Candyfloss & Dreams

Category: Travel

First Family Holiday to Center Parcs Longleat

If you’re looking for holiday parks near longleat I’m sure you will have come across Center Parcs as an option and it is well worth considering for post-COVID staycations. Our first family holiday to Centre Parcs, Longleat Forest was an amazing holiday and probably my favourite of our UK staycation trips. Going with friends to Center Parcs really helped make it an even better break for us, so much so that we have booked again to return with the same friends at another of the locations. If you are thinking about booking a Center Parcs break, I really recommend it.

me and evie at the center parcs winter wonderland village square

Accomodation at Center Parcs Longleat

We stayed in a three bedroom executive lodge at Center Parcs so we each had our own ensuite bathroom. You can read my full write up of our accomodation and watch a lodge tour to see where we stayed. The longleat site is huge, there is actually a Landtrain to help make the place more accessible to everyone. There isn’t space for an upright pram so if you’re visiting Longleat you might want to consider a baby carrier or sling or even pay to be closer to the centre. Otherwise, prepare for a long walk! Our accomodation was based at the top of the cascades walkway and whilst beautiful and peaceful, it was a good 20 minute walk down to the sports centre and a further 40 or so minute walk to the plaza which hosts the swimming pool and restaurants. Longleat self catering accomodation is suitable for a variety of family sizes.

Food At Center Parcs

We ate out pretty much every day which was really nice but you do have a fully stocked kitchen if you want to go self catering. There are also takeaway options if you fancy a meal in and don’t want to cook. We tried Hucks American Grill, The Pancake House, Las Iguanas, Bella Italia, Dexters and had afternoon tea at Cafe Rouge. We also had a BBQ one evening at the lodge. The best meal was Las Iguanas. It is set in a beautiful part of the plaza with a little river full of fish running through it. It’s a gorgeous place for the cuisine. Bella Italia was a great place to eat too. We love that each food place has a kids play area so it’s really family friendly. On site there are parc markets and Starbucks coffee too. Because of social distancing many of the Center Parcs Longleat resturants offer delivery to your lodge service which is well worth considering.

Pin image for center parcs holiday

Tropical Paradise Swimming Pool

Without a doubt the best swimming pool I’ve been too. On the first night we went after eating for a couple of hours. It was cold outside and really dark but the pool is open until 9pm so you can do the outside rapids in the dark. It’s actually really fun. The slides shut off in the evening but the rapids and lazy river are open, as is the wave pool. I loved swimming at night. Next time we go we plan to spend a full day doing pool stuff as Felix will be bigger and able to enjoy it a little more. There is a hotdog cafe and plenty of seating around the pool area for those that aren’t swimming and for a little bit of resting space. The inside of the pool is heated all year around which is ideal. There are also plenty of hot tubs to warm up in. The rapids and slides also get the adrenaline going.

Winter Wonderland at Center Parcs Longleat

We loved going in November, it was such a lovely week and we had so much fun. Having all of the Christmas decorations available and the winter wonderland set up in the Village Square was such a nice touch and really got us all in the festive spirit. I would absolutely go during the winter wonderland celebrations again because it’s so magical for families although this did of course make things a little busier on site.

Overall our trip to Center Parcs was so much fun and I am converted to going back year on year. I can’t wait for our next trip! You can watch our family vlog including some pool time and water shots below.

July 6, 2020
3 Bedroom Executive Lodge, Center Parcs Longleat Forest

Our family stay at Center Parcs Longleat in an 3 Bed executive lodge during Winter Wonderland in 2019. We had a great time at Center Parcs and saved a bit of money by going with some friends. There is a room tour of our lodge below.

Sitting on the Ice Bench in the Plaza at Center Parcs Longleat Forest during Winter Wonderland 2019

Center Parcs is a family friendly forest based holiday with lots of fun outdoors activities. During the Winter Wonderland festivities the whole park beautifully lit and you will find lots of artificial snow and beautiful Christmas decorations. The tropical paradise swimming pool is amazing and a must-visit for families. I now confirm I love center parcs. I will go again and would love to try and stay at every park I can.

Center Parcs Longleat – Family Lodge Holiday

I had never been on a Center Parcs holiday before and it was actually my partner who suggested it as a place to consider for a family trip. Center parcs have so much outdoor stuff going on we thought it would be really nice to go with friends so that we could try and make the most of everything it had to offer. We went to Center Parcs Longleat Forest with a nine year old and a one year old so having some friends with us that we trusted to look out for the children meant we could have some adult time too, and that was a huge plus.

