Centre Parcs is a very weird place.

[MOIST]

Fake forest. Plastic stuff. Signposts and advertising everywhere. Like Ikea in a fake forest with one-way system and bad feng.

Most peculiar.

with 7 of us going in any of the school holidays were looking at well over £2,000 for 4 days just for the accomodation.

And that's why I've never been to a Centre Parcs. I'm doing 2 weeks in the summer holidays in a gite in France that sleeps 7 and it's costing far less than that, including overnight ferry return! I would be expecting a 24 hour maid service to attend to my every whim for that price.

I thought it was weird....sanitised countryside with handrails.

Hated CP. awful place and would never go back.

Well I think it is fabulous, admittedly in a weird way. Perfect for a holiday with a toddler and verrrry relaxing. I love the logs on the fire. I love the soft play areas everywhere whilst the adults drink/eat. Everyone has kids so if your child has a meltdown, no one glares at you - sympathetic glances perhaps. Free entertainment everywhere - pool, ducks and the tiny supermarket trolleys which my son would play with all day if I let him. Babysitter service and a spa. Bit bemused and why people take against it so!

The motorway services analogy is perfect!

I prefer The Maldives to be honest.

Nice free advert for cp? Op not said anything more. Did you have a reason for starting the chat op?

For pure escapism and (good) predictability I love it. But then I live in a very 'real' area of a big city and have had quite enough of raw, in your face, warts and all life!

Totally agree, croon - the first time we took our children (aged 4 and 9), they thought they'd gone to heaven! Apart from the swimming, which they did every day, and the free outdoor play areas, there was every sport/hobby you could imagine. My son went to archery, football class and to see the falcons - my daughter loved the art classes and the children's playhouse where there was singing and games with other pre-schoolers. They begged to go back the following year and all the years thereafter!

Just seen op responded once more.

We've done several CP holidays and our DDs loved it but DH felt very captive especially with all the additional costs for activities. I like the Sherwood one the best out of the bunch, and found the only time I really enjoyed it was the last hour of the day in the pool complex - being under the stars in the quiet pool was truly amazing. But I'm glad now that our DDs are more into holiday cottages. Too many people in one small space for me.

That's rude.

The only forest I don't like is the newest one, Woburn, because the trees are sparse and not established yet
Funny that... it was a lovely forest before they cut so many of the trees down to build the Center Parcs...

Mumsnet is full of musings.

Went once and hated it! Overpriced "villa" that was nothing special. All the activities were hideously expensive, as was the food, The kids got fed up going to the pool all the time cos that was the only thing that didn't cost a fortune. I felt quite claustrophobic and would never go back.

Yes op, did u come on here to 'advertise' the fake forest and plastic stuff? I don't think some people have the right idea about advertising!

And if I were advertising I'd probably spell it right and not be quite so confused and repelled by the place.

We've just come back from a weekend. We've been for a weekend in January quite a few times now, better value, and something to look forward to to get through the misery of January! The kids love it, throwing themselves down the rapids over and over, the wildlife (we had a male and female deer 'couple' camped right outside our window for much of Sunday), the playgrounds everywhere (even though at 11 & 9, they're too big for most of them).

We paid about £400 for the 3 nights in the 'executive' accommodation, we'd struggle to get 2 hotel rooms of a similar standard for that price. I agree, school holiday prices are eye watering, so I don't pay them, we're lucky to be able to go abroad for 'proper ' holidays. But for a weekend break with the kids, it's fab. And I love having done so much in the day, we all fall into bed truly exhausted. I sleep like the dead when I'm there

"Sourcing maps." FFS

What?

Why are people so aggressive about this?

We do loads of off the beaten track, real/raw stuff too
But the times we've been to centre parcs, we've needed to just go and switch off.. but without the kids getting bored. And it's been perfect. No planning, no thinking, no driving, no thinking.

You dont' have to think about it at all. When live is really realy hectic or stressful or you've been ill or otherwise under the weather, it can be brilliant

We like it. We have a disabled child and the site suits his needs and the staff are very helpful. We can eat out and no one will complain about messy eating and meltdowns.

Its not a forest. Its a tree farm.

There's been a thread about this before. You want to be careful when you go there

I am somewhat disappointed that nobody has tried to slip something up my anus. The slides gave it a good enema and everything.

Soho Farmhouse is better

Fake plastic trees.
It wears her out.
It wears her out.