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

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Original poster

Centre parcs, are they worth it?

55 replies

LittleB · 09/01/2008 14:22

Thinking of staying at Longleat centre parcs with friends this year but it is expensive, dd's (theirs and ours) will be about 3 and 3.6. Is there plenty for them (and us) to do and are all the activities worth the money? Also has anyone got any discount codes?Ta!

OP posts:

tribpot · 11/01/2008 10:38

Hmm, it sounds like the Sherwood one might be one to avoid in terms of pool temperature?

UnquietDad · 11/01/2008 10:41

Living in the mini Ikea box is not a problem as long as you think of it as a place just to base yourself and sleep - the point about CP is the range of activities, not luxury accommodation.

I have to admit I didn't "get" it at first. It all seemed very regimented and German. But now I do.

The fact that you have to pay extra for all the activities is a bit of a shock - budget for that as it can mount up! But there is loads to do if you are prepared to give things a go.

The one thing included in the price is all the swimming stuff, which is why people spend all day in the "sub-tropical paradise". I'm not a water-baby so I wasn't keen on that side of it.

Wirht taking/hiring bikes - great to ride with kids on road-like surfaces with no cars.

mumemma · 11/01/2008 10:41

I found the pool at Elveden cold but I'm a wimp.

Sidge · 11/01/2008 10:44

No I don't think it's worth the money.

The "villa" was OK, pool was cold (subtropical my arse) and the restaurants were overpriced and mediocre. We didn't use the shop as we took food.

The activities were expensive, and booking was nigh on impossible. Unless you book way in advance there is little choice.

The setting was lovely, I liked the peace and quiet of the woods but I wouldn't go again.

JudgeNutmeg · 11/01/2008 10:44

I'm a little bit nervy about Sherwood now. We are breaking out of our Longleat rut and going to Sherwood at Easter. May pack wetsuits if review don't improve.

UnquietDad · 11/01/2008 10:45

Yes, the lunch thing is a bit odd - restaurants missing a trick there.

JudgeNutmeg · 11/01/2008 10:53

UQD we cope with the activity cost by subbing half the cost of an activity each per child. They pay the rest out of birthday money. One is doing field archery and the other is going on a outdoor survival thing.

We discovered the 4man canoes last time and were nearly asked to leave the lake. Best fun ever....amazing how quickly you build up a ramming speed.

Fimbo · 11/01/2008 10:57

I live about 1/2hr hour away from Elveden. Therefore we can do weekends any time and dh/dd can travel straight to work/school on a Monday morning. Only one problem is that most of our village has the same idea..................

DoubleBluff · 11/01/2008 10:57

I was always a big CP fan bur our last visit to longleat was a let down.#The Villas were cold damp and dated.
Th epool changing areas cramped and dirty.
We went with a big group of friends and in totla the weekend was nearly two grand - for self catering. We are renting a big house next year.

evenhope · 11/01/2008 11:03

We went to one in Holland last year and it was fab. Less than half the price of the UK parks, even including Le Shuttle. Food outlets very reasonable and good quality, and the pool really was subtropical.

hertsnessex · 11/01/2008 11:22

will take a look at the holland one, sounds good.

fedupwasherwoman · 11/01/2008 11:25

We went to Sherwood last summer and had a great time with dc's of 4.5 and 1.

There were outdoor playgrounds all over the place with different climbing stuff/slides to interest the children, free soft play areas attached to restaurants and the swimming pool complex (tropical ?) was free.

The weather was good, we didn't do any organised extra cost activities except crazy golf, just cycled round/had picnics or went to the restaurants for lunch and spent hour after hour in the swimming pool complex or at the sandy beach area by the side of the lake (ds had to be dragged away from there). In the evenings we just cooked meals/drank wine/watched TV or read in our IKEA box chalet after the children were in bed so it was a low cost holiday really.

I thought the shop was fairly well stocked for an on-site shop and the number of different play areas kept the children amused. They were so tired in the evenings from all the fresh air and exercise that they slept like logs.

