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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

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Original poster

Centreparcs longleat. Advice please

28 replies

MamaMaiasaura · 15/01/2012 19:38

Booked in for beginning of Feb. got 3 bed with steam room. Any tips? It's me, dh and 3 dc aged 12 years, 4 years and 3 months.

Also I was going to take our own cot mattress, is that mad? And do they let guests smoke in lodges? We are non smokers but as dd less that 6 months want smoke free furnishings.

Any other advice on what we should take and activities to do?

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MelodyPondering · 15/01/2012 19:42

The only thing I can tell you is that it is definitely non smoking!

We loved it, but spent a lot on extras which was probably unnecessary to be honest, just all of us being together riding bikes etc would have been fab. I loved it.

Chubfuddler · 15/01/2012 19:45

You can easily spend all day in the swimming complex, which is free. The park market is well stocked. You can get take away delivered. It's very hilly but there's a road train around the park. The spa is lovely but no Dcs allowed.

Cheeseandbiscuits · 15/01/2012 19:45

We go every year, just before Christmas. Our DD was 9 months and loved it.

We took an inflatable float for her to swim in a the baby pool is tiny. It also wasn't that warm so we got her a neoprene wetsuit so she spent longer in the water. The soft play session was fun for her but maybe 6 months is too long. We used the babysitting service and it was fab.

Activites wise, we do a paid one every day and then pool / walk / bike rides the rest of the time. The restaurants are pricey so we mostly ate in the villa.

Feel free to pm me if you have a million questions. Have a great break.

Oh and pre book your activites online.

Whatevertheweather · 15/01/2012 19:54

It's very hilly! The pool complex is fab. If your 12 yr old is a good swimmer he/she will probably not get out of the rapids they are so much fun. The children's part of the pool is really nice too. Yes to the land train definitely. The pancake house is lovely for breakfast after a bike ride. Definitely allocate some time off for each of you and go to the spa. It's heavenly. There's an excellent adventure playground with bridges, ropes and tunnels in the middle of the complex. There were hundreds of ducks and other wildlife right down the bottom of the complex near the sports bar when we were there dc's loved feeding them all. If you are b/f and want some privacy there are well equipped and comfy feeding rooms dotted around the complex. It's very baby friendly. The indian takeaway is lovely. The on site shop is well stocked and very reasonably priced. Longleaf safari park is really good too if you can fit it in on the day you are due to leave. It's literally 5mins away. Have a great time, am very we love it there In fact might go and have a quick browse of the website for any deals.....

MJinBlack · 15/01/2012 19:55

we are going tomorrow, we have wet suits for DCs and we are planning to decamp then do a huge food shop - I looked at takeaway prices and was horrified.

MJinBlack · 15/01/2012 19:56

oh and if i had gotten round to it, you can use tesco vouchers in longleat

t0lk13n · 15/01/2012 19:59

I am going in June! Can`t wait! I always take lots of food as I find it expensive to eat there but we take turns cooking...just wish I could afford to go in the really posh ones that sleep 8 and have hot tub...they are fab...stayed in one 2 years ago with a group of friends and was great!

Original poster

MamaMaiasaura · 15/01/2012 21:28

Loving all the tips, thank you am so excited!!! I've looked at activities and trying to find ones both boys can do together

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CervixWithASmile · 15/01/2012 21:37

The cot they gave us was quite rickety though and was wooden not a travel cot. I would recommend taking your own travel cot if you can fit it in.

Original poster

MamaMaiasaura · 15/01/2012 22:49

So do we take our own cot? Don't want travel cot as she would be at floor level and we have her on same level as our bed

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CervixWithASmile · 15/01/2012 23:08

Well, maybe they'll have newer cots now (I've been to Longleat but think it was Sherwood where we had their cot). You might be fine with theirs, I just didn't love it.

Original poster

MamaMaiasaura · 16/01/2012 10:59

Do they have a laundry there?

