Center Parcs Sherwood Forest Accommodation – The Ultimate Guide

Center Parcs Sherwood Forest, is one of five Center Parcs resorts in the UK and is the resort we find ourselves visiting most often when looking for a Center Parcs retreat as it’s the location closest to our home in Yorkshire.

Having visited Center Parcs Sherwood Forest multiple times over the years we’ve become somewhat of an expert as to the different accommodation offerings and what’s right for who.

With a variety of accommodation types to choose from it can be hard for beginners, or even those who have been to Center Parcs previously to know what’s right for them. Is the upgrade from a standard to a new style lodge worth it for example?

This is exactly why we put together this post.

We’ve written down everything we know, and everything you might want to ask someone about booking and staying in accommodation at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest to help you make the best decision for your personal situation.

What Are The Types Of Accommodation At Center Parcs Sherwood Forest?

When browsing the Center Parcs website you’ve no doubt been overwhelmed with the different types and styles of accommodation.

An with prices varying significantly it can be hard to know what accommodation is right for you and whether an upgrade to a slightly better lodge or apartment might be worthwhile.

Below we’ve broken down all of the accommodation options available at Center Parcs at Sherwood Forest (some Center Parcs resorts have additional or different accommodation) alongside what’s included and who the specific accommodation type is best suited to.

Woodland Lodges

The woodland lodges are the most common type of lodge at the Sherwood Forest Center Parcs.

There are multiple different sizes available, these are demonstrated with the number of people they sleep with rather than the number of beds (keep this in mind depending on who you’re travelling with).

There’s no minimum number of people for a lodge, one person could book a small lodge without issues. There is however a maximum number of people to a lodge and that’s eight.

The lodges come with either a family bathroom, ensuite or both depending on the size and number of people the lodge is designed to sleep.

For example, this is a floor plan of the three-bedroom woodland lodge. You can see there are three en-suites here rather than a central bathroom.

However, while this is designed to sleep six people it might not be suited to all guest types due to the formation of the bedrooms (2 double bedrooms and 1 twin).

As there’s often only two of us travelling we opt to stay in a 1 bedroom Woodland Lodge. You’ll naturally find that the fewer bedrooms, or the fewer people designed to stay in the accommodation the cheaper it is so there’s never really a reason for us to increase the amount of space.

Instead, we’d opt to spend our money on upgrades within the lodge (more on that later).

Regardless of the size of the lodge you choose, all lodges will come with a fully fitted kitchen. A kitchen at Center Parcs includes;

• Plates, bowls and cutlery
• Microwave
• Dishwasher
• Cooker
• Fridge
• Wine Cooler
• Coffee Maker

Executive Lodges

The first upgrade in luxury from the basics of a Woodland Lodge at Center Parcs is the Executive Lodge.

An Executive Lodge costs approximately 20% more than the same sized standard Woodland Lodge as it comes with some additional extras and has some finer finishings.

Much like the traditional Woodland Lodges, Executive Lodges come in a range of sizes from one-bedrooms designed for up to two people (perfect for couples) through to four-bedroom designed for up to six people.

You’ll also be able to choose from a range of additional lodge extras when booking an Executive Lodge. These extras aren’t available in a basic Woodland Lodge and include; a hydrobath, hot tub, sauna and/or games room.

These additional extras should appear underneath the basic details of the lodge during the browsing stage.

You’ll likely notice that the extras such as a sauna and hot tub cost more than the lodges that include a hydrobath as an extra so consider this when deciding on your accommodation and budgeting for your trip.

Exclusive Lodges

An Exclusive Lodge is the third tier of luxury at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest, and unsurprisingly costs more than both the traditional Woodland Style Lodge and the Executive Lodges.

These lodges come in one size only which is four bedrooms and is designed to sleep up to eight people in total.

On average, you’ll find that Exclusive Lodges cost around 40% times more than a four-bedroom Executive Lodge at Center Parcs.

However, if you’re after another level of luxury the price may just be worth it as this accommodation type includes;

• The ability to choose where in the park you’d like to stay (subject to availability, first come first serve)
• A hot tub
• A games room
• Sauna
• Steam room
• Sun lounges

Treehouses

Finally, we have the treehouses. These are the most luxurious form of accommodation available at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest and have a price tag to prove it.

There are only three treehouses on-site at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest so they can sell out quickly, especially during peak times (Christmas, New Year and school holidays).

Treehouse accommodation at Center Parcs again comes in one-size only which is a four-bedroom designed to sleep up to eight people in two double beds and two twin beds.

The epitome of luxury at Center Parcs comes at a price. The average cost of a Treehouse for Monday to Friday at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest is around £2,499. However, that price can quickly rise to nearer £4,499 during the peak season.

A Center Parcs Treehouse comes with;

• A dedicated host which you can contact at any time to book activities, tables at the on-site restaurants etc.
• Dedicated parking outside of the lodge (instead of you having to drive your car to one of the parking areas within the grounds).
• Private decking and balcony
• Games room
• Hot tub
• Infrared sauna
• The ability to select your specific treehouse for free (subject to availability, first come first served)

The Treehouses specifically are centrally located to the main hub of the resort making it quick and easy to get to the shop, bars, restaurant and the vast majority of the on-site activities.

Hotels & Apartments

Another form of accommodation at Center Parcs is the hotel and apartments.

At Sherwood Forest specifically, there are only apartments (other Center Parcs across the UK offer hotels or a mixture of the two). These apartments come in two sizes, one-bedroom or two-bedroom.

The one-bedroom can accommodate up to two people, meanwhile, the two-bedroom can accommodate up to four.

