Center Parcs
August 18, 2009 by Natalie · 5 Comments
It seems I will have to shed my preconceptions about dedicated family holiday centres as we’ve been invited to spend a few days checking out Center Parcs. I’ll be honest and say…I really didn’t think I would ever go to somewhere like this as I thought it was all about torturous entertainment in low rent surroundings – forgive me, I was brought up mostly in Dublin where these types of holidays seem to have been skipped out of my youth!
Anyway…I digress…
A redesign earlier this year, has seen Tara Bernard, founder of architecture and design consultancy, Target Living, transform their lodges to reflect a contemporary atmosphere to lure in discerning guests. With a client list that includes Marco Pierre White and Selfridges, she’s certainly got me excited about visiting and I knew that something must be going right, when after expecting ‘quel horreur’ faces from our friends when we told them, even our mates without children are saying they’ve heard it’s the place to go.
With a warm, contemporary setting that brings the outdoors indoors with very retro landscape images on the wall mixed with cosy furniture and sleek details like decent spec kitchens not out of place in apartments, we’re actually excited, which trust me, we’re not the holidaying in England sort, never mind activity types! Parenthood has changed us but thankfully we can do it in stylish surroundings! I’ve been assured that there’s no dodgy entertainment to make me recoil in horror. Now all we have to do is stop bickering over which activities we’re booking. I can’t wait for the three hour spa session and the boyf has all sorts of cycling plans that I keep nodding my head at, but will probably skip. One step at a time eh?!
I shall report back next month. We’ll be staying at the Longleat Village in Wiltshire In the meantime, check out Center Parcs for yourself on their site.
Oooh have a lovely time! We’ve not been to Longleat, but have sampled a couple of the other Center Parcs and they are great for family breaks. The new lodges are lovely (T was fascinated with the giant tree wall last time we went) and there is lots of wildlife around. The pools are fantastic for littlies. We never tend to do activities, well except lots of walks and the spa for Mummy. I hope you enjoy it too!
You have a real treat in store, I promise, and the first time is the best!! We’re off to Longleat in 2 weeks time for my partners 40th birthday and cannot wait, especially as my eldest son can swim now and will be able to go down the rapids for the first time (he’s so excited!) My advice would be take plenty of provisions as the supermarket there is a bit pricey and haven’t always been that impressed with the restaurants. Have a great time!!
Thanks Kirsty and Eve. I am amazed at how many people have either booked or are planning to book a visit. Actually, someone else said the same thing about the restaurant but we’ll probably only be going to it on one night and cooking up a storm at the lodge on the other couple of nights…with food we brought with us
Can’t wait!
You will have a great time as lets face it once you have bambinos your main priority is that they have a good time and they will LOOOOOVVVVVEEEE it! The new lodges are good, we have stayed in the ones in the Lake District and they are nice, not 5 star and trendy but smart and modern with some thought gone into them. There is some ‘entertainment’ such as kids shows if you wish to partake, it is all geared towards the kids not dodgy ‘adult’ entertainment. The spas are lovely, one of the nicest I’ve ever been too actually, def worth going to. Restaurants ok, there is Starbucks (new), Cafe Rouge, and some other pizza/indian types. Not haute cusine but good thing is that your children welcome at all hours which is nice to be able to take them unlike lots of restaurants in UK where, unlike abroad, you wouldm’t dream of taking them after 6/7pm. Otherwise, very good fun to hire bikes with little trailers on back for the bambinos, get your outdoorsy gear on and cycle to the tropical pool area, only kind of British holiday that doesn’t rely on nice weather as the enormous pool area is all under glass so it could be snowing and you wouldn’t know. Talking of snow, we went in December last year for pre-x-mas break and was lovely as they went to loads of effort with a whole elves village and Santa’s grotto, magical for a 2 year old. Enjoy!
You will have a great time as lets face it once you have bambinos your main priority is that they have a good time and they will LOOOOOVVVVVEEEE it! The new lodges are good, we have stayed in the ones in the Lake District and they are nice, not 5 star and trendy but smart and modern with some thought gone into them. There is some ‘entertainment’ such as kids shows if you wish to partake, it is all geared towards the kids not dodgy ‘adult’ entertainment. The spas are lovely, one of the nicest I’ve ever been too actually, def worth going to. Restaurants ok, there is Starbucks (new), Cafe Rouge, and some other pizza/indian types. Not haute cuisine but good thing is that your children welcome at all hours which is nice to be able to take them unlike lots of restaurants in UK where, unlike abroad, you wouldn’t dream of taking them after 6/7pm. Otherwise, very good fun to hire bikes with little trailers on back for the bambinos, get your outdoorsy gear on and cycle to the tropical pool area, only kind of British holiday that doesn’t rely on nice weather as the enormous pool area is all under glass so it could be snowing and you wouldn’t know. Talking of snow, we went in December last year for pre x-mas break and was lovely as they went to loads of effort with a whole elves village and Santa’s grotto, magical for a 2 year old. Enjoy!