When my friend, Sam, suggested back in June about going to Centre Parcs,but I was a bit reluctant. I had heard it was a beautiful place, but expensive. So we decided that 3 couples would share a 4 bedroomed lodge, all of us having children. The cost of the lodge from Monday to Friday was £306, which worked out to just £102 per couple. We made a "kitty" and each put in £5 a week, so we wouldnt miss the money so much. We also made a shopping list of ... ...day before we went. As we where there for 4 nights, we brought breakfast cereals, bread, stuff for sandwiches for lunch ,and what we needed for main meals in the evening. On shopping we spent about £60, again splitting it 3 ways. Finally after a long wait, our much needed holiday arrived and we left for Centre Parcs. The checking in system is very quick. You go to the drive in reception where you get a number for your car, they check you registration ...
chrissiepops 27.02.2001
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Advantages: Relaxing, plenty to do Disadvantages: Expensive, dirty
...things we liked about other Center Parcs was the way you could get from one area to the other without leaving the water. To get to the outside hot pool you had to leg it across several yards of open air in the freezing cold. Indeed the overall impression was that it had been designed very much for appearance rather than function. Water flowed from area to area but you couldn't move with it. There were waterfalls all over the place, but they didn't ... ...pool hygiene was very poor. Every pool had a grey "bathtub ring" of grease around it, and there was silt in many of the corners. In some pools the build up of scale was so bad that there were different coloured moulds growing on it. Similarly the changing cubicle floors were very dirty, hairballs in the corners and that sort of thing, and not helped by punters wandering around the wet side in outdoor shoes.
We thought the "canyon ride" was a poor ...
danensis 30.11.2004
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Advantages: so family friendly Disadvantages: csan be pricey
...you can easily go to Center Parcs and pay loads for all the extra activites however when they are young like mine (preschool) you can get away without paying any extra. Overall we had a fantastic holiday and have already booked to go back next March we also got an offer which meant that if we booked our next holiday within 28 days we get £25 of vouchers plus free travel and cancellation insurance which isnt bad! I cannot recommend Elveden Forest/Center ...
f1re_cr4cker 16.09.2009
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Advantages: lots of fun, encourages you to be active and try new things Disadvantages: can get expensive
...to go and stay at Center Parcs Elveden forest so decided they’d buy some new tracksuits, embrace their inner child and have an active holiday. The accommodation: We stayed in the Lakeview Hotel. The room was clean, of average size (definitely not cramped) but could have done with a lick of paint. In terms of facilities in the room there was a TV, a stereo (complete with tape player!), digital alarm clock, a kettle and a fridge. The bathroom had 2 ... ...up trying almost all of Center Parcs food options. The Sports Café (in the main sports center) did good basic food – burgers, pies, that kind of thing – at reasonable prices, all served on plates reminiscent of those school dinners came on. The Pancake House did do delicious pancakes and waffles, but not sure I’d class it as filling enough to be a main meal. Café Rouge came up trumps with a fabulous steak frites, and Bella Italia was very much as ...
MarieHHH 13.06.2009 (11.07.2009)
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Advantages: Great Outdoors, Activities Disadvantages: Pricy
Out of all the Centerparcs in England we decided on Sherwood Forest because (a) it was the closest and (b) the thought of staying in a forest was quite appealing.
Me and my friends had already had a holiday at the beginning of the year in Sunny Rhodes and have booked our next years holiday but fancied a break to keep us going. We didnt really want a week abroad and decided that a few days in this country would be nice for a change. Originally we ... ...like that but after looking on the centerparcs website (www.centerparcs.com) with all the activities it was bound to keep us amused and as loads of things are indoors what the weather was like didnt make a difference.
There are three different lengths you can have on a centerparcs holiday. Midweek (Mon-Fri), Weekend (Fri-Mon) or you can combine both for a full week. Although check-in isnt until 3pm you are allowed to arrive earlier and use the pool ...
Sarahb1976 12.10.2002
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Advantages: Everything under one roof Disadvantages: Can be costly
As a family we thought hard about where to go at short notice, and as none of us have ever been to a Centre Parc before we thought what the hell lets do it! All in all there was 4 Adults and 1 Child. We paid around the £520 mark for a Monday to Friday in a villa that slept six, at the newest of the Centre Parcs Longleat Whiltshire. But, split between two couples £130 per person for the week was what we thought resonable.
