Center parcs is basic. Alternatives please.

[Summerstarsarepink]

Bland food. Floors sticky. Shouting parents drinking beer . Crap coffee. Dated. Kids unattended causing problems.

The Swimming pool was the only saving grace. i

After years o my brother telling me jow incredible CP’s is , we went with him last year. It was , for me, horrible. DH and I were shocked. Run down, hectic and stressful.

It was like weatherspoons and created a family park . Now maybe this is my stupidity but I was led to believe it was a luxury Butlins! I’m sorry but it (Elveden Forest) was just so disappointing .

Please recommend a luxury alternative .

Yanbu. Went to my first CP - a European one - last year. It was fine (although if I’d been paying UK prices, I’d have expected something nicer, but the impression is that the quality is similar) but having joined a fb group on European centerparcs I’m staggered by the list of “essentials” people bring to these self catering luxury-ish holidays. Mugs, cereal bowls, towels, spare bedding, the lists are endless.

I’m an old pro at Eurocamp and the like, and buy my car partly based on whether I can fit lots of stuff in it on a self catering holiday, but the thought of paying £4k+ for a SC holiday and accepting you’d have to bring quite a few basics with you is somewhat appalling.

it also pissed me off the CP chalets didn’t have washing machines in them. We self cater partly because we have bedwetting in the family and doing washing on holiday is unfortunately part of our normal life…

not found the alternative though.

Wouldn't a private villa be better for that much?

We prefer Forest holidays to CP, and have booked with Bainland lodges for later on this year.

We've been to CP loads over the years but we've given up on it now. The accommodation is extremely overpriced and very tatty and rundown. We just can't justify the expense anymore. There are so many other options both in the UK and abroad that offer a far superior experience for the same or less money.

I'm not aware of anywhere in the UK that actually offers what CP promises in terms of quality, so we've just written off "holiday village" style resorts altogether.

Haven’t been to CPs for 5-6 years, but always enjoyed it. When we started going Woodland Lodges were new and we always went for them. Elvedon was my favourite (albeit about 16 years ago!) as preferred the layout etc.
Im not interested now kids are adults, but it was great up to mid-teens.
Have also been to Bluestone, but it’s really aimed at young children - small pool - and you can go off site, which is different to CPs. The CP spa is really nice though - have done it a couple of times!

Center Parcs Longford in Ireland only half opened in covid for the first time so is practically brand new. We went last year for the first time with a teen and a preteen and it was spot on.
The kids when given the choice have opted to go there again this half term rather than abroad! I figure there are not many years they’ll want to holiday with us, so if that’s what they want and we get spa days, then so be it.

Whinfell-Sherwood worn, in need of a serious refit. The patrons are a bit scratty too.
Woburn is newish and ok-we go to the spa for a date night.

I don't mind Center Parcs, but I agree it's not the 'naice' experience it's made out to be. The problem I have, though, is that the cost is just excessive.

We looked at a Monday-Friday four-night break in May half term, and the UK CP wanted something like £2500 for our family of four.

I'd heard from friends that the parks in continental Europe were cheaper, but expected the difference might be enough to cover the travel costs but not much more. In the end we booked a French CP for the same four nights, plus a return trip on the channel tunnel, plus a night's stay in a Premier Inn in Kent on the way there and on the way back. The TOTAL cost was £840, so about a third of the cost of UK Center Parcs. Crazy!

Centre Parcs in Longleat is great outside of the school holidays. Lodges we have stayed in were absolutely fine. The restaurants / coffee shops etc are exactly as you would expect of the same chain elsewhere. As is the on-site shop, which is essentially a Co-op with some Cook meals available.

The swimming pool gets a little busy but keeps young children entertained for hours. The paid for activities are over priced but fine to keep preschoolers etc busy for a bit.

I wouldn't personally pay the school holiday prices but I don't really recognise the OP description. It's obviously not a luxury holiday, but for what it is it ticks a lot of boxes just fine.

For the money I'd rather hop over to France.

I think it's a perfectly nice break with under12s but hugely overpriced for what it is- Accommodation is somewhat looking in need of attention, food choices aren't amazing and personally with young children whilst it's bit downmarket I would rather accept that and take them to Butlins at 1/2 the price , even allowing for the best Butlins can offer - and with far more included- even if a lot of it is a bit naff -

Same!

Retallack in Cornwall is lovely.

I don’t recognise anything about your description and i’ve been 10+ times.

Both myself and DH are fussy when it comes to holidays, but we always say how could anyone find fault with Center Parcs.

As someone has already said, if you don’t like Center Parcs, you’ll probably struggle to find another holiday park you like.

We’ve been to Sherwood a few times, going to Whinfell later this year. Handy for wider family as we don’t all live in one place. Three generations and not a scratty one amongst us I’m pleased to say.

Agreed, CP is awful. So expensive for what it is!!

It's a horrible anodyne sort of "nature", not really nature at all - you can't even wander through the woods and you have to stick to the man-made paths.

Lodges so basic, unattractive inside and not even any washing machines for families to use.

Activities really expensive and nothing is free except swimming but the pool is like a mosh pit when the wave machine starts! I feared for my child's life!

Restaurants crap and limited.

Never again!

We think the pools since covid are a lot less sub tropical...and just not thwt warm... i am fussy and want it really warm but even DH agreed last time.
CPs is a bit run down and the restaurants are too expensive for what they are. It's a shame there isn't more competition.

I would like to try it so I know what it is like. I booked in covid a d it got cancelled. I've tried Butlins... the beach was fab in Skegness. The restaurants were overpriced and rubbish. Poor selection. I thought it was more for younger kids 8 and under. Trouble is I could go abroad for the same amount of money..

Not a holiday though having to cook and clean!

It’s ridiculously overpriced for what is essentially a big swimming pool.

Elveden Forest CP is lovely in my experience, visited the CP and Aqua Sana spa many times, always lovely. Maybe you just went with the cheap option? I have heard the budget lodges are a lot less luxurious

OP have you visited the Lower Mill Estate in the Cotswolds Water Park? That's really lovely. There are properties to let online. You can hire bikes, boats etc and it's safe to cycle around but it's actually real wildlife and not fakery, plus the homes are stunning and varied.

If you don't like centre parcs, you won't like bluestone

Sorry OP I meant that for you @Summerstarsarepink

We have tried and haven't found any real alternatives with the same range of activities on site, sports centre, tennis, ropes , pool, etc. We would love to find something similar to Clubmed resort - with activities included and for most of them you do not need to book months in advance. I do not think it aything like that is available in the UK.

We really liked staying at the Woolley Grange but I think it’s in kind of a different price bracket to CP and is a hotel with extensive grounds and probably more geared towards under 10s. As adults it was very relaxing though! The same company has a few other properties too.