Take the Family holiday rating
Because Center Parcs has a fantastic reputation as a destination for family holidays and breaks – a fact that is evidenced by the need to often book a long time in advance in order to get the accommodation type that meets your family's requirements.
There are four Forest Resorts – Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, and Whinfell Forest on the edge of the Lake District. All are set in hundreds of acres of grounds and boast a wealth of wildlife.
Center Parcs Europe also comprises 16 villages in Europe in Holland, Belgium, Germany and France.
All Center Parcs resorts are popular year-round – the huge range of both outdoor and indoor facilities and activities make the villages the ideal holiday or short-break destination for families come rain or shine. For instance, the large indoor Subtropical Swimming Paradises are maintained at a blissful 29.5°C throughout the year.
Bear in mind that you can get a good deal, if your children are younger, by visiting during the week in term-time – prices are significantly lower at such times.
Depending on where you are coming from and how much luggage you have, coming by car is probably the easiest option. Note that once you are inside the resorts, they are car-free zones that are safe for young children.
By train (and then taxi):
Elveden Forest is near Thetford, with direct trains from London Liverpool Street taking about two and a half hours.
Longleat Forest is near Warminster station, with trains from London Waterloo or Paddington taking about two hours.
Sherwood Forest is 15 miles from Newark Northgate station and a little further from Nottingham, which is about an hour and three-quarters from London's St Pancras or King's Cross stations.
Whinfell Forest is near Penrith on the West Coast mainline, with trains from London Euston taking 3hrs or more.
The Trainline.com sells tickets online to all UK mainland destinations. Taxi numbers are available on the Center Parcs website.
Center Parcs offer high-quality accommodation in fully equipped villas, apartments and lodges set amidst the trees and streams of the forest, each with a private patio. All accommodation is self-catering, and each resort has a supermarket that will deliver free of charge for orders exceeding £40.
The different grades of accommodation start with Comfort Villas and go right the way up to exclusive lodges with saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs, and games room.
All resorts cover about 400 acres, and they feature respectively:
Elveden Forest, Suffolk – 737 villas, 89 apartments
Longleat Forest, Wiltshire – 638 villas, 60 apartments
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire – 786 villas, 39 apartments
Whinfell Forest, Lake District – 718 lodges, 79 apartments
Each village has indoor and outdoor sports and leisure facilities, with woodland and water the essential elements. The Subtropical Swimming Paradises at the heart of each village boast wild-water rapids, waterslides, Jacuzzis, a wave pool, solaria, and children’s play pools, and are surrounded by tropical plants and trees. Outdoor water-based activities for the whole family include sailing and windsurfing (for which tuition is available), fishing, pedalos, and much more.
Other outdoor activities include tree-trekking, cycling (bikes can be hired), quad biking, laser combat, and Rollerblading.
The OFSTED regulated Time Out Clubhouse offers supervised activities for younger children should you wish to try out some activities by yourself, or indulge in one of the health and beauty treatments at Aqua Sana, Center Parcs' own spa.
As well as a Parcmarket where you can pick up something to prepare at ‘home', the four resorts offer between 11 and 14 themed restaurants and bars, most of them in the Village Squares. Options range from Italian at Bella Italia or Strada to contemporary Indian dishes at Rajinda Pradesh and French fare at Café Rouge.
Should you wish to dine out without the kids, babysitting is available for a reasonable hourly fee but must be booked in advance.
As you'd expect, prices are lower off-peak, and it's now also generally cheaper to book early, which also guarantees a greater choice of accommodation and location.
A mid-week break (4 nights between Monday and Friday) in a two-bedroom villa in January starts at £199 depending on the type of accommodation you select.
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by Laura Burgess
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* weekend break in May for family of four.
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