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Which Center Parcs Is Best In The UK? 2026 Guide
We've had some great holidays at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest
There are five Center Parcs ‘villages’ in the UK (often incorrectly listed as Centre Parcs). They’re all at the posh end of the holiday park market, but which is best? We’ve done a comparison of the five Center Parcs in England by looking at reviews, price, facilities and location. We've also visited Center Parcs ourselves and so can offer some personal insight and expertise.
If you can't be bothered with reading all this guff and just want the headlines, we reckon that Whinfell Forest in Cumbria is the Center Parcs villages which offers the best value for money. It has the lowest prices, the joint best reviews, the second-best range of activities and the second-best swimming pool.
This guide focuses specifically on comparing the five Center Parcs villages in the UK. If price if a major factor or if you're willing to travel further then we've covered European Center Parcs and UK alternatives to Center Parcs separately.
If you can't be bothered with reading all this guff and just want the headlines, we reckon that Whinfell Forest in Cumbria is the Center Parcs villages which offers the best value for money. It has the lowest prices, the joint best reviews, the second-best range of activities and the second-best swimming pool.
This guide focuses specifically on comparing the five Center Parcs villages in the UK. If price if a major factor or if you're willing to travel further then we've covered European Center Parcs and UK alternatives to Center Parcs separately.
Our summary comparison table of Center Parcs in the UK
Before we get to the main details, here's a summary of the five Center Parcs in the UK and what you can expect. We've covered:
- Location (self explanatory!)
- Overall score and pool score, which is the review scores for each park overall and for the swimming pools. We'll give more detail about how we calculated that later.
- Activities, which includes everything listed on the Center Parcs website.
- Price, which is based on our price comparison across on-peak and off-peak dates. The differences for some dates are not huge, but on some weeks you can save hundreds of pounds by picking on Center Parcs resort over another.
Center Parcs Resort |
Overall score/ pool score |
Nearest for visitors from... |
Activities |
Price (£ - £££) |
Whinfell Forest, Cumbria |
88% | 94% |
North West England and Scotland |
180 |
£ |
Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire |
85% | 92% |
East Midlands, Yorkshire |
184 |
££ |
Longleat Forest, Wiltshire |
85% | 96% |
South West England, South Wales |
178 |
£££ |
Elveden Forest, Suffolk |
85% | 92% |
East Anglia |
172 |
££ |
Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire |
85% | 92% |
London, South East |
173 |
££ |
Anyway, here's the more detailed comparison of Center Parcs in the UK:
Which Center Parcs is in the best location?
The Center Parcs in England are strategically spread out:
- Whinfell Forest in Cumbria will be closest for people in Scotland and for most of the North of England
- Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire is closest for people in most of the West Midlands, East Midlands and Yorkshire (we go to this one!)
- Longleat Forest in Wiltshire is closest for the Westcountry
- Elveden Forest in Suffolk is closest for parts of East Anglia
- Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire is closest for people in London and some of the home counties and East Anglia.
Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest is well located for most of the Midlands
Which Center Parcs village gets the best reviews?
In terms of customer reviews, there is very (very) little between the five Center Parcs sites in England.
Whinfell Forest is slightly ahead of the rest, thanks to its better score on TripAdvisor. The other four are all tied on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews.
I'm not sure if this is particularly relevant, but Woburn Forest opened in 2014 and is the newest of the five Center Parcs villages in England. The other four parks opened in the 1980s and 1990s, although there have been various refurbishments over the years.
Here's the full rundown of Center Parcs review scores, as of July 2025:
= 1st. Center Parcs Whinfell Forest - 4.2/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.6/5 on Google Reviews = 88%
= 1st. Center Parcs Longleat Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/6 on Google Reviews = 85%
= 2nd Center Parcs Elveden Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/5 on Google Reviews = 85%
= 2nd Center Parcs Sherwood Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/5 on Google Reviews = 85%
= 2nd Center Parcs Woburn Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/5 on Google Reviews = 85%
The only Irish Center Parcs - Longford Forest - is currently scoring 4.2/5 on TripAdvisor and 4.6/5. That gives it an impressive total of 88%.
Whinfell Forest is slightly ahead of the rest, thanks to its better score on TripAdvisor. The other four are all tied on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews.
I'm not sure if this is particularly relevant, but Woburn Forest opened in 2014 and is the newest of the five Center Parcs villages in England. The other four parks opened in the 1980s and 1990s, although there have been various refurbishments over the years.
