UK’s best two holiday parks revealed by expert – car-free, with private beaches and treetop saunas

A HOLIDAY park guru who has visited dozens of sites across the UK has shared his two favourite ones for a family break.

From accommodation lodges with sea views to a private beach, award-winning forest spas and treetop saunas, there’s a bit of something for everyone.

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Travel writer Robbie Lane is the face behind the specialist website, Holiday Park Guru and on his specialist website, the former BBC journalist writes detailed reviews of holiday parks in both the UK and Europe.

From adults-only trips to ski holidays and popular chains like Center Parcs and Butlin’s to little-known independent sites and budget-friendly breaks, it seems Robbie has covered it all.

He told Sun Online Travel about ultimate favourite holiday parks in the UK, saying: “The two that stand out for me are Center Parcs Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire and Darwin Escapes’ Woodside Coastal Retreat on the Isle of Wight.”

Center Parcs Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire

Robbie raved about Center Parcs, noting the “outstanding” swimming pools in each of the UK sites.

He added: “We like the way that no one can use their car on-site. While it’s a bit inconvenient when you first unpack, you soon get used to the novelty.

“It also means children can safely scoot or cycle around and parents can relax a little bit”.

Described as the “original UK village” on its website, Center Parcs Sherwood Forest site in Nottinghamshire is home to 400 acres of forest.

Center Parcs is known for its wide-ranging activities and its Sherwood Forest site is no different with an award-winning forest spa and the UK’s first treetop sauna.

There are plenty of family-friendly activities too, including Aerial Tree Trekking, miniature submersibles, archery lessons for all ages, falconry lessons, an insect safari, mini jet skis, paintballing and a wizard academy.

And of course, there’s also the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, a swimming pool that’s heated to 29.5C throughout the year.

Visitors to Center Parcs Sherwood Forest can expect to find a raft ride, a Tropical Cyclone, a wave pool, Wild Water Rapids and a hot whirlpool.

There are five different accommodation options at the holiday park, including treehouse stays.

Each of the treehouses has enough space for eight guests and comes equipped with a private outdoor hot tub, a dedicated host, a games room with a pool table, a sauna and an entertainment system.

Other accommodation options include Woodland Lodges, Executive Lodges, Exclusive Lodges and hotels and apartments.

We’ve found three-night breaks for two adults and two children from £629, working out to £210 per night.

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Darwin Escapes Woodside Coastal Retreat, Isle of Wight

The Holiday Park Guru also raved about Woodside Coastal Retreat on the Isle of Wight.

He said: “It’s not got lots of facilities but my family love the Isle of Wight.

“The holiday park is practically on the beach looking towards Portsmouth, it’s brilliant.”

Sitting on an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Woodside Coastal Retreat reopened in 2014 following a series of devastating fires in the 1980s that forced the holiday park to close.

The Isle of Wight site is home to 36 self-catering holiday lodges and access to a private shingle beach too.

Woodside Coastal Retreat is all about peace and relaxation, so on-site facilities are purposefully limited.

However, guests can use the gym, luxury spa lodge and on-site restaurant at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat, Darwin Escapes’ sister site.

There are nine self-catering accommodation options on the Isle of Wight site, including Osborne Lodge, Swinburn Elegance Lodge and Osborne View.

The Tennyson Premier Lodge is the largest option, sleeping eight guests in four bedrooms, with three bathrooms.

We’ve found three-night breaks for two adults and two children from £245, working out to £82 per night.

Last week, Robbie revealed England’s top three underrated holiday parks – with private beaches, indoor water parks and jet skis for kids.

And here are the other lesser-known holiday parks named among the best in the UK.

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