Whinfell Forest news
Whinfell Forest important updates and latest news.
Temporary closure of our UK villages - updated 27th March 2020
We have made the decision to extend the closure period of all Center Parcs UK villages until 30th April in line with the latest government guidance and to keep our staff and guests as safe as possible.
We’re offering the option to either reschedule your break or receive a full refund.
I want to select a new date in the future: Breaks are on sale for arrivals up to December 2021. You can rebook for a new date in the future with no amendment fee and we’ll also offer you a £100 discount from your new break.
Please note that if you select a lower-priced break we will still offer you the £100 discount and refund the difference. If the break you select is higher-priced, we will, again, apply the £100 discount but you would need to pay any outstanding difference.
I want a full refund: We hope you’ll rearrange your break but we understand that this won’t be possible for everyone. If you prefer a refund you may, of course, take this option. Please note that our refund process is unfortunately much slower than usual right now.
What do I need to do?
For guests who were due to visit up to 13th April, you will have an email already. Please click the link included in the email and we’ll respond to you within the next few weeks.
If you have already made us aware of your choice via our online form we’ll action your request over the next few weeks.
For guests who were due to visit 17th – 30th April, we’ll be in contact via email towards the end of next week with further instructions. We’re working to improve our process so, for now, there is no action for guests in this closure period. Please look out for a further email towards the end of next week which will explain what to do next.
When will I hear from you?
For guests who were due to visit up to 13th April, you will have an email already. Please click the link included in the email and we’ll respond to you within the next few weeks.
For guests who were due to visit 17th – 30th April, we’ll be in contact via email towards the end of next week with further instructions.
Our response time and refund process is delayed
Once we’re aware of your choice we’ll action this as soon as we can. However, we only have a very small team working from home so this may take us a number of weeks due to the volume of guests impacted by this situation.
This isn’t our usual service response time and we’ll come back to you sooner if we can.
My arrival date has passed and I haven’t been contacted: Please don’t worry, even if we haven’t managed to contact you before your scheduled arrival date, you will still be able to rearrange your break or receive a full refund.
Can I contact you?
Our Contact Centre is currently closed until 30th April 2020. This means that we cannot accept any inbound calls from our guests.
We do have a very small team working from home to process cancellations and changes during the closure period but as the team is reduced it is taking us longer than we would like to get back to our guests. The team will also be keeping an eye on social media channels and communicating via email where possible.
We’re so sorry but our response times and refund process will be much slower than usual right now.
Future breaks
If you are on a break in the future and currently not impacted by the closure dates, please do not contact us at this time to allow us to deal with guests with imminent breaks.
As it stands, we are closed until 30th April 2020. We will continue to closely monitor and follow government guidelines so please keep a close eye on our website for any updates. If anything changes for your break, we will contact you directly.
We recognise that this is disappointing news and we would like to thank you for your patience and understanding in these exceptional circumstances.
Temporary closure of Starbucks in the Village Centre - 10th February 2020
Starbucks located in the Village Centre is having an exciting makeover. In order to complete the work, Starbucks will be closing for refurbishment on Monday 24th February 2020 and reopening to guests on Friday 20th March 2020. You can still head over to our other Starbucks in Sports Plaza for lovely coffee and a mouth-watering treat.
The Pancake House closure - updated 10th February 2020
The Pancake House will be closed from 16th January until early March (weather permitting) to undergo an extension. This means that we will be able to serve yummy pancakes to even more of our guests in the future.
We’re also taking the opportunity to complete some essential maintenance work to the Boardwalk and roof which will continue until March 2020.
Starbucks and Dining In will remain open during these works. For more restaurant recommendations during your break, visit the food and drinks page on our website.
New route for Geocache - 10th February 2020
Geocache at Whinfell Forest has been updated with a new route for even more of a challenge. Put your sense of direction to the test to navigate around the new route whilst solving clues and discovering passwords.
Temporary closure of Starbucks in the Sports Plaza - 20th January 2020
Starbucks located in Sports Plaza is having an exciting makeover. In order to complete the work, Starbucks will be closing for refurbishment on Monday 20th January 2020 and reopening to guests on Friday 14th February 2020. You can still head over to our other Starbucks in the Village Centre for lovely coffee and a mouth-watering treat.
