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When I was a kid, Center Parcs was the hottest destination on the playground. I could skive a week off school, ride my bike all day and surf the wave pool until past sunset.
Two decades on, though, it’s a different proposition: what used to cost a few hundred quid for a week in the early noughties can now top two grand.
So I went back to see exactly how much it would set me back today and, more importantly, whether it’s still worth it.
Center Parcs has five locations across the UK, and Sherwood Forest has always been my family’s go-to. So, on Friday morning, I make my way from London back up north for a trip down memory lane.
Getting there isn’t too bad. For most Londoners, owning a car (or even having a license) is a rarity, but a short train and taxi ride later, I’m at the tree-lined driveway, weaving through the familiar lampposts.
For Center Parcs newbies, you’ve got two options: a five-day midweek escape, or a long-weekend getaway (Friday to Monday). Me, my younger sister, and our other halves go for the latter.
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Check‑in on arrival day doesn’t open until 4pm (earlier if you’ve got priority check‑in or one of the fancier lodges), but there’s plenty to see and do from the moment you ditch the car.
The car park can be a bit of a nightmare, though; if you’re not a walker, arrive early or brace yourself for a mini hike with your weekend bags.
My bank account is crying
For those unfamiliar with Center Parcs, everything you do comes with a price tag (bar the swimming pool, but more on that later).
Kicking off day one, we opt for one of the cheaper activities: an hour of American pool at £14.25. A little pricier than the free one at my local, but split between four people I’m not going to complain.
We buyrounds to get the holiday in full swing, but my bank account is already crying. At over £7 a pint and no Guinness in sight, perhaps this weekend is a sign for a detox.
Is Center Parcs too expensive?
A lack of basics
One of the biggest differences I notice since coming as a rugrat is the levelling up of accommodation.
When I was little, it was basic metal bunk beds and lounge seating that looked a bit like a dentist’s office.
Stepping into the newly refurbished Woodland Premium Lodge, it’s clear there has been a glow-up.
Warm decor, toasty radiators and a fresh linen scent greet as I step through into the open-plan kitchen, living and dining room, where a fake fireplace crackles below the smart TV and a private view opens out onto woodland, horses strutting their stuff in the distance.
The bedrooms are decently-sized with all the bells and whistles: a TV in each, LED mirrors and built-in storage. A belly flop onto the bed gets my seal of approval.
At first glance, it looks like we’re set for the weekend, but a closer look reveals a few items are missing: no toilet paper, hand wash, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, dish soap, tin foil or surface spray.
If you don’t pack it, you’re not getting it. Self-contained to a fault.
Booking a long weekend in this type of accommodation comes in around £800 for a three-bedder. Split between three couples, it’s not too bad. And even between two couples, it feels worth it, despite frustration at the lack of basics.
Check-in complete and shopping unloaded (do this beforehand; the on-site shop is great for odds and ends but very much on the ‘we have the monopoly’ side of life), we move onto activity number two: bowling.
A Center Parcs staple, it comes in at up to £49 an hour per group.
Dinner verdict: fine, but chains drag it down
Now for dinner. There are plenty of options around the village square – although most are nationwide chains, which does take you out of the ‘escaping reality’ vibe.
Luckily, we’re booked into a Center Parcs-owned establishment, Hucks.
Positioned as an American BBQ-style eatery, it transports you to the deep south where even the chairs are plastered in American flags.
For what we pay, the food sits firmly in ‘decent’ territory – nothing life-changing, but the kind of comforting beige you want after a day of bowling and beers… though it does take an hour to arrive.
Kitchen issues aside, the service is amazing. Our host is unbelievably apologetic and handles the stress so well, I don’t know how she does it.
You’re looking at about £40pp here, but there is a three-course set menu if you want to cut back on cost, as well as plenty of well-priced options for the little ones.
Wallets already feeling the burn, we polish off the evening with another quick game of pool before heading back to our lodge for the night.
End of day cost for four people
Accommodation: £800
American pool x 2: £28.50
Bowling: £49
Dinner: £160
Drinks: £56
Supermarket shop: £100
Total: £298pp or £1,192 for four
Bikes, brekkie and spa
Saturday morning, and what better way to start the day than a fry-up.
The lodge is well-equipped for the most serious Full English Breakfast fanatics, and the coffee machine is the cherry on top – great taste and much cheaper than the Starbucks on offer around the park.
