Center Parcs Info Please

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We are looking to book a mid-week break to either Sherwood Forest or Whinfell in May/June. Only been to Longleat so want to pick everyone's brains.

Is there much difference between the 2 (pool facilities, accommodation etc)? Which one would you say is the best?

At Longleat we stayed in an executive villa but this time we will prob go for a comfort villa. Is there much difference apart from things like a dishwasher/extra TV/ensuite etc? Don't want to make the mistake of saving £50 but being disappointed.

Any tips/recommendations for activities for 3 year old and 18 month old boys would be fab.

Thanks.

Afraid I can't answer your question but am interested myself as also planning a trip to Sherwood Forest or Whinfell, with a 3 yr old and 2 yr old.

Hope this encourages some responses!

Hi

I have been to Sherwood forest one and am going again in April.

Last Year we had the woodland executive and it was lovely, this year we are having the comfort plus and as I understand it the only difference is more modern decor.

The pool is obviously the main atraction and you can amost spend the day in there there are some lovely walks, play area's and coffee shops and bars. We take our bikes and we also did one of their entertaiment evenings last year whichwas well worth the money. To me the Centre parcs holiday is more about being chilled out going for walks and entertaining yourselfs! Remember to take some bird food as we had swans, ducks, birds and rabbits up at the patio window.

On the other hand we went to Butlins hotel down south where the kids were entertained from morning til night a totally different experience!

Hope that helps a little..

we prefer whinfell , last time we did sherwood and the cabins were very shabby and there was a feel of spend spend spend. wheras whinfell felt very different.
dont know why, just personal choice i think.

Hope not too late to add my opinion, but I found Whinfell pool much better for my ds when he was little (under about 3.5), is lovely and warm and not stuck round the back full of sand like the one at Sherwood!

Our woodland lodge at Whinfell was v nice,much nicer than comfort, at Sherwood we stayed in a comfort plus and all the difference was was a dishwasher (but it's not a holiday if you have to wash your own dishes....!).

We've been to both a few times. I think Whinfell better because it's a much larger, more foresty park so there are some nice walks/cycle routes around it. Sherwood's food is better than Whinfell's (which used to be bloody awful but appears to have improved on my last visit). I think if you're going at a time of year when the weather's guaranteed to be rubbish, it's quite handy having the main pool/restuarant/cafe complex all undercover rather than out in the open like at Sherwood (where the pool's covered but is seperate from all the other places rather than under one big dome IYKWIM)

Regarding accom we went to Comfort plus at Whinfell and was really very scruffy, but then it was converted to Woodland Lodge soon after. I think all of the Comfort plus accom is being converted over so hasn't had any money spent on it in a while. The Comfort accom is very basic and not all that comfy IMO. Woodland Lodges come with a few frills and nice design so that's always our choice if we can afford it, and we've done Executive at Longleat which was very nice, though doubtful it's worth the money (we were sharing so made it more affordable).

Sorry, meant we've done Executive at Whinfell.

Whinfell is different to the other Centre Parcs as originally it was run by another company (Rank/Oasis) .

The accomodation and village layout have a different look and feel. From the outside our villa looked like a wooden clad detached house.

I like them both.

Sherwood I like the fact that the Pool, Country Club, Sports Centre and Aqua Sana are all spread out in different locations. It never feels busy. The boys like the small beach area by the lake and the outside play areas.

I think Whinfell has had some recent work done to it so may feel smarter. The center dome at Whinfell can feel crowded at times but there is probably more outside space in general.

Well I don't know about op, but I've found all that most helpful, thanks!

location of vilas i most impt imo

OP - I am going to Sherwood, end of May, i will be the one with Blackcurrent footshoots 3 kid's and the smallest pup you have every seen.