Family Holidays: Center Parcs family holidays and breaks

Take the Family holiday rating 4½ stars out of 5

Why

Because Center Parcs has a terrific reputation for family holidays and breaks, as evidenced by the need to often book a long time in advance. You can choose from four Forest Resorts – Elveden Forest in Suffolk, Longleat 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. Center Parcs Europe also have 16 villages in Europe in Holland, Belgium, Germany and France.

Above left: Swim paradise
Above right: Canoeing in Centerparcs

When

Each of the resorts are as popular in February half term as they are during the summer. The large indoor Subtropical Swimming Paradises are maintained at a constant temperature throughout the year. Your family will also be able to enjoy a great range of outdoor activities which are maintained all year around (however some activities may be reduced in the winter months if there is no demand). If your children are younger and you are looking for a better deal then visit during the week in term-time when prices are significantly lower.

How

take the car

Depending on where you are coming from this may be the easiest option. Once you get there the resorts are car free zones (and so safer for young children).

take the train

Elveden Forest – near Thetford for trains to London Liverpool Street

Longleat Forest – near Warminster station for trains to London Waterloo

Sherwood Forest – 3 stations are between 10 and 20 miles away

Whinfell Forest – near Penrith on the West Coast mainline

Buy Train tickets from The Trainline.com, the UKs leading seller of train tickets online to all UK mainland destinations.

take the coach

Check coach deals to 100s of destiations with National Express. Fares are low, plus one child under 3 not occupying a seat is carried free with each adult fare paying passenger, making this one of the cheapest ways to travel.

Stay

take an apartment or villa

Part of the Center Parcs formula is high quality accommodation in fully equipped villas, apartments and lodges, which are set amongst the trees and streams of the forest, each one with its own private patio. Each resort has 400 acres.

Elveden Forest, Suffolk – 737 villas and 89 apartments
Longleat Forest, Wiltshire – 638 villas, 60 apartments
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire – 786 villas, 39 apartments
Whinfell Forest, Lake District – 718 lodges, 79 apartments

Cooking facilities are available in all accommodation units and each resort has a supermarket which will even deliver free of charge for orders exceeding £40. Babysitting is also available for a reasonable hourly fee, and must be booked in advance. Childcare is available in 2 hour sessions, again for an additional fee. Nappy changing facilities are located throughout each Parc.

Do

At each of the four villages there is a range of indoor and outdoor sports and leisure facilities themed into a natural environment, with woodland and water the essential elements. The Subtropical Swimming Paradises, which stay at the same pleasant temperature throughout the year, are at the heart of each village. These boast wild water rapids, water slides, jacuzzis, wave pool, solaria and children’s play pools, and are surrounded by luxuriant tropical plants and trees.

Outdoor water based activities for the whole family include sailing and windsurfing (tuition available), fishing and pedalos. Other outdoor activity possibilities include hiking, cycling (bikes for hire), ‘trim trails’ and rollerblading.

For adults there are a range of health and beauty treatments available, including facials and massages including facials and massages at Aqua Sana Center Parcs' very own Health Spa.

Eat

Each of the four Forest Resorts offers between 11 and 14 themed restaurants and bars, most of them in the Village Squares. Options range from cosmopolitan Italian choices in Luciano’s to contemporary Indian cuisine at Rajinda Pradesh and creative fine French dining at La Sapiniere. Your family can also enjoy dining out on the waterfront at Whinfell or above the trees at Elveden’s revolving restaurant. Or you can just pick up something to prepare at ‘home’ from the Parcmarket.

Cost

You can spend just a couple of hundred pounds for a mid-week break in a one bedroom apartment in November (kids over 2 are counted as ‘adults’ and there is a limit to two people per room). A two bedroom apartment or villa for a week in July will cost between £900 and £1,500 for a family of four. Book early if you plan to travel during the school holidays.

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