We see you Center Parcs

[Doyoumind]

Due to go to Center Parcs later this summer.

Following today's announcements, they've said they will keep the restricted swimming slots. So where you used to pay a lot for a holiday but at least had free use of the pool whenever you wanted, you now get only 2 x 2 hour slots over 5 days/4 nights. They say customers like it.

I'm not convinced ending all restrictions now is right but clearly if people have limited time swimming, they will be paying for expensive alternative activities and CP will be making money from it. They know people are so desperate for a holiday they are unlikely to cancel.

I know they are a business and want to make money but they can't just carry on with 4 hours of swimming when people have paid so much and not expect a backlash.

We loved but butlins best when the kids were younger,, but cp is better for the older ones.
They are definitely different holidays.

I wouldn't go. We like to swim every day on holiday. While I think having to book is ok, the restriction to two slots would not suit us. We are in Cornwall at the moment. You have to book the pool but you are allowed to book twice in one day.

@jiskoot

I'm one of those that like it! Going with DH in October and we don't use the pool a lot, having a booked slot with fewer people to battle against is bliss. I appreciate those with kids go for that reason but sounds like some of you spend hours/days there. Do you not do anything else? Walks, bike rides, crazy golf? We did a treasure hunt and geocaching last time as well which was cheap and fills a few hours. I love swimming but I don't want to spend my entire break in the pool.

Really don't understand people who say it's crazy expensive, costing us about £600 for four nights, will probably do a couple of activities costing about £100 total, couple of games of pool, badminton is dirt cheap, pottery painting, a swimming session. But otherwise have lots of walks and bike rides and just chill out...all of this fills our four days easily!

I suspect you’re in the minority of their customer base going with no kids. It adds up very quickly. Plus the other activities are very short and generally not as appealing as playing in the pool for ages.

If you book Monday to Monday that is a 7 night stay. Ie arrive Monday afternoon, leave the following Monday morning.

@jiskoot

I'm one of those that like it! Going with DH in October and we don't use the pool a lot, having a booked slot with fewer people to battle against is bliss. I appreciate those with kids go for that reason but sounds like some of you spend hours/days there. Do you not do anything else? Walks, bike rides, crazy golf? We did a treasure hunt and geocaching last time as well which was cheap and fills a few hours. I love swimming but I don't want to spend my entire break in the pool.

Really don't understand people who say it's crazy expensive, costing us about £600 for four nights, will probably do a couple of activities costing about £100 total, couple of games of pool, badminton is dirt cheap, pottery painting, a swimming session. But otherwise have lots of walks and bike rides and just chill out...all of this fills our four days easily!

We went when the pool was shut and the site had 23% occupancy (straight after lockdown). It was bliss, so quiet and peaceful.

They have built a vast new climbing frame area at the site I last visited, so some things are free. Centerparcs must have had a terrible year financially. They may need to do whatever works for them.

when we have been to CP we have spent most of our free time in the pool. That was a BIG pull for us. There is no way we could justify the holiday now which is a real shame

"""""CP are dead to me. I knew it was wildly expensive at the time of booking, which I was willing to suck up because of the convenience of the location and the freedom of the bike trails etc.

I quickly realised how grasping their business model actually is. Ok, I knew that too but two things pushed me over the edge:

1. On a huge, huge site there was no patch of grass big enough for kids to play football on. Vile, cynical and deliberate policy to make parents pay by the hour to access a locked football pitch.

1. Charging 20p for the spin driers in the changing rooms. Honestly, that made me want to hulk out and rip the thing off the wall in rage. How grudging and unwelcoming are you willing to be, Center Parcs? If you were a person Dickens would be embarrassed to write about you.

Just keep building more and more chalets in the safe knowledge that families who can't or don't want to travel abroad will always come. Well I won't, you penny pinching rip off merchants.""""""

Absolutely brilliant Post 👏👏👏👏👏👏

Yes, it's a rip off.

However, given the uncertainty around COVID and traveling with kids, it's a good option for this year. I've never been before, and if it's not very good, then I won't be back.

Anyone else doing Sherwood? Which activities are good?

Really don't understand people who say it's crazy expensive, costing us about £600 for four nights, will probably do a couple of activities costing about £100 total, couple of games of pool, badminton is dirt cheap, pottery painting, a swimming session. But otherwise have lots of walks and bike rides and just chill out...all of this fills our four days easily!

That's exactly what people mean by saying it's crazy expensive. £600 for 4 nights out of school holidays is incredibly expensive for not particularly amazing self catering accommodation. Booking self catering accommodation outside Center Parcs in (say) the Peak District with adventurous activities nearby is much better value for what you want to do.

