Advice re European Center Parcs - De Kempervennen in particular

[purplepandas]

Hello,

Never been to a UK CP (aside from a single day) as so stupidly expensive. Looking to maybe book one for Feb half term as part of DH's special birthday present. We have young teens. De Kempervennen looks good. Has anyone been please? If so, what is it like? How do you get there if you have been? Seems so much cheaper (travel aside).

Open to others too, quite shocked at the price differences!
Thanks

PP

We went to Kempervennen before Covid and loved it. The accommodation was a bit tired but clean . I believe they have been renovated. Lots of on-site activities including an indoor ski slope. We flew to Eindhoven I think and got a taxi . We would possibly hire a car next time to get to the local supermarket though there is a bus . We even got pizza delivered from the local Domino’s to the front gate . The staff were very helpful. I can recommend the pancake house which is close by near the war cemetery. We are definitely going to visit again .

Been many years ago
We really enjoyed it, my DC were younger than yours and i recall thinking how there were a lot of activities there were for older kids.

Ski slope is awesome, good food on site, pricey

Bike hire at a reasonable price

Pancake place is awesome

Lots and lots of mosquitoes/bitey things at night

Would def consider going back

We drove. Always get the best accommodation you can afford. The basic bungalows are very basic. The activities get booked up quite quickly so you need to be on the ball.

We went about 10 years ago with a 15 and 17 year old. DCs loved the water skiing and went every day . I think we bought a package in advance for one and the other one when we arrived.

We took DC years ago.
The Dutch CP are carbon copies of the UK ones but a bit cheaper and a bit shabbier. The guests are a bit more varied.
My DC had been going to UK center parcs all their lives and so knew what to expect and they loved De Kempervennan and Het Heiderbos just as much. (Given the choice they would spend 24/7 on the water rapids).
They were probably around 11/12.
The accommodation was of a much lower standard than UK but absolutely fine. Eating out there was much cheaper. I don't know if they still do it but children ate free in the restaurants.
There was also a bit of evening entertainment which is sadly lacking in the UK parks.
We took them for a day to Efteling (not impressed) and to Liberty Park which we all liked.

We went to De Kempervennen in Oct half term 5 years ago and are booked to go again for a week just before Christmas this year. SO much cheaper than the UK Parcs at the same time of year.
We do ferry Harwich to Hook of Holland and use Tesco vouchers. It’s about an hour and a half drive the other end but straightforward enough.

Parc itself is great, plenty of activities if our want them. DC did scuba diving in the pool, rafting on rapids, tree top walk and paintball.
We all used the indoor ski slope for a few days too and is one of the big draws for us going back. It’s really reasonable and we want to get the kids some good practise before they do school ski trips in future.

I’d recommend it to anyone to try, a couple of set of friends of ours have been since us too. It’s a great family holiday.

DS 27 has just been to his first UK CP , we went to quite a few different european CP when he was a child, he said it felt very similar, but i think the UK ones are a lot more expensive.
As i said above they loved Kempervennen as teens.
Another alternative is Duinrell, cheaper but more chalet like and free access to theme park all day and swim complex with slides .
De Eftling is definitely worth a visit and i dont think it's too far from Kempervennen