Who Owns Centre Parks?

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Who is the new owner of Centre Parcs

Former F1 owner to enter £4bn race for Center Parcs resorts

• The former owner of is preparing to enter the £4bn race to snap up Center Parcs, the family holiday resorts group.
• CVC Capital Partners is poised to make an offer for the company’s six sites across the UK and Ireland later this month, weeks after the business was put up for sale.
• A private equity firm that also owns the RAC motoring group and a stake in Premiership Rugby, CVC is expected to table its bid through its Strategic Opportunities fund, which typically holds on to businesses for six to 15 years before selling them on.
• CVC already owns a British holiday parks operator, Away Resorts – with sites including Tattershall Lakes in Lincolnshire and Sandy Balls in the New Forest – after a £250m deal in 2021.
• The firm faces competition to buy Center Parcs’ sites from several infrastructure funds, including France’s Antin, according to Sky News, which first reported CVC’s interest.
• Center Parcs has been owned since 2015 by Brookfield Property Partners, part of the Canadian asset manager that counts former Bank of England governor Mark Carney as its chairman.

Brookfield hired bankers at Barclays, Bank of America and Eastdil Secured to manage the sale. Bids are expected to come in at the lower end of a previously reported £4bn to £5bn price range, Sky reported. If Brookfield can land a price towards the top end of the range, the firm would double the £2.4bn it paid the private equity group Blackstone for the UK business eight years ago.

1. Center Parcs operates in Europe – in Germany, the Netherlands, France and Belgium – under separate ownership.
2. Resorts including Center Parcs bounced back quickly from closures forced on them during the start of the Covid pandemic, with holidaymakers flocking to domestic resorts as international travel restrictions fuelled a staycation boom.
3. Center Parcs has five resorts in the UK and one in Ireland that are known for their range of activities – from treetop trekking and pantomimes to crazy golf and spas – and their sometimes eye-watering fees.

Its UK resorts are Elveden Forest in Suffolk; Whinfell Forest in Cumbria; Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire and Longleat Forest in Wiltshire. In Ireland, its site is at Longford Forest, near Ballymahon. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we’ll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties.

For more information see our, We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google and apply. after newsletter promotion If CVC were to land Center Parcs, it would increase private equity ownership of the UK’s domestic holiday park market. Bourne Leisure, which includes caravan park operator Haven Holidays, was bought by Blackstone for about £3bn in January 2021.

After snapping up Away Resorts later the same year, CVC then bought up Aria Resorts and Coppergreen Leisure to combine the businesses. Center Parcs has been operating in the UK since 1987 when it opened in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. The group’s roots can be traced to 1967 when a Dutch businessman, Piet Derksen, opened a campsite at De Lommerbergen, called Sporthuis Centrum.

Is Center Parcs public or private

Center Parcs UK and Ireland

Logo used since 1996
Formerly	Center Parcs UK
Type	Private limited company
Industry	Hospitality and Leisure
Founded	1987 (first UK village) 2001 (separation from Center Parcs in continental Europe)

How much is Centre Parcs worth?

One of the UK’s most popular family holiday park chains, Centre Parcs, has been put up for sale by its owners. Canadian company Brookfield bought the business for around £2.4 billion in 2015. It’s now understood that the private equity firm is looking to raise up to double that amount – between £4 billion and £5 billion – from the sale of Centre Parcs UK and Ireland, according to the Financial Times.

1. Center Parcs runs six holiday villages across the UK and Ireland which attract more than two million visitors every year.
2. The parks are particularly popular with families as they offer a range of activities on-site, including waterparks and cycle routes, however some families have complained about rising holiday prices in recent years.

Read more: The underrated city 85 minutes from Birmingham nicknamed ‘the cheaper Paris’ One mum recently took to Twitter to complain after finding that an all-inclusive holiday to Gran Canaria was cheaper than a week in a Center Parcs lodge. Claire Lock said: “We love @CenterParcsUK but they are the absolute worse for their price hikes.

We’re going on an all inclusive holiday to Gran Canaria last week of July – only £100 more than just a lodge would be for the same week. Madness.” The nearest parks to Birmingham are located in Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire and Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. The latter was the first location opened in the UK in 1987.

There are also holiday villages at Elveden Forest, Longleat Forest and Whinfell Forest. In 2019, the brand opened its first site in Ireland, with Center Parcs Longford Forest, close to the town of Ballymahon in County Longford. The Financial Times said that Brookfield had appointed investment bankers to sound out potential buyers, including other private equity firms.

If a sale goes through, it would be one of the biggest property deals of the year. At the end of last year Center Parcs said occupancy rates were at 97.3%, and broadly in line with pre-Covid levels. The company reported revenue of £426.6m between April and December 2022 – up 20% on 2021, and an 18% increase the 2019 pre-pandemic year.

BirminghamLive has contacted Center Parcs for comment. Read next:

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Does Blackstone own Center Parcs?

Brookfield paid Blackstone £2.4 billion to acquire Center Parcs eight years ago. It has been exploring a sale to try to cash in on the group’s strong exit from the pandemic. Center Parcs’ occupancy is up at 98 per cent, meaning it is effectively full this summer.

Did Center Parcs get sold?

The owner of Center Parcs is said to be rushing to complete a sale after it was revealed the UK holiday resorts chain had passed the deadline for its final bid without any formal offers being made. The Financial Times reported three remaining bidders, private equity groups Antin Infrastructure Partners and KSL Capital Partners (who bought the parent company of Pig hotels in April 2022) and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC, did not make formal offers, despite being expected to have submitted second-round bids by the end of last month.

1. The paper added advisers to Brookfield, the Canadian private equity group that put the resort up for sale with a price tag of almost £5b this May, are in the process of building a consortium of bidders to spread the cost of the deal, dubbed ‘Project Redwood’.
2. Brookfield first bought the business in 2015 from US private equity firm Blackstone for £2.4b.

It comes after Center Parcs announced it continues to search for a suitable site for a holiday village in the south-east of England last month, despite previous plans being scrapped. The holiday parks also reported a record year of trading, with revenue up 18% over the 12 months to 20 April 2023.

How much does Centre Parcs make a year?

In 2022/2023, the revenue of Center Parcs in the United Kingdom totaled roughly 594 million British pounds, marking an increase of around 90 million British pounds compared to the previous fiscal year.

What are the disadvantages of Center Parcs

We went to try out the new Center Parcs, not to compare it with others we have visited in the past. We read no reviews prior to going. However, once there, we could not help comparing it (usually unfavourably) with Longleat in particular and, coming home, we share many of the views expressed by other reviewers.

1. Pros: it was nice to have a new Lodge, which was clean and comfortable.
2. Because we chose in advance, we had a Lodge on the end which was not overlooked.
3. The Parc is simple to get around, because of its small size.
4. Restaurants, especially Café Rouge, were pleasant and the waiter at La Strada was excellent.

Cons: I have to start with the Subtropical Swimming Paradise – which was a total disappointment. Crowded, even before the school holidays, noisy, nowhere to swim, nowhere to relax, shallow water and a Lazy River that should be renamed Crazy River. The planners obviously put a lot more thought into the rides and flumes than they did into the Pool area, which used to be the trademark of Center Parcs.

