Why do so many people dislike Centre Parcs so much?

[coulditbeme2323]

Following on from the thread about over rated things, CP came up again and again.

I feel I am in the minority on MN, but in real life it runs anywhere between 95-100% capacity.

Of course people are entitled to their opinion and if you dislike it you dislike it, but honestly what do people find so awful about it?

I think an illustration of how we're all different is the "you could go AI abroad for less" responses which clearly just assume that obviously that is the gold standard holiday for all.

I have been on many amazing holidays and never gone AI, it doesn't really appeal.

I don't think people are going to CP because they think it's a cheaper version of AI, they're going because they like CP.

I like the mix of things that CP offers for a long weekend (usually we go on an inset day weekend so it's not too expensive) - I am not interested in driving for 6 hours or flying for a long weekend but CP hits the sweet spot for us for that.

What I can't understand is how weirdly personal people seem to get about this - if you say that going on safari or going AI is your thing, no one queues up to tell you that they once got ill doing that or that it would be cheaper to do something else or that you're an idiot

could I've never stayed in a hotel on holiday. Only holiday lodges. With a kitchen and washing machine.

What I can't understand is how weirdly personal people seem to get about this - if you say that going on safari or going AI is your thing, no one queues up to tell you that they once got ill doing that
I think if they did get ill doing it they certainly would say. The fact that so many people did get ill at CP seems possibly coincidental but just as likely actually indicative of a problem.

This is spot on.

When I stay somewhere I don't think of for this price I could do x.

If you thought like that you would never do anything.

You are missing out!

There's nothing wrong with centre parcs, infact I like it.. except the price!! If you haven't got school age kids and can go off season, its great. We did this before my oldest started school and enjoyed it. However there's no way i'm paying 2k for a self catering holiday in the UK. Once we dont have go in season, I may go again!

I’ve been going to Longleat for 30 years. Yes it’s not as good as it was, it’s become heavily commercialised. I don’t like (or use) the chain restaurants. However, I enjoy the peace and quiet, my daughter is two so we don’t have to go in the school holidays, and she loves the swimming pool. Waking up to deer and squirrels on the patio is wonderful.

What I can't understand is how weirdly personal people seem to get about this - if you say that going on safari or going AI is your thing, no one queues up to tell you that they once got ill doing that or that it would be cheaper to do something else or that you're an idiot
Yeah they do! It's not just a CP thing. Disney, popular resorts, long haul destinations, cruises, AI, self catering, camping...I've seen them all, and probably more types of holidays both denigrated and vigorously defended on MN and in real life.
Even on this thread you've got people arguing over whether it's normal to wash clothes on holiday or not! It is indeed strange how many people seem to take the fact that others enjoy different things as some kind of personal insult but it is definitely not restricted to CP.
I think there are some valid debates to have about holiday choices, such as the environmental impacts, effects on local communities and ethical issues around visiting certain countries, but more often than not this kind of discussion just descends into criticism or mockery of other people for holidaying "wrong". Personally I rather like the fact that people make all kinds of different choices as my favourite holidays are ones when I don't see many other humans. It would be dreadful if everyone wanted to be in the same few places, doing the same things at the same time.

Yes, MN can be very funny (in all senses of the term) about AI. I have always presumed it to be a class thing. There was an utter corker of a thread on here a while back about the distinction between ham, cheese and bread in AI vs self catering. I must dig it up.

Agree people being weirdly personal about the sort of holidays others like and nobody is forcing them to go on is knobhead behaviour though.

We do CP for a long weekend most years, usually Feb/March or end Sept/October time, our nearest one is 1.5 hour drive away so we're there for 11am Friday morning and can stay until teatime Monday with no great upheaval. That's precisely why we love it - I have just looked at Bluestone - its 6.5 hours drive for us, so no thanks. And Ribby Village is coming up the same price as CP in Feb half term next year, but would take 4.5 hours to get to so again no thanks.

Different things work for different people, we use it as its a nice, easy weekend away with the kids with no real hassle. We self cater, the kids get an activity each, and swimming, they enjoy the site being totally carless. Its not our main holiday, we actually also do a week in the lakes and often go abroad too, the week in the lakes is a completely different type of holiday to the CP one - I don't know anyone who ever really claims that they are the same except on here.

We went recently for first time and I was pretty underwhelmed. Could have got a standard Airbnb near a leisure centre for a lot less money and equal experience.

Yes! The number of people who tell me “my haven holiday was dodgy: the caravan was gross and the swimming pool had a plaster and we all caught legionnaires disease and I have to have my nose amputated” I love my yearly haven holiday and I’ll stick to what I know and trust, but an alive people, calm down!!

We go on a variety of different holidays actually. AI’s are useful for many reasons but we also go on city breaks, camping and trips to the countryside where we’ll stay in an air BnB. We do all sorts, not just AI’s.

CP definitely appeals to me because we are outdoorsy people and love being active but for me the price is just ridiculous. If you paid that and it included the activities then sure but you are literally just paying thousands to stay in a cabin in the woods.

I think that way. For example my DC had the chance to go on a school trip to NYC for 3 nights and they were charging 3k, not including food or spending money. I took him myself for a week for the same amount.

Why wouldn’t you think this way sometimes? It makes total sense.

That isn't really what I meant.

Exactly! I haven't been for a few years as the children are older but we used to do it as a long weekend, do loads of activities that are certainly not available at my local leisure centre and then also go abroad/ city break/ camping/ rent a cottage at other times.

I am aware I sound like a dick but no I cannot go for a weeks AI abroad for the same cost because I would rather not go anywhere at all than go to a cheap AI with stupidly timed flights.

Yeah if you look at an AI holiday with flights at decent times and its not a 2star hotel, its way more than centre parcs!

I looked at Greece for August and it was coming up about £5k. We did canaries and balearics before and managed to get it at about £3.5k by going for 5/6 nights instead of 7 and going at the end of summer or easter. Its really not cheap to go AI at all!

We've also been on the Bluestone website a few times to compare, but the prices aren't really much different and pool doesn't look as good.

Sounds hilarious! What that the cheese and ham tasted different or something?

i remember that too ... !

Why does it matter? People like different things? And clearly many many people do like it as their multiple sites are always busy and they can charge a premium. I personally love it but care not one jot if anyone else (and I have close friends and family in this camp) don’t.

Its mainly the price. Its quite nice, if you look at it as a fairly basic base camp to explore from, in pleasant grounds, with the bonus of a nice pool. Nowhere near enough to do to justify it as a complete holiday, unless you want to spend a lot extra. So anyone expecting something a bit special to justify the cost will be disappointed and negative about the experience.
I'm also not sure what it's trying to achieve. It's neither good value entertainment, or an authentic nature/outdoorsy experience but borrows a bit from each in a way that feels a bit poor on both counts.

Possibly has to be read to be believed. There was lots of discussion about the distinction between a cheese and ham sandwich, and cheese, ham and bread on a plate in a non-sandwich manner. Many different types of cheese, ham and bread were name dropped. We also get onto sirens towards the end.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5094077-all-inclusive-holidays-vs-self-catering?page=4

Omg that is a funny thread!

It's amazing 🤣

All the people saying they have bread, cheese and ham for lunch then absolutely losing their shit when someone likens this to a cheese or ham sandwich. It's really tickled me.