What a fab place! (Center Parcs)

Member Name: Sarah Edensor

Product:	Center Parcs
Date:	10/08/02 (789 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simply more fun than you can cope with, something for everyone, The weather can't spoil it

Disadvantages: none

I first went to Center Parcs in about 1986 as a teenager. I went as a baby sitter to a friend's 2 children and have been hooked ever since. Having visited all 4 sites in the UK (Oasis is now part of CP) I can whole heartedly recommend all or any of them to anybody. I have been with many different groups of people, from Friends with young children ( my daughter first went when she was 4 months old, to grandparents, work colleagues and as a couple; each time leaves me eager for more.
You are allowed to take your car into the resort on your arrival day in order to unload, but then must return it to the car park so that the place stays free from traffic for the whole of your stay - it is a very welcome relief from cars , especialy if you have kids - you don't have to worry about them straying into the road. You can then collect your vehicle on the day of departure in order to reload and set off home. Even when the resort is full to capacity, you could be anywhere - you can walk through the forest and barely see another soul - Bliss!
The villas are set amongst the forest and from the outside look like little more than toilet blocks, being built from breeze block with a flat roof. However, once inside, they are comfortable, stylish home from homes with plenty of attention to detail and comfort. The floor in the kitchen and bathroom is heated so your feet never get cold, there is a radio in the bathroom, a microwave in the kitchn and many apartments have a spar bath or/and extra loo. Heating is never a problem; with a thermostatically controlled system you are free to turn the heat up to sauna temperatures if you wish and if that isn't enough then there is always the open fire to sit around.
Each villa is laid out so that living accomodation is cosey and yet allows for privacy if you are holidaying as several couples or as two families. Although each villa is attached to its neighbour, the formation is such that everyone has a private patio area
with a view of the forest or nearby waterway. Patio furniture is provided and we have spent many (winter) nights outside bar-b-queuing. Our last visit (in January 2002) saw 12 of us in fancy dress, B-B-que and booze, party games and lota and lots of fun (ages ranging from 6 months to 60yrs). With such ideal surroundings, the wildlife is wide and varied; be prepared for lots of squirrels and waterfowl, many of who are so used to visitors that they are quite partial to a peanut or biscuit whilst sitting on the rug in your villa ( I kid you not! ) it's a rare treat I can tell you. Woodpeckers and Jays are also a commin site.
The village cantres themselves are all different (we eagerly await the rebirth of Elveden after the tragic fire earlier this year)but offer much the same activities and entertainment. For the sports enthusiast there is a whole host of things to do - you name it, they provide it, from Archery to Volleyball, canoeing to rollerskating. For the more adventurous there is 4X4 off roading, quad biking, horse riding to name but a few. For the less energetic (like myself ) there is a Sauna, Solarium, Turkish Bath and a whole array of beauty treatments to pamper yourself with.
For the kids the fun never ends (that includes us big kids too) with adventure playgrounds, crazy golf, cycling, boating and of course, the famous tropical water paradise that really is spectacular! This area of the park is open until 10pm each night and offers non stop fun for everyone. With bananas growing by the side of the pool it is like a tropical oasis. There is, of course, swimming in the large pool which periodically has waves crashing on to it's shore line; an outdoor swimming area with jacuzzi's and plunge pool. It is really quite an amazing feeling to swim through warm waters outside when it is snowing - especially in the dark. There are several flume slides suitable for all ages and best of all has to be the wild water rapids which is like a river whi
ch carries you along on it's journey from the outside pool, down a series of graduated waterfalls and back inside the dome into a pool at the bottom. The rapids do wonders for your ability to make new friends because on your journey through the often turbulent waters you often find yourself inadvertanly tangled up with someone elses body parts! All good fun really - infact we have often laughed so much on the way down, that we have almost drowned!!
Evening entertainment is low key, probably because most people are absolutey shattered, but there are a good range of top quality retaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. We always vow to go out one night during our stay but never quite seem to make it because there is so much to do and so little time. One top tip is to eat in your villa early and then go for a swim at around 7pm because it is usually quiet in the dome then. When you get out it is lovelly to sit beneath the stars and enjoy a hot chocolate or irish coffee before going back to the villa to crash out with a glass of wine and some supper.
As you can see, I cannot speak highly enough of Center Parcs and could go on and on for many hours to come but I will leave you with a few good tips.
1) Prices are cheapest just before or just after Christmas and go up horrendously in the summer.
2) You pay per villa (which have between 1 and 4 bedrooms ) so it is cheaper to go with a group and split the cost.
3) Weekend breaks (Fri - Mon) are more expensive than mid week (Mon - Fri)
4) Although there is a good , reasonably priced supermarket there, it saves time by shopping before hand and taking it with you.
5)You can spend as much or as little money as you like - all activies except swimming carry a charge although no more expensive than any where else.
6)It is absolutely the ideal winter break because the weather really can't spoil it.
7) There really is something for anyone.
8) After a completely stress free bre
ak where you really don't think about home or the pressures that go with it, you WILL be eager to return.

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