Center Parcs Park Bostalsee Review in Saarland, Germany

Located in the Saarland, Center Parcs Park Bostalsee opened in July 2013. Thus, it is easily accessible via A62, about 1h15 from Luxembourg City. The two storey houses are built on a hill and as a result some of them have beautiful views of the lake.

 

 

First of all, for those of you who are not familiar with Center Parcs, the main attraction is the Aquamundo, a tropical swimming paradise with a wave pool and three water slides. For the little ones there’s a water playhouse with slides and fountains. Also, in the Market Dome there is a minigolf course, a small indoor play area, a bowling alley, restaurants and a supermarket.

   

 

 

Staying with friends (2 adults and 2 kids) over the weekend (Friday-Monday) this late October we rented a 8 persons Premium Pottage. It had 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms (1 with bath and 1 with shower and toilet) and a separate toilet. A decent sized living room with lot of seating, a fully equipped kitchen and a fireplace. Every cottage has a terrace and furniture. Wifi comes extra and costs 19.95€ for 1 device and 24.95€ for 4 devices over the weekend. If you want to rent a safe it will cost you 2€ per day and you have to give 10€ deposit.

   

When we go to Center Parcs we always plan ahead. We bring all the food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and if we go with friends, we set up who brings what. That way you don’t have to bother what to buy once you arrive at the location. For example for dinner we love a Fondue, Raclette or grilled meat on a stone. These are always a big hit with the kids too! Of course if you forget something you can always go to the supermarket in the Dome!

 

To go from the cottage to the Dome and move around the village we always rent a Golf Cart. It might not be the cheapest (110€ for the weekend) way to move around but it saves time and you don’t have to deal with whining kids. Plus it is a real fun way to explore the parc. This time, before arriving we reserved 2 Golf Carts. And thankfully we did because when we picked up ours there were none left!

 

 

There are some playgrounds spread over the village. What we found is that they are small and not very attractive and our kids were done quite fast. Compared to Center Parcs “Les 3 Fôrets” the playgrounds here are really disappointing!
The farm as well is a let down. You cannot access the enclosures directly and there are far less animals than in other Center Parcs.

 

 

To sum up, we made a list with the Parc’s Pros and Cons:

Pros:

• easily accessible
• new parc & cottage
• on a lake
• friendly staff

Cons:

• small and cramped Aquamundo & Dome
• not enough showers and hair dryers
• very small changing rooms and bad lighting
• understaffed
• steep hills
• you cannot go close to the Lake with the Golf Cart
• not many activities
• feels like a “low cost” Center Parc
• no pressure in the shower
• charge for Wifi
• animals are accepted (dog poop here and there on the walkways!)

Would we come back to Center Parcs Park Bostalsee?

 

Probably not. Most of all, the Dome is undersized and not very attractive. The slides are fun but the tubes are too heavy to carry up and there can be a huge line! So after 2 times you’re fed up! The same is valid for the entire park, there’s really not much to do unless you want to spent more money on activities!
The proximity to Luxembourg for a weekend trip is the reason we may come back at one point.

Tips:

• the row starting with cottage 278 has the best views of the Lake

• book a cottage close to the Dome (but: additional charge)

• bring your own food & drinks to save money

• use the 2 upper slides without tubes

• go to the Aquamundo later in the afternoon to avoid crowds

• if you plan on renting bikes or Golf Carts book them before arriving

 

In conclusion, Center Parcs Park Bostalsee is most probably the one we liked the least. Compared to Center Parcs in Holland, Belgium and France everything is less attractive here. They have to invest in infrastructure or people will not come back. If long walks in the nature are the reason for your stay, Park Bostalsee might be the right choice for you. Otherwise stay somewhere else!

 

If you have any questions regarding Center Parcs Park Bostalsee or if you stayed there and want to add your experience please post a comment below or contact us. You can also follow our Facebook Page for family friendly activities in Luxembourg and around the world. We’d love to hear from you!