AIBU or is Center Parcs SUPER expensive?!

[Crisscrosscranky]

This week it appears all of my friends on FB have gone to center parcs- it looks lovely.

DH and I usually use our Xmas money to book a European city break in the late spring but I will be 7 months pregnant this year so we're looking a little closer to home... just priced up a weekend at our nearest center parcs and OMG - 3 days in the cheapest lodge Suffolk would cost us the same as 3 night staying in a 5 star hotel in most of the European cities... and have I got it right that you have to pay extra for teabags and toilet paper (they are coming up on recommended extras!?)

Am I missing a trick or do I have some secretly wealthy mates?! off to google the latest dates I can fly

[Scholes34]

Have been twice and was lucky that MIL paid on both occasions. The first time we went, we were on the edge of the park, so we had a nice view of the perimeter fence from our lodge. I felt I was being held prisoner for the whole time we were there and very much felt we were escaping when we went off site to do clay-pigeon shooting one day. Very expensive - self-catering with a nice, but busy, pool.

[BusyBeez99]

Last year We went for 7 days. Cost us £1,100. We spent £300 on bikes and activities and £400
On food and drink - we ate out for all meals and drinks - took nothing with us. So £1,800 all food drink activities (2 a day plus bikes all week), pool and accommodation for 7 nights for 3 isn't bad value at all.

[BusyBeez99]

Admittedly was private school holiday dates, not state school dates

[backwardpossom]

£1800 for a week (in the UK in a fenced off park) for three people "isn't bad value at all"? I sometimes think I live in a different universe to most of Mumsnet.

[Verbena37]

You have to look at it objectively though.
For example.....
I don't fly so that rules out any holiday involving flight.
We don't want to go abroad driving or by train for only a week away.
We like to have actives close by.
We like nature and woodlands.
We like self catering as it means we can do what we want when we want.
We love fun water slides.
Our DS has autism and so likes to know where he is going and whether there will be something he likes to eat there or that we can cook him.

It's all relative to how your family likes to holiday.
I would hate to go to Tenerife and sit on a beach or by a pool sunbathing for a week etc.

You could pay £1200 for a peak season holiday home with no pool in the Lake District and it might rain the entire week.

[Trooperslane]

Went last month and we absolutely loved it.

It wasn't cheap but good value for money.

[backwardpossom]

You're right, it's horses for courses. Where I live, I can go surfing/mountain biking/road biking/woodland walks/trail running/open water swimming/hillwalking etc at any time of year for free. (I'm going surfing on NYD if the surf is good - I must be mad.) I know I'm lucky to have all of this on my doorstep, but I just can't imagine paying a small fortune to do similar activities in a limited, fenced off area. I'd rather hire a wee cottage for a week somewhere and have the freedom to do these activities anywhere. But I'm a tight Aberdonian at heart...

[Shurelyshomemistake]

Yes, it is horses for courses really. Everyone's concept of good value is different. Some would baulk at doing what we like doing, which is spending money to freeze our arses off and participate in a dangerous sport :)

I can see, really, why it might be right for some people. Just not for me. I don't think... maybe I could be persuaded :)

[backwardpossom]

There's no fun without danger, Shurely

[mickeyjohn]

£1800 for a week at Centreparcs good value???? Bloody hell. We took our family of 4 to Goa for less than that for a week

[Lesley1980]

We were going to go to Centre Parcs in July but it was cheaper to hire a fantastic, modern villa with 3 bedrooms & a pool & fly 4 people abroad with Ryan Air.

Centre Parcs is fine but not worth the money & the only free thing is a swimming pool. The restaurants are all booked up, food is more expensive & the activities are really expensive. There are 4 star hotels with family rooms that are cheaper than Centre Parcs including food & childcare for over 2s.

[holidaysaregreat]

backward I agree - that would be 2 years worth of holidays for us! I think it is definitely a case of some people having more disposable cash and so don't find the price too much.
Butlins seems to be the same prices. We can't afford Butlins or Haven :(
Sorry to jump on the thread but which are the best European CPs? They sound more in our budget.

[Philoslothy]

We have plenty of cash and go on some very expensive holidays - I just couldn't bring myself to spend it at centerparcs. I don't know why the place irritates me so much but it does .

[throwingpebbles]

We went to the lakes as a family of six. Under £1000 in peak holiday season for a really lovely holiday cottage with its own garden, swimming pool just down the road, horse riding and canoe hire etc all within a few miles. Loads of locally owned pubs and restaurants in the nearest town.
Can't believe people are paying more that double that for CP!

Let alone £6000 .

[BusyBeez99]

See I would hate to go to Goa so yes it's horses for courses

We go to Tenerife and pay approx £2.5k all inclusive for a week for the 3 of us which is fabulous value for 5* accommodation and flights. But I hate flying so love my U.K. week and unlike a cottage on its own, our only child gets to make some new friends rather than just being with us

[phoenix1973]

I work there and cp supplies loo roll, tea bags, coffee sugar dishwasher tablets, 1 sachet of liquid, coffee machine pods, tea towel and oven gloves.in the executive lodges. I don't know about the woodland lodges.

[BusyBeez99]

We got loo roll. Wash up liquid. Cloths. Towels. Sheets. Oven gloves. In woodland lodge

[backwardpossom]

We have plenty cash, too, but I still wont pay over the odds for an average-at-best holiday.

[Philoslothy]

I agree backward, I don't mind spending money if I think I am getting something for it. However I suspect the prices are high to keep the "riff raff" out and I don't really want that kind of holiday.

[RichardBucket]

So £1,800 all food drink activities (2 a day plus bikes all week), pool and accommodation for 7 nights for 3 isn't bad value at all.

[Madeyemoodysmum]

Price you pay for bum sex

[Philoslothy]

I suspect my husband would pay me for bumsex, no need to spend almost two grand to take it up the shitter whilst wearing Boden and listening to Take That.

[backwardpossom]

whilst wearing Boden and listening to Take That

[DoraDunn]

We love it and go in Oct half term every year. It is expensive during sch hols, probably overpriced from a financial value pov but they operate at near full capacity all year so it's not overpriced from a marketing or business pov. We find it very relaxing and my 14yr old still loves it as much as he did as a toddler. For us it's a week where the kids can be very active with a range of activities to suit all of them without us having to taxi them everywhere.

If you just have 2 children age say, 8&10 who are easy going and like similar things then maybe you don't need somewhere like CP. However, we have 4, the oldest 2 being ds1&2 (14&12) who would rather stick pins in their eyes than agree on anything. To be somewhere that allows them to be off doing what they choose, whilst also accommodating ds3 (6) and dd (3) all without getting in the car, is always going to be good value to me.