Our Three Bed New Style Executive Lodge at Center Parcs Longleat

Center Parcs accomodation is really varied. There is so much choice available depending on family size and budget. From one bedroom apartments to four bedroom treehouses, you can broaden your holiday from cute lodge in the forest to luxury spa experience with a click of a button. There are a few things that help us to narrow down our seach when looking at Longleat accomodation. The biggest need for us was ensuite bathrooms as we were going with friends and no one wants to get caught out. This gave Evie her own shower and bathroom too. One of the bathrooms has, in an executive lodge, a whirlpool bath which was a huge plus. Our lodge also came with an infared sauna.

The outside space of our 3 bed executive lodge at Center Parcs Longleat Forest

Executive Lodge Benefits and Perks at Center Parcs

Other perks of an executive lodge include daily housekeeping, a coffee machine, dishwasher, woodburner and outdoor patio space. The lodge at Longleat Forest is, I think, a comfortable size for four adults and two children. We had plenty of seating space, a fully equipped kitchen and a lovely outside space for a BBQ. Even though we went in the middle of November we still had a little BBQ one evening which was great fun. Center parcs longleat accomodation is spacious, innovative and the beds are really comfortable. I love that a cot and highchair is included as standard too, a really helpful touch.

Each of the three bedrooms at Center Parcs Longleat had a widescreen TV. Two of the rooms have large double beds, and the third room has two twin beds. The Lodge can sleep eight people really comfortably. If you are taking a baby I would suggest putting the cot in the room with the spa bath as it seemed to be slightly bigger and fit easier.

The lodges are beautiful and have a nice design. It is so picturesque and easy to relax with the forest surrounding you. A lodge close to the cascades may mean a long walk to the central activities but includes a beautiful walk and some waterfalls along the way.

Our Center Parcs Accomodation Tour

Now I have experienced a center parcs holiday I will be going back again. Our next Center Parcs holiday will hopefully be next year at Woburn Forest and I am so excited. We are going with the same friends, although slightly older children and I will be comparing the two for sure. I do know that Longleat is one of, if not the, biggest site so we will be booking somewhere closer to the centre this time.

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July 5, 2020
Bophut: Travelling With Kids (AD)

This is a collaborative post.

Visiting Bophut as a Family for a beachfront holiday

I love travelling and there are so many beautiful places I want my children to see around the world. When it comes to travelling with children you feel like you sometimes have to compromise with beautiful places for family friendly however with a little digging and a bit of research I think you can find the best of both worlds. I know when it comes to travelling with my family I want to experience a bit of culture but I also want an area I can feel relaxed and safe. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a beach holiday abroad and I’m fully convinced to go self catering in a villa next time we do.

Villa Accomodation

One area I would love to visit and hadn’t thought about before was Thailand but digging a little further and finding some of the beautiful islands off the mainland you come across Koh Samui. An area I think my family would absolutely love exploring is Bophut. It looks like an ideal family friendly destination with plenty of beachfront accomodation. Villa accomodation in Bophut is very popular and an ideal way to get a bit of privacy during your holiday. There are some beautiful villas in Bophut on Koh Samui to choose from with a range of prices per night, room sizes and suitable for all sorts of family sizes. Many of these have a private or shared pool which is ideal for us as we all love to swim. There are lots of gorgeous villas in Bophut to choose from.

I think somewhere like this would be great to visit as a larger family group so that we can make the most of our stay. It’s great to see there are a range of options and most are very close to the beach. I know I’d love to have access to a pool as well as a comfortable place to sleep and of course some sort of air conditioning is a bit of a must for us. Some villas even come with staff so it’s worth having a good look and thinking about what you really need on your family friendly holiday to Bophut.

There are plenty of beautiful villas in Bophut to visit including many with a private or shared pool.

Visiting the beach in Bophut

We always love a trip to the beach and being so close is ideal for us. Bophut has so much beautiful scenery and a stunning coastline too which I think will enable those perfect holiday shots. For a bit of a change of beach there are plenty of others around the island that you can travel to aswell. One thing to note for families is that Thailand is a modest country and therefore children do need to be in swimwear when on the beach which is something worth considering. Considering the warm weather and tropical climate you will want to keep skin protected in the heat too so plenty of sun protection is a must. Bophut beach does experience a narrow coastline at high tide which is something to be wary of but makes it ideal for families with young children in Bophut to use during the day.

Bophut is situated on the beautiful island of Koh Samui close to the mainland of Thailand.

Fishermans Village

Fishermans Village in Bophut is one of the oldest parts on the island and is regarded as very well preserved and elegant. It is located in the middle part of Bophut beach and is very popular. This is an excellent place to take the kids for shopping amongst the boutiques and housing plenty of dining venues. Another must see location with children is Big Budda Temple. It’s an iconic desintation.

