INTERVIEW Centre Parcs Woburn first person M
THE PARK LIZ TERRY, EDITOR, LEISURE MANAGEMENT The Subtropical Paradise
y first impression is that this is the Center Parcs for London. It has a
more urban aesthetic, is more ‘designed’, with higher spec accommodation, more upscale retail, a fabulous spa and a hotel with beautiful spa suites. With London less than an hour away
by rail and road, this is the site which will draw the yummy mummies and co and they won’t be disappointed. Our light, airy and comfortable house was all ensuite, with its own sauna in the garden and plenty of room to hang out and spend time with family. Built on two levels, it had a bal- cony with a view of the lake and all the sensible Dutch Center Parcs touches. My only concern would be whether the kitchen cupboards will wear well.
at Woburn has – in my view – a less lavish and intui- tively designed pool and adult waterplay area when compared with the other vil- lages, however, it has a new focus on kids’ waterplay and adrenaline rides: MD Martin
Dalby told me research showed visi- tors thought the pool needed spicing up – hence the addition of some pretty scary drop rides, one of which had me spinning screaming (loudly) and hurtling backwards in a four person inner tube. Center Parcs’ vision has always been that the sightlines of the bungalows ensured each existed in its own private space. It feels as though this rule has been overridden in places at Woburn, giving the site a less mysterious feel and although the overall look will soften
once the vegetation has grown up, the layout is more open and like a housing estate than in previous villages. The other four villages are buried deep in the woods, so as you arrive you feel you’re withdrawing from the world. Woburn doesn’t do this – you’re straight into the car park with a brusqueness that fails to charm. My preference would be for this to be addressed in the way the customer journey is evolved, by taking a new route in. Center Parcs is a great model and one I believe could be repli- cated almost anywhere in the world. Although the team has plans to develop a site in Ireland, I think they should look to global expansion too. The fact the brand is split with Pierre
et Vacances in Europe makes this a slightly more challenging dream, but still one which is possible to achieve.
Center Parcs is a great model and one which could be replicated almost anywhere in the world. Although the current team has plans to develop in Ireland, they should look to global expansion too
THE SPA HELEN ANDREWS, JOURNALIST, SPA BUSINESS MAGAZINE T 64
he spa is accessed from the World of Spa reception. You start with a foot bath which has three different mas- sage settings and different essential oils – rose, mint and orange. You can then explore the facility in your own time. The spa is huge, and I as though I wouldn’t be able to do it all in a day. I really enjoyed the inhalation steam-
rooms, some of which had warm showers that went off intermittently. The idea of having a separate relaxa- tion room per zone initially seemed a bit extravagant, but this is a spa that’s very much focused on social bonding and relaxation, so having areas in which to congregate and talk makes sense.
I was impressed at the amount of thought that had gone into finding the right design of wheelchair, so that there is a collapsable, easy to manouevre chair that doesn’t heat up too much available for use in the spa, meaning it’s accessible to everyone. The infinity pool had a bubble jet bench on one side and a bubble bed grate on the other that you could lie down on – but what was really cool were the jets by the pool which mas- saged your back and shoulders if you stood under them – one of them was so fast and furious it almost hurt. I had a Decleor Aromatherapy Massage, which focuses on key pres- sure points. My therapist – Chloe
Read Leisure Management online
leisuremanagement.co.uk/digital
– gave me a full-body massage with a Decleor oil that smelled of citrus in a room where the lights changed from blue to pink and back again slowly. The massage combined soft strokes with occasional bursts of deep tis- sue therapy. She focused on my thighs and upper back with the deep tissue strokes using her elbows and forearms to stretch my muscles. At some points I wasn’t expecting such an intense pressure but the relief it provided after- wards was just what I needed. She held my hand to massage the full length of my arms, as she smoothed the ten- sion and tightness from my wrists and elbows. I felt totally relaxed afterwards. Overall, I had a great time, although
I’d be wary of how busy it might get during peak times. l
ISSUE 3 2014 © cybertrek 2014
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84