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- Center Parcs, Elveden Forest
- FruitSmoothy's review
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| Value for Money | 6.6/10  |
|---|---|
| Reviewer Rating | 7.6/10 |
| Overall Rating | 7.3/10  |
By FruitSmoothy
on 12th Feb 2007
| Value for money | 8/10 |
|---|---|
| Overall value | 8/10 |
 FruitSmoothy's recommendation | |
Sub-tropical swimming paradise.
Well stocked supermarket.
Some great restaurants.
Clean accomodation with everything you need.
Excellent price, depending on time of year.
Some of the restaurants.
Price in the summer.
Not enough bike racks outside accomodation.
I have just been to Elveden Forest Center Parc and absolutely loved my time there and will definitely be going back. I shared accommodation for 8 people with myself, my partner, my two children, my mum, my sister and my nephew, which made the holiday great value for money as I only paid 1/3 which was about £100.
We took some food with us but I have decided not to next time as the supermarket is quite big, bigger than my local Co-op, and has a huge range of items from fresh, frozen, microwave meals, tins, packets, pasta, bakery. The prices are no different to other supermarkets. I ended up taking bags of shopping, then buying tempting things in the supermarket and taking home lots of stuff!
We all took bikes, apart from my mum who rented one, and I took a trailer for my 3 year old to sit in. Unfortunately, there were not enough places to lock them outside our accommodation, only three hoops in all, so we doubled up on hoops and I luckily locked my bike and trailer to a nearby tree.
We loved the swimming paradise and went everyday. The price is included with the holiday so you only need a £1 coin for a locker which you of course get back! There is a very handy large cloakroom before you go in, where you can leave all your coats, hats, scarves, cycle helmets, prams etc. Nothing is secured here but I felt I could trust everyone and had no problems! In the pool there is a shallow area, deep area, waves, a U-shaped alleyway with a current that my kids floated down time and time again. An outside pool, lovely in the dark frosty night as you keep warm in steamy water, with a cold plunge pool, rapids for good swimmers only, two tunnel slides, a wide flat slide, Jacuzzis and a salt pool. They even have a special area for children in it's own room, with two smaller slides (my 3 year old loved this) and paddling areas etc. By the third time we went swimming I took a biscuit and bottle of water for my 3 year old to have in the changing room as you all come out starving and wobbly, plus it keeps them quiet so you can get dressed! I will definitely remember this for next time as the changing rooms are filled with the cries of shivery, exhausted, hungry children.
Then there is nothing better than going for a meal after swimming. You must remember to plan this and book in advance, as we didn't and couldn't get in to Chez Pierre and luckily managed to squeeze into Lucianos. Lucianos was OK, very busy but the food was Divine.
The best restaurant from my visit was on the last night, Huck's Diner, which we booked the day before. Very satisfying portions, great menu, wonderful friendly staff, great children's meals, they can go up to their own special food bar and pick what they want. It also has a great children's play area in the middle where your kids can run off to play while you enjoy your own meal in peace.
We didn't eat out every night and enjoyed staying in to cook in the well equipped kitchen.
One lunchtime we decided to try the Pancake House, which we again didn't book but they squeezed us in within half an hour. I was rather disappointed here, the pancakes were gorgeous but tiny and very expensive and there were numerous other niggles, for example there should have been meatballs inside a pancake that arrived without any. The service wasn't so good, with a Vicky Pollard lookalike waiting on us. She wasn't at all bothered about our needs, didn't smile, didn't ask if we were OK at any time. Also it was only afterwards we saw bottles of Heinz Ketchup that we should have had. We decided to make our own lunch for the rest of the stay, plenty of pizzas in the supermarket, yum.
I have been twice to Elveden, both in February, and it snowed both times which only added to the happy break. Certainly didn't stop anyone wrapping up and cycling/swimming etc.
So next time, I will definitely go in February as they offer very cheap prices and it's nice to have something to look forward to after Xmas!
I will take my own bikes and trailer to save on the hiring charges, even though these are reasonable if you don't have your own bikes.
I will plan and book eating out, preferably Huck's Diner!
I will pack biscuits and water for my small children to have after swimming.
I will not take too much food with me, shop at the supermarket on site instead.
I love Centerparcs!
| Helpful | Unhelpful | Agree | Disagree |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total Respect: +3
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