We are thinking of taking a holiday at Centre Parcs in July and the Elveden Forest one will be our closest.
Just wondered if anybody had been there and whether there were any very good or very bad things to report.
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I've been there 3/4 times in the week preceding Xmas, for 5 days at a time. We go principally for the children's amusement and stay with friends. My kids absolutely love the indoor pool complex. I get to switch off , coffee and papers in Starbucks in the mornings, food and wine with friends in the evening. My friend qualifies for a discount so it's quite cheap. My overall opinion? Butlins for the modern day. The on-site so-called restaurants are crap and you pay for other activities (badminton, pool, snooker etc.) Summertime obviously offers outdoor activities but I've never been then. All depends what you're looking for and what your expectations are.
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Is Elveden one of the old Oasis parks that Center Parcs picked up - they were like cheaper versions IIRC
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>> Is Elveden one of the old Oasis parks that Center Parcs picked up - they
>> were like cheaper versions IIRC
Just had a quick read on Wikipedia and it looks like Whinfell Forest is the one they bought from Oasis, the rest being built by Centre Parcs.
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>> Just had a quick read on Wikipedia and it looks like Whinfell Forest is the
>> one they bought from Oasis, the rest being built by Centre Parcs.
That was my understanding too. Never been to Elvedon but had several trips to Sherwood including one upcoming next month. Swimming excellent, nature walks good fun as well as easy access to biking country. Football & pool keep sonny jim happy and SWMBO & Miss B have a great time at the pampering salon.
Can take or leave the restaurants.
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Been to Elvedon twice though lastly 10 years ago since which they have had a major fire and much was rebuilt, the site layout was great though, good for cycling without being to hilly and you can stop at Duxford on the way.
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Elvedon Forest is our nearest and a couple of times we've priced up a week or long weekend. Unless you have some sort of discount/offer in place we couldn't believe how much it was going to cost.
Friends who've been seem to confirm you have to be a family that will happily submit to the Parc way... or you'll end up frustrated.... those that have been comfortable with the format have had a great time.
I see currently a small lodge would be £1500 for a week this summer, comparing with £600 for a larger beachside cottage in Scotland. A guide price for Centre Parc activities is £5-£10/hr for routine stuff and £20/hr for anything exciting. With two teens these costs can be crippling.
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>> A guide price for Centre Parc
>> activities is £5-£10/hr for routine stuff and £20/hr for anything exciting. With two teens these
>> costs can be crippling.
Assuming you're going in school holidays it's going to be busy (and more expensive of course). In the past we couldn't always do the things we wanted to do because they got booked up so quickly.
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>> Friends who've been seem to confirm you have to be a family that will happily
>> submit to the Parc way... or you'll end up frustrated.... those that have been comfortable
>> with the format have had a great time.
"the Parc way"...I don't like the sound of that.
I was imaging that we would be in our own little cabin/chalet (whatever they call it), maybe eating breakfast and lunch there, and then maybe dinner at one of the restaurants, and spend our time in the outdoors (woods and parkland hopefully), with a bit of swimming.
I don't want to have to conform to any rules...not on my holiday
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>> I was imaging that we would be in our own little cabin/chalet (whatever they call
>> it), maybe eating breakfast and lunch there, and then maybe dinner at one of the
>> restaurants, and spend our time in the outdoors (woods and parkland hopefully), with a bit
>> of swimming.
Should be fine doing that - on-site shop is a bit more expensive and limited than your local supermarket but not too bad. Not sure there are that many things to do outdoors though apart from the paid-for activities - certainly doesn't take that long to circumnavigate the site on one of the bikes.
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I have to admit it made me cross when we were thinking of booking that I couldn't easily find out the activity prices on their website until after I'd booked the holiday.
Here are some approx prices found on a direct link...
www.centerparcs.co.uk/images/pdfs/indoor_activities.pdf
I thought of a day where Mrs F might like an art class in the morning while I had an hour on the indoor wall and the teens tried fencing... that's £70 gone by mid morning. Then after lunch the whole family might like abseiling... another £70 gone by 3pm. Kids hassle to do laser combat before tea and another £42 blown.
Then it all starts again the next day.
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>> I don't want to have to conform to any rules...not on my holiday
>>
It was 10 years ago we last went though as I recall there are no rules as such to conform to, we did 4 nights at a time as I recall.
