Center Parcs - spa suggestions for novice, and babysitting

[viticella]

I've read some of the archive about CP but I'm still a bit muddled. We're heading to Whinfell (Cumbria) on Monday for a midweek break with 17mth and 33mth old DS's (Hooray).

I'd love to try a bit of that there ol' pampering, it looks so good but soooo expensive in the brochure, and my experience of this kind of thing is zero. Any suggestions for a nice relaxing session with a bit of something special like a massage for a tired mummy? Don't think I desperately need any expensive facial treatments, just general reviving. Will try and get DP along if we think the kiddies will settle in creche.

Also we'd like to catch up with friends who live nearby for an evening. I've not read good things about the on-site restaurants - I was thinking of just getting a couple of evening passes so we can cook a meal for them in the cabin and with our own choice of wine etc. Are you allowed to go off site for an evening while using the CP babysitting service?

Thanks.

ooo went there in sept. book a session at the time out club and you get the session at spa reduced. we loved it children loved the creche. baby sitting is £6 perhour i think we booked and had an evening treatment for two. kids were well behaved though we ran rthem ragged to they wouild sleep for sitter.

hello, we love Oasis Whinfell and have gone lots with dd1 (nearly 3), and dd2 (18 months). It's fab, and really child friendly.

With the pampering bit I personally would just book a session at Aqua Sana (about £20 I think) and skip any treatments. The session gives you erm 3 hours I think in the spa, there are loads of different steam and heat rooms you can try, plus footspa, hydropool (lots of massage jets) and outdoor pool. And no kids. Its really, really relaxing and a lovely thing to do with DP. We haven't used the creche (we always go with friends and they look after our kids), but the creche looks fine with lots of fun stuff going on.

We have also used the babysitting service but have never been off site so I'm not sure if you can do that. I'm not overly excited by any of the restaurants..the Indian is the best IMO but just getting out for the evening with friends and no kids is such heaven it doesn't really matter what you eat!!!

Were back again at Oasis in March and I can't wait...Aqua Sana here I come (it really is worth the money)!!!!!!

The Spa Experience is fantastic - and worth every penny! We just got back from a weekend at Whinfell and the Spa was wonderful (again). I would definitely just go for the Spa Experience if it's your first time.

You've basically got two options:
Book the kids into a 3-hr timeout club (£13 each) and book yourselves in a 2hr spa session (£22 each) ... total £70.
Or book a 3-hr spa session £26 each (Mon-Fri 1-9pm), and book a babysitter £6.50 per hr for 4 hrs ... total £78
But have you had your 'Plan your break Guide'?, because with ours we had a 'book second spa half price' voucher.

If you do go for this option, don't book too late. The spa officially closes at 9, but that means they lock the doors at 9. There are hardly any clocks in the place, and no-one is coming round checking and chucking you out. So if you think your children will be fine with babysitter you could book a sitter 4-9 pm, and session, say 4.30-7.30 pm with the option of lingering at the end!

Any more Qs do ask.

Btw last time we used CP babysitters and did an evening spa trip ourselves. This time we had rellies with us, so took advantage of free babysitting!

Big vote for the aqua sana from me and from DH, we did it with 3 month old DS in creche and it was fab. We felt really pampered and relaxed and ok it was expensive but not as dear as any of the treatments.

We also used babysitting one evening, the lady was excellent felt very reassured that our DS was well looked after, however I don't think you can go off site and use their babysitters and the restaurants aren't really worth going to because they have no atmosphere food is average and expensive and are completely full of everyone elses children so you wonder why you have gone to the expense of a babysitter for your own.

As its Jan its probably too cold to use the nice outside bbq area, but the shop is well stocked and the lodges are presentable so I would bring your friends along and use the money you have saved on babysitting to get some really nice wine.

If you read this in time before you go, then I can highly recommend the Spa Supper evening at AquaSana. You get the 3 hour spa session plus evening meal, for only a little more than the usual cost of the spa session on it's own. I did this last month at Longleat... not sure if Whinfell offer the same, but worth enquiring. Longleat did the Spa Supper on Wednesday evening, and I managed to get late notice booking the day before, booking directly at the AquaSana.