A new Aerial Adventure - 27th November 2019
Experience a new treetop adventure as Aerial Adventure has new elements to conquer and 255-metre dual zip wire over the lake! It’s new to Whinfell Forest so be sure to try it on your next break.
Four new Treehouses available to book at Whinfell Forest - 6th November 2019
Brand new luxurious Treehouses at Whinfell Forest are now available to book for breaks from July 2020. This spectacular new accommodation includes four en-suite bedrooms, detached games den, beautifully styled open-plan living and outdoor hot tub. Guests with limited mobility can also enjoy this luxury accommodation in our adapted Treehouse, perfect for wheelchair access.
Whinfell Forest spectacular evening entertainment - 17th September 2019
Discover our exciting evening entertainment during your stay at Whinfell Forest. Here pantomimes aren’t just for Christmas, enjoy some singing, dancing and slapstick comedy in a family fun pantomime all year round. From 13th October 2019 head over to The Green Room for a showing of Aladdin and cheer on our hero as he falls in love with Princess Jasmine.
Whether you are a lover of the 80’s, the 90’s or the chart hits, get out of your seat singing and dancing to our fantastic musical tribute, Party in the Parc, perfect for the whole family.
Visit The Green Room in the Village Centre or book on our website to see what shows are showing during your break.
Lake closures on our villages - 2nd September 2019
As we operate a number of submersible activities on the lakes at our villages, we test our lake water for quality on a regular basis. Due to natural organisms, we occasionally receive a reading that means we have to close our lake whilst we treat the issue and gain a normal reading again. Should this happen we will ensure that guest disruption is kept to a minmum and that we bring activities back online as soon as we possibly can.
Forest safety - 21st August 2019
During extreme dry weather spells we take advice from the Met Office, please see below some basic fire safety points:
- Smoking is permitted only in designated smoking locations on village and on the patio/ balcony of accommodation
- The use of wood from the forest is strictly prohibited for use on the fire in accommodation (please only use logs purchased from ParcMarket)
- The making of fires of any sort is strictly prohibited
- Should you discover a fire no matter how small, please contact the village emergency number or call 999
- Due to our forest environment we may need to withdraw the use of BBQ’s in extreme hot weather
We do have regular fire checks in place but please be vigilant and help us to maintain a safe environment in the forest.
New fun-filled activities for little ones - 28th January 2019
Discover three new activities for your little ones to enjoy. Make memories that will last forever as you forage through the forest to create your very own Family Nature Journal, or help our rangers discover woodland animals and their habitats in Nature Detectives, both at the Ranger’s Lodge. Your little ones can also have an adventure of their very own in Wizard Academy, where they can learn spells, play games and make marvellous wizard crafts in this this 3-hour unaccompanied session at the Activity Den.
Aqua Sana at Whinfell Forest opens new Relax Areas - 15th January 2019
A new way to drift away during your spa escape. Aqua Sana Whinfell Forest has had a mini makeover and now boasts two brand new areas dedicated to inducing complete relaxation.
Our biggest ever lodge - Updated 20th December 2018
Whinfell Forest is welcoming a 6-bedroom Woodland Lodge that sleeps up to 12. With six spacious bedrooms, family bathrooms and shower rooms and a large open-plan living space, it’s perfect for large families or groups of friends. Now available to book for breaks arriving from 21st December 2018.
Take aim with Archery Adventure - 10th December 2018
All about accuracy and new to Whinfell Forest, Archery Adventure will bring out your competitive side as you complete archery-themed challenges at the Outdoor Activity Centre.
Laser Target has hit Whinfell Forest - 10th December 2018
In this brand new activity test your aim and the steadiness of your hand with new Laser Target. Use our state-of-the-art laser-adapted guns to see if you can hit the bullseye. LED targets will light up in sequences - getting faster and faster! - to test your reaction times. They'll keep score electronically to see who's the best shot in your group.
Aerial Adventure enhancements - 23rd July 2018
We’ve added some exciting new obstacles to our Aerial Adventure course.
Are you brave enough to tackle the Tree House and Floating Staircase in this adrenaline packed challenge high up in the trees?
Minimising traffic on the village
We know that our focus on providing a safe environment with minimal traffic is something you really value. That’s why we need your help to reduce the traffic on our villages to protect what you love about Center Parcs: a place where little ones can run free and explore, and parents can feel at ease.