popular if that is your thing.
Heading in the other direction there is a huge room with a DJ area, dance floor, table football and pool table – the pool table was particularly popular the night we were there – and for its original purpose – nothing sordid! This space looks amazing and we reckon as the club becomes more popular it could be a really fun place to spend time – e.g. New Years Eve – dancing the night away in between other fun in the club.
Further down the corridor is the cinema room. This was one of the legendary rooms in the old club and the new cinema is also great. It has lots of leather sofas and a huge screen. It was very popular at the end of the night with standing room only and we enjoyed ourselves in there.
There is also a canteen / restaurant area in a different direction from the lounge – complimentary snacks were offered at midnight but in future the plan seems to be to do more than just a cold buffet – again – it would be ideal for something like New Year’s Eve when there is a huge crowd.
So what’s our verdict? We really liked it! It’s a fantastic space and the progress so far is nothing short of remarkable given the challenges the owners have had getting the new club up and running. There seems to have been loads of improvements even in the few months it has been open. We’ll definitely be returning and expect it to get better and better.
If the owners keep on investing it’s possible this could become the premier swinging venue in the UK – the potential is limitless.
One final note – we have no connection or relationship with the owners. We were not asked to do this review and it’s completely impartial. But we are keen to see the club succeed and thought that it would be helpful to share our thoughts. Good luck if you are visiting – we hope you won’t be disappointed! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions - but again - we reiterate this is a completely independent review - we just wanted to help others in the Fab community.
"
A truly wonderful review.....very eloquent and all true ......  |
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Thank you for taking the time to write such an review , we too were regulars at the old kestrel's and loved it we have done our online forms now that everything seems to be up and running so we'll be visiting soon  |
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I've been going ever since it reopened, and have enjoyed watching it get better and better .. can't wait to go back on Fri to sample the new hot tubs.. can't fault the place really , makes me feel relaxed and comfortable , great staff, venue , location , people , pool, facilities etc etc |
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The club warrants another review from me now the new hot tubs are open!!
I attended a few Fridays ago and am impressed with the transformation of club since the addition of hot tubs and new rooms.
The hot tub room has interchangeable coloured led lights on the ceiling, its very modern and gets people in the mood as loads of playing happens in this area. Hot tubs are also steaming hot....lovely!!
This has balanced the club making it as busy downstairs as it is up!! Rooms are also sound proof as up stairs rooms were criticised for that.
The lounge is huge, the cinema is spacious n comfortable, the disco room hasn't really taken off yet and many of us believe it should be used as a couples only room. The lounge is so big it may aswell have a revolving dance floor ( one that can be set up and then moved away) n portable dj box box placed on their club nights ( sofas could be moved into current disco room to facilitate this). They need to utilise this large space, too often i see 3 or 4 empty sofas which shows the area is under used. They need to make it more clubby with louder music, disco lights ( ones which move with music like Eureka) and better speaker systems. The large space is the clubs strong point, it should be taken advantage off. It will create a better social hub as there is no reason why Abfab cant be packed Friday n Saturday night. An emphasis on dancing will definetely attract more females, couples and dare i say it non swingers/ newbies to the club as it takes the pressure away from sex and acts as an ice breaker when meeting new people.
The club is improving every week but i really share an ambitious vision for this club as i know its oozing with potential.
Overall i still think its a very good club and the best in West London and home counties ( no where rivals it on the west side of London). I think it can attract the Essex and Kent crowd if it can makes a few more adjustments , the south of England is still waiting for the ultimate club and this is becoming closer and closer to achieving that!! |
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By *ootleCouple
over a year ago
Romford, Essex |
Finally, a real review page!
We love this club and have been attending since the beginning of August.
The improvements can be seen week on week and its also apparent that the management not only read these reviews but act on them.
There is an absolute no tolerance policy on stupid behavior - we were there a couple of Sundays ago and 2 guys were sent packing and had there membership cards revoked - so we have personally witnessed that they don't muck about - WELL DONE KESTRELS/ABFABS !
