Is Center Parcs worth the price?

[Vergus]

I am considering taking the family to Longleat Center Parc over the May half-term. I don't really want the hassle of flying abroad this year but the price for a 7 night stay over the half-term week is making my eyes water slightly. I could get an all inclusive package in Majorca for the same fee. I see also they almost double the prices for that week alone, which is standard practice I suppose for the holiday provider market as they know they have you over the barrel. But the cost for essentially a cabin in the woods is somewhat breathtaking.

I have heard very good things about Center Parcs however so am keeping an open mind. I understand the Subtropical pool is included in the price tag and is a real hit. I also like the look of the location - Longleat looks great for cycling and getting out in the forest. Kids are aged 6 and 10. It's also only a two hr drive from us so that's always good.

If anyone is happy to share their experiences/thoughts - both pros and cons I can weigh things up. The price is coming in at £2958 - activities I see are extra as well. And - of course - it's self-catering.

Thanks in advance!

I think you’d need a car, it’s out of town near an industrial park if I remember rightly.

Thanks @Holdonforsummer. We do go to the New Forest quite a lot @TunnocksOrDeath but still find we need the car too much. That's why I like CP tbh plus we tend to go with extended family & it caters for different ages well.

I like the French holiday parks but sometimes it's a faff to travel so far.

Literally can’t think of anything worse. So overpriced and rubbish. I’d much rather go abroad.

So we have done all inclusive Spain holidays and centre Parcs both a few times and it really just depends on the family
we love centre Parcs and the kids would choose it over a week in the sun all inclusive package in a place like Majorca personally. They experience more when we go there or say bluestone wales.
If we go abroad how we never do the whole all inclusive family resort thing but more adventure holidays abroad. It just depends on what you want out of a holiday !
uk have some amazing places to see and things to do.

Nope. Everyone we went the kids just wanted to go swimming on the rapids. A lot of money to live in a shed and go swimming

We've been center parcs customers for about 25 years. We have really enjoyed it in the past but in recent years they have built a lot more accommodation without backing this up with adequate facilities.

If you go in school holidays, be prepared for it to be horrendously busy and needing to prebook most restaurants and activities in advance.

We've been very disappointed with the service amd quality of food and drinks too on more recent visits. It does not reflect what you are charged - nowhere near good value.

We've stopped going as I just feel like I'm emptying my bank account into their pockets from the moment we arrive.

It is marketed as a short break of either 3 or 4 days so when you price it for a week it is very expensive especially in school holidays.

I generally only go outside of holidays eg as a winter or autumn break and it's usually very good value then.

It's really down to each family and what you prioritise. Sun vs no flights.

However what I will say is that even though adults love the sun and compare the price to a foreign holiday the kids are thinking entirely about the activities fun and memories.

Even though we've been on many beach holidays and cruises my kids consistently say that Centerparcs is their favourite even now into young adulthood. A pool in Spain is boring for them and they often can't be arsed with airports etc whereas CP seems to conjure up great memories for them.

It’s good fun for a long weekend.

However I second other posters you can have activity filled weekends at haven and Butlin’s for half the price so you can have 2 trips away.

Just look at the locations to make sure you have all the amenities you require, some pools are better than others etc.

I really enjoy Center Parcs and will (reluctantly!) pay the inflated school holiday prices. I’m not sure if I’d do 7 nights, I’d do Monday to Friday and find that’s enough. You could always tag on a city break & Premier Inn nearby/on the way home if you want a longer break hand have the money.

I dont find eating out for lunch and evening meals worth it. We usually do breakfast out a couple of mornings, pleanty of snacks & sandwich fillings for lunch and well planned but easy to put together teas.

I don't think it's worth that.

We had a mid week break there in February. 2 person apartment. Under £500 plus £160 for two spa sessions (no treatments). We spent a lot of time in the pool too, and walking.

It was, I'd say, just worth it. The spa is fabulous. The pool is fun. The accommodation is getting worn- the wine cooler didn't work, some of the microwave functions didn't work and the hob was press button and it took multiple attempts to get them to work. The problem is everyone is short break. By the time you complain, you are leaving. I've no idea if they take any notice or not really.

I honestly don't think its worth 3k, even though its school holidays.

We went once outside of school holidays and I thought it was the biggest scam ever.
The lodges were okay but everything else was crowded and expensive and all of the food options seemed to be junk.
To top it all we ended up with the shits because a ‘virus’ was sweeping the park.
I suspect it was more the feral kids weeping and pooing in the pool.
Never again!

From chatting to friends people from estates and towns loved the forests and ability to walk/ cycle/ scoot about, those who lived rurally were more about the pool and some of the activities (most said we probably wouldn’t be so in awe of it as we go to the local forests quite regularly)

I have younger children and we all love Centre Parcs. It's a very "easy" holiday with everything set up for kids and you can spend as little as you want on eating out/activities.