Our three hours at the Aqua Sana were bliss in comparison with the Paradise! Bare areas around Lodges will, one hopes, disappear in time but the steep hills will remain. Too many bikes on too few paths. We, like others, were constantly looking over our shoulders to avoid being run down. We also thought the Plaza area was.

We went to try out the new Center Parcs, not to compare it with others we have visited in the past. We read no reviews prior to going. However, once there, we could not help comparing it (usually unfavourably) with Longleat in particular and, coming home, we share many of the views expressed by other reviewers.

1. Pros: it was nice to have a new Lodge, which was clean and comfortable.
2. Because we chose in advance, we had a Lodge on the end which was not overlooked.
3. The Parc is simple to get around, because of its small size.
4. Restaurants, especially Café Rouge, were pleasant and the waiter at La Strada was excellent.

Cons: I have to start with the Subtropical Swimming Paradise – which was a total disappointment. Crowded, even before the school holidays, noisy, nowhere to swim, nowhere to relax, shallow water and a Lazy River that should be renamed Crazy River. The planners obviously put a lot more thought into the rides and flumes than they did into the Pool area, which used to be the trademark of Center Parcs.

Our three hours at the Aqua Sana were bliss in comparison with the Paradise! Bare areas around Lodges will, one hopes, disappear in time but the steep hills will remain. Too many bikes on too few paths. We, like others, were constantly looking over our shoulders to avoid being run down. We also thought the Plaza area was bleak and unattractive and could have been softened by some planting to echo the Forest concept.

The present owners have stripped the Center Parcs concept of its original charm and have replaced it with gimmicks. That’s fine if that is the kind of break guests looking for, but don’t try to hide it behind the defunct “escape to the forest” image. More Show less

Has anyone bought Center Parcs?

Center Parcs UK and Ireland has been put up for sale for a reported £4bn to £5bn, nearly double what it was first bought for just eight years ago. It follows a story reported by Sky News last year that Barclays had been appointed to advise on the future of the upmarket holiday villages.

1. The chain of six Center Parcs locations in the UK and Ireland is owned by Canadian private equity group Brookfield Property Partners.
2. It was bought for £2.4bn in 2015.
3. If a sale goes through, it would be one of the biggest property deals of the year.
4. Center Parcs is one of the most famous British leisure brands, attracting millions of visitors annually to its five UK sites and one Irish location in Longford.

At the end of last year, Center Parcs reported occupancy rates of 97.3%, in line with pre-COVID levels. The company booked revenue of £426.6m between April and December 2022, up 20% on 2021, and an 18% increase the 2019 pre-pandemic year. The sites offer a mix of adventure and leisure activities for families, such as watersports and horse riding, as well as spa packages. Image: Center Parcs in Longleat. The first site was opened in the UK in 1987 at Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire. Other UK locations are Elveden Forest in Suffolk; Longleat Forest in Wiltshire; Whinfell Forest in Cumbria; and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire.

• Earlier this year Center Parcs announced it was pulling out of plans to develop a new holiday village in Crawley, West Sussex, following “rigorous environmental and ecological site surveys”.
• The UK and Ireland operations are separately owned by Center Parcs in Europe which also trades under the brand.

Center Parcs and Brookfield declined to comment.

What is the Dutch version of Centre Parcs

Thanks to our writer Gaia for this review which is based on a visit in December 2022. Hof van Saksen – Centre Parcs Alternative in the Netherlands We spent 4 nights at Hof van Saksen in a child-friendly farmhouse. We loved it, they’d thought of everything and the kids had so much fun. Our highlights included:

Luxury family resort in the Netherlands Child-friendly accommodation with bunk beds, cots, toys and games A Starbucks in the soft play (which also serves beer and wine!) Really nice, warm swimming pools with lots of fun water slides Lots of food options, we especially loved the takeaway pizzas Loads to do including clip ‘n’ climb, trampolining, bowling, lasertag, crazy golf Pretty nearby villages Rolde & Gieten are worth a visit for shopping and sightseeing

Getting There KLM operates 3 flights a day to Amsterdam Schiphol airport from Newcastle International. Flights normally costs us about £600 for a family of 4, booking a few months in advance. You can also take a ferry from North Shields to Amsterdam if you want to bring your car.

Hof van Saksen is a 3 hour drive from Amsterdam airport. If you’re travelling by public transport it’ll take about 3-4 hours, travelling by train to Assen train station, and then a bus which drops you off right outside the resort. The train station is underneath the airport and you can buy tickets in advance or on the day.

The Resort Your keycard and check in information is posted out to you and you can access your accommodation from 3pm on the day so there’s no need to check in. You can also book onto activities a day or two before you arrive and its worth downloading the app to plan your visit. The staff were all very friendly and good with our large group with 4 children aged between 4 and 8, giving them colouring pencils and showing them to the lego wall – this is at the back of the restaurant and is great for kids to play with while waiting for food to arrive, our kids loved it. We stayed in a 8 person children’s farmhouse, which was fantastic for our 2 families of 4. There is a large living room with two seating areas and TV’s so kids and adults can watch different things, a little table with games and kids armchairs and a playpen which is ideal if you’ve got a baby (there is also ‘newborn’ accommodation which is fully kitted out for tiny babies. There’s also a big dining table seating 8 and a kitchen, as well as a downstairs loo. The kids were happy to find boxes of toys, some of which were for the sandpit which is on the patio behind the house. Our house (693) also had a small playground behind it, and it would be perfect to sit on the patio while the kids played in the playground in the spring and summer months. The kitchen has a Nespresso and a filter coffee machine and is fully stocked with utensils, crockery, cutlery, pots and pans. There is one kids bedroom with bunk beds and an adjoining room with a cot, changing table and nappy bin. Then there are two double bedrooms and a twin. We found it ideal for two families as there are two bedrooms and two bathrooms at separate ends of the house, so you have separation when you need it (and the kids don’t keep each other up at night!) but there’s plenty of space to play, eat, relax together downstairs. You can drive your car to your accommodation and unpack it, then you’re asked to park in the main car park as they are a green resort and this makes it very safe for children to run around. Food & Drink There are lots of great places to eat at Hof van Saksen. There’s the Grand Café, an Italian restaurant, a snack bar serving fast food, a self service restaurant, a pool bar and a pizza takeaway. We had an evening meal in the Grand Café, which is a beautiful restaurant with a relaxed feel and of course it has the lego wall which the kids loved. I had sate skewers, which are always a safe bet in Holland and tasted good. Main courses cost about 25-30 euros and all come with chips and salad, although they only brought a few sides out and told us to ask for more when they were finished (which we did!). Kids meals were good, the hot dog especially got a big thumbs up. We also popped in for hot chocolates and cake on our last day, the Dutch apple tart is unmissable! The Italian restaurant was only open one of the nights we were there as we went mid-week in the winter. We didn’t end up going but it looked nice and the pizza/pastas there are around 15 euros. Instead we ordered pizzas from the on-site shop which makes them fresh, and they were delicious (10-15 euros a pizza). The shop on site is called ‘Noordermarkt’ and it is a very handy little supermarket which also sells freshly prepared poké bowls, waffles, ice creams and pizzas. They will also deliver food and groceries to your house including fresh bread in the morning, or a full continental breakfast if you like and things like a Gourmet arrangement, which is very popular in Holland and involves everyone around the table cooking their own meat on a hot plate, kind of like a mini indoor BBQ. There’s also a Starbucks, which was very much appreciated in the mornings. The softplay is massive, there’s something for all ages including a baby section. There is also a Clip ‘n’ Climb, which you need to book but you don’t have to book the softplay. We booked trampolining for the under 6’s (they have seperate sessions for older ones) and they had lots of fun while we sat on sofas drinking coffee. Bowling & arcade There’s a bowling alley next to the soft play and an arcade with a big screen TV and comfy cinema-style seating for teens. We booked 2 lanes for a group of 12 of us and went bowling, it was great fun for some and frustrating for others! I for one would have preferred to have the bumper lanes up all the time, rather than changing depending on the age of the player, but you cant have it all. I did score one strike, so all was OK. One of the lanes was a little glitchy and kept getting stuck, but chucking another ball down it seemed to solve that problem. Mini Golf & Foot Golf There is a mini gold course and foot golf dotted around the park. Mini golf costs extra. The dads and kids in our group had a go at this and all had fun.

