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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No washing machine at centreparcs

470 replies

SuperCaliFragalistic · 26/07/2021 22:39

I'm at centreparcs for a week. Someone else paid for this holiday which I'm very grateful for. However our 4 bed (sleeps 8) Lodge doesn't have a washing machine and there are no laundry facilities on site. I know its a massive rip off anyway, and I know I should have checked the details and packed more stuff, but seriously? Now I'm expected to rinse my knickers in the sink after paying 4k for this this holiday! It takes the piss.

OP posts:
Congressdingo · 27/07/2021 08:14

@MadeOfStarStuff

YABU

You can’t harp on about paying £4K when you haven’t actually paid Hmm

And who on earth doesn’t take enough pants for their whole holiday? You should’ve checked about the washing machine, this is on you.

It's not just about pants though. Towels, tshirts, shorts and jeans. If I took a towel for every member of the family for every day and extra for swimming only, I'd have a car full of towels and not much else would fit in. If you have a disabled person amongst your family then depending on the disability (one of my family members drools all day and night) you could well need extra clothes, for my family this would include so many tops and as nappies are still used too, a whole lot of bottoms too. Adult nappies can be just as useful/useless as babies nappies. If a baby can have a poonami so can my family member. Add in the special wheelchair and as big as my car is, after packing all that stuff for a week, I'd get no actual people in it.

It's just a washing machine, they are not a luxury these days and every single holiday cottage I've been to has them.

fizbosshoes · 27/07/2021 08:15

In answer to everyone who asks "who does washing on holiday?"
I dont always plan to but one time DD spectacularly threw up without warning about 10 min away from our holiday accomodation (not centre parcs as thats not within our budget) and I was pretty gutted there wasn't a washing machine in the chalet. Thankfully there was a communal laundry area that we used the next day. Getting the smell out of the car was way more problematic! Blush

IamnotSethRogan · 27/07/2021 08:15

I would just assume.therrs a washing machine ! The hoeseasons we go to in Devon has one and they're only small Swiss lodges

sweetpinksugar · 27/07/2021 08:15

@SuperCaliFragalistic Ask at guest services. We went longleat a few times and my mum often used the laundry service.

Conchitastrawberry · 27/07/2021 08:16

Yanbu, we go to a small campsite regularly that has a washing machine and dryer . Every campsite I’ve been to gas washing facilities.

I wouldn’t have expected one in the chalet but would expect CP to have a laundry. I wouldn’t have bothered to check either and just assumed.

SmokeyDevil · 27/07/2021 08:16

@Azilliondegrees

So strange all these people saying they wouldn’t do a wash on holiday. We do pack enough clothes but generally want to wash swimmers/beach stuff, and we had one torrential day last holiday, and I also went horse riding so wanted to get that stuff clean. DH also went for a few runs and a fairly long cycle so I don’t want to transport his stinky kit home after several days languishing in a heap.

And then of course, what if the child voms on the way? Are you meant to just hold on to rancid vomit for a week? Or what if the baby poos out of the nappy? Just throw the clothes away?

It is completely bizarre the lengths some of you will go to to assert yourselves as good planners and organised people like it’s some kind of badge of honour.

Like you I still come home with a whole day’s washing because we don’t wash everything on holiday, but I do welcome the chance to wash stuff that’s in need of it!

Take more than you need. I take more underwear than I need in case something happens, like illness or breakdowns or cancellations (if it's a flight). Extra underwear and an extra t shirt or two doesn't take much space. Just makes sense to take more than you need.

Clothes will still also wash fine after sitting for a while dirty. Or do you do daily washes at home? I own a horse, I still don't do daily washes at home. It can sit in the basket and smell.

IamnotSethRogan · 27/07/2021 08:16

And also doing a couple of washes while away for a week is a lot less soul destroying than doing a mountain when you get home

HelloDulling · 27/07/2021 08:17

I would never book a holiday home without a washing machine, it’s ridiculous to think a large family on a UK, outdoorsy break won’t need to wash at all during a week’s stay.

Sparklingbrook · 27/07/2021 08:18

At least from this thread anyone thinking of booking to go to CP will now know there's no washing machine and can either go somewhere that does or take a mountain of clothes to make sure if they do.

RBKB · 27/07/2021 08:20

My kids loved that bollocky place and I literally went 20 times. But packed everything, including every meal...because they make every attempt to fleece you known to man. Once we were unable to cook in our chalet as it was overtaken by a huge swarm of flying ants. They offered 8 of us £10 to replace our half cooked anty pasta.

Benjispruce5 · 27/07/2021 08:24

I can’t believe they get away with charging so much!

DGFB · 27/07/2021 08:24

I agree, there should be a laundrette on site

Yuckyfinger · 27/07/2021 08:24

@RBKB

My kids loved that bollocky place and I literally went 20 times. But packed everything, including every meal...because they make every attempt to fleece you known to man. Once we were unable to cook in our chalet as it was overtaken by a huge swarm of flying ants. They offered 8 of us £10 to replace our half cooked anty pasta.
Well they missed one chance to make some (more) money - they could have had a communal laundry and charged guests £10 for 1 load of washing! Grin
namesnamesnamesnames · 27/07/2021 08:25

I've been too basic campsites that find room for a washing machine and dryer. I'm shocked! Not that the lodge doesn't have one but that there isn't one on site.

MaggieFS · 27/07/2021 08:26

@ineedaholidaynow

If your child wets the bed you get housekeeping to change it.

What do people do if they stay in a hotel? You don’t tend to get washing machines in your hotel room

I wouldn't stay in a hotel on a family holiday with small children for many reasons, primarily not wanting to be stuck sat in the dark once DC are in bed, but also the need for facilities which self catering offers. Typically including a washing machine!
Benjispruce5 · 27/07/2021 08:27

We stayed in a villa with pool in Spain a few August’s ago for far less than £4K!!!! I used the washing machine a few times and decided to wash everything before we returned and it dried in an hour in the hot sun while I lay by the pool.

CandidaAlbicans2 · 27/07/2021 08:29

YANBU. CP is marketed as ideal for children and offering lots of outdoor activities, the combination of which is going to create lots of dirty clothing. So I would expect there to be washing facilities on site - not necessarily in each cabin, but at least a laundry room - especially for that price too. As others have said, having washing facilities of some sort with self catering places is pretty normal.

Completely agree. I take 2 dc dog and rabbit…
@TonytheDog, I love that the rabbit goes on holiday with you! Tell us more please Grin

MiddlesexGirl · 27/07/2021 08:29

@worriedatthemoment

Its not packing your entire wardrobe though is it , 7 days , maybe 8/9 tops and 5 bottoms ans lots underwear should easily see through , thats a small bags worth
For four of you that's four -small- in my experience large once you've included waterproofs, jackets for cold weather etc., bags. And again - I don't want a huge stack of dirty laundry when I get home. It takes less than a minute to put a load in the washer and then dryer. These things are provided as standard at self catering holiday cottages so why not Center Parcs given the prices?
namesnamesnamesnames · 27/07/2021 08:30

@worriedatthemoment

Obviously most of you don't stay in caravans or cheap chalets as they never have washing machines.
Often they have paid-for facilities on site though.
LondonJax · 27/07/2021 08:33

I never book a self catering place unless there's a washing machine. And I've never even seen a self catering place without a washing machine...except Centreparcs.

We stayed at a lovely place in Cornwall a few years ago. Indoor and outdoor swimming pool, huge games room for the kids, tractor rides (farming family), lovely on site restaurant by a lake and a spa for me. All the places had a washing machine etc., you could walk into Bude by the side of the canal and a supermarket 5 minutes ride in the car.

And it was half the price at least of Centreparcs. All that was missing was the bike hire (which you could get close by).

Jerseygirl12 · 27/07/2021 08:33

Years ago when the Winfell one became a Center parcs we did get a washing machine, it was great.

Sparklingbrook · 27/07/2021 08:35

What are you actually getting for the 4K? A previous thread said at the moment the swimming pool has to have prebooked slots and that's the main feature of the holiday by all accounts.
No food included and all activities extra? No washing machine.

ILoveAllRainbowsx · 27/07/2021 08:35

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Benjispruce5 · 27/07/2021 08:39

Eveey caravan site I’ve stayed on ( U.K. and France) has a laundry facility on site.

GameSetMatch · 27/07/2021 08:41

You are in a lodge for 8 people for a week and it’s cost 4K that’s only £500 per person for a weeks holiday, who washes clothes on holiday anyway you are there to relax. Stop moaning and enjoy yourself!