AIBU to think that the reason Centre Parc prices are so high is because...

[spababe]

they want a 'certain type' of person to stay and wish to exclude others ie the Butlins type?

You may not like what I am saying but I think it is true. Prices in school holidays are rather eye-watering but my kids love the place and it's the only place they want to go to this year. I've gone for a middle of the range villa sleeping 4 and it's cost £1125 for 4 nights Mon-Fri.

[Chottie]

Goodness, my eyes are watering at the price you quote :) I did not realise how expensive it was. Is that full board and covering all activities though?

[spababe]

no no! just the self catering villa - only the swimming pool is included.
The 'top' villas including games rooms and sleeping 8 come in at £2500 for the 4 nights!!!

[catgirl1976]

The prices are that high because people will pay them

[Fairylea]

I agree.

[stargirl1701]

It's the bumsex premium

[persimmon]

I've been to CP twice (hen weekends) and cannot for the life of me see what all the fuss is about. And there was a big cross-section of people there.

[RosyRoo]

I think there's probably something in that. They run at a very high occupancy rate so they obviously have their pricing right. In order to appeal to those people who are willing and able to pay more, you do have to have a little bit of an exclusive feel.

However, I think the nature of the place is so different to Butlins that you wouldn't get much overlap of guests even if the pricing was similar.

[cornyclam]

demand and supply
people pay it so they'll charge it

[Chottie]

It is very expensive, I don't think I will be going there.

[nkf]

How much? How much? I feel faint.

[Groovee]

We're going for my mum's birthday in a few weeks and a 3 bed lodge is costing £700. Then ds wanted to do archery and that was £40 cos dh has to go too. Dd's tree treking was £24! The spa day for me and mum was £72.

[VivaLeBeaver]

There were lots of rowdy young blokes/stag weekend types when I went. Landing on DD's head in the rapids by going down the drops straight after her. I wasn't impressed.

We're going again Easter weekend and for a week in August. I'm hoping that as its more expensive at these times the stag groups might keep away.

Top villas at our local one are 7.5k for the week in August!!!!

[Icantstopeatinglol]

I've just came back from centre parcs staying in an executive lodge sleeping 8 with a sauna and paid £400 mon-fri....it is £1399 in school holidays!! No way I would pay that, I'd rather take the kids out of school....tho they're only in nursery and reception I wouldn't do it if it meant they were missing anything important. We love it, kids absolutely love it!

[pictish]

More fool you OP.

[Anniegetyourgun]

I had a holiday once.

[pictish]

Seriously, if people are daft enought to pay over a thousand pounds for four mights in a chalet, then they are going to charge it aren't they?

Center Parcs - they've got big windows.

[nkf]

I thought it was a sort of hen weekend type place. Hardly posh. Four nights. Couldn't you get a decent hotel for that price?

[SunflowersSmile]

CP are real rip off merchants.
I have been and never again.
Expensive pretentious crap [IMVHO].

[spababe]

CP is unique tho isn't it? there is nothing else similar that has the big swimming pool. Anyway I wasn't asking if it was worth the money just if you thought that the pricing was to attract a certain class of person?

[pictish]

Four mights? Four nights obv.

It's such a rip off it's almost laughable.

[Thisisaeuphemism]

If that is the reason, it hasn't worked!

-They let me in - but only on inset days. etc.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

You can go abroad for less than that!


I'll be sticking to European holidays then.

[Inaflap]

The ones on the continent are cheaper.

As an aside, we wanted to book somewhere in the uk for May hols. Needed to be near a coast and were hoping for Weymouth or the like. Needed 3 bedrooms self catering. The prices! We've landed up, yet again, in France in a mobile home because yet again that is way cheaper and nicer than the alternatives. Most cottages are over the £700 bracket and the nice caravans at Haven and the like were more than that. I think it a real shame that prices for school hols are so inflated. I actually wanted to spend money here as we are going to France again later in the year but no. For those of us who work in schools we can't take holidays at other times and many schools now have quite draconian policies about taking kids out (i can see why when you have year 11 parents taking them out during mocks week for a holiday not for a special, once in a life time thing). I do think people would be inclined to stay in the uk more, or take more than one holiday if the prices were just a bit more reasonable and obviously less inflated (ie doubled in some cases). I know the holiday industry have to make a living but it is prohibitive to many.

[nkf]

By "certain type" do you mean "middle class?" Because I was of the impression that Center parcs was Chav Central and that you might as well save your money and go to Butlins.