1. Meanwhile my sister and I visited a local town called Gieten to pick up supplies and had a lovely time.
2. If you go make sure you check out the cheese shop, it was lush! Swimming pool The swimming pool is incredible, with several different (warm!) pools for kids and adults.
3. There’s a couple of large jacuzzis and lots of toys for little ones.

But the big highlight for us was the water slides! There’s 4 of them, one of which you can go on with 4 people in a big inflatable and was the scariest/best. It goes downhill very fast at one point which was terrifying and then it goes up and down the walls of a big tornado shaped dome, we loved it. The other flumes are fun too and we were lucky that we didn’t have to queue. There’s also a wild water rapids which goes outdoors and which you just float along, I found it a bit stressful with a 4 year old as we kept sliding around and getting dunked underwater.

It would benefit from being on inflatables rather than just swimming along it I think. They were great at measuring the kids and giving them wristbands depending on which slides they were tall enough to go down. My 8 year old could go down all of them and my niece who’s nearly 6 could go on half. The 4 year old could only go on the lazy river.

Non swimmers have to wear armbands. Spa There’s a spa onsite which we didn’t get a chance to use but my sister did last time they visited and had a great massage. There are extensive sauna facilities and you can enjoy a meal in the spa. In Holland all spas are naked (!) You can wear a towel. The kids had a lot of fun on the wooden obstacle course, pirate ship and climbing the tower to go down the slides. We had a nice walk around the lake and took the pont across, which involved pulling a raft across the water by pulling on a rope – good exercise and no-one fell in! Art and cooking academies There are lots of different arty classes and craft rooms for all ages.

Bigger kids can sew fun projects in the Fashion Academy, book onto a cookie baking class or make wooden dinosaur models in the technology workshop. Little ones can colour in and paint, with their parents. Football Academy Leon loved having a session with the football coaches and other kids at the onsite football Academy.

There are too many activities to list at Hof van Saksen – archery, lasertag, an escape room, bike hire, hut building and much more. We couldn’t fit it all into our 4 nights stay but we really enjoyed what we did do. Babysitting They offer babysitting for a charge but there’s no kids club at Hof van Saksen.

• Art There is lots of modern art dotted around the resort and you can get a map from reception to go on an art trail.
• We loved the big red dog wearing wellies and the Pegasus.
• I’d recommend this as a great place to spend quality time with your loved ones, with lots to keep everyone entertained.
• The facilities are so good and everything is very well maintained.

They’ve really thought about children and what they need, as well as what their parents want from a holiday. We’re already planning our return trip next year! Find out more and book here. PS – Just a note from Sam. I have travelled to the Netherlands a few times now and only know a very limited amount of Dutch.

Driving your car in the Netherlands – my first time experience & tips Groningen, the Netherlands – a review The Ultimate Guide to Staying at Duinrell A Weekend Break at Efteling Choosing the best Center Parcs Resort in the Netherlands Spending May Half Term in the Netherlands on a budget Top tips for taking the DFDS ferry to Holland

Is there a luxury Centre Parcs?

A luxury break for a special occasion Play Whether you’re looking for an indulgent weekend getaway or a relaxing longer holiday, discover luxury lodge breaks at Center Parcs and treat your loved ones to an unforgettable adventure in the forest. Switch off and put your feet up in our unique luxury lodges, equipped with all the bells and whistles to become your serene self-catering sanctuary for a few days.

Is Centre Parcs 5 star?

How to get to Center Parcs Europe. Our 5 star Holiday villages in Belgium, Holland, Germany and France are easily reachable, check the below distances to select the best route for your trip. Early booking discount: maximize your advantage by booking well in advance!

How much does it cost to build Centre Parcs?

The completed Center Parcs Woburn Forest is a £250 million development, one of the largest leisure projects in the UK. The project includes the construction of accommodation, indoor and outdoor facilities, a sub-tropical swimming complex, restaurants and a spa.

Which is the oldest Center Parcs?

The story of Center Parcs is one that has many chapters, and many pages still to fill. Whilst we have been operating in the UK since 1987, the story of Center Parcs really began in 1968, near the village of Reuver in The Netherlands. A Dutch businessman, named Piet Derksen, opened a holiday village at De Lommerbergen, called Sporthuis Centrum – with accommodation in the form of tents, this was a far cry from the Center Parcs we know today.

But this was the first step on the Center Parcs journey. As the business evolved and grew, tents became lodges and Sporthuis Centrum became Center Parcs. By 1987, when the first village opened in the UK, there were already Center Parcs villages in The Netherlands, Belgium and France. The first village in the UK, Center Parcs Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, opened in 1987, closely followed by Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Suffolk, which opened in 1989.

Six years later, Center Parcs Longleat Forest in Wiltshire was added to the family. In 2001, the business purchased Oasis Lakeland Holiday Village, in Cumbria, and renamed it Center Parcs Whinfell Forest. In the same year, owners Scottish & Newcastle split the business into two separate enterprises – Center Parcs Europe and Center Parcs UK.

Center Parcs UK was bought by Deutsche Bank Capital Partners, before being floated on the stock market in 2003. In 2006, private equity firm The Blackstone Group bought Center Parcs UK and, in response to increased demand, in 2012 construction started on a fifth UK village, Center Parcs Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, which opened in 2014.

In 2015, after nine years of ownership, The Blackstone Group sold the business to Brookfield Property Partners. In the same year, it was announced that the business intended to expand to Ireland and had found a site in County Longford, with construction beginning on Center Parcs Longford Forest in 2017.

The sixth village (and first village in Ireland) opened in 2019 but, less than a year after opening, Center Parcs Longford Forest and the five UK villages were forced to close in March 2020 due to the global coronavirus pandemic. This sparked the first-ever closure of all villages in the history of the business, and it would be 2021 before all six villages fully re-opened.

In 2021, the business announced plans for a major expansion of Center Parcs Longford Forest, adding 200 additional lodges to the hugely successful village. Whilst a lot may have changed since 1968, the underlying ethos of the business has remained the same.

Who owns most of Blackstone?

Top 10 Owners of Blackstone Inc

Stockholder	Stake	Shares owned
The Vanguard Group, Inc.	6.48%	45,997,830
Capital Research & Management Co	4.55%	32,309,237
BlackRock Fund Advisors	3.38%	23,981,782
Capital Research & Management Co	2.99%	21,210,884

Who is CEO of Centre Parcs UK?

