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**Haven's 2025 Offers: Easter from £65 + Summer from £215**  Holiday parks like Riviere Sands in Cornwall can be pricey - but there are ways to save money Haven is probably the best-known name in the UK caravan holiday park market. Their 40 parks are ideal for families looking for a busy holiday with indoor swimming pools, places to eat onsite and easy access to beaches. Many of their parks get better reviews than their rivals, but they can also be a bit more expensive (based on the price comparisons we've done). Here are 6 ways to save money on Haven holiday parks (plus an extra one we added later!) 1. Don’t arrive on a SaturdayUnsurprisingly, most of us want to arrive on Saturday for a week’s holiday. However, if you can avoid their busiest changeover day then you can make a decent saving. For example, a week staying at Haven’s Seaview Holiday Park in Dorset in August 2025 in a Saver caravan was £949 when we checked, if you arrived on a Saturday. However, if you arrived on the Friday before it was only £809, a saving of £140. You’ll still get a seven-day holiday, it’s just not as convenient for people working Monday to Friday.  Save more than £100 at Haven's Seaview Holiday Park in Dorset by arriving a day earlier 2. Travel to a Haven holiday park up northIn our (limited) price comparison, we found that Haven’s best holiday parks in the north of England and in Scotland are generally cheaper than their best holiday parks in the South of England. Location seems to be more of a factor than facilities and reviews. There are exceptions of course, but we picked out our 10 best Haven holiday parks for our guide and found that two of the three cheapest were Thornwick Bay in Yorkshire and Lakeland Leisure Park in the Lake District. Meanwhile, Devon Cliffs in Devon and Perran Sands in Cornwall were both amongst the more expensive Haven resorts. During August the difference between the cheapest and most expensive was almost £600 for a family of four. That's just the minimum saving - if you start looking at more luxurious accommodation then the price difference is even greater.  Northern Haven resorts - such as highly rated Thornwick Bay - tend to be cheaper than Haven's Westcountry parks 3. Cosy up and fill up a caravanThis one is not for everyone, but a family of four will make a significant saving if they share an eight berth caravan rather than booking two caravans for four people. For example, you’ll pay £1618 for two Saver caravans for four people at Haven’s Seaview Holiday Park in Dorset in August 2025. An eight-berth Bronze caravan meanwhile will cost you £1205 for the same week (searches carried out in November 2024). Bronze is one grade higher than Saver in the Haven accommodation grading system. That means each family will pay about £600 for a week rather than about £800, a saving of £200. But is it practical? Well, in the example above, a four-person caravan has two bedrooms whilst a four-berth caravan has three bedrooms meaning that a couple of people will end up sleeping in the lounge. I guess you’d need to know people pretty well to avoid a week of awkward situations. Also bear in mind that an eight-berth caravan only has one shower, so you might not get everyone ready until about lunchtime. One slightly more practical option is to invite a couple of grandparents, as the difference between a two-bedroom and three-bedroom caravan is generally only a couple of hundred pounds.  Haven's eight berth caravans are great value - but two people will need to sleep in the lounge 4. Book Haven early for the best choice and priceGenerally, you’ll find the best deals are available if you book long in advance, rather than if you wait for a ‘last minute bargain’. The cheaper accommodation at popular Haven parks is sometimes sold-out months in advance. For example, when we searched Lydstep Beach Holiday Park in November 2024 for holidays in August 2025, we found that the cheaper ‘Bronze’ caravans were nearly sold out. As a result, you’re left with the ‘Silver’ and ‘Gold’ options, which are more expensive. Presumably quite a lot of people are booking their holidays before they’ve even got home and unpacked. Haven also doing a price promise, which is along the lines of: 'When you book your 2025 holiday early, we’ll beat any prices cheaper after that. (full details here).  Popular holiday parks such as Haven's Lydstep Beach tend to sell their cheaper accommodation quickly 5. Check Haven's offers page regularlyAlways take a quick look at Haven's offers pages before you book. These aren't generally discount codes and promo codes, but are discounted rates around certain dates. You'll find they offer things like 25% or 50% off standard prices, or fixed price deals for midweek breaks. Most of the deals are aimed at getting people to book outside of the school holidays but it's always worth a look, even if you are fixed to certain dates. There is also a last-minute offers page which has some really good prices for people who are flexible enough (yoga teachers, for example). 6. Try camping and touring at a Haven holiday parkOK, I know what you're thinking...but bear with me. About half of Haven's holiday parks offer touring and camping, which means you can bring a tent or your own caravan. The advantage is that you still get to use all the onsite facilities, including swimming pools, kids' clubs and so on. When we checked, a week at Littlesea Holiday Park in Dorset in August 2025 was £925 for two adults and two children in the cheapest caravan available. Meanwhile, a week in a tent at Littlesea for four people was £532, a saving of about £400. It's one to consider during peak summer season when the weather is better and the difference in price is most significant. See our guide to Haven's touring and camping sites.  Camping or touring at Haven Littlesea in Dorset is much cheaper (just hope it doesn't rain too much) 7: Choose a Haven Hideaway holiday instead of a standard Haven holidayIn 2022, Haven introduced a new option on the booking form called Haven Hideaway (it was called Haven Stay/Haven Stay + Play for a while). The idea is that you can pick whether or not you want to pay to use the onsite facilities. We've written a whole blog post on this but the gist of it is that if you are visiting on peak and are just looking for a seaside base for exploring the local area then I would go for a Haven Hideaway holiday. If you are likely to use the swimming pool, kids' clubs or entertainment then you'll need to pay for a standard Haven holiday (previously called Haven Stay + Play). The saving varies significantly depending on the time of year. When we searched for week long holidays in August 2025, we found that a family of four saved between £90 and £190 by going for Haven Hideaway (previously called Haven Stay). We looked at prices at five of the best Haven resorts (Hafan y Môr Holiday Park, Hopton Holiday Village, Devon Cliffs Holiday Park, Lydstep Beach Holiday Park and Perran Sands Holiday Park). However, for a week long holiday in early October the saving was only £40-£90 for a family of four at those five resorts. So, you're only really saving about £1.50-£3 per person, per day. It's worth realising that a standard Haven holiday doesn't mean you get to use everything for free. You still have to pay extra for some activities.  Haven Hideaway could save you £210 - but you'd miss out on this swimming pool at Hafan y Môr
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What we know so far about Beaches new resort in JamaicaBack in 2021, we wrote on this blog about plans for Beaches new resort called Beaches Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Around the same time, they announced plans for a fifth Beaches resort called Beaches Runaway Bay, coming to Jamaica. You can read the latest official announcement here. There's been very little information since then, but here's what we know so far. Where will Beaches Runaway Bay be located?Beaches Runaway Bay Resort will be on Jamaica's northern coast. It was already operating as a resort called Jewel Runaway Bay Beach Resort & Waterpark but it was bought by the company that owns Beaches in 2020. In 2021, they revealed plans to redevelop the site to create an 'all-new resort'. According to Travel Week that will include '400 one, two, three and four-bedroom suites'. The current Beaches Resorts have between 180 and 750 rooms (see our comparison of the three resorts here). The two Jamaican Beaches resorts are much smaller than the Beaches Turks and Caicos resort so this new resort will probably be popular with people who want to visit Jamaica but want a larger resort. My hunch is that will have more swimming pools and restaurants than Beaches Negril and Beaches Ochos Rios, simply because it will have a larger number of suites. The new resort will be about 40 minutes drive west of Beaches Ochos Rios and about two hours East of Beaches Negril. It will be about one hour drive from Montego Bay airport.  One of the pictures released by Beaches of plans for Beaches Runaway Bay What facilities and activities will be available at Beaches Runaway Bay?So far we know that Beaches Runaway Bay 'will feature dedicated wellness areas and exciting new activities such as skateboarding, bike trails, a climbable treehouse, access to 18-hole championship Runaway Bay Golf Club, and much more' (that's from the official Sandals website). We also know that the resort will 'feature innovative designs that bring guests closer to nature, as well as new restaurants concepts with an organic farm-to-table approach' (also from the official website).  An image released by Beaches of plans for Beaches Runaway Bay When will Beaches Runaway Bay open?We don't have an opening date but we do have a few breadcrumbs of information. Back in 2021 it was clear that the redevelopment was part of a bigger plan, which involved reopening two Sandals resorts. The first resort to re-open was Sandals Dunns River. This was due to happen in late 2022 but it actually opened in May 2023. An article in Travel Weekly said that this was going to be followed by Sandals Royal Dunns River in 2023, but that hasn't opened yet. The article wasn't quite clear on whether the Runaway Bay redevelopment was meant to happen after Sandals Royal Dunns River or concurrently. We then found a snippet of information in response to a Twitter question in June 2022 in which the company said that updates would be on their website.  Since then, we haven't heard much else. There is a forum on TripAdvisor where members of public gave their own updates - but we have no way of knowing if these are accurate. One person said they were visiting Sandals Dunns River and were told that (Beaches Runaway Bay) "is still in the works to be opened. No date announced". There's also a Facebook page using the name 'Beaches Runaway Bay Resort' but it's obviously not official (and doesn't claim to be) and hasn't been active since 2021.
