Center Parcs le Lac D’Ailette

My family and I visited for my daughter’s 4th birthday at the end of August and stayed in cottage 739. We had an amazing time and did a lot of the activities on offer, we enjoyed them all the particularly pony riding and the climbing, the staff on the climbing frame are amazing and helped all the younger ones! We used pretty much all of the restaurants which all were nice enough apart from Gina Italian which was expensive microwaved and tasteless. All staff in the restaurants were very nice. We used the swimming facilities once and they were clean with great slides, we received good service at the cafe in there. We also hired a golf cart which was handy as it was quite a walk from our lodge but quite pricey and not necessary. The only bad part of our stay was the cleanliness of the cottage and judging from other reviews seems to be a common theme. Whilst the lodge is not the most modern it’s perfectly fine for what you need it for but it was absolutely filthy, months if not years of grime in our bath, it was the type of shower where you still feel dirty after taking it. I didn’t feel comfortable using our kitchen due to the cleanliness, the pots still had food residue and a strange smell from the dishwasher would probably explain that! There’s cobwebs and bugs on every ceiling and the floor left your feet dirty. Overall completely unacceptable hence only giving three stars as it would have been five if it were cleaner. A company as large as centre Parcs should be well versed in hygiene practices so more training should be provided and additional cleaning staff hired to manage the workload. I would also note that most of the public toilets are designed poorly maintained.

After an enjoyable stay in 2024 we returned again in 2025 but this stay was marred by the poor condition of the cottage. On arrival the dishwasher was noticeably broken, reported using the WhatsApp contact and still awaiting a response!! Washing up hampered further by no plug provided for the kitchen sink. Kitchen area very tired and in need of refurb, worktop was also broken. However, kitchen is well equipped with crockery and cooking implements. Heating did not work in the cottage and the park Wi-Fi was down for the whole duration of our stay. Aquamundo a lot of fun but shower areas need a refresh as lots of mould. Nearby medieval citadel of Laon has a great Carrefour for groceries.

We usually visit Longleat as it’s only about an hour away, but this time we decided to try something different. This was one of the closest and most affordable Center Parcs to us. The pool was fantastic – loads of slides (I believe it has the most of any Center Parcs), though it could do with a fresh coat of paint as it’s looking a little tired. We went swimming at 7:30 pm and it was lovely and quiet, with no queues for the slides. During the day, however, it does get very busy. The changing area was spotless, partly because you have to take your shoes off before entering. We stayed in Villa No. 1, which was the closest to the centre – super convenient! Many people hired electric golf carts as their villas were quite far away. Being so close to the beach meant it was a little noisy in the evenings due to the entertainment, but we didn’t mind as we were usually joining in with the blind test game, karaoke, or family quiz. The villa itself could do with a deep clean and a bit of an upgrade. Not terrible, but as a VIP cottage, I expected more. When we arrived, the baby mattress was missing, but I contacted customer services via WhatsApp and they responded very quickly. The beds had sheets on, but the duvet covers were wrapped and left on top, with the actual duvets in the cupboard – a bit odd considering the beds were meant to be made. We went for the half-board option, which included an all-you-can-eat breakfast and an evening meal at a restaurant of our choice. This made the trip feel that little bit more special – I’d have hated to cook all our meals in the villa. The drive was around 2.5 hours on the A26 using the toll road, which cost about £18 one way. Well worth it, as the alternative routes were much longer. Overall, we had a very enjoyable Monday-to-Friday break. I’d definitely recommend it for the summer, but it’s not somewhere I’d choose for a winter trip.

We were pleasantly surprised, after reading some of the reviews. Our cottage was definitely aging and could do with some tlc. The cottage was our biggest disappointment, we had paid for a premium lakeside view cottage and it was completely different to the picture advertised. We could see a small area of the lake upstairs after we had complained on arrival. A gardener was sent to trim some of the trees and shrubs which then allowed a small view from the upstairs bedrooms. We paid extra for these cottages and do feel a little let down. The cottage was clean though, had a fridge, microwave, dishwasher and hob. It had a small terrace with garden furniture too. We have 2 children aged 12 and 9. They loved all the activities on offer. They especially loved the waterpark. They particularly enjoyed the lazy and rapid river! Bikes can be hired as well and golf type buggies. We didn’t hire either as we’re quite active and enjoyed walking the grounds. Staff were really friendly and helpful. We visited a lovely town nearby called Laon. Definitely worth a look.