Center Parcs UK’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer is Colin McKinlay. Center Parcs UK’s key executives include Colin McKinlay and 8 others.

What is happening with Center Parcs?

Latest News Read the most up-to-date news from across our six villages.

15 June 2021 Center Parcs intends to submit a planning application for a significant investment to further develop its resort in County Longford. 23 February 2021 The five UK villages are set to reopen from 12th April. 08 December 2020 Center Parcs will temporarily reopen Center Parcs Longford Forest to welcome families for festive short breaks. 08 December 2020 The business has had to adapt its seasonal plans in line with national guidance around the coronavirus pandemic. 03 December 2020 The awards are a yearly highlight in Ireland’s beauty awards calendar and recognise the best of the industry. 16 September 2020 ​Center Parcs has opened four luxury Treehouses at its Whinfell Forest village in Cumbria, offering breathtaking views of the forest surroundings. 09 September 2020 The beverage packs have been distributed to children’s hospices, food banks, NHS trusts and local emergency services. 18 August 2020 The seven-figure sum is the largest amount Center Parcs has ever raised for a charity partner. 05 August 2020 Since opening its doors in July 2019, Center Parcs has welcomed more than 140,000 guests, with 14% of guests having already booked to return. 10 July 2020 In line with updated government guidance, the Subtropical Swimming Paradise will reopen with new safety measures in place. 25 June 2020 The announcement comes after all five UK villages closed their doors on Friday 20th March in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, with Longford Forest in Ireland closing a week earlier. 02 March 2020 Longford’s popular new tourist destination wins accolade at Great Place to Work awards. 09 January 2020 Aqua Sana Longleat Forest has unveiled its brand-new Forest Spa, bringing together 24 spa experiences to harness the proven benefits of forest bathing. 18 November 2019 Aqua Sana Woburn Forest and Aqua Sana Whinfell Forest were also finalists in the Best Day Spa and Best Spa for Customer Service categories. 08 November 2019 A festive playground awaits – with 57,600 twinkly lights, three tonnes of snow, 90 Christmas trees and a spectacular light and sound show on the resort’s lake, families are certain to feel the magic this Christmas. 26 September 2019 Relax and rejuvenate amongst an abundance of spa experiences and treatment rooms at Aqua Sana, Ireland’s largest stand-alone spa. 26 September 2019 Staverton-based dad and daughter Andy and Ellie De’Ath have shown nerves of steel by taking on a skydive, raising more than £2,500 in aid of a local children’s hospices charity and national charity, Together for Short Lives. 25 September 2019 Six-week-old kitten Archie was hand-reared by Center Parcs’ Red Squirrel Ranger. 30 July 2019 After months of anticipation, Center Parcs Longford Forest has officially launched, offering the nation a glimpse of what families can expect to enjoy and experience at the resort. 05 July 2019 An Taoiseach, Mr. Leo Varadkar T.D., officially marked the completion of the landmark €233 million forest resort; Center Parcs Longford Forest. Following an almost two-year construction process Center Parcs Longford Forest has been delivered on schedule and within budget. 12 June 2019 The long-awaited forest resort will officially open on Monday 29th July, in time for summer short breaks. 29 May 2019 Center Parcs won the award for Best Scheme to Encourage Staff Fundraising (long term partners) at the 2019 Better Society Awards. 01 May 2019 A significant construction milestone has been achieved as the forest resort nears its summer opening. 14 March 2019 From Asian to Italian and not to mention the very best of Irish cuisine, Center Parcs Longford Forest will cater to all tastes when it opens this summer 05 March 2019 The Tropical Cyclone ride is just one part of a £15m investment project in Sherwood Forest’s Subtropical Swimming Paradise, which also includes new family and toddler water play areas. 30 January 2019 The five UK sites achieved scores of between 90% and 98%, rating them as ‘Excellent’ under the VisitEngland criteria. 30 January 2019 The final two members of the senior management team have now been appointed. 21 November 2018 With family time at the heart of what they do, both organisations are committed to raising money and awareness for the charity and the families they help. 15 November 2018 Irish mother and son Lego artist duo unveil the 55,667 brick model that showcases all that Ireland’s largest waterpark will offer Irish families 14 November 2018 The Regional Awards went to the most highly-rated spas in each area based on the Spa Spies’ reviews, Bubble Ratings and audits. 22 October 2018 The Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark is the only standard that certifies management of business landholdings for wildlife. 12 October 2018 Thousands of job seekers attended the first of Center Parcs’ recruitment information days in Longford, officially opened by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys, T.D. 23 August 2018 From Aerial Adventure and Laser Combat to Archery or Indoor Climbing, there is something for even the most adventurous of families, while those with a creative spark can let their imagination take the lead with some Cupcake Decorating or Willow Weaving. 30 July 2018 The first lodge has been completed at Center Parcs Longford Forest, marking a key milestone in the resort’s development as it prepares to open its doors to Irish families in summer 2019. The Woodland Lodge is the first of 466 lodges to be completed in the unique and beautiful forest. 09 July 2018 The Treehouses, one of which is specially adapted for wheelchair access, have been designed to embrace the forest, which is reflected throughout the interior. 05 July 2018 Keelings, Heaney Meats, Lynas Foodservice and Henderson Foodservice have been selected as premium food partners. 15 May 2018 The Waterside Lodges are the first type of Center Parcs accommodation to be situated on the water’s edge of the main lake. 11 May 2018 Center Parcs has announced the awarding of the first tranche of large scale supplier contracts, worth over €1 million, to Irish companies as the development of its’ first Center Parcs forest resort in Ireland continues at pace. 10 May 2018 Shepreth Hedgehog Hospital has worked closely with Center Parcs since 2015, when Woburn Forest was recognised as an oficial hedgehog release site due to its well cared for natural environment. 20 February 2018 Research has revealed the impact technology is having on family time, with children in Ireland spending an average of three hours per day using technological devices. 12 December 2017 Fagan Office Supplies, based in Mullingar, have been chosen as the office furniture supplier for the site. 08 December 2017 Research has revealed that 1.5 million British adults only see their immediate family once a year – for Christmas Day. 05 December 2017 As construction activity on the much anticipated €233m Center Parcs Longford Forest resort in County Longford ramps up, the company has formally awarded two major construction contracts to Dublin based construction firm John Sisk & Son. 16 November 2017 Aqua Sana Sherwood Forest opened its new Forest Spa design to guests in April 2017, showcasing the result of a two year reinvention project and more than £3m investment. 06 November 2017 The awards bring together 30 champions to celebrate bee-friendly initiatives, from playgrounds to parks and farms to famous shopping streets. 11 September 2017 New research has revealed that red squirrels are becoming a rarer sight for Britons than feared, with over half of children also admitting they have never seen one. 16 August 2017 Ellie helped unveil the new water rides Tropical Cyclone and Typhoon. 01 August 2017 Andy De’Ath will pedal 575km across tough American terrain over five days to raise money for Together for Short Lives. 05 July 2017 Officially confirmed by the Tree Register of the British Isles, the Giant Redwood measures up at 58m. 29 June 2017 Martin Dalby, CEO of Center Parcs, was on hand to officially open the new woodland footpath at Newcastle Wood, Ballymahon – another key milestone for Center Parcs in the local community. 22 June 2017 Tales that form the backbone of British culture and heritage might never be heard again, as research reveals that nearly a quarter of the nation can’t name even one story from folklore. 20 June 2017 Center Parcs has signed a contract with Gas Networks Ireland to extend the natural gas network to its new holiday village at Newcastle Wood, Ballymahon, Co. Longford. 26 April 2017 Having undergone the biggest refurbishment in the spa’s history, it has been completely transformed into a forest escape, inspired by its beautiful natural setting. 05 April 2017 Center Parcs has announced the appointment of Daragh Feighery as the first General Manager of Center Parcs Longford Forest, near Ballymahon, County Longford. 23 February 2017 Center Parcs has awarded its first major contract to Limerick-based Roadbridge Civil Engineering & Building Contractors. This comes following a competitive tendering process for Center Parcs Longford Forest. 13 January 2017 The ‘Cult of Busy’ has now infiltrated to our children, as primary school aged children are ‘working’ – either in school or scheduled activities – for up to 46 hours a week, nine hours more than the UK adult average of 37 hours. 11 October 2016 Aqua Sana Woburn Forest has been shortlisted for ‘Best Spa for a Day’, Aqua Sana Longleat Forest for ‘Best Spa for Groups’ and Aqua Sana Whinfell Forest for ‘Best Spa for Value’. 06 September 2016 The winning treehouse was built by the Jennings family from Norwich, as a joint project between dad Matthew and his six-year-old-daughter Ruby, with mum Becki acting as assistant. 27 July 2016 The company plans to develop a 395 acre site near Ballymahon in County Longford into what will be its sixth village. 05 July 2016 The accommodation has been expertly designed to encompass the key elements that are core to the Center Parcs experience: high quality; a sensitivity to the environment and nature; and a stunning base from which to have unforgettable family adventures together. 15 June 2016 The exciting new partnership will see these two organisations raising awareness and funds nationally through Center Parcs guest donations, which will be matched by the company, and raising funds locally for hospices close to the villages. 02 March 2016 The Professional Beauty Awards are the most prestigious and established awards scheme for the beauty, spa, nails and aesthetics markets, recognising those who make a real difference to the industry. 08 February 2016 The stack consisted of 213 pancakes and measured 101.8cm. 30 October 2015 Less than two years after the hugely successful opening of its fifth village, Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire, Center Parcs has submitted a formal planning application for a new village in Ireland. 07 September 2015 The holiday village will create approximately 750 jobs during construction and employ up to 1,000 people in permanent jobs once operational. 02 June 2015 Blackstone (NYSE: BX) and Brookfield Property Partners L.P. (NYSE: BPY; TSX: BPY.UN) announce that a Brookfield-managed fund has agreed to acquire Center Parcs UK for an undisclosed sum from funds managed by Blackstone’s private equity and real estate businesses. 01 June 2015 The village has become an important part of the community, with more than 90% of staff living within 15 miles of Woburn Forest and approximately 40 local businesses working with the village as suppliers. 02 April 2015 Center Parcs, a leader in the UK family short break market, has announced plans to develop a holiday village at Newcastle Wood, five kilometres from Ballymahon, County Longford, and 21 kilometres from junction 9 (Athlone) of the M6 motorway from Dublin to Galway. 28 July 2014 In the 25 years Elveden Forest has been open, the forest has been transformed from a commercial woodland with very little ecological value to a thriving forest with a wide variety of plants and animals. 13 July 2014 Longleat Forest has had a significant impact on the local area since arriving 20 years ago, bringing local employment opportunities as well as a £20m boost to the local economy each year. 04 June 2014 The new village is set within 362 acres of forest in Bedfordshire and builds on Center Parcs’ 27 years of experience and commitment to providing great family breaks. 04 June 2014 Offering a truly relaxing experience with six unique, nature-inspired spas to journey through, this new, state-of-the-art spa is the first of its kind in Europe. 18 March 2014 More than 6,000 tropical plants will be arriving at Woburn Forest during the spring, with 4,800 of those earmarked for the Subtropical Swimming Paradise in the Village Square. 10 February 2014 The recruitment drive started in July 2013 for 1,500 positions, including roles with on-site restaurants and retailers. 10 July 2013 As its three year partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity came to a very successful end in May, Center Parcs is now delighted to be supporting two new charity partners, ChildLine and The Wildlife Trusts. 09 June 2013 The design showcases the tropical environment and family-friendly experience that the Subtropical Swimming Paradise will offer. 24 April 2013 Six Center Parcs Directors cycled 125 miles – from the company Head Office in Nottinghamshire to the new site at Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire – to push Center Parcs’ overall fundraising total to £500,000. 01 March 2012 Center Parcs Woburn Forest is expected to open in spring 2014. Construction will commence in the coming months and will be one of the largest projects of its type in Britain for many years. 29 December 2011 The secret to Center Parcs’ 25 years of success has been the evolving facilities, high quality accommodation and variety of family activities to ensure the best experience is provided every time. 11 November 2010 This represents final approval of the detailed designs of buildings and landscapes, as well as local sourcing, employment strategies and a green travel plan.