Disney Davy Crockett Ranch offers a self-catering option for visiting Disneyland Paris
Disney Davy Crockett Ranch offers something different to the other official Disneyland Paris hotels. You get your own cabin and outside space, as well as cooking facilities. Reviews are positive and it regularly beats official and unofficial competition when it comes to price.
Here's our guide to whether it is right for you, including details on facilities, travel times and prices. Where is Disney Davy Crockett Ranch?
From the UK, you can reach Disney Davy Crockett Ranch in about three hours from Calais. The quickest route to Calais is the 40 minute Le Shuttle, which was previously known as the Eurotunnel. It leaves from Folkestone and is a great big train which you drive your car onto.
Disney Davy Crockett Ranch isn't walking distance from the two theme parks at Disneyland Paris. That sets it apart from the other official hotels at Disneyland Paris. There also isn't a shuttle bus to the theme parks from Davy Crockett Ranch so most people bring their own car. However, it's only about 15 minutes by car from the accommodation to the Disneyland Paris car parks. You get free parking at Disneyland Paris if you are staying at Davy Crockett Ranch. This is a big money saver, as standard parking costs 30 Euros a day at Disneyland Paris. Over a week, that means you would save about £200 in parking fees. How big is Disney Davy Crockett Ranch at Disneyland Paris?
According to a few sources online, there are just under 600 cabins at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch. They are spread over 140 acres.
For comparison, a typical Center Parcs resort in the UK has about 800 cabins over 400 acres. What is the accommodation like at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch?
The accommodation at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch is described as 'forest bungalows'. You get a kitchen, a parking space and an outdoor area with a barbecue. If you can afford an upgrade, go for a Premium Cabins which include a dishwasher and a coffee machine.
The Trapper Tribe Cabins are deeper into the forest and give you more of a woodland holiday vibe. The Pioneer Tribe Cabins are better if you want to be closer to the facilities. 
Premium Cabins are closer to the facilities and have a dishwasher
What review scores do customers give Disney Davy Crockett Ranch?
We compared customer review scores at all of the official accommodation at Disneyland Paris. That includes six hotels, a Center Parcs resort which is a joint venture with Disney and Disney Davy Crockett Ranch.
We dug out review scores from TripAdvisor, Google reviews, Booking.com and Expedia. Disney Davy Crockett Ranch scored an impressive average of 84% that put it in third place, just behind Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel and Disneyland Hotel. Both of those offer a very different holiday and tend to be a lot more expensive. What facilities are at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch at Disneyland Paris?
Of course, most of your time at Disney Davy Crockett Ranch will be spent at the two Disneyland Paris theme parks.
However, there are also a few things to do at the resort, if you find yourself with an hour or two spare. Options include:
If you have any energy left at the end of the day - go for a swim at the indoor pool
How much does Disney Davy Crockett Ranch cost?
Prices vary throughout the year, but we have generally found Disney Davy Crockett Ranch to be one of the cheapest ways to visit Disneyland Paris. You can get a guide to how prices vary throughout the year here.
In our guide to Disneyland Paris' official accommodation, we found that Davy Crockett Ranch was the:
Of course, you may be thinking that the 'official' Disneyland Paris accommodation is going to be much more expensive than the DIY option of finding a local hotel or Airbnb. However, our guide to the cheapest accommodation near Disneyland Paris pulled up some surprising results. Staying at Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch or Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe was cheaper than staying at a privately owned holiday apartment or an unaffiliated hotel near to Disneyland Paris. The reason is that accommodation at Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch includes entry to the Disneyland Paris theme parks. You get a good discount on this sort of bundle deal compared to booking your own tickets to Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park.  Camber Sands Holiday Park is one of Parkdean Resorts bigger sites - but is it any good? Planning on visiting Parkdean Resorts Camber Sands Holidays Park with the family? Before you book, read our essential guide to everything you need to know (Ed: a little modesty wouldn't go amiss). Camber Sands is certainly one of the biggest Parkdean Resorts holiday parks in the UK and offers loads to do. But is it any good? We've split our guide into four categories:
1. Reviews - the good and bad points about Camber Sands Holiday Park Parkdean's Camber Sands scores 3.5/5 from reviewers on TripAdvisor - but how does it compare to rivals? The overall review scores for Parkdean Resorts Camber Sands Holiday Park are 3.5/5 on Google reviews and 3.8/5 on Google reviews as of November 2024. That's an average of 73%. Please don't confuse it with Pontins Camber Sand Holiday Park, which has now closed but only scored 2/5 on TripAdvisor - or 40%. We ranked all 66 Parkdean Resorts Holiday Parks based on their customer reviews on Google reviews and TripAdvisor to see how it compares. Those scores put Camber Sands Holiday Park in 57th place, which is towards the bottom of our Parkdean Resorts league table. However, don't let that put you off too much. Our experience is that larger holiday parks with more facilities tend to score lower than smaller resorts with fewer facilities. This may seem a bit counterintuitive at first but bear with me! My theory is that there is more to find fault with at a larger site with lots of facilities. There's much less to complain about if you stay at a low key holiday park which is a row of 100 caravans and zero facilities. If you book a holiday park without entertainment then you probably realised that in advance and planned to explore the local area instead. Also keep in mind that TripAdvisor review scores are done in half marks so it could be that Camber Sands is on the brink of scoring 4/5. Digging deeper into Camber Sands reviews. What are customers saying?We can get a little more detail on what customers think of Camber Sands Holiday Park by digging into the reviews:
 Google provides a summary of public opinion on different themes. Credit: Google Review scores for rival resorts near to Camber Sands Holiday ParkThere are some other holiday parks along the Sussex coast which are also worth considering. Let's take a look at their review scores:
To save you the bother, we've also created a ranking of some of Sussex's holiday parks based on customer review scores. We added together TripAdvisor and Google Reviews to give a percentage score:  Haven's Church Farm Holiday Park is a big name rival resort  Pevensey Bay Holiday Park is smaller than Camber Sands but it gets good reviews  Rye Harbour Holiday Park is run by Park Holidays and is near to Camber Sands 2. Facilities, entertainment and what to expect at Camber Sands Holiday ParkParkdean Resorts classifies Camber Sands as one of its 'Action Packed Parks'. That means it has more facilities than most of its other resorts. It isn't the place to avoid people but it's great if you want non-stop entertainment. There are four swimming pools and you don't pay extra to use them (although you do pay for the sauna and spa). There's a waterslide and an outdoor splash area as well. There are also activities in the swimming pool, some of which you pay extra for including:
 The indoor swimming pool at Cambers Sands Holiday Park Some of the sports and activities you can do include:
You pay extra for some activities but my experience is that Parkdean Resorts isn't as expensive as Center Parcs. For example, Adventure Bugz is £9.50, Adventure Golf is £2-6, Bungee Trampolines are £5 and the High Ropes Course is £13. These prices are correct at the time of writing. You can check Parkdean's latest activity prices here. My advice is to plan your activities beforehand or your activities budget may go on the first couple of days!  The Bungee Trampolines at Parkdean's Camber Sands Holiday Park will cost you £5 extra Places to eat out include:
Entertainment at Camber Sands Holiday ParkCamber Sands is one of Parkdean Resorts 'headliner' parks. This means that the range of entertainment is bigger than you get at its smaller resorts. About a third of Parkdean's holiday parks fall into this 'headliner' category. The entertainment schedule varies but you can see the latest information here on this page on the Parkdean website. The sort of entertainment you get at Camber Sands include bingo, talent shows and live shows for grown ups as well as kids' clubs. The kids' clubs are split into different age groups. If your children are under eight then you need to attend the groups with them, as they are 'entertainment' rather than 'childcare'. See the kids' entertainment section of the Parkdean website for the full details.  There are several kids club activities at Parkdean's Camber Sands Holiday Park 3. How to save money at Camber Sands Holiday ParkParkdean's Camber Sands is a good value holiday park - but prices can be quite high during peak times. Here are five ways to save money at Camber Sands Holiday Park:
4. Choosing the best accommodation at Camber Sands Holiday ParkThere are a whopping 39 different types of accommodation at Camber Sands Holiday Park - plus camping and touring. However, you can quickly narrow it down. My advice is to do the follow.
The next big decision is what type of accommodation you want. These can roughly be split into two categories.
