Center Parcs NV

The family holiday park has become the first holiday operator to begin rolling out sensory libraries across all of its villages, offering free-to-borrow sensory aids for families with neurodivergent children

Center Parcs has become the first holiday operator to begin the roll out of new sensory libraries across all of its villages, catering for families with neurodivergent children.

Working alongside specialist SEN consultancy SENNIES, the family resort has officially unveiled its sensory library at its Elveden Forest village, where families can borrow items free of charge during their stay. The short break provider intends to roll out the libraries across all of its villages by 2028.

Items such as noise-reducing ear defenders, wipe-clean boards, calming lights, fidget toys, feelings wheels, visual timers and pop tubes will be on offer for families to select from.

Georgia Sargeant, CEO and founder at SENNIES, speaking in partnership with Center Parcs, said: “No two neurodivergent children are the same, so there is no single adjustment that works for every family.

“What matters is choice, a considered range of options from sensory resources and communication aids through to support for self-regulation and co-regulation, so a family can pick what works for their child that day.

“This library turns families’ feedback into practical support and shows how holiday providers can respond meaningfully to changing needs.”

The decision to launch the library follows a survey of 500 parents and legal guardians of neurodivergent children and those with additional needs, which found that 44% believe many holiday providers fail to offer sufficient provisions for their children.

For 80%, busy or crowded environments can prove challenging for their child, while 75% sometimes avoid activities or facilities altogether because they are overwhelming.

Almost two thirds (68%) said that access to sensory and accessibility aids at their chosen destination would enhance the holiday experience for their child.

Similarly, 68% also indicated that if they could borrow sensory items for the duration of their break, it would help their family feel more supported. Currently, 72% of parents bring sensory equipment or comfort items from home on every or most trips.

Department for Education figures reveal that more than 1.8 million pupils in England now have special educational needs – an increase of 5.2% in a year. This has resulted in NHS assessment waiting lists reaching more than 240,000.

Meanwhile, the Children’s Commissioner’s latest annual briefing discovered that children’s referrals involving suspected autism rose 47% in a single year, while neurodevelopmental referrals increased by 24%.

Richie Williams, village director at Center Parcs Elveden Forest, said: “The number of families looking for more thoughtful, practical support is growing.

“This pilot is the beginning of a journey, and we will listen closely to families using it and learn from their feedback as we consider what comes next and a future rollout to other villages.”

Philip White, a software engineer from Cornwall, has invented a way of bringing those costs down when it comes to booking a family holiday at one of Center Parcs six sites

A dad has invented a tool that helps Center Parcs customers claim back £100s, even after they’re already booked and paid.

Center Parcs is one of the UK’s most beloved holiday parks. It runs six holiday villages throughout the country. It is especially popular for short getaways in its car-free woodland settings, which are perfect for kids to explore while parents relax in the hot tubs and saunas.

While few would question how good Center Parcs’ offering is, it regularly comes in for criticism on price. The holiday park chain ranked close to the bottom in Which?’s latest holiday park survey, almost entirely because of price.

“It’s extraordinarily expensive, at more than twice the price of budget rival Haven. Activities cost even more on top, and you need to secure your preferred slots weeks in advance. The two-star rating for value for money is the joint lowest in our survey. You could save a fortune by choosing a better-rated rival,” the Which? survey noted.

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Philip White, a software engineer from Cornwall, has invented a way of bringing those costs down.

“It started because we were on a family Center Parcs holiday. It was a great time. One of my relations booked straight away for a year later,” Philip told The Mirror. Center Parcs offers guests £50 off if they book again within 30 days of a stay.

As prices may rise or fall throughout the year, booking early can leave you out of pocket, despite the cash back. Which is why Center Parcs offers a ‘price promise’. “Our price promise means that if you see the same break offered for sale at a lower price at any time before you arrive for your break, you will be eligible for a refund of the price difference or a reduction in cost to meet the new price,” its website explains.

Rather than spending his time checking the Center Parcs website in the months before his family’s next stay, Philip created a widget that does the work for you. All you need to do is enter your name and booking details, and it will tell you if there’s been a price drop. Then you can claim the difference back from Center Parcs.

“If you notice the cost drops, they refund the difference against your stay. But they don’t do that for you automatically; you have to manually check it all the time. I tried to automate it on my own. We caught the specific lodge we were trying to get dropped by £150, which was a good saving, especially with the cost of living,” Philip said.

Another feature of Philip’s widget helps guests bag slots on popular activities. “When we were there, a lot of the popular activities for our toddlers were booked out. With Parc Watch, can also check when new bookings open up.”

In the majority of categories in the Which? survey, Center Parcs scored impressively. The company received four stars for activities, entertainment and facilities, alongside quality of accommodation and cleanliness. It secured three stars for customer service and food and drink.