: Latest News

What happened in Center Parcs?

Image caption, Wiltshire Police are working alongside HM Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon following the incident Police say there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of a young child at a Center Parcs on Christmas Eve.

Wiltshire Police are now working alongside the coroner to establish the circumstances surrounding his death. “Our thoughts remain with the family at this difficult time,” said the force in a statement released on Monday. Officers attended the leisure complex at Longleat Forest in Wiltshire in support of the South Western Ambulance Service at about 11:00 GMT on 24 December.

Image source, Center Parcs Image caption, The BBC was told the incident happened in the resort’s subtropical swimming pool Wiltshire Police said “a post-mortem will take place in due course”, but added that “at this time there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances”.

1. Holidaymakers said they were told the resort’s sub-tropical swimming pool was closed due to a “serious medical incident”.
2. One person staying at Center Parcs for Christmas told the PA news agency: “Thankfully we didn’t see anything.
3. We noticed a big crowd all leaving the plaza.
4. We were headed back to our lodge to have lunch before swimming.

I checked my phone and saw the pool was closed due to an incident. “Obviously that’s all we knew originally. “The plaza is all open, the parc market, gift shops, etc – there is just a temporary barrier across the entrance to the pool itself.” Image caption, No further information about the nature of the incident has been disclosed Center Parcs issued a statement on the day which said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic news that a young guest has passed away at Longleat Forest today.

Why is Centre Parcs so popular?

An army of Sweaty Betty-clad mothers with vanilla lattes, searching for the nearest baby changing area; a sea of children pestering their fathers for another round of crazy golf; ten-pin bowling; endless sourdough pizza. This could be your nightmare of suburban Middle England – or it could be a postcard from any of Center Parc’s six holiday villages around the UK and Ireland this summer.

And if you’re thinking of going, don’t bother – the villages are fully booked, despite reports the famous brand has been put up for sale, for a reported £4 billion to £5 billion, by its Canadian owners. Since it first raised the barrier to UK visitors in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, in 1987, Center Parcs has been the go-to for middle-class British families in search of nature, childcare, all-day bars and no maritals about who’s driving.

You leave your car at the barrier on arrival, and then you walk, or cycle, or zip-wire your way around the glorified holiday camp. Since 1987, five more sites have been created: in Whinfell Forest (Cumbria), Elveden Forest (Suffolk), Woburn Forest (Bedfordshire) and Longleat Forest (Wiltshire).