Here's the full rundown of Center Parcs review scores, as of July 2025:
= 1st. Center Parcs Whinfell Forest - 4.2/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.6/5 on Google Reviews = 88%
= 1st. Center Parcs Longleat Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/6 on Google Reviews = 85%
= 2nd Center Parcs Elveden Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/5 on Google Reviews = 85%
= 2nd Center Parcs Sherwood Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/5 on Google Reviews = 85%
= 2nd Center Parcs Woburn Forest - 4/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.5/5 on Google Reviews = 85%
The only Irish Center Parcs - Longford Forest - is currently scoring 4.2/5 on TripAdvisor and 4.6/5. That gives it an impressive total of 88%.
Which Center Parcs is cheapest?
We looked at prices for three different types of holiday at all five Center Parcs in the UK.
Whinfell in Cumbria was the UK's cheapest Center Parcs resort in our price comparison. Elveden Forest in Suffolk was second cheapest or joint-second-cheapest at about £20-£100 extra per holiday. Sherwood Forest was usually the mid-priced option.
The most expensive Center Parcs in the UK in our price comparison was either Longleat Forest in Wiltshire or Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire. A week's holiday during peak season cost £280 more at Longleat Forest than Whinfell in Cumbria.
If you’re interested, here are the full results:
We searched for a family of four without pets, including two adults and two children (one aged 6, one aged 8). Our searches were carried out in November 2025. We didn’t include any optional extras, and just looked for the cheapest accommodation available, which was always a two-bedroom woodland lodge. (See our guide to Center Parcs accommodation upgrades for a bit of bedtime reading). Bringing a dog to Center Parcs will cost you £89. Two dogs is £109.
One week in August 2026, from cheapest to most expensive:
A Friday to Monday break over the early May Bank Holiday in 2026, from cheapest to most expensive:
A midweek break in October Half Term 2026, staying from Monday to Friday, from cheapest to most expensive:
Based on these numbers, Whinfell Forest is consistently the cheapest Center Parcs. Longleat Forest, Sherwood Forest and Woburn Forest are generally the more expensive Center Parcs resorts.
Out of curiosity, we also looked up prices for Center Parcs Longford Forest in Ireland, which is owned by the same company but runs through a separate website. A week in August 2026 was from £2598 whilst a weekend over the early Bank Holiday in May was £1101. Four nights in October Half Term was £1233.
None of those are a big enough saving to cover the extra travel costs from Great Britain. Prices were in Euros, so we converted to Pounds based on the exchange rate at the time.
Whinfell in Cumbria was the UK's cheapest Center Parcs resort in our price comparison. Elveden Forest in Suffolk was second cheapest or joint-second-cheapest at about £20-£100 extra per holiday. Sherwood Forest was usually the mid-priced option.
The most expensive Center Parcs in the UK in our price comparison was either Longleat Forest in Wiltshire or Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire. A week's holiday during peak season cost £280 more at Longleat Forest than Whinfell in Cumbria.
If you’re interested, here are the full results:
We searched for a family of four without pets, including two adults and two children (one aged 6, one aged 8). Our searches were carried out in November 2025. We didn’t include any optional extras, and just looked for the cheapest accommodation available, which was always a two-bedroom woodland lodge. (See our guide to Center Parcs accommodation upgrades for a bit of bedtime reading). Bringing a dog to Center Parcs will cost you £89. Two dogs is £109.
One week in August 2026, from cheapest to most expensive:
- Whinfell Forest - £2148
- Elveden Forest - £2348
- Sherwood Forest - £2398
- Woburn Forest - £2498
- Longleat Forest - £2648
A Friday to Monday break over the early May Bank Holiday in 2026, from cheapest to most expensive:
- Whinfell Forest - £799
- Longleat Forest - £929
- Elveden Forest - £949
- Sherwood Forest - £949
- Woburn Forest - £999
A midweek break in October Half Term 2026, staying from Monday to Friday, from cheapest to most expensive:
- Whinfell Forest - £1449
- Elveden Forest - £1499
- Woburn Forest - £1499
- Sherwood Forest - £1549
- Longleat Forest - £1649
Based on these numbers, Whinfell Forest is consistently the cheapest Center Parcs. Longleat Forest, Sherwood Forest and Woburn Forest are generally the more expensive Center Parcs resorts.
Out of curiosity, we also looked up prices for Center Parcs Longford Forest in Ireland, which is owned by the same company but runs through a separate website. A week in August 2026 was from £2598 whilst a weekend over the early Bank Holiday in May was £1101. Four nights in October Half Term was £1233.