I can get four nights elsewhere for £600 and on a half board basis too, £600 for self-catering and pretty much only a swimming pool for free is a rip-off.

Centre Parcs are currently trying to develop a new site in Sussex that will wreck a SSSI protected nature area. For a company that sells themselves on being about getting back to nature I think that’s pretty shocking.

Two adults, four children, gold accommodation, premium dining, Monday to Friday in June next year. Much cheaper.

@jiskoot

I'm one of those that like it! Going with DH in October and we don't use the pool a lot, having a booked slot with fewer people to battle against is bliss. I appreciate those with kids go for that reason but sounds like some of you spend hours/days there. Do you not do anything else? Walks, bike rides, crazy golf? We did a treasure hunt and geocaching last time as well which was cheap and fills a few hours. I love swimming but I don't want to spend my entire break in the pool.

Really don't understand people who say it's crazy expensive, costing us about £600 for four nights, will probably do a couple of activities costing about £100 total, couple of games of pool, badminton is dirt cheap, pottery painting, a swimming session. But otherwise have lots of walks and bike rides and just chill out...all of this fills our four days easily!

£600 for two of you - so a one bed lodge for four nights! I think that’s really expensive. £150 night?

@BlatantlyNameChanged

Two adults, four children, gold accommodation, premium dining, Monday to Friday in June next year. Much cheaper.

The problem being of course is that is in Skegness, which is a fucking shithole.

CP can be reasonable if you pick your weeks, expensive if you don't. They clearly have a very good understanding of balancing supply vs demand though as they run at >90% occupancy the entire year round.

£600 for two of you - so a one bed lodge for four nights! I think that’s really expensive. £150 night

I agree, you can get dinner, bed and breakfast in somewhere like the Peebles Hydro for a couple for that, and only slightly more for a family room. Includes spa access, activities and on the edge of Glentress forest.

But I did look at an executive apartment for 2 at one of the Center Parcs next March, which was about £360 for either the weekend or midweek break, so more reasonable.

Apologies if it’s been answered already but are European Center Parcs operating the same pool policy? I realise they’re entirely seperate companies though!

I won’t rebook UK CP until it’s unlimited swimming again or, at a push, daily swimming slots. I justify the price by using the pool loads, it’s just not worth it otherwise for my family.

Which is the best Butlins then?

We did Crieff Hydro earlier this year, it was great to be away but is expensive and has quite a basic pool only. The main draw is the kids club which is included in the cost. A few years ago it was 6 hours per day (I think? Might have been 8?) and you could book bridging sessions, dinnertime sessions etc, there was loads of flexibility. It's now 1 session of 2 hours per day and only a choice of 10am or 1pm. That was fine for our DC, they had a lovely time there and 2 hours was enough for us to play tennis/read a book in peace but I did wonder to myself if it will ever go back to the very generous hours it used to be, or if 'covid' will have reduced it forever...

The problem being of course is that is in Skegness, which is a fucking shithole

Skegness town? There's no obligation to visit it. Butlins is around two miles outside of the town and self-containe, I've only ever been into town twice when we visited - once to go to the aquarium (very nice, pirate themed) and once to visit the health centre for a prescription when I realised I'd forgotten to pack DD's brown inhaler.

Personally I'd be relieved that they're keeping people safe and not going down the "let it rip" route.

Thank you Center Parcs!

I wouldn't go again until the swimming was back open, it's the main thing my children like to do (not that I LOVE it but it's by far their favourite thing) and we'd go at least once a day, often a couple times and to be only able to go twice in a 5 day period would be a huge let down for them!

I was thinking about this last night…..I give it a year before you can purchase extra swimming sessions. CP will see an opportunity to make more money.

CP are a massive rip off, always have been. I've sometimes had a brief look out of curiosity but always end up comparing it to a holiday abroad. This year abroad is not an option for many, I get that (and we ourselves are staying in the UK) but I simply couldn't justify paying CP prices, even though we could afford it if we wished. That booking system sounds extremely limiting. But having said that, I'm sick to death of swimming pool booking systems due to Covid anyway.

Bluestone are managing to not require booking for their pool. They’ve just stopped all day passes and day guests.

We are going in September for a weekend. It's been rearranged twice and we have £150 off (£50 come back soon and £100 because of lockdown). So we will go and have a lovely time but we won't be back until swimming isn't unlimited again. We go every year normally. We often go twice a day, I don't want to plan when we will feel like swimming in advance.

They do offer 7 night breaks, they have done for ages.