Guide & tips
Everything we would have liked to know before our first weekend at a holiday park.
This guide explains how hoprat works. For park comparisons written from the same data (‘which nature park for a family from Brussels’, ‘which parks accept dogs’), go to the blog.
The cheapest
hoprat estimate · accommodation, 3 nights, 4 people, not tied to dates
The highest rated
- Center Parcs De Vossemeren8.6/10
- Landal Het Vennenbos8.3/10
- Center Parcs Erperheide8.2/10
How Hoprat calculates its score
The Hoprat Score (out of 100) sums up ten dimensions, each rated out of 100 from the park's data and its surroundings. In the comparison tool and on every listing, the ‘Why?’ link shows the detail.
- Distance — driving time from your city, in normal conditions
- Price — the park's hoprat estimate compared with that of all the others
- Facilities — indoor pool, wave pool, spa, sauna, children's club, bowling, bikes…
- Surroundings — forest, sea, lake, mountains and the number of nature outings
- Family — children's facilities and suitable activities less than 40 min away
- Dining — best restaurant nearby and restaurants on site
- Things to do — number and variety of activities, including those less than 30 min away
- Rainy day — everything you can do indoors, at the park and around it
- Fine weather — outdoors, water, cycling, outdoor pool
- Reviews — overall public rating out of 10
Weighting by profile. The weights change according to who is travelling: a family with young children gives more weight to ‘Family’ and ‘Rainy day’, a couple gives more weight to ‘Dining’ and ‘Surroundings’, seniors to ‘Distance’ and ‘Surroundings’, a large family to ‘Price’. The moods you choose (pool, quiet, kids) also adjust the weights. The score is therefore relative to your search, not an absolute rating.
Indicative data: driving times and public ratings are recorded by us and may have changed since. The operator's website is the authoritative source; report any discrepancy to us and we will correct the listing.
Where the amount shown under each park comes from
Two very different amounts can appear on hoprat, and the note under the figure always says which of the two you are looking at.
“price recorded on … on the park's website”
A real price, read automatically from the operator's website on the date indicated. It is the most reliable amount we can show, but it corresponds to the dates the operator was promoting that day, not to yours.
“hoprat estimate · lodging only, 3 nights, 4 people, not tied to dates · surveyed 2026-09-13”
Our own estimate of the accommodation budget, for 3 nights and 4 people. It is used to rank and compare parks with each other — score, sorting by price, budget filter, €/€€/€€€ levels, total budget. It is not a price offered by the operator, and you will not find it as such on their site.
Why an estimate rather than a real price everywhere? Because a park does not have one price, it has hundreds: the rate depends on the dates, the type of accommodation, the number of people and the current promotions. To be able to say “this park is more expensive than that one”, you need a single, comparable benchmark. That is what the hoprat estimate is for.
To be checked before booking. The real price is always read on the operator's site, with your dates: that is what the “See availability” button does. When a price has been recorded on the park's site, it is displayed instead of our estimate, together with the date it was recorded.
To see what a weekend really adds up to once the drive, the meals and the activities are added to the accommodation: What does a weekend at a holiday park really cost?.
The availability badge
The “Online booking open · checked 3 hrs ago” badge is based on an automatic check of each park's booking site, repeated several times a day. The time of the last check is always shown next to the badge: it is what tells you how fresh the information is.
- What the badge tells you: that the operator's booking site is responding normally and is not announcing a general closure of bookings.
- What it does not tell you: whether accommodation is available for your dates. A park whose booking is open may be fully booked on the weekend you are interested in, and a “fully booked” notice may apply to one period only.
- What to do with it: the badge is there to spot at a glance which parks are worth opening. The definitive answer is on the operator's site, with your dates and your number of people.
Frequently asked questions
▸When should I book to pay the least?
The major operators' prices are dynamic. The best windows are 3 to 5 months ahead for the school holidays, and 2 to 3 weeks ahead for a weekend outside the holidays (last-minute offers). Belgian and Dutch holidays do not always coincide: a weekend during the Dutch holidays but outside the Belgian ones will be expensive in the Netherlands and cheaper in the Ardennes.
▸What is the difference between Center Parcs, Landal, Sunparks and EuroParcs?
Center Parcs: the most spectacular subtropical pool (Aqua Mundo), the highest prices, very well suited to ages 3-12. Landal: smaller and quieter parks, roomy bungalows, good for dogs and cyclists. Sunparks: the restrained-price option, only two cottage ranges, Select and Exclusive, with no tier above them. EuroParcs: renovated parks at gentle prices, quality varies from one park to the next, often beside a lake. Roompot has merged with Landal: its parks, such as Beach Resort Kamperland, now appear under the Landal brand.
▸How can I avoid the Friday evening traffic jams?
Around Brussels, Antwerp and Utrecht, allow 30% more time between 3pm and 7pm on Fridays. Two options: set off before 2pm, or set off after 7.30pm and have dinner on the way. Saturday morning before 8am is still free-flowing. Our ‘Friday evening traffic’ filter applies this increase.
▸What should I take that the park does not provide?
Depending on the operator, bed linen and towels are a paid extra: check when you book. Always take your own pool towels, bin bags (waste sorting is compulsory) and a first-aid kit, and for babies a travel cot can be hired but is rarely included.
▸Are the amounts shown on hoprat the operator's prices?
No. Unless it says “price recorded on … on the park's website”, the amount is a hoprat estimate: a rough figure that we calculate ourselves for accommodation, 3 nights, 4 people, in order to rank and compare parks with one another. It is not a rate offered by the operator and you will not find it as such on their site. The actual price depends on the dates and the type of accommodation: click “See availability” to find out.
▸Can I bring my dog?
Most parks accept dogs in some of their accommodation, with a supplement per night. Glamping sites and boutique holiday cottages are often more restrictive. Use the ‘With the dog’ mood or the ‘Dogs allowed’ filter.
▸How is the total budget calculated?
The total budget adds up four items: accommodation (based on the hoprat estimate, adjusted for the number of nights and people), the return journey (75 km/h on average, €0.25 per km), meals (groceries + one meal out) and one paid activity per day at the average price of the activities listed around the park. It is a rough figure for comparing parks with one another, not a quote.
▸Where does the weather shown come from?
From 7-day Open-Meteo forecasts (a free and open service) for the park's coordinates. Hoprat uses them to suggest the ‘rain’ or ‘outdoors’ programme. Beyond 7 days, only the structural scores count (indoor pool, indoor outings, outdoors): they are calculated from facilities and activities, not from the day's weather.
▸How do I share my selection with my fellow travellers?
From the comparison tool or your favourites, click ‘Share this selection’: hoprat copies a link that opens a page headed ‘The N parks we have selected for our holiday’, with photos, prices, driving times and highlights. The WhatsApp button sends that link directly. The page prints cleanly and can be reopened in the comparison tool.
On the difference between operators, we took the question up again with the figures from our 33 listings rather than with impressions: Center Parcs or Landal: what our data actually says.
On dogs, the park-by-park detail is here: The holiday parks where dogs are welcome, with the numbers attached.
Checklist for a successful weekend
- First choose the acceptable driving time, then the moods: that is the criterion that avoids disappointment.
- Compare 2 to 4 parks side by side, looking at the number of activities nearby for your group (family or adults).
- Open the park page and read the “rain” day programme: if you like it, the weekend is saved whatever the weather.
- Book a well-rated restaurant for the Saturday evening as soon as the dates are set: the good places get fully booked.
- Share the final selection (“Share this selection” button) so that everyone votes before you book.
- Do the shopping before you arrive and leave before 2pm on the Friday.