Center Parcs Elveden Forest — Attraction in West Suffolk

Ive been going to CP around 30yrs! Previously once a year with my grandparents and more frequently over the past 11years with my family so I would consider myself as an all rounder visitor with a fair view for this review..||Just returned back from a 3 night stay at Elvedon and after having a debrief in the car on the way home with the husband, we were 50/50 about returning back. ||I then received an email for the “come back soon” rebrand email and checked the price for a weekend stay end of Nov and after picking myself up from the floor at the cost of the 3night stay, we definitely won’t be returning as it won’t be value for us combined with the extra costs once there. Cheapest 2bed lodge is £950? Plus some activities (we only tend to book 3/4 things as my kids live in the swimming pool) it turns into a £+++ weekend.||Noticed a few things this time and echo what people have already mentioned re: tiredness of lodges, bbq area definitely needs a refresh and the outdoor chairs are like sitting on steel planks. ||The comfort of the beds have always been niggle of mine and something I know from previous experiences in that I won’t get a good sleep whilst there, pillows are also questionable. ||For the price paid, I would expect comfier bedding and furniture but CP is geared up for volume of guests, durable furniture, easy cleaning and quick change over of guests etc - not so much comfort.||There definitely used to be more complimentary items for guests, we had 2 coffee pods and 2 tea bags. Never used to be like this in the past, historically you were given a few items for hot drinks, sachets, sugar etc - shower gel/ shampoo hasn’t been provided for ages, they stopped that years ago which is a shame as again the amount of money guests are spending staying at the lodge, value wise and comfort wise you can definitely get better now elsewhere.||The swimming is still great and my kids love it… changing rooms have been upgraded which is a huge improvement as I’m sure some marriages were on the brink in those changing rooms over the years! The most stressful/ flustered/ hot environment ever! So the bigger spaces are much welcomed! ||Joules- I don’t see the point of having such a large store? And the Elemis store next door which has been various things throughout the years… why don’t you bring back the sports shop? Trainers, new balance, Nike, sports wear? Majority of your guests are walking around in sports attire so why not have a shop which targets your market! Always baffles me…||Starbucks - waited 20mins for a black Americano on day 1 and didn’t go back..||Hucks - sorry, really didn’t like it this time, bland food, no flavour, gravy was awful…, so expensive and definitely wouldn’t go back.||Indian restaurant - our first time ever going to this place, lack of taste and seemed like overpriced microwave meals? Is it all cooked from fresh? Or pre cooked and heated up? Again really expensive for a potential microwave meal.||Know security is an issue at times over the past couple of years but I would highly suggest installing some form of cctv cameras around the bike parking areas.||I called guest services to make you aware a group of young kids were going around checking the bike locks on the expensive bikes and conferring with adults with them… luckily my husband and son did lock their bikes and they didn’t get stolen.||Sports bar - £10 for a glass of large wine now… £8 for a pint. We packed some for our lodge so wouldn’t pay these prices, might aswell be in America/ Dubai or a central London bar.||Sweet zone - not too badly priced in comparison with everywhere else.||Pancake house - kids loved it.. didn’t see bill so unsure how expensive it was.||After this review I feel like I’ve talked myself out of returning off the back of all the above without the extortionate price to return again even if we wanted to give it another go… unsure what’s happened with your business strategy CP but as someone else mentioned, you seem to be targeted on the volume of guests/ squeezing in more lodges vs the comfort, value for money and loyalty to your customers who have been attending for many years.||If I look to return end of nov in your cheapest 2bed lodge option I’m paying £950 (let’s call it £1,200) to cover a few bits of shopping and 2 activities. £400 per night to go swimming, play badminton and maybe some bowling…||What...