We will be going again but perhaps to the Elveden one although Holland sounds good too.
Can you link to any details evenhope ?

lailasmum · 12/01/2008 06:58

Sounds like maybe the sherwood one would be ok in very warm weather, but we went in november, and it was freezing, and the pool was pretty much unusable with small children as it was just so cold which does knock that on the head as an activity, basically just meaning that there is either cycle hire (expensive!) or the playgrounds both of which I can do at home. Was disappointed after all the hype.

The others sites do sound better though but I think I would opt for camping or a farm holiday if I went anywhere with young children again.

knat · 13/01/2008 09:27

having looked at all the threads im now very confused. Was looking to go to Sherwood as its nearest to me and was going to go off peak. As dd is due to start School in September this is the last chance we have of doing the CP thing as we certainly wouldnt be able to afford it during peak. Those who have been off peak how have you found it - we're looking to go second week in May for 4 nights and those who have been to various CP sites is there a better one? Thanks

Trix11 · 13/01/2008 09:39

Boqie is there a discount code available now for any of the parks and can they only be used for off peak bookings?

We went to Elveden for new year and I thought it was excellent loved the accommodation but did not have the one with the hot tub. I thought the activities could get really expensive if you had more than one child as we have.

The pool was lovely although I would have liked it to have been a bit warmer - would love to go back but its just the expense during peak times.

LadyMuck · 13/01/2008 09:41

You can normally find CP codes by searching on the moenysavingexpert forums, but they are usually valid for offpeak only.

Trix11 · 13/01/2008 09:51

I have just tried using the one from here (earlier link) and it made no difference in the price for a new year booking.

When you book can you pay it in installments or does it all have to be paid at time of booking?

cornsilk · 13/01/2008 09:57

We went to Sherwood in December and we found the pool was great. Loved it and have already booked to go back.

janjas · 13/01/2008 13:41

We fancied going to Centre Parcs and went on the website to get prices. Couldn't believe how expensive it was! We wanted to go end of January so off-peak but it was going to cost far too much. Ive ended up booking a pine lodge through Hoseasons for half the price. It has a lovely pool, sauna etc and woodland walks, play areas for kids and pub/restuarant. Can't wait! Would recommend you have a look at their website/brochure.

elfsmum · 13/01/2008 13:51

have been to Sherwood and the one in the Lakes.

Loved Sherwood and we're going back again in May.

Wouldn't go back to the one in the lakes.

cornsilk · 13/01/2008 20:43

Why didn't you like the Lakes?

knat · 14/01/2008 10:42

elfsmum - we want to go to Sherwood but have heard conflicting reports - its just me,dh and 4 yr old dd - again going in May - would you recommend? And what accommodation did you have?

elfsmum · 14/01/2008 12:58

not that I didn't like the lakes, I just found Sherwood better, the pool was much nicer and a lot more variety for the little ones.

I've got one that can't swim, doesn't like getting his face wet and one that's a water baby - so both were better accommodated (sp) at Sherwood.

Also it was nicer for cycling, we just seemed to do a lot more in Sherwood than we did in the lakes.

We've just gone for the very basic accommodation, we cook breakfast, and alternate between grabbing something out at lunch or making sandwiches/soup etc, and generally eat out in the evening.

From last time the menu did get a bit samey, but for 4 days it isn't that bad.

Pick up duraflame logs at the shop, it is quite lovely sharing a bottle of wine with a bit of a fire going when the DC's are in bed.

My first time going I got there and thought, is this it ? But that was more me needing to slow down and relaaaax.

Once I did there was enough to do.

We went for a weekend last time, and did no extra activities, the boys loved it.

The lakes was o.k., but I've been going to the lakes for years and have found an apartment to stay at right on windermere so I'd opt to go there, and it's cheaper.

elfsmum · 14/01/2008 12:59

oh and yes I would recommend it.

If I could afford it I'd take my sister and her DC's with us

jenkel · 14/01/2008 13:06

We went to Longleat and had a great time, went with a 2 and 4 year old and the only extra thing we done was to hire bikes, which is quite expensive, in future we will take our own. We just stayed in the pool and eplored on our bikes. The only down side was food in the restaurants was awful and over priced.

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