To wonder why on earth anyone goes to Center Parcs?!

[CakePigeon4]

I’ve had several friends who have been to various sites and raved about it, but to me it just looks like a slightly more upmarket Butlins?! It’s extortionately expensive, the chalets look like they’re furnished by Premier Inn, you have to pay for activities, you’re stuck on site eating at their overpriced restaurants... Am I missing something?!

The thing is, yes OK if you researched a lot you could get a holiday cottage near to a fun local pool but actually pools with really good slides etc are few and far between. We just drove for an hour to get to a decent one for my daughter's birthday and it was still crap compared to the pools at CP. Also if you are paying separately at probably £25 for a family (and often that's for a set time of two hours) you will go once in the holiday. At CP my kids spent about three to four hours of every day in that pool. Plus the cycling, playground and lovely lakes. The kids are knackered every day so you get an evening to yourselves.

@notso it feels like you're really annoyed that other people go to Center Parcs? That's the sense I get from your posts. Why does it bother you?

yanbu - I went once years ago and couldn't help but wonder what the hype was about! Very expensive, basic accommodation (we did go for the "cheaper" lodge), it had stained upholstery, cracks in walls filled with pollyfilla but not painted, beds not made up, no niceties like milk and tea bags on arrival. The week after we stayed in a holiday cottage for half the price and it was soo much nicer. I also like to be flexible on holiday rather then schedule the entire holiday to the ninth degree before departure. So we were turned away from almost empty restaurants because they only put on sufficient staff to cater for people who decide weeks in advance where and when they'd like to eat, ditto all the activities. Centre parcs do not cater for spontaneity in any shape or form!

The pools. Amazing. And no extra cost. Last year we were shooting round hit steamy rapids (which are outside) in the dark.. on Christmas Day! Best Christmas Ever!!. I love Centerparcs although could never afford it when the kids were growing up. We go now for DS’s holiday... he’s 19 and he has complex needs and it’s great for him. The staff are lovely and helpful and he foots most of the bill because it’s “his” holiday and although the we enjoy it, he’s bloody hard work

Maybe it would be different now mine are older but when we went I was over the swimming after two days.
Carting all the associated crap on the back of a bike with kids who were tired from the swimming and moaning about having to cycle back to the chalet had me longing for a villa with a pool where they can just dip in and out all day.

It's priced to weed out the "riff raff".

If you don't fancy it, don't go. That's dealt with.

I'm not sure if the fuss. People do things they enjoy on their holidays. So should you. And stop being supercilious over other people's likes and dislikes.

I don't know which centre Parcs some posters have been to but I have never found any of the accomodation, pools or changing areas to be dirty at all. We don't shop in their supermarket, it is extremely expensive, but that's the same as any holiday camp shop. It is certainly nothing like haven or Butlins although I have been to both of these places too and they have their own merits

I completely agree. Only thing that is free is the pool. What irks the most is the booking of EVERY SINGLE ACTIVITY. No just turning up, everything has be booked months in advance. You need a personal assistant just to coordinate a family of 4! Restaurants are expensive and meh. We booked our trip 8 weeks before and found approx 75% activities booked out including the bikes. I hate having to plan a holiday with military precision!!

I don't understand families who get up at dawn, get to an airport, hustle through security, herded onto cramped planes and then spend a fortnight with four of them sharing a room and eating from an AI buffet.

A leisurely drive, decent accommodation with sufficient space no one wants to kill anyone and activities on tap. I can see why CP is so popular.

But we're all different. Why criticise the choices of others?

Thanks to the poster who posted about having to book in advance for the best deals - I couldn’t understand where people were getting the low prices from!

I imagine when we have DC we may completely change our minds about CP as our requirements (and level of tiredness) will have changed

We had this debate at home just last night. Our DD has an inset day, meaning we have the opportunity to go away for a 3 day break outside the school hols. Options are (a) CP; (b) really nice cottage somewhere. DH's vote was for CP - because DD will enjoy it more. He's right - even though it's not my ideal holiday, it makes me happy seeing her giggling, laughing and enjoying herself on the slides in the pool.

One of the plus points for me is so many activities within walking distance or a bike ride - no need to keep researching what the options are in the local area and hopping in and out the car all the time.