The new hot tubs are Fab, the pool is to die for and the people who attend are just brilliant. The play rooms are getting better and better and the staff are fantastic, polite, and helpful some even have a sense of humour! and the atmosphere at the club is just about perfect.
There are still things to be done and of course people will make suggestions on how to make this club 'better' - for example I don't see the point of the pool table, but in other reviews people love them,its a personal preference.
What I would like to see is some window frosting over the window to the playroom - sometimes you just don't the a chance to get in the swing before an audience is there waving cocks at you !!!
Will be going to Friday' Halloween part and staying at the hotel opposite -can't wait
 |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Because AbFab does not seem to be allowed in the club review section we thought it might be useful to post something in this forum with our thoughts on the new venue. Hope its useful - maybe other people have have visited could add comments too.
As members of the previous AbFab club this was our first visit to the new venue. We’d heard mixed reviews but were excited to try it. We visited on Saturday 26th October with another couple and also met a few friends at the club.
The location is superb with a Premier Inn (where we stayed) right next door with loads of parking and a Thistle Hotel directly opposite. The building is completely anonymous – you’d have no idea it was a swingers club from the outside (which we reckon is a good thing).
The building used to be a health club / gym and there are some elements that are still recognisable, however the team at AbFab have done an amazing job to transform the space.
When you arrive you start in the reception area. It’s a great set up where members are signed in and you can get a locker key (just like the old club). New members can sign up here as well and if you have not signed up online there are computers you can use. We’d highly recommend using the online forms on the Abfab website ahead of time). You also need ID – driving licence is perfect as it has your picture and address – otherwise you need a passport and some form of proof of address. When we attending there were lots of new members signing in – super positive for the club as it shows it is getting some momentum. That said, we were stunned people were turning up without having filled in the forms and without ID. This meant they could not get in of course.
On your first visit you get a full tour around the club – this serves a double purpose. It means you get to see all the different areas in the club (it’s a real maze!) but also it gives the staff the chance to tell you the health and safety things like panic buttons by the pool and fire exits.
One of the first things you come to are the locker rooms – these are outstanding – best we’ve seen in any club and are clearly from the original health club. There are also two shower areas (which we used and they had plenty of hot water). There are also two steam rooms but these don’t seem to be in regular use – you have to ask for them to be turned on if you want to use them.
Downstairs there are a few playrooms – but also the *amazing* pool + built in jacuzzi. This is a real highlight of the venue and we had a fun time in there with several other couples.
There is also a jacuzzi / hot tub room next door to the pool. This has three hot tubs / jacuzzis with a strict limit of four people each. This is a bit of a shame but understandable. The night we attended only two of the tubs were in action. There are also several playrooms adjacent to the hot tubs.
Upstairs there are loads more facilities. The lounge and bar area is huge with a mixture of high tables with chairs and also plenty of sofas. The bar itself is quite small but there is a huge range of drinks – lots of beers, spirits, wine, soft drinks etc and we thought the prices were reasonable. You can pay with cash or card (tap and pay was a great way to pay – no need to carry cash around or get change).
Early in the evening this area is popular as friends can meet and chat and you also have a chance to talk to other couples. Next to the lounge is a separate area with a dark room and also a section with glory holes with separate male / female entrances. We did not see anyone using this on the night we visited – it’s probably more popular on evenings where single men are visiting we guessed. Some of the cabins from the old venue are also in this area if you want some privacy and private play.
In another room off the lounge is a dungeon room – we did not really take a good look at this but there are swings, a spider’s web and some other “furniture” which we’re sure must be popular if that is your thing.
Heading in the other direction there is a huge room with a DJ area, dance floor, table football and pool table – the pool table was particularly popular the night we were there – and for its original purpose – nothing sordid! This space looks amazing and we reckon as the club becomes more popular it could be a really fun place to spend time – e.g. New Years Eve – dancing the night away in between other fun in the club.
Further down the corridor is the cinema room. This was one of the legendary rooms in the old club and the new cinema is also great. It has lots of leather sofas and a huge screen. It was very popular at the end of the night with standing room only and we enjoyed ourselves in there.