However, its low position in the table, fifth from bottom, came from its value for money rating of merely two stars. It ranked as the third most costly among all the holiday parks in the survey. Even positive assessments of the parks frequently reference the cost. One recent review of Center Parcs Woburn Forest noted: “Amazing place to holiday. Personally, I felt the prices of things on-site were a little high, and that was even going outside of term-time; however, you cannot fault the fun and wonder of being at these parks.”

The UK’s best and worst holiday parks

(Name of resort, overall customer score)

1. Potters Resorts – 83%
2. Hoburne Holidays – 81%
3. Darwin Escapes – 80%
4. Landal Parks – 80%
5. Waterside Holiday Group – 80%
6. Shorefield Holidays – 76%
7. Away Resorts – 75%
8. Bluestone Wales – 75%
9. Park Leisure UK – 75%
10. Highland Holidays – 74%
11. Lyons Holiday Parks – 74%
12. Largo Leisure – 73%
13. Park Holidays UK – 73%
14. Warner Coastal Villages – 73%
15. Forest Holidays – 72%
16. John Fowler Holidays – 72%
17. Center Parcs – 69%
18. Haven Holidays – 68%
19. Parkdean Resorts – 68%
20. Butlin’s – 63%
21. Pontins – 61%

Based on a survey of 2,221 Which? Connect panel members and general public conducted in February and March 2026.

Potters Resort has been crowned the UK’s best holiday park by Which? readers – and the all-inclusive family favourite has a location just over an hour from Cambridge

Britain’s best holiday park is an all-inclusive gem that costs a little more but offers a lot.

There are plent of excellent holiday parks across the UK, from the cheap and cheerful Butlin’s and Park Dean, to the more upmarket Center Parcs and Bluestone. However, they have all missed out on being named the best in the UK.

Potters Resort has topped the Which? holiday park rankings, with its Norfolk and Essex sites winning a customer score of 83%.

Stays start from £88 per person per night, which is higher than most comparable holiday parks, yet guests have still awarded the resort 4/5 for value. It is worth noting that Potters is the only holiday park in Britain to offer a truly all-inclusive experience, with four meals a day included alongside a wide selection of drinks – from wines and beers to G&Ts.

The resort keeps guests busy throughout the day with a packed programme of activities. Whether you fancy a go on the rally karts, a session in virtual reality, a spin at the silent disco or a splash in the water at Five Lakes, there is something to suit every taste and age group. Wellness enthusiasts are also well catered for, with Pilates, yoga, Nordic walking and birdwatching all part of the package at no extra cost.

OPINION

Come the evening, the entertainment steps up a gear. Resident show Musical Icons takes to the stage nightly, performing tributes to iconic acts spanning the Motown era, Carole King, ABBA, the Bee Gees and beyond, with a showstopping Bohemian Rhapsody finale rounding off proceedings.

“After opening its doors in the 1920s, family-run Potters claims to be the first-ever holiday park, and its all-inclusive model still sets it apart. The nightly rate at its two parks – in Essex and Norfolk – may be higher than rivals, but you stay in suites or bungalow-style accommodation (there isn’t a caravan in sight) and all food and drink (which is excellent) is thrown in. It was the only park to clinch the full five stars for its entertainment and activities (also included), which range from birdwatching to go-karting.

“Guests loved that they could soak in the spa and play all the rounds of pitch ‘n’ putt without worrying about their final bill spiralling out of control. ‘Great entertainment, all staff helpful and polite, good food and plenty of it,’ one happy customer remarked. Forget everything you think you know about holiday parks, as Potters’ attentive service and first-class facilities will wow you – with no sneaky extra charges later on.”

The Mirror’s Mikey Smith paid a visit to Potters with his family and had a brilliant time.

“Imagine the good old British ‘holiday camp’ atmosphere – family fun by the sea, with nightly entertainment and everything you need on-site – but brought bang up to date, with comfortable rooms and high quality amenities. And then imagine it borrowed a few ideas from luxury cruise ships. Then you’re getting somewhere near what Potters is,” Mikey wrote.

“For many, the phrase ‘all-inclusive resort’ conjures images of lukewarm buffets, piled high with chips and pizza slices, perhaps the occasional chicken nugget and long benches of weird-looking salad. Not so at Potters. Each lunchtime and evening menu offers three or four restaurant-quality starter and main options. During my stay I had a buttery, flaky Sea Bass fillet, some deliciously crispy deep fried Halloumi and a perfectly cooked chicken breast with mushroom and thyme sauce.

“None of them would trouble a Michelin star – but they’d give any of the foodie pubs near me a solid run for their money. And that’s before we come to the carvery, which is served every evening with a different roast meat.”

