Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[KateP]

We are thinking of going to the Sherwood Forest Center Parcs at the start of next year. I just wondered if anyone on here had been and what you think of it? We have been looking at the Comfort Plus Villas as we don't want to spend too much on the accommodation and these look good anyway.

 

Thanks

[Redwing]

I've not been to the Sherwood Forest one but we have been to Center Parcs at Longleat a few times and have had a great time. I guess its quite expensive once you add all the activities but they are all well run and some of the things you don't get to do every day like the falconry. I would say go for it!

 

The only downside is that the on site supermarket is massively expensive!

[Egluntyne]

It is very nice....although it is a few years since we were last there.

[Janepie33]

We have been to a couple of Center Parcs (but not in England) and they have been brilliant. especially if you have sporty children. Swimming, cycling and a whole host of other activities. The villas are great and usually positioned so that you get a bit of privacy.

 

Have fun. I am sure you will love it.

[Shirl]

We went to Longleat and really didn't like it. We wouldn't go back. The swimming pool changing rooms were so overcrowded and I waited 20 minutes with a young tired hungry baby to get changed. Also with a young family not having the car near the accommodation is a real pain because of the amount of stuff that needs to be taken from the lodge to the car. I think the accommodation looks like emergency housing from the outside because it's so grim but once inside it was pretty good.

[Cinnamon]

I love Center parcs & we go at least once a year,mostly to Longleat.

 

We last went to Sherwood about 6 years ago, & it was great. The accomodation is nice,clean,comfortable & quiet

Personally I think not having cars near the villas is a real plus, as it makes for a nice quiet environment with no engine noise & petrol fumes

 

Shirl,I don't know when you went to Longleat, but there has been a major refurb of the changing area earlier this year, & its now very good.

[Jules.]

We have been to Whinfell at least 6 times now- we love it! The accommodation is comfy & clean , & the activities great.

You can pay a bit extra on your booking to specify where you want to stay so that you are not far out on the village from the centre- this might be useful for first timers who don't really know their way around. Or, you can hire bikes or take your own, then it doesn't matter where you are located in the village. Helly Welly had a big thread about this a few months ago, have a read!

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=27493&p=451907&hilit=center+parcs#p4519

[Guest]

We are thinking of going to the Sherwood Forest Center Parcs at the start of next year. I just wondered if anyone on here had been and what you think of it? We have been looking at the Comfort Plus Villas as we don't want to spend too much on the accommodation and these look good anyway.

 

Thanks

 

I'm not the sort of person who generally likes to revisit a holiday destination I've been to; been there, done that, let's try something new next time!

 

However, I think we've been to Centerparcs in Sherwood about 6 times now?

 

I LOVE it! The fresh air, the relaxing atmosphere, the wildlife, it's great!

 

We have a little tradition now; as soon as we get there we find a nice table on the terrace at Chez Pierre and order a hot chocolate with a rusty nail chaser (we usually go in the winter) and have a few games of chess while watching the world go by.

 

We also like to walk around the lake and up to the country club or have lunch at the terrace of the pancake house.

 

I just love it there, we go for a relaxing break but if you want to, there's loads of activities to take part in.

 

I'd highly recommend it!!!!!

 

we always take some nuts to feed the squirrels as they come right up to your back door, and even into your villa if you let them! We also take a seed hanger for the birds and pop it on a tree by the patio. You'll be amazed at the wildlife that will come to your patio.

 

Take some marshmallows to toast on the fire in your villa too, you can buy logs in the supermarket.

[Jules.]

About the logs that Poet recommended, they ARE good but take your own, it's much cheaper! I got mine from Wilkinsons for around £1.65 each ( & once I got them on a BOGOF offer!)

At CP they cost about £9 for 3 logs - also the disposable BBQs are really dear there- take your own again.