 Lodges at Camber Sands Holiday Park are 20 foot wide whilst most caravans are 12 foot wide Why are some caravans at Parkdean Resorts' Camber Sands Holiday Park cheaper than others?Parkdean Resorts doesn't have as clear a grading system as Haven, so it can be a little difficult to work out why one caravan costs more than another. However, there are key things to look for when choosing your caravan or lodge:
 Bluestone National Park Resort offers kayaking and other watersports Bluestone National Park Resort and Center Parcs are both good choices for families who want high quality accommodation and lots of activities. They are both at the more luxurious end of the UK's family holiday market and are aimed at outdoorsy families. But which is best? We've compared customer reviews, activities and facilities, accommodation, food and drink, prices and location at Bluestone and Center Parcs. In summary, Bluestone tends to be a little bit cheaper than Center Parcs and it certainly competes with it on review scores (or perhaps beats it by a whisker). Both resorts have equally good swimming pools, free playgrounds and a similar range of watersports, high ropes and other activities. Center Parcs is the winner if you want to take the dog or want a hot tub (and don't mind paying a premium for it...). However, Bluestone also has its advantages such as interconnecting lodges and an all-weather high ropes course. For people in England, Center Parcs is better if you don't want a long drive but Bluestone will be closer for most people in Wales. For the full comparison, read on... Which gets the best reviews? Bluestone or Center Parcs?There's barely any difference between review scores for Bluestone National Park Resort and Center Parcs. On TripAdvisor, all five Center Parcs score 4/5. Bluestone National Park Resort also scores 4/5 after more than 3000 reviews. On Google reviews, you'll find that Bluestone is tied in joint first with two of the Center Parcs resorts.
Result: There's very little difference between reviews for Bluestone and Center Parcs - both get impressive scores.  Customers give Bluestone similar review scores to Center Parcs Which is cheaper? Center Parcs or Bluestone? The lodges at Center Parcs and Bluestone offer a similar of holiday. This picture shows a Gateholm Lodge at Bluestone A holiday at Center Parcs in the UK can be pretty expensive, particularly during school holidays. That's why a lot of people look at alternatives, such as travelling to Center Parcs in Europe where prices are often much lower. For a rough price comparison, we looked at the cost of a holiday at Center Parcs and Bluestone for a family of four on a selection of dates. We looked for the cheapest accommodation available, without any extras, upgrades or pets. At Center Parcs, the cheapest option was always a two bedroom woodland lodge. At Bluestone, the cheapest accommodation available when we searched was a two bedroom Caldey Lodge. A week in early August 2025, from cheapest to most expensive:
For a week during the school holidays, Bluestone is the cheapest. It's about £400 cheaper than the most expensive Center Parcs resort (Longleat). We then looked for the price a family weekend break in mid-June 2025. From cheapest to most expensive:
In this instance, Bluestone is the clear winner again. It's about £250 cheaper than the lowest priced Center Parcs resorts and about £300 cheaper than Center Parcs Woburn Forest. Finally, we looked at the cost of a midweek break in mid-September 2024. This is obviously a term time holiday, so it's a lot cheaper than visiting during school holidays. From cheapest to most expensive:
Again, Bluestone is cheaper than all the Center Parcs for a midweek break. In our price comparison, it was about £200 cheaper than lowest priced Center Parcs (Elveden Forest in Suffolk). It was about £300 cheaper than the Center Parcs in Wiltshire (Longleat Forest). Next, we checked the price of a holiday for a group of eight people, including four adults and four children. We started with a week's holiday in August 2025 and looked for one lodge. From cheapest to most expensive:
Again, Bluestone is the cheapest for a short break (off peak) and for the whole week at peak time. Result: Bluestone is always cheaper than Center Parcs in our price comparisons. Which is in the best location? Bluestone or Center Parcs? Some of the lodges at Bluestone are alongside a lake I suspect that location will be the clincher for a lot of people. Long car journeys with children can be excruciating and it's probably not worth driving miles if you're just planning a short break. Center Parcs clearly has the overall advantage as it has five resorts and so will be quicker for most people. Bluestone is also quite tucked away in the South West of Wales. You aren't likely to go past it on the way to anywhere. From most of the UK's big cities, you're closer to a Center Parcs resort than to Bluestone.
Result: Center Parcs is the winner on location for most people. Unless you live in Wales, it's likely that there's a Center Parcs closer to you than Bluestone. Which is bigger - Center Parcs or Bluestone?I personally have no real idea of what an 'acre' looks like. You may well feel the same, unless you're a farmer or an estate agent. So, it's not a great deal of use for me to tell you that Bluestone is spread over 500 acres whilst the UK's Center Parcs are somewhere around 400 acres. However, it does at least tell you that they cover roughly the same area. If you've been to one then you'll understand the scale. More interesting is the fact that Bluestone has about 300 lodges whereas Center Parcs has about 800 lodges. So, the lodges and other accommodation at Bluestone is much more spread out than the lodges at Center Parcs. My experience of Center Parcs is that you certainly don't feel crammed in, but it's something to consider. Result: I'm giving this one to Bluestone, as it covers a larger area but has fewer lodges Which has the best activities? Center Parcs or Bluestone? The Blue Lagoon at Bluestone is one of the free activities Center Parcs and Bluestone are both renowned for their activities. Both have some activities which are free and others which you pay extra for. At Bluestone, the Blue Lagoon swimming pool is free and is a big part of the appeal. It's described as a 'subtropical indoor water park' and features a wave pool, four flumes, a lazy river and a 'heated bubble pool'. It scores 4.4/5 from reviewers on Google Reviews. Meanwhile, each Center Parcs has a 'Subtropical Swimming Paradise'. You get a similar selection of wave pools, flumes, rapids and hot tubs. Reviews on Google reviews range from 4.6/5 for Sherwood Forest and Woburn Forest through to 4.8/5 for the Subtropical Swimming Paradise at Longleat. Besides the swimming pool, Bluestone has some other free activities including the Village Green Playground, sand play, guided walks and the Treetots treehouse. Meanwhile, Center Parcs has its own adventure playgrounds, which are free to use.  There is plenty for younger ones at both Center Parcs and Bluestone (pictured) Paid for activities at Bluestone and Center ParcsComparing the paid for activities at Bluestone and Center Parcs is a little bit tricky. The list of activities on the Center Parcs website is certainly longer than the list on the Bluestone website but that doesn't tell the whole story. As an example, Center Parcs Whinfell Forest shows 168 activities compared to 49 at Bluestone. However, the Center Parcs list includes a lot of duplicates so it's not really a fair comparison. For example, archery is listed six times at Whinfell Forest because there are slight variations in what you can do. Meanwhile, Bluestone just lists archery once. Similarly, Center Parcs lists eight different Easter themed activities which are only available in April. There's a good chance they won't be available when you visit. Center Parcs also offers family photo shoots (not my idea of fun, but each to their own). It's listed as seven different activities, but it's really just the same thing with minor differences such as whether it's for a family or a toddler. A slightly fairer comparison is to look at a category such as watersports. At Bluestone, you can choose from:
Meanwhile, watersports at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest include:
As you can see, they both offer slightly different things. Kayaking and paddleboarding is available at both, but Bluestone is better for more adventurous off-site activities (coasteering, coastal adventures) whilst Center Parcs has pedalos and six person kayaks. It's a similar story with high ropes and climbing activities. At Bluestone, your options include:
At Center Parcs, the high ropes and climbing activities include:
So, both resorts offer an extended 'Go Ape' type activity and somewhere to do some sort of climbing. The main difference is that Bluestone has an indoor course and an outdoor course. (We just looked at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest. There is some variation between Center Parcs resorts, but they are fairly similar overall) My advice is to have a think about whether there is a particular activity which your kids are desperate to do. There are some activities which are only available at one or the other. For example, Coasteering isn't available with Center Parcs but quad bikes aren't available at Bluestone. Result: I'm declaring this one a tie. Bluestone and Center Parcs both have excellent swimming pools and a similar range of activities.  Bluestone has indoor and outdoor high wire activities  You'll find lots of the same activities at both resorts (this image shows Bluestone) Which has the best food and restaurants? Center Parcs or Bluestone?The notable difference between Bluestone and Center Parcs is that the restaurants and pubs at Bluestone are their own brands. At Center Parcs, they have a mix of their own restaurants as well as big names like Bella Italia, Cafe Rouge, Starbucks and Las Iguanas. The choice of food is quite similar. Bluestone has about 10 different places to eat and drink. By my count, there are seven different places to eat at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest. We did a price comparison of a meal out for a family of four at Knights Tafarn at Bluestone and Huck's American Bar and Grill at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest. We looked for the price of two burgers for the grown ups plus a side of onion rings. For the children we looked at the price of two kids meals of chicken nuggets or similar. For pudding we looked at the price of brownies for the grown ups and ice cream for the children. Knights Tafarn at Bluestone £16.95 x 2 for burgers and chips £7 x 2 for chicken strips and chips £7 x 2 for cheesecake and ice cream £4.50 x 2 for kids' ice cream Total bill: £70.90 Huck's American Bar and Grill at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest £12.50 x for The Classic Burger £7.99 x 2 for chicken nuggets and chips £7.49 x 2 for cheesecake and blueberry compote £3.99 x 2 for kids' ice cream Total bill: £63.94 Result: Not much in it. Bluestone was slightly more expensive, but not really enough to change your plans! Which has the best accommodation? Center Parcs or Bluestone? There are more than a dozen types of accommodation at Bluestone, including Caldey Lodges Center Parcs has four grades of lodges. They range from Woodland lodges (£) through to Executive (££), Exclusive (£££) and Treehouses (££££). They also have apartments for smaller groups. Within some categories you can also upgrade to a 'newer' lodge. Other upgrades get you things like en-suite facilities, a games room, a coffee machine, a wine cooler (absolutely essential, of course), dedicated parking spaces, a hot tub, a sauna and even a host with maid service. We've written a whole blog about choosing the right Center Parcs lodge, but one key factor is the size of your group. The cheaper lodges are available for group sizes of between 2 and 12 whilst the most expensive lodges are best for groups of 7-8 people. You'll pay a premium per head if you have a half-empty lodge (we once saw a Treehouse which was £10,000 for the week...). Meanwhile, Bluestone has 16 different types of accommodation by my count, including:
Some differences worth noting:
Result: Bluestone is a good option if two families want to holiday together, but still want some privacy. Center Parcs is a good option if you want a hot tub or sauna and have deep pockets. Which is best for dogs? Center Parcs or Bluestone?Bluestone has a complete ban on dogs, so you'll need to leave Rover with grandma or cough up for the kennels. Of course, if you don't particularly like dogs then Bluestone is the winner! Center Parcs has dog friendly lodges but there are some limitations:
ConclusionsThe first thing to say is that are a lot of similarities between Center Parcs and Bluestone. Both are good choices for a family holiday at the more luxurious end of the UK's holiday lodge resort market.
