Top Tips for CenterParcs???

[aislinn]

My sister and her family have booked to go to CenterParcs – Sherwood and have asked me and my family to join them.
Neither of us has been before and wondered if anyone had any top tips as to what to expect or take or any pitfalls etc.
We have a four bed roomed lodge if that helps

Ta
Aislnnn x

 

[lilack]

We've been to Center Parcs lots of times and off again in a couple of weeks - we love it!

I always try and pre-book activities before we go. If you go at a busy time most things are booked up if you wait until you get there. You can cancel most things the day before without paying for them so you're not committed if you change your mind. Be careful though - some of the activities are expensive!

Take some basic food things with you. Or if you want to buy at the parc market & spend so much (I think £40?) they will deliver it for you. But if you want them to deliver go quite early in the day as they only have so many slots.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[aislinn]

Thanks for that Lilack. I have started getting some things together and we have booked our activities – you weren’t kidding about the cost. Luckily we have one daughter my sister has three!!
Do they provide towels including tea towels? We have booked a maid service but it’s not clear about the towel provision.

Aislinn x

 

[hanloje]

Bikes! I came back from Longleat and bikes were great, not sure if it's that hilly at sherwood. Take basics, as others have said but generally prices are ok in restaurants and the supermarket. Sure you'll love it, oh and £1's for lockers and stuff.

Some say take towels and some don't ... we took our own in a comfort villa 3 bed.

 

[aislinn]

Hi Hanloje, think I’ll play it safe and take towels. We are taking our own bikes. My sister and hubby are hiring some as they need the child seats so it good to know that they are great.

Aislinn x

 

[hanloje]

Forgot another one is BBQ's are not included in all villa's ours wasn't so if you want to be sure there's one and don't want to buy theirs for £11.99 take your own!!! but gas ones not allowed....

Have a fab time!

 

[aislinn]

Apparently ours does include a barbeque – I can’t wait now.
I just hope its not too hilly!!
Aislinn x

 

[Bunnyg]

awww I am sooooooooooooo jealous! I haven't been this year but went the last three years and loved every minute of it - it is just so gorgeous. I would highly recommend having a session in the spa it is just perfect, gorgeous gorgeous! If I had know how lovely it was, I'd have booked a few sessions during my stay! Definitely agree with pre-booking! And the pancake house is scrumptious!! heehee! enjoy x

 

[jennikay]

If you're in a comfort plus, executive etc. they provide towels - it's only the standard comfort villas they don't provide towels in.

Oh, and, the supermarket there is pretty expensive! We take as much of our own food as we can.

When are you going? I'm going tomorrow (Sherwood - my parents have pulled out all the stops and we're having an Executive lodge, PS3/pool table/en suite bathrooms included! ) staying for the midweek

Sherwood isn't too hilly, which part are you staying in?

x

 

[aislinn]

Oh thanks for tips.
Bunnyg you have gone and mentioned the P word. I am having a pancake phase at the moment; I’ll be as big as a house by the time I leave!! I am hoping to at least have a facial. I recently had a hysterectomy so lying on my stomach is still to sore at the moment.
My sister has booked a couples massage for herself and hubby. He was shocked that the price didn’t include extras………..typical bloke one track mind – Lol!!

Hope you have a great time Jennikay we are staying in a 4 bed roomed executive lodge – which my sister says has a games room and lots of mod cons.

I saw an old friend over the weekend who suggested that it easier to get around on 3 wheeler bike??

We are going on the 24 August. I have started getting stuff together as my sister has never done self catering and hasn’t got a clue. She thinks because we are planning to eat out we don’t need anything. Don’t know what she thinks we will be having for: breakfast……..brews………snacks………barbeques etc not to mention things like kitchen roll and the like…… I have also sourced the nearest Tesco.

Aislinn x

 

[jennikay]

Oooh the executive lodges are great

The games room had a PS3 (games can be loaned from the information desk thingy) pool table and loads of board games

You get a posh Senseo coffee machine - if you like coffee then get some of the pods before you go, as the Parcmarket is expensive, and they only have 2 varieties.

Assuming you're staying in one in the pine area (villa number 850-900 ish) then it takes 15 mins to walk to the swimming pool/shops, 2 mins to the country club, 20ish to the sports centre, 30 to the paintballing/archery etc.
We didn't get bikes.

Anything you want to ask me, feel free

x

 

[aislinn]

Thanks Jennikay so glad that you had a good time.
We have got bikes – it sounds like it huge if you are 30 minutes walk away from so things. I love coffee so will get some from our local supermarket.

Just boring questions really – do I need to take tea towels, hand soap, loo rolls, bin bags etc. We have got a maid service so do they provide all those or do the just clean up? And do we need dish washer tablets?? Is there a freezer and is the fridge average sized??

Soz about all the questions

Ta
Aislinn x

 

[jennikay]

Just boring questions really – do I need to take tea towels, hand soap, loo rolls, bin bags etc. We have got a maid service so do they provide all those or do the just clean up? And do we need dish washer tablets?? Is there a freezer and is the fridge average sized??

Tea towels, hand soap, loo rolls, bin bags and dishwasher tablets are provided.
Normal towels are provided as well, but you still need to take towels for the swimming pool.
The maids clean up, set the dishwasher going if you want them to, and they empty the bins (and put new bin liners in.)

There are two average sized fridges on top of each other (so like a tall fridge freezer but both parts are fridges) and a wine cooler too (we used it for beer ). In each fridge there's a small freezer section.

Anything else? x

 

[aislinn]

Oh thanks very much for that Jennikay that’s been really useful. Busy putting the last bits together now.

Aislinn x

 

[aislinn]

Thanks for all the info everyone. Had a fabulous time at Sherwood centre parcs and would definitely go again.
It was really worth putting a thread on here I would recommend that you do it if going somewhere new.

Aislinn x

 

[hanloje]

Glad you had a great time!