Best Center Parcs?

[Wizzfizz]

Never really liked them. As already pointed out, Forest Holidays is much better I think.

 

[LiE]

Done Woburn and Elveden multiple times. I like them both, Elveden has the better pool.

Also done Villages Nature which is Centre Parcs in France. Awesome pool but most of it’s outside - it was a little chilly on a sunny September day when we went. The main draw is the 15 minute shuttle bus to Disney Land.

https://www.centerparcs.com/gb-en/france/fp_VN_holiday-park-villages-nature-paris

 

[cheesyboy]

Just to throw a curveball, consider the Centre Parcs in Holland too if you are doing a 7 day break.

The one in Zeeland is next to the beach, and it was a fraction of the price of a UK resort.

Its only ~ 3hour drive from Calais.

(For reference, I have a 7 year old and 4 year old)

Yup, the European ones are where to go if you're going in the school holidays. We got a week in one of the Belgian ones for about £600 when a week at Longleat (our nearest) would have been £2k! Interestingly, it was hundreds cheaper to use the European websites to book in Belgium than using the UK one (and the Belgian or Dutch site, I forget which, was about £100 cheaper than the others)

We'd been to Longleat a couple of times before our eldest hit school age, but those were in term time. I don't think Centre Parcs is worth the school holiday prices.

There were a couple of indoor ski centres near by to the Belgian one we went to, which was great to introduce our son to in advance of ski holidays in following years. And the drive over was an adventure for the kids too.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

The accommodation, facilities and activities at both Elveden and Longleat are excellent.

However, Longleat has some very step hills and the park is much more spread out than the one at Elvedon.

 

[413x]

It's that attention to detail which makes Center Parcs the number one destina-

Oh

I life guarded at eleveden back years ago. And yes, that is probably the biggest draw.
Never really understood why it's so popular. I guess it just means you don't have to drag kids abroad.

As an adult I'd never go. But for families with young kids,probably much more appealing

 

[Loosecannon]

In order probably...

Elveden - All feels quite new still, very flat compared with some, pool a decent size.
Woburn - Great spa, but small and lots of hills in places. Pool much smaller than Elveden - can get very busy in holidays.
Whinfell - Small site overall, can get around everywhere though without bikes.
Longleat - Nightmare hills and massive, and can be worse depending on where you stay. Would not recommend simply for this reason. The hills and a 5 year old would not be fun.

Sherwood - Not been to for ages, but going next Easter.

I go once a year with friends, so something that is fairly easy to go through. Would have been doing Ireland next year, but the lack of a creche for under 2's contributed to other external factors and moving to Sherwood instead.

 

[bakes0310]

The accommodation, facilities and activities at both Elveden and Longleat are excellent.

However, Longleat has some very step hills and the park is much more spread out than the one at Elvedon.

We had to make our own beds on arrival at Longleat as we found pubic hair and crumbs on our pillows at Longleat.

 

[Thecaferacer]

Elvedon suffers from being very close to Thetford and often gets hit for break ins so always lock up your gear if you go there.

The amount of people who stop off in Thetford to stock up with £1000s of bikes unlocked on the roof of their car, because it looks like a quant country town, and then are heart broken when they are stolen within seconds is crazy. Thetford would give most London boroughs a run for their money for crime stats. It's an absolute hole.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

We had to make our own beds on arrival at Longleat as we found pubic hair and crumbs on our pillows at Longleat.

Did you tell Housekeeping?

When we were short a set of towels at Elvenden, a call to Housekeeping got it sorted in under 30 minutes.

 

[bakes0310]

Did you tell Housekeeping?

When we were short a set of towels at Elvenden, a call to Housekeeping got it sorted in under 30 minutes.

Yes that's where we got the sheets from. We've been a few times before, it's a cheap break so you get what you pay for. Despite that we did have a good time, the pool ain't bad for a UK one.

 

[dowie]

The amount of people who stop off in Thetford to stock up with £1000s of bikes unlocked on the roof of their car, because it looks like a quant country town, and then are heart broken when they are stolen within seconds is crazy. Thetford would give most London boroughs a run for their money for crime stats. It's an absolute hole.

Ah I've had the unfortunate pleasure of a couple of nights out in both Thetford and Bury St Edmunds in my youth - while I realise the area does have a reputation for inbreeding even knowing that in advance didn't prepare me for some of the absolute horrors I saw on those few nights out...

 

[Nasher]

Thetford is one of those towns which looks really nice and old in the middle. But then some time during the 60-70s they have slapped council flats in it. Now it's 2019 and full of scumbags.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Thread is now about the mutants of Thetford.

Go!

 

[wesimmo]

The only person I know of from Thetford is an exiled Forest fan on a forum I frequent who got arrested for throwing a boiled sweet at the opposition fans.

 

[nst68]

We go to Elveden every year, as others have said it’s very flat (some of the other parcs less so), only real issue is the aircraft noise from Mildenhall & Lakenheath, but it’s not a deal breaker.

I fancy going to Whinfell because of the red squirrels

 

[Thecaferacer]

Ah I've had the unfortunate pleasure of a couple of nights out in both Thetford and Bury St Edmunds in my youth - while I realise the area does have a reputation for inbreeding even knowing that in advance didn't prepare me for some of the absolute horrors I saw on those few nights out...

See BSE is now one of the most desirable towns to live in the UK. Thetford remains a horror show, and not due to inbreeding. In the 60s it was a lovely small forest town, dads army was filmed there etc, then 4 huge council estates bolted on each side and filled with London overspill and the rest is history.

In Thetford everyone claims their granddad's drank with the Krays, in Brandon 1 mile away they are happy driving tractors and drinking cider.

 

[Burned_Alive]

Only been to two, but preferred Penrith to Sherwood.

 

[SMN]

I have a 3 year old and baby twins, we went to Woburn in the summer and it was brilliant - everything is a 5 minute walk away. Went to Longleat a few christmas' ago when my son was 1, and it was an absolute nightmare. Everything is far too far away, too hilly, etc. I wouldnt recommend it unless you like cycling, everywhere.

 

[a1ex2001]

Have enjoyed a few trips to Woburn probably because it is new and feels clean and fresh a trip to Nottingham a few years back was the exact opposite everything felt old tired and dated.

If you are going in the school holidays consider the dutch sites as they are usually cheaper!

 

[The IPB]

I have been to
France: Les Bois-Francs
Belgium: Erperheide (has baluba a big kids play area, good fun for kids and adults who are big kids)
Netherlands: De Kempervennen (this has an indoor ski slope with real snow)

All are pretty similar, but De Kempervennen is probably my favourite. We have always gone to Europe as it is much cheaper than the UK during the holidays, easy enough to take the tunnel and drive. I used to go with my family when I was young and now I have a young family of my own it's a great place to take the kids. I was in Erperheide during the half term and we are planning another trip in 2021.