Center Parcs opens first summer bookings for Longford Forest

Late last year, the much-anticipated holiday park made its first Irish dates available to book, from November 4 onwards.

But Independent.ie can now reveal that dates have quietly been added for the last week in August, and the months of September and October.

The €233 million Center Parcs Longford Forest is on track to open this summer, though exact dates will depend on construction progress.

Once complete, the resort will cater for up to 2,500 guests in some 466 lodges and 30 apartments, providing around 1,000 permanent jobs in the process - in addition to employment generated by a massive construction phase.

Center Parcs is a hugely popular series of woodland resorts in the UK, where families stash their cars for weekend or midweek bouts of activity.

Similar to its flagship UK properties, Longford Forest will be anchored by a 3,500m2 'Subtropical Swimming Paradise' heated to 29.5 degrees. The year-round facility has been billed as "Ireland's largest waterpark".

Fans of the resorts love their car-free campus vibe, 100+ activities, comfortable lodges, well-trained staff and immaculately maintained layouts.

Critics bemoan relatively high prices, the fact that many activities are expensive extras, and food that some consider bland and generic.

• Read Pól Ó Conghaile's Center Parcs tips here

Family rates start from €299 for a four-night midweek break in January 2020, based on a family of four sharing a two-bedroom woodland lodge.

Prices can skyrocket at peak times, however- with midweek breaks for the same type of lodge costing €1,249 from August 26 as we publish.

“We are confident that Center Parcs Longford Forest will revolutionise the short-break market for Irish families," Martin Dalby, Center Parcs CEO, has said.

The resort is located at Newcastle Wood, near Ballymahon.

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