A capital idea for holiday park fun
THE new Center Parcs village, Woburn Forest, which receives its first paying guests on Friday, shows that while new sites are a rare event (the last was Longleat in 1994), they are well worth the wait. Woburn Forest, the fifth village in the group, is a key addition to the group’s portfolio because it is the first aimed squarely at a London market. A 45-mile drive from Central London (it is situated on the Woburn estate, just off Junction 13 of the M1) and a 50-minute train journey from St Pancras to Flitwick – the nearest rail station – Center Parcs has never been more accessible to Londoners. As the newest development, Woburn Forest is inevitably the most impressive of the group’s sites, boasting the most luxurious accommodation as well as the usual mixture of outdoor activities and a host of weather-proof delights, such as swimming in the glorious subtropical swimming paradise.
In the new village, the Aqua Sana spa has been made even more attractive, providing the sort of facilities you might expect at a five-star hotel.
Center Parcs admits it has a problem persuading the sceptical that it offers holidays far superior to anything in a holiday camp. If you need convincing, take an online look at Woburn’s executive villas that not only have their own pool room, hot tub, sauna and steam room, but have log fires, ultra-plush bedrooms and lavishly appointed kitchens.
If you’re looking for the best family holiday you’ve ever had, the destination may well not lie in the Mediterranean but in this green place just off the M1.
A four-night midweek break in a two-bedroom Woodland lodge in June costs from £399. Visit centerparcs.co.uk/woburn or call 08448 266 266.