{"url":"https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/denmark/scandinavias-first-center-parcs-puts-ours-in-the-shade/?msockid=24b1407aa5b162ee227b539ea4d2638f","title":"Denmark's Center Parcs outshines UK resorts","domain":"telegraph.co.uk","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/4881140/pexels-photo-4881140.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","pexelsSearchTerm":"travel","category":"Lifestyle","language":"en","slug":"25592111","id":"25592111-220a-40a0-84bc-a360951207a2","description":"Nordborg Resort Review: Amanda Hyde visits Denmark's first Center Parcs at Nordborg Resort and finds it superior to UK sites in nature and calm.[[1]](https","summary":"## TL;DR\n- **Nordborg Resort Review:** Amanda Hyde visits Denmark's first Center Parcs at Nordborg Resort and finds it superior to UK sites in nature and calm.[[1]](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/amanda-hyde)[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n- **Seaside Expansion:** The 190-hectare site on Als island includes 440 wood-clad cottages, a domed waterpark, and Denmark's longest pier on the Baltic.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n- **Value Takeaway:** Cheaper stays like €1,580 weekly in August, spotless facilities, and easy access beat crowded UK equivalents for family escapes.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n## The story at a glance\nAmanda Hyde, who has stayed at all UK Center Parcs and some European ones, reviews Scandinavia's first at Nordborg Resort on Denmark's Als island. She compares it favourably to British sites for its uncrowded 190-hectare seaside setting, Scandinavian design, and nature focus. The piece reports now after the site's summer 2025 opening, as UK families seek alternatives amid high domestic prices.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n## Key points\n- Nordborg Resort spans 190 hectares with meadows, forest, and Baltic seaside; only 440 cottages keep it quiet even at full occupancy.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n- Features include a famous domed waterpark (spotless, queueless slides, outdoor lazy river), Market Dome with restaurants and mini-golf, mini-farm with goats and donkeys, and a wishbone-shaped pier for paddleboarding.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n- Cottages come in Comfort (bring sheets), Premium (includes linen), and VIP (sauna, sea view); cosy with Scandinavian design but some child-themed decals.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n- Activities mix hits (Viking mini-golf, waterpark) and misses (puzzling escape room); extras like golf buggies (£85/day), kids' club; nearby Universe Science Park for wind tunnels and ropes (£15 pass).[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n- Dining: elaborate buffet breakfast (£27/person), burgers and pizza (£18); weekly Premium Cottage in August at €1,580 (£1,374), lower than UK rates.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n- Travel: 1hr20min flight Gatwick-Billund, 1hr45min drive; funded by local firms LINAK and Danfoss.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n## Details and context\nThe resort, opened summer 2025 on Als near Sønderborg, blends Center Parcs staples like the Aqua Mundo waterpark with Danish nature: deserted beaches replace indoor golf, and unpolluted air draws families. Hyde notes fewer activities than UK sites (e.g., no spa, limited wildlife spotting) but praises the space – bikes, rickshaws, or buggies navigate paths easily.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\nEuropean Center Parcs vary by country – French ones add chic landscaping, Dutch fearless pursuits – while UK versions feel more crowded. Nordborg emphasises off-site exploration like the science park or local castle, suiting its remote Baltic spot. Prices reflect Denmark's high costs but accommodation undercuts UK equivalents, making fly-drive viable from London.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n## Key quotes\n\"I've visited every Center Parcs in the UK and a scattered few across the continent too... I was expecting more of the same.\" – Amanda Hyde[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n\"Nordborg may not have quite as many activities... but who needs virtual golf when you have deserted beaches, a mini-farm full of baby goats and huge gulps of unpolluted air?\" – Amanda Hyde[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n## Why it matters\nNordborg Resort expands Center Parcs into Scandinavia, highlighting how European sites leverage local nature and design to outshine busier UK parks. UK families gain a cheaper, calmer alternative – shorter flights, lower lodge rates, superior waterparks – without losing core appeals like free pools. Watch for expansion (more cottages planned) and summer 2026 occupancy, as Danish prices could rise with demand.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n## What changed\nUK Center Parcs offered forested, crowded escapes with high prices and traffic-heavy access. Nordborg introduced a seaside, spacious Scandinavian model with queueless facilities and nature focus, opened summer 2025.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\n## FAQ\nQ: Where is Center Parcs Nordborg Resort and how do you reach it?\nA: It's on Als island near Sønderborg in southern Denmark, a forgotten Baltic corner. Fly 1hr20min Gatwick to Billund then drive 1hr45min, or to Copenhagen and drive 3hr; smoother than UK motorways.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\nQ: What accommodations are available at Nordborg?\nA: 440 wood-clad cottages in Comfort (bring sheets/towels), Premium (linen included), or VIP (sauna, sea view). Cosy Scandinavian style with sofas, terraces; some sea-themed decals suit young kids.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\nQ: How does the waterpark compare to UK ones?\nA: Spotless domed Aqua Mundo with queueless slides, rapids, outdoor lazy river; less crowded and better landscaped than UK versions, a trip highlight for the author's son.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)\n\nQ: What are the costs for a stay?\nA: August week in Premium Cottage €1,580 (£1,374) for family; breakfast £27/person, pizza £18, buggy £85/day. Lower than UK equivalents despite Danish prices.[[2]](https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html)","hashtags":["#travel","#denmark","#centerparcs","#familyholidays","#scandinavia","#resortreview"],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/denmark/scandinavias-first-center-parcs-puts-ours-in-the-shade/?msockid=24b1407aa5b162ee227b539ea4d2638f","title":"Original article"},{"url":"https://www.telegraph.co.uk/authors/a/ak-ao/amanda-hyde","title":""},{"url":"https://travel.yahoo.com/guides/articles/europe-center-parcs-better-britain-050000573.html","title":""}],"viewCount":2,"publishedAt":"2026-04-22T17:51:01.704Z","createdAt":"2026-04-22T17:51:01.704Z","articlePublishedAt":"2026-04-21T00:00:00.000Z"}