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?!

Lots of cottage companies let you use pools and facilities in nearby hotels.
I have never come across that. I am sure it happens, but it is not the norm. And a lot of pools in hotels are not that great anyway.

We’ve been a few times in groups of mates. I agree it’s Butlins, priced for broadsheet readers who don’t want to mix with tabloid readers. Our friends like it but I don’t think it’s worth the money and the food is awful.

I don’t get why people feel the need to pit one holiday against another. If holidays were all better or worse than each other, neatly ranked, we’d all go to the exact same place as each other every single year. CP is not “better” than a cottage in Devon. Or a luxury hotel in Barbados. Or a caravan in Wales. Or a skiing trip in the Alps. Or a b&b in Scotland. It’s just another type of holiday that appeals to some and not to others. For some reason there’s always a heap of reverse snobbery regarding CP and people all love to pile in and scoff at what a waste of money it is or how it’s for people who think they’re posh or whatever. In reality, if your kids are the right age and you go at the right time of year it can be really good fun, not bad value and very convenient. And actually, I want a bloody break sometimes. Where I don’t have to do any donkey work, and everything is extremely accessible and extremely easy and geared up for families with small kids. Yes it’s a bit “fake nature park” and sprayed on, but it’s just easy. We went during the Winter Wonderland season when DD was tiny. She loved every second. It was less than £500 Mon to Fri. We cooked our own meals in the cabin except for one restaurant dinner where Santa came round with gifts and we watched fireworks. She saw reindeer, went for forest walks and spent hours every day in the pool which isn’t just a normal pool (for all the ones criticising that it’s marketed as “free” when hotel pools are always free) but more akin to a water park that you’d pay a small fortune to get a family in to anywhere else.

I really want to ask what “sort” of people go. I think I’d be flamed though, so I won’t.

Our young kids love it! I don't get it but The restaurants have soft play in them. Means you can actually eat a meal and have a wine whilst they play.

@StupidlittlepricknamedRick me too!! I was really surprised when it wasn't 😬

Before kids I wouldn't have gone there in a million years. But we've been a few times now at low season prices and it's been good.

Wouldn't pay the ridiculous holiday prices though.

I love it and go twice a year. I am looking forward to 7 nights in Autumn.

Whilst I admit it's a bit of a conveyer belt holiday compared to renting a cottage somewhere interesting. We are hooked - we're doing 7 nights in Autumn.

Me and DP who are usually at the end of our tether, with little energy to plan anything anymore, it's perfect. The children love it, are never bored or whiny and we just roll in and tune out. It's v restorative.

Bloody hell @ineedaholidaynow that's a blast from the past, Barry Island Butlins closed about 25 years ago .

And modern Butlins is a world away from vintage Butlins.

I nearly went to centre parcs as a child, then DF saw we could rent a gite in the South of France for the same price, so we did (I know this because twenty odd years later he still talks about it every time someone mentions centre parcs).... I don't feel like I missed anything, you don't have to be on holiday to ride a bike.

Dutch Center Parcs are fantastic. Much cheaper than the UK even factoring in the Euro tunnel. Cheaper activities. We have been to two, both near a Lidl so cheap food shopping was easy. One park had a real snow ski slope on site with very cheap ski lessons, the other had an amazing pirate themed adventure area. Go in late August when the local kids have gone back to school. Obviously you need passports but we really enjoyed the holidays.

I love it.

We’ve got 3 pre-schoolers. We go off-season, early May when it’s quite cheap and the weather is decent. It’s perfect for families with little kids.

Why is it spelt incorrectly
Because it's a European brand that spread to the uk. I believe it's originally from Holland

Yabu but if it isn’t your thing you don’t have to go.

I have been a few times as a single mum and we love it, we stay in the hotels which brings the price down massively. Last time we had an executive studio with kitchen which was nice but previously have managed fine making breakfast and eating out. They bring plates if you order takeout :) I have paid between £300-400 for 4 night breaks in school hols - Easter or Whit.

It feels incredibly easy and very safe. The staff are lovely. There is no loutish/drunken behaviour. Most of the customers seem happy and relaxed. Sometimes I want that. We use the pool and book an activity or two on the full days. We like the laser combat and DS has done high ropes a couple of times. We usually do badminton, tennis, pool. We eat out 2-3 evenings and have takeaway 1-2 evenings. We either eat out st lunch or buy sandwiches/snacks after a good breakfast. It’s not cheap eating out but it is the same anywhere. The pool is great and we go every day. We take DVDs and books and relax in the room. We enjoy the wildlife (birds, deer, squirrels). There is free WiFi. We cycle and are more active than when at home. I really can’t fault it.

We don’t always look for easy. We are going to New York in a couple of weeks, all booked independently. Sometimes we go to the seaside, other times camping or abroad all inclusive. Variety is great. Everything has its place.

