Tip to survive a break at Centre Parcs!

[ThomCat]

We're goingt o Elveden. Girls are 5 (with sn's) and 17 months, and i'm pregnant. We're staying in an executive villa.

Booked a couple of things up, nothing major. Put DDs in a Kids club for 2 different activities each so I can go for a horse ride and have a pedicure and DP can play golf.
Booked a babysitter for one night so we can have dinner alone together.
Booked a horse carriage ride for us and the girls.

The rest of the time we'll swim, put them in those trailer things and ride bikes round etc. Play it by ear.

Anything I should or shouldn't do and what do I need to take with me?

TIA

Have to say that I always overbook activities - you sound as if you've got it just right!

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looroll! my neighbour tells me it is v. expensive there.

Right loo roll on the list.

Can we take our own travel webber bbq or do they come round with guards and force you to buy a CP one with their own coal? !

There is a lovely playground for the children out the back of the sports cafe. Walk down the main path and it is on your LHS.

There is a nice soft play area in the sports cafe too, if it is wet outdoors.

Don't forget to spend a little time just walking through the forest, seeing what animals/birds you can spot!

You can hire a court for short tennis, which the little one's might like too

Don't forget to book your pedicure in advance!

For the evening babysitting, I would seriously consider a spa session for you and DH, followed by a shorter dinner. The spa is really good, and the most relaxing part of any CP break IME. The dining less so!

I hope you have a great time

We've been to Elveden several times but the one thing that annoys me is the rubbish (and expensive!) food at some of the places... avoid Hucks Diner like the plague! I take snacks and drinks - especially small cartons of juice as some places only offer squash or fizzies. The supermarket is good. Have a great time!

Sorry TC - the playground is on the RHS not the LHS

Havent been for a few years but we always used to take quite a lot of food (and booze!) with us and completely avoid the restaurants as they were quite pricey and not great (may have improved though I suppose). Depending on how organised you like to be you could take something like a big frozen casserole for the first night, and prepare simple stuff like pasta and cold meats / cheese etc for other meals.

We also had a no telly rule - made it feel more like a holiday!

We're going there too in a few weeks, so will watch this with interest.

No need to take food as the supermarkets are v good and not too expensive.

Take a torch!

I am going at the end of the year and ordered a pack of towels too.

Ohhh good tip re the torch - yes thanks for that.

And nice to know that you didn't take loads of food with you as I was vry much preparing to take everything we would need in terms of food and drinks as I thought that the supermarket was overpriced. Might just take enought o get us through the first day and buy the rest as we need it then, thanks.

Soapbox - what's RHS and LHS? Sorry.

Hmmm maybe I'll look at ordering towels too, they take up so much room in your luggage otherwise don't they.

Also Soapbox I'd love to do the spa thing in the evening but a) really not DP's cup of tea and b) I'm 23 weeks pregnant so can't do saunas and steam rooms and jacuzzis etc anyway.

Is that revolving restaurant going to be shite then, a total rip etc? I booked it just so DP could have a meal alone together, out of the house, for a change.

We were planning a bite to eat fro the girls at Hucks as it mentioned the big playcentre and thought they might like it there. Hmmmm, will rethink that.

I like the idea of taking a big home cooked casserole from home for the 1st night, thanks for that.

right (left) hand side

There is a safeways about 5 mins drive away fi you find the supermarket doesn't have what you want.

It is marginally more expensive than usual, but not overly so. It has lovely, bread, pastries, cakes, good selection of fruit and veg etc. We did a supermarket run for drinks, coffee etc then used the on-site supermarket as and when we needed it.

That's great to know it really is as I was going to take everything with us.

Also - how much of it is undercover? If it is pouring with rain how restricted are we going to be in terms of walking and cycling round?

I actually loved the restaurants, esp Hucks so I guess it's just the luck of the draw!!