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?!

Newsflash- everyone likes different things on holiday!!

I think the posters who went to the pool once whilst staying at CP have probably missed the point of CP!

Each to their own though isn't it. We have been to CP once and it was nice enough but a bit dull and in my opinion totally overpriced. However the best holidays are what works for your family when you have children. DD is an only child and especially since DH died holidays are much happier for us if she can make a gang of friends and have some freedom so Eurocamp type resorts have meant amazing holidays for us. Lots also have the added advantage of seeing the sun and lazy days around the pool and sitting on the terrace. Lots are often in amazing locations and if you shop around you can get a great lodge/caravan at great value prices if you go with the right company. If you told me that would have been one of my favourite type of holiday pre DC I would have laughed but you just need to find the right site for you, so waterpark/ proper pool to swim in and spa for me.
We also did Butlins a few times because the Bognor one was near to my parents when they retired and it was good value with a toddler. Honestly the hotels were fab, as was the spa, and DD had the time of her life with most of the entertainment and rides included. It just made her so happy so we were happy and off peak it had a totally different vibe to the one time we made the mistake of going for a couple of days over the xmas holidays! We also have used lots of Haven type sites (but only actually Haven once, not a fan) when visiting family spread all over the UK. We have had some lovely little breaks and now go to a privately owned site a few times a year only 90 mins from home. It is just such a relaxing break being able to get up and be at the pool for an early swim/gym. DD (now with friends) is totally free to roam/scooter/bike all day. It helps that the location is really restful and it is not predominantly a holiday park. It is our happy place!

What's wrong with modern Butlins or Premier Inn? Really decent and good fun. However Center Parcs Uk is massively overpriced so we are trying Center Parcs in Europe this year. Are you a snob OP?

I haven’t read the whole thread but anyway ....

Wouldn’t it be boring if everyone liked the same thing.

If you don’t like it don’t go .... simples really.

We like it so we go. Only got under school age kids at the minute so go term time and don’t think it’s unreasonable.

Food on the shop is no more expensive than a convenience store - or bring your food with you. Stop at a super market on the way and do a big shop.

Most holidays have extras you have to pay for. If you don’t want to pay for activities don’t. Go swimming go to parks go for walks ?

Surely you could say this about any holiday - if you don’t like skiing spend x amount on skiing would seem a lot but if you enjoy it money well spent.

Tbh I don’t really get these threads. People like different things and threads like these just end up with people looking down there nose at others because the enjoy different things 🤷🏻‍♀️

@gotmychocolateimgood
It’s for Elveden forest from 8th April. It’s just Monday to Friday.

I first went when it opened over 30 years ago with my young children. They now go with their children and we often all go together and have villas next to each other. We’ve even been at Christmas. My Grandchildren love the winter wonderland. It’s my money and my children’s money to spend it on whatever holiday we fancy. We’ve also done the aqua sana several times. We’ve only had to complain once about a villa and we were quickly moved to another villa. We were also given meal vouchers and day passes as compensation which we didn’t even ask for,

I have been sitting on my hands trying not to comment but am heading to bed in a CP cabin.
We have had a fantastic few days with my elderly mother and small children.

Yes it is expensive but you have the choice to eat in your cabin or in chain resteraunts and you do not have to do extra activities.

We have had a ball, it is our only break all year and we totally appreciate it.
Apart from the bikes, we hate the bikes.

Son with ASD loves it! Same cabin layout and decor every time, fresh air, animals, cycling and swimming. Bliss. We don't eat out, I meal plan and self cater. We don't do the extra activities either other than a boat ride. Would if the kids want to but they don't. It's safe, clean (we get housekeeping too) relaxing, and it makes us happy. Yes it's expensive but not that much more than other breaks away.

Always a good idea to remind yourself that your experiences and opinions are not universal

I had major food poisoning from their elvenden forest site

Bloody chicken crepes

For me, it’s that no one would go to a Bella Italia in real life, might got to a Cafe Rouge at a push, but they’ll suspend their disbelief and treat them like real restaurants when they’re at CP.

@Davespecifico

What's wrong with Bella Italia and Cafe Rouge?

Snob

I didn’t really get it but I think it depends on where you live. I’m quite rural so have loads of forest, walks to explore so I went and found the forest at Woburn to be shite compared to home. If you’re more urban it’s going to be much more of a novelty. But for me, it didn’t feel like I was getting away from anything.

I think my kids would like the pool when they’re older so we might go back some day but for the price, id rather get a nice hotel and explore or stay at home and do activities.

@Davespecifico I love CPs but I must admit you’ve got a point there. For the prices and the clientele they tend to attract you’d think they could come up with something a bit nicer for the restaurants. I’d be very happy with a pizza express or a carluccios, I’m not asking for an outpost of the Ivy, but Bella Italia?

"Unless the novelty of a wood or a squirrel is that extreme and amazing to you, they are terrible quality, and in summation, utter shite"
∆∆
This exactly....I couldn't have put it better myself!

@Supermum29 thanks, for the two of you that seems good value. For a family of 4 it would be £1049. Still quite expensive for 4 nights but I'll bear it in mind as it's cheaper than the summer holidays.

I don’t necessarily think Bella Italia etc are bad - in fact I think they’re on par with pizza express etc that other posters have purported to be better... but I did wish there was more choice when we were at CP.
Having two stArbucks in a tiny park for example just seemed really unimaginative. I actually wish they had at least one independent place per park, even if it was coffee and cake or something. Probably wouldn’t work with their business model but I imagine, with the customer demographic, it would work well.

People are such snobs about CP. It gets boring tbh.

@celticprincess I’m sorry, WTF - you’re only allowed off the site at certain times?!!!

@Booyahkasha nothing at all wrong with Butlins/Haven or Premier Inn! My point was that it seems like CP charges a vast amount more money to offer a similar level of experience/accommodation.

@GriphookTheGoblin I think people are just snobs about other people’s holidays if it doesn’t fit with their idea of what is a “good” holiday tbh. It’s like people who don’t do the norm feel superior. You see the same on AI holiday threads - lots of sneery responses.
AI and CP wouldn’t be my first choice but I think it’s great they fit what so many people want and are readily available. We all have different lifestyles, which change over the years, only makes sense we would like different styles of holiday to fit with that. I’m quite sure our idea of a perfect break will change over the next few years.

When we did centre parks the activities all cost a fortune so we didn’t do many, we couldn’t get off site - well you can but have to adhere to certain times which didn’t suit us.

Why are you lying? It’s so stupid. You don’t need to make lies up to prove how much better you are at holidays.

You can leave the site any time at CP. what you can’t do, is drive to and from your lodge at any time. The site is traffics free and you have to leave your car in the outer car parks, but from there you can leave and return any time. If you return and the gates are not manned there is space to leave your car outside the barrier and you can walk back to your lodge. Although imo this has never happened to me and have always been able to drive back to the outer car park at any time even late at night.

@CakePigeon4 she’s lying. You can go off site whenever you want. You just can’t drive your lazy ass to and from your lodge because the site is traffic free (it’s major benefit!) except on changeovers.