I visited every Center Parcs in the UK – and ranked them from worst to best
It’s been 12 years, but I can still remember the first time we drove through the hallowed forest and spotted our cabin in the woods, before collecting our bikes and heading to the “Subtropical Swimming Paradise” water park. It was back in 2014, and with three kids under five, Center Parcs appeared to offer everything we were searching for from a family holiday: bottle warmers, cot beds and even playpens by the pool were among the thoughtful touches.
Despite never being cheap – with two-bedroom cabins starting from around £2,128 for a three or four-night stay – we were immediately won over. Prices can fall to around £1,278 outside school holidays and for our young family, it felt like paradise.
Over the next decade, we visited every Center Parcs village in the UK and Ireland, as well as one in the Netherlands, where the company was founded back in 1968. The thumbs up formula – unlimited swimming, good restaurants and a crèche for the occasional bit of child-free time – continued to draw us back.
But now, our kids are 10, 12 and 15, and probably slightly too old to get the most from the experience. We also struggle to justify the cost. Back in 2023, we paid around £450 a night for a rainy stay at Center Parcs Longford Forest in Ireland.
It also charges extra for activities other than swimming. You could expect to pay £54pp for “den building and decorating”, £66pp for a “quad bike safari” and as much as £70pp for an “escape the forest” session.
But that’s not to say that Center Parcs UK, which has welcomed as many as two million guests in a year, doesn’t have plenty to offer. Here are my ratings for the five UK sites…
Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire
Rating: 6/10
Passing the many roundabouts of Milton Keynes to get to Woburn Forest dims the holiday buzz a bit. This is the UK’s newest site, and we visited shortly after it opened, in 2014. It seemed much smaller than other sites (357 acres, rather than 400) and the man-made lake lacked charm. It has most of the usual activities, apart from quad bikes and paintball, and wildlife includes pied wagtails, hedgehogs and lizards.
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire
Rating: 7/10
Sherwood was the first Center Parcs to open in the UK, in 1987. Parts of it, including the lodges, are a bit shabby around the edges, but its central location (with Sherwood Forest and the Robin Hoods Wheelgate Park theme park nearby) and range of activities go some way to make up for that. There is a silent roller disco, a virtual reality experience and shuffleboard. Sherwood also has a treetop sauna (part of the spa experience, £119pp for a day).
Whinfell Forest, Cumbria
Rating: 8/10
This is one of the few places in the UK where you can spot red squirrels, and the only Center Parcs with the Red Squirrel Family Adventure – a trail in search of the animals. It has the chain restaurants that are ubiquitous at Center Parcs, such as Bella Italia and Las Iguanas, and a gastropub, , which offers “crazy pool” (an American pool/crazy golf hybrid) and shuffleboard.
Elveden Forest, Suffolk
Rating: 8/10
Elveden Forest has the largest watersports lake among the villages and the longest zip wire. It is the park with waterside lodges, which each feature a wooden deck, private hot tub and two balconies overlooking the lake. It has the usual activities, from willow weaving to fencing, and spa treatments at Aqua Sana (£49pp for a three-hour session).
Longleat Forest, Wiltshire
Rating: 8/10
Longleat is next door to Longleat Safari Park. Driving on Salisbury Plain and past Stonehenge to get there from the South East feels like a cultural highlight. The only site with an aquapark (an inflatable obstacle course), it also has an escape room and its own land train.
Conclusion
Families who enjoy cycling, swimming and being in nature will almost certainly enjoy Center Parcs. Just prepare for your credit card to take a hammering. Longleat is the best, with an enviable location – but they all offer something for everyone.
