Holiday villages are growing in popularity with families who are looking for a laid back holiday where they can completely relax, but yet have the all the facilities of a large resort at their fingertips. In the UK villages are open year round, and are as popular for a winter getaway as for a summer holiday.

One of the largest brands of holiday villages in Europe is Center Parcs. Apart from their centres in the UK they have sites in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. In the late 1960s a Dutch entrepreneur bought some woodland in the south of the country and started the first holiday village using tents. He soon changed these for bungalows and the Center Parcs brand as we know it today had started.

Center Parcs now have four holiday villages in the UK in Cumbria, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk and Wiltshire, plus one more under development in Bedfordshire. Each village is located in woodland sites of up to 400 acres, and are particularly marketed to appeal to families with young children. The main ethos of the villages is to provide a relaxing forest holiday for visitors. Cars are not allowed on site and visitors leave their vehicles in large car parks by the exit after unloading their suitcases. Bikes are the encouraged form of transport around the site, and there are hire facilities for people who have not bought their own bikes with them. The villas are grouped in small clusters and are all low-rise so as to blend in perfectly with the forest environment.

The main attraction at a Center Parcs holiday village is the huge swimming area, marketed as a sub tropical paradise. The swimming area is housed in a massive glass roofed area, and there are separate areas for toddlers, children and adults. They have high adrenaline slides and flumes as well as smaller slides and wave machines for younger guests. There is plenty to keep guests occupied for several hours, and numerous places to sit and relax. All visitors to the holiday village get free access to the swimming facilities throughout their stay.

Apart from the swimming, there are dozens of other activities on offer. These can include pony trekking, archery, tennis, abseiling, kayaking, and windsurfing. Guests will be charged extra to participate in these activities, which can soon mount up to a considerable sum for a family wanting to be busy every day. Most sites also have a spa offering the full range of beauty treatments and the opportunity to relax completely and be pampered. As the site itself is so large, there are also free bike and nature trails through the forest or guided tours with one of the ranger staff.

The main area of the holiday village is packed with restaurants, cafes and bars, providing plenty of options for dining. There is also a supermarket on site, and as all villas have full cooking facilities many visitors take their own food and self cater. A selection of gift and craft shops also offers the chance to pick up a souvenir of your stay.