Centre parcs will it always be £££?

[jazzupyourchuff]

I would love to go to Centre Parcs and we live local to one of the sites. I remember a few years ago looking at a short break in January and it was £299, just looked and for the same break now is £559!!
Is this just the wrong time (Covid) to go? Or is just going to be out of my price range forever now?
Proper first world problems I realise and I feel like a dick making a post about this.

The mid week breaks in term time can be pretty reasonable, but you need to book 6 months+ in advance, in my experience. The cheapest we have had is £350 - £400 though. I think you would be lucky to get it for £299.

They have defo upped their prices a lot in the 2 years 😕

Prices have always been high in school holidays, but tended to be ok in term time. However in the last year or so they’ve gone up loads both in term time and school holidays. I’m not sure how long it will last - they seem to have low availability whenever I look, so it might last. There are still lots of people looking to go on holiday in the UK.

We went for a winter term-time break there for £299 (we went with my parents and shared the cost) but that was in 2003!

We have just booked for June 559. Thought it was very reasonable for a 3 bed for 4 nights as lots of the facilities are free and walkable.

Center parcs has always been a massive rip off imho. Ditto Butlins. Can't believe how much extra you have to pay for after already paying to go! We looked at October half term five years ago. Worked out we'd need £3k for four of us for the accommodation then food and activities on top. Instead we went all inclusive for a week in Spain, flights, accommodation, food, entertainment, drinks - the lot for £1600. Including bikes for the day, so center parcs Costa style!

We used to go on a set weekend in January but stopped once we realised in 5 years the prices had gone up by 300+. For the same lodges which were just 5 years more tired & used.

It’s a shame because it is a great place to go but the prices are insane now unless you can go term-time midweek.

However, have a look at some of the European Center parcs as they can be a lot more reasonable.

When you can fly somewhere warmer for the same amount (sometimes cheaper), all inclusive, then it seems pretty pointless to stay in a dreary chalet in the woods. Remember the price is literally just for accommodation too, nothing else!

I loved centre parts as a kid and would love to take mine but the prices are stupid for what it is. They have completely out proves working middle families.

Outpriced*

Thanks all, these are all really useful tips. Sounds like it's been getting more expensive for years, regardless of Covid and more people holidaying in the U.K.

We went to one in the Netherlands. It was far cheaper to pay for fuel, the channel tunnel and the accommodation itself than going to one in the UK!

We've gone the past 4 years for the same week and we have paid the same amount for the past 4 years. There's been no increase for us.

We used to go for 300/400 in Jan too

We’ve always gone when it’s been cheaper ie, when kids’ school hols have been out of sync, apart from our first time when we didn’t know better (wasn’t as much relatively as it is now).
It’s much more reasonable in term time, but I haven’t looked at prices for a while as my DCs say they’ve outgrown it now.

@Luckydog7 what facilities are free? The pool area is, but you now are limited to how long you can be in it and the play areas are, but very little else is free at Center Parcs.

We used to go nearly every year to our local one, DS’s favourite place, and had some lovely holidays there. Last time we went was 2019 and we were commenting on how the prices for the activities were getting ridiculous. I have just looked at the price of accommodation. Can’t see us going back now.

At the moment, the pool use is restricted but it worked for us. We were in the pool every morning (7 night stay) for up to three hours (too long for us really). And there is unlimited swimming after 6pm on top of that. Obviously that could change, but I think (haven’t checked this) you can cancel a booking if the any new restrictions are too restrictive for you.

Are they worth it? It looks a bit rubbish - in winter, it's just staying in a small area in not very nice weather, and the summer option is sort of the same. What is the fascination with them?

I’d probably prefer limited time in the pool as it was getting too busy for me (I like to swim rather than throw myself down the rapids) but a poster was saying lots of facilities are free, and I was trying to work out what they were. DS would stay in the pool all day if he could

The attraction for us - lots of activities to suit all ages of children and likes/dislikes, staying on site so can walk/cycle to activities and no vehicles on the roads there save for cars on changeover day and site maintenance vehicles, eating and drinking options, the pool is a massive draw, the accommodation is self catering and fully equipped which works for us, a few sites within a few hours’ drive of where we live so we can load the car and go, option of meeting grandparents there and spending time with them dipping in and out of the activities.

We love it.

We've gone fairly regularly over the years but it's gone downhill IMO, so we haven't been this year. Just don't feel it's worth the money anymore. Some of the lodges are very scruffy and some of the facilities, restaurants etc have seen better days.

I'd spend your money elsewhere OP.

I imagine it to be a bit pants in winter, when it's dark at half 4 and freezing

I used to love swimming in the outside pool when it was dark and cold, even swam when it was snowing once

I've always thought it was pretty naff tbh, even when it was cheaper it wasn't worth the money imo.

Centreparcs has always been incredibly expensive for what it is.
Much better value booking your own (much nicer) self catering accommodation and organising your own activities.