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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Ben Reid

Center Parcs hidden costs and what's included with a holiday at villages

It's one of Britain's most popular holiday destinations and plenty will be heading to a Center Parcs village this half-term for some much-needed R&R.

Center Parcs is a firm family favourite for many holidaymakers in the country and the Nottinghamshire-based company has plenty of villages to get away to.

With its popularity and rave reviews, plenty are looking to book getaways there and it's not always easy on the wallet depending on when you go.

With the cost of living on the rise, we've broken down examples of what is provided as part of your holiday package with the company and where the hidden costs come in.

There’s plenty that comes included in a Center Parcs break, leaving space in your car when you travel and lots to do when you are there.

You’ll be able to roam the 400 acres of forest, visit the sandy beach and enjoy the outdoor children’s play areas. The company has free wifi across the village and there are hundreds of acres of forest and miles of woodland paths to explore in your own time.

All accommodation features the essentials you’ll need too, such as pots and plates, glasses and cutlery, as well as bed linen and towels. All lodges are thoroughly cleaned before you arrive.

Included in your accommodation

  • Hairdryer
  • Bedding
  • Towels (accommodation use only, please bring your own pool towels or you can hire these out daily)
  • Foot stool for children in the bathroom
  • Three dishwasher tablets, tea towel and washing up liquid sachet
  • Pots, pans, utensils, cutlery, plates and bowls
  • Microwave, induction hob, kettle, toaster, oven (excluding some apartments)
  • Small fridge and freezer
  • Cot (linen not included) and high chair
  • Bed rails (available on request from Guest Services, subject to availability)
  • Furnished private patio with brick-built barbeque stand (excluding Hotels and Apartments)
  • Iron and ironing board
  • Safe
  • TV
  • Log burner (a few exceptions, please check the accommodation details on the booking page)
  • Free Friendly wifi

What's included on the village

If you're looking to keep costs to just what you've paid for the package, this is what you can get included in a holiday village.

  • Adventure playgrounds
  • Pre-bookable time entry slots at the Subtropical Swimming Paradise
  • Up to 400 acres of woodland to explore
  • Watersports lake
  • Sandy beach
  • Free Ella’s Kitchen baby food in selected restaurants
  • Miles of paths to walk or cycle
  • Villages are easy to get around with ramped entrances and walkways in most areas

Hidden costs at Center Parcs

Here Center Parcs has outlined a list of example prices for each of the activities. This is a guide for the Sherwood Forest village and is subject to change based on peak and off peak periods.

Activity

Age

Information

Duration

Example Price

Chocolate Chefs Academy

3 – 7 years

Non-parent accompanied

3 hours

£30.00

Wizard Academy

3 – 7 years

Non-parent accompanied

3 hours

£30.00

Archery – Little Outlaws

3-5 years

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£10.50

Archery – Mini Crossbows

3-7 years

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£10.50

Baby Balance Bike Buddy

10 months – 2 years

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£8.75

Crazy Science

3 -7 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£17.00

Cupcake Little Ones

3 – 7 years

Parent accompanied

45 minutes

£12.50

Fencing for Juniors

6 -9 years & 18 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

1 hour

£22.00 per pair

Forest Fortress Den Build

3 years +

Parent accompanied

1 hour

30 minutes

£48.00 per plot up to 6 people

Fun Pots with Tots

1 month – 5 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£15.00

Hair Braiding

3 years +

Parent accompanied

10 minutes

£7.75

Mucky Pups

18 – 36 months

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£11.50

Mini Ballerinas

3 – 5 years

Parent accompanied

45 minutes

£8.00

Roller Skating

6 years +

Minimum skate size junior 8

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£8.00

Roller Tots

2 – 5 years

Junior skate size 6-13

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£6.50

Soccer Coaching

3 – 5 years

Parent accompanied

45 minutes

£10.00

Soccer Coaching

6 – 11 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

30 minutes

£13.50

Spy School

3 – 7 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£16.50

Street Karts

4 years +

Parent accompanied

20 minutes

£8.50

Family Street Karts (Group of 6)

4 years +

Parent accompanied

20 minutes

£34.00

Teach me Balance Bike

2 – 5 years

Parent accompanied

45 minutes

£10.50

Teddy Bear Making

3 years +

Parent accompanied

10 minutes

£25.50

Junior Segways

8 – 11 years

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£12.50

Here is a selection of the popular indoor activities

American Pool

All ages

1 hour

£9.00 - £9.50

Badminton

All ages

From 45 minutes

£8.75 - £12.50

Caving Adventure

6 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

55 minutes

£18.00 - £25.00

English Pool

All ages

Parent accompanied

£5.50

Cupcake Decorating

8 years +

Parent accompanied

1 hour 30 minutes

£27.00

Fencing

10 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

55 minutes

£18.00 per person

Football Pool

All ages

Parent accompanied

45 minutes

£11.50

Indoor Climbing Adventure

4 years +

Min height 1.10 metres

Parent accompanied

55 minutes

£22.00 - £23.50

Racket Ball

All ages

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

£9.50

Short Tennis

All ages

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

£8.75 - £12.50

Snooker

All ages

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£7.25 - £9.00

Squash

All ages

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

£10.00

Table Tennis

All ages

Non-parent accompanied

30 minutes

£6.25 - £8.75

Ten Pin Bowling

All ages

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

£22.50 - £36.50 (4 people)

Ten Pin Bowling

All ages

Non-parent accompanied

1 hour

£25.00 - £41.50 (6 people)