• There’s also a Center Parcs in Longford Forest, Ireland.
• All are conveniently near a major motorway or commuter hub, sounds of which are muffled by the foliage.
• If the reported sale is successful it would be one of the biggest property deals of the year – Canadian private equity group Brookfield Property Partners bought the chain of six locations in the UK and Ireland for £2.4 billion in 2015.

It’s unlikely families will be deterred by the news – as May half term and the summer holidays approach they will surely continue to travel to the sites in their droves, keen to check out what is not a variation on a theme, but a holiday experience that offers no surprises.

That’s one of the reasons Center Parcs boasts a loyal customer base, with more than half of its visitors returning within five years. The group pulls in 2.1 million guests each year and has a 97 per cent occupancy rate in all its villages. Most budgets are catered for, from tight to bottomless: starting prices for a four-night break range from £379 to £2,399 for a family of four.

Center Parcs claims that nowhere else can rival “the scale, choice and quality that we offer”. It amounts to middle-class holiday nirvana, if you read starry-eyed online reviews from those who’ve had “the best staycation ever” and say it’s “totally enjoyable for families” and ignore the killjoys who claim the pleasure zone is “overpriced” – the experience “itinerary-driven” and “soulless”.

So what is the experience, and what is all this “scale, choice and quality” doing to the nation’s understanding of holidays in the great outdoors? It’s making them fun, tame, and clean; no danger of white jeans getting mud on them or the pony trekkers getting lost. The trouble is, kids lucky enough to be dropped off at one of the many activity centres might grow up thinking that the great outdoors is one giant playground.

Others see Center Parcs as the UK’s answer to Disneyland. “Each village offers over 150 different activities for all ages, both indoor and outdoor,” explains a spokesperson as on-message as a cheery Disney employee. Like Disneyland, the thrills and spills don’t come cheap at Center Parcs, whether it’s bowling, wild water rapids, or quad biking.

While visits to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, cycling, and walking all come without cost, the price tag to filling your days with the likes of paintballing (from £36.50), badminton (from £8.75) and pottery painting (£5.75) soon tots up. Even nature walks come at a price. It is £8 for an organised nature walk in the already rather organised natural surroundings.

Perish the thought that you muster the courage to look at a map. It’s £48 for 90 minutes of den building – a handy skill for any age group – and while some might argue that there’s a forest out there with plenty of material to do it yourself, paying someone to show you how to balance a few sticks against each other turns nature into an event.

1. The Center Parcs experience is about cutting down the risk of going slightly hungry, being caught out in the rain and of actual discomfort,” says explorer Benedict Allen, himself a father.
2. The great outdoors is reconfigured into a safer, cosier holiday in which you are guaranteed a positive result – the already risk-assessed bike ride, the age-suitable water slide.” For environmental psychologist and wellbeing consultant Lee Chambers, “a place like Center Parcs can certainly bring some of the benefits of the great outdoors without the uncertainty and discomfort some people perceive.” But, he says, “the challenge comes with the fact that these resorts still have structures that resemble human-made patterns of activities and routines, potentially making it harder to fully disconnect or embrace solitude.” There’s no wilderness at Center Parcs, only a pre-booked routine of “fun”.

Queues are part and parcel too, with spontaneity, like risk, in short supply. Center Parcs has everything under control, from the temperature of the swimming pool (a consistently balmy 29.5ºC) to the number of trees in its forests. Despite its vastness there’s very little room for failure.

“Center Parcs has always been about families getting away to a forest environment to spend quality time together and make lasting family memories,” says a Center Parcs spokesperson, as if the memories are ordered in advance, along with the shiny bicycles and the massage in the spa. Having the likes of Starbucks and a private spa therapist on tap might please those who can’t function without their daily frappucino or neck rub, but is it a realistic representation of a forest environment? There’s no need to answer that.

The bottom line is, your kids are not going to meet Bear Grylls on their way to the pony enclosure, or have a life-changing moment in numinous nature. “An increased chance of awe” is what you get in the wilderness,” says Chambers. It’s here that you learn how to ” tackle adversity as you navigate the extreme, and the increased separation from our everyday existence” and that’s “powerful”.

1. And very off-message.
2. There’s no untouched wilderness at Center Parcs, which is why parents keep coming back.
3. Safe, tamed nature is what they want, not sleepless nights as they worry about how safe their young kids or teenagers will be during their next adventure.
4. As for the next generation, their Disneyfied outdoor experience is bringing them up to expect to have life’s luxuries at their fingertips.

It’s a distorted reality that makes Benedict Allen shudder. Children, he says, will not only forego the agony of “learning to lumber with their inadequately-packed rucksack up an unforgiving incline, but all the rest of it too: the misery of the leaking tent, a night of shivering, the sand in the sandwiches.” Electric bikes are now as common as dinner reservations and if you’re not eating out, there are food delivery services on demand.

1. Allen calls for a reversal back to “real life” holidays.
2. I’m not proposing that everyone benefits from suffering, but that a holiday should be a learning opportunity.
3. Learning about yourself and the real world – how to seek out the good times, how to pick yourself up after a calamity – is rewarding.
4. It’s also real life, not fantasy – and probably cheaper.” There’s nothing calamitous or basic about a short break at Center Parcs.

“We have constantly evolved the accommodation over the years and we have a range of different lodge types and sizes, from our Woodland Lodges up to our Treehouses, there is something for everyone,” explains a Center Parcs spokesperson. By everyone, this means, anyone who can muster up a minimum of £1,899 for a last-minute four-night escape in a two-bedroom lodge in Longleat this half term.

1. However, for the price, the luxuries are undeniably impressive.
2. Spacious, stylish and modern” by design, there are endless hot tubs, treehouses with cinemas and games rooms, and more kitchen appliances than one frazzled parent knows what to do with.
3. And that’s if they choose to cook for themselves; they’d be more than welcome not to.

Over its six villages, Center Parcs has 11 brands of restaurants, offering recognisable high street chains that you’d struggle to find anywhere else outside of a major town or city. On Instagram, the authority in middle-class approval, #centerparcs currently notches up over 480,000 posts – a mixture of dogs lounging by fireplaces, selfies taken in spa dressing gowns and children looking cute in their cagoules.

Which Center Parcs is the most expensive

Which Center Parcs is cheapest? – We looked at prices for three different types of holiday at all five Center Parcs in England. Whinfell in Cumbria was the UK’s cheapest Center Parcs resort in our price comparison. Elveden Forest in Suffolk was second cheapest at about £80-£100 extra per holiday.

• Sherwood Forest was usually the mid-priced option.
• Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire was the second most expensive.
• The most expensive Center Parcs in the UK in our price comparison was usually Longleat Forest in Wiltshire.
• A week’s holiday during peak season cost £370 more at Longleat Forest than Whinfell in Cumbria,

If you’re interested, here are the full results: We searched for a family of four without pets, including two adults and two children (one aged 5, one aged 8). Our searches were carried out in October 2022. We didn’t include any optional extras, and just looked for the cheapest accommodation available which was always a two-bedroom woodland lodge.