Customer reviews are very similar and they both have excellent indoor swimming pools/water parks. They also both offer enough activities to keep you entertained for several days and have a big range of accommodation. There are a few factors which might make up your mind:
Review scores and prices correct at the time of writing. A fascinating comparison of Woodland Lodges, Executive Lodges, Exclusive Lodges and Treehouses at Center Parcs UKThere are four main types of lodge at Center Parcs in the UK - Woodland (£), Executive (££), Exclusive (£££) and Treehouses (££££). We will use £ symbols throughout this guide to help you get your head round the options. You can also choose whether you want to upgrade to 'newer' versions of each lodge and there are some other options (which we'll discuss later). A big factor in helping you decide is the size of your group. If you are a family of three or four then you are really only choosing between Woodland (£) and Executive (££) - unless you've recently had a lottery win. This is because the Exclusive (£££) and Treehouse lodges (££££) have four bedrooms, so you'll be paying a huge amount per head if you only use a couple of the bedrooms. Let's start with a rather massive table of what you get with each type of Center Parcs lodge and then I'll move on to a summary of the main differences.
*The ideal group size means that you'll get best value for money if you have this number of people. Of course, a family of four could hire a treehouse but they all have four bedrooms so you'll be paying a huge amount per person. Key differences between the four main types of lodge at Center Parcs1. Center Parcs Woodland Lodge (£)Woodland Lodges are the cheapest accommodation at Center Parcs. You get kitchen facilities, a lounge with a TV, bedrooms, a patio area, a log burner and towels provided. You don't get any frills or fancy features but it's still in a nice woodland setting. The best thing about them is that they are available in loads of different sizes - including Woodland Lodges for two people or for a party of 12.  Woodland Lodges are the cheapest option at Center Parcs  They are perfectly decent and come in the biggest range of sizes It's worth mentioning here that Center Parcs uses an entirely different grading system for its parks in in Europe. The Woodland Lodges are quite similar to Comfort Cottages at Center Parcs Europe whilst Executive Lodges in the UK are comparable to a VIP Cottage in Europe. Read our full guide to Center Parcs Europe accommodation grades, if you're planning to visit one of the resorts in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark or Belgium. 2. Center Parcs Executive Lodges (££)Executive Lodges are only a modest upgrade from Woodland Lodges but you don't tend to pay a huge amount more. You get the same facilities as a Woodland Lodge but you also get ensuite bathrooms including a whirlpool bath/jacuzzi/hydrobath. That's certainly not quite as fancy as a hot tub, but it's still a nice addition. You also get TVs in the bedrooms, a coffee machine and a wine cooler. Some of the the bigger Executive Lodges have games rooms and hot tubs, but you don't get that with the standard sized ones with two bedrooms. So, the differences are not mind blowing. When we checked prices for a week at Whinfell Forest in August 2025, it was £200 to upgrade from a New Style Woodland Lodge to New Style Executive Lodge. I'd say that is good value and is probably worth it.  Center Parcs Executive Lodges are similar to Woodland Lodges...  ...but you get an ensuite, a whirlpool bath, a coffee machine and an extra TV 3. Center Parcs Exclusive Lodges (£££)There's a big jump up in price to a Center Parcs Exclusive Lodge. You can expect to pay about 50% extra per person per night, or perhaps even twice the price (based on the price comparisons we did below). Exclusive Lodges have four bedrooms, so they are prohibitively expensive per person unless there are seven or eight of you to spread the price out. The most significant upgrades are that you get a games room, a sauna, a steam room and a hot tub. That makes a big difference if you plan to spend a lot of time socialising with your own party rather than doing non-stop activities. My opinion is that if it's a family reunion then it may be worth paying the extra. If you plan to swim every day, go for a bike ride, slide down a zip wire and then eat out for most meals then it's probably not worth the money. You also get allocated parking in the car park, which is a small bonus in my opinion. The outside space you get is slightly better as well.  Center Parcs Exclusive Lodges are for bigger groups and they have a games room...  ...as well as a hot tub, sauna and steam room. However, they cost a lot more per person. 4. Center Parcs Treehouses (££££)Finally, there's the option of upgrading to a Center Parcs Treehouse. You mostly get the same things as you get with an Exclusive Lodge, but you also get a host, a balcony, more space and a somewhat cooler building. You get a hot tub and sauna, but you don't get a steam room. You also get a maid service, which will appeal to some people. Honestly, I think it's hard to justify a Treehouse for the facilities alone. However, the design is pretty cool so it's no surprise that they often sell out first. If you are flushed and want a more memorable holiday then I would be tempted. Take a look at our guide to the 6 Best Holiday Parks With Treehouses for some cheaper alternatives.  Center Parcs Treehouses are very expensive, but the design is really excellent...  ...and you get facilities such as a hot tub Is it worth upgrading accommodation at Center Parcs?The short answer is that: a) upgrading at Center Parcs is cheaper off peak than on peak. b) upgrading from a Woodland Lodge (£) to an Executive Lodge (££) is quite cheap and is probably worth it. However, upgrading to an Exclusive Lodge or Treehouse is very expensive so is only really worth considering if you plan to spend a lot of time in the lodge. How much will upgrading accommodation at Center Parcs cost me?For a rough price comparison, we looked at the scenario of two families of four people wanting to visit Center Parcs Sherwood Forest together for a week in August 2024. Let's call them the Smiths and the Jones.
Now let's see what the Smiths and Jones would pay for a similar holiday at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest in mid September 2024, during term time.
So, upgrading from a Woodland Lodge to a Treehouse during peak times costs about £1400 more than it does off peak. However, upgrading from a Woodland Lodge to a New Style Executive Lodge is only £2 per person, per night off peak - I'd say that's money well spent. What other types of accommodation are at Center Parcs?The two other types of Center Parcs accommodation to choose from are: 1. Center Parcs Hotels and ApartmentsThese are one bedroom 'Executive Apartments' that are aimed at couples or a parent with one child. You can stay in an apartment at any of the UK Center Parcs, but the hotel is only at Center Parcs Woburn Forest. With an Executive Apartment you get a small kitchen, en-suite facilities and a balcony or terrace. The main upgrade available is a 'Penthouse Apartment', which has a larger kitchen and more spacious living area. You also get an infrared sauna. To give you a rough idea, we looked at the price of an Executive Apartment at Woburn Forest for a couple in mid September 2025 and found it cost £928 or £66 per person, per night. The Center Parcs Hotel Rooms are currently only available at Woburn Forest. You don't get food provided, but you are near to the Plaza where they are places to eat. Bear in mind that eating out at Center Parcs isn't especially cheap!  The Penthouse Apartments have an infra-red sauna 2. Center Parcs Waterside LodgesFinally, a brief mention for the Waterside Lodges. There are only three of them, which are at Elveden Forest so we've not included them in our comparisons. They sleep six people.  These lovely waterside lodges at only at Center Parcs Elveden Forest *This 'half price' claim is based on our Center Parcs Europe price comparisons for Easter 2025. We found a week at Center Parcs Les Ardennes in Belgium from £793 for a family of four when booked through CenterParcs.fr. The cheapest price for the same week at a Center Parcs UK resort was £2348. My advice is to pay a little extra and stay at highly rated Centre Parcs Erperheide in Belgium, which was £981 for the same dates. As you'll have noticed, the saving can be more than 50% on certain dates!
