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?

Flying, especially with young children, is a huge pain in the arse though and lots of us avoid it due the environmental impact.

So that is a massive plus for staying in the UK.

I feel like they are defo more ‘dog tolerated’ than dog friendly, so I get you there

In my view its hugely overpriced. I've been to both Butlins and CP and Butlins offers so much more for much less money. The clientele isnt appreciably different in my view. I'm solidly middle class and there is nothing wrong with Butlins.

I tried to book an accessible cabin. It was 3 times the cost to get one close to amenities or where we could have a car.

I really enjoy it for a long weekend as do my children. We tend to get exactly the same lodge and have worked out exactly how we like doing it and have been once a year for a long time. We are prepared to pay for activities like the high ropes and spa and have always had a good time. I think some of the moans about it are a bit ott.

Exactly this. And the other thing is that we tend to do it in the winter for a long weekend around an inset when you can't get good weather abroad without a long haul flight. I find it brightens up the winter and we spend most of our time in the warm pool.

We went to a European one for the first time this half term. There were some elements we liked but the fact that everything except the pool costs extra puts us off going back. We will return to the French campsites in future where lots more stuff is laid on and included for kids.

Extremely overpriced and very poor value for money. An idiots butlins.

I used to love going with friends when we all had under 5s. Our children are now adults so haven’t been for years. I suspect it’s gone downhill. It was good in its day.

Never been so I can’t comment but I have looked at going many times and the price is crazy especially if it’s school Holidays. Pricey activities on top too so won’t be somewhere I’ll be going. Would rather go abroad for that kind of price!

DH used to go as a child so is quite nostalgic about it and would like to go with the kids but anytime we have looked it’s far too expensive do what it is and on no doubt shite weather.

It's quite odd to get personal.

I've been to center parcs and loved it. Really expensive though.

I've been to butlins too and that was really good as well. It's not as expensive as center parcs but it's not exactly cheap either. We are fairly local to butlins so we do day trips there which I think is a lot cheaper

We went Feb half term when a family member had a collapsed lung so couldn’t fly. The overpriced poky cheap and nasty cabins were an absolute joke - for the same price you can get a 3 bed 2 bath cottage in Cornwall next to the sea.

But the biggest issue was the other guests. Struggling to find a word that’s not offensive but I’ll just leave it at “not the kind of people I want to spend any time in the vicinity of”. The type to swear loudly in front of kids, push in line, leave banana peels and other rubbish scattered over the loungers in the “exclusive” spa. Those kind of people.

The changing rooms are like the seventh circle of hell for me. I find them really claustrophobic and one wrong turn and you are trapped in there for ages. There always loads of kids screaming .

I agree with others for an easy holiday with friends when the children are little and swimming and riding bikes is very exciting then it’s good.

having said that though pre children a group of us went at new year , really good lodge , disco on New Year’s Eve outside and we had a great time. It wasn’t that expensive then we looked the year after and it seemed to have tripled in price.

we also many moons ago went to oasis which is now the lakes centerparcs, before cp bought it. That was good, well novel as I’d never been to a holiday camp before or been on a camping site.

I had a 4 bed cabin for 3 nights with 8 people that worked out at around £50 pp per night.

Well I live in the middle of a Midlands city and I also think Center Parcs is a waste of my time.

"It's amazing! You can order a pizza and go to the swimming pool or go bowling or go to a climbing wall or hire a bike."

Yes, Laura. I can do all those things at home

If you go outside school hols and 100% self cater it's fun for kids.

But otherwise....

We absolutely love Center Parcs and have been loads of times!

Really? I’m definitely not an idiot and love it there!

I went when someone else was paying so I can’t comment on the price. I found it pretty miserable to be honest. It was like a leisure centre in the forest. Food was dire, everything looked a bit tired, same UK weather! Definitely won’t be going back. Maybe the European ones are better.

I like to think I am not one either!

Because I’ve been?

BIL is obsessed with CP, goes multiple times a year including Easter/christmas. Does paid activities all day, one after another. Spends a fortune. Will also complain he can’t afford holidays abroad.

He forced the idea we should all go for his parents 40th wedding anniversary. 3 days in the pouring rain. The cabin was grubby, the pool changing area was very grubby. Myself, DH and his parents were bored rigid. I had a one year old and apart from the pool for a short while there wasn’t really anything to do.
His parents didn’t like/want to do activities or the pool. We should have gone to Spain for a few days. We kept having to pretend we were enjoying it for BIL. He kept suggesting we did it again but no one will and he’s annoyed about it.

We went a couple of years ago with family and I hated every second of it. Once you've had a walk round and gone swimming, there's nothing else to do unless you pay for it. I could have done that at home for less than £20 and wouldn't have to sleep in a damp cabin at a place that I can't leave.

See I really don’t think it’s particularly ‘middle-class’ anymore, went to both CP and Haven last year and no real difference in the clientele.

My husband and I went on guest passes recently.

It was better than we expected, but nowhere near worth the price. We stayed in a lodge nearby with a hot tub for half the price of a basic lodge, and the food available inside was poor and expensive.