We’ve racked up quite a few trips to Center Parcs Woburn Forest over the years. As it’s a perfect central meeting point for our extended family and friends, we’ve made it our go-to UK escape. And while we’ve consistently loved our time there, the value proposition changes significantly as the kids (and prices!) get older. Here’s my condensed review of what makes Woburn great, and what every self-catering family needs to know.
The All-Important Pool: Our Main Event
The Subtropical Swimming Paradise is, without a doubt, the main reason we keep going back.
- Newborn Phase (6 Weeks Old): Our first trip was surprisingly easy! The family took turns with newborn cuddles, which meant we still managed to sneak off and enjoy the rapids and slides while someone watched the baby.
- Toddler/Older Kid Confidence: As the children have grown, the pool experience has only gotten better. They’ve gained the confidence to tackle all the slides independently, meaning we can now truly relax and just watch the fun from the side. The pool is brilliant for building water confidence, taking up most of our morning or afternoon sessions.
Activities, Arcade, and “Abandonment”
Woburn has plenty of activities, though we’ve learned what works best for our crew:
- Successful Hits: Crazy Golf is a great, low-pressure option, as the separate area allows little ones to run around freely when the boredom hits. We also enjoyed the festive Christmas lights walk, badminton, and a fun, soft-ball game in the squash court. We also tried the Mini Movers classes (dancing with instruments) and Messy Play, which the kids enjoyed.
- Meh Moments: Bowling hasn’t peaked their interest yet. We also found the small soft play in the sports bar to be a fleeting distraction—they quickly got pulled towards the much more exciting arcade area.
- The Sleepover Trial: We tried the Chocolate Making activity and a Sleepover Activity for our three-year-old. While he completed the sleepover, I wasn’t convinced he truly enjoyed the ‘abandonment,’ so that’s a cost we won’t repeat!
Adult Pampering & Relaxation
If you get a chance, the Aqua Sana Spa is a wonderful retreat, especially when you have family members available for childcare! It is lovely and features several areas with different saunas, steam rooms, and relaxation zones, as well as a beautiful infinity pool. I can totally recommend a facial there, though it is slightly pricey.
Accommodation & Logistics: The Self-Catering Reality
We always travel in a group, necessitating two houses next door to each other. We’ve found that paying the extra fee to pre-select adjacent houses is completely worth it for evening socialising and allowing the kids to walk freely between us.
The lodges themselves are perfectly set up, but the small kitchens and tiny fridges in the normal lodges are a key challenge for large groups self-catering for a few days. You really do have to bring everything (salt, pepper, washing up liquid, coffee, etc.). There’s a supermarket on-site if you forget, but be prepared for high prices.
- Executive vs. Normal: We tried both the normal and Executive lodges. While the Executive provides the luxury of an en-suite for every room (not essential with young kids), the real perk was the drinks fridge. One year, we had a four-bed normal lodge that came with two fridges, which was actually the ideal setup for a week of self-catering!
Dining: We used the takeaway service and ordered an Indian one night. The food quality was good, but portion sizes were not huge, and the prices were high, as expected.
Quick Verdict: Pros & Cons
| Category | Pros | Cons |
| Waterpark | Subtropical Swimming Paradise is excellent, growing with the kids’ confidence. | – |
| Activities & Spa | Aqua Sana Spa is a lovely, much-needed adult escape. Kids enjoyed Mini Movers and Messy Play. | Many activities cost extra. Arcade is a money pit! Sleepover activity was a bit too much for a three-year-old. |
| Accommodation | Great social setup (worth paying to pick adjacent houses). Executive perks like the drinks fridge are a bonus. | Kitchens and fridges are small for serious self-catering. Must bring all basics (salt, soap, etc.). |
| Value | Ideal for happy memories and off-peak breaks. | Extremely high prices during school holidays make the self-catering lodge cost hard to justify. |
Final Thoughts on Woburn
We have such happy memories from Center Parcs—I even used to go as a teenager! But now that our cousin is school-aged, the price jump during school holidays is hard to swallow for a self-catering UK break. We probably won’t be rushing back soon unless we can snag an off-peak slot again, or perhaps try one of the European Center Parcs which many people suggest as a cheaper alternative. If you go off-peak and prioritize the pool and simple activities, it’s a fantastic family time capsule!
A to Z Family Travels 