Whinfell Forest – £1928 Elveden Forest – £2028 Sherwood Forest – £2158 Woburn Forest – £2228 Longleat Forest – £2298

A Friday to Monday break over the late April/early May Bank Holiday 2023, from cheapest to most expensive:

Whinfell Forest – £729 Elveden Forest – £799 Longleat Forest – £799 Sherwood Forest – £829 Woburn Forest – £879

A midweek break in October Half Term 2023, staying from Monday to Friday, from cheapest to most expensive:

Whinfell Forest – £1119 Elveden Forest – £1199 Sherwood Forest – £1299 Woburn Forest – £1299 Longleat Forest – £1399

Out of curiosity, we also looked up prices for Center Parcs Longford Forest in Ireland, which is owned by the same company. A week in August 2023 was from £2218 whilst a weekend over the early Bank Holiday in May was £835. Four nights in October Half Term was £1000.

Are Center Parcs worth it

For quite some time I’ve been thinking about whether we should go on a family holiday to Center Parcs, The reason that we’ve never done it before is a niggling doubt at the back of my mind, it just seems a lot of money for a short break. Plus, isn’t it just a fake version of what we do for real? I’ve never seen the attraction of paying a lot to spend time outdoors when we can do it so easily for free. The whole concept of Center Parcs “is to provide short breaks in the forest, bringing families together and back to nature with high quality accommodation, a range of outstanding leisure facilitiesand activities, all set within a protected and enhanced woodland environment”.

In order to answer the question whether Center Parcs is worth the money, it really depends on how much it costs you. As we’re both self employed and Finn isn’t yet at school, we could take advantage of a cheaper break. To give you an idea, our 4 night stay in a two bedroom executive lodge at Woburn Forest cost £329 in January, whereas if we took the same break in August it would cost £1299.

Accommodation The accommodation at Center Parcs is first class and it was well worth the price we paid. We stayed in lodge 729, which was in the central area at Woburn Forest. I paid a little bit extra to upgrade from a Woodland Lodge (the entry level standard) to an Executive Lodge and I’m glad we did. Woodland vs Executive Lodge Both Woodland and Executive Lodges have the same basic features.

Both have a TV and DVD player, a log burner, free wifi, fully equipped kitchen including dishwasher and microwave, a private patio with brick bbq stand and a cot and high chair. In addition, Executive Lodges have ensuite bathrooms, a hydrobath, a daily housekeeping service, wine cooler and coffee machine, as well as a TV and hairdryer in all bedrooms.

The three and four bedroom Executive Lodges have extra features, such as saunas and games rooms. It was a massive treat for Finn to have a TV in his bedroom! I was very impressed with our lodge. The kitchen featured a range of utensils, crockery, pans etc, which made self catering really easy. There was a handy freezer compartment in the fridge and I’m not going to lie, I made good use of the wine cooler! A cloth, sponge and tea towel is provided, as well as a few dishwasher tablets and a sachet of washing up liquid. The kitchens at Center Parcs have everything you need for a self catering break The open plan, modern accommodation is of a very high standard I was glad that we had two en-suite bathrooms as it made life easier, not least as it meant two towel rails for drying all the swimming kit. We had one en suite with a hydrobath, and this one with a shower. We didn’t use the patio, but it’s really nice to have your own private outdoor space, and I’m sure we would have loved to use it if we’d have visited in the summer. We did, however, love the log burner.

We bought some logs and it made our lodge very cosy in the evenings. Personal Touches One thing that Center Parcs does well is customer service. It’s not a cheap holiday, so a few personal touches are very welcome. We received a call on the first night to check that we were happy and the housekeeping service was fantastic and made the upgrade to an Executive Lodge worthwhile.

They called round every morning to see if we wanted the service and were always happy to come back at a more convenient time. They took out the rubbish and recycling, changed the towels, made beds and had a quick tidy up. One day we came back to find Finn’s cuddly toy reading a book on his bed, while Ollie’s toy dog was snuggled in his Grobag. There is a fantastic outdoor play area at Woburn Forest Each Center Parcs location features a Subtropical Swimming Paradise that is open all day and is free for residents. As you can imagine, we made good use of this during our stay! Although you can’t check in to your accommodation until 3 o’clock on arrival day, you can use the facilities from 10am. The Subtropical Swimming Paradise is the focal point of Center Parcs We went swimming four times, and found it perfect for the whole family. I didn’t take any photos inside as I don’t have a waterproof camera, plus I was trying to relax and enjoy my family time, without worrying about getting the kids to pose! At Woburn Forest, the Subtropical Swimming Paradise features a lazy river (Ollie’s favourite), outdoor rapids (my fave!), a toddler pool and a pirate ship play area (which Finn loved), as well as three flumes (Luke’s highlight).

I went on all the flumes and can say that they were all great fun-even if I screamed like a girl! We did pay for an extra two activities: tenpin bowling and adventure golf, which cost £42 in total.The bowling was good fun, and as you pay for time, rather than frames, it worked out good value for us as we managed a game and a half.

The adventure golf was less successful. The adventure golf was one of two activities that we paid for. We found ourselves sandwiched between a larger group and several smaller groups, hence we had to queue for every hole and then hurry to get out of the way of others behind us. For £20 it was a poor experience and I wouldn’t do it again.

I was hoping to be able to take our time, take photos and savour the experience, unfortunately this didn’t happen. Conclusion Center Parcs Woburn Forest is a lovely setting, we all had a lot of fun and I can absolutely see why it’s such a popular choice. It’s absolutely set up to make life easy for families.

There’s lots to keep the kids entertained: cots and high chairs in every lodge and play areas in every restaurant/bar. There’s even creches and babysitting available, not to mention plenty of baby changing and feeding rooms, plus microwaves and baby food stations throughout the complex. A Center Parcs is a great way to spend time outdoors as a family. With the swimming and walking around the site, it was a great way to increase our activity levels-I even managed two runs while we were there! After the excesses of Christmas, it was brilliant to get some fresh air and enjoy some quality time together.

We ended each day absolutely exhausted, to prove this the baby slept for about 10 hours after we got home! In my opinion, Center Parcs is worth the money, but (and it’s a big but!) only if you get a good deal. I’d be disappointed if I’d paid over £1k for this break. Having said that, I see why it works for certain families.

For example, it’s ideal if you want a multi generational holiday with a big group. Center Parcs also have some dog friendly accommodation if you want to enjoy a break with your canine pal. I can also see why it works for families who need accessible lodges and activities, as I imagine planning a holiday to suit a range of needs can be a challenge.

How many stars is Center Parcs

Operations and facilities – There are now 26 resorts in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany. Most villages are different, but some villages such as Bispinger Heide in Germany and Domaine Les Bois Francs in France (and many more) share the same Village Plaza design.

They have the same styled Aqua Mundo and Sports Plaza. Accommodation is in villas or bungalows, clustered in a park and surrounded by trees and bushes. An exception is Park Zandvoort, set among sand dunes. Certain resorts also provide hotel rooms. The first village had features that have stayed popular like the swimming pool, shops and restaurants.

The first dome arrived in 1980, named Subtropical Swimming Paradise in UK resorts and Aqua Mundo in European resorts. A range of sporting activities is available, with restaurants, spas, saunas, and massage, In 2009, Center Parcs Europe divided its parks into two brands: “Center Parcs”, which includes the 5- star parks, and “Sunparks”, which includes the 3- or 4-star parks.

Is Centre Parcs listed?

