A great holiday (Center Parcs)

Member Name: memo89

Product:	Center Parcs
Date:	06/10/09 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lots to do, a magical

Disadvantages: starbucks

When i was a child my mum used to take us to sherwood forest 2 - 3 times a year, And we absolutly loved it, My mum especially.
They are alot of activities to do what ever your age. Theres archery, clay pigeon shot, tennis, badmington and football to name but a few.
They are also water activities such as pedalos, canoes and water skiing.
They do charge for these but they aren't expensive.

I stay in the comfort villa as i have been told that the expensive villas are showy on the outside but not looked after on the inside.
The 3 bedroom comfort villas are spacious with a double bedroom, a twin room and a single bedroom with bunkbeds.
It is a open plan kitchen dining room and living room. It has a toilet with a separate twin sink bathroom with a bath and shower.
The kitchen has all the crockery, pots and pans you need. When you arrive there is 2 sachets of washing up liquid, a sponge and some sachets of tea, coffee and sugar.

The Sub Tropical Swimming Paradise is absolutely fantastic. it has a massive aray of lockers and cubicles. There is the main swimming pool with a wave machine which is strong but very fun. As you walk up some stairs you are greeted with another swimming pool which leads outside to the wild water rapids. There is also a plunge pool where the water is between 16 and 19 oC which is very cold. As you go down the rapids there are a sitting area that bubbles. There is also 2 exit stairs out of the rapids if you do not want to go down the full way or if you have small children that are abit scared. There is 3 slides 1 of whicch does have a height restriction and is just for smaller children but there is a pirate play pool area for them as well which i can not comment on as i haven't been in. There is another slide which id the size of 2 boeing 747s where you go down in groups in a round rubber ring type thing.
If you get hungry or thirsty there is also the lagoon bar to grab a snack.
Swimming is free but you will need £1 for a locker but you do get the pound back.
Shops
There is a few different shops in center parcs. There is a supermarket, a toy shop, a gift shop, a sweet shop, a clothes shop and a swim shop, All of which has a mass aray of products to suit all the family.

Resturants

There are a few places to eat, wether you want a snack, a lunch or a dinner. Hucks is an american style eaterie. Pancake house which sell sweet and savory dutch pancakes. Made ( formally crispins ) is a bit of a healthy verison of lagoon bar. There is also a sports bar, an indian resturant, an italian resturant and a gastro pub.

As sherwood forest is a big place you can hire bikes and tandums. For an average bike for 5 days is £23. But if you dont want a bike you can quiet easily walk around.

I have missed some places off this review or havent reviewed them in detail because i havent been or done the activities.

The prices vary on if you want to go in school term time or not, or if you want to go for a long weekend, mid week or a week.

I am going on the 23rd of november for 5 days monday to friday. 3 people including my self in a 3 bedroom comfort villa and it has cost £219 but as i said it does vary.

Overall this is a great place but i am very dissapointed that they have put a Starbucks in i do like starbucks but i dont want to go to center parcs to find franchises. Im also dissapointed that they have changed crispins in to a "healthy shop" with pulses and protiens even though they still sell burgers.


One thing is if you go in late november or december it is very magical. when in the outside pool it is all misty as the cold air hits the hot water. The christmas lights are great and they have a massive advent calendar in the village square, and a santas grotto.

Summary: a place for anybody what ever the age