Don’t know what to make of centre parcs

[Murphs1]

I’m staying in Woburn forest. The facilities are fantastic, albeit hideously expensive, the accommodation is pleasant, but… is it just me, it all feels a bit stepford wives and slightly prescribed fun! I don’t know I can’t put my finger on it.
I think part of it is I’m in a fenced in ‘forest’ which I know is a security thing, and my car is a half hour walk away if I want to get out, but I understand the no car rule.
I can’t say I’m not enjoying it, but it all feels a bit contrived?

I don’t mind the hemmed in-ness, but weirdly, my issue was that it wasn’t posh enough! Maybe I had high expectations because of the price and because some very senior, naice people I used to work with seemed to go there a lot. But when I went, it all just seemed deeply ordinary and a bit suburban. Starbucks, a sports bar, some shit restaurants, a very over crowded pool.

It was all a hit Emperor’s New Clothes for me.

*bit

Just looked at Woburn CP on Google maps. Unless you count walking passed everyone else's wooden hut as a 'forest walk', there's little opportunity to do much walking in a natural setting, it looks like it's only 1 mile across!

Center Parcs is good for kids of a certain age if you have the money. You know what you're getting and if you book wisely you can fit a lot in (or just take it easy).

I'd never go there without them - far better options at cheaper prices elsewhere.

Just because there's a perimeter fence, that doesn't mean it's safe.
There could easily be predatory men staying there.

I always think this, too.

I hate it and refuse to go now, we last went for MILs 70th.
I would much rather rent a cottage somewhere and not be surrounded by other people and (often very dirty) crappy, expensive facilities

We would pay this or less (usually less) for 4 nights midweek term time from 2017-2020. £100 per night for a clean and comfortable 3 bed lodge was very good value to us, especially because pool access is included. Access to a pool with similar slides and facilities cost min £40 for 2-3 hours before covid (our family would now pay upwards of £60). Whereas at cp this was unlimited - as many times in the day for as long as you wanted.

Knowing what is and isn't included is a huge part - we knew the onsite supermarket was expensive and the restaurants were poor value for money. So we would make sure we brought enough toiletries, dishwasher tablets, tea towels etc with us so we didn't need to buy anything except milk and bread during the stay. We also knew to bring extra towels and had our own bike, seats plus trailer. Activities are expensive if you choose to do them, there is no getting around it but most of them can be done for cheaper elsewhere at another time. We were happy enough with what was included so never considered them.

I've searched some of the other recommendations on this thread, bluestone, hoseasons lodges and forest holidays. All are more expensive than cp, infact I have 2 bookings with cp this year and both around the 400 mark including summer hols. We also liked away resorts for the hot tub and not being penned in but I've noticed their prices have more than tripled!

We've just come back from a weekend at Whinfell. We go every year in January. I wouldn't say it's middle class at all - I consider Salcombe the epitome of middle class so that is my benchmark! It's expensive don't get me wrong.

I lost interest in going when I found out it wasn't underneath a dome.

Didn't read your comment before posting mine but yes I kind of agree. The sports bar is anything but posh! I think the thing it is maybe is not rough, so you don't hear swearing or have kids pushing in front on stuff whilst the parents ignore them or children being screamed at. People didn't hold doors though which drove me up the wall.

YANBU. We've only been once as family friends told us how amazing it was but we felt trapped by the fakeness of it. It's also really dull as everyone (including my family) are the same variety of people. We've not holidayed in England again since our CP holiday.

I honestly thought that the accommodation would be really swish! But clearly not going by this thread.

My DD had a break at Butlins with her family recently (somewhere she would never have considered, had it not been for someone offering it to her) and came back raving about how good it was, and how cheap, for really good accommodation. She's now booked another visit. If Butlins is so much improved, and such better value, what is CP offering for such a lot of money?

We have been going for the last 7 years (bar 2020🙄) for the Winter Wonderland, and it’s our favourite break of the year.

we share a lodge with family friends, so once the kids are in bed we spend the evenings playing board games and having a few drinks.

it’s probably our easiest holiday, the kids love it and we have the next break booked as soon as we return from the previous.

i like that the accommodation can be a basic lodge if we want to save some cash, or a treehouse if we fancy something special.

we always pay to choose the area we stay in, so the cars aren’t more than 10 mins maximum away-we don’t feel trapped and have gone across the road for a day at out the safari park or to see the festival of lights in the evening.

I’d rather stay at home than spend the weekend at butlins, whereas other people love it. different courses for different horses, and that’s absolutely fine. How boring life (and how full the resorts) would be if we all liked the same things

Love Center Parcs but only been to longleat so can't comment on the others. Love being in the woods and having no cars driving about.

we went to Sherwood in 2004 and paid £400 for a midweek stay. It costs a lot more than that now!

I just booked 4 night in March and it was £429 (with apologies to the term-time onlyers).

No, hold on, school holidayers! Oh god, Monday!

Why can’t you walk in the woods?

Maybe I'm odd but I preferred haven 🤣 ofcourse the pool wasn't anywhere near as good in comparison but price wise.. we felt more at ease and less trapped 😅

All in all we got a 5 days all inclusive in Santa Susana and a long weekend at haven cheaper than a CP hol though 😅

It’s so unbelievably expensive and it all feels so…controlled.

You can’t make much noise, it’s all organised, it all has to be paid for.

It makes me think of a post-apocalyptic encampment where people are trying to pretend they’re not living in a fake glass bubble because everything outside has been destroyed, or is overrun by zombies.

I visited CP for the day and didn't like it. It feels like a fake outdoors experience. I prefer the real outdoors

My son honestly preferred Butlins so long as we booked about the best accommodation you could (that was more for our benefit)

Centreparcs is incredible for disabilities.

My dc are asd and take a long time to settle in new environments but we always stay in the same lodge and very little changes in the park so we can settle in quickly and enjoy our holiday.

We can do outdoor things without worrying about traffic and they can have a lot more freedom without a worry of getting lost because they know to find a road and follow the signs.

My PIL were very outdoorsy but not very mobile these days. Mil can get around fine with the lack of steps and fil can take his scooter for a walk in the forest and they can both access all the facilities.

It's horses for courses. Depends what you are looking for.

And no point complaining about the price, they're always full so sufficient people believe it's worth it.

I've never been for an overnight stay but if you have the chance, try to find a deal for the spa. The one at Woburn is beautiful and massive (though sadly the food portions are not!). I really enjoyed it.