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Original poster

Center Parcs -extortionate?

110 replies

tomboytown · 30/07/2019 22:01

I’m so shocked at the prices of everything.
Basic pasta dinner for 4, one beer- £85

No availability at 4pm for dinner, the restaurant had just opened and was deserted, nothing available TIL 8pm apparently
Was still half empty at 5pm

V basic (crap) burgers for 4 £35

A badminton court for 4 for 1 hour is £35

The map is really bad

The staff are great, fabulous idea, but needs a massive overhaul

OP posts:
Pinkprincess1978 · 31/07/2019 10:18

We just got back - have been many times but agree it's very expensive especially for food. We went for a meal, 2 adults and 2 kids and it was over £70.

We did interactive squash which was excellent and £15 for 45 mins which o didn't think was too bad. There are some reasonable prices.

Zaphodsotherhead · 31/07/2019 10:38

Went a lot of years ago when my parents offered to pay for a holiday for me and the kids (single mum) and couldn't bear the idea of trying to fly with five under twelve.

Kids had a wonderful time, cycling and swimming; I cooked slightly better than usual meals and we picnicked a lot. It was great.

I think they deliberately sign badly so you wander about a lot and think the place is bigger than it is.

Pinkprincess1978 · 31/07/2019 11:18

Op, Penrith Sainsbury's is 10 mins away. For the first time we went there as soon as we checked in we left kids with family and went and did a shop. It saved us so much money especially on alcohol - we only had to buy one bottle of wine on site (other than the drinks when we did eat out). We only ate st lakeside once, the pancake hut once, got a dining in meal delivered once and I think that was it. Everything else we ate in the villa (two bbqs, a pasta night and we always bring pizzas to eat on the first night.

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BizzzzyBee · 31/07/2019 11:23

What puzzles me is why adults go there without children? It’s not amazing for a couples break and it’s full of kids!

mogtheexcellent · 31/07/2019 11:27

We went to Whinfell last year before DD started school. Was ace. Cant afford it during the holidays this year. We didnt stay there every day though we went to the lakes one day and ate in pubs a couple of times. Rest of the time we cooked at home. Easy cook stuff like pizzas etc. DD did 2 activities. I did the spa and DH did a climbing thing.

We also extended our holiday by booking the YHA youth hostel in Ilam to break the journey there and back. Lovely hostel with ensuite family room for cheap price.

PrayingandHoping · 31/07/2019 11:29

@BizzzzyBee not in term time it's not!!

It has a great spa, restaurants and some adults like sports activities 😉

We have mainly gone with children but have gone without and love it.

georgialondon · 31/07/2019 11:31

The place runs at about 95% occupancy all year round so I'm not sure they are going to see the need to do an overhaul! We love it.

Bellasblankexpression · 31/07/2019 11:40

I agree with OP that it’s a good concept but other places do it better for a more reasonable
Price.
We stayed in a hotel in Devon for three nights, all food included and free activities for the kids (over 60 of them) for £550
It was slightly more dated than centerparcs but at that price we didn’t mind!

HappyParent2000 · 31/07/2019 12:18

I’m sure there are a lot of people to defend CentreParcs. I bet many are not parents of are parents of pre-schoolers!

We have been going off peak for years, absolutely love it! It’s a bargain of a break the way we do it. Having been many times we know a load of tricks to keep the costs down and maximise enjoyment.

Now our family is starting school I fear we may not be going as much anymore.

I’m certainly not one for holidays abroad, they are nice but not my first choice, they are over priced during holidays too.

However I do fully get why it happens, as demand increase, so does price, it makes total sense as long as your capacity is filled.

As someone who has been off peak I would not really be in favour of increasing off peak prices to bring down school holiday prices. I saw how much fun little ones under school age have at this place, we could only go as it was so cheap and to lose that option would be disappointing.

Sleepyblueocean · 31/07/2019 12:31

You could always drive out to the supermarket in Penrith to buy food.
I am suprised people are not aware of the prices before they go

HappyParent2000 · 31/07/2019 12:37

We always visit a supermarket on the way in and load up a huge picnic coolbox with food.

Food for 4 nights cost us about £140 as we splashed out on all our favourite snacks and meals. The coolbox and coolblocks we had kept it all frozen and cold between the supermarket and unloading into the freezer (I put a min/max thermometer in there and it was under 8C).

Onsite we bought just a few coffee and biscuits at Starbucks.

The key to saving money at CentreParcs is to not eat or drink anything they sell on site.

BlueSkiesLies · 31/07/2019 13:11

We did CP for many years.

It isn't cheap, but you don't need to make it so expensive.

Mainly swim swim swim swim, ride our own bikes, mooch around and use the play grounds.

