Just having a quick browse through the Centreparcs website and guffawing at the UK prices…then noted the Netherlands section..significantly cheaper as I imagine school holidays are different times there..

Anyone got any experiences of the Holland Centreparcs at all?

Just toying with the idea of a midweek break sometime, so not wanting to drive right tot he North edge of the country..

Any recommendations for park names you would recommend/avoid appreciated….

Cheers

DrP

Just having a quick browse through the Centreparcs website and guffawing at the UK prices…

Jaysus!

Just to chuck another idea in your think wok (and not knowing how old your sprogs are), flights to Billund in Denmark seem to be dirt cheap in September if you move fast.

We’ve stayed at This place which was great for smaller kids with plenty to do and nice lodges to stay in, and combined it with a couple of visits to This place which is right next door and brilliant, much better than the Windsor variant.

No hire car would be required. Probably not quite as classy as your Centerparcs, obviously.

Went to a Center Parcs in the south with the kids a few years ago. Can’t remember the name. Was OK, food pretty average. Found a nice little xc loop nearby, did a day trip to Amsterdam by train. Good network of cycle paths outside the parc. People very friendly.

It’s not the same company – the UK arm was sold off years ago (and in any case Whinfell was built by yet another company as a CP competitor).

We’ve looked at it as a colleague told me it’s cheaper (even with the Rotterdam ferry) than a week in the UK in peak season.

then noted the Netherlands section..significantly cheaper

It’s because you can go Dutch.

We’ve been a few times now with family – been to de Kempervennen (real ski slope, close to the Belgium border) and de Eemhof (boating, further north). Also been to Thetford.

There is no comparison. I wouldn’t go to a UK one again, but a Dutch one, definitely

We generally get the ferry to Calais, pootle along the coast to Amsterdam or Bruges, spend a day or so there, then head to centre parcs. Then on the way back you can the Somme/war graves etc. Take the bikes obviously. Decent cycling for the kids as it’s dead flat (obv) and decent cycle paths.

And obviously pick up a decent amount of beer/wine etc (L’Auchan in Grande Synthe…)

I think the one we went to in April was about €1200 for a week. That was for a 12 person flat, VIP, free wifi, free bread everyday etc etc. Top floor, overlooking the marina and lake. Amazing sunsets.

I think the equivalent in Thetford etc was about £2500.

Obviously you have to get the shuttle/boat and drive to Dover, but you can go to Harwich

Any questions, just ask

It’s because you can go Dutch.

See also: Greece

I’d recommend De Kempervennen. Stayed there twice. It’s got an indoor ski slope and a wakeboarding lake. If we still did CP holidays it would be top of the list. Worked out a lot cheaper than UK sites even factoring in the cost of the Chunnel. (Probably not quite so good now since the £ got scuttled.)

My Boss has been twice and loves it, we went to one in France and was told it was simular – frankly for family holidays they’re great.

There’s lots to do, the all weather dome / pool is a great fall-back and they’re real world money – £2.5k to spend a week in Woburn? Nah, even including the tunnel, fuel, tolls and all that Jazz it was a grand cheaper for us to go to one in France.

The one at Port Zeeland was decent – my first ever Centerparcs experience (don’t have kids) and came away from the experience of meeting friends there unscathed.

Go to one of the Sponsors of a TdF team..who specialise in European parks and camping locations..

Sunweb

Then on the way back you can the Somme/war graves etc. Take the bikes obviously

seems a bit disrespectful, got to shred gnar where you can I suppose.

Ace, better than the UK ones I have been to. We used to go to De Kempervennen.

When kids were little they loved the Canoe trip. Cycling infrastructure has to be seen to be believed. Never used the car ever, even going into Eindhoven and further.

Rob Hilton – Member
It’s because you can go Dutch.
See also: Greece

We all know what’s going on here…… It’s just implied but we all know what’s going on in this thought bubble. The kids don’t know but we do.

We went to Erpeheide CP in Belgium for Feb half term this year. Had a great time. We had a ‘pony cottage’ where our girls had their own pony for the week. They loved it! Great pool. Decent restaurants on site or we cooked. Was 1/3 of the cost of the UK sites. Would definitely go back. Heard good things about the Dutch Port Zealand and De Kampervenen sites from friends who’ve been.

We went a lot when I was little, been going again now as a parent for a few years. Love it. If you like that sort of holiday, go for it (some hate it).

They are quite different, I prefer them, to the UK ones. Some of the cottages are quite worn and they are gradually updating them. Eden cottages are the newer ones.

Kempervennen is excellent and I would happily go there again and again (been twice). Went to Het Heijderbos this year, quite different but still loved it. Huttenhuegte we did first of the lot and it doesn’t compare.

We’re up in the barbaric north, so get DFDS from North Shields to Ijmuiden. Works really well. You can also go Hull to either Rotterdam or Zeebrugge.

Belgian parks are meant to be really nice – the are newer so what they aspire the older parks to be.

Also, send your wife to look up Center Parcs on mumsnet (a quick google will suffice).

I know of the ‘mumsnet;Centreparcs’ situation you speak of…..

Thanks for the recommendations…shall have a look and need my imagination!

DrP

Ferry costs from Newcastle? Mrs T can only get a price for the return journey.