Why do so many people dislike Centre Parcs so much?

Based on this post and the replies I think CP should update and refresh their properties (is that the right word?). Why don’t more people complain in this useless country? Yes, I’m British. I won’t be rushing back there or recommending to friends. Pity because my DB’s in-laws have the money, time, extended family with grandchildren and like nice places to stay (as his FIL is paraplegic).

The rat in the rapids. I mean I know they’re in countryside locations so you may expect wildlife and they closed the rapids but that’s put me off even more. What if a guest came across it. Very unhygienic. That’s not what I’d expect of any holiday destination let alone center parcs.

And?

Well, generally you do if you don't live in the SE and don't want to drive 12 hours to get to the channel tunnel.

You can fly to New York every week to match the environmental impact of having a child!

I am surprised by the people who have had bad experiences with cleanliness etc - we have never had any issues with damp or dirt at CP, it always feels very clean. Maybe we have low standards!

@Franpie

I think we are in the middle actually and it's part of why CP works for us. We don't do AI holidays - I have been thinking about it but what people enjoy about it doesn't seem like it's really for us - we do more cultural holidays with a bit of beach time here and there, I.e. more adult focused. But we do a weekend or two a year at CP to keep the kids happy!

You don't need to fly to go abroad, though?

Had a friend who used to take her nephew every year, but I have never been. Expensive, full of people and other people's children. My idea of hell. Went to Butlins as a teenager for a day, friends birthday. Hated that - presumed CP was similar.

To be honest, having been on a all in package holiday in Dominican Rep, I'd not do that again either. I prefer to be far away from fellow brits and other holidaymakers, they ruin it for me.

As everyone else has said, it's massively overpriced for what is essentially a lodge in the woods with a noisy, shared pool.

I went once in my 20’s for a hen weekend. I was shocked at how awful it was. Damp cabin, shitty restaurants etc. I was also hugely disappointed in wasn’t under a massive glass dome with tropical temperatures. I think there was an ad years back that gave me that impression.

I’ve always been baffled at how popular it is. But then again, I think there are 2 different types of families.

One type that plans and books holidays with the kids being happy and having fun as their main focus. So they will go to places like CP, Butlins, AI’s with kids clubs etc etc.

Then there’s the other type where the adults plan and book the holiday they want and drag the kids along.

I definitely fall into the second type. My kids have never been to CP, Butlins or any large AI hotel with a kids club or Disney etc. which they have moaned about over the years despite being taken to many many beautiful countries.

My husband and I went on guest passes recently.

It was better than we expected, but nowhere near worth the price. We stayed in a lodge nearby with a hot tub for half the price of a basic lodge, and the food available inside was poor and expensive.

See I really don’t think it’s particularly ‘middle-class’ anymore, went to both CP and Haven last year and no real difference in the clientele.

We went a couple of years ago with family and I hated every second of it. Once you've had a walk round and gone swimming, there's nothing else to do unless you pay for it. I could have done that at home for less than £20 and wouldn't have to sleep in a damp cabin at a place that I can't leave.

Because I’ve been?

BIL is obsessed with CP, goes multiple times a year including Easter/christmas. Does paid activities all day, one after another. Spends a fortune. Will also complain he can’t afford holidays abroad.

He forced the idea we should all go for his parents 40th wedding anniversary. 3 days in the pouring rain. The cabin was grubby, the pool changing area was very grubby. Myself, DH and his parents were bored rigid. I had a one year old and apart from the pool for a short while there wasn’t really anything to do.
His parents didn’t like/want to do activities or the pool. We should have gone to Spain for a few days. We kept having to pretend we were enjoying it for BIL. He kept suggesting we did it again but no one will and he’s annoyed about it.

I went when someone else was paying so I can’t comment on the price. I found it pretty miserable to be honest. It was like a leisure centre in the forest. Food was dire, everything looked a bit tired, same UK weather! Definitely won’t be going back. Maybe the European ones are better.

Really? I’m definitely not an idiot and love it there!

We absolutely love Center Parcs and have been loads of times!

If you go outside school hols and 100% self cater it's fun for kids.

But otherwise....

Well I live in the middle of a Midlands city and I also think Center Parcs is a waste of my time.

"It's amazing! You can order a pizza and go to the swimming pool or go bowling or go to a climbing wall or hire a bike."

Yes, Laura. I can do all those things at home

I had a 4 bed cabin for 3 nights with 8 people that worked out at around £50 pp per night.

The changing rooms are like the seventh circle of hell for me. I find them really claustrophobic and one wrong turn and you are trapped in there for ages. There always loads of kids screaming .

I agree with others for an easy holiday with friends when the children are little and swimming and riding bikes is very exciting then it’s good.

having said that though pre children a group of us went at new year , really good lodge , disco on New Year’s Eve outside and we had a great time. It wasn’t that expensive then we looked the year after and it seemed to have tripled in price.

we also many moons ago went to oasis which is now the lakes centerparcs, before cp bought it. That was good, well novel as I’d never been to a holiday camp before or been on a camping site.

We went Feb half term when a family member had a collapsed lung so couldn’t fly. The overpriced poky cheap and nasty cabins were an absolute joke - for the same price you can get a 3 bed 2 bath cottage in Cornwall next to the sea.

But the biggest issue was the other guests. Struggling to find a word that’s not offensive but I’ll just leave it at “not the kind of people I want to spend any time in the vicinity of”. The type to swear loudly in front of kids, push in line, leave banana peels and other rubbish scattered over the loungers in the “exclusive” spa. Those kind of people.

I've been to center parcs and loved it. Really expensive though.

I've been to butlins too and that was really good as well. It's not as expensive as center parcs but it's not exactly cheap either. We are fairly local to butlins so we do day trips there which I think is a lot cheaper