To feel a bit cynical about Centre Parcs?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

We are just back from a 'five' day break at centre parcs at Whinfell. It was Ok and I am sure that many people enjoy it but it just felt like a bit of a rip off in lots of ways. Our cabin thing was really tatty, lots of wear and tear, the carpet covered in stains and the toilet seat kept falling off. The five day break was really three days as we couldn't check in til 330pm on Monday then had to leave by 10am on Friday. Yes I know we could have stayed and used the facilities on those days but realistically with two very young children and me being pregnant, who can be arsed lugging everything about and having to pay extortionate prices for lunch etc.

The swimming was like human soup with about two inches between each person, the Chinese banquet we got was double the price it would normally be and pretty bleurgh, but the main thing that annoyed me was that there was only TWO infant swings for the entire place and one tiny soft play area next to an expensive bar. I just felt that they were blatantly not putting in free activities so you had to spend more money. We ended up going out to see the lake district most days rather than doing the activities that were there as I thought they were a bit of a rip off too.

Sorry I am moaning so much but just wondered if this is just me or has anything else felt like this after staying there?

We can't afford Centre Parcs (and I hate bumsex) so I looked at Butlin's but that's extortionate too and nowhere on netmums could I find out what deviant sex you have to do there.

Poo in a forest - fine. Poo covering my patio area in my £500 per off peak midweek break villa so that my just walking babies can't go outside until I have brushed and cleaned the whole area - not so

Someone has already said it!
It's pontins marketed at the middle classes.
If you want to stay in basic accommodation in lacklustre surroundings you might as well pay a third of what CP charges and pick a pontins in a pretty part of the country and use it as a base.
I used to take the kids away for less than £100 for a week.
But then I am a Chippy (copyright pending)

we liked it £199 midweek break - the dcs loved the wildlife, we didnt eat out except the Strada £6.95 deal.

I have been to centreparcs 5 times (sherwood and long leat) and had great times each time. Have gone for long weekends off peak several of the times and the the parks have been quieter and the spas have been great! Also very accommodating. The different themes of the spa areas was a real treat.
Loved the biking. You can always pack up a load of basics food wise for the week, we have done that and then just had the odd evening meal.
It is, like most things, what you make of it. The swimming and biking are free and we played lots of sport, tennis, badminton, tabletennis, virtual rock wall, none are too expensive really especially if you have your own racquets. Can follow walks and fitness trails for free also.

Wont be to everyone's taste but iv always had fun, though haven't been for 5 years so hopefully not deteriorated too much.
Did go to a butlins 2 years ago which was right on the welsh coast out apartment was overlooking the deserted strip of beach, was clean and comfortable and we went to local places to eat and day trip. So we were pleased with that too. Perhaps I'm easily pleased. :)

If you book as early as possible it's cheaper, we always go October half term as we have a different week to a lot of people too so check different dates. I wouldn't pay anything like some of the prices quoted on here think this year we've paid about £450 for 4 nights in an executive apartment for 4 of us .

What sort of poo fixed?

Cycling at Longlete is a joke because it's banned on all the steep hills. Most of the site is hills.

Even so I want to go down the rapids in the dark again.

I've never fancied it since reading about what a drain Centre Parcs is on the Wiltshire police resources. (Must be lovely then )

The weather doesn't bother us as we spend lots of time in the pool, love swimming outside in the warm water and going down the rapids in the dark ! Have even been swimming outside in the snow in feb which was fab. Then bike ride through the woods, back to villa turn the radiators up high and relax in front of the fire. Each to their own but I don't recognise the center parcs I know from a lot of these posts.

having said cp is overpriced/not good value for money

have to say in the snow it is fucking magical

we went to Elveden in feb half term- was minus 10 most of the time. It was bloody wonderful, it was

I thought Center Parcs sold midweek breaks as 4 nights not 5 days. 4 nights is what you got so YABU.

yanbu to feel like they try and make money out of you at every opportunity but there are ways around it.

We love it, we tend to go though in Jan/Feb when its really cheap e.g. round the £140 mark mon-fri, take our own food as I like cooking anyway and maybe just get a take-away pizza one night.

We go swimming teatimes/evenings when its quiet and spend the days on our bikes/ in the parks/having family naps! I imagine it would be harder with older children up until now we've managed to just buy the cheap activities e.g. dance class for dd £5, kids entertainer £1 each etc. dh and I buy each other an activity as a xmas pressie.

We stay in the cheapest accomodation and its been quite dated but always clean/nothing broken. I don't think its worth the momey you pay in the school holidays would always go abroad for that price!

