UK Holiday Parks With a Baby: Center Parcs vs Haven vs Butlin's
The three big UK holiday park brands handle babies quite differently. Center Parcs puts a cot and highchair in every lodge, Haven hires them out, and Butlin's charges £10 for a travel cot if you add it before you arrive. None of them provides cot bedding, so whichever you pick, pack your own. Here's how they compare side by side.
Every detail below comes from the operators' own websites and booking terms, checked October 2026, and is covered in full (with source links) on each park's own guide. Policies change, so check your booking too.
At a glance
| Center Parcs | Haven | Butlin's | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | 5 UK forest villages | 38 coastal parks | 3 seaside resorts: Bognor Regis, Minehead, Skegness |
| Cot | Included, one per lodge, for under-2s | Hire at most parks, ask when you book; £10 refundable deposit | £10 for under-2s if added before arrival; none for children aged 2 and over |
| Cot mattress and bedding | Cot linen not provided | No mattress or bedding: bring your own | No mattress or bedding: bring your own |
| Highchair | Included, one per lodge | Hire (charge applies) | Hire on resort; highchairs in restaurants |
| Other baby kit | Stairgates in two-storey lodges, bathroom step, bed rails on request | Pushchair and bed guard hire (up to two infant items per booking at most parks) | Pushchair, bed rails, baby bath and mini fridge from the Hire Shop |
| Pool | Subtropical Swimming Paradise, unlimited entry | Indoor pool at every park; every swimmer, including babies, needs a slot | Splash Waterworld at each resort, included |
| Baby swim extras | Free Baby Dolphins sessions for under-3s (pre-book) | Indoor paddling pools for babies and tots at selected parks; toddler slides at five | Shallow heated areas and mini slides; Skegness Childsplay is 0.1 to 0.6 m deep |
| Pool supervision | One adult per child aged 4 and under | Under-8s with an adult; one adult per two under-8s | Under-8s with an adult; one adult per two under-8s |
| Swim nappies | Required | Required for children who aren't potty trained | We couldn't find Butlin's rule; ask your resort |
| By train | Whinfell (Penrith, about 1 mile) and Woburn (Flitwick, about 3 miles, free shuttle Mon and Fri) are easiest | Varies by park | All three, plus a bus or taxi |
| Full guide | Center Parcs with a baby | Haven with a baby | Butlin's with a baby |
Which suits you?
- Least to pack: Center Parcs, because the cot and highchair are already in the lodge. You still need cot sheets and a sleeping bag.
- Sleeping your baby in your room: check the space first. Haven warns that most of its caravans can't fit a standard travel cot in the bedroom, so most guests put it in the living room. A compact travel cot of your own may fit; see best travel cots.
- Shows and characters for under-5s: Butlin's (Peppa Pig and Justin Fletcher shows, Tots Disco, term-time Showtime Midweeks for Tots) and Haven (Seaside Squad shows, Tots' Disco) both lean into this. Center Parcs focuses on activities like sensory play, which mostly cost extra.
- Two little ones and one adult in the pool: Haven and Butlin's let one adult look after two children under 8. Center Parcs asks for one adult per child aged 4 and under.
- No car: Center Parcs Whinfell and Woburn, or any of the three Butlin's resorts, work well by train. Under-5s travel free on most National Rail journeys (National Rail).
Book these early
- The cot. It's only guaranteed at Center Parcs. Haven and Butlin's both say to ask when you book.
- Swims and activities. Center Parcs' Baby Dolphins places are limited and must be pre-booked. Haven swim slots and Butlin's shows open 28 days before you arrive (Butlin's VIP Early Access opens at 31 days).
Pack for any park
- A travel cot mattress (for Haven and Butlin's), cot sheets and a baby sleeping bag. The Lullaby Trust recommends a firm, flat, waterproof mattress that fits the cot with no gaps, and a room temperature of 16 to 20°C (Lullaby Trust: safer sleep on holiday).
- Reusable swim nappies, which save money over a week of swims.
- A pushchair or sling, unless you plan to hire one.
More ideas in packing light with kids.
The greener choice
Hiring or borrowing the cot, highchair and pushchair means less to buy and carry, and a train plus a short taxi beats a long drive with a baby. Self-catering lodges and caravans make reusable nappies and simple home cooking easier. See sustainable baby travel essentials, or try camping with a baby for the lowest-carbon break.
More on staying away with a baby
- Hotel cot policies compared: Premier Inn, Travelodge, Holiday Inn and Hilton.
- All stays with a baby