Was 'treated' to a weekend there and having never been to any holiday like it I had no expectations. Our usual holidays are self arranged, nice hotels.
I have to say I was impressed - a huge cabin with several bathrooms, sauna in the garden, dishwasher, wine fridge, log fire etc etc.
Couldn't complain at all - no problem getting space to play tennis, have a sauna/facial and no noise around the cabin.

Bum sex aside, I don't mind CP generally, we just got back from a 5 day trip to Elveden, but it is a bit of a faff. By the time you've travelled there on the first day it's already lunch time, you can't get in to your chalet until 3pm, by the time you've unpacked and settled it's tea time, then on your last day you have to be out of the chalet by 10am which writes off the morning, and basically leaves you with three days to relax and unwind in the middle - it takes me 2/3 days to get in to holiday mode so it all feels a bit rushed to me. But we've not had a terrible experience at any of the CP sites - and I would expect not to after spending all that money. The organised activities, shops, restaurants and supermarket are horrifically expensive - but as others have said, if you're organised enough and don't mind the additional faff of cooking and washing up on your holiday (I mind!! Especially when it's 36c outside! 😡) you can self cater, but the fridges and freezers are minuscule when considering we had 4 adults and 2 children in our chalet. I don't know about Butlins, I've never been, but it would be nice if there were some sort of evening entertainment at CP

Here’s a thought if you can’t stand Center Parcs just don’t go, if you love it go. I don’t see what’s to gain coming on her slagging it off, some people’s idea of hell is two weeks in Benidorm, for some it’s two weeks in a tent in the Highlands everyone’s different.

We went during a cheaper time. Children loved it. Lots of activities and sports to try. We live in a city so being right in the countryside was great and it was so quiet. No police sirens, bus or train sounds. Cycled everywhere. Yes we could go swimming here, travel a bit and go horse riding etc but having all those things close by so we could try them was much better.
Also, I quite like premier inns.

My 16 and 10yr old have been on a lot of holidays, abroad and in this country.
They both beg to go back to c parcs and say it’s their all time favourite holiday!

We've been a couple of times when we lived near one, like 15 minutes away, therefore it was an easy holiday for us given my DH is a farmer and we have lots of animals to think about..we could get home quick in an emergency.

We all enjoyed it at the time and the kids loved it (but they aren't spoils when it comes to holidays because of DH work so are graceful for any holiday!) but we wouldn't do it again and wouldn't travel for it tbh. It was ridiculously £££ but it ticked the boxes for us then at the age the kids were at that stage in our life for a brief period. We've scratched that itch now and moved on.

People like different things & different holidays. Honestly, don't get why people always feel the need to comment on other peoples holidays and feel superior.

We went once. I don't mind it but it is not my first choice of a holiday. I also can't bring myself to pay the prices for the school holidays & it was expensive keeping our teen entertained. However, for preschool children in term time, I think it would be a nice little break. We didn't need to spend money on activities for our then 4-year-old.

Don't get it either. I hate having to book absolutely everything, you can't be spontaneous. So over priced. Much prefer a Haven caravan park!

I really want to go. It sounds awesome and I like the idea of the unlimited access to the pool/water park. And the nature bits. Do people go with friends or is it not that kind of thing?

I don't really understand why CP gets such a bad press tbh.

DH is a teacher so even though we still have preschoolers we still have to go in the school holidays. I try to shop around every year and I find the prices for CP, Butlins, Haven etc largely the same for school holidays. In fact Butlins may even work out more expensive once you've factored in the cost of fuel, as it's further from us. Self catering cottages are a similar price too, except we tend to spend all day in the car (not great with small DC tbh).

There are 2 CP within an hour of us, no driving when we get there, safe to cycle everywhere (will be particularly useful this year now DS1 can ride a bike), clean lodges, brilliant pool, everything is aimed/set up for families so there is something for everyone. It's an easy holiday and now we have 2 young DC it's ideal. There's something to do even if the weather is bad, and there's minimal planning required. Holidays with small DC often don't feel like a holiday but CP takes some of the stress out of it.

Different strokes for different folks. I personally don't understand why a family would spend £100+ to go to Peppa Pig World but each to their own

I've been very disappointed at how Centerparcs have evolved over the years.

We first went pre kids (BC) in the early '90s it was nowhere near as expensive, proportional to the cost of living, as it is now, and obviously being without kids we went with a group of 8 of us so only had to pay for 1 bedroom per couple. There were considerably fewer villas and more or less the same amount of facilities. If you went to the pool after 8pm it was pretty much empty. I do remember one night 9.30 we had it to ourselves, that's unheard of now.

Over the years they've added so many more villas but not extended the facilities, its now permanently busy. They've also upped the prices for school holidays. Yes they were always more expensive for the summer months but not the to the same proportion as now.

We have still been every now and then, and the only reason is it is the only place you can get such a good pool in the UK. Although I was very disappointed at the small size of the Milton Keynes one.

As kids have come along and grown up we tend to use the European ones instead. One year we got 2 cars across on the tunnel and a whole week in De Kempervennen for about half the cost of a midweek in Longleat.

As a business model it clearly works, but its not the experience it used to be.