A real pocket drainer. (Center Parcs)

Member Name: CokaCola

Product:	Center Parcs
Date:	12/08/09 (590 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good Swimming Pool.

Disadvantages: Gets Boring after the first day, unless you want to keep spending.

I am one of these funny people who can't really see the point in spending hundreds of pounds on a holiday when you are not even going to leave Britain, but a couple of weeks ago I was dragged to Center Parcs at Longleat Forest by my Girlfriend and her family. This review documents the experience.

Center Parcs are basically forest resorts of which there are several different locations located across England and Europe. You stay in "Villas" in the forest which are like a cross between a house and a hut, and you can enagage in activities during your stay. I am not sure if it the same at all centre parcs branches, but most of the life and events at Longleat Forest were based around a large, glass building called the "Plaza" in the middle of the Parc. The problem with Center Parcs is the amount of money one has to part with in order to really enjoy the experience. I don't know how much was paid to get in because I was invited as a guest and had my ticket paid for me, but I know that it's a couple of hundred pounds for a couple of days at least. That's fair enough, but once you get there, everything else bar swimming costs extra - and the prices are ridiculous. It costs £20 for a quick game of 10 pin bowling for example!

The swimming which is free was quite good, although not as good as I had imagined. The pool is fairly large and has a shallow end and a deep end, with a few slides and a whirlpool. We stayed for a little bit of time in the Jacuzzi which was very relaxing, although in my opinion just a tad too hot. There is also an outdoor heated pool which is lovely and a freezing cold plunge pool, which is absoloutely horrible (I got offered free Pick a Mix to submerse in it). Then there is the really fun bit - the rapids. I have never been on rapids at any local swimming pool, these are one thing that Center Parcs really has a unique feature. I would have liked them to have gone a little faster, but they were not too bad.

The land train is quite useful, it's a strange little vehicle which apparently used to be a land rover but is now actually a train. I used it to get from the plaza to the Jardin des sport (which is quite a nice complex, spacious and airy - we played pool inside).

The Villa was fine, I think we paid for one of the better villas, though it wasn't quite executive. I especially liked my bed, although the waterproof mattress cover did make it feel slightly plasticy.

I personally thought this was a complete waste of money, but then I like to explore the world and see places - I don't ever feel the need to take a holiday for the sake of it. Some people will find this place very very appealing.

Summary: I say go abroad.