Center Parcs owner lines up Barclays to prepare £4bn sale

• The owner of Britain’s biggest chain of upmarket holiday villages is lining up bankers to oversee a review of its options, which could pave the way for an auction valuing it at £4bn.
• Sky News understands that Brookfield Property Partners, the Canadian property giant, is close to appointing Barclays to advise on the future of Center Parcs UK – an investment it has held since 2015.
• An outright sale, the disposal of a minority stake or a public flotation are all potential alternatives for Brookfield.
• Center Parcs UK recently recorded the most profitable half-year in its history in spite of pandemic-related operating constraints.
• Barclays is a significant lender to the company, and is said to have been particularly supportive during the early part of the COVID-19 crisis.
• It has yet to be formally hired by Brookfield, but an insider said it was highly likely to win a role on a strategic review of Center Parcs UK.
• Center Parcs is one of the most famous brands in the British leisure industry, drawing millions of visitors annually to its five UK sites and the latest addition to its portfolio, at Longford Forest in Ireland.
• Its locations offer a mixture of adventure and leisure activities for families, such as watersports and horse riding, as well as spa packages.
• The company opened its first site in the UK in 1987 at Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire.
• Its other UK locations are at Elveden Forest in Suffolk; Longleat Forest in Wiltshire; Whinfell Forest in Cumbria; and Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire.

Image: Center Parcs currently operates five sites in the UK Center Parcs has been a public company in the past, being floated on London’s junior AIM market in 2003 before moving to a main market listing two years later. It was then taken over by Blackstone, the private equity firm, in 2006, before being sold to Brookfield in 2015 in a deal reported to have been worth £2.4bn.

1. Center Parcs’ UK and Ireland operations are owned separately to the European business that also trades under the brand.
2. The brand dates back to 1968, when the first village opened in the Netherlands.
3. Run by Martin Dalby, its chief executive for more than 20 years, Center Parcs’ shareholders have received hundreds of millions of pounds in dividends since Brookfield bought the business.

Any auction of the business would follow a glut of other deals in the UK holiday sector, with the likes of Park Leisure, Forest Holidays and Park Holidays all recently changing hands in deals worth in aggregate more than £1.3bn. The UK’s largest operator, Parkdean Resorts, is also expected to be sold in the coming months, with Butlin’s, one of the most famous names in the industry, also up for sale.

Is Centre Parcs all under cover

To have genuinely thought Center Parcs was enclosed in a giant bubble? ); $dispatch(‘mobile-search-menu-opened’) }, closeMobileSearch() } x-show=open x-on:open-mobile-search.window=openMobileSearch() x-cloak=> OP posts: MykleeneArse · 05/10/2014 13:05 thatstoast · 05/10/2014 13:08 It’s a metaphor?! Fuck that, I’ll stick with Bluestone. SavoyCabbage · 05/10/2014 13:08 I thought it was too till I went. I’ve a feeling there is one in Europe that’s in a bubble/dome thing. We can’t all have hallucinated the bubble! NeedsAsockamnesty · 05/10/2014 13:09 It was in their adverts for years houseofstark · 05/10/2014 13:09 I remember my mother thinking the same thing! I think the TV adverts used to show the bubble that’s over the pool complex and it confused people. PickleSarnie · 05/10/2014 13:10 I thought it was too. Quite relieved it wasn’t though EddieVeddersfoxymop · 05/10/2014 13:10 Ha ha I thought so too! Where did we all get this idea from? ScarlettlovesRhett · 05/10/2014 13:11 I thought part of it was under a bubble too – the adverts always had a giant bubble! SetPhasersTaeMalkie · 05/10/2014 13:12 I thought so too until this thread actually. I can’t say why though.3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole · 05/10/2014 13:13 Wishfulmakeupping · 05/10/2014 13:13 Shattered my illusions then.Thats me off to Butlins then steps2change · 05/10/2014 13:15 Sorry for any illusions that I may have shattered! I was trying to suggest to DP that we should go for the Center Parcs that was built most recently, rather than based on location / where we actually might want to go, because they will probably have built a bigger bubble than they did with the older Center Parcs. Hmm. OP posts: MelonOfTroy · 05/10/2014 13:16 Me too, I thought it was all in domes a la Eden Project aJumpedUpPantryBoy · 05/10/2014 13:16 FannyFifer · 05/10/2014 13:17 StripyBanana · 05/10/2014 13:18 I used to think that as I remember wondering about the horse riding and hhow they must have woods under it. There must have been an advert. I’m not sure of the appeal other than to pay the “chav tax” and ok only mix with other wealthy people. steps2change · 05/10/2014 13:20 After some googling: “The Center Parcs at Elveden used to be inside a glass dome, everything under one roof, until it was destroyed by fire in 2002. It has now been re-built and it’s not under the one roof any more, it’s been built so if a fire does occur it will not spread like it did last time. I used to work there until early this year and was there during the fire and the re-build.” OP posts: PetulaGordino · 05/10/2014 13:20 This thread is hilarious! What kind of marketing have they done that gave this impression? It must have been all the focus on the swimming pool complex At whinfell the swimming pool and shopping village/loads of restaurants are all under one big glass building. RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 05/10/2014 13:22 From the Guardian: “The whole site is not under one roof. The dome is the centre of activity for the leisure pool, restaurants, shops, shows and so on, but you are living in a bubble, whether you’re actually inside one or not.” It is obviously associated with being in a bubble for lots of people! Please create an account To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. Math.max( 25, Math.floor( 0.15 * (type === ‘x’ ? window.innerWidth || document.body.clientWidth : window.innerHeight || document.body.clientHeight) ) ), // Minimum velocity the gesture must be moving when the gesture ends to be // considered a swipe. velocityThreshold: 5, // Used to calculate the distance threshold to ignore the gestures velocity // and always consider it a swipe. disregardVelocityThreshold: (type, self) => Math.floor(0.5 * (type === ‘x’ ? self.element.clientWidth : self.element.clientHeight)), // Point at which the pointer moved too much to consider it a tap or longpress // gesture. pressThreshold: 8, // If true, swiping in a diagonal direction will fire both a horizontal and a // vertical swipe. // If false, whichever direction the pointer moved more will be the only swipe // fired. diagonalSwipes: false, // The degree limit to consider a swipe when diagonalSwipes is true. diagonalLimit: Math.tan(((45 * 1.5) / 180) * Math.PI), // Listen to mouse events in addition to touch events. (For desktop support.) mouseSupport: true, } const gesture = new TinyGesture($refs.modal, options); gesture.on(‘swipeleft’, () => ); gesture.on(‘swiperight’, () => ); } } x-on:keydown.left=$dispatch(‘modal-navigate-left’) x-on:keydown.right=$dispatch(‘modal-navigate-right’) x-on:keydown.esc=$dispatch(‘modal-esc’) x-init=handleSwipe() x-ref=modal> : To have genuinely thought Center Parcs was enclosed in a giant bubble?

Can people join you at Centre Parcs?

Family and friends are welcome to join you on your break – all you need to do is pre-book our special Visitor Passes. Then they can get stuck into the activities and adventures with you during the day – whether you fancy some competitive fun or something a little gentler.

Is Centre Parcs pool free?

The parks feature the following facilities: Swimming pool complex. At the heart of each resort are giant pools with lazy rivers, rapids and slides, which you can use at no extra cost.