Guildford Spectrum

Guildford Spectrum is a big indoor leisure centre rather than a gentle little family attraction. From the reviews, the main draws are the swimming complex with slides, wave machine and hot tubs, plus the ice rink for skating sessions. It sounds like the sort of place that can keep children occupied for hours, especially if they like water and speed. The best bits are clearly the variety and the scale. Families praised the water slides as exciting and well maintained, with enough going on for both children and adults. The ice rink also gets good marks for giving people plenty of time on the ice, and the staff seem genuinely helpful. Clean changing rooms, lockers and straightforward online booking all help, which is more than can be said for plenty of family days out. The catch is that some of the practical bits are a bit of a faff. Skating aids can run out quickly and cost £10 each, which is a bit rich. Swimming can get crowded, especially in half term, and one review noted pools being shut for lessons after only half an hour. The pool and air temperature were also described as cold by one visitor, while another had a grim time with uncomfortable hire skates. Worth it for the fun, but not exactly a low-stress day out.