None of those are a big enough saving to cover the extra travel costs from Great Britain. Prices were in Euros, so we converted to Pounds based on the exchange rate at the time.
We found a difference of hundreds of pounds between Center Parcs resorts in the UK
Which Center Parcs has the best facilities?
All the Center Parcs sites have loads of things to do but there are slight differences in the number of activities on offer.
As you are probably aware, many activities at Center Parcs cost extra and some are only available at certain sites. If there’s something you are particularly keen to do, it’s worth checking the website first, but you can get a general idea of which village has the greatest number of activities with a bit of filtering on the website.
Number of activities on offer, from most to least:
So, Woburn Forest has fewer activities than most Center Parcs whilst also being one of the most expensive villages in our (limited) price comparison.
It’s worth noting that this is only a very rough way of looking at the number of activities due to the way the website is set up. For example, adventure golf is listed three – once with 9 holes, once with 18 holes and again as a night time activity at Longleat. At three of the villages, you can do either 9 or 18 holes, whilst two of them you can only do 9 holes.
Bear in mind that this only tells you how many activities are available. It doesn't tell you how well run they are or which has the most modern equipment. Honestly though, I think if there was a big difference then it would show up in the average customer reviews, which are very (very) similar across all five Center Parcs in England.
The Irish Center Parcs resort - Longford Forest - has 155 activities, which is slightly less than the English resorts. Having stared at the list for some time, I've concluded that the range of activities is pretty similar.
Also worth mentioning is that this data is from December 2025 and that it changes regularly.
As you are probably aware, many activities at Center Parcs cost extra and some are only available at certain sites. If there’s something you are particularly keen to do, it’s worth checking the website first, but you can get a general idea of which village has the greatest number of activities with a bit of filtering on the website.
Number of activities on offer, from most to least:
- Sherwood Forest - 184 different activities
- Whinfell Forest - 180
- Longleat Forest - 178
- Woburn Forest - 173
- Elveden Forest - 172
So, Woburn Forest has fewer activities than most Center Parcs whilst also being one of the most expensive villages in our (limited) price comparison.
It’s worth noting that this is only a very rough way of looking at the number of activities due to the way the website is set up. For example, adventure golf is listed three – once with 9 holes, once with 18 holes and again as a night time activity at Longleat. At three of the villages, you can do either 9 or 18 holes, whilst two of them you can only do 9 holes.
Bear in mind that this only tells you how many activities are available. It doesn't tell you how well run they are or which has the most modern equipment. Honestly though, I think if there was a big difference then it would show up in the average customer reviews, which are very (very) similar across all five Center Parcs in England.
The Irish Center Parcs resort - Longford Forest - has 155 activities, which is slightly less than the English resorts. Having stared at the list for some time, I've concluded that the range of activities is pretty similar.
Also worth mentioning is that this data is from December 2025 and that it changes regularly.
There are nearly 200 activities at Center Parcs including badminton, archery, minigolf, pottery painting and den building
Are there any differences in prices for activities at the Center Parcs resorts?
You might assume that activities cost the same regardless of which Center Parcs you visit.
Well buster, you'd be wrong!
Generally, prices for activities at Center Parcs Woburn Forest, Elveden Forest and Longleat Forest are slightly higher than activities at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest and Sherwood Forest. The difference is usually quite small - you pay an extra 50p to hire a kayak for example.
The difference can be more significant, particularly when there are four of you doing an activity.
Here are the prices for an aerial adventure at the five Center Parcs in England:
So, a family of two adults and two children would pay £174 at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest or £185 at Center Parcs Longleat. A difference of £11 is unlikely to be a dealbreaker but over a few days it would add up.
This is also a good moment to point out the huge difference in price for activities at Center Parcs Europe and Center Parcs UK. Here are some examples based on our visit to Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium:
Well buster, you'd be wrong!
Generally, prices for activities at Center Parcs Woburn Forest, Elveden Forest and Longleat Forest are slightly higher than activities at Center Parcs Whinfell Forest and Sherwood Forest. The difference is usually quite small - you pay an extra 50p to hire a kayak for example.
The difference can be more significant, particularly when there are four of you doing an activity.
Here are the prices for an aerial adventure at the five Center Parcs in England:
- Sherwood Forest - £40 - £47
- Longleat Forest - £42.50 - £50
- Elveden Forest - £42 - £50
- Whinfell Forest - £40 - £47
- Woburn Forest - £42 - £50
So, a family of two adults and two children would pay £174 at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest or £185 at Center Parcs Longleat. A difference of £11 is unlikely to be a dealbreaker but over a few days it would add up.
