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8 cheap Center Parcs alternatives - 2021
The UK’s five Center Parcs are a popular option for a family holiday but they’re not cheap and they can be very busy, even during the quieter months. We queued for 45 minutes to check in during a weekend in February, and I've never quite got over it.
One option is to head to Center Parcs Europe which are usually considerably cheaper. See our guide for more on that, including a simple trick to save yourself an extra £100 or so. Another option is Eurocamp.
However, if you don’t fancy a long car journey with children and want a cheap alternative to Center Parcs in the UK, there are several good options provided by the likes of Landal Greenparks, Bluestone, Haven, Darwin Escapes and others.
Here are eight of the best alternatives to Center Parcs in the UK, based on customer reviews, price, facilities, and location.
We also did a rough price comparison by looking for the cheapest accommodation for a family of four staying for a week in August 2021. For comparison, the cheapest week at Center Parcs for the same dates was £1728.
One option is to head to Center Parcs Europe which are usually considerably cheaper. See our guide for more on that, including a simple trick to save yourself an extra £100 or so. Another option is Eurocamp.
However, if you don’t fancy a long car journey with children and want a cheap alternative to Center Parcs in the UK, there are several good options provided by the likes of Landal Greenparks, Bluestone, Haven, Darwin Escapes and others.
Here are eight of the best alternatives to Center Parcs in the UK, based on customer reviews, price, facilities, and location.
We also did a rough price comparison by looking for the cheapest accommodation for a family of four staying for a week in August 2021. For comparison, the cheapest week at Center Parcs for the same dates was £1728.
1. Bluestone National Park Resort, South Wales (large resort, waterpark, 100 activities)
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Bluestone National Park Resort in South West Wales is a decent alternative to Center Parcs, although it’s a bit of a drive for most people. Some accommodation isn’t actually much cheaper than Center Parcs but reviews are positive.
Much like Center Parcs, Bluestone has a good-sized water park (called Blue Lagoon) which opened in 2008 which has a wave pool, lazy river and four flumes. The range of activities on offer at Bluestone is impressive with the official blurb saying that there are ‘over 100 indoor and outdoor activities’ including high ropes, live music, rock climbing, archery and so on. That’s not quite as many as the 130ish offered on the Center Parcs activity booking page, but it is worth noting that includes a lot of duplicates. For example, adventure golf is listed twice because you can book 9 or 18 holes. The 300 lodges at Bluestone are spread out over 500 acres, compared to about 800 lodges over 400 acres at most Center Parcs. That’s a good thing in my opinion, as it means that Bluestone is a slightly larger site with a slightly smaller number of lodges. So is Bluestone better than Center Parcs? Customer reviews for Bluestone are practically identical to Center Parcs in the UK, with an average of 4/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.6/5 on Google reviews. Meanwhile, there are separate reviews for the Blue Lagoon waterpark which also scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor. Center Parcs Subtropical Paradise swimming pools scored either 4/5 or 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor when we checked. In terms of location, Bluestone is about 4 hours from London or 3 hours 30 minutes from Birmingham. It's closer if you are coming from Cardiff or Swansea. Price: £1339 for a family of four for a week in early August 2021 staying in a two bedroom lodge. That was the cheapest accommodation available when we searched and was about £400 cheaper than the cheapest Center Parcs holiday for the same dates. Bear in mind that you pay for a lot of the activities at Bluestone, much like Center Parcs. For example, an archery session was £15 at Bluestone or at Center Parcs when we checked. |
The Blue Lagoon at Bluestone offers a good alternative to Center Parcs' Subtropical Paradise...
...whilst activities including playgrounds, sports and crafts.
Bluestone lodges sleep from 4-14 people
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2. Landal Darwin Forest, Derbyshire (mid-sized resort, outstanding reviews, some activities)
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Landal Greenparks is massive in the Netherlands but has recently opened up a handful of resorts across the UK. Their swimming pools aren’t as exciting as Center Parcs but the parks get fantastic reviews (often better than Center Parcs) and they offer a good range of activities.
