asics oasis (Oasis Holiday Village (Penrith))

Member Name: superguinness

Product:	Oasis Holiday Village (Penrith)
Date:	05/06/01 (1586 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Outdoors, Grouse, Red Squirrels

Disadvantages: Pool, Cold toilet

Oasis in March 2001 - observations and tips.

I've been to Oasis twice now, most recently earlier this year, so read on to find out what is the good, the not so good....and the bad, at Oasis.

~~~~Where it is and how to get there~~~~
Near Penrith in Cumbria. It's advertised as being by the Lake District, which is correct, since its not actually in it, but you could always do a half day trip into the "Lakes District", as Tony likes to call it, if you wanted to. Penrith is at the northern edge of the Lakes, so if you are travelling from the south, its a day's drive. Penrith also has a train station and the taxi journey from the station to Oasis is about £7, but they do take you right to your villa rather than dump you at the gate, apparently.

~~~~Accommodation~~~~
Overall, nice - very similar to Center Parcs, better looking from the outside but without their famous under floor heating. We were there during a very cold snap - the lake was completely frozen and at night the temporature plummeted to -15 c-brr! Very cold. Luckily our villa had a willing heating system which was put on maximum all weekend and was just about warm enough, but only just.

~~~~Swimmin'~~~~
Not as good as Center Parcs "for sure". The rapids were busted and the wave machine slightly pathetic. However the pool was normally not too busy and the changing rooms adequate. The scenary was pleasant...

~~~~Wildlife~~~~
A good variety-red squirrels a plenty, pheasants, grouse, rabbits, apparently badgers, but we didn't see any-despite providing plenty of food to something that ate it all during the night. Also a strange shell-suited part animal/part mountain bike thing was very common everywhere...

~~~~Eating~~~~
We headed straight for the curry house the first evening - an excellent venue - £15 to eat as much as you could - and then some more. Like everywhere, kids meals were available and
children made to feel welcome in an informal atmosphere, which I think is the way all places should operate. Less good though was the cafe by the entrance to the pool. They definitely had the policy to overcharge - this happened to a few in our group, on more than one occasion so be warned! They were told "for sure".

~~~~Sport~~~~
As always at the these places, 95% of the participants were hopeless at everything they attempted, as I observed easily from my coffee table....

~~~~Best Moment~~~~
Watching Leeds score their equaliser against Man U in the league game, whilst sat in the country club pub type place. My daughter who had to sit and watch it too, wasn't very impressed by my goal celebration though, but then again I've done louder ones.

~~~~Worst Moment~~~~
A month later, when I realised that all the sheep we had seen peacefully grazing in the fields by the M6 in Cumbria had now probably gone.

~~~~Overall~~~~
Shops 8/10, Pool 5/10, Food Places 7/10, Sport facilities 7/10, Landscape 9/10, Accomodation 8/10, People 9/10, Wildlife 8/10, Staff Service 9/10.

superguinness (is back, "for sure") 2001

Summary: