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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

533 replies

CakePigeon4 · 31/07/2019 17:50

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?!

OP posts:
AmateurSwami · 31/07/2019 20:44

That's exactly what Centre Parcs is though, self catering in the woods.

V good point, my original comment didn’t really make sense I now realise..

I think I just like the rapids Grin

BottomliePotts · 31/07/2019 20:44

We paid £2k to go to Longleat for a week last August. It wasn't our first time but it was the worst. We actually left early. I won't be going again

notso · 31/07/2019 20:46

Grin AmateurSwami

HairyToity · 31/07/2019 20:46

We never went pre school as DD loved the beach and a cottage with animal feeding or pool and play barn on site. Cottage worked out cheaper than CP even during term time.

She is now 6 loves riding bikes, and would also love the water park, and all the activities. However, we are now school holidays, and it's too expensive.

I would pay up to £1500 for a 3 bed cabin at CP in school holidays, but when we've looked it's £2500.

Haven and Parkdean are within budget though.

Mollieben1 · 31/07/2019 20:47

I love it but it is expensive. We go in winter when it is cheaper. Pool and rapids are great and the spa is fantastic - best I've been to. The food is not great tbh - we usually cook our own. Have stayed in all different accomodation even the treehouse for a works do - it's amazing

Fragalino · 31/07/2019 20:48

I don't get it either. Thread on here last year? Year before, family paid thousands to have the pleasure of massive on site building works starting every night. They posted the noise. The company couldn't have cared less.
Zilch customer service.

Lindormilk · 31/07/2019 20:51

Its expensive if you make it expensive.

We’ve been 14 times and we love it. Used to go in term time so much cheaper then I started working term time so couldn’t do that but were lucky as every now and then the English half term falls in a different week to our so we get a bargain.

Went in February during the lovely warm week with another family and paid £329 for 5 if us. Giving us lots of spending money but we only ate out one evening in Bella Italia. Paid £100 for starters, mains and a drink each. £20 each, and we rarely go out eating anyway. I went out with DH one morning for breakfast to Cafe Rouge and drank Prosecco, and it was lovely.

Kids love it, old enough now to enjoy going out alone to play pool, get a starbucks, go for walks. They know the site, we go to the same one each time.

A week in the sun would bore me and the others. I burn, DH would be under a tree, DD1 would also burn and the other 2 would happily be in the water all day. We can all enjoy CP and be home in 3.5 hours.

kazza446 · 31/07/2019 20:51

Oh yes!! We were facing the building sight too. They never disclosed the building work either!

Mascarponeandwine · 31/07/2019 20:52

We can’t afford cp (limited to school holidays). I have just priced up a week in August in a 3 bed executive lodge and it’s over £3k. The hot tub lodges are nearer £4K. Why anyone would choose this over a week in the sun beats me (physical limitations excepted). I’d want Tom Hiddlestone sprawling in the hot tub in his boxers for that price 😂

Fontofnoknowledge · 31/07/2019 20:53

Here's an idea... rent a house in or near an actual forest.. not a manufactured one.. take your bikes, go to a local swimming pool and save ££££

Or just rent a house by a beach and use your GOD GIVEN IMAGINATION.. without having it provided for you. .. are people so stupid that they can't work out how to find a riding stables, a cycle path or a swimming pool. I despair

Chakano · 31/07/2019 20:53

If people are happy to pay the prices CP will charge them. It's never appealed to me, I'd maybe visit for a day, and then want some adventure and to see something new.

My kids were never into organised stuff either, so wouldn't have used half of the activities.

Mascarponeandwine · 31/07/2019 20:54

I remember that thread about building works! Didn’t the poster have to stop posting on mumsnet as part of the conditions of cp giving compensation?

AmateurSwami · 31/07/2019 20:54

I went to the one in Suffolk when it just opened and - I kid you not - while I was there, there was a fire in the swimming pool! Everyone had to get out and vacate the area. Quite funny when I look back.

I remember this! Whole place had to be rebuilt!

