From my home on the edge of south-east London, I can reach Europe’s newest Center Parcs in roughly the same time as it takes to get to Whinfell Forest, the British outpost on the outskirts of the Lake District.
An hour and 20 minutes by plane from Gatwick to Billund, followed by a breezy hour and 45 minutes’ drive along smooth, empty Danish dual carriageways (rather than a traffic-clogged trip up the M1) makes Center Parcs Nordborg Resort a far less fraught journey.
Would it be worth the trip, though, I wondered, as I set off with my 11-year-old in tow?
I’ve visited every Center Parcs in the UK and a scattered few across the continent too (the brand has sites across France, Germany and the Netherlands). And though I was curious to see how Denmark’s first one measured up, I was expecting more of the same.
Not that the European resorts are exactly identikit. They may share the famous domed water parks with their British counterparts, but they also tend to come with a bit of national character. Thus, Villages Nature Paris, near Disneyland Paris, has a dose of chic in its thoughtful landscaping and the activities at De Kempervennen in the Netherlands reflect a certain Dutch fearlessness. Having only visited Denmark once before, I was hazy about what the Scandinavian version might entail.
First appearances were encouraging – and empty. The site, which opened last summer on the island of Als, is sprawling, taking in blustery meadows, deserted forest and a stretch of seaside across 190 hectares.
At present, however, there are only 440 wood-clad “cottages” scattered about the place (though there are vague plans to add more in the future, there are already 866 at Elveden Forest and even more at Villages Nature Paris). It means the resort feels quiet even when, as during our stay, it’s at full occupancy.
Guests can hire bikes, four-man e-rickshaws or golf buggies to get around (a buggy costs £85 per day, with daily costs decreasing for longer periods) and it was in the latter that my son and I spent much of our time, driving flat out to reach the 15km/h top speed as we returned to our lodge by the sea late at night along deserted paths, headlights blaring under starry skies.
Even by uncluttered Danish standards (only six million people live in the country), this is a forgotten corner, sustained by factories and home to the little town of Sønderborg with its lesser-visited, 13th-century castle. The factory owners (LINAK and Danfoss) are also responsible for the resort, reasoning that the pastel-neon sunsets and absolute silence that make up Nordborg Resort’s main attraction might be appealing to those seeking to get away from it all.
They were right. Nordborg may not have quite as many activities as some other Center Parcs, but who needs virtual golf when you have deserted beaches, a mini-farm full of baby goats and huge gulps of unpolluted air? You could come here and do little more than talk to the resident donkeys and jump or paddle board from Denmark’s longest pier (an impressive, wishbone-shaped structure pointing towards the island of Fyn) into the Baltic.
It’s just as well because the activities we did try were hit-and-miss. Though we loved the Viking-themed mini-golf in the balmy Market Dome, a Ragnarök escape room had us scratching our heads at seemingly unconnected clues (I suspect something was lost in translation). Boating on the tiny lake was gentle in the extreme and we didn’t see much wildlife. There’s no spa either, though you can explore child-free by popping them into an excellent kids’ club for a couple of hours to try their hand at crafting or cooking.
We did find some unexpected bonuses though. Chief among them was the buffet breakfast, a surprisingly elaborate food fest which made the stay feel much more hotel-like and set our mood for the day (around £27 per person; extra points for the pancake cook who made the best ones my son and I have ever tasted). We also loved dinner under the Market Dome’s whale-bone-like rafters in the Royal Market Café, a bizarrely quiet restaurant that does great burgers, cocktails and coffee.
There’s a glass-walled Italian seaside joint too, and burgers from Irish chain Rocket’s. Of course, all of this comes at a price – and that price is Danishly high (a salami pizza at Fratelli Beach Café is around £18). It’s offset by favourable accommodation rates: a week in a Premium Cottage during August costs €1,580 (£1,374), significantly less than the equivalent in the UK.
Like all Center Parcs, Nordborg Resort is home to one of the free water parks that are a key draw for fans. My kids find these fun: I’d generally rather walk over broken glass than have to go in one because they’re usually very crowded, less than sweet-smelling and a bit of a trial for anyone over 30.
This version, however, was a revelation. Spotless and beautifully landscaped, it had queueless slides that my son loved. Hearing his whoops of delight as we zoomed through a spectacularly lit tunnel on a dual rubber ring was worth the trip alone.
I lost count of how many times he made me try the wild river rapids, crashing into me delightedly as we slid round the outdoor course. But my highlight was swimming in the balmy outdoor lazy river as the sun melted into the meadows beyond the dome and steam rose into the air: there was nobody in the water but us. Giddy with excitement, we drove back to our cabin with gigantic grins.
There are three types of cottages here and, for many Danish and German guests, who have the advantage of bringing their own cars, the basic “Comfort” ones may be enough. Check into one and you’ll need to bring your own sheets and towels or pay extra to borrow some. In a Premium Cottage, you get both. Meanwhile, our place – a VIP Cottage – came with the softest bedding, an uninterrupted sea view and even a sauna.
Our only quibble was the sea-themed decals which adorned the walls and doors: great for little ones but deemed babyish by my tween. I was inclined to agree. I didn’t particularly like sharing my bedroom with a travel cot and a shower room without a door either, but I appreciate that this would be great for those with tots in tow.
It didn’t matter. The lodge was cosy, even when the wind whipped outside – a testament to Scandinavian design and a welcome difference to the ones in the UK. As it came with one of the comfiest sofas we’ve ever sat on, we spent our time indoors in the living room, watching occasional passing dog walkers and murmurations of birds over the water.
In summer, we imagined, it would be even better: the perfect place to sea-swim, wander forest trails, take the ferry to Als or head into Sønderborg to stroll around its pretty harbour. Plus, Nordborg Resort had one more trick up its sleeve.
Though from the road it resembles a rather down-at-heel attraction, Universe Science Park (a 15-minute walk from the resort) turned out to be one of the big hits of our trip. Embroidered with flowers and set around a lake, it had plenty to keep us occupied for a day, including a wind tunnel in which you could don protective glasses and battle your way through a simulated storm or a hurricane, as well as a VR race track complete with life-size cars and a burning house that you use your wits to escape.
There’s a high ropes course at Universe Science Park too, complete with daredevil zip-wire sections that are almost rollercoaster-esque. Nordborg Resort guests can get a pass for the duration of their stay for around £15 per person – good value for what’s on offer.
Sadly, our time in the faux-hurricane marked the end of our trip. And though we agreed that, ideally, we would have ridden our golf buggy into the sunset, we had to settle for a Hyundai i30 and a view of blustery grassland and a weak Danish sun reflected in the rear-view mirrors.
Amanda Hyde was a guest of Center Parcs Nordborg Resort and Visit Denmark. Fly to Billund with British Airways or Norwegian; there are several on-site hire car firms at the airport.