 

Having said that the cost of the food in the shop there is a bit more expensive than "at home" so perhaps you could take some of your own stuff like breakfast cereal, bacon etc then treat yourself when you are at CP. It all depends of course on how much holiday spends you have

[BeckyBoo]

It's not cheap but we went to the one near Marwell Zoo and it was fantastic!! We actually did hardly any extra activities as we were there on a budget, but we went swimming loads, hired bikes and just rode around enjoying the squirrels and fresh air.

 

I would really recommend it, we went with another couple with their children and had barbecues in the garden bit between the two chalets every night. Thinking about it makes me want to go again.....

 

Mrs B

[Cinnamon]

I was thinking about CP on the way back from Waitrose,& why we like it so much.

 

I am a real home body, & when we go away it takes me a good couple of days to find my feet, chill out & relax.

At CP however,as soon as we drive through those gates,I am in full holiday chill out mode

 

I love that we can pick which villa we stay in, & we are select guests as we have been so often (about 15 times), so we get good discounts on the extras fees & some vouchers to use while we are there too.

The restaurants are really nice, & I love that there are now Stradas, Cafe Rouge & Starbucks to go to now too.

 

I also love that I can pre book activities for us,so we have the time we are there nicely planned out.

The Aqua Sana at Longleat is by the fishing lake, so hubby goes there while the girls & I have a facial or a pedicure,then maybe go to the Spa too.......bliss!

This time with my daughters is really special to me,& its a lovely way to just relax together.

 

I still maintain that our Centerparcs holidays make us feel like a family again

 

The atmoshphere in the place is great, & as Poet says just sitting ,having a coffee & people watching is a lovely way to spen an hour or so. It never feels too crowded & there is never a rough elemnet there either.

 

The only one we ever had which was a bit dodgy was when the in-laws,SIL, her hubby & kids decided to suprise us by coming along too without telling us It was supposed to be a holiday to celebrate my 40th,but we ended up spending it with the very people we had booked the holiday to get away from

[Redwing]

I agree with Sarah that the atmosphere is great, really quiet and relaxing....

 

but......

 

Its one heck of a shock when you emerge at the end of the week on to a main road, its like you have never seen traffic before

[Cinnamon]

We loooooooooooove to count all the miserable looking people in their cars with bikes on the roof leaving Centerparcs as we arrive

[Guest]

it's pretty hectic on arrivals and departure days (usually monday and friday) but after that it's very tranquil. You can't check into your villa til about 2pm-3pm but you can check in I think from 10am so take your swimming things in a seperate bag and have a swim while you wait for your villa to be ready or just go for a walk or chill out at one of the cafes

 

we always take our own food and just get little extras at the supermarket as and when.

 

oh, I'd recommend you take your own mugs if you like a big mug of tea/coffee because they only provide those small glass mugs. They do provide washing up sponge and a towel but you'll need to take your own washing up liquid and an extra tea towel is a good idea. You'll need small bin bags (we just re-use carrier bags).

 

we always stay in the basic villas and have always found them comfortable.

 

oh, take some hangers as they DON'T provide very many!

 

the villas have central heating but also under floor heating so they're very cosy

 

I wish they had a seperate area for camper vans, now that we have the van I doubt we'll be able to afford a CP holiday for ages but I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

[KateP]

Thanks very much for all of your replies. We will definitely be booking now and are planning on going for a mid-week break in January (I like something to look forward to after Christmas). Can't wait!

[mrsallen08]

Go go go!

Its great there and so relaxing! Love not driving for a week and cycling everywhere! Its always cheapest and quietest in Nov-Jan (Thats when we always go!) If you sign up to their email updates they often have good deals available too for then. We stayed midweek for £120 for both of us in a 1 bed chalet. Sherwood is slightly more expensive usually than the others but I have no idea why!?

 

Have a nice time!

[Shirl]

Shirl,I don't know when you went to Longleat, but there has been a major refurb of the changing area earlier this year, & its now very good.

 

We went in November last year.

 

I just remembered something else I hated which was driving around for ages trying to find a parking space. In the end we just abandoned our car in the safest place possible. There were just too many people for the facilities.