Take a relaxing break at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest

I recently visited Center Parcs in Nottinghamshire's Sherwood Forest for a week-long relaxing break with my girlfriend. I had never stayed at Center Parcs before, however my girlfriend and a few friends have recommended it to me before as a fantastic place to spend time away from the hustle and bustle of life and unwind. We arrived on a dry, crisp winter morning with the site decorated for Christmas. Our base for the week was an Executive Lodge, nestled right in the heart of Sherwood Forest's towering pine trees. The lodge was cosy and beautifully appointed; perfect for two people to share. It had everything you need from dishwasher and oven with a hob, to an open fire and spa bath. Not ones to completely hibernate and stay indoors, we wrapped up warm and ventured out to the Village Square at the heart of the complex. Here you can find shops, a supermarket, several high quality restaurants serving dishes from all over the world, swimming and sports facilities, the Aqua Sana and much more. For now however, we continued our walk and eventually arrived at the lake. Here you can enjoy the pancake house which looks out onto the water and, during the summer months, a beach and boating facilities. Our next stop was the Country Club, situated on the opposite side of the resort and about a 10 minute walk from the Village Square. Once we arrived, we decided it was time for a sandwich and a coffee and a chance to take in our surroundings and rest our legs. For those keen on their sports, you can enjoy a session on the driving range, or a game of squash or if you're like us, simply have a delicious meal and relax. The country club also has its own bar and makes for a great location to enjoy a quiet drink in the evening. Throughout the rest of our week, we enjoyed many of the facilities and activities on site and soaked up every opportunity we could to pamper ourselves. As it was my other half's birthday while we were there, we booked an hour long treatment at the Aqua Sana for a full body aromatherapy massage as a little treat. I was completely new to this experience, but it didn't take long for me to relax and drift away into a world of tranquility and peace. If you have the opportunity to enjoy a treatment while you're visiting, I would highly recommend it. You're left feeling light as a feather, with all your stresses and strains taken away. After your massage, you're free to sit in the conservatory and relax at your leisure with a herbal tea or glass of water while you lie on the beds and drift off or read a book. Later in the week we also took advantage of the Subtropical Swimming Paradise with its rides and outdoor heated pool. If you're visiting with family, especially a young family, then the Subtropical Paradise is perfect. We also booked a day pass for my parents to visit us and for £20 per person it allowed them entry to the complex from 10am until midnight. We had a friendly (but competitive) session of 18 hole crazy golf, a game of bowling, and a tasty evening meal at the Rajinda Pradesh Indian restaurant. The four of us then retreated to the lodge for a hot drink and put our feet up in front of our cosy log fire. It's safe to say that when they left us in the evening, they were wishing they could stay longer! The team at Center Parcs can't do enough for you. The service was excellent throughout our stay and the Winter Wonderland and the way the complex was decorated for Christmas was delightful. Attention to detail is the key at Center Parcs and it really is one of the best breaks I've ever had. I compared it to Disney in America after we came home with the attentive staff, friendly atmosphere and that feeling that you're transported into another world when you're there. For the week we were there I genuinely felt like I was completely cut off from the real world. It might only be an hour's drive from  my home, but it felt like I could be thousands of miles from reality - just what you want on a relaxation holiday. It was that good, we were looking at when we could book our next Center Parcs break when we arrived home! For more information on Center Parcs and how you can book your stay in Sherwood Forest visit the website.