A Weekend at Center Parcs, Elveden||Tucked away in the heart of rural Suffolk, Center Parcs at Elveden Forest offers a break far removed from the bustle of everyday life. Spread across 400 acres of towering pines, lakeside trails, and family-friendly activities, it’s easy to see why generations of holidaymakers return year after year. I recently spent a weekend in one of the resort’s popular Waterfront Apartments which reminded me of how rejuvenating a short break in the forest can be.||A Room with a View|The Waterfront Apartments are in a perfect location for guests who like a mix of nature and convenience. Set right by the lake, they offer views of the water, where ducks, swans, and the occasional squirrel provide constant entertainment. My first-floor apartment came with a small balcony – the ideal spot for morning coffee as mist curled lazily above the surface of the lake.||Inside, the apartment was bright and contemporary. A separate bedroom, open-plan lounge and kitchen area, and a modern bathroom provided all the essentials for a self-catering stay. The furnishings are simple yet comfortable, with plenty of storage. I appreciated the small touches: a welcome pack with kitchen basics, generous plug sockets and a small safe, although the positioning tight at the bottom of the wardrobe wasn’t ideal.||Being on the first floor brought extra privacy compared with the ground-level apartments, while still keeping you close enough to hear the gentle sounds of the lake. It felt both secluded and central – within walking distance of the Plaza and Subtropical Swimming Paradise yet tucked away enough to enjoy a sense of calm.||Life in the Forest|Center Parcs has a knack for encouraging guests to slow down and embrace outdoor living. Elveden is one of the brand’s original UK locations, and its mature woodland setting gives the park a timeless charm. A weekend here tends to revolve around two things: cycling and swimming. With cars left behind in the main car park, bikes become the default way to get around. Paths weave through the forest, leading to activity hubs and play areas.||The Subtropical Swimming Paradise is the heart of the resort. Heated to a balmy 29.5°C and filled with flumes, wave pools, and lazy rivers, it’s the place families flock to regardless of the season. Elveden’s version is one of the largest, and while it can get busy, there’s something undeniably cheerful about swimming beneath a glass roof while the forest stretches out just beyond.||For those craving more adventure, the activities list is seemingly endless: zip-lining across the lake, canoeing, archery, high ropes, nature walks, and even spa treatments at Aqua Sana. On my visit, I kept things simple – long walks in the forest, leisurely swims, and evenings spent on the balcony watching the sunset. |||Eating and Drinking||Dining at Center Parcs is a flexible affair. With a fully equipped kitchen in the apartment, self-catering is easy, though many families mix this with meals out. Elveden has a good range of restaurants, from the familiar comforts of Bella Italia to The Pancake House, a long-standing favourite overlooking the lake. There’s also a well-stocked Parc Market for essentials – handy for last-minute breakfast items or a bottle of wine to enjoy back in the apartment.|||A Timeless Escape||What struck me most during my stay at Elveden was how Center Parcs continues to strike a balance between nostalgia and modern family life. For many visitors, it’s a tradition that stretches back decades – the same forest, the same boats on the lake, but with updated accommodation and new activities to keep each generation engaged.||The Waterfront Apartments are a particularly appealing option, blending comfort with scenery and making you feel immersed in the heart of the resort, they offer the perfect base to enjoy all that Elveden has to offer.||In the end, what makes a weekend at Center Parcs, so refreshing isn’t just the facilities or activities, but the setting itself. There’s something about waking up to the birds singing, cycling through shaded trails, and sitting by the water as the day fades that recharges you in a way few other short breaks can. Elveden Forest feels like another world – and sometimes, that’s all you...

I have just returned from a 4 night stay at CP, I wanted to give it an honest review as I've been coming here for over 20 years, both as a child and an adult, and now as a parent.

Lodge: Despite filling out an accessibility form over a month prior to arrival stating that due to the needs within our group, we would need the lodge to be deep cleaned prior to our stay, I was advised the request was received, I then emailed 3 days before our trip to confirm it was still on track, and could I please request a travel cot.

When we arrived, first impressions of our 4 bedroom executive lodge were good. That was until our 2 year old got to the top of the stairs and found a pepsi can that'd been used as an ashtray. I immediately called guest services and a cleaner was at the lodge within 10 minutes. We were refunded our early arrival fee as a good will gesture which was appreciated. However as the first day went on, it was abundantly clear that the lodge has not in fact been deep cleaned. A quick wipe over the kitchen counter tops and the wipe was black. The bath whirlpool also looked like it hadn't been drained in a while, it kicked out alot of black stuff.

I appreciate the cleaners have alot to do, but considering I'd made several requests, this still wasn't good enough in my opinion. Also our request of the travel cot was forgotten about.

Facilities: I'd read a review prior to us getting to CP that said "it was like going to see an elderly relative that had progressively deteriorated over the years" - I completely agree. What was once, in my opinion, a high end place to stay, has definitely lost its charm.

The children's soft play areas looked like they needed chucking and replacing, is it any wonder so many children are getting poorly after playing in them? Seeing dried up bogeys on play equipment as well as old pieces of food scattered about is disgusting.

Particularly, the "Under 5's" soft play near the bowling alley was overrun with children clearly older than 5, my son was pulled out of the way by an older child and one of them stood on his foot hard enough for him to come to us crying and limping. Surely if it's stated for use for under 5s, and that is not being adhered to, wouldn't CP be in breach of their insurance if the worst did happen? Or is the simple "you play at your own risk" stated on the sign enough to cover their arse? It needs to be policed to ensure that unruly older children, who's parents who are glued to the bar & don't give a monkeys what their kids are up to, are kept out of this area before a younger child is hurt.

The swimming pool area has stayed practically the same since I came as a child over 15 years ago. The children's splash area is tired looking. The outdoor swimming area when we went at around 4pm was full of teenagers hogging the plunge pool, bombing into it, not letting anyone else get a look in, then tutting when I tried to get in.

Another thing that really got to me during our trip, was that not one but two of the activities we'd booked our son onto were cancelled. I know sometimes things are out of our control (e.g the weather), but it would have been appreciated to have received a text saying it's not going ahead, after we'd done the 25 minute walk to the baby owls session with our excited 2 yr old, we then approached the location and was simply told "oh, the owl is sick, it isn't going ahead sorry". This was one of the activities I was most looking forward to as my little one is obsessed with owls, and as it was a Thursday afternoon, we couldn't book it for another time. A bit of notice next time + perhaps we could have booked something else.

Overall I'll give the trip a 3.5/5, mostly due to the winter wonderland. It was magical. If you haven't been before at Christmas time, like we hadn't, I'd say it's probably better than any other time of year.

To finish, this place could get back to it's former glory, if the emphasis from management was to not make as much £££ as possible, and to reinvest into the park itself and give it a much needed refurb in...