The accomodation was very ... ...shower and toilet, seperate toilet, which is very handy. Two double rooms and one single, open plan lounge, diner and kitchen which is quiet a good idea when one of you has to do either the cooking or the washing, up as you can still be in on some of the fun. TV most satelitte channels not that you will be in to watch them! Patio with furniture most patios secluded.
The drive to Longleat from where we live is around 2 hours the drive is mostly A ...
Zoe30 20.04.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Center Parcs
Advantages: Relaxing or active you choose Disadvantages: profit over progress
The bliss of swimming outdoors in warm water when the snow is on the ground, swimming outside at night looking up at the stars, lying relaxing in a sauna to smooth music - or conversely - Invigorating workouts, badminton, squash, tennis tournaments, Archery. All in a peaceful, car free holiday village. This is the Centerparcs experience and it has changed little over the past 15 years, during which I have been a regular visitor. Centerparcs has 4 ... ...Elvden Forest and the most recent addition Oasis Whinfell Forest in the Lake District. Oasis is not an original Centerparcs and was bought out by them a few years ago, despite my love of the lakes, I have not yet visited this one as I have a gut feeling from reading other reviews that I will be disappointed. My review therefore excludes this particular village as it is not, in my opinion, a true Centerparcs. Visits are of a fixed duration with Weekends ...
MHam 05.09.2003 (17.06.2004)
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Advantages: Wide open spaces, plenty of fresh air, plenty of activities... Disadvantages: ...if you have lots of money
...a slightly biased review of Center Parcs, which probably isn't a good idea, but if I gave any other kind of review I would be lying.
Having visited the Oasis Whinfell part in the summer of 2004, my friend was curious to find out what another one was like. It was his 25th birthday and he was dead keen on visiting Elveden Forest, as it is the closest (two or three hours by car).
ATMOSPHERE
Elveden wasn't on the same level as Oasis Whinfell. There ... ...the field outside of the Center Parcs border. Yes, we were on the outer "ring" of the accommodation, but the walk to the central village wasn't too far.
One little quirk with the villa was the central heating. For some odd reason it would set itself to 14°C at night, and this was in January, when they were saying Russia was suffering temperatures of -30°C.
In predictable fashion, the different types of housing are all given nature-like names; in ...
Headdy 08.02.2006
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Advantages: Plenty of Activities to do Disadvantages: Costs can get easily out of hand if you don't budget
Center Parcs has a number of resorts through the UK – Whinfell, Sherwood, Elveden and Longleat Forest. In this review I refer to Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest, Nottingham.
I have been a number of times to Center Parcs resorts however the last time I went I was a teenager, I enjoyed myself in previous times and with nostalgic thoughts felt that it was time to go back again. So three good friends and me went.
There are two choices of bookings either ... ...of the main problems with Center Parcs apart from the owners not knowing how to spell centre is that it can get quite expensive depending upon what you want to do. If you’re just happy going to the pool and walking round the parc and eating in then it will be a relatively cheap week. However if you want to get as much as possible out of your holiday there are plenty of activities to do at a cost obviously and at a much more costly price than say ...
thebluehippo 27.06.2007
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Advantages: lots to do, beautiful scenery, nice restaurants Disadvantages: price, somewhat cut off from the surrounding area
There are 3 Center Parcs locations in the UK but we visited the Sherwood Forest complex near Nottingham. The whole place is very environmentally friendly – cars have to stay in a central car park other than during arrival and departure times. As a result everyone walks or uses bikes (take your own if you can as it works out quite pricey to hire bikes for the whole family). As the name suggests the place is set within a forest and it has been very ... ...barbecue. Of course Center Parcs are known for their excellent swimming pools and believe me no visit wold be complete without a couple of visits to the ‘sub tropical paradise’. I personally am a poor swimmer but still loved the place and the atmosphere (and the heated flooring!) There are a range of varied restaurants, our favorites were the Italian (Lucianos) and the family restaurant – Huckleberrys. This was meant to be an American restaurant ...
Donald 04.01.2002
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Advantages: Relaxing, laid back, nice accommodation, plenty to do during the day. Disadvantages: Not much for adults to do in the evenings, can work out expensive.
