The Typhoon ride blew mum away
GETTING into a two-person inflatable raft – in a swimming costume – is one of the most ungainly things you can do in life.
But as I straddled the figure of the eight-shaped rubber ring, gripping on to the handles and waiting for the green light of the Typhoon, I didn‘t care.
We were having some family fun trying out Center Parcs’ newest water ride and it was making me feel a bit giddy.
I’m not much of a water-slide fan any more. There’s something about getting older and having kids that makes me less able to enjoy the sensation of feeling like my stomach is going to fall out my bum and water shooting up my nose. But the Typhoon, I have to say, is great. It’s family-friendly, so my eight-year-old daughter Rosie took a trip down it.
It’s fast and quick with a bit of splashing but not so scary you lose your stomach or get washed up and spat out at the end.
To add to the fun, you can choose your own lighting theme – from treetops to rainbow – by pressing a button at the top, then swooshing down the tunnel. But, wait, there’s more... For those needing something a little more exciting, the Tropical Cyclone has also just landed at Longleat Forest in Wiltshire but it has been in Center Parcs at Woburn in Bedfordshire for some time now.
Up to four of you can go on a raft at any one time and there are mega drops, adrenaline-pumping twists and turns and a world of swearing coming down the shoot. It’s not for the faint-hearted but is a whole heap of fun.
The rides are the latest addition to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, where even on a rainy day in the school holidays it never feels too busy.
Adults also get to have fun as the Aqua Sana spa can be used by day guests, as well as anyone staying at Center Parcs.
The spa consists of 25 “experiences”, from the Indian blossom steam room and the hydro pool to the Tyrolese sauna and reflexology footbaths. It’s a spa that is a joy to slouch around, as you move from one meditative state to another.
A three-hour session costs £39 per person, but if you’re going with someone, book the experience for two people and save £8.
Treatments are worth splashing out on, too. If you’re short on time, and cash, try one of the new Elemis Express treatments, lasting 20 minutes and costing about £45. They are surprisingly relaxing as well as effective.
Or, for a more indulgent experience, the Elemis Brighten and Glow treatment (£79 for 55 minutes) offers the perfect combination of a relaxing, knot-melting hot stone massage combined with a mini tailor-made facial, complete with dreamy head massage.
In line with the spendas-much-or-as-little-asyou-like ethos that seems to apply everywhere at Center Parcs, the modern wooden lodges are decked out with everything you need to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner all week long. If you fancy eating out, there are a host of restaurants to choose from, and even a takeaway, too.