Pottery Painting Table

All ages

Parent accompanied

1 hour 30 minutes

£5.75 per person

Virtual Reality Experience – Alien Invasion

Minimum height 1.22 metres

Parent accompanied

5 minutes

£6.50

Virtual Reality Experience – Mayan Temple

Minimum height 1.22 metres

Parent accompanied

5 minutes

£6.50

Here is a selection of activities in the fitness studio

Bollywood Dancing

14 years +

Non-parent accompanied

55 minutes

£9.50

Boogie Bounce

14 years +

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

£8.50

Boxfit

14 years +

Non-parent accompanied

55 minutes

£8.50

Hula Party

12 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

55 minutes

£9.50

Lavender Relaxation

14 years +

Non-parent accompanied

55 minutes

£8.50

Line Dancing

10 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

55 minutes

£8.50

Pilates

14 years +

Non-parent accompanied

55 minutes

£12.50

Gym Pass

16 years +

Non-parent accompanied

90 minutes

£5.50

Yoga

14 years +

Non-parent accompanied

55 minutes

£9.50

Zumba

14 years +

Non-parent accompanied

55 minutes

£9.50

Here is a selection of popular indoor and outdoor watersports activities

Aqua Jetting

8 years +

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£15.50 - £17.00

Family Cabana

All ages

Parent accompanied and paying

2 hours

£32.00 - £72.00 (size depending)

Mini Jet Skis

3 – 7 years

Parent accompanied

10 minutes

£9.00 - £10.00

Mermaids and Sharks*

6 – 12 years

Parent accompanied

45 minutes

£21.50 - £23.00

*Participants must be able to swim 25 metres confidently and tread water for 30 seconds unaccompanied.

Craft Hire

All ages

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£9.25 - £18.00

Electric Boat Hire

All ages

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£22.50 - £24.50 (size dependent)

Mini Captains’ Adventure

3 years +

Parent accompanied

40 minutes

£23.00

Watersport Tuition

10 years +

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£29.00 - £32.00

Here is a selection of popular outdoor activities

Adventure Golf – 9 holes

All ages

Parent accompanied and paying

1 round

12 years + £7.75 Under 12 £6.75

Adventure Golf – 18 holes

All ages

Parent accompanied and paying

1 round

12 years + £9.75 Under 12 £8.25

Aerial Adventure

Minimum height 1.22 metres

Parent accompanied and paying

1 circuit and decent

£29.00 - £35.00

Aerial Tree Trekking

Minimum height 1.10 metres

Parent accompanied and paying

1 circuit

£23.00 - £28.00

Archery – Crossbows

12 years +

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

£28.50

Archery – Field Archery

10 years +

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

12 years + £29.50 - £35.50 Under 12 £24.50 - £29.50

Archery – Robin Hood & Little Johns

Pair

6 – 9 years

18 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

45 minutes

£23.50 per pair

Archery – Target Archery

10 years +

Non-parent accompanied

55 minutes

12 years + £22.50 - £26.50 Under 12 £19.00 - £22.50

Field & Target Archery Package

10 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

1 hour

30 minutes

12 years + £39.50 - £49.50 Under 12s £33.50 - £39.50

Family Putting

All ages

Parent accompanied and paying

30 minutes

12 years + £7.75

Under 12 years £6.75

Geocache

All ages

Parent accompanied and paying

2 hours

£19.00 (group of 4)

High Ropes Challenge

Minimum height 1.22 metres

Parent accompanied and paying

2 hours

12 years + £26.00 - £29.00 Under 12 £22.00 - £26.00

Junior Quads

6 – 11 years

(Maximum weight 41kgs)

Parent accompanied

45 minutes (15 minutes’ drive time)

£30.00 - £37.00

Junior Pony Ride

2 – 7 years

Parent accompanied

15 minutes

£18.50

Laser Clay Shoot Out

10 years +

Non-parent accompanied

45 minutes

12 years + £24.00 - £29.50 Under 12 £20.00 - £24.00

Laser Combat

6 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

1 hour

15 minutes

12 years + £28.50 - £34.50 Under 12 £24.50 - £28.50

Mini Trek

2 years + (maximum height 1.2 metres)

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£15.00

Off-Road Explorers

3 – 7 years

Parent accompanied

30 minutes

£19.00

Paintball (with unlimited paintballs)

12 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

1 hour

45 minutes

£36.50 – £42.50

Quad Bike Safari

12 – 15 years (Maximum weight 82kgs)

Non-parent accompanied

1 hour

£38.50 - £47.50

Quad Bike Safari

16 years + (Maximum weight 138kgs)

Non-parent accompanied

1 hour

£38.50 - £47.50

Segway Experience

12 years +

(Minimum weight 44kgs, Maximum weight 117kgs)

Parent accompanied

45 minutes

£32.50 - £36.00

Tennis Court – Outdoor

All ages

Non-parent accompanied

1 hour

£11.50

Treasure Trail

All ages

Parent accompanied and paying

1 hour

30 minutes

12 years + £5.50

Under 12s £5.00

Here is a selection of nature based activities

Build a Nature House

5 years +

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£19.00

Nature Walk Daytime

4 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

1 hour

30 minutes

£8.00

Falconers Club

6 – 11 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£14.50

Family Nature Journal

3 – 7 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

30 minutes

£18.50

Make a Bird Feeder

2 years +

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£7.75

Nature Detectives

3 – 7 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

£11.00

Willow Workshop

Minimum age 8 years

Parent accompanied

1 hour

30 minutes

£19.00

Here is a selection of Aqua Sana Spa sessions and treatments

Spa session

14 years +

Parent accompanied and paying

3 hours

From £49.00

Spa Treatments

18 years +

Non-parent accompanied

Varies

From £44.00

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