How I bagged an affordable Center Parcs stay with family – the kids loved it

I AM not into cycling and cannot stand swimming, so Center Parcs wasn’t exactly the perfect break for me.

But it was for my four-year-old son Alex.

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After his best friend Maxwell holidayed there, he was desperate to see what this haven of fun was all about.

So together with Maxwell’s family, we found ourselves on a joint break at Center Parcs’ Sherwood Forest “village” in rural Nottinghamshire.

The company has five resorts across the UK, each set in up to 400 acres of forest, with a water-sports lake, beach and a range of restaurants and activities.

Stays can get pricey but we had managed to find a reasonable deal for our trip to Sherwood Forest by booking well in advance and visiting midweek.

Arrival is like a military operation, with wristbands dished out that act as keys to the lodge and swimming pool lockers.

Once you’ve dropped your gear off at the lodge, the car remains safely in the car park and from then on you have to cycle, zip wire, jog or walk around.

That kind of organised fun can be annoying, but the peace and tranquillity without cars was just what we needed, especially when we had Layla, our boxer dog.

Treetop sauna

Dogs can only be let off their leads in designated areas, but these were so small that I kept her on and just gave her longer walks.

And there is a lot of walking to be had.

Even with 870 lodges, some of which are dog-friendly, it never seemed overcrowded.

I’d packed mountains of food and booze for our trip, after being warned the village supermarket prices were eye-watering.

But I was pleasantly surprised to discover Doritos crisps were the same price as Sainsbury’s at £2.50, the dip was 60p cheaper and four cans of Thatchers Gold cider were £5.10 — just 10p more than at Asda.

It’s a great place to pack up a picnic hamper and wander to the lake at the centre, surrounded by benches, squirrels and ducks.

Next to that is the village square with the shop, an ice cream parlour and Italian, Indian and Mexican restaurants that allow dogs outside.

If you are organised, you can also book in advance for a delivery to your lodge.

We weren’t.

But what I did have was a mountain of sausages and burgers to cook up at the lodge — each comes with a BBQ.

When we weren’t strolling the grounds or cooking a lodge-side feast, many days were spent by the swimming pool or, as Center Parcs calls it, the “subtropical swimming paradise”, covered by a clear dome that is heated to a balmy 29C year round and filled with plants and trees.

It certainly did feel tropical and, most importantly, it was included in the price — all day, every day from 10am to 9pm.

Inside is a wave pool as well as weaving slides that looked terrifying.

Luckily, Alex preferred the water play area for younger kids with little slides, spray fountains and a splashing pool.

The fun didn’t end there either as, the following day, the kids were booked into a three-hour “Wizard Academy” to make crafts, cast spells and play magical games.

We were able to bring their wizard outfits, painted magic pebble and graduate certificate home with us too — £35 well spent.

Aside from this, there is so much else for kids and adults to get stuck into, such as games of squash, falconry classes, bike or pedalo hire and paddleboarding.

Our trip to the beach was the biggest hit with Alex, though.

I bought him a pirate bucket and spade for £5.50 that he made sandcastles with for hours.

The spa, on the other hand, was my highlight.

To complement its fantastic massage treatments, it had a treetop sauna, several steam rooms and a relaxation room.

Now I wouldn’t rule out becoming one of those families who returns every year to Center Parcs.

But it would be without Layla as it was dog tolerant, not friendly.

But as long as I can sneak back to the spa, it’s a win for me.

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