...a bit disappointed to see Center Parcs in amongst family holidays because although I know that is what they mainly gear themselves to, I don't think it is exclusively for families. Anyway I hope that some of the people who this op is aimed at still get to read it!
I went to Center Parcs just over a year ago with a friend for a short break. We visited the Longleat Forest resort: the other two are in Elveden Forest and Sherwood Forest, but all three ... ...sure most people associate with Center Parcs. It houses the tropical swimming paradise, which includes a wave pool, waterslides, hot spa pools, river rapids (which go outside – not for the faint hearted in February I can tell you!), sun beds, café and numerous seating areas. All the swimming facilities are free and changing areas and lockers are provided. Also in the Plaza are shops, including the Parcmarket supermarket which stocks a good range ...
Pumpkin 19.05.2001
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Advantages: Dont have to go abroad to go what seems like to another country Disadvantages: Hard on the old body
My first visit to Center Parcs was when I was about 5 years old. I remember taking my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme roller skates to go up and down the paths with. Since then I have gone with my parents and also with friends to this calm and scenic place at least once a year. With positively hundreds of things to do you will find it really hard to get bored. Activities range from Archery to Horse riding to painting to tennis. There are all sorts ... ...The main attraction at Center Parcs must be the fantastic swimming complex, built inside the dome it provides indoor and outdoor swimming pools, rapids, slides and flumes. You can spend absolutely hours here and not realise it.
I must say that Center Parcs must be one of the best family holiday resorts we have in England. It caters for young couples with children and without, middle-aged couples with older children, or any age couple with no children ...
Tye_Sanford 09.08.2001
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Advantages: everything on one site Disadvantages: expensive
On arrival at Center Parcs we unloaded everything at the Chalet and left our car in the central car park. Here the car would stay until it was time to depart. This is great, a chance to holiday without driving everywhere. Better still it makes it a safe place to cycle around. When you arrive you get a book which includes a plan of the site and how to get the most out of your stay. It includes a daily planner as you will need to be quick and efficient ... ...Of the 3 Center Parcs locations in the UK we visited the Sherwood Forest complex near Nottingham. The facilities make it an excellent place to enjoy a weekend break. I would have to say a 3 or 4 day break is enough though. It does get tiring if you are in a sedentary job all year and you suddenly do a years exercise in 3 days. Its not cheap and it has the atmosphere of ‘middle class England’ at play. Its full of over-parenting dads who ...
polydeuces 08.09.2002
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Advantages: Very relaxing and no cars aloud Disadvantages: Expensive
I have been fortunate enough to have been on three holidays so this year. My third being at Centre Parc’s Elveden Forest. Having never been to a Centre Parcs before I was quite excited, especially after hearing all the good reviews from friends and members of my partner’s family. The whole experience was a joy. The booking of the holiday was very easy and the information pack they send is very insightful. They give you a full list of activities that ... ...Once you arrive they are also very helpful. As neither my partner nor I have a car we took the train up there and then a taxi. The people at the arrivals lodge were very kind and arranged for our luggage to be delivered to our room.
We were staying in the Lake View Hotel, where all rooms have a terrace or a balcony with a view of the lake. We were on the ground floor so we had a terrace, on the terrace was a table and chair to sit at and look at ...
charlene22021985 10.09.2004
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Advantages: Lots to do, relaxing, fun for all Disadvantages: Expensive
...spent a long weekend at Center Parcs, Elveden Forest in Suffolk. There are 3 other Center Parc villages across the country - Longleat Forest, Sherwood Forest and Whinfell Forest. Center Parcs is set in a 400 acre forest. The woodland area is so large and tranquil that even when the village is fully booked it is still peaceful and quiet. It has a really serene atmosphere and completley different from what the majority of this country has to offer. ... ...wildlife is great too. The village is set around a big lake. The main part is called Village Square which is where most of the activities and resturants are situated. We stayed in a 3 bedroom lodge. You can also get 1, 2 and 4 bedroom lodges. Lodge types include comfort, comfort plus, woodland lodge, original style executive villa, new style executive lodge and executive lodge. We stayed in a comfort plus so that's the only lodge I can review. Each ...
karalouk 09.03.2009
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