Is Centre Parcs worth it

That’s a real shame for you! It must depend where you stay or what cabin you choose. We went to the one in Cheshire / Delamere forest this year and the cabin was immaculately clean, newly refurbished throughout, loads of activities, outdoor gas bbq, hot tub was too hot if anything. I found CP tacky in comparison. We loved it so much we’re going back friends next year. The cabin we stayed in was called New White Willow Premium

Our family used to really like it years ago but it has gone really downhill.

what annoys me is you pay £££££ to go and each year you return you see none of that reinvested into the park.

that to me takes the piss.

You can be at one with nature like when you visit a zoo ...

It’s the outdoors for people who don’t do the outdoors.

What does this mean? How is it fake? Are the trees fake? the animals? I like the outdoors and I like CP but I'm not sure what the difference is?

I’m amused by people saying how much they love being at one with nature at centre parcs!! Ok, I know there’s wildlife but it’s literally the most man made environment ever! It’s the outdoors for people who don’t do the outdoors.

I love centre parcs. After the initial lay out of money, it can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. You really don’t need to spend loads on activities. Take your own bikes if you have them. Pool is free. Lovely nature walks. Have bbqs if weather good. I did lots of activity bookings first time we went, but DCs moaned about being dragged away from riding bikes etc.

We literally can't afford it. The only time we went is when the grandparents paid to come with us.
It was ok. We went to the pool.a lot as it was free. You have to pay for every activity on site apart from that It's just not worth it for us.

I’ve only been to Whinfell in the uk but it wasn’t like being in nature at all. There are roads with cars everywhere. There was no sight line from our accommodation where I couldn’t see people, property or cars. You could do a 20 min walk in the woods but you could still see treehouses. The only good thing was the red squirrels.

The food was shocking. The chain restaurants were blah but the centre parcs restaurants and bakery were on another level of disgusting and expense. I’ve never thrown away a vanilla slice before but if you told me I’d accidentally bought a plastic demonstration one at least it would’ve made sense! Even on a self catering holiday I don’t want to have to be cooking all the time because the available food is so expensive and dire.

None of the things were worth the money. Butlins has its faults but it’s priced right. I’m paying £200 for a mon - Fri for up to 6 people at the scrag end of the school holidays. I paid £1500 for 4 for the same last year at cp.

Disagree. I’ve done multiple forest holidays over the years in multiple locations and I’m increasingly disappointed. The price has sky rocketed so it’s not much cheaper than CP now so you pay through the nose for an increasingly dilapidated cabin in the woods. Luke warm hot tub, awful tiny beds with a mattress that hasn’t been changed in years, minimal facilities and activities. We went this summer and I won’t be going back again. We had no hot water so couldn’t take showers. We ordered food only to be told after there was no kitchen staff. Never again.

For £700 - absolutely! We paid twice that in easter holidays. We love centerparcs. My husband has gone since being a baby and now our children love it too. It's so easy with young children as everything is in one place and geared up for them. I find it really relaxing to leave the car behind and be surrounded by forest. You would think reading some of these comments they are so terrible they must be about to go out of business but with 97% year round occupancy they are obviously doing something right. The pool is amazing and definitely nothing like a local authority centre! If you aren't going to maximise the pool you can still keep activity costs down by taking bikes and making the most of the beach, playgrounds and soft play. Some family activities like squash families ball wall are good value. Don't get me wrong centerparcs has it's faults but there's nowhere else like it. Ribby hall, bluestone butlins and haven have all been mentioned as alternatives but they are all very different breaks. Just depends what you are looking for really

I did CP once and was horrified as to prices. If you can afford the money to do things (and critically they’re still available!!) then go for it

I love Center Parcs threads, the critics are the epitome of MN.

You never have to wait long before a poster turns their nose up at UK CP and advises you to load up the car, flog to a port, pay for a ferry and then drive hours to a camp in Belgium or Holland.