This is also a good moment to point out the huge difference in price for activities at Center Parcs Europe and Center Parcs UK. Here are some examples based on our visit to Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium:
Activity |
Center Parcs Woburn Forest (UK) |
Center Parcs Erperheide (Belgium) |
Aerial adventure (high ropes) |
£42.50 - £50 (60 - 90 minutes) |
£15-£16 (60 minutes high ropes) |
Aerial tree trekking (low ropes) |
£33-£39 (30 minutes) |
£13.50 (60 minutes) |
Segway |
£41-£45 (45 minutes) |
£15 (60 minutes) |
I should make clear that this is not a perfect comparison.
In the UK, the 'Aerial Adventure' includes a whoosh down the zip wire. At Center Parcs Erperheide, the zip wire is a separate activity that cost £14 and includes two circuits of a set of three zip wires. The Segway we did in Belgium was simply a case of hiring the equipment and being told to come back in an hour, ideally without any injuries. At Center Parcs in the UK, you go on a special track with an instructor, hi-vis jackets and liability disclaimers. These prices are correct as of 2025.
In the UK, the 'Aerial Adventure' includes a whoosh down the zip wire. At Center Parcs Erperheide, the zip wire is a separate activity that cost £14 and includes two circuits of a set of three zip wires. The Segway we did in Belgium was simply a case of hiring the equipment and being told to come back in an hour, ideally without any injuries. At Center Parcs in the UK, you go on a special track with an instructor, hi-vis jackets and liability disclaimers. These prices are correct as of 2025.
The cost of activities at Center Parcs varies (this is a Belgian resort)
Which Center Parcs has the best swimming pool?
For a lot of people, the Subtropical Swimming Paradise is the main attraction of Center Parcs. It's also one of the free things to do onsite, whereas most other activities are charged extra. They all offer wave pools, flumes, rapids for stronger swimmers and jacuzzis/hot tubs. They do get rather busy at peak times - we've found they are much quieter and pleasant in the evening than during the day.
With a bit of digging, you'll find that the swimming pools are reviewed separately by Google reviews. So, which is the best Center Parcs swimming pool?
Again, there isn't a huge range in the reviews but the Subtropical Swimming Paradise at Longleat is the best, according to reviewers as it scores 4.8/5. Whinfell Forest is in second place with 4.7/5. The swimming pools at Sherwood Forest, Elveden Forest and Woburn Forest all score 4.6/5.
It is possible to visit Center Parcs' swimming pool without staying onsite, but you need to be a guest of someone who has booked accommodation. Last time I checked, a day pass for visitors was about £135 for a family of four. See this blog for more details.
With a bit of digging, you'll find that the swimming pools are reviewed separately by Google reviews. So, which is the best Center Parcs swimming pool?
Again, there isn't a huge range in the reviews but the Subtropical Swimming Paradise at Longleat is the best, according to reviewers as it scores 4.8/5. Whinfell Forest is in second place with 4.7/5. The swimming pools at Sherwood Forest, Elveden Forest and Woburn Forest all score 4.6/5.
It is possible to visit Center Parcs' swimming pool without staying onsite, but you need to be a guest of someone who has booked accommodation. Last time I checked, a day pass for visitors was about £135 for a family of four. See this blog for more details.
Swimming at Center Parcs is one of the biggest attractions (and it's free)
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We've spent many hours in the Subtropical Paradise at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest
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Other differences between the Center Parcs locations
According to Wikipedia (Ed: hmm...great research, you're fired) there are a number of other differences between the five Center Parcs in the UK:
- Longleat Forest has 'fewer lodges than Elveden Forest and Sherwood Forest due to the steep topography of the site'
- 'Whinfell is slightly different in that the style of accommodation is more akin to two-storey Scandinavian-style lodges, the main centre of the village is under cover, and there is no country club like at Elveden Forest and Sherwood Forest.'
- Woburn Forest is 'the smallest UK Center Parcs village' (although there's not all that much difference) at 365 acres whilst Whinfell, Sherwood, Woburn and Elveden are about 400 acres.
Summary - how to choose the best Center Parcs in the UK for you
Based on our comparisons and our personal experiences, Whinfell Forest appears to offer slightly better value than the other Center Parcs villages. It compares well on reviews, offers a similar range of activities to the others and was a little bit cheaper in our price comparisons.
