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?

I have heard about a place called Bluestones which sounds nice.

Maybe the reason Center Parcs is so popular is that you only have to pay quite a small deposit and then the rest 9 or so weeks before you go? The website is also more easy to navigate than other similar places.

Butlins with a lid, innit.
So emperor's new clothes.

We went to Elvedon in Februay with DD (2). Agree completely about human soup, and was surprised there was nowhere to actually swim included in the cost. Getting around didn't seem particularly safe either, what with pedestrians and cyclists using the same paths. Not great with a toddler.

Activities for little ones were few and far between and a complete rip-off. The messy play session wasn't a patch on what's on offer at the local toddlers group. Think it was around £7 for 45 mins, as opposed to £1.50 for 2 hours at home.

Crap, tbh.

Oh, and our bike lock was cut on the last night. Think I must have disturbed the thieves because the bikes were left. We reported it but no-one ever got in touch with any information.

YANBU, we went to Elveden in February and I was so disappointed. I'd last been when I was 10 so nostalgia levels were high but even so :( DS had a fab time but he is 2 and easy to please. I wouldn't go back again.

We've just got back from a week at Elveden, 2 bed, New Style Exclusive Lodge, Mon-Fri for £450. The hut was clean and had a wine cooler well appointed, and the beds were amazingly comfy. We had a great time, we would do one activity for ds (2.9) in the morning and swim in the afternoon, I don't think we paid more than about £7 for an activity which is about what his activities at home cost. We also went to the playgrounds, ran about in woods, cycled etc. ds was so worn out at the end of the day he was sleeping from 7.30pm-10am, when he's usually up at 6.30am, even dd (6mths) was sleeping until 8am.

Without kids I wouldn't go within 100 miles of the place, but with them, I thought it was spot on.

15 years ago it was a bit different and value for money if you could go during term time. My children adored it (still do, but out of our price range now). I went off it when it allowed people who paid a premium to book activities weeks beforehand. As someone said up thread, that means normal people having to play tennis at 6 am or ten-pin bowling 8am on a Sunday morning because everything good has been snaffled weeks in advance. In the good old days everyone was treated the same, nobody could book before they arrived and everyone stayed in comfort villas. Apart from watersports, sports hall or the spa there wasn't a much to spend money on. It's so class-ridden and money-grabbing now that it's lost that special feeling.

I don't see what class-ridden and unfair about being able to book activities in advance. You could argue this is better if you are on a tight budget as you can spread the cost by booking activities over 4 paydays now that you can book 16 weeks in advance. Surely better than shelling out for it all in one week.

Again I think activities being booked to capacity must be a school holidays thing as they certainly weren't in term time. I'm not saying it's for everyone but the sneery comments about it being about class and money are just silly.

Lifechanger just looked at Bluestone in Pembrokeshire - looks gorgeous. Might have to look at that next year!

We've been to Whinfell every year for the last 3 years- we do the Fri - Mon break. Expensive at £500, but we've always had a great time. Take all our own food, as said before,we stock up at the Morrisons in Penrith,there's also an Aldi there now. We arrive at 12 and go straight to the pool-changing rooms have been refurbished and the pool is great-clean and not that busy it causes a fuss. We also go there for a few hours after chucking out time on the Monday.
We stay in the Woodland lodges-always been clean and comfy. We've had a broken TV-phoned and was fixed within the hour, a safe that had been broken,again fixed within the hour.
DH likes to go on the nature things-£6 a pop not outrageous. The food places are expensive, so stay away. Not sure we'll go again as DS is at the age where he'll want more entertaining and therefore will cost tonnes more to go

If you are staying in comfort accommodation you don't get the option. The more you pay for accommodation the more options you get. I haven't been for a few years so this may have changed. I don't give a toss how much money people pay for accommodation but it IS elitist if that gives them privileges over activities.

It's OK but over priced and tame. We would happily do a day trip as we all enjoy swimming at centre parks though and the paths are handy for kids cycling. Three days would be over kill.

"You could argue this is better if you are on a tight budget as you can spread the cost by booking activities over 4 paydays now that you can book 16 weeks in advance."