They’re not on the same scale as Center Parcs, but you may see that as a good thing if you find Center Parcs a bit overwhelming. There are about 120 lodges over 47 acres, compared to about 800 lodges over 400 acres at a typical Center Parcs (i.e. the accommodation is spread out in a similar-ish way at both, but Center Parcs is about ten times as big overall). We’ve picked out Landal Darwin Forest in Derbyshire as it’s a woodland setting which is comparable to Center Parcs but you might prefer Landal Gwel an Mor which isn’t far from the coastline in Cornwall or Landal Kielder Waterside if you live in Scotland or the North East of England. Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, a large indoor play area, minigolf, archery, tennis, fencing, spa treatments and so on. Customer reviews for Landal Darwin Forest were 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor when we checked (better than Center Parcs five locations in the UK) whilst Landal Gwel a Mor in Cornwall was scoring a remarkable 5/5. Price: £1529 for a family of four staying in a Haddon Classic Vogue lodge for a week in August 2021. That’s about £200 less than the cheapest accommodation at Center Parcs when we checked. |
Landal Darwin Forest is much smaller than Center Parcs but it has classy woodland lodges...
...several activities and a good sized indoor swimming pool
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3. Sherwood Forest Lodges, Nottinghamshire (woodland setting, posh lodges, minimal activities)
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Forest Holidays site at Sherwood Forest is one to consider if you like the woodland setting and decent accommodation of Center Parcs (and if you like dressing up as Robin Hood). However, it's certainly not on the same scale as Center Parcs when it comes to facilities so it's one for peace, quiet and hot tubs rather than ten pin bowling and badminton.
For your money you get swanky lodges amongst the trees with hot tubs. There are about 80 lodges which is about one tenth of the number at the nearby Sherwood Forest Center Parcs. Reviews average a very impressive 4.5/5 on most review sites. The facilities and activities available include archery and in lodge spa treatments. Most people though tend to walk or cycle around the woods or go for a day out. If you like the sound of it but want a different location, Forest Holidays has 11 sites around the UK at the time of writing, including North Yorkshire, Cheshire, Scotland and Gloucestershire. Price: £2005 for a week in a lodge with a hot tub for a family of four in August 2021. That's actually more expensive than the cheapest Centre Parcs break but with the added bonus of a hot tub. Center Parcs charge a lot more for their accommodation with hot tubs usually. |
Sherwood Forest Lodges don't have the same range of facilities as Center Parcs...
...but you get a lovely woodland setting and a hot tub
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4. Haven’s Hafan y Môr, North Wales (waterpark, loads of activities, coastal, mostly caravans)
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If you like the scale of Center Parcs but are looking for something cheaper, then I would look at Haven’s Hafan y Môr. The whole site is very large and well equipped with an impressive swimming pool/waterpark and a big range of activities. By my count there are more than 1000 accommodation units compared to about 800 at a typical Center Parcs in the UK.
Haven is best known as a provider of caravan holidays but they also offer posher lodges with sea views if you can afford an upgrade and they have invested a lot in facilities at some of their parks in recent years. You don't get the pleasant Center Parcs woodland setting, but it is considerably cheaper than Center Parcs if you don’t mind staying in a caravan (some lodges are similarly priced to Center Parks). The swimming pool – Splashaway Bay – is a recent upgrade and includes a lot of the features that you get at Center Parcs such as wave machines and flumes. It doesn’t have the same ‘subtropical’ theme but it’s large and has plenty to keep you occupied including a four-lane waterslide. Apparently it won 'Holiday Park Pool of the Year 2017' - no doubt that's described as the 'Oscars of the swimming pool world' by the PR people. Hafan y Môr also has an impressive list of activities and restaurants including nine places to eat out, pedalos, boating, den building, aerial adventure course, soft play, nine outdoor play areas and an indoor sports area. |
Haven’s Hafan y Môr has a large and modern swimming pool...
...and lots of outdoors activities to rival Center Parcs
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Much like Center Parcs, you pay extra for a lot of the activities at Haven, but there is some variation in prices between Haven and Center Parcs. Here are some examples (not guaranteed prices, just based on their websites at the time of writing):
Please note, this is just a small selection of the activities on offer. I’ve just picked out a few which I know my children would like and where comparable things are available. If you've got time on your hands you can do your own comparisons by looking at the Center Parcs and Haven activity pages.
Hafan y Môr gets very similar reviews to the UK Center Parcs, with an average of 4/5 on TripAdvisor or about 4.5/5 on Google reviews.
In my opinion, one big advantage that Haven’s Hafan y Môr has over Center Parcs is that it’s by the sea. However, if you really want a woodland setting rather than sand in your bed sheets every night then I would look at Haven’s Wild Duck Holiday Park. It’s not a huge caravan park but it is surrounded by woodland and it gets good reviews.
See our blog for advice on getting the best price at a Haven holiday park.
