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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that center parcs is over priced and over rated?

167 replies

minxofmancunia · 27/03/2010 12:26

have just returned from a 4 night "break" from whinfell forest and couldn't be more pleased to be home.

It was tacky, tatty and just a bit crap really. Food in restaurants absolutley minging so ended up cooking all the time, hardly a break.

"executive2 lodge grubby, dark and decorated like a travel lodge.

Sports plaza cheap and nasty, very artificial atmosphere. Why do people rave about it?

I've never been anywhere so culturally devoid i my whole life.

OP posts:
AnyFucker · 27/03/2010 12:28

I have never fancied the idea of a centerparcs holdiday for this very reason

I just never the saw the attraction, and thought them hideuosly pricey

am glad I never bothered

fiveisanawfullybignumber · 27/03/2010 12:38

YANBU to have a personal opinion, but YABU to think everyone will agree.
We love it, you get out what you put in. We only go for the comfort villa, as we are always out doing something exciting, and only use it to eat & sleep in.
Absolutely loads for the kids to do, some stuff they would not get the chance to do otherwise. The Aqua sana is fantastic, as someone who trained in the beauty industry the spa facilities are second to none, treatments are a bit overpriced though.
Overall though we think it's great.

juneybean · 27/03/2010 12:43

I'll tell you next Friday when I return from Sherwood Forest.

lostinwales · 27/03/2010 12:55

Our lodge smelt horrid! It did seem very expensive everywhere, we went to Longleat one and found it very hilly and a loooong way to get anywhere. On the flip side though the pool was fantastic and our three water boys lived in it the whole stay, add in a passport ticket to Longleat, using Tesco vouchers, and we were more than entertained for the whole stay without breaking the bank on any of the expensive looking extras. I would go again now we know what to expect, mainly for the fact you can phone up and someone will bring chilled white wine to your front door .

SuSylvester · 27/03/2010 12:56

you need to be with others
take your own nice food
be really near the dome
that it
oh and have older kids

Angelcat666 · 27/03/2010 12:59

I've always thought it was expensive so have never been so can't comment on the quality of accommodation.

lockets · 27/03/2010 12:59

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blowbroth · 27/03/2010 13:02

Yes yes yes! Agree. We used to go quite regularly. We even went to Sherwod Forest before it opened to act as 'Guinea Pigs' before the paying public started.
The whole time we were there it was all a bit of a rush. The time would go something like this;
Arrive mid afternoon, try and get into lodge/chalet early.
Told lodge not available so decide to cycle/swim
Go to bike hire shop or back to car park to collect own bikes.
If we decie to swim then of into the 'Dome of Hell' where all the water stuff is.
Battle to get a changing cubicle cos no one else's lodge is ready.
THIS IS ALL WITHIN HALF AN HOUR OF ARRIVING BTW!
Into the dome, the noise is constant.
Swim til lodge is ready
Back to car park
Drive round 3 times to find lodge
Unpack
Back to the Dome
And so it goes on over the whole break
We usually came home with some kind of cold or virus too.
And all for about 400/500 quid
Don't just take my opinion though, I do realise some people love it!

MintHumbug · 27/03/2010 14:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ShadeofViolet · 27/03/2010 14:07

Oh no - we have saved really hard as DS1 has always really wanted to go. I have been doing ebay and car boot sales to raise the money and we are going to Sherwood Forest the end of August.

Now I feel

juneybean · 27/03/2010 14:08

Don't feel sad shadeofviolet you won't know your own opinion of it until you get there.

SaintGeoff · 27/03/2010 14:13

We've just been for a week. Cost £230 for a 6 bed villa (2 double, 1 twin, all ensuite), also had a sauna. We paid nothing else as we cooked in the villa and just used the swimming pool/cycled/walked/nature watched/played on the park.

We love it. It's quiet, squirrels, rabbits, deer, ducks etc all outside the window, clean and basic accommodation, lots of walking/cycling to be had, big swimming pool and good company.

ShadeofViolet, I think your ds1 will love it. Take your bikes with you, use your villa as a base and take it for what it is. Honestly, reading about it on here, I was worried the first time we went but dd adores it and consequently, so do we.