I agree Its hard to spend the whole day when you arrive as you're not allowed in the pool complex till 2ish but coming home we just leave our bag of swimming things out spend the morning in the pool, have a picnic lunch then do something like bowling as a treat before coming home. Tires the kids out so they sleep on the way home!

Cat girl it was swan/duck or some other big bird poo. All over the patio area. For the price we would have expected it to be one of the cleaners jobs to make sure the patio area was clean.

For me, it smacked of up-market camping. Cold, damp, muddy (August, btw) 'make do' and so full of people you couldn't turn around without apologising to someone for bumping into them, both in the hellhole, corn plaster ridden, too cold pool and outside.

I urged DH to go that one time and had to endure him eye rolling and hating it so much that we left a day early - I had to agree it was a bad idea. What epitomised it was ds (5 at the time) emerged from the pool with a plaster stuck to his hair that had been floating around. NEVER again. Ugh.

We stayed in Butlins' very nice and modern hotel for £120 for 2 nights. That was during the private school holidays. In the state school holidays it would be a lot higher. At CP you pay the full whack at either time.

I enjoyed it the one time I went. I wanted to take DS away for a few days last February half -term and I was just after a nasty bout of tonsillitis, so I wasn't up for anything too exciting. As Whinfell is not far from us, it seemed ideal.
We stayed in an apartment, so there was free cleaning thrown in (although I didn't think much of the cleaner's washing up skills, but then again I'm the type who washes every bit of cutlery individually and holds it up to the light to check if it really is clean), and it was warm and comfortable and had all we needed. We ate out every night, except one, when we had a takeaway, but bought breakfast and lunch food from the supermarket. I thought the food was fine and I actually really enjoyed the Chinese, but I believe another one is there now.

DS loved the activities, and maybe we were lucky, but the pool was warm and never too crowded. I HATE swimming, but we went every tea time and even had fun! In fact, I know this sounds corny, but DS and I really re-connected on that break and we often speak of it fondly.

I agree it is expensive though. I spent £700 on accommodation, all food, activities and a heavenly half day spa session. It was half my last wages and I wanted to treat us, so it was worth it to me. However, there is no way I could ever justify going in peak times, even if I won the lottery!

I am going to Whinfell with my three dds at the end of June just for the weekend. I've been thinking of going for years but the mixed reviews made me hesitate tbh. I would not go there if I didn't have children but have booked a few things for them that I think they will enjoy.

After hearing about the food (ie, crap and expensive), we will be taking our own nice M&S stuff and eating in the lodge. I also booked a new style lodge as I heard they look nicer and are less tatty. (goes back to read whole thread!)

Like another poster said up thread - I don't recognise the CP the way it has been described on here. We got back yesterday from a Mon-Fri at Sherwood and had a wonderful time. It wasn't over busy at all. Swimming pools/Rapids were fabulous went in every day for a least 2 hours. Warm, clean, plenty of chairs, changing rooms were spacious and the floor was dry! We paid £1100 (divided between 3 as we went with my mum/dad,dsis and her dp so less than £400 per family) for a 4 bed original style executive lodge with hot tub/sauna/steam room - it was amazing. Spotlessly clean, absolutely massive, well equipped, comfy beds and in a beautiful spot.

Yes we took our 5yo DD out of school for a week but until she is in secondary school I am happy to do that. The only paid activity she did was a 3GS session in the tine out club How to be a Wizard - she adored it and came out with a wizards hat, wand and book of spells. She had a snack in there - all for £25 for 3hrs not overly expensive I don't think (and we had a heavenly 3hrs in Aqua Sana). Other than that she was more than happy to scoot, cycle, nature hunt, play parks, swimming, beach area, children's entertainer in the square and nature centre. All of which were free. Dp booked quad biking which was £30 for 70 mins. He said it was great then he was given a 50% off voucher if he booked another activity so booked tree trekking and zip wire (45mins) for £11 instead of £22.

Staff were all friendly and helpful. Saw about 3 maintenance vans driving around the whole time we were there.

We've also been to Longleat and really enjoyed it there too though did prefer the layout and lack of hills at Sherwood. Oh and had free wifi wherever we were in the park. Parcmarket was well stocked and no more expensive than a co-op.

You can thoroughly research prices of all activities and restaurants before you go So YABU to be surprised at the prices.

Some people have mentioned not being able to swim till 2 on the first day. I know they say that but we've always gone in in the morning , there's never been anyone on the door checking.

I'm really wondering now whether I'll love or hate this!