Price: £1070 for a week in a standard caravan for a family of four for a week in August 2021. If you want a lodge - which is closer to the type of accommodation you get at Center Parcs – then the price was £1804.
- Adventure golf/crazy golf is £2.50 at Haven or £6-£7 for 9 holes at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest
- Soccer coaching is £4 for 45 minutes at Haven or £10 for 45 minutes for 3-5 year olds at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest
- Archery is £10 for 45 minutes at Haven or £9.50 for 30 minutes at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest
- Aqua jetting in the swimming pool is £10 for 30 minutes at Haven or £16 for 30 minutes at Center Parcs
Please note, this is just a small selection of the activities on offer. I’ve just picked out a few which I know my children would like and where comparable things are available. If you've got time on your hands you can do your own comparisons by looking at the Center Parcs and Haven activity pages.
Hafan y Môr gets very similar reviews to the UK Center Parcs, with an average of 4/5 on TripAdvisor or about 4.5/5 on Google reviews.
In my opinion, one big advantage that Haven’s Hafan y Môr has over Center Parcs is that it’s by the sea. However, if you really want a woodland setting rather than sand in your bed sheets every night then I would look at Haven’s Wild Duck Holiday Park. It’s not a huge caravan park but it is surrounded by woodland and it gets good reviews.
See our blog for advice on getting the best price at a Haven holiday park.
Price: £1070 for a week in a standard caravan for a family of four for a week in August 2021. If you want a lodge - which is closer to the type of accommodation you get at Center Parcs – then the price was £1804.
5. Piran Meadows Resort, Cornwall (mid-sized, modern lodges, activities, simple swimming pool, near the beach)
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Piran Meadows Resort is one of about 20 lodge holiday parks which are run by Darwin Escapes. Some of them are all about peace and quiet, whilst others - like Piran Meadows - also have a decent programme of activities for children and onsite facilities.
We’ve stayed in a few Darwin Escapes parks and have been impressed with the accommodation. The sites certainly aren’t on the same scale as Center Parcs, but they tend to be a lot quieter so it is easier to leave the site if you want a few days out. At Center Parcs you leave your car in the main car park which makes a nice car-free experience but does mean that you tend to stay onsite during your break. Piran Meadows in Cornwall doesn’t have the woodland setting that you get with Center Parcs but it does have bowling, archery, fencing, raft building, an activity programme for younger children, an indoor swimming pool and an onsite restaurant. The beach at Newquay is a 15 minute drive away. Reviews average 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor which is better than the five Center Parcs in the UK at the time of writing. Piran Meadows has caravans and ‘holiday homes’ which are much cheaper than Center Parcs or they have lodges which are similar in price to some of the Center Parcs accommodation. If you prefer a woodland setting, try one of the other Darwin Escapes sites such as Norfolk Woods Resort and Spa which also has an activity programme. Price: £1385 for a week in ‘holiday home’ for a family of four for a week in August 2021. That’s about £400 less than the cheapest Center Parcs accommodation for the same dates, but is similar to a caravan rather than a lodge. If you want a lodge at Piran Meadows the cheapest price was £3029 which is more expensive than the cheapest Center Parcs we could find. |
Piran Meadows is run by Darwin Escapes, which has about 20 lodge resorts...
...with things like swimming and family activities
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6. Tattershall Lakes Country Park, Lincolnshire (large site, outdoor watersports, some lodges, small indoor pool)
**Winner: cheapest Center Parcs alternative in our price comparison**
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Tattershall Lakes Country Park is run by a company called Away Resorts which has half a dozen similar holiday parks around the UK.
If you want a lakeside setting I’d go for Tattershall Lakes or if you want a woodland setting, take a look at the brilliantly named Sandy Balls in the New Forest. Tattershall Lakes is a big site with many of the caravans and lodges overlooking the series of lakes which provide entertainment through waterskiing, wakeboarding, fishing and other activities. The site is 365 acres which is very similar to Center Parcs, although it doesn’t have as many accommodation units (partly because a large proportion of the site is water). The indoor swimming pool is much smaller and simpler than Center Parcs’ ‘subtropical paradise’ but there’s a good choice of outdoor activities and an indoor splash area for younger children. It’s got a high ropes course, gym, sports court, minigolf, bike hire, evening entertainment and places to eat onsite. There’s a big range of accommodation at Tattershall Lakes including glamping, caravans and lodges. The caravans are a lot cheaper than Center Parcs accommodation, but are obviously quite a lot smaller. Top tip – arriving on a Friday is often considerably cheaper than arriving on a Saturday at Tattershall Lakes. Customers give it an average score of 4/5 on TripAdvisor. Price: £762 for a family of four staying in a ‘value’ caravan for a week in August 2021. That's less than half the price of a week at Center Parcs. If you want a lodge with a hot tub rather than a caravan then the price was £1226. |
As the name suggests, Tattershall Lakes has lots of caravans with a waterside view...