You can read his full review here.

Mike Scott, managing director of Potters, said: “To be named the UK’s Best Holiday Parks and Resorts by Which? readers is a fantastic achievement. To have topped the list in three consecutive surveys since 2022 is something we’re immensely proud of, especially among so many well-known UK break providers. Recognition from Which? means so much because it reflects the honest opinions and experiences of guests. It tells people what it’s really like to stay with us and makes this achievement all the more special.

“As a family-owned business, we can’t compete with the household names on marketing budgets, and we don’t try to. Instead, we focus on giving every guest an exceptional experience. Our breaks are fully inclusive, so we’re not constantly trying to upsell or charge guests for every little extra. It means our guests can simply relax and have fun, while our team can focus entirely on looking after them and making their stay memorable.

“This recognition reinforces what we’ve always believed: Potters Resorts offers the best breaks in the UK. And, of course, a huge thank you must go to our amazing team and our lovely guests, who together have made Potters such a special place.”

The UK’s best and worst holiday parks

(Name of resort, overall customer score)

1. Potters Resorts – 83%
2. Hoburne Holidays – 81%
3. Darwin Escapes – 80%
4. Landal Parks – 80%
5. Waterside Holiday Group – 80%
6. Shorefield Holidays – 76%
7. Away Resorts – 75%
8. Bluestone Wales – 75%
9. Park Leisure UK – 75%
10. Highland Holidays – 74%
11. Lyons Holiday Parks – 74%
12. Largo Leisure – 73%
13. Park Holidays UK – 73%
14. Warner Coastal Villages – 73%
15. Forest Holidays – 72%
16. John Fowler Holidays – 72%
17. Center Parcs – 69%
18. Haven Holidays – 68%
19. Parkdean Resorts – 68%
20. Butlin’s – 63%
21. Pontins – 61%

The rankings are drawn from a survey of 2,221 Which? Connect panel members and members of the general public, conducted in February and March 2026.

If the Ber months are your favourite, then enjoy them with an autumnal staycation. These holiday parks will be offering lots of themed fun in October and beyond including Halloween celebrations

While parents have only just waved the kids back to school, we all know how quickly October half term sneaks up on us, and if you’re looking to book a staycation, now is the time.

Holiday parks across the UK will be offering special October half-term breaks, including themed activities and entertainment, so here’s a breakdown of what some of the major brands will be doing for the spookiest month.

Butlin’s – from £205

Butlin’s will be offering a range of Spooktober breaks midweek through October and during half term, which kick off with a welcome party that’s “full of Halloween hits and spooky surprises”. Its fairgrounds are being turned into Scaregrounds, with fog machines, atmospheric lights, and lots of scary monsters lurking in dark corners, while some rides will operate after dark for extra thrills.

The evening entertainment, usually known as Nights at Reds, will become Frights at Reds, billed as: “Think spine-tingling singalongs, killer party dances, ghoulish games, DJ sets that’ll raise the dead, and our brand-new Eerily Silent Disco.” There will also be daytime activities, and of course, you get access to Butlin’s waterparks and all the other fun things you’d expect from its breaks.

Book October half-term breaks now at Butlins.com

Haven – from £85

Haven is offering a range of Halloween breaks across its parks for October 2026, including half-term dates, with parks offering a variety of spooky entertainment and activities, depending on location and date.

You can enjoy a Halloween Parade at selected parks, and the usual Haven entertainment with a cute autumn edge, such as a Halloween version of the Seaside Squad Let’s Dance show. Once you’ve booked your break, you can add extras such as pumpkin carving, Halloween Make a Bear, or themed slime workshops.

Find out more about Haven Halloween breaks and book online.

Center Parcs – from £829

Center Parcs’ lodges are the perfect backdrop for an autumn break, and its parks will also be offering a range of Halloween activities for those visiting during half term. Parents can book their kids into a Halloween Bash, a party that includes games and crafts, or fun sessions such as broomstick making.

You can also enjoy the crisp autumn weather with a forest stroll, or enjoy the parks’ playgrounds, and of course, there’s the subtropical swimming paradises, which are always popular with families visiting Center Parcs.

Book Center Parcs breaks for half term online.

Parkdean – from £169

Parkdean will be running Halloween activities in 59 of its parks from October 2 to November 1, promising “live entertainment and thrilling activities”. Depending on the date you visit and the park, you could enjoy a Creepy Disco, watch a Halloween-themed show, Disturbia, or take part in a kid-friendly ghost walk.

Kids can take part in pumpkin crafts, Halloween-themed slime workshops, sand art, or pottery, and some parks will host a Monster Ball with competitions, fancy-dress, live performances, and more.

Find out more about Parkdean’s breaks and book online for October.

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