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 .

Coffee there’s gone really downhill these days. Think it was Maxwell House.

You forgot to say ‘Man here’ first. They’re all over in the sex topic.

On a topic related to the origina post I hate the snobbery on Mumsnet towards Wetherspoons. The food is not Michelin starred quality but it's fine. I've been to many disappointing restaurants which charge double the price of Wetherspoons and are definitely below Wetherspoons standard. The drinks prices are, unlike most pubs, not a complete rip off and if you’re watching your budget you can have a decent night out without being ripped off.

I would recommend Aulani resort in Hawaii or Atlantis in Dubai or Bahamas as high end water parks for kids. (If you can afford it, OP).

That’s not true, my Dd likes Bluestone and not CP.

For the price you pay at CP you can stay at a decent hotel/pub with rooms and get good meals and take your children walking in Scotland/playing in the sea/visit castles etc. Mine as children could never see the point of CP given the alternative attractions.

I love Center Parcs, we went there many times when the children were young, there were so many activities there that they enjoyed, we all have really good memories of the place. The spa is great, the pool is very good, it's nice to be among the trees and to see all the wildlife. I think range of activities is good, there are some unusual things (last time we played pickleball), the eating places are not bad (I like the Indian restaurant and the pancake house). The children always thought it was a magical place (especially when all the Christmas stuff was up) even though it's actually (Elveden) only about 40 minutes drive from our house.

I’m shocked how much hate CP seems to be getting - my family and I have always had such a lovely time! I went as a child and now go as an adult with my own family.

We have been in summer, spring and in winter. We currently go in January for my child’s birthday each year before they starts school and it’s very reasonably priced. The winter lights they put on are also a very nice touch to make it feel special still despite the cold.

My child absolutely loves every second of it! I think that’s why most people who love CP, LOVE IT.

My favourite thing about it personally is how welcoming it is for families with children. I don’t feel awkward taking my child out for a meal and every restaurant has a play area so keeping children entertained is very easy.

I love how it has a place to park a pram or stroller and an Ella’s kitchen station at most places. Little touches like that I think make it seem very welcoming which I’ve never seen anywhere else. I’m sure alot of parents appreciate this also which is why it remains so popular with people from a variety of financial backgrounds.

Let’s face it - what would your child sooner do. Option 1 - spend the weekend biking in a forest, playing in numerous play grounds, swimming, mini golf, bowling, badminton, doing numerous activities on offer like go ape and classes for little ones to make friends….

Or

Option 2 - 5* hotel being told to be quiet all the time to not disturb other guest and maybe going to look at a local tourist attraction or 2 they really don’t care about.

Option 1 always.

#teamcp

I thought elveden was a bit chavvy compared to the others.
I think whinfell & Woburn were more peaceful.
The sports bar & arcade are a bit wetherspoons like in the evenings.
They have private tree houses with games rooms, sauna, Jacuzzi so if you've got money to spend you can avoid mixing at all.

If you’re up for going abroad I highly recommend Hof van Saksen in the Netherlands as an upmarket alternative: https://www.hofvansaksen.com/resort

You didn't see my next post then huh?

Gutted, I wanted to try CP in France. Maybe not then 😢 I wonder if it’s any different there though.

Another vote for Hof van Saksen. It’s incredible. I don’t think we will ever go back to CP now, Hof van Saksen has a five star hotel feel. Almost all activities included in price or very small nominal charge. As is the norm in the Netherlands children treated inclusively. Loads to do outside too if you want.

Where do you normally go on holiday?

Your brother is maybe more of an outdoor type and doesn't mind the expense for activities.....however your description of cp doesn't match mine. I've been 4 times and I went to Elveden and was very pleased with it. I'm just back fro Lapland where I stayed in a lodge that was £400 per night and wasn't anything as good as centre parcs lodge. I'm guessing you w never been to butlins then or haven/pontins.

Honestly...you sound hard to please and missing the whole point of what comes is about. Maybe stick to dubai or somewhere.

It doesn’t ring true for you, because you like it. Not everyone does. That’s ok.