Anotheruser02 · 31/07/2019 20:54

I love Center Parcs, so does my ds, I loved it as a teen and now I love it as a LP. As a child we never did every activity going on holiday and I don't really feel obligated now to pick up every paid activity.

The best thing for us is that we can take Ddog who is very much a part of our family, then bike rides, swimming and a game of badminton outside the lodge swallows a whole day. I love CP around Feb time when it feels like it's been winter for ever, but Christmas was ages ago. The sub tropical pool building is most welcoming then, and the steam coming off of the rapids. It all makes me very nostalgic, I love riding home back to the lodge from the pool all tired out with wet hair. I don't expect amazing from any holiday, but we always get bloody lovely and I come home feeling like I had a break.

I would never fancy the idea of somewhere like Disney land, but I don't lack the imagination to see why others do. This year I'm going to a Eurocamp for the first time, which I'm hoping to love, but a bit apprehensive now after reading so many reviews now about shitty accommodation.

WalkAwaySugarbear · 31/07/2019 20:55

All the activities cost extra except for the pool.

AmateurSwami · 31/07/2019 20:56

Here's an idea... rent a house in or near an actual forest.. not a manufactured one.. take your bikes, go to a local swimming pool and save ££££

Or just rent a house by a beach and use your GOD GIVEN IMAGINATION.. without having it provided for you. .. are people so stupid that they can't work out how to find a riding stables, a cycle path or a swimming pool. I despair

That doesn’t end up cheaper though?
Don’t despair, it doesn’t even vaguely affect you.

Nonnymum · 31/07/2019 20:58

3 generations of us went and all loved it ages ranges from 60+ to a few months. We loved that everything was on site, you could walk everywhere, setting in a forest but there was also a man made beach and lake. Lots of activities to try, you would look out of your window and see ducks and squirells on the patio that the kids loved, great pool for all ages,. It is expensive but we went out of season and found it good value.

JustDanceAddict · 31/07/2019 21:00

Never go in peak times.
Do some cooking in chalet.
Do cheaper activities.
Kids can go off on their own and they’ve always loved the pool area.
Have been 4 x over the years and never had a bad stay.

Lindormilk · 31/07/2019 21:01

@Fontofnoknowledge blimey, no need to be so 😡.

mydogisthebest · 31/07/2019 21:01

Me and DH went with friends 2 years ago with friends. It was one of the friend's birthday and they wanted to go.

We went in March and I can't remember what it cost but I know it was expensive.

The accommodation was ok but nothing wonderful. There was not enough things like pots and pans for the amount of people. There was a coffee machine but not even enough of the pods for 1 coffee each.

There wasn't enough hot water for all 6 of us to have a shower in the mornings. The loo roll was cheap and nasty, only 1 roll per bathroom and when it run out it wasn't replaced!

The indian restaurant was awful. Me and DH make better curries than they did.

We were not impressed at all and would never go again. We were also angry at how much it cost. We could easily have got a nice cottage for less money

ForalltheSaints · 31/07/2019 21:03

Apart from the rear entry (!), if it is an upmarket Butlins/Haven, are you paying to avoid people who you may not wish to be around?

arethereanyleftatall · 31/07/2019 21:04

We love it. Here's why:

  1. Love being able to cycle/walk about with no cars anywhere
  2. The pools are fab
  3. As dh is a great bbq cook, self catering with time is better than any restaurant for us
  4. We don't do any extra things, not necessary for us; just swimming, cycling and good food with friends; so it isn't that expensive.
If it's not your cup of tea, don't go
arethereanyleftatall · 31/07/2019 21:06

Lol at @Fontofnoknowledge'S rant, which i read after my post. Chill out. I don't want to do that, thanks. I rather like having it handed on a plate to me for my holiday.

Esto · 31/07/2019 21:08

We love it, the kids love it. It's cheap (off peak) convenient, relaxing and fun.

I actually love it even more now knowing how frothy some posters seem to get about it Grin

cushioncovers · 31/07/2019 21:08

Went once. Never again.

Extortionate prices. Uncomfortable beds. No phone reception. Dark dingy chalet. Swimming pool was constantly overcrowded as it was the only free thing to do. I just don't get the attraction of it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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