There is also a canteen / restaurant area in a different direction from the lounge – complimentary snacks were offered at midnight but in future the plan seems to be to do more than just a cold buffet – again – it would be ideal for something like New Year’s Eve when there is a huge crowd.
So what’s our verdict? We really liked it! It’s a fantastic space and the progress so far is nothing short of remarkable given the challenges the owners have had getting the new club up and running. There seems to have been loads of improvements even in the few months it has been open. We’ll definitely be returning and expect it to get better and better.
If the owners keep on investing it’s possible this could become the premier swinging venue in the UK – the potential is limitless.
One final note – we have no connection or relationship with the owners. We were not asked to do this review and it’s completely impartial. But we are keen to see the club succeed and thought that it would be helpful to share our thoughts. Good luck if you are visiting – we hope you won’t be disappointed! Feel free to contact us if you have any questions - but again - we reiterate this is a completely independent review - we just wanted to help others in the Fab community.
"
I fully agree with this excellent review. |
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"Because AbFab does not seem to be allowed in the club review section we thought it might be useful to post something in this forum ....
"
Looks like we know where to go in two-three weeks.
But... why they are not allowed in the review section ?
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Because AbFab does not seem to be allowed in the club review section we thought it might be useful to post something in this forum ....
Looks like we know where to go in two-three weeks.
But... why they are not allowed in the review section ?
It’s a loooong story....sit comfortably, children....
"
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
We visited this venue before the hot tubs were up and running and saw its potential then. The commitment and drive of the staff will make this place one of the best around in time. |
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We went for our first visit today and we thought it is a quite well laid out venue with all the facility's working, nice size pool, great hot tubs, plenty of play rooms, a nice bar lounge area and it was great to see some familiar faces from the old venue.
Not overly busy but then the old place never used to be on a Sunday. Just great to have another Sunday go to place again . |
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"Sounds impressive, I have been meaning to check it out. Why isn't it allowed in the reviews section? Seems weird."
It's all because of an old rift between the site and the club. Old news but still no reviews allowed.
T x |
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Halloween party last Friday was very busy, shows how many people it can potentially draw in. It has an over flow car park from the office next door and they must of parked easily 50 cars.
Also those who aren't local will be glad to know buses are free around Heathrow so it has direct connections to all hotels, terminals and Hatton cross tube station which is a 24 hour line Friday and Saturday!!
Location wise Abfab is definetely a gold mine.
Word of mouth is better than any club review page, the club is always talked about on the forums so how can you not know of the place by now?.
Also to add on what i said last week, making it more clubby ( loader music, disco lights n lounge area utilised properly) would increase their alcohol sales!!
What do people think about making swinger clubs like night clubs? |
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"Halloween party last Friday was very busy, shows how many people it can potentially draw in. It has an over flow car park from the office next door and they must of parked easily 50 cars.
Also those who aren't local will be glad to know buses are free around Heathrow so it has direct connections to all hotels, terminals and Hatton cross tube station which is a 24 hour line Friday and Saturday!!
Location wise Abfab is definetely a gold mine.
Word of mouth is better than any club review page, the club is always talked about on the forums so how can you not know of the place by now?.
Also to add on what i said last week, making it more clubby ( loader music, disco lights n lounge area utilised properly) would increase their alcohol sales!!
What do people think about making swinger clubs like night clubs?"
I don’t like the idea at all but the I always hated nightclub noise levels, even as a teen. Great for dancing but a nightmare for socialising and talking and lots of that needs to happen in a swingers club. I can imagine that if I asked someone to find somewhere quieter to chat, he’d think he was getting laid. |
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"Halloween party last Friday was very busy, shows how many people it can potentially draw in. It has an over flow car park from the office next door and they must of parked easily 50 cars.
Also those who aren't local will be glad to know buses are free around Heathrow so it has direct connections to all hotels, terminals and Hatton cross tube station which is a 24 hour line Friday and Saturday!!
Location wise Abfab is definetely a gold mine.
Word of mouth is better than any club review page, the club is always talked about on the forums so how can you not know of the place by now?.
Also to add on what i said last week, making it more clubby ( loader music, disco lights n lounge area utilised properly) would increase their alcohol sales!!
What do people think about making swinger clubs like night clubs?"
I wouldn’t like this, I go to meet people, not to dance. I do know of a club that is more like a club night and avoid it for that reason. As for driving up alcohol sales, I like to play with people that are sober so wouldn’t think it was a good idea.
Swingers clubs are neither pubs or night clubs, they have a very specific vibe about them, I wouldn’t want to make them like anything g else. |
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"Halloween party last Friday was very busy, shows how many people it can potentially draw in. It has an over flow car park from the office next door and they must of parked easily 50 cars.
Also those who aren't local will be glad to know buses are free around Heathrow so it has direct connections to all hotels, terminals and Hatton cross tube station which is a 24 hour line Friday and Saturday!!
Location wise Abfab is definetely a gold mine.
Word of mouth is better than any club review page, the club is always talked about on the forums so how can you not know of the place by now?.
Also to add on what i said last week, making it more clubby ( loader music, disco lights n lounge area utilised properly) would increase their alcohol sales!!
What do people think about making swinger clubs like night clubs?
I wouldn’t like this, I go to meet people, not to dance. I do know of a club that is more like a club night and avoid it for that reason. As for driving up alcohol sales, I like to play with people that are sober so wouldn’t think it was a good idea.
Swingers clubs are neither pubs or night clubs, they have a very specific vibe about them, I wouldn’t want to make them like anything g else."
Fortunately Abfabs has a separate dance area as it’s such a big venue. So those that want to dance can. The lounge area is large and comfortable so that’s a good place to meet people. Not to mention the cinema, playrooms, pool and hot tubs. Something for everyone! |
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Interesting points. Yes a club in Kent springs to my mind but it does do very well on numbers to be fair!! Music doesnt have to be overly loud but some bass atleast.
Sadly the disco room is too cut off and it doesn't get used much thats why I think it would make a better lounge area .
If you remember the old club the disco area was part of the lounge which is my point exactly!
Its a tough dilemma to balance really, i guess the club in this transition of finding its own identity @!
All I know is over 30 members joined on Friday ( quee was huge) n club is going in right direction |
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"Interesting points. Yes a club in Kent springs to my mind but it does do very well on numbers to be fair!! Music doesnt have to be overly loud but some bass atleast.
Sadly the disco room is too cut off and it doesn't get used much thats why I think it would make a better lounge area .
If you remember the old club the disco area was part of the lounge which is my point exactly!
Its a tough dilemma to balance really, i guess the club in this transition of finding its own identity @!
All I know is over 30 members joined on Friday ( quee was huge) n club is going in right direction "
Looks like I missed a good night  |
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We visited for the Friday Halloween night, and it was the busiest we had seen it in the few months of visiting. Unfortunately it did mean long queues (half an hour +) at reception while passes were issued for newbies and staff figured out how to work the system.
The club is improving and its clear the comments here are being read and feedback taken on board.
2 of the 3 hot tubs were open and being used, and as always the pool looked busier as the night went on.
The nightclub room is better now the sofas have been rearranged and the pool table etc are in there, but it's a massive space and even tho the club was packed we only saw a couple of people dancing in there. The cinema room proved constantly busy, and we saw a queue forming at the glory holes (not sure if anyone was actually on the other side of them!). Most of the single guys were well behaved, only one refused to move away when asked twice and so we had to forcefully tell him to move on. The concentration of single men increases over the evening as couples head off to play rooms and the wanking dead move about looking for their next opportunity (but I guess you'd get that most places). The dungeon is a work in progress, and hardly seems used whenever we've been there. maybe some frosting of the glass between it and the bar (not totally covering) might make it less fishbowl; but it is lacking some atmosphere
All in all, improvements are steady and we will still keep visiting H x |
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