Centre parks is no cheaper than a week in the sun, where we go has water parks on site, playgrounds, water sports, entertainment...so I never understand why people choose to go there. we are all different hey

You don’t have to believe strangers on the internet- loads of people adore it. I’d try it and see if you fancy it.

Hof van Saksen looks amazing- what a great tip!

That’s not it at all. The food is not bland - there are a variety of restaurants, how can people generalise that the food is bland in multiple restaurants, with multiple meal options? We eat out every night. Shouting parents drinking beer? Unattended kids causing problems? I’ve been many times and have never come across this. Crap coffee? There’s Starbucks, and Tassimo machines in the lodges. Sticky floors? Never seen this. OP has been unlucky and had one bad experience. I’ve not been to the same CP as OP though.

I suspect many of the CP bashers on these threads which come up time and time again have never even been to CP. I don’t know anyone in real life who has been and not enjoyed it. That doesn’t mean people don’t, we all have different tastes and some have admitted they only like holidays abroad, but I don’t believe many on these threads.

I have been to bluestone and we didn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much, and we didn’t like the vehicles driving around everywhere.

Not been but heard great things - https://www.wildernessreserve.com/home

It goes to show how everyone can have a completely different experience at the same location.
Creiff Hydro we really enjoyed. Family suite was ideal and under 1k for 3 night bed and breakfast. Pool is basic but activities, cinema, mini land rovers etc all great. Breakfast good and dinner fine (not exceptional) but we ate out two nights.

Auchrannie is lovely and quite local to us so used frequently with itison deal. Have had to stay extra night twice due to bad weather and no ferry - arrived late once (in 8 years). They fetch you from the ferry if you want to go as a foot passenger.

Gleneagles is wonderful- however recently popular with groups for brunch and quite busy (but it was December so perhaps not all year).

We’ve been loads but the food has always been the thing that has let it down. I would never go to Bella Italia or Cafe Rouge in real life, I try to avoid chain restaurants but there are better chain restaurants than those anyway. I much prefer independent restaurants with fresh cooked food. On our last trip it was the lodge that was the worst. Wish I’d taken more photos but a mouldy shower is not acceptable for so called “executive” accommodation costing thousands of pounds. The bathroom stank so the housekeeper kept opening the window even though it was freezing cold in early January.

We book a 'Winter Wonderland' weekend with extended family before Christmas every year and enjoy it. I do agree that is expensive, some of the lodges are run down, the restaurants are meh, the pool overcrowded at peak times (the couple of hours before closing are best) and the bar/bowling place is best avoided. However, it works for us for the things we like to do and the Christmas lights are magical.

Maybe consider:

Forest Holidays if you're just after a base to explore the area and somewhere safe for the children to potter around and ride their bikes.

One of the many Greek Riviera type resorts near Athens. The Dolce Attica Riviera is nice if you have teens who are into water sports, particularly if you can stretch to the larger rooms with pools.

Neilson family summer activity holidays. I think Mark Warner do something similar.

Skiing holiday in a catered chalet with a family friendly company like Esprit, Mark Warner, Neilson etc.

Although, the OP probably won't go for this suggestion, there was a recent thread here where people were, generally, extolling the virtues of Butlins, especially when you have younger children.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4931954-to-choose-butlins-over-centerparc

The most expensive accommodation is about the same sort of price as the cheapest at CP.

The other alternative is Centre Parcs in europe (Netherlands, France, Germany). I just had a quick look at their website:-

https://www.centerparcs.eu/

and booking a three night stay for a family of four over Easter at De Kempervennen would cost €909 (£775) in one of their premium cottages. The equivalent stay in the UK in an executive lodge would coast £1199.

Of course, you've also got to factor in £200 for the channel crossing and the cost of petrol so, once you've included those, there isn't much of a difference in overall price.

Nice, South of France
Civilised
Great weather
Fewer (almost no) drunken oafs (the odd Brit occassionally)
Fresh air
Ability to explore area
Lots of sea to swim in