Guess how much 5 days in Centreparcs is next week?

[JacobReesMogadishu]

So the pool is shut. Lots of other stuff is also shut/unavailable.

£550 for a one bed place......not in the summer holidays!

Which seems to me to be pretty much normal price? Think I paid £500 when I last went 2 years ago.

I know the outdoors is still open so paths to walk round, cycling. I guess the outdoor activities will be available with less availability though. But surely the pool is the main thing for most people. I’d have thought it would be cheaper. Be interesting to know if they still sell at that price.

We were booked to go on July 13th for 5 x days - the price was just over £1,000. I've cancelled and will get a full refund - they were only offering £150 off... No pool, no spa, limited restaurant choices and you can't get in the houses until 4pm and had to leave by 9am! They also couldn't guarantee which sports would still be running.

So, we've agreed it's better to have the week at home and treat ourselves to takeaways and go out and about when we want to - am saving a fortune!

I love Centerparcs and we've been most years for the past 18 years, but only to offer 10% off, with so many things closed, just seemed like they were taking the piss...

Its rip off central anyway but there are always 100s of people who cant be bothered or don't have the creativity to search themselves
for private/self catering cottages that are far more beautifully interior designed inside, original, much nicer views, private facilities just for their use and tourist attractions a short stroll or drive away.
Some people just get off staying in identikit houses, next to 100s of other identikit families, with stuff to do that all costs extra but is wow- only 10 steps away from your house, and is again, packed with 100s of irritating other people.

Start getting used to everything being wither no longer an option or very, very expensive.
If you're someone who supported lockdown? It's your fault, too.

I looked to book at Christmas about a month ago and they wanted nearly triple what they would usually charge for a basic chalet. They have now put their prices back down. We booked for November, but I took insurance because I won't be going if the pool is still shut.

It was like an open prison with a nice pool.

Bit harsh it isn’t that bad 😂😂

Holiday parks rather than individual cottages work well for me with the DC. But I’d rather have a caravan by the sea than go on holiday to Nottingham if I want somewhere to tour from.

I’ve had some good holidays at CP I’m on the fence on it, but their Covid breaks wouldn’t work for me.

For the pp who wanted a dog friendly cottage. I joined a fb group called dog friendly holiday accommodation uk and see lots of lovely cottages on there.

Only to visit Onceuponatimethen I'm sure others have better experiences at CP but we found things like not being able to get to our car when we wanted really restrictive. It was as though once you were inside they were loath to allow you back out.

I do want to try the ones in Netherlands and Belgium though. They are much cheaper and I have a friend who goes every Feb half term and raves about them.

I do like Center Parcs and have had a nice term time break there when we had serendipitious INSET days but every time I consider it during the school holidays I come up against the fact we could have a week abroad for the same price. And it’s only the pool included in the cost - all the other activities mount up to an eye watering price. I honestly don’t know how they fill up but they do so obviously there are plenty of people willing to pay for it. I would just always go for a week in Greece instead!

thepeopleversuswork totally

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/lottery-winner-blows-it-all-on-week-in-center-parcs-20180604173856

Centerparcs is a rip off full stop! It really is over priced and expensive. I'd love to take my kids but Jeez it's expensive 😩

I love centerparcs, but it's always been insanely expensive. Without the pool there is just no way I'm willing to pay the same price.

@Waspie, you can get to your car whenever you want it just means you have to walk to the car park , you are not locked in you are free to come and go as you please as many times a day and at whatever time of day .

Wow I feel so lucky. Our check on time is even earlier due to us being 1st people staying in weeks.

Yep, that was our understanding too Floralnomad but the security guy had other ideas Perhaps he was new and didn't know the rules. Whatever. Ultimately I prefer the flexibility of not being on a campus and being able to come and go as suits us.

There's always an element of snobbery/superiority on these threads …. if it's not your thing then fine, but don't slag it off or make out that it's somehow inferior or 'lacking in imagination'. We all have different types of families and different idea of what works for a family holiday.

Personally a week in the middle of nowhere would bore me to tears.

BigSandyBalls2015 the exact subject of this thread is Centre Parcs and how they can justify charging their usual rip off prices even without the pool...

We are going in three weeks ( Ireland) it’s costing 2400 for three bed lodge for the week. No pool and no sauna 😭
Crazy prices but we are not going abroad for obvious reasons

That doesn't sound too bad - I'm thinking prices will rise post Covid. We had 4 nights booked at Easter self catering beach cottage for 6 in Cornwall for £700. It was cancelled and the owner gave us a refund of £350 (deposit) and has said the other £350 will be taken off the cost of a holiday when we rebook. The only problem is the cost for 4 nights in now £1500 in the same cottage even in Sept / Oct!

@cjpark - you should be entitled to a full refund if it was cancelled due to Covid-19. You should definitely pursue that. We have refunded everyone in full if we were required to close for the period of their booking.

They have to make a margin irrespective of what facilities are on offer, or it is not worth them opening up. Costs per let will have increased, the covid19 cleaning requirements must be met (for customer and staff safety, but also for their insurance), and they will need stocks of ppe, hazard bags etc in case of an on-site infection. Extra cleaning staff, and extra training must be costed in. Back office staff will be busy writing up risk assessments, procedures manuals, sign off sheets etc. All this costs time and money. It all has to be paid for.

UK staff are more expensive than many overseas holiday resorts, which may explain some of the price differences.

I have never been to centre parks though, so am talking generally here.

Onceuponatine

Yes this is a selling point

"several kids with sn in the family and the predictability is brilliant for them"

You never know with cottage if imagery will live up to expectations...with CP (or forest hols or similar) you know once you been once what you will get.

£550 for 5 days in Scottish school holidays - assuming it's at least a 2 bedroom - is an excellent price.
I have paid £375 for a one bed chalet in Tayside for 3 nights in August with little on site facilities. It is very rare you would get any sort of holiday cottage from May- September for less than £100 per night, so I'm not sure what the outrage is about.
Now the proposed £2k+ prices once the pool is open - that is ridiculous.

Sorry I didn't read it was one bedroom, but most of my post still applies.

CP don't put their prices up until it's English summer holidays normally. I appreciate that it's summer holidays in Scotland but I've never seen the prices double until it's holiday in England. My cousin lived in Scotland when her kids were small and loved the fact she could nip over the border and get cheaper holidays.

I do like CP......when the pool is open. If it had been cheaper now I might have booked but to me it's not worth the money they're asking. But appreciate others may well feel differently.