Fuelled up and raring to go, we set off to pick up our bikes.
For those fresh to Center Parcs, bikes are another staple. They let you roam the site with ease, and each lodge comes with its own parking stands for them.
They do come at a cost – £44pp for the weekend – so if you can mount your own on your car, I’d recommend it.
A short cycle and we’re onto our first activity of the day: the spa. The Aqua Sana Spa is Center Parcs’ answer to full rejuvenation.
I’m booked in with Luisa – a long-term employee (over 20 years, in fact) – for the inelegantly named ‘Elemis Expert Absolute Restore Face + Body Ritual’. It comes in at around £99 and, genuinely, if you can afford it, it’s excellent. I don’t remember the last time I felt this relaxed.
My hour of bliss sadly over and a glass of fizz in hand, I chat to Luisa about working at Center Parcs. ‘It’s the best job in the world,’ she says. ‘I’m excited coming to work every day and I absolutely love what I do.’
I can’t really blame her. Surrounded by nature and professionally slowing down the pace of life does sound ideal.
Fizz down the hatch and I’m released into the giant spa area, which features a wide range of spa experiences (saunas, pools, the works) and wellbeing sessions as part of the entry price.
Hot tip: if you book a massage for around £99, you also get access to the spa area for a few hours, which gives you much more bang for your buck.
The headliner
Recharged, it’s time for some action. And by that, I mean CP’s headline act: the Subtropical Swimming Paradise.
A massive indoor-outdoor pool area full of slides, heated pools and a giant wave pool, it’s free for all guests at the park and you can go as many times as you want across your stay. It’s perfect for kids and the kids that refuse to grow up (moi).
It’s warm all year round, and if you squint a bit, you do feel like you’re somewhere a little more exotic than Nottingham.
If you want to cut back costs further, bring your own drinks. It’s a fiver for a Coke, which makes me feel dizzy – and I know it’s not the temperature that does it.
After a relaxing day, we decide to have a night in our villa. We grab some low-lift meals from the ParcMarket that are both cheap and cheerful. I opt for a Co-op Chicken Tikka Masala and, although not very glamorous, it’s bloomin’ delicious and sets me back less than a fiver.
End of day cost for four people
Aqua Sana massage treatment for me: £99
Spa entry for my guests: £65pp
Subtropical Swimming Paradise: £0
Coke: £5
Dinner: £5
Total: £83.50pp or £334 for four
Off-roading to the Winter Olympics
Waking up to our last full day, we flip the script and book the Quad Bike Adventure first thing in the morning.
At £50pp, it’s one of the most expensive activities you can do, and I need to see if going all-out is worth it.
You get an hour on these diesel monsters and zip around a track through trees and over hills.
Although it’s fun, and the silly outfits make great photo ops, the £200 we spend could definitely go a lot further elsewhere.
From there, we swap mud tracks for ‘ice’ and give a new activity at the park a go – curling. It’s a fresh addition to the ever-growing list of options. The result?
Meh. It’s £36 for an hour and isn’t set on real ice. Once you’ve had a few gos and walked up and down collecting the rocks, you’re ready to tap out.
Robot waiters and spicy margs
We end our last night at Las Iguanas, a reliable high-street staple and one of the highest-rated restaurants in the park.
It’s great. The service is solid, the food comes in reasonable time and everything we have is delicious.
They even have a robot that drives to your table with your food, which the kids (and myself) absolutely love.
If you want a real treat here, get the spicy marg – it’s excellent. The bill sets us back around £160 – £40pp, drinks included.
We head back to our villa for one final night before we pack up, return bikes and hit the road back to London.
End of day cost for four people
Quad Bike Adventure: £50pp
Curling: £9pp
Las Iguanas meal: £40pp
Total: £99pp or £396 for four
End of trip cost: £480.50 or £1,920 for a family of four.
Now I have to make the call on whether it’s really worth it, and my answer is: yes.
I leave feeling relaxed after spending quality time with my family, I try out new things and the most I have to cook is a microwave meal.
I drive back to London with a smile on my face, my self-bought toilet roll in my bag. I’m already planning my return.
Chris Buswell was a guest of Center Parcs, but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything – our reviews are 100% independent.
Staying in a three-bedroom Woodland Premium lodge at Sherwood Forest is approximately £829 for a late winter stay.
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