But it's not worth it at that price. My eldest starts school in September and we've resigned ourselves to never going again unless we can find a cheaper long weekend over an INSET day.

I live in London very close to a park with loads of wildlife just in case people think it's all grey 😆

I love centre parcs, the pool is amazing, walks in the forest are very relaxing. The whole place is relaxing really, I see some posters have mentioned haven, butlins etc but it doesn't really compare. I like a caravan park too but the experience is so different, centre parcs doesn't have the rowdiness of caravan parcs. Lodges are nice, good range of activities but you could enjoy the holiday without any paid activities.
If you are in to evening entertainment and a bit of rowdiness it isn't the place for that, there isn't the entertainment and discos like they have at caravan parks or AI resorts abroad.
I go every year, I think it is definitely worth the money in January, they have the winter lights then too which are beautiful. I do still pay for breaks in school holidays but every time I book it is with reservations and I think to myself it isn't really worth this much money. I am thinking now that I will not book again due to costs but I did think that last year and still booked again.

I like centre parks but the price is ridiculous. And you’ll need to add much more on top if you want to hire bikes, do any activities or visit the spa. The on site supermarket is obscenely expensive too. Swimming is free but that’s about it. Don’t get me wrong, the surroundings are lovely and it’s nice to see the animals but I imagine it’s a bit dismal
in the rain and the lodges we’ve stayed in have never been anything special either.
If it’s fuss free you want then it is that. But given the choice I’d prefer Majorca!

You couldn’t pay me to go.

Longleat is fantastic though. Can you look at a standard caravan park in the area instead? Or holiday cottage?

I really enjoy CP (albeit haven’t been to that particular one) but it’s not worth £3k for a family of 4, and a week would be too long.

I love Centre Parcs and have been around 10 times. Having said that, I could never bring myself to spend that much, and in your case I’d go abroad. Keep an eye out for deals, every now and then they get the prices a bit wrong and you can get an ok price even in the holidays.

I agree that it's horribly expensive in the school holidays, so it's really only worth it if it's 100% the right match for you.

We grit our teeth and fork out v occasionally because:

• when DH and I are exhausted and just want a totally lazy break, we can book things for DS (9) to do that are no effort at all for us
• we hate airports and flying, so would rather avoid that
• we prefer to self cater most of the time on hol anyway, so this suits us (we take a decent amount of shopping with us)
• the pool is a free activity that occupies plenty of time very happily
• it feels like a safe environment where DS can be a bit more independent
• I love a half day in the spa!

If you to hate cooking on hol or aren't into the swimming pool with water slides etc, it would definitely be a huge waste of £.

Absolutely not. I paid a third of that for a break in the Lake District one and it was the biggest rip off ever. It takes about 10 mins to cycle round - surely everyone has a park or similar they can do that in. Every tree has a lodge next to it, it’s nothing like walking through a forest. The food is inedible and hugely overpriced. The activities are extortionate and much shorter than equivalents elsewhere. The only positive was the red squirrels.

A lot depends on if you want a holiday being in close proximity to lots of other people.
All holidays in school ok holidays are more expensive.
It’s not just about the cost for me. School holiday peak times are often too crowded as everywhere is a bit greedy and has squeezed more accom onto their sites and so you queue for things/feel there are too many people for the activities or about - so you don’t feel you get good access to facilities even though you’ve paid top prices. Loads and loads of families with small kids can be annoying, even when you’ve got your own.

I went once to a similar place outside of school holidays in v early July. It wasn’t nearly so full, you could access all the facilities more and it cost loads less. Was much more relaxing. But most families won’t be able to go ttt ur end and have the more pleasant experience unless they have pre schoolers.

I agree about the cycling. It isn’t really a ride as such because the distance is just too short.
And does anyone really feel they are having a break in the countryside when there is so much building and people?

There are loads of smaller caravan/lodge parks with a pool, shop in site and often other anctivities if you want them. and proper countryside. They have pubs within walking distance and often beaches. There is often real cycling or water sports nearby too - not Mickey Mouse and exorbitantly priced ones. You can get the convenience, family time etc for less in much nicer locations.

But maybe part of it is that people don’t really care where it is in r where their holiday is. You enter the park and stay there. And you don’t need to do any research into the area to decide if you’ll like it, as you won’t see it anyway. So it’s all done for you and a bit like going for a McDonalds X meal - you know what you’ll get - and lots of people like that and don’t want to think or explore ir find amazing activities or accommodation or whatever. It has a comfortable and relaxing feel and is easy and people will pay for that and overlook over crowding, v expensive food and some pretty disappointing activities for easy family time. When people struggle to get their kids to walk far, to try new things and find planning a day out, including travel tricky and tiresome, park holidays where you don’t leave cover that stuff. And there is definitely a market for it as people pay the prices as finding alternatives which may well be better will involve some effort they just don’t want to put in.

It’s worth it to me, I like doing all the activities and find it very relaxing. I don’t think it’s a great pick if you have a limited budget.