Yes folks, it's our 2025 comparison of Saver v Bronze v Silver v Gold v Signature models of Haven caravan
**Since we wrote this guide, Haven has created its own detailed PDF accommodation comparison table.
You can download it from this page on Haven's website**
There’s a significant difference in price between the different types of Haven accommodation –particularly during peak season. So, what are you getting for upgrading?
The grading for Haven caravans changed in 2021. The old system of standard, deluxe, prestige, platinum and platinum plus was replaced with a new grading system. Personally, I think the new system is easier to understand. The current system looks like this. From cheapest to most expensive:
For anyone who has been to Haven before, the new 'Saver' caravans are similar to the 'Standard - older model' caravans whilst the 'Bronze' caravans are similar to the 'Standard - newer model' caravans. Gold is similar to the old 'Platinum plus' models. If you haven't been to a Haven before, check out our guides to the 10 best Haven holiday parks and our guide to saving money on a Haven holiday. You'll find that some Haven parks don't have every grade of caravan, and some have extra options such as lodges, chalets, apartments, glamping or beach houses. This guide will start by focusing on caravans but there's a bit about lodges further down. Here's our table showing some key differences, along with further explanation below. Details are correct at the time of writing - it may well change over time.
Summary of what you do and don't get in each grade of Haven caravanSaver Haven caravans
Haven's Saver caravans are the cheapest option
The Saver Haven caravans are the cheapest. They are the narrowest and they don't have a freezer or a dishwasher. You don't get outside decking and you don't have a pull out bed in the lounge. However, you get an oven, microwave, hobs and one modestly sized TV. You don't get towels as standard but you do get bedding.
You don't get central heating or double glazing but you do get heating in the lounge. They are similar to the older 'standard' models of caravan, for the benefit of anyone who was familiar with Haven's old grading system. Some of these caravans are dog friendly at most Haven parks. Bronze Haven caravans
Bronze caravans are the second cheapest model - they're a bit wider than Saver and have a couple of extras
Silver Haven caravans
Silver caravans are the same width as a Bronze but they have an extra TV and outside space
The Silver Haven caravans are quite a big step up in facilities from the Bronze models.
They are the same width as a Bronze caravan, but you get a fridge/freezer rather than just a fridge which you get in the Saver and Bronze caravans. You get a larger TV in the lounge and an extra TV in a bedroom. You also get towels provided, unlike Saver and Bronze. The only downgrade is that you don't get a spare pull out bed in the lounge. For me, the most significant upgrade is that you get a bit of decking or a balcony. I love sitting outside in a summer's evening whilst sipping on a can of Fanta. If you have young children, it's much nicer than just sitting in the lounge with the TV turned down low. If you're bringing a dog, then this is the highest grade of accommodation that you will be able to book. Gold Haven caravans
A Gold Haven caravan is a bit wider and it comes with a dishwasher and larger fridge/freezer
The Gold Haven caravans have just a couple of key upgrades compared to a Silver caravan.
The main upgrade is that they are a couple of feet wider. That makes them feel a lot more spacious if you've got a caravan full of children. You also get a slightly bigger freezer and a dishwasher which are both useful additions for a big group. I probably wouldn't bother upgrading from Silver to Gold if you're a couple who plan to eat out all week. None of the Gold accommodation at Haven is dog friendly. Signature Haven caravans
A Signature caravan isn't as wide as a Gold caravan but it has a lakeside view or a seaview
The Signature Haven caravans are pretty much the same as the Gold caravans.
The major difference is that they offer better views. However, they are actually a couple of feet narrower (about 60cm) than the Gold models. You get everything else that you get on cheaper models including outside decking/veranda and two TVs. Curiously, you don't seem to get a dishwasher - presumably because they are not quite as wide. Again, you don't get a spare pull out bed in the lounge. If you are bringing a dog, then you won't be able to book a Signature caravan. So, which grade of caravan should I choose?
That's a good question.
For me, a Silver caravan or a higher grade is ideal, but it really depends on what's important to you. For me, the most important differences between the cheaper caravans and the more expensive Haven caravans are a) the fridge/freezer b) the dishwasher and c) the outside decking/veranda. However, that's because we like to self-cater on a caravan holiday or a lodge holiday and it is very limiting if you don't have a decent freezer. We find that it's less of a holiday if you have to wash up all the time. I also love sitting outside on a summer's evening, so a bit of decking is worth it for me. A sea view is something I'll pay for as long as it's not extortionate, but I don't want a lakeside view as I prefer to keep the children away from lakes! I'm less bothered about towels, hair dryers and bluetooth speakers because I can bring my own. I'm also not bothered about how big the TV is. I would certainly want central heating and double glazing during the colder months but Haven close their parks in winter, so I could probably live without that if I had to. A slightly wider caravan is certainly more spacious, but we tend to get out and explore a lot anyway so it's not essential. How about a couple of examples of peak vs off peak upgrade costs?
Good idea!
The amount that you are paying extra is a big consideration. As an example, we searched for a week's holiday for a three bedroom caravan in early October 2025 (off peak) at Haven Kent Coast in Kent (previously called Haven Allhallows). Prices looked like this:
So, in this instance it would only cost £40 to upgrade from Saver to Bronze. I'd certainly pay that for a wider caravan with central heating in October. In fact, I'd probably pay £96 to jump from the lowest grade to the Silver grade. I probably wouldn't pay for the top grade as I'm not likely to spend much time sat outside looking at the view in October. The difference between the highest and lowest grade is around £400 for this week. 
We were quoted £400 to upgrade from this Saver caravan...
...to a Signature Caravan with Sea View at Kent Coast in October 2025
We then looked for a week's holiday for a family of four at Haven Perran Sands in Cornwall in early August 2025 (peak season). Prices were:
So, in this instance there is a difference of about £1700 between the cheapest and most expensive grade of caravan. Upgrading from Saver to Bronze is about £130, which I don't think is worth paying as you won't use the heating in summer. It will be a little cramped, but we would spend most of our time out and about in summer. In this instance, I'd be much less keen to upgrade from Saver to Gold. I'd rather save myself about £800 and make do without a dishwasher and a freezer. With the money I'd saved I could take the family out for dinner every night. 
Haven quoted us £1269 for this Saver caravan in August 2025...
...or £2925 for this Signature caravan with a sea view for the same dates
What about Haven's lodges? Should I go for Emerald, Diamond or Signature?
Let's move on to lodges, since Haven now offers quite a lot of these as an upgrade to a caravan.
The most appealing thing about a lodge over a caravan is its width. Haven lodges range from 16-20 foot wide whilst caravans range from 10-14 foot wide. To put it another way - the largest lodges are twice as wide as Haven's smallest caravans. Lodges are currently an upgrade option at 12 Haven resorts, which is about a third of their parks. The Haven parks with lodges include:
Haven Hopton is one of 12 resorts with lodges - these ones are in a rather good location
The grading system for Haven's lodges
Haven's lodges have three main grades including
The Signature grades have a name like 'Signature Sea View' or 'Signature Lake View' depending on what you can see out the window.
As with the caravans, Haven has produced an excellent comparison document, which you can download on this page.
We started to produce our own massive comparison chart until we realised that the differences between the lodge grades are actually very simple. Here's the summary:
Here's a simple table explaining the differences:
Everything else is the same. In all three grades of Haven lodge you get:
Haven's Signature Lodges are the bee's knees - they are 20 foot wide and they have great views
Haven's Emerald Lodges (£) are the cheapest - they are 16 foot wide and don't have a sea view
Haven's Diamond Lodges are 20 foot wide, but they don't have sea views
So, is it worth upgrading from a Haven caravan to a Haven lodge?
It depends!
The 'upgrade' isn't necessarily better, it really depends on what's important to you and what time of year you are visiting.
How much will it cost me to upgrade from a caravan to a lodge with Haven?