We really liked the location of the chalet we had the first time we went so we requested the same one the second time, in the intervening 18 months or so (IIRC) it had been refurbished to an even higher standard and was really quite comfortable.
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We all really enjoyed our trip to Centre Parks (sic) last Easter, however I won't be going again until they drop their prices by about 50%. It is horrifically expensive for what you get.
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>> We all really enjoyed our trip to Centre Parks (sic) last Easter, however I won't
>> be going again until they drop their prices by about 50%. It is horrifically expensive
>> for what you get.
If they're not filling it the prices fall. Three day w/e breaks in Jan/Feb are quite good value.
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Jan /Feb ain't much good usually - skint after Christmas and school term in full swing. Weather appalling also. I'm sure it's a bit cheaper then, but no way near good enough value for my likings.
Next time I'm after a hloiday like that I'll be going to somewhere like Woolacombe Bay. Our week at CP cost us around £2.5-3k last year if memory serves (the wife insisted on the premium accomodation). Hair raising. Accomodation at Woolacombe Bay is around one third of the price of CP.
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Steelspark - I wouldn't disagree with the comments so far but DON'T expect to be satisfied with the on-site restaurants!
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>> Steelspark - I wouldn't disagree with the comments so far but DON'T expect to be
>> satisfied with the on-site restaurants!
Yeah, I'm getting that impression.
I wonder if there are places off-site that are convenient to get to (both restaurants and shops). I think that we would only go for 4 days, just a mini-break, so we could probably take most of what we need with us (assuming they have decent sized fridges). They also seem to have barbeques, so I might just have a steak each night! :)
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>>>I wonder if there are places off-site that are convenient to get to (both restaurants and shops).
Ahhh... that's the thing... you are paying twice the going rate for a lodge (compared with a very nice holiday cottage) so everything is all around you with no need to leave. If you still feel the need to leave then perhaps it's not the right holiday??
(As is obvious from my first posts I have to declare a bias against even the slightest form of organisation while on holiday)
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Have been to CP several times, all Sherwood Forest .
It can be as cheap or dear as you wish it to be after you pay the accomodation.
We filled up at Tesco for breakfasts and packed lunches as well as booze, snacks etc. We also bought items for dinner, pasta, chilli etc.
Lazy morning, have breakfast, go for a walk or whatever and then have lunch and then into the swimming which is included inprice. Stayed there all day, back to chalet starving and made dinner / bbq.
had some good family time, played games, cards etc and collapsed in bed knackered after the swimming.
Also took our own bikes so were able to cycle around as well.We ate out once at some sort of American diner place and it was extortionate.
Certainly wouldn't be paying £2.5k for a week in Center Parcs!
A lot depends on what you want to do, what the age group of your party is etc etc
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>>>A lot depends on what you want to do, what the age group of your party is etc etc
That's true... but we always tell the girls they're not on holiday to enjoy themselves :-) Last year we actually managed to get rid of one to Cornwall with other kids/parents.... result.
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Seems to me you can get all the centre parks stuff, but by choosing your rented cottage location carefully, far cheaper, and with less prison camp mentality.
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Again, it depends on age group.
My kids are old enough that I could sit in the chalet all day, they would be out all day in the swimming etc and would come back home.
Not quite at that stage of renting a cottage and telling them to go and find their entertainment in neighbouring towns etc and come back at night!
I have been several times as I mentioned, and I have never felt any prison camp mentality. Indeed, the first time we went, there were 3 families in adjacent chalets, cars parked up for a week, led to a fantastic break.
But I do think as kids get to late teens, to that stage where it is no longer "cool" to go in swimming and playing on rapids, slides etc, then it could become a bit of an issue!
having said that, if it was just me and the missus it would be a cottage rather than CP!
Last edited by: BobbyG on Thu 24 Mar 11 at 12:48
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>> Again, it depends on age group.
>> I could sit in the chalet all day,
Digging the escape tunnel?
they
>> would be out all day in the swimming etc
And walking around spreading sand down their trouser legs....