SaintGeoff · 27/03/2010 14:16

And yes there's a scramble of cars at 3pm when the lodge opens but it's so that cars are only on site for a limited time. It's worth it so that you can have a car free week.

And if you're bothered by other people being in the free swimming pool when you go, a CP holiday is not for you. They will insist on letting Other People in.

IHaveABlueCar · 27/03/2010 14:23

Yes, shadeofviolet I've been quite a few times (though not to Sherwood Forest) and I really like it. It does take a bit of getting used to first time but its fine.

I think it helps knowing in advance things like - not being able to park outside your lodge or get in to it until 3ish (I think) and be prepared that the pool does get busy (we often go first thing and over lunch/tea time where its a bit quieter).

Closer to the time (say 3 or 4 weeks before) I would get advice from people who have been for their top tips. Booking activites before you get there makes life a lot simpler (but I think you can only do this 6 weeks before you arrive)

It is soooo popular so it can't be all that bad can it?

IHaveABlueCar · 27/03/2010 14:25

Sorry for the excessive number of brackets in my post

SixtyFootDoll · 27/03/2010 14:30

We go every year with a group of friends, we bring our own food ( and wine - lots of)
And have a great time.

We like Longleat - great for walking/ cycling up those big hills.

The Mums get Sunday morning in the spa, the men usually watch a game in the afternoon in the sports bar.

The outdoor play areas are good, the kids play while we drink coffee outside the Pancake house.
It is quite pricey, but agree you get out of waht you put in!

SixtyFootDoll · 27/03/2010 14:31

Violet - Sherwood is nice and flat and compact, so really easy to get around!

Rockbird · 27/03/2010 14:35

YANBU to have your own opinion but we love it as well. We go with my brother's family, always cook ourselves other than the pancake house and we have a great time. When we used to go without kids we did a lot of activities. Now they are ranging from 7 down to 19 months we just do lots of swimming, walking, some tennis and some of the kids' things. It's quiet, no cars, lots of animals, loads of things for the children to do and we have a fab time. We've been to all many times except Whinfell which is at the other end of the country to us. Longleat is rubbish, too many hills and you have to wait for the train all the time. Eleveden is by far the best, Sherwood a good second.

TheProvincialLady · 27/03/2010 14:42

YANBU. We have been to Sherwood twice but never again. It's like being in a prison camp full of people who have been sentenced to 4 days hard labour. But without the comaradery (everyone hates each other). The spa is quite good but every hen party within 60 miles meets there.

lockets · 27/03/2010 14:46

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EmmaBemma · 27/03/2010 15:09

Why is Centre Parcs so popular, if it's so expensive? I've never been but have heard loads of people raving about it - just looks like a poshed-up Butlins to me.

SugarMousePink · 27/03/2010 15:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Batteryhuman · 27/03/2010 15:14

I go with 7 girlfriends for an annual girls weekend. The spa facilities are fantastic, we bring all our own food and loads of wine and have one of the more up market villas. Split 8 ways the cost is very reasonable but I could not imagine wanting to bring the family for all the reasons other posters have given.

amandamacg · 27/03/2010 15:14

I have to admit, whilst i do think that Centerparcs is vastly overpriced, my 2 young kids absolutely love it. We regularly go to Whinfell and there is loads there to do, although couple of things that just personally annoy me....They advise its 30 mins walk to pony trekking site (i've done it a couple of times and its always been closer to an hour, maybe cos state of roads the closer you get to stables)...some cabins i've stayed in have been bit damp....think its time for bikes to be upgraded, we've hired a few and they've been verging on dangerous. Other than that, no problems, would go again (if i could afford it!)

overthehillandfaraway · 27/03/2010 15:28

We've been to both Sherwood Forest & Whinfell. Had a fabulous time at both and I went back to work feeling more relaxed than I ever have done going abroad. I even had a bit of colour in my cheeks from getting so much fresh air which is something you don't see very often. Its as expensive as you want to make it - you do not have to sign up for the more expensive activities.

We took plenty of food and had lots of barbecues ( I agree the restaurants are not particularly appealing).

Compared to a week abroad for 4 of us, its great value.

Shadesofviolet - Sherwood Forest was my favourite. We had a lodge near the river and had a family of little ducklings come and visit us everymorning - hopping in through the patio doors. There were also rabbits and squirrels everywhere. Enjoy !