If you are on a tight budget you shouldn't go to Centerparcs. Even if you go on a wet midweek in February and get a relatively low rate (but still double or more Butlins), the activities are still the same (over)price.

We have only been to Elveden during term time & we love it. Accomodation has always been great, playgrounds for the kids, & a great pool. The take-away food was more expensive than back at home, but we tend to eat out at lunchtime & cook ourselves in the evening (we bring some stuff from home)

We usually go swimming every morning (we're always there at 10am when it opens & no probs with being crowded), out for lunch (Cafe Rouge if I get my way), back for naps, then out for a walk before tea (jump in puddles/chase ducks/play on slides)

We went in April & are going back again in September & taking my parents so we can goto the spa

Having said all that, I would love to see links to all these other places you guys are saying are better/cheaper - once the DC are at school we might not be able to afford to go anymore!

I absolutely love the place and so it seems do plenty of other people - or it would be a lot cheaper than it is. Obviously it's not for everyone but I would say to those who point out how much more you could get abroad for the same money that may be true, but its irrelevant if that holds no appeal to you. For me the stress of airports or driving abroad means that I take days to recover from the journey and can't really relax until Ive made it home. I take the view that daily life is pretty stressful so why have a holiday which adds to that anxiety. We just find CP incredibly easy:

Some tips:

Avoid school hols. Go to your nearest site and leave after school on the Friday then either take the Monday off and stay all day or use an inset day.

Don't go for accommodation below the Woodland grade. We stay in New Style Execs and the worst we've ever had is a broken oven which was fixed within an hour of complaining. I suspect that some of the older lodges end up being a false economy.

Book some activities but not too many. We find that just strolling through the forest is a wonderful use of time and puts us into proper "power down" mode as much as a pricey spa session would.

Make use of the time out clubs - they're fab!

As I say, I can well see why CP isn't for everyone but I would recommend everyone try it at least once. I was very very dubious before going for the first time 6 yrs ago and we've now been back at least twice a year since!

I didn't realise you couldn't pre-book if you stayed in Comfort lodges! I have booked for new style woodland lodge and have been able to pre-book activities and they are not much more expensive than comfort.

I must admit, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. This country has so much forest and off road trails offering safe cycling, why would you need to pay for those things. Is it a convenience thing, in that you don't really have to plan a holiday it's just on a plate for you?

That's it exactly beautifulplace - it is just SO easy. We've looked at hiring a cottage somewhere, but it's difficult to find somewhere that also has enough rainy day activities for a baby & toddler. (Please let me know if you know of somewhere!!) It pissed it down all week when we went in April & we still had a great time.

We've been going to Whinfell forest for years, as ds's get 2 weeks holiday at whit so there's a magical 'cheap' (ie not typical school holiday time) 5 days that we get to use to go.

This thread made me double check with them about going next year - ds1 will be in year 6 and sadly the secondary schools here don't get the 2 weeks off so next year will be the last Centerparcs year - they were horrified I was even questioning whether we should go!

They love it so I love it. They love the pool, the cycling, the freedom, the activites. I love that they're happy and that I don't have to drive for 5 days. I love playing random games of table tennis with dp and them and just pootling around. We take all our own food so that keeps costs down a bit. Dp loves the bird hide and red squirrel walks. Sorted. I'll miss it after next year - it's seen us through the last 6 years of ds's childhoods and each year they've done more stuff, been more independent while we've been there - like marking their heights on a wall..!

And after 6 years of going I'm determined that next year I'll actually venture inside the aqua sana bit...

Dotty, we'd been going for 16 years before I ventured into the Spa! I just always have chosen to do whatever the kids were doing, until we went on a 'post GCSE' break with DD1, so I'd never had any child free time (by choice).

I enjoyed it when I did finally get there!

They were fine 20 years ago but even the last time we went 10 years ago the cabins were in a poor state, there seemed to be more silly rules, and everything seemed more expensive.

I've also done the cottage in the country thing in the past and have nearly died of boredom. In fact it was 7 days of purgatory (ok that's a bit strong, Eden and Heligan were good) in Cornwall 8 years ago that made us give Center Parcs a go.