...and several activities on the water
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7. Trecco Bay Holiday Park, South Wales (very large caravan park with waterpark)
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Trecco Bay Holiday Park is one of the biggest holiday parks in the UK (or perhaps the biggest depending on what you read). It's between Cardiff and Swansea and is only 1 hour 15 minutes from Bristol.
It's a caravan park rather than a woodland lodge park and doesn't get quite as good reviews as Center Parcs (3.5/5 on TripAdvisor) but it is an alternative to Center Parcs if you a) are on a tight budget and b) want a busy resort with a big swimming pool. You don't get the woodland walks and space that you get with Center Parcs but there is a beach alongside the resort so it's a good one for the summer. Besides the large swimming pool/waterpark (Splashlands) there are several places to eat out and activities including kids' clubs, an outdoor splash park, adventure playground, soft play, a sports court and an amusement arcade. It's run by Parkdean Resorts which is a big chain of caravan parks across the UK. They tend to be a bit cheaper than Haven holiday parks. There are also lodges if you want to upgrade. Price: £889 for a week in a caravan for a family of four in August 2021 in a 'Maesteg' caravan. If you want a lodge - which is more comparable to the amount of space you get in a Center Parcs woodland lodge - then the lowest price we could find was £1549 |
Budget-friendly Trecco Bay has a good sized swimming pool
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8. Ribby Hall Village, Lancashire (mid sized, great reviews, range of activities)
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Ribby Hall Village is another well-equipped holiday park with a good range of activities and a decent family swimming pool with a flume and splash area. There's also an adults swimming pool.
It isn’t on the same scale as Center Parcs but it still has a lot going for it and lots of the accommodation is in idyllic lakeside locations. In terms of size, Ribby Hall covers about 100 acres whilst the Center Parcs sites in the UK are about 400 acres. There are seven places to eat and drink, fishing, archery, fencing, segways (those two wheeled things driven by lazy businessmen in the USA), indoor and outdoor play areas, climbing wall, bike hire, laser tag, golf and minigolf. You pay extra for some of the activities. If you get an hour to yourself there are also spa treatments. Reviews of Ribby Hall are very positive, with an average score of 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor when I checked. Price: £1312 for a cottage for a family of four for a week in August 2021. That's about £400 cheaper than Center Parcs for the cheapest accommodation available. |
Ribby Hall in Lancashire is a 15 minute drive to the beach at Blackpool...
...and it offers lakeside lodges on a large site
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Price comparison of 8 cheap alternatives to Center Parcs in the UK
A price comparison will only tell you so much, because there is a big difference in what you are getting for you money. We found that the cheapest week at Center Parcs in August 2021 was £1728 for a family of four. That was staying in a woodland lodge which is considerably more spacious than most caravans. However, Center Parcs charges extra for most activities and we found the activity prices to be quite pricey compared to other places we've stayed.
Anyway, for what it's worth we looked for the cheapest accommodation at 8 alternatives to Center Parcs. Some are caravans, whilst others are a bit posher. We looked for the cost for a family of four, staying for a week in August 2021 and didn't include any optional extras. We searched in November 2020.
From cheapest to most expensive:
Anyway, for what it's worth we looked for the cheapest accommodation at 8 alternatives to Center Parcs. Some are caravans, whilst others are a bit posher. We looked for the cost for a family of four, staying for a week in August 2021 and didn't include any optional extras. We searched in November 2020.
From cheapest to most expensive:
- Tattershall Lakes Country Park, Lincolnshire - £762
- Trecco Bay Holiday Park, South Wales - £889
- Piran Meadows Resort, Cornwall - £1385
- Haven’s Hafan y Môr, North Wales - £1070
- Ribby Hall Village, Lancashire - £1312
- Landal Darwin Forest, Derbyshire - £1379
- Bluestone National Park Resort, South Wales - £1339
- Sherwood Forest Lodges, Nottinghamshire - £2005
Images are from Hoseasons, Haven and Bluestone.
