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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think there is no equivalent alternative to Center Parcs?

258 replies

Onelifeliveitright · 08/05/2023 11:40

We go every year and this year have booked an exclusive lodge with hot tub, games room, sauna and steam room. Looks amazing! My love of CP is growing the older I get. The teenagers still love it and are now old enough to do what they like. We only do a couple of activities to keep costs down. I love the environment, the lodges and the pool. And the fact there's enough restaurants to eat out every night. We like lazy days and going out. So looking at next year. My daughter works in a private school so breaks up early in summer. We can therefore go at the beginning of the week but it's SO expensive even though term time. I've looked at loads of alternatives but cannot find anywhere else that compares like for like. Aibu to think it doesn't exist?!

OP posts:
drpet49 · 08/05/2023 12:46

shammalammadingdong · 08/05/2023 12:22

Having been to CP, I cannot understand how any can like it, let alone love it and keep going back repeatedly. I just do not get what there is to like about it. It's awful.

This. I kind of understand if you have young people. But certainly not with teenagers.

TeenLifeMum · 08/05/2023 12:47

Centre parks in Holland is usually cheaper and great.

JJJSchmidt · 08/05/2023 12:48

Depending on where you are in the UK, the European centerparcs are about a quarter of the price of the UK ones and the activities are also very reasonable - 15 euros for stuff like climbing/archery. It feels more exciting and 'holiday' due to being abroad and not surrounded by brits!

strawberryjeans · 08/05/2023 12:50

We love it and if you’re taking another adult couple with you and you each have a very young family it can make the cost only £200 off peak for Monday-Friday. Really don’t think that’s bad. It does get expensive if you add activities on but love how there’s no cars driving about & it’s very peaceful. Swimming and feeding the ducks and walking is free.

Onelifeliveitright · 08/05/2023 12:52

Bluestone is too far for us. Will take a look at the other suggestions thanks. If it were school holidays I'd expect it but it's not (apart from Scotland). But do the Scottish travel all the way to Sherwood Forest? Don't want to go abroad for it as love that you can drive there in less than an hour. Our abroad holidays are very different.

OP posts:
Lykia · 08/05/2023 12:53

I've never been but I've heard Ribby Hall is like Center Parcs.

Ribby Hall

Seashor · 08/05/2023 12:58

I love it too op. Go every year, sometimes twice. Costs a fortune because we have a treehouse but everyone is together and we love it. Fork out on the Aqua Sana too. We age from 84 to teenagers.

shammalammadingdong · 08/05/2023 12:59

PrincessHoneysuckle · 08/05/2023 12:34

Never been but out of curiosity ive just looked at the price of executive Lodge for 3 nights and its more than our 5* A.I holiday that we've booked for a week later in the year.
Madness.

Exactly. Pay twice as much to stay near home and be ripped off for everything. You can go for walks and feed the ducks for free near your house any day of the week!

I'll never understand it.

GrimDamnFanjo · 08/05/2023 13:02

I've never been but I'd like to hear from Mumsnet tears who have been why they love or hate it?

Abouttimemum · 08/05/2023 13:04

I’ve not been to CP as an adult (although do plan to with DS at some point)
Anyway we went to Ribby Hall village last year when DS was 3 and it was perfect for him and well priced. The main event for us was the pool though, which had slides and flumes. Not sure if it would be any use for teens though.
A waterpark style pool really is non negotiable for us as DS loves them and it’s really hard to find a decent one at other places. We usually got to Alton Towers for theirs tbh.

AlinaSquareQueen · 08/05/2023 13:07

YANBU.

I’ve been going to CP since my DC were tiny, and we still all love going, even now my DC are in their late 20s.

For me, the main USP of Center Parcs is the rapids, and nowhere else, eg Bluestone, has anything remotely similar (as far as I know).

But as a PP said, a Norwegian Fjords cruise is better value-for-money, so I’d choose that if I absolutely had to….. because I love cruising as well.