Only did a handful of paid activities - bowling, roller skating, minigolf. Once or twice did the high ropes or more adventurous things.

It is astounding how much time children and teenagers can spend going round and round and round and round the rapids and flumes.

Usually ate in. Cheaper and easier. Easy stuff like fancy oven pizza and a salad.Often make a big vat of soup at home to take for lunches.

BlueSkiesLies · 31/07/2019 13:17

We just got back - have been many times but agree it's very expensive especially for food. We went for a meal, 2 adults and 2 kids and it was over £70.

Do you not normally eat out as a family? ,That is totally normal pricing for a meal for 4 people! If not on the cheap side!

Original poster
tomboytown · 31/07/2019 13:20

I did a big shop before we came, but no dinners, well I brought some pasta and I have cheese.
I brought stuff for breakfast, lunch and snacks and drinks, and beer for me!

I think the food in the restaurants is expensive for what it is. And like I said we do eat out quite a lot.

Found some things to do this morning in the sports hall, table tennis and mini tennis, so they are much cheaper options than the laser/archery type activities.

I’d come here without kids I think, there’s a spa, and we’d play squash, tennis etc. And then have bbqs and drink!

Not sure the best age for the kids, I can imagine it’s good for preschoolers, those activities look cheap and the playground is great.

Can anyone tell me why they can’t provide a decent selection of tea/coffee and why they can’t throw in a couple of salt and pepper sachets?
And an ice tray, or bag of ice would be great.

OP posts:
Titsywoo · 31/07/2019 13:27

Although we're going back this year we've booked duinrell in Holland for next summer as they have a water park with lots more to do and a theme park too and it's 25% cheaper even if you account for the flights from London. There's also a beach nearby and a small town with restaurants and shops.

Mayvis · 31/07/2019 13:35

The prices of all their activities and restaurant menus are all online. It's not like they should be a shock to you!

We always book a click and collect at the nearest big supermarket and take it with us. Always carry snacks and drinks in a backpack for the kids.

You seem hell bent on moaning about it all despite many suggestions on how to cut costs. I'm also interested how 4 pasta dishes and a beer cost £80?!

MsSquiz · 31/07/2019 13:41

I've just had a look on the Bella Italia menu, 4 of the most expensive pasta dishes, a portion of dough balls and the most expensive beer came to under £70.

And as a pp has said, did you not look at the prices of things before you booked/went?

I don't understand the point of going to CP (or anywhere) and not checking the cost of things you may want to do/be interested in, including meal times.

Last December there was 11 of us (8 adults, 3 kids from 2-6 yrs) for a weekend, we arrived on the Friday and had taken easy to cook (stick in the oven) food for dinner, we ate out on the Saturday lunch time and Saturday tea time, we did the carvery on the Sunday, late afternoon, and then had festive picky bits for dinner later on.

Your trip to CP is as expensive as you make it

Original poster
tomboytown · 31/07/2019 14:07

I’m not hell bent on moaning
I’ve said some good things
And I’ve taken on board what people have said about eating in, supermarket, etc
I’m just not taking snacks and drinks for the entire day and extra layers, waterproofs etc in a backpack on a bike, up the hills.

OP posts:
Original poster
tomboytown · 31/07/2019 14:12

My job is to improve processes and systems so I think I will always look for a way to make improvements!

OP posts:
HappyParent2000 · 31/07/2019 17:03

@tomboytown do people “lean” on you then Wink

I’m in that game too, love it!

Bellasblankexpression · 31/07/2019 17:15

Surely a few snacks aren’t that heavy though OP! Fair enough if you don’t want a giant bag of everything but a couple of snacks and drink really isn’t much to cart about

lesleyw1953 · 31/07/2019 17:22

The swimming/fun pools are fantastic and open long hours - and free. But the rest is extortionate. Self catering and buy food outside of the site!!

PrayingandHoping · 31/07/2019 17:27

Even if u don't want to carry around snacks, there are newsagent type shops to pick them up if u need them

And I know you want to improve things.... but the system is already there u just didn't use it! You pre book! Lol

Original poster
tomboytown · 31/07/2019 17:29

Stupidly we only brought one backpack, so that’s a tip. If everyone brings a backpack you can share the load.
A couple of bags of crisps and bottles of water doesn’t seem a lot, but in a backpack on a bike in the rain, with all the wet swimming stuff, up a hill, it’s not enjoyable.
Oh and I guess if you book earlier you can choose your lodge, so pick closer to the village, but there’ll still be hills to the other activities, cos they’re not all central. I think we are the furthest away from the village/shop/restaurants

OP posts:
BlueSkiesLies · 31/07/2019 17:29

This is making me really want a weekend at CP now!