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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

We are off to Center Parcs.......any tips?

45 replies

collision · 30/12/2005 15:26

I also swore I would never go but now that we have children....well, you have to really!!

Anyway, it is only costing us £149 for 4 nights for all of us which is such a bargain and I am now really excited.

So, any tips for us? We are taking a box of food and will eat out a couple of times. We are going to the one in Cumbria and it is only 2 hours away from us.

OP posts:

milward · 03/01/2006 23:28

Was about 35 weeks preg with dd3 & needed to sit down at the pool whilst at a center parcs. No free chairs as all were taken - loads with towels on. I asked if I could have some of these seats & was told no by the other people. Was carrying a toddler at the time. Sat on a chair from the bar area as I wanted to both rest & see dh & dds & the lady working there came over & really shouted at me. Was awful - I pointed out the no free chairs & that I really just needed one. I'd been sitting by the side of the toddler pool for ages. dh came over & after we had asked to see the manager immediately she relented. All our towels & bag of pool things were in a corner as no tables were free. We arrived at the pool just 30 mins after it opened as well.

Gillian76 · 03/01/2006 23:33

Agree that the pool can be very busy. we have only ever been in school hols though.

We stayed quite close to the centre (in Bilberry Wood) but did hire bikes. Not necessary for getting to and from pool etc but we went on a couple of sightseeing cycles and boy was it hilly!

Suppose it depends on where you are in relation to everything whether you should walk with the pushchair or hire bikes. Wait and see when you get there. I'm sure you'll all have a ball

Original poster

collision · 03/01/2006 23:35

Am hoping it will be empty as we are going in termtime as the boys arent in school yet. Am really looking forward to it.

OP posts:

Gillian76 · 03/01/2006 23:37

What kind of accommodation have you got? Do you know whereabouts you are?

Sorry if I've missed that info

milward · 03/01/2006 23:42

Went in the school holidays - so was busy. Play areas for kids great - but loads of parents don't supervise their kids so watch out if your kids are smaller. We didn't take a pushchair but wished we did when walking back to our cottage!

laundrylover · 03/01/2006 23:45

We went to that one a couple of years ago with the whole of DPs family!! Had a great time - if you are (or were) a horsey type you can book a really fast ride from the nearby farm (through reception). Also if you want a massage etc. make sure you book in advance as it gets busy. The hydrotherapy bit is worth going to and we sat in a lovely hot pool by the woods whilst it snowed on us!!

EuroExpat · 07/01/2006 17:57

Is there much to do at CPs with a 16 month baby?

Does anyone have any other ideas of a holiday with a baby this age? So far, I´ve looked at hols with Mark Warner, Sunsail etc., because they have childcare facilities, but they are quite expensive.

roisin · 07/01/2006 18:18

Collision, lots of people hire bikes and then hardly use them. The Cumbria site is not huge, and it's quite easy to get around on foot. If you're not keen/experienced cyclists, I would say forget the bikes and just take the buggy.

We went last January, and the best thing we did was book a babysitter for an evening and we both went to the Spa - it was fab!

My boys were older (5 and 7 at the time), but I'm sure your 3 yr-old would love watching the red squirrels down by the rangers hut, and spotting all the many different birds around, and just walking in the woods.

grumpyfrumpy · 07/01/2006 19:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

collision · 07/01/2006 23:49

Thanks Roisin. DH has just informed me we will be hiring bikes! HELP! Havent ridden a bike for 15ish years!

Need to find the logs that burn in the fireplace now.

OP posts:

Yummymummy24 · 08/01/2006 00:00

I went to that last xmas it was sooooo ace, the horseriding and red outdoor slide were the highlights. Probly shouldnt have done either being pg at the time. Food is very expensive ( i havent read the thread sorry if im repeating) Mud bath for two in the spa was fab and a bit rude!!!!!! lol. Oh yeah and you can fit one adult and a five year old in the bike cart thingy it was how we got around all week.

mcmudda · 13/01/2006 15:49

We just booked 4 nights for £119 and we're off next week. Does anyone have any experience of the childcare/babysitting service? We're going to Cumbria. Ds is 3 and dd is 7 mths.

Original poster

collision · 13/01/2006 18:16

We are going to the Cumbria one too!! My ds is 3 as well.

We want to do the babysitting service on the Wednesday night but not sure about it either, so I will read the brochure.

See you there.

OP posts:

mcmudda · 13/01/2006 19:29

Collision - sorry -didn't twig that we could be at the same place at the same time!!

We're going from the 23rd-27th - is that the same?

We only booked on WEdnesday so haven't received the full pack yet.

Really excited about such a bargain holiday

Original poster

collision · 13/01/2006 19:39

No...we are going on Monday for 4 nights, Never mind.

Am v excited...never been before.

Will post when we are back to give you some tips!

OP posts:

greenbean · 13/01/2006 19:52

After going to centerparcs 3 years ago, I bought a bike (my first brand new one - allways had 2nd hand as a child) - great fun. now i cycle at least once a week march to november.

Original poster

collision · 21/01/2006 19:10

We are back from center parcs and am absolutely knackered. Never been so tired in all my life!

we fed squirrels and 2 badgers and pheasants and a whole load of other birds from our balcony which was fab and the ds's loved it.

Ds1 went on a pony trek and we went bowling and swam every day.

i would recommend Lucianos to eat because it had good prices and child friendly and garlicky!!

Bikes were expensive to hire IMHO and we had to buy a bike lock so if you have one take it with you. There is an excellent supermarket there which stocks lots of things so you dont need to take your own food.

One swimming nappy would have lasted the week.

Had a good time and ds wants to go back. I would prefer a 5* hotel somewhere but hey ho!!

OP posts:

mcmudda · 22/01/2006 23:47

Hi Collision - was going to ask how you got on!

WE're off tomorrow morning and we've only just finished packing the car. I'm so ridiculously excited

Just bought pack of swim nappies - oh well....

Booked for ds to get his face painted - he's desperate to be a tiger!

The irony is - we live in a remote wooden cottage in the middle of the forest in Loch Lomond National Park. DS feeds pheasant/foxes/squirrels in our garden regularly and we're going on holiday to get away from it all??!

But - can't say we have a subtropical swimming pool nearby though

mcmudda · 28/01/2006 22:35

We're back.

We had an excellent holiday.

BUT my one bugbear was that the baby facilities although well thought out and readily available were, without exception, absolutely filthy.

I don't know what the reason was, but I ended up having to wipe down all the highchairs and baby change areas as well as most of the restaurant tables too. Went through a lot of dettox wipes!

Other than that, we had a great time. Our lodge was right next to the village centre which was ideal for a pram and a slow toddler, although the constant noise from the machinery and various generators for the pool would put me off being there again.

We're going to try to book again ASAP as we're not restricted to termtimes yet.

Although I was really shocked at the huge number of school age children there for the week, so soon after Christmas and during school time. Bizarre choice for parents to make IMO.

bettythebuilder · 28/01/2006 23:28

mcmudda, we were at CP Cumbria at the same time!
Dh looked after Dd for an afternoon, so my friend and I went to Aqua Sana for 3 hours - now that was bliss!
I was also suprised at the no. of school age kids, but looking at weekend prices and school holiday prices, I can see why people are tempted.

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