Elveden Forest in Suffolk is also good value and is more convenient for people living in South East England than Whinfell Forest. It was second cheapest in our price comparisons and has the most activities.
Longleat Forest has the best Subtropical Swimming Paradise according to reviewers, but the difference is marginal. All the swimming pools are highly rated.
I would say you would be best to weigh up the cost and convenience of travel with the money you could save. You might consider several hours extra in the car for a week’s holiday where you could save hundreds of pounds, but probably not for an off-peak weekend where you might save £100.
Elveden Forest in Suffolk is also good value and is more convenient for people living in South East England than Whinfell Forest. It was second cheapest in our price comparisons and has the most activities.
Longleat Forest has the best Subtropical Swimming Paradise according to reviewers, but the difference is marginal. All the swimming pools are highly rated.
I would say you would be best to weigh up the cost and convenience of travel with the money you could save. You might consider several hours extra in the car for a week’s holiday where you could save hundreds of pounds, but probably not for an off-peak weekend where you might save £100.
Frequently asked questions about Center Parcs
Are there any good UK alternatives to Center Parcs?
Yes! If you like Center Parcs but are looking for something closer to you or at a lower price, then there are some good alternatives.
Decent options include some of the bigger Haven and Parkdean holiday parks, as well as Bluestone in Wales.
However, it's worth saying that these alternatives vary a lot in terms of atmosphere, on-site activities and price.
We’ve compared them properly in our dedicated guide to cheap alternatives to Center Parcs.
Decent options include some of the bigger Haven and Parkdean holiday parks, as well as Bluestone in Wales.
However, it's worth saying that these alternatives vary a lot in terms of atmosphere, on-site activities and price.
We’ve compared them properly in our dedicated guide to cheap alternatives to Center Parcs.
Haven Hafan y Môr Holiday Park is a popular alternative to Center Parcs
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We think of Bluestone as the 'Welsh Center Parcs' - as it offers a similar holiday
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Are Center Parcs holidays cheaper in Europe?
Yes, they often are - but not always once you include travel costs. We've found that European Center Parcs tend to work out cheaper then Center Parcs in the UK for longer breaks and if you visit during peak times. It's also worth saying again that Center Parcs Europe is much less consistent than Center Parcs in the UK.
There are about five Center Parcs resorts in Europe that we consider to be on a par with the UK sites, but there are many more than are very different. Some have smaller pools, some have a smaller range of activities and some have very different accommodation.
We’ve broken this down in more detail in our comparison of Center Parcs UK vs Europe, where we look at prices, accommodation and overall value.
There are about five Center Parcs resorts in Europe that we consider to be on a par with the UK sites, but there are many more than are very different. Some have smaller pools, some have a smaller range of activities and some have very different accommodation.
We’ve broken this down in more detail in our comparison of Center Parcs UK vs Europe, where we look at prices, accommodation and overall value.
Is Center Parcs UK worth the money?
It's hard to deny that Center Parcs is expensive compared to other holiday parks in the UK. Haven, Parkdean Resorts and other brands offer great value caravans, which will often cost you about a third of the price of a Center Parcs holiday. However, these budget caravans are significantly smaller than Center Parcs cheapest lodges. If you compare like-for-like accommodation then the difference in price is much smaller.
The other factor to consider is that Center Parcs swimming pools are generally considered superior to its rivals pools. Activities are expensive, but you can occupy a lot of time in the pool to save some money.
My personal opinion is that Center Parcs is reasonable value if a) you are likely to use the pool every day b) you go for the cheapest accommodation available c) you fill up accommodation to its maximum, d) you do a short break rather than a full week and e) you manage expectations of how many activities your children can do.
The other factor to consider is that Center Parcs swimming pools are generally considered superior to its rivals pools. Activities are expensive, but you can occupy a lot of time in the pool to save some money.
My personal opinion is that Center Parcs is reasonable value if a) you are likely to use the pool every day b) you go for the cheapest accommodation available c) you fill up accommodation to its maximum, d) you do a short break rather than a full week and e) you manage expectations of how many activities your children can do.
Is Center Parcs suitable for toddlers and babies?
Yes, Center Parcs is well geared up for families with babies and toddlers. You'll find plenty of pushchair-friendly paths, mostly car-free roads (just keep an eye out for cyclists) and quite a few activities for younger visitors. The swimming pools have shallow sections and splash areas. If possible, visit during term time when it will be quieter and less expensive (yes, I know that's obvious advice).