As with our caravan price comparison, it really depends when you visit. We looked at an off-peak holiday at Haven Devon Cliffs, which is their biggest holiday parks (see the top 5 biggest Haven resorts). Here are the prices we found for a family of four staying in early October 2025 for a week:
So, upgrading for an off peak week would cost us:
So, upgrading for an off peak week would cost us approximately:
There is a huge difference in what you get with a Haven Saver caravan...
...compared to a Haven Signature Lodge - but there's also a big difference in price
 Center Parcs is opening its first Danish resort in August 2025 - Nordborg Resort There's a new Center Parcs resort coming to Europe in August 2025, called Center Parcs Nordborg Resort in Denmark. This is a cause of great excitement for me, as I've been banging on for years about the money you can save by visiting Center Parcs Europe rather than Center Parcs UK (see this comparison of Center Parcs UK v Europe or the summary of the best European resorts). Nordborg Resort is the first Center Parcs in Denmark. The current European resorts are all in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. Here's what we know so far about Center Parcs Nordborg Resort. When will Center Parcs Nordborg Resort open?Center Parcs Nordbord is due to open in August 2025. They have just opened up the bookings form this week, so keen beans will book for the opening. It was due to open in Spring 2025 but that has been pushed back a few months. I'm a bit more of a cautious sort who will avoid the first few weeks but you may be a little more of a thrillseeker.  Accommodation at Center Parcs Nordborg Resort will include three grades of 'cottage'. How do you reach Center Parcs Nordborg Resort from the UK?Center Parcs Nordborg Resort is certainly not the easiest European resort to reach. You probably figured that out from the fact that it's in Denmark... It will take you about 11 hours to drive from Calais to Nordborg Resort. That compares to about 3 hours 30 minutes from highly rated Center Parcs Vossemeren and Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium. Calais can be reached in 35 minutes via the Eurotunnel/Le Shuttle, which is a giant train that carries your car onboard. There isn't a ferry from the UK to Denmark so you would need to get a ferry to the Netherlands and then drive. That works out as a pretty sluggish journey. For example, if you live in the north of England or Scotland you could get an overnight ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam that would take about 15 hours. You'd then have another 7 or 8 hours driving (urgh). I'd expect to be in Australia after that amount of travelling. And what about flying? You can fly direct from London to Billund Airport in Denmark in about 90 minutes. It's then a drive of about two hours to Center Parcs Nordborg Resort. In summary, flying is your probably your best bet, but you would then need to add on the cost of car hire and other airport faff.  Center Parcs Nordborg Resort is in a coastal location, which is relatively unusual for Center Parcs How much will it cost to visit Center Parcs Nordborg Resort in Denmark?We've noticed that Center Parcs Europe often charges quite a lot for a holiday at one of its newest holiday parks. That was certainly the case with Center Parcs Terhills Resort in Belgium when it opened a couple of years ago. That seems to be the case with Center Parcs Nordborg Resort. We found that prices for a week in August 2025 started at £2031. Here are the same dates at the Center Parcs resorts in Belgium:
What facilities will be at Center Parcs Nordborg Resort in Denmark?A lot of people visit Center Parcs for its outstanding swimming pools, which are known as Subtropical Paradise in the UK or Aqua Mundo in Europe. According to Center Parcs, the new Nordborg Resort in Denmark will have 'several different water slides, the raging Wild River, a rippling wave pool, a fun water playground, a lovely children's pool and... (an) outdoor infinity pool'. That sounds pretty similar to other waterparks at Center Parcs. However, there is some variation in size at Center Parcs' pools. So how does it compare on size? The Aqua Mundo at Center Parcs Nordborg Resort is 7200m2. That's a completely meaningless figure to me - but we can compare it to other resorts. The Aqua Mundo at Center Parcs Park Allgäu is 6600m2, so we know it is on a similar scale. It's worth mentioning that reviews of Center Parcs Park Allgäu are very mixed (66% overall, or about 3.5/5), but reviews specifically about the pool are very good. In other words, we are expecting the swimming pool at Center Parcs Nordborg Resort to be the usual high standard from Center Parcs. At the moment, we know that Center Parcs Nordborg Resort will also have indoor and outdoor playgrounds, beach volleyball, archery, laser shooting, boat hire, minigolf, a farm, an indoor playground and bike hire. We are expecting other activities to be added. One of its unusual features is a pier where you 'can take a stroll or sit down and enjoy the unique view of the Lillebælt'.  Center Parcs Nordborg Resort will have an Aqua Mundo waterpark with rapids  The pier is one of the more unusual things about Center Parcs Nordborg Resort (this is just an artist's impression) How big is Center Parcs Nordborg Resort?Center Parcs Nordborg Resort is a mid-sized Center Parcs Europe resort by my reckoning. Unlike Center Parcs UK, there is a lot of inconsistency at Center Parcs Europe on scale. Center Parcs Nordborg Resort will have 440 cottages when it opens, with plans to add another 180 over the next six years. That would take it to about 620 cottages. And how does that compare to other recently-opened Center Parcs? Center Parcs Park Allgäu in Germany has about 1000 cottages, whilst Center Parcs Terhills Resort in Belgium has about 250 cottages.  There will be 440 cottages at Center Parcs Nordborg Resort, with more planned for the future What about reviews? Should I visit Center Parcs Nordborg in Denmark?It's still early days so there aren't reviews for Center Parcs Nordborg Resort in Denmark. Well, that's not quite true. A few people have written reviews on Google reviews to say how excited they are. I'm particularly intrigued by the person who only gave it four stars, despite it not being open. I don't think we can read a lot into reviews until the autumn. Booking for the first year is a bit of a gamble, but everything will certainly be looking shiny and new. Personally, I will be waiting a while before we consider visiting. Some of the newer Center Parcs in Europe have terrific reviews, but others are lagging behind. See our guide to the best Center Parcs in Europe to see what I mean. Is Center Parcs Nordborg near to Legoland in Denmark?You may be considering a double-bill holiday that includes a visit to Legoland in Denmark as well as Center Parcs Nordborg Resort.
That's very easy to do if you are flying, but less convenient if you are driving. If you are flying, I would catch a plane to Billund, which is - rather conveniently - right next door to Legoland in Denmark. You then drive about two hours to Center Parcs Nordborg Resort. If you are driving from Calais, it is less simple as Legoland Denmark is about two hours north of Center Parcs Nordborg Resort. You won't go past it if you are driving from Calais, so you'll need to add on another couple of hours to your already-long journey. This is just a short blog post (Ed: if you say so) to answer a commonly asked question about day passes for Center Parcs. The short answer is that you can only buy a Center Parcs day pass in the UK if you already know someone who is staying at the resort. They need to add you as a guest via their booking and pay £37 for under 12s or £49 per adult. A family of four pays £162 per day. Under threes get in free (i.e. 0-3 year olds). These were the prices when we last checked, but it might have changed! How can you get a Center Parcs day pass if you don't know anyone staying onsite? Center Parcs Europe make it much easier to buy a day pass than Center Parcs UK (this is Erperheide in Belgium) Unfortunately, you can't just book a day out at Center Parcs if you happen to live near a resort and fancy using the facilities. Center Parcs also don't want you to turn to Facebook and ask a stranger to put you down as a guest. The day passes are intended for 'close family and friends'. People who try to sell day passes are attached to a zip wire and are thrust at great speed out of the park (I may have made that bit up, but they will certainly be asked to leave). Are there any other legitimate ways to get a day pass at Center Parcs?This is a bit convoluted but bear with me. Let's say you know a family of three that is planning on booking a two bedroom lodge at Center Parcs. As far as I'm aware, it is acceptable to ask them to add you onto their booking - even if you aren't staying with them for the entirety of the stay. You could then visit them and use the facilities. As I said, this is allowed as far as I'm aware, but please politely correct me if you know otherwise. You aren't allowed to sell your spare spaces to random people. What about a spa day at Center Parcs?There is another option for day visits to Center Parcs. You can sign up for an Aqua Sana spa, which is based at each Center Parcs. This gives you access to an outdoor pool, saunas, steam rooms, restaurants, shops and some other treatments. However, you don't get access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise (the main swimming pool with the slides and flumes) and you can't sign up for other Center Parcs activities. Spa days vary in price depending on what you sign up for but a spa day with lunch at Aqua Sana starts at around £120. Can you get day passes for Center Parcs Europe?Yes you can. Center Parcs Europe is a different company, which runs things in their own way. They have no problem with you booking a day pass. Of course, it's not terribly convenient to visit France, Belgium, Germany or the Netherlands for a day trip but you might be able to squeeze in a day visit whilst on holiday elsewhere or whilst travelling through. The price of visiting a Center Parcs in Europe varies depending on when you visit and which park you choose. I found prices ranging from €22 - €48 (£18-£40) and you might find an even wider range. All you need to do is visit one of the Center Parcs Europe websites (e.g. CenterParcs.fr or CenterParcs.eu) and choose the park that you want to visit. You then click on 'day tickets'. In case you are wondering, the Center Parcs Europe with particularly good swimming pools are:
These are the 'Aqua Mundo' at Center Parcs Europe that score at least 4.3/5 from reviewers on Google Reviews. Don't assume that all of the Center Parcs Europe have equally good swimming pools - they are not as consistent as the UK resorts.  Les Landes de Gascognes has one of the best Center Parcs Europe swimming pools That was a useful guide, have you got any others?I'm glad you asked. We've written loads about Center Parcs including:
Our Holiday at Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium - Best Activities, Travel Advice and Cost31/8/2024  We spent five days at Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium - which scores 4.2/5 from reviewers We recently headed for one of the best Center Parcs in Europe - Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium. It is one of about half a dozen Center Parcs in Europe which are on a par with Center Parcs UK - but are considerably cheaper. As much discussed on this website, Center Parcs Europe and Center Parcs UK are separate companies and you can sometimes find similar holidays in Europe for about 50% of the price of a UK holiday. You usually get the best price if you book through the French version of the Center Parcs website (centerparcs.fr) rather than the EU version (centerparcs.eu). The cautionary note is that the quality of Center Parcs Europe varies significantly, whereas Center Parcs UK is admirably consistent. Read our guides to Center Parcs France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands (or the European roundup) to avoid a calamitous visit. Anyway, here are our experiences of Center Parcs Erperheide. Getting to Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium from the UKWe decided to go for the Eurotunnel, which is now known as Le Shuttle. I am sure there was a good reason for this rebrand, but I plan to stubbornly call it Eurotunnel for at least another 10 years before they rebrand it again to something else (my mum still refers to Disneyland Paris as 'Eurodisney' even though it changed in 1994). Child two is not keen on flying or ferries due to a wobbly tummy so the Eurotunnel was ideal. It leaves from Folkestone and involves driving your car onto a giant train that takes about 35 minutes. The train has a slight wobble to it, but no more than any other train that I've been on in the UK. We found the check-in process and travel through the Channel Tunnel to be very easy. Of course, you do get delays sometimes, as you do with ferries and planes, but it seemed to be quick and well organised. The advice is to arrive 60 minutes before your departure time. We arrived 90 minutes before we were due to leave and ended up being put onto a slightly earlier train. We got rather confused at the shopping area that you reach after the first check-in and thought we had to wait here until it was nearer to our crossing time. A man in an orange jacket told us we didn't need to wait, so we ploughed on and ended up ahead of schedule. We paid about £250 for our return crossing on Eurotunnel, which obviously needs to be factored in when you are are deciding whether to visit Center Parcs UK or Center Parcs Europe.  We caught the Eurotunnel/Le Shuttle from Folkestone to Calais, which takes 35 minutes Driving in France and BelgiumI'd never driven in France or Belgium before, although I had driven on the 'wrong' side of the ride in the USA and found it a bit frantic. The roads to Center Parcs Erperheide were nearly all dual carriageways and were pretty easy with Google Maps. They weren't particularly busy, apart from one section around Antwerp. The last 10 miles or so involved driving through a Belgian town, which was immaculate compared to most English towns. Every road seemed to have a separate cycle lane running parallel so people of all ages and sizes happily peddled without even bothering to wear helmets. I find cycling in the UK to be a stressful experience where you have to pedal furiously along busy roads to get to the next section of cycle path. Other than the towns near Center Parcs Erperheide, we found the scenery to be rather flat and reminiscent of driving through the Midlands. The highlight was driving past the Lotus Biscoff factory but that was about it. We also attempted a number plate game but that wore thin with the children after 10 minutes I personally am not a big fan of driving abroad, as I don't really settle into it like I do with a long drive in the UK. I'm always too aware that I might forget where I am and end up on the wrong side of the road. I found it much easier on the way back, as my brain was more prepared for driving on the right. Extra costs for travelling to Center Parcs EuropeThere are quite a few extra costs and requirements that you have to consider, particularly as you are driving in two countries. If you are a regular driver in Europe then this will be familiar territory for you. Again, these are worth considering if your main reason for going to Center Parcs Europe is to save some money. I had to cough up for:
We already had passports, so I'm not going to factor that into the cost. You also need a UK sticker on the car, but I borrowed one so I didn't need to buy one. That's a total of about £125 which we wouldn't have had to pay for a trip to Center Parcs UK. Of course, there's also the cost of petrol. This will obviously vary depending on how close you are to Folkestone, but we drove for 185 miles from Calais to Center Parcs or 370 miles including the return leg. Our nearest UK Center Parcs is 35 miles away so the total extra mileage we did was 670 miles, which costs about £130 in fuel for my car. I'm not going to add on another £25 for wear and tear to my ageing car. Our accommodation at Erperheide We paid about £1100 for a three bedroom Pony Cottage at Erperheide The choice of accommodation at Center Parcs Europe is wide and varies between different parks. You can see our blow-by-blow account of the different Center Parcs Europe grades in this guide. I assume this massive range and inconsistency is partly because some Center Parcs in Europe were not purpose built as Center Parcs. Some were built for other brands, such as Sunparks, and have had upgrades and changes over the years. The Center Parcs in the UK have a simpler range of accommodation. The accommodation we went for at Center Parcs Erperheide was clean and well equipped. We self catered, as one of the children has an allergy and I didn't fancy translating menus or putting her life in the hands of a foreign teenager. Our kitchen had a dishwasher (essential), four gas hobs, a good sized fridge with a small freezer section and a small oven. The oven in question was the size of a microwave but was capable of also operating as a small standard oven if you could cope with the confusing manual. It was a little over designed but I conquered it after a couple of days of complaining.  Our cottage was modern and clean, and similar in design to Center Parcs UK lodges  The kitchen had a dishwasher, hobs, small oven/microwave and fridge/freezer  This is a typical microwave/oven at Center Parcs Europe. It was a little slow, but it did the job.  Child two was thrilled to have a bunk bed at a jaunty angle  The bathroom was modern (and I enjoyed the mirror with a light switch button)  We had a picnic table and two loungers overlooking the stables We went for something called a Pony Cottage, which is only available at a couple of Center Parcs in Europe (Center Parcs Het Meerdal in the Netherlands and Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium). The accommodation design is quite standard, with a few pictures of horses on the wall and horseshoes on the curtains. However, the notable difference is that you overlook a stable an spend each morning grooming and feeding your horse, as well as taking it for a ride in the stables and around the site. We are not horsey people but I thought the children would like it, with the clear directive that we would certainly not be getting a horse at home. I really don't fancy a lifetime of driving a horsebox to gymkhanas in Northamptonshire or mucking out at 6am because the children have gone to university or lost interest.  We signed up for a pony holiday, even though we don't really like horses (oops)  Our horse was the handsome fella at the front and was called Snowy How much did our stay at Center Parcs Erperheide cost?We paid about £1100 for four nights and five days in the August school holidays. The cheapest accommodation available was about £850 but we wanted three bedrooms and we wanted to do the pony activities. The equivalent of the £850 holiday at Center Parcs UK costs about £1300 - or £450 extra. There isn't a direct equivalent of the holiday we booked, but I would estimate we saved about £500 on the accommodation by travelling to Center Parcs Europe. As mentioned several times on this site, you are usually best to book through the French version of the Center Parcs website as it is nearly always cheaper than the .eu, .de and .nl versions of the same website. You are still booking the same holiday and you have to pay in Euros regardless of which site you book through. A couple of people at Center Parcs Erperheide did think we were French. I am not sure if this is because we booked through the French site or if I just exuded Frenchness. Free activities and entertainment at ErperheideCenter Parcs Erperheide exceeded my expectations on activities and entertainment. In hindsight, we probably booked too much stuff as there was quite a lot of free stuff that we didn't really squeeze the juice out of. We were concerned that activities would fill up, so didn't want to miss out. Swimming in the Aqua Mundo at ErperheideThe Aqua Mundo swimming pool at Center Parcs Erperheide is outstanding. We managed four visits in three days but we could have spent longer there. It is similar to the pools at UK Center Parcs with an abundance of things to do including:
At the Aqua Mundo ('water world') we mostly split into two parties with Mrs Guru taking our younger daughter round and me sticking with the older daughter. We spent much of our time repeatedly going down the rapids head first. These were very similar in design to rapids that I had been on at a Center Parcs in the UK. In fact, the whole thing was very similar with lots of nice little features and tropical plants and trees throughout. At one point, I broke child one's goggles and set about finding some new ones. I was impressed to find that they were available from the pool for about £4-£8. I was convinced that I was going to have to pay through the nose for such convenience but was pleasantly surprised when I saw the price.  The Aqua Mundo was the highlight and was very similar to the Center Parcs UK Subtropical Paradise Swimming pools  The pool was busy (unlike this photo) but we enjoyed exploring the different areas  Part of the pool includes a splash park with smaller slides (no, that's not my family, this is a stock photo)  Child one and I went down the rapids at least 20 times over three days (again, that's not me in the photo) Indoor play at Center Parcs ErperheideThere is also a large indoor play area called Baluba at Center Parcs Erperheide. It is larger than the sort of things you pay £10 to visit on a wet Saturday morning with a toddler, with multiple slides, a ball pool and bouncy castles. Around the site there are also a few playgrounds, a barefoot trail and some animals you can pet if you felt inclined.  The BALUBA soft play area was one of the biggest indoor play areas I've seen Activities we paid for at ErperheideOne of the joys of parenting is being able to behave like a child under the pretence of helping your children. Mrs Guru gives me brownie points for joining in and encouraging the children, whilst I get to shout "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" whilst sliding a zip wire or a flume. It's fair to say that activities and hiring things is considerably cheaper at Center Parcs Europe than they are Center Parcs UK. This is another area where you save a bit of money. The first thing we paid for was bikes. They were much more reasonably priced than hiring bikes at Center Parcs UK, and I thought we would use them a lot. We paid about £100 for three days for four bikes. You can expect to pay about twice that for bike hire at Center Parcs in the UK. However, when we arrived we realised that the site is a manageable size and only really a 10 minute walk to most things. We also felt we didn't have time for a lot of bike rides by the time we had groomed the pony, gone for a swim and done all the other activities we had booked. I negotiated with the man at the cycle centre who said that we could have our money back - but only as credit to spend at the site. I decided this was better than nothing and figured out that I could spend it on several bottles of wine at the on-site shop instead (hiccup). There is a neat system at Center Parcs in Europe with green wristbands that do everything, including letting you into your lodge, recording any credit you've got to spend and telling staff what you have booked. We also paid for low ropes and high ropes, zip wires, hiring segways, hiring a five seat e-pedal kart called a Rosalie, hair braiding and stuffing a bear. All the activities were good fun and the staff were helpful and spoke good English. People in Belgium speak a mix of different languages as it borders Netherlands, France, Germany and Luxembourg. As a result, our horse riding instructor spoke four languages whilst I fumbled along with a little bit of GCSE French. You don't need to speak a second language to visit Center Parcs in Belgium.  We didn't get round to boating, but it's a popular activity at Center Parcs Erperheide Low ropes and high ropes (aerial adventures)We did both low ropes and high ropes at Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium. The low ropes at Center Parcs Belgium cost us £13.50 whilst the high ropes cost us £15-£16. An 'aerial adventure' at Center Parcs Sherwood in the UK is similar to the high ropes and costs £40-£47 whilst 'aerial tree trekking' is similar to the low ropes and costs £30-£38. So, for two people we paid about £58 at Center Parcs Europe in total compared to about £147 for a similar thing at Center Parcs UK (a saving of £89). The 'low ropes' were not as low as I expected. I had signed up our seven and 11 year olds to do it together and decided to sit this one out as I assumed it would just be a metre off the ground. It was actually more like four metres off the ground and was quite daunting for the seven year old. Luckily, she rose to the challenge and went round three times. A couple of the other children that weren't with us were a bit wobbly. On the third way round, our older daughter was ready for a break so I kindly offered to take over and helped our younger daughter. Cynics would say that she didn't need my help and I just fancied a go but I will deny such talk. Our older daughter and I did the high ropes together, which were about 10-15m off the ground. I am not bad with heights but I found this rather more challenging than I expected. Whilst child one rattled round at great speed, I inched my way round. I found myself saying things like "fear is a choice", as if I was a contestant on an ITV2 programme with cast members from Corrie. After one lap round I was done, and casually told child one that I would leave her to it. She continued round three times, including the final time when I put a blindfold on her. The instructor reassured me that I wasn't alone and that adults often overthink it whilst children just get on with it. I was grateful for these kind words, even if it isn't true.  Activities like climbing, zip wires and high ropes are cheaper at Center Parcs Europe than Center Parcs UK  Child two conquered the low ropes despite it being higher than I expected Zip wire activity at Center Parcs ErperheideWe also did a zip wire activity at Center Parcs Erperheide, which cost us about £14 each. To complicate our comparison slightly, the zip wire is the finale of the aerial adventure at Center Parcs UK rather than a separate thing. At Center Parcs Erperheide, it involves two loops of a set of three different zip wires. At Center Parcs UK, you do the zip at the end of the aerial adventure. This was another opportunity for me to do something I've wanted to do for a long time, whilst also appearing to be doing some excellent parenting. Child two was too young for this one, but child one zipped down whilst hanging upside down. I took a more conventional approach of zipping along whilst screeching. Rosalie e-kart hire at ErperheideThere are various vehicles you can hire at Center Parcs Erperheide. We went for an 'electric Rosalie', which looks like one of those pedal vehicles driven by the Chuckle Brothers. It had the addition of an electric motor to make peddling much easier. We turned up a little late for our hour session, but still had about 45 minutes circling the site. This was great fun and was a nice way to see the outer reaches of the resort. Erperheide is not a vast site, but it's well laid out with most of the activities in the middle so you don't have too far to travel. There are some lakes if you want a lakeside view and aren't worried that your children will behave like idiots near to water. We paid £16 for the Rosalie electric car hire for an hour. It seated three adults and two children, so it was only about £4 each. Unfortunately, it ended up costing a whole lot more than that as my phone slid out my pocket during the ride and smashed on the floor. I don't believe there is an equivalent of this activity at Center Parcs UK to compare prices. A pedalo will cost you about £20 for half an hour. That's not really the same thing, but you get the idea. Segway hire at Center Parcs ErperheideI had fancied trying out a Segway ever since seeing Gob Bluth riding one on Arrested Development. The ones we hired from Erpherheide had a different design so you controlled them with your knees and didn't hold on to anything. This made balancing a little tricky but we soon got the idea and whizzed around Erperheide. At Center Parcs Erperheide we paid £15 each to hire the segways for an hour. We didn't have a track to follow but were just sent off to whoosh around the site. At Center Parcs UK, the 45 minute 'Segway Experience' costs £39-£43, which involves going round a specially designed track. So, we spend £30 instead of £82 but were unsupervised. Honestly, I was delighted with this and had much more fun just racing around the site rather than listening to an instructor.  Child one and I enjoyed our hour on the segways at Center Parcs Erperheide Teddy bear stuffing at Center Parcs ErperheideIt's not really a holiday unless child two comes home with some stuffed toy that immediately becomes her most treasured possession. She forgets about it a week later and then I eventually give it to a charity shop without her noticing. This may sound heartless but our house would be full if I didn't take action. We signed up for a build a bear type experience, which cost us £21. She could choose an animal she liked (a frog) and then filled it with fluff before choosing a costume that was included in the price (a firefighter's outfit, obviously). A similar activity at Center Parcs UK costs about £30. Conclusion - is it worth travelling to Center Parcs Europe?Overall, I estimate that we saved ourselves about £500 on accommodation and about £250 on activities by travelling to Center Parcs Belgium. However, we cost ourselves about £155 extra in petrol and wear to the car, £250 for the Eurotunnel and about £125 in other costs such as European breakdown cover. That gives us a net gain of about £220. The saving would be larger if we had stayed for a week or longer. We often see accommodation savings of about £1000 that are available if you stay for a week and go for the cheapest Center Parcs in Europe (see our main guide to Center Parcs Europe for some examples). For us, the main motivation for travelling the extra distance was to give the children the experience of their first foreign holiday. The £220 saving alone wouldn't be worth it for me once you factor in the time and effort spend travelling. We could have had more time onsite if we hadn't spent so long in the car. The journey home also took ages, as traffic around Dartford was horrendous. However, Center Parcs Europe is a great option if you want a bit more of an adventure than a trip down the road to your nearest Center Parcs UK. You'll probably save yourself a little bit of money as well, so you are sort of getting a foreign holiday for a lower price than a UK holiday. If we visit again, we probably won't book as many activities and won't book the accommodation with a pony attached. They were all great fun and the staff were excellent, but we didn't really get value for money out of the free things onsite because we were too busy looking after Snowy. In case you are wondering - no, this was not a press trip or a paid trip or a freebie. This was just a family holiday that we paid for ourselves.  We loved our time at Center Parcs Erperheide |
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