I8toys · 08/05/2023 13:07

I know you don't want to do abroad but the centreparcs in Holland, Belgium and France are far superior to the UK. We tend to build in other trips around them so visit the country as well as Centreparcs so in Holland visited Amsterdam and in France went to Paris and Disneyland. There are also two Centreparcs near to each other in Holland and Belgium so used to flit between the two using all the different facilities.

HavfrueDenizKisi · 08/05/2023 13:08

shammalammadingdong · 08/05/2023 12:22

Having been to CP, I cannot understand how any can like it, let alone love it and keep going back repeatedly. I just do not get what there is to like about it. It's awful.

This

jotunn · 08/05/2023 13:11

The best alternative to Center parcs UK is center parcs Europe. We went to one in Bavaria last year with sauna, jacuzzi and games room in the house plus an amazing spa on site.

Including Eurotunnel, petrol, tolls and accommodation en route, it was still nearly £1000 cheaper than going to Woburn for the same week.

gogohmm · 08/05/2023 13:11

I looked at it, but it's cheaper to stay in a luxury hotel who do the cooking. Cp's charge what they can get away with being a business.

My beef with cp's is the lack of decent evening food options in walking distance, I do not cook on holiday! rather than the cost of said food.

I'm guessing I'm just not their demographic, I've booked a lovely hotel complex in the highlands, lodge in grounds of a hotel, includes buffet breakfast though, tons of sports available, some included. Not a private hot tub or sauna but use of 2 separate hotels ones

MayBeeJuneSoon · 08/05/2023 13:12

It's just dirty, shabby and over run with loud, horrible groups. Bit like Butlins.

Seems to be the go to for loud groups

And those 'rapids' are dangerous but adds to the 'theme park' vibe I guess

Whatabouteverything · 08/05/2023 13:13

AlinaSquareQueen · 08/05/2023 13:07

YANBU.

I’ve been going to CP since my DC were tiny, and we still all love going, even now my DC are in their late 20s.

For me, the main USP of Center Parcs is the rapids, and nowhere else, eg Bluestone, has anything remotely similar (as far as I know).

But as a PP said, a Norwegian Fjords cruise is better value-for-money, so I’d choose that if I absolutely had to….. because I love cruising as well.

Haven in Weymouth has rapids 😄 costs less than half the amount of CP and is equally as shit as CP but just saying.

Neededanewuserhandle · 08/05/2023 13:14

MayBeeJuneSoon · 08/05/2023 13:12

It's just dirty, shabby and over run with loud, horrible groups. Bit like Butlins.

Seems to be the go to for loud groups

And those 'rapids' are dangerous but adds to the 'theme park' vibe I guess

Yeah the rapids lost a lot of appeal after several rounds of being kicked to fuck by fellow bathers with only a scowl on their faces by way of explanation.

Janedoe82 · 08/05/2023 13:14

They just seem terribly naff. For people who want to prat about pretending they are in the countryside without actually being in the proper countryside. 🙈

AlinaSquareQueen · 08/05/2023 13:16

Whatabouteverything · 08/05/2023 13:13

Haven in Weymouth has rapids 😄 costs less than half the amount of CP and is equally as shit as CP but just saying.

Fair enough.

Whatabouteverything · 08/05/2023 13:19

So what we're saying is CP itself (if not shabby and done up a bit) is OK but the people ruin it and it's over subscribed. CP being greedy essentially and over booking and letting yobby groups come along 😄

Neededanewuserhandle · 08/05/2023 13:19

For me, the main USP of Center Parcs is the rapids, and nowhere else, eg Bluestone, has anything remotely similar (as far as I know).

This is a USP, but it can't make up for the rest of it, and after a couple of rounds of being kicked to fuck in there, one wonders what to do for the rest of the day/week.

darjeelingrose · 08/05/2023 13:19

Wealthy yobs apparently.

shammalammadingdong · 08/05/2023 13:20

Whatabouteverything · 08/05/2023 13:19

So what we're saying is CP itself (if not shabby and done up a bit) is OK but the people ruin it and it's over subscribed. CP being greedy essentially and over booking and letting yobby groups come along 😄

I don't like CP itself either.

adularia · 08/05/2023 13:24

We much prefer CP to Bluestone. The CP that we go to isn’t shabby 🤷‍♀️