Dining Options

There are plenty of places to eat in Bophut including western staples for picky eaters – ideal for young children as well as plenty of options for those wanting to try some local cuisine. There are plenty of freshly picked fresh thai fruit including bananas and coconuts which is great to know and they’re favourites here in our house already. Trational thai food in Bophut is the most affordable in the local resturants and markets. If you’re self catering a good idea is to have things available for breakfast and then eat out for the rest of your meals. Alternatively there are two Tesco Lotus stores in Chaweng and Lamai for snacks and supplies should you need them.

Visiting Bophut, Koh Samui, Thailand with children and staying in a family friendly villa on a beach front location

August 26, 2019
We’ve Booked A Holiday

Yet again we are returning to the Isle of Wight for our summer holiday and our first as a family of four. I’m very excited. We’ve had great holidays at Park Dean Resorts Landguard Holiday Park on Eastern side of the Island but this time we are changing things up and staying North at Thorness Bay.

We’ve booked an extra wide caravan for this trip because we need the space with a pushchair, cot and highchair clogging up the space. As well as the need for more clothes, nappies and all the extra’s that an, at the time, eight month old baby will need. It was a great price thanks to the recent January sale and a low deposit so we were able to secure it nice and quickly. I’m really excited. Ideally I wanted one of the beautiful lodges with a hot tub however we’ve had to choose our dates carefully with Adam’s work so that he can take minimal time off. It’s also during term time because it was hundreds of £’s cheaper but still in July where kids are mostly doing things like sports day and it happens to fall on a week Evie has an inset day which helps avoid her missing too much actual learning.

We’ve not had a chance to visit the north side of the island before so I’m looking forward to going to the Alpaca farm and pizzeria. We will be closer to Newport which has a big soft play area and hopefully Adam will be driving so we can have access to a car rather than relying on the train, ferry and taxi’s for our trip. It also means we can do our self catering shop at Aldi rather than the on site shop which is usually quite expensive.

We are trying to keep it a secret from Evangeline so that we can surprise her as she will be getting a week from school. We are hoping to get there a little earlier even if our caravan isn’t ready so we can start using the facilities and entertainment earlier than we usually would. Hopefully we will be swimming every day, getting down to the little private bay area and making the most of the local attractions too. If we do have a car sorted by then and Adam has passed his driving test we’re hoping to drive down to the South of the island too as it will be much easier than doing the route by bus.

February 18, 2019
Luxury Adult Only Holidays
Luxury Adult Only holidays is the dream right? Despite having a child at home Adam and I have had a few adult only holidays. These have mostly been in the form of cruises or weekend city breaks. Now with a second child on the way it may be a little harder to get that luxury adult only holiday in however maybe in the future we will be able to take advantage of another trip. Destination to have a great range of holiday such as Luxury Adult Only Holidays 2018/2019 – Adult Only Holiday Deals and these showcase everything that I want in a luxury adult only trip.

Benefits of Luxury Adult Only Holidays
1. Child free! This doesn’t just mean your own children but it means avoiding a resort designed for families.
2. Focus on what you want to do. Lounging by the pool, an exploration excursion or just having a lay in and late lunch.
3. It doesn’t have to be just about the resort but the travel options as well, particularly if you’re going abroad. Consider starting a luxury adults only break away with your flights and experience elite travel by using a jet card program.
4. Wine o’clock. A chance to let your hair down and enjoy a cocktail or two without worrying about parenting and the possibility of a hangover.
5. Sleeping in. Kids wake up early on holiday and like to stay up late – often resulting in overtired kids which really isn’t a fun experience!
6. Going for luxurious experiences like hiring a nice car or using a luxury car service from ilimoww.com/
A holiday is for you as well and as parents we often forget that we are completely allowed to take a break too. There are so many beautiful destinations to explore and plenty of exclusive for adults resorts around the world. There are loads of great places I’d love to take my kids too but there will always be a part of me that wants to experience a holiday that is, actually, all about me. One thing I would love is a honeymoon in an exotic destination like the Bahamas or Cuba. Beautiful white sands, lots to see and explore, amazing food and it just speaks to me as the ultimate in luxury. Friends have also recommended Mexico as a perfect destination for a luxury break as a couple. Part of me wishes we had escaped one last time whilst I was pregnant to have that holiday together as our trip to Norway seems like forever ago now.

For me, luxury adult only holidays should include a big comfortable bed with fresh sheets and a pool side balcony. I’d love a big Jacuzzi style bathtub and stunning sea views. All inclusive is something I really want to take advantage of as my partner and I love to sample all sorts of food when away from home and that of course also means a view cocktails whilst taking in the sights. We love to get out and about and explore which can be quite hard to do with children in tow, so I’d love to take advantage of some interesting excursions like scuba diving. I have a feeling our luxury adults only holiday is quite a way yet but in the meantime I can totally dream about it!

What makes a luxury adults only holiday for you? Would you still go away as a couple after having children?

This is a collaborative post.
September 11, 2018