There’s a limited amount of difference between the apartments at the Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest specifically so if you’re looking for a games room or a hot tub for example then this form of accommodation isn’t going to be right for you.

All of the apartments at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest still come with a fully equipped kitchen containing a fridge, coffee maker, cooker and microwave as well as a small patio area that can allow you to get up close and personal with the wildlife.

The apartments at Center Parcs are usually priced similar to the traditional basic woodland lodge. I’d personally choose the lodge over the apartment as it seems much more secluded compared.

Dog-Friendly Lodges

You’re welcome to bring your dog on holiday to Center Parcs provided you book a dedicated dog-friendly lodge.

Bringing a dog and staying in a dog-friendly lodge does come at an additional cost of £65 for one dog, and £89 for two dogs – with a two-dog maximum policy.

Outside of your lodge dogs are required to be kept on a lead. However, there are multiple open spaces across the entire resort in which dog leads are not required which are marked on the map and will be highlighted to you upon your arrival/check-in.

Adapted Lodges

There is a range of adapted lodges available at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest. The adapted lodges come in a range of sizes (from one bedroom through to four-bedroom). However, due to limited availability, they do book up fast so I suggest booking in advance where possible.

An adapted lodge is just that. An adapted lodge that has been specifically designed to allow those in a wheelchair, scooter or who simply need a little more help some additional space.

All of the lodges come with a fully fitted kitchen as standard, with all the same amenities as in a standard lodge; fridge, dishwasher etc. however, the kitchen work surfaces are lower in places.

The bedrooms are particularly spacious within the adapted lodges, and the beds are electric and can therefore be adjusted to the height required.

The bathroom in an adapted lodge at Center Parcs comes with a wheel-in shower, and those booking an exclusive lodge will also find a hoist for the hot tub as well as wider entrances to the sauna and steam room.

The adapted lodges are adapted on the outside as well as the inside and have been specifically placed around the park to ensure easy access for guests.

Dedicated parking comes as standard with all of the adapted lodges at Center Parcs. This means you won’t have to drive your car over to the central car park. The lodge entrance also has a ramp to make the transition from the car / outside into the lodge as smooth as possible.

How Will I Know Where To Find My Lodge?

When you make your booking on the Center Parcs website you’ll be asked if you would like to select where you’re located within the resort. For the majority of accommodation types, this comes at an additional cost.

Alternatively, the accommodation are will be selected for you and you’ll be able to see your lodge details in the booking area on the Center Parcs website in advance if you wish to do so.

Upon arrival at Center Parcs, you’ll be told your lodge number and provided with a map as well as some basic directions as to how to drive to your lodge (and then how to get from your lodge to the central car park where applicable).

The lodges are split across seven different areas of the site which are given the name of different trees; Birch, Oak, Ash, Willow, Maple, Cedar and Pine.

You’ll be able to use your map as well as the signposts which are situated at multiple frequent points across the site to navigate around the park as well as to and from your lodge.

Center Parcs at Sherwood Forest is over 400 acres, so don’t be surprised to see a large volume of guests opting to hire a bike instead of walk around the resort.

What Facilities Are Included In The Lodges?

The following things come as standard with any of the lodges or apartments at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest;

• Fridge
• Dishwasher
• Oven
• Microwave
• Plates
• Cutlery
• TV with DVD player
• Coffee Machine
• Sofa and chairs
• Fire (you’ll be required to purchase the logs)
• Bedding (including duvets, pillows and bottom sheets)
• Towels (which are replaced daily should this be required)
• Toilet roll (although you may be required to purchase more throughout your stay)
• Kettle
• Toaster
• Cooking utensils (pots, pans etc.)
• BBQ
• BBQ utensils
• Hangers
• Hairdryer
• Soaps, shampoo and body wash (although you can opt to bring your own)

Can You Get Any Extras For The Lodge?

As well as optional extras embedded in the lodge such as a sauna, hot tub or games room you can also purchase extras that will be waiting for you upon your arrival.

These include food packs (we tried the welcome pack), birthday celebration packs and fire logs (only the fire logs purchased on site can be used in the fire inside the lodge).

Of course, there’s plenty of extras you can also purchase (or add to your Center Parcs packing list and bring with you from home) such as beach towels, armbands and a range of beauty supplies and personal items (condoms, tampons etc.) from the on-site shops.

Are Toiletries & Cleaning Supplies Free At Center Parcs?

There’s a small number of cleaning supplies and toiletries that will be inside your lodge upon arrival (outside of any additional extras you may have purchased).

These include;

• Washing up liquid
• 3 dishwasher tablets
• 1 cloth
• 1 tea towel
• 1 oven glove
• 1 washing up pad
• 1 bar of soap
• 1 small bottle of bath / shower gel
• 1 bottle of shampoo
• 1 bottle of conditioner
• 1 toilet roll

These item numbers are subject to change depending on how many people are booked to stay at your lodge, and the number of rooms you have.

What Baby/Child Equipment Is Included At Center Parcs?

It’s no secret that Center Parcs is a great place to take babies and young children as there’s plenty of activities suitable for all ages.

However, we all know that babies and young children come with additional needs (and a lot of additional stuff). Luckily, some of this can be provided by the team at Center Parcs and left in your lodge upon your arrival so you don’t have to bring it from home.

The items included when taking a child under the age of three to Center Parcs are;

• Cot
• Highchair

This can be a real lifesaver, and minimise the amount of time it takes you to unpack and pack up again at the end of your trip.

Sadly, Center Parcs isn’t able to provide all the items your baby or child may need for the trip, this mainly comes down to health and safety.