I reckon these are the sorts of people who thought Going For Gold was an upmarket game show because it was ‘European’.

CP is definitely worth it. You get lovely long days and children wear themselves out happily. Enjoy.

I’ve been to several UK Centre Parcs growing up with my parents and siblings, as an adult with family and most recently my work took our company there. I would definitely recommend it, it’s very relaxing and easy especially for a short break. I grew up in the countryside and my family still always enjoyed the environment and there’s lots to do especially if you can take or hire bikes. No need to do lots of the extra activities. The pool complex is very warm (take your own towels) and has lots of great slides - I didn’t get to go on these when I last went with work as I was pregnant, but it was still nice being in the pool environment. Take your some of your food as their supermarket is expensive (they sell COOK but it’s much more pricey than in the shops) or you can get takeaways delivered (I think some of my colleagues managed external ones) and plan that you might not be able to have a BBQ if the forest is very dry due to the risk!

I think it is worth it.
We took my daughter age 5 to 7 and she loved it. We went as older children aged 10 -13 in the 90s.
It’s expensive, that’s never changed.

The pool (I can only speak for Sherwood and Whinfell) is fantastic. Slides, outdoor bits, good features.
The chalets are lovely cosy and well equipped. Everything feels very safe. The spa is the best I’ve ever been to in this country. The pancake house is a fun experience.
By the way if you don’t fancy going in summer.. we made it a bit cheaper by going late January. Obviously cold , but everything is still up and running and the Winter Wonderland is a gorgeous touch, lots of things to see and do there.
I’m quite easily pleased and I’ll pay for convenience. But we loved it

I think your Ds is the perfect age to go. We went a couple of times years and years ago with the in-laws when our elder two were primary school age, we enjoyed ourselves and there was lots to do for the DCs, that said I am not sure if it was value for money relative to Butlins. Sure CPs had fancier activities, but I always Butlins had some great activities and entertainment on offer. Although, in those days Butlins was in better nick...I have heard some horror stories in recent years.

It's cheaper but for good reason.

Accommodation, swimming etc just not as nice as UK CP. Much of the park is really tired.

Great for those who ski, though.

£700 for CP in summer hols is a steal.

Mad but true!

another vote for Kempervennen in the Netherlands. Even with flights and a taxi transfer if was cheaper than CP in the UK .

Just come back from Whinfell Forest cp.
the pool complex and water is warm. My nearly 5 yr old granddaughter absolutely loved it. The playgrounds are good too and we spent hours there. Both free!
Thete’s a softplay area at The Village Inn and a good children’s menu.
she loved bowling and the boat we hired. You’ll need to book asap and then with your booking ref they’ll email you details to book activities and meals out. Really worth doing this so you don’t miss out. We booked other activities but it was really the pool and playground that dgd was desperate to do!

Our local authority pool has a wave machine and slides too. But I think the big difference with CP pools is the heat - with younger kids it can make such a big difference not to be so cold waiting for slides or moving between pools. The greenery and slightly better cleanliness make for a more pleasant atmosphere too.

It’s probably not the only reason to go to CP, but it is a big one imo. It’s usually a battle to get my 3 year old to go swimming (even with the wave machine etc) but he was happy to go daily at CP. I really wish somewhere more local had a sub tropical swimming pool like CP!

Mine has a wave thing & 1 basic slide, how is that comparable to what CPs has?

Well mine does has a wave machine and slides…

It really is a marmite place. We had to go on a family holiday and hated it. Fake woods, grubby accommodation and the okay pool. DC were too small to do any of the ‘activities’ so we just went to the play park and the soft play. I saw someone say it was like going on holiday to a local authority leisure centre.

I wish my LA leisure centre had a swimming pool like CP. where are these in the UK?!

Honestly, years ago my DH said he would not do Center Parcs as it was essentially a holiday camp and not his thing or mine. I wasn't sure at the time, but reading this thread, I do get what he meant.