;)
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 24 Mar 11 at 12:50
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I live about 15 miles from Elvedon and have paid two brief visits to the place. The first was when my band was booked to play there for an annual dinner-dance organised by a local large supermarket. I am normally a stickler over security but, somehow, I managed to briefly leave my wallet in a trouser pocket in the changing rooms - and when I returned, it had disappeared. I reckon someone must have been watching our movements. Security is an ongoing problem there - and it isn't due to light-fingered guests........
The second, even briefer, visit was when I assisted a motorist involved in a RTA at the nearby Barnham crossroads after a dozy lorry driver sailed through a red light. I drove him to Elvedon where he was visiting his family who were incarcerated there. He later wrote to thank me and say that, like me, he wouldn't want to holiday there; he felt that my description of the place - 'Colditz with bikes' was perfect.
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Visited a CP in the Netherlands maybe 20+ years ago. It was a holiday cottage with others nearby, with a good swimming pool. We certainly didn't use their restaurants or other activities, but it was a convenient way to spend a week in the Netherlands.
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Clearly horses for courses. I've not found the Park regime punishing; no cars & biking everywhere is just fine on a flat site of a few sq miles.
We're going for the Will's nuptials/Mayday weekend with my sister and her family. A treat for which our mother is paying. My daughter is over 18 and son 16 so they can look after themselves at swimming or prety much any other activity. They'll have £50 each for extra activites across the weekend, any more and they pay themselves.
Off peak a basic villa can be around £200 (or was 6 yrs ago) but over a BH that goes up by a factor of 4 - as I said they price to fill. We booked weeks ago and soe types were limited or no availability.
Yes, for the money spent I could have had a week in a 4* cottage on Lewis including ferries, en route overnights and a meal or two out. Come to think of it a fortnight in France in August (Camping Municipal) will be cheaper. But they're a different sort of holiday.
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Not an option in yous case SS, as you wnat one close to home
I have done Centre Parc Elveden and yes cost is horrendous.
Also did the one near Endhoven and was much cheaper as their half terms do not fall the same as ours, worked out cheaper even with the ferry, about 3 hrs from Calais.
Cost was a factor but also the fact that they have an indoor ski slope there and that part was very cheap compared to UK ski slopes. Set up was exactly a UK.
Tend to do Butlin though as my kids are 8 and 5 and I think Butlins is more suitable for their age, when they are older though Center Parcs would be preferred.
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I've just sold my right arm and left leg on E-Bay, so now we can afford to take the kids.
I guess I won't be playing snooker though...or archery...or hiring a bike...or going out on a pedalo in the shape of a Swan or bowling. I might be able to bob along in the pool when they switch on the wave machine. Might even get preferential treatment when queueing for a seat in Hucklebury's American Diner experience. Joy.
;-)
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Been to several over the years, Elveden, Sherwood and Whinfell (when it was Oasis and after) and as everyone says they can be as expensive as you want them to be. We always went with a group of four families and we would take some home pre-cooked meals we had frozen, lasagne, chilli etc and some fresh food which we would eat for a couple of evenings, have one restaurant night out with the children and one night out with just the adults at the 'grown-up' restaurant.
Although it is expensive we used to all save up a bit and go every other year.
The main advantage for us was, that as a group, it allowed the children to do activities which attracted them without everyone else being dragged along to something they had no interest in. Worked for the adults too, those interested could go off for a pamper while others were clay pigeon shooting, golfing or getting to grips with archery. Good side to it was that the kids got to try lots of things they wouldn't normally have dreamed of, some of them took up sailing after trying it at CP and one took up shooting clays.
If you're going to go with the intention of doing a lot of activities then take one piece of advice, be organised beforehand, work out what you want to do and when (be warned - this can take a fair bit of effort to get everyone what they want when they want). Also when you arrive, arrive early, don't be tempted to go to your cabin first and if possible send someone off to book all the activities you want while you wait with the car to be let into the park. From painful experience if you queue up and go to your cabin and then try and book up afterwards then you will find that lots of the popular stuff will be fully booked as many of the activities only run once or twice over the weekend. Trust me, it is very difficult explaining to a young girl that the horse riding is fully booked and she can't do it when that is all she has been looking forward to doing for weeks ahead, can lead to one very upset young lady for the whole weekend; somehow a walk with the birds of prey didn't quite mollify her, and, God, didn't we know all about it........
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Anybody been to Elveden Forest? - Woodster
