totally fantastic fun-filled UK winter holiday where the weather doesn't matter (Oasis Holiday Village (Penrith))

Member Name: sandrabarber

Product:	Oasis Holiday Village (Penrith)
Date:	30/09/01 (3450 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful setting, Great accommodation, Loads to do

Disadvantages: Expensive

Situated just off the A66 near Penrith (M6 - Junction 40), Oasis Holiday Village is set in 400 acres of forest in the Lake District. It is a beautiful, enclosed, safe environment, and the accommodation and facilities are outstanding.

Accommodation:

Lodges are placed in 'clusters' throughout the forest, and range from a one bed apartment to a four bed luxury timber house with galleried landing, 2/3 bathrooms (some with whirlpool baths), microwave, dishwasher, washer-dryer, satellite telly, log fire, lovely decor and patio with barbecue, as well as all the usual utilities you would expect. If you pay extra for a VIP package, you not only get the best lodges in the best positions, but a welcome pack of groceries, your towels included, and a daily cleaner/maid service as well. No lodges are further than 15 mins walk from the facilities, and some are literally one minute away from the main 'Butterfly Centre'.

The Butterfly Centre:

This is the main hub of the place. In the Butterfly Centre is a selection of restaurants and fast-food outlets (including a Hard Rock Cafe), a reasonably priced supermarket, kids centre, Metropolis entertainment centre with machines, pool and ten-pin bowling, gift shops, cinema, theatre, bars and the amazing World of Water which contains the best outdoor rapid slide, wave machine, indoor rapids and jacuzzis that I've experienced. The World of Water is well heated and very clean with plenty of places to sit and relax if you don’t want to swim or go on the rapids.

Other Facilities:

There is a traditional pub, with food and entertainments such as a quiz night, a small animal compound, a massive country club where you can play just about every indoor/outdoor sport that you can think of, a skating rink, children's adventure playgrounds, off-site quad biking, clay-pigeon shooting, paintballing, pony-trekking and more. Inside the country club there is also the spa
, a very good beauty and treatment centre, and a gym. If you like the outdoor life, there are lovely forest walks (guided if you wish) and nature and fitness trails. In summer you can choose from loads of water sports on the Oasis lake.

Who does it cater for:

Everyone! Whether you're young or old, with children or as a couple or family party, you'll never be short of things to do. And as cars are not allowed in the village (except for arrival and departure), the place is lovely and peaceful, and safe for your kids. There are special children's clubs and a babysitting service too so that parents can have some time to themselves if they wish.It is popular with hen parties too who go to take advantage of the spa facilities and generally have a pamper.

Getting Around:

Most people take their own bicycles or hire them when there for getting around. The selection of bikes to hire is vast to suit all ages and sizes, you can hire brilliant Burley buggies for kids which fit onto the back of your adult bike, and disabled people can hire electric wheelchairs and 'larks'. In fact the whole village is disabled-friendly, and many lodges are adapted for 'special needs'. One of our party has a disability and was delighted with the disabled shower, grab-rails and adjustomatic bed.

Price:

Breaks are either 4 nights (Mon-Fri) or 3 (Fri-Mon). In February we (me, my brother, my sister and my 2 nieces and 1 nephew) went a 4 day break. We paid around £260 quid for a 3 bedroomed lodge with sofabed that could sleep 8. Prices rise steeply in summer (you can pay £800 for 4 days), but as there is so much to do indoors (once you're in the World of Water you won't want to come out!), you can have a great winter visit without hardly being aware of the weather at all.

How much you end up spending is entirely up to you. The World of Water is included in the price of your holiday, but you pay for e
verything else. Sports facilities are reasonably priced, the spa is expensive, bike hire isn't too bad, and the restaurants vary.

All heating and electric is included in the price, and the heating stays on 24/7 unless you turn it off yourself. With temperatures at around 4c every day we kept ours permanently on and were lovely and snug night and day. (And if anything goes wrong with your heating or other appliances you simply press a button on your phone to call maintenance and they have someone round within about half an hour to fix it).

This was my second year running at Oasis and I can't wait to go again next winter.

Booking: visit www.oasishols.co.uk to order a brochure and check for special last minute cheaper deals.

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