To not get the fuss about centerparcs?

[BelleMarionette]

It seems to have an almost cult like following. I went recently and joined the Facebook group to see if any useful information and anyone who dares say anything negative is immediately jumped upon. Centerparcs can do no wrong apparently.

When we went, the cost was exorbitant (nearly £3k for one week for a poky terraced single story 'lodge') and nothing was included other than the pool. Activities were extremely overpriced. The shop and restaurants were also poor both in terms of value and quality. The pool was overcrowded, changing rooms and pool dirty, and it looked very tired. Only a tiny, boring playground on site.

I've been to Bluestone and found it much better: better quality and more spacious accommodation, included activities and play areas, both inside and out. Paid activities were reasonably priced too. Pool was far better maintained.

I've been to Butlins too: so so much cheaper and loads included. Accomodation was also better, and the pool was miles better than center parcs.

I don't understand what the obsession with center parcs is, especially given how poor value it is.

AIBU?

Way back when.... There was a similar debate about Club Med. Very overpriced to the Brits, but we did not buy into the philosophy and Spirit the way the French did.

We were at Sherwood Forest last weekend and had a great time, yes it's expensive to book but if you swim every day and take food to cook with you can make it cheap when you're there! My ten year old loves it and we try to get a weekend every November, I wouldn't go for a luxury weekend as a couple though, it's great fun

I love Center Parcs, but I agree that the prices are extortionate. It's much more reasonable out of season, so we won't be able to go once DS starts school.

I think what I like about it is the convenience-places to eat that suit small children, no need to get in the car and drive anywhere, lots of activities and facilities to entertain DS. He absolutely loves any organised activity (I would have HATED it as a kid) so it's bliss as far as he is concerned.

It's also nice that he can scamper about without worrying too much about traffic. I find a Center Parcs trip much more relaxing than a longer holiday and would honestly prefer 4 days there to a fortnight somewhere else. I think I'm just knackered though and will feel differently when he's older.

Different strokes for different folks I suppose, my parents wouldn't have liked it and my sister and I wouldn't have wanted to do many of the activities, so it would have been a waste of money.

Tory Pontins.

I don't get claims that CP is like "being in the countryside". I went once for a hen do and it was like being in the middle of a suburban housing estate.

With nearly a thousand accommodation units how many do you think one person can clean? 😂😂

I expect that's why they have "hundreds" of cleaners

There's also the main areas to clean as well I should think

It was so clean in the 90s when I would go as a child. The pool was brilliant but I was 9-12 so perhaps rose tinted glasses. We went for our honeymoon. Overpriced, tired but I guess now I'm older and having to pay its more obvious.

The cleaner who did our lodge said they get two hours to clean a lodge and she did two a day.

It is very very overpriced

Red squirrels at Whinfell

We love it there. Hadn't been for years previously but we we there in September. Our lodge was £580 and we shared with family so was only £290 each couple. We did go during term time - I agree that it's overpriced when the kids are off school! Was the perfect first holiday for our 8 month old. We'll be making the most of Center Parc holidays before he's school age.
There's nowhere else you can holiday that baby can sit in the warm and watch as Muntjacs, ducks, squirrels and moorhens come up to the door - we have a photo of baby watching as all 4 species came to the door at once! That, and the swimming were the highlights of his first holiday. They are simple pleasures that might not please everyone, but definitely a great holiday for those with pre-schoolers. There were loads of families with babies when we stayed there.

Umm, I dunno, perhaps because it's literally in a forest..?

We absolutely love it. But it is very expensive, especially in school holidays so will be a while before we go back.

It's a perfect holiday with pre school kids and the pools are amazing.
We did Winter Wonderland last December for DS's 4th Birthday and DD was 9mths. It was just absolutely amazing. Probably one of the best weeks I've ever had. It was completely magical...DS did Gingerbread Decorating and Clip n Climb Treetop, we all did Festive Pottery and made some lovely tree baubles with the children's hand prints on, and we also had a Festive horse drawn carriage ride. The Enchanted forest and lights were beautiful, Lodge spotlessly clean like it always is and food was all really nice. Will hopefully go back when DD is a bit older to do it again.

Basically this.

No awful massive "character" people waving around and trying to make people dance. In fact no forced shows at all.

I think it's one of those things that people expect to be cheaper as on the surface it's a basic lodge & pool, but actually they have almost 100% occupancy all year round so why would they reduce the prices? Higher they are the less chance of "trouble" I would imagine.

The crux of the matter is that it's an easy weekend away IF you can afford it.

If it's your sole holiday of the year then absolutely you can get "more" for less money elsewhere. And maybe your bonus weekend is a £20 travel lodge.

But if money (at that level - ie 000s or maybe £1-2000 depending on family size) is not really an issue, then CP is a perfectly adequate weekend away with friends / extended family etc.

It's hardly comparable to jetting off to NYC for a Xmas shopping weekend or multiple ski weekends - which PLENTY of people do every year. That's more in the £2-10k spare bracket!

Different folk have different budgets. Shock
Horror.

You’ve totally nailed it, I went for the first time this year, it creeped me and my mate the hell out. For the person talking about the prices keeping away ‘chavs’ (not my choice of phrase) I thought it would be full of MC types but was surprised it seemed more WC families to me. How I always imagined Butlins/Haven etc. We never went on holidays like that when I was a child so I wouldn’t know really.

I was shocked at how bad the changing rooms were. Grim, dirty floors, just like any other public pools. The rapids were brilliant though. The restaurants were basic and crap.

I liked the walks, but the weird, slightly sinister ‘Truman’ atmosphere tarnished it.

Yeh in the same way that Bracknell is actually Bracknell Forest 😂

It didn't feel that much like being in a forest. More like a cheap housing estate. The accomodation was pretty poor.

I've stayed in a Scottish country estate in a beautiful lodge, with a private cabin and hot tub by the river, for cheaper. That was truly rural, with a handful of people in 100s of acres.

Oooh please link the Scottish place that sounds amazing, you can pm it to me if you prefer :)

(Totally agree with you about CP by the way!)

I think it would be far nicer if there were fewer people there.

Crowds ruin the forest vibe somewhat. If I wanted crowds I’d go to Oxford St.

A shame because in the past it has made an easy, accessible, fun break for us as a family with children who have accessibility needs.

Agee at bluestone right now (did centreparcs a while ago). We love the golf buggies and the children are often happy just going for rides around.

Plus this year they opened a new big indoor Childrens play area

ive been going to CP for 20 years. Its where we go. My kids are older (2 adults and 1teen) and we swim, drink a cocktail or two and play pool.

i love the sense of being able to walk 10 mins to the pub and have a wine and a meal. Read a book, run in a flat place, kids do their own thing,

i detest beach holiday, they bore me.

and ive never paid over the odds as I always took the kids out of school (Mumsnet shoot people down for this) but im past caring!

I went to center parcs shortly after it opened here. At the time, it was considered a bit hippie. Most people there were lovers of nature who enjoyed going in bikes everywhere. The pools were just extra. There were few kids under 5. It was proportionally much cheaper.

Now it's just an upgraded play area for kids under 10 mainly. It's lost all the vibes it was originally. I Ioved it then, I hate it now.

It’s because it’s the posher option, and people on here are very much about image. The other guests not likely being rough/ rowdy and reputation is what boosts the prices up.

I didn’t mind it really- it was just ok. I did find it dead in the evenings though- I know most people like to relax in the lodges but if you want to do anything else there didn’t seem to be anything going on apart from a pretty sad disco.

I think they are quite easy holidays for young families and I can see the appeal. I think I would feel a bit hemmed in and trapped though. Also I live in the countryside so I've seen enough squirrels.

I prefer to do a few short UK breaks in the school holidays each year and there are loads of places similar to CP with nicer accommodation where you just have to put in a bit of legwork with the activities.