Center Parcs - which one is the best?

[Nikhedonia]

I've been to Longleat and Woburn and one of the big draws is the swimming.

I liked that Longleat had a decent outdoor pool. But I like that Woburn had better kids pools inside. Overall I prefer Woburn because it's a bit smaller and easier to get a lodge within a good walking distance of the swimming. But those are the only two I've been to.

Out of all of the UK based Center Parcs, which is the best one and why? Which has the best waterslides? Which has the better pool facilities? Which isn't ridiculously hill?

I think it depends on the age of your kids. For 2-3 yr olds I like Sherwood. It has just had a refurb so has the rides and kids sections similar to Woburn and Longleat now but it also has some of the older flumes which are ideal for going down with smallies so you can have some fun together!

Elveden has the best swimming pool. It's totally flat and everything is in the middle. Well apart from the quad bikes and the spa

I love Whinfell

Winfell?

When did you last visit Longleat? We've been three times in the last 18 months and now the pool areas for children indoors are on a par with the other center parcs locations. I think Longleat has the best pool area by far, as there is something for everyone - the toddler area, the larger venture cove area for primary school age kids, two tunnel slides where little ones can go on an adult's lap but are still good slides for adults, the white side by side slides that you shoot straight down, long rapids, large outdoor pool, big wave pool, lazy river, typhoon and tropical cyclone.

Longleat is hilly, but the amount of hill depends on how close you are to the facilities you want to use. I found Woburn to be fairly hilly.

Longleat now has wristbands which you use to open your lodge and use the lockers. You can't load money onto them (yet) like you can at Woburn though.

Sherwood's pool is undergoing refurbishment until September.

I last went to Elveden in 2010 so can't comment on how it is now!

I haven't been to the Cumbria or the Ireland ones.

Been to Whinfell 16 times so for me, speaks volumes. Visited Elveden once and the great thing was to pool. Otherwise it was a big 👎🏻.

Found cleanliness an issue there.

Elveden. Been to Woburn (v small and small pool), Longleat (so hilly) and Elveden. Elveden scores highest on all things, pity it's the furthest away from us.

Have only been to Elvedon, Woburn and Sherwood and can say we much preferred Elvedon. It's great for kids cycling / learning to cycle as it's flat, and the water park is bigger than Woburn and cleaner than Sherwood.

Cumbria or Belgium
Cumbria you get the red squirrels
Tried Belgium centre parcs for our first centre parcs out of uk was amazing

Have only been to Elveden and Woburn. Although Woburn is closer to us and newer we much prefer Elveden - Flat for days cycling and a much better pool and slides.

We have been to sherwood and elveden the pool and other facilities much better at elveden doing sherwood too small and showing it’s age. Elveden pool had a great smaller kids area

Tell me more about the Belgium one plz!
How is it better/different? Where do u fly to?
Does anyone know of a similar one in an eastern European country that would be good to combine with Xmas markets? Sorry to slightly go off subject.

When was the last time u went to Longleat? The indoor swimming area has really expanded since the time we went before and there are now 2 large kids specific areas

Thanks for the above, just digesting it all now.

The last time I went to Longleat was about 3 years ago. Has it changed since then? I'm booked to go to Longleat in October, but I'm considering which one to go to for the Christmas break at the minute.

I don't know when it was done as it was over 5 years since our last visit.

There is now a large shallow pool with several small slides and water activity things and then another area with one of the ship wrecked things with a loads of slides and jets of water/tipping bucket type things.

It kept my 5 yr niece occupied for ages! My older nieces and nephews mixed it up there but they were also big enough for the large slides and the rapids. The new inflatables slide was a massive hit

The Longleat swimming pool was completely redone about 12-18 months ago. It is the best of the lot I think now.

Ah! Possibly a trip back to Longleat for Christmas then, @WellTidy. Thanks .

Center Parcs 4 times in one year seems excessive, though! But the festive breaks are really good.

We are booking our third in 12 months, so I am with you! WEve been twice at Christmas time and loved it. So pretty all lit up. Go for it.

Hi idblow

We went to vossermeren belgium centre parcs
Was great to go to one in a different country
You can get euro star or ferry ⛴
We loved our view of the lake

I've only been to Elvedon which we loved but we did look at Sherwood as they've just done up the pool and added a new water slide (same as the big one at Elvedon).

We have a 7 year and have visited 4 of the 5 parcs. The last one we have is Sherwood, we have booked this for October half term. Our favourite is Longleat, we spend hours on the rapids. We went last October to Longleat and they were setting up the Christmas lights and Santa's grotto. It looked amazing. Longleat has also had all the pool area redone, now having all the slides and play areas that all other parcs have. We biked everywhere when there. But there is a road train if you don't want to bike. We went to Elvedon for New Year with friends and I remember looking at my son knowing what he was going to say. I told him to wait till we weren't with our friends. Mum the rapid here are rubbish can't we go back to Longleat.... Some of our friends go to Sherwood and have said the outdoor play area are much better than Thetford.
All in all our favourite is Longleat, we like the pool, rapids and the fact it's spread out and not all on top of each other makes it better to explore.

Elveden. Been several times, pool/rapids are better, everything central and even the spa isn't that far away.

Just got back from Longleat and my god it's huge! They do have a regular land train but you are reliant on it to get places if you're far out. It's also really hilly and spaced out.