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XboxWidow30 · 16/01/2012 14:44

There used to be a laundry there but as far as I am aware now there isn't. We always take some supplies with us to start us off. Simple things like toilet roll, washing up liquid etc... for the villa. Eating out is expensive in the restaurants, not too bad in some. We have Center Parcs as our main holiday some years so we tend to splash out on babysitters and go out to eat on our own in the evenings. Don't forget the creche too, I had a friend go once and didn't know there was a creche there! We go March, can't wait!

Chubfuddler · 16/01/2012 14:47

I'm pretty sure the lodges have washing machines. The one bed apartments don't but I think lodges do. They do at whinfell.

QuinnFabray · 16/01/2012 14:53

Just got back today. Our four bed lodge had no washing machine. And the launderette isn't there any more, so take enough clothes to last the stay. Was really really busy. Guess its quieter mid week.

Original poster

MamaMaiasaura · 16/01/2012 14:59

Quinn where were you? I guess I'm going to have to take alot of clothes for dc then. What happens if dd has exploding nappy, eek

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jocie · 16/01/2012 15:01

hi we go every end of jan, cant wait the cots are wooden and they fold up[ they are quite narrow(comp[ared to the cotbed we have not got a normal cot so not sure how they compare width wise to them) I don't think they will fit right up to the bedside as the side does not drop down at all and the matress has only 1 setting. Weve used for both ds's. Ds1 was 3 months old and Ds2 was 4 months old and they were fine in the cot. I took lots of cot bedding as that isn't supplied.
The swimming is brill but would agree that some sort of wetcuit thing would be good as the water is not that warl in any of the pools! Once dry though the dome is warn enough to not require much clothing. We just used to put a vest back on them. The swimming pool has playpens so we used those and lined it with towels to make it comfy and baby led in their to have a little sleep if needed.(we used to apend mostly all day in the pool as it was free!) The only thing with that was the wave machine comes on evey hour and has a tarxan call to signal it which is quite loud!
You will have a great time.

jocie · 16/01/2012 15:02

might be worth phoning up to ask anout washing

QuinnFabray · 16/01/2012 16:17

We were at Longleat.

Original poster

MamaMaiasaura · 16/01/2012 16:24

Eek at really really busy. We've got 3 bed so I guess not washing machine. We've got maid service so hoping they'll change beds if needed.

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bluesky · 16/01/2012 16:26

Top tip. Go to pool as soon as it opens at 10am, it is so much calmer, and after an hour we leave just as it's getting manic!

StuckInTheFensAwayFromHome · 16/01/2012 16:35

The spa looks lovely but we didn't prebook and missed out :-(
Instead we did the painting ceramics with the kids (we were an adult group!!!) but don't leave it to last day as it needs to be fired and then cool down...
Got very fit as I wasn't used to cycling or hills which was an added bonus.
Didn't want to spend lots of time cooking or have the money to eat out everyday so it was the ideal opportunity to buy lots of nice ready made meals from M&S!
Loved the safari park - pets corner was fab and a tarantula was put in my hand (yet again - adults doing the fun kids activities!)
p.s. no children missed out on us taking over their activities - it was a quiet period ;-)

Original poster

MamaMaiasaura · 17/01/2012 16:19

Right will pre book and get to pool for 10am. Youngest is 12 weeks so I don't think I can put her in bike trailer so I'll be walking lots . Also can't see how I can do spa as she's ebf and erratic at times. Got our own sauna tho.

Another question with it being busy, is it noisy? Esp at night. (remembering horrible haven hols). And is it clean and is maid service good?

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bluesky · 17/01/2012 16:33

It's really quiet, tucked away in the forest, we've never heard our neighbours or had trouble with nearby noise, and we've been going for 15 years.

Yes, to clean, and the maid service is a treat!

Original poster

MamaMaiasaura · 17/01/2012 16:35

Gish I'm Literally grinning with excitement. Sorry to go on. Just such a huge treat for us all.

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