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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think that the reason Centre Parc prices are so high is because...

154 replies

spababe · 13/01/2013 17:47

they want a 'certain type' of person to stay and wish to exclude others ie the Butlins type?

You may not like what I am saying but I think it is true. Prices in school holidays are rather eye-watering but my kids love the place and it's the only place they want to go to this year. I've gone for a middle of the range villa sleeping 4 and it's cost £1125 for 4 nights Mon-Fri.

OP posts:
Chottie · 13/01/2013 17:52

Goodness, my eyes are watering at the price you quote :) I did not realise how expensive it was. Is that full board and covering all activities though?

Original poster
spababe · 13/01/2013 17:53

no no! just the self catering villa - only the swimming pool is included.
The 'top' villas including games rooms and sleeping 8 come in at £2500 for the 4 nights!!!

OP posts:
catgirl1976 · 13/01/2013 17:53

The prices are that high because people will pay them

Fairylea · 13/01/2013 17:54

I agree.

stargirl1701 · 13/01/2013 17:54

It's the bumsex premium Grin

LindyHemming · 13/01/2013 17:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

persimmon · 13/01/2013 17:55

I've been to CP twice (hen weekends) and cannot for the life of me see what all the fuss is about. And there was a big cross-section of people there.

RosyRoo · 13/01/2013 17:57

I think there's probably something in that. They run at a very high occupancy rate so they obviously have their pricing right. In order to appeal to those people who are willing and able to pay more, you do have to have a little bit of an exclusive feel.

However, I think the nature of the place is so different to Butlins that you wouldn't get much overlap of guests even if the pricing was similar.

cornyclam · 13/01/2013 17:57

demand and supply
people pay it so they'll charge it

Chottie · 13/01/2013 17:58

It is very expensive, I don't think I will be going there.

nkf · 13/01/2013 17:58

How much? How much? I feel faint.

Groovee · 13/01/2013 18:00

We're going for my mum's birthday in a few weeks and a 3 bed lodge is costing £700. Then ds wanted to do archery and that was £40 cos dh has to go too. Dd's tree treking was £24! The spa day for me and mum was £72.

VivaLeBeaver · 13/01/2013 18:00

There were lots of rowdy young blokes/stag weekend types when I went. Landing on DD's head in the rapids by going down the drops straight after her. I wasn't impressed.

We're going again Easter weekend and for a week in August. I'm hoping that as its more expensive at these times the stag groups might keep away.

Top villas at our local one are 7.5k for the week in August!!!!

Icantstopeatinglol · 13/01/2013 18:00

I've just came back from centre parcs staying in an executive lodge sleeping 8 with a sauna and paid £400 mon-fri....it is £1399 in school holidays!! No way I would pay that, I'd rather take the kids out of school....tho they're only in nursery and reception I wouldn't do it if it meant they were missing anything important. We love it, kids absolutely love it!

pictish · 13/01/2013 18:01

More fool you OP.

Anniegetyourgun · 13/01/2013 18:04

I had a holiday once.

pictish · 13/01/2013 18:06

Seriously, if people are daft enought to pay over a thousand pounds for four mights in a chalet, then they are going to charge it aren't they?

Center Parcs - they've got big windows. Wink

nkf · 13/01/2013 18:07

I thought it was a sort of hen weekend type place. Hardly posh. Four nights. Couldn't you get a decent hotel for that price?

SunflowersSmile · 13/01/2013 18:07

CP are real rip off merchants.
I have been and never again.
Expensive pretentious crap [IMVHO].

Original poster
spababe · 13/01/2013 18:07

CP is unique tho isn't it? there is nothing else similar that has the big swimming pool. Anyway I wasn't asking if it was worth the money just if you thought that the pricing was to attract a certain class of person?

OP posts:
pictish · 13/01/2013 18:08

Four mights? Four nights obv.

It's such a rip off it's almost laughable.

Thisisaeuphemism · 13/01/2013 18:08

If that is the reason, it hasn't worked!

-They let me in - but only on inset days. etc.

Alisvolatpropiis · 13/01/2013 18:08

You can go abroad for less than that! Shock

I'll be sticking to European holidays then.

Inaflap · 13/01/2013 18:09

The ones on the continent are cheaper.

As an aside, we wanted to book somewhere in the uk for May hols. Needed to be near a coast and were hoping for Weymouth or the like. Needed 3 bedrooms self catering. The prices! We've landed up, yet again, in France in a mobile home because yet again that is way cheaper and nicer than the alternatives. Most cottages are over the £700 bracket and the nice caravans at Haven and the like were more than that. I think it a real shame that prices for school hols are so inflated. I actually wanted to spend money here as we are going to France again later in the year but no. For those of us who work in schools we can't take holidays at other times and many schools now have quite draconian policies about taking kids out (i can see why when you have year 11 parents taking them out during mocks week for a holiday not for a special, once in a life time thing). I do think people would be inclined to stay in the uk more, or take more than one holiday if the prices were just a bit more reasonable and obviously less inflated (ie doubled in some cases). I know the holiday industry have to make a living but it is prohibitive to many.

nkf · 13/01/2013 18:09

By "certain type" do you mean "middle class?" Because I was of the impression that Center parcs was Chav Central and that you might as well save your money and go to Butlins.