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

[spababe]

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.

I always thought Centre Parcs was terribly common. Lower-middle at best. I'm stunned that it costs so much!

And I like the fact you can book in advance and pay bits off as and when. I'm currently paying £50 a month towards the summer bill. Just paid the Easter one off.

last time we went to CPs we choose it because it was the cheapest staycation plus activities combo we could actually find in the radius we were looking for at the time!

UK accomodation is really expensive per person unless you go away with a few families and all share one big rented cottage. If you wanna go away with just your family and do a centerparkish thing (self catering plus outdoor activities) I think CP are in line with the rest of the market unfortunately!

The chavvy families are all having a good time in Butlins, while you ponce about with your superior attitude.

I know where I'd rather be.

Forest holiday cabins are more money and no pool.

Though I suspect the cabins are a bit nicer.

I'm happy enough with cp. I love eating breakfast and watching ducks, squirrels, etc on the patio. I could sit on the sofa there all day nature watching to be honest.

Oh, and I find your OP rather smug. Talking about "certain class of people" and "the Butlins type" while hastily assuring us that you can afford a trip to CP is a bit odd. I would say it's a stealth boast, but as previously mentioned I don't think of Centre Parks as being remotely aspirational.

Unimaginative shite.

Butlins isnt a cheaper option, infact we have been to both and paid similar at both.

For us it depends whether we want to be near a beach or in the forest.

Vagaceratops

Thanks for that advice. I do like Sherwood

mobile home parks are way more per person than CP unless you cram your mobile phone with a large family or extended family, and the pools are usually crap in those parks, then you have to drive around to all other activites.

the only way to go cheaper than CP for us would have been cheap hotel or camping, there was no cheaper SC option, but then even if we camped/travel lodged, once we started looking into activities to go out to horse riding etc is way more expensive if you do it independantly than if you do it through CPs so we'd have done a lot less and spent a lot more time in the car going to stuff

Butlins have a sale on at the moment, but 4 days in August in their Ocean hotel is £1685.50

None of them are near the coast. Usually slap bang in the middle of a boring forest which is in the middle of nowhere and you have to eat their shit, overpriced food and swim in their piss-filled pools. No thanks.

"unless you cram your mobile phone with a large family or extended family"

oops
mobile home obv!

A week in CP would cost us TRIPLE what a week in South France with Eurocamp will cost. Even with the fuel costs, it still works out £500 cheaper to take my brood abroad. That is insane.

it is mad blotted but its not a CP thing, its a UK staycation price thing

and don't get me started on glaming prices! yes some are really luxurious but most are just tents with a sheepskin rug on a wee bit of spare land with a view of the back of the owners house and nothing extra for £££s!

We paid £908 for a week in Lanazrote last Summer, that was 3 adults and a free child. Granted it was the last week of term, but bollocks would I pay £1125 to stay in a glorified shed for four nights!

Are you trying to stealth boast about how much money you have? Do you want someone to tell you you're definitely middle class? Your posts are very smug, talking about CP "types" and Butlins "types".

No, CP is not unique! There are loads of other lodge holidays in parks with a swimming pool and extra activites. UK holidays are expensive in the school holidays. We hire a lodge twice a year in term time for a reasonable price. My friend's DD starts school in September so we'll be going abroad next year, it's cheaper than the lodge in the school holidays.

They aren't glorified sheds. They are perfectly pleasant places that charge what their cliental are prepared to spend, hence it working and opening new sites.

Like most hols, there are lots of other options. U dont have to go here or even hear of it if u don't want to?! Really don't get point of post......

I do find the prices for 'staying on a site' of any type bizarrely expensive. We rent 2 bedroom cottages with decent-sized gardens from various holiday companies, usually in Wales but occasionally in Cornwall. In a couple of those places, there were nearby mobile home / chalet parks of various brands.

In every case, the cost of a chalet was about twice, sometimes 3x the price of the cottage we were staying in ... and we had solid walls, open fires, quite a lot of space, private gardens, nobody to overlook us etc etc.....

I can't see how a pool is worth the difference. Every cottage we have stayed in has been either near the sea or within striking distance of a good, interesting public swimming pool (I mean not a municipal 25m one). Surely paying a few £ (kids swim free) at an off-site swimming pool is worth the £500 - £1000 price difference????

Ah but who can be arsed to fly with toddlers? Not me. Me and DH and the three year old and two year old are staying for four nights in CP in June (term time) for £359, in not the cheapest lodge either. I loved Butlins as a kiddy, but Haven was a shit hole. Our one Eurocamp holiday was ok. If you like tents.

I love centre parcs, we go every dec.

I also like caravan parks, package holidays abroad and camping.

Obviously I'm easily pleased, and a bit chavvy

Prices here full stop astound me. Doesn't matter if its CP, butlins, haven or private lets, they are all over priced imvo. This is why we always go elsewhere. Can get more for what I get charged here. CP is a prime example, for 4 days we get 2 weeks in the sun, plus change. Only way to go cheaply here was to camp, and I would rather not have a holiday.

YABU for paying that price.

Center Parcs is known as I Saw You Coming in this house.

£1600 for Butlins! Are you serious? Why?
I have been pretty shocked by the prices of Eurocamp but at least they are in hot counties.