We've only been to European CP before (which are cheaper) and it's been nice going for a bike ride off-site to each foreign food in nice restaurants. You're definitely not 'stuck on site eating at their overpriced restaurants'.

Each to their own. Personally I LOVE LOVE LOVE Centre Parcs! My 2dc choose there above anywhere else in the UK. Have been going since my DD was 5 months old and she is 12 in a few weeks time. We hv been thru all the stages of Activities, from Bear Hunts, Toddler Dances, Archery to Outings with Owls. As soon as we drive in, I put the car window down, see the tall trees, breath in the pine air and relax ... 😁 No more driving for the next 5 days, activities if we want (pay extra), free run of the amazing pools (my 2 are total Water Babies). Pur record is 20 times down the outdoor Rapids in 1 day. We wake up to Deer, ducks and squirrels on the patio, no technology, all outdoor and we just re-charge. Total.Bliss !!!!!!!

Only thing that is free is the pool. What irks the most is the booking of EVERY SINGLE ACTIVITY. No just turning up, everything has be booked months in advance. You need a personal assistant just to coordinate a family of 4!

My favourite bit of the holiday is spending the months beforehand planning the perfect combination of activities to fit into our schedule. In a good way..

I've never been but I'd rather chew my own hand off than bring my kids there and have to be around other families for any great length of time. Plus it's really, really, REALLY expensive.

We've been to most (I think?) of them several times over the years. Our kids of all ages love it, we like them. Like not having to endure the airport thing and enjoying being able to walk/cycle to all the activities/bars/entertainment through the woods at all hours. It's nice to be able to do everything by foot and bike in a woodland rather than on a road for an entire holiday. Although we live in a city so yes, that is a novelty to us. Yes the activities are too expensive and during holiday periods the chalets themselves are ridiculously expensive. The grocery shop is okay priced and well stocked. The playgrounds are great; in some sites better than others. Honestly? I think they could fit in a few more around the place in all sites, you can never have too many. I haven't been on a Butlins or Haven holiday, but have heard from friends who enjoy the CP thing that they packed the car and returned home after a couple of days in Butlins. For whatever reason, they found the latter crowded and stressful by comparison.

I absolutely love Center Parcs but am a bit picky about which ones we go to. We go at least once a year and slwsys have a fab time. I despise Butlins & don't think it's the same at all. I could spend weeks on the lazy river

I have never gone and I never will. I couldn’t think of anything worse. Couldn’t care less if the kids love it, pretty much everything else revolves around them, they aren’t taking control of my holidays too!

I remember my friends raving about the new one in Windsor/Woburn? I decided there and then that I needed new friends....

Funny I spotted this thread! I really fancied taking my 8 month old dd 🤔

You sound lovely @shoesarefab

Lucky escape for your friends I'd imagine.

There aren’t that many self catering (or camping) places where you can walk or cycle to a whole load of activities. We go to Holland because you can safely cycle but self catering places in the U.K. countryside are usually in places you need to drive everywhere, if you go in a group of families then loading everyone into three cars and driving together and all getting parking is just such a faff. CP removed the faff by all being onsite.
(Note: we’ve only been in winter when it’s cheaper and quieter)

I really don't get the people judging their friends for going to CP?!
It's not my cup of tea, after my own experience (thus far!) but if my friends were going I'd just be happy for them that they were going on holiday.

pikey?! Nice, @escapade1234

Is it a tiny bit pikey?

Ahem.... Pikey?!

Hi Breastfeedingworries (hope it's going well by the way!) Personally, if your baby is your only child, I would make the most of adulty holidays for as long as you can, and save it for later when they can enjoy things like the kiddie discos. Unless you are travelling with a group who can help out and give you a rest. Centre Parcs is very oriented around children from toddlers up. Your 8 month old will be too small to fully appreciate the playgrounds. I appreciate it is hard to get a proper break really when your baby is little. There are nice baby pools in the resorts, but we found them a little cold for small babies for any length of time. I'm trying to think of what holidays I enjoyed when my eldest was that age, and frankly all I can remember is being permanently exhausted and wishing somebody would hold her for a while and give me a break.