to wonder why places like center parcs don't have washing machines in their accomodation?

[makingnosense]

They advertise themselves as family holiday places, yet one of the things you need with a young family is a washing machine! Who wants to lug their washing to the on site launderette.
They'll put in extra's like a coffe maker or a dishwasher, but no washing machine. Makes no sense to me.

I agree but if you are only going for a few days then surely you can do your washing when you get home?. We are going to Center Parcs in February.

we had one with a tumble drier too but you do need to pay for the upgrade!

We wanted a 2 week break in the summer holidays, but would be a nightmare without machine.

some of the villas do - but not the comfort ones. lakeside lodges and sme exec do.

even when we have been and had the washing machine i take it to the launderette - pay £6 and collect itlater all washed and dried and folded nicely!

agree all lodges should have them though.

thats interesting to know Calzone. I didnt know you could do that. Might be worth investigating then. I'm obviously whingeing for no reason then.

I've never felt the need to do the washing at CP, but then we only ever stay for 3 nights

If you can afford 2 weeks at center parcs then you could afford for a platinum plated luxury dry cleaning service to come round and personally launder every item that you own. Am in that anyone could even contemplate affording 2 weeks in center parcs at school holiday time.

probably because they're noisy and people want some peace on holiday.

you'll have to hand wash. my mum used to take see through plastic bags full of white washing powder when we went abroad. i'd always worry customs would find it .

I cannot believe what they charge for the summer!!!!

you could go abroad for the same price!

SEA - no need to handwash - there is a laundrette

It's brilliant abroad when you have a washing machine! We had a villa holiday in Ibiza when ds1 was little and we could do all our washing and it dried so quickly on the roof! We came home from holiday with no washing to do, which made a change, it usually resembled a chinese laundry after a holiday in our house - not fun after all that sun sea etc...

We normally spend the summer hols in a villa in florida, but am due to give birth any day soon and dont think i'd be up to 9+ hours on plane with a LO which is why we are looking at other options. I have to say I could get 6 weeks out there including flights for the stupid prices they charge at center parcs though.

It would be so lovely to have a washing machine in the villa. We have been to Centerparcs once before (Kempervennen) and was dismayed to find that the laundry was about £5 a load, service wash only. We did manage OK though - had enough undies, and the kids are at an age where they don't drop food on themselves.

Last year, we had a condo in Vermont, with a washer and drier, and we put it on every day. Obviously, with flying we had fewer clothes with us, so needed to wear each item several times.

Despite lack of laundry facilities, we have booked Centerparcs again for this summer (Lac d'Ailette).

makingnosense have you been to Centerparcs before ? Is it one of the UK ones that you are looking at ?

I love Centerparcs but I think you would have to be particularly keen to spend more than one week there. If it were me, I would probably do one week at CP then a week at a luxurious cottage somewhere, but as you have only asked a perfectly reasonable question about why they don't have washing machines, I will try to butt out and wish you good luck for your new baby.

Haven't been to Centreparcs before but been to something very similar in Belgium ( Sunparks). We had thought of doing 2 different ones in the UK over a 2 week period. I hadn't mentioned it before but I have 2 teenage foster boys as well, and they like their days filled with activites, so thats why we were considering something along the lines of centreparcs than a self catering cottage somewhere as I think they would get bored with that.

I took washable nappies to Centre Parcs in France and they washed them for me in the launderette. I did find it embarrassing handing them in but the ladies were very nice and it didn't seem to be the first time they had done it! But it was pricey! Would much have preferred self service or a washing machine in the villa.