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

[minxofmancunia]

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.

Yesterday I went through the process of booking a Center Parc holiday and got all the way to the end of the booking and was just about to click the credit card payment and it said they were going to charge £40 for using my credit card.

I told DW and we agreed that if this was what booking was going to be like then everything at the park would be expensive too. I cancelled the order.

After reading this thread I am glad I did not go through with it. TBH just fear it was going to be really expensive, I would spend all week cooking to avoid eating out in pizza places all the time and then ferrying our 8 and 10 yr old DSs from one activity to another. Not for us.

SuSylvester - have friends who say the same thing. It is good if you go with someone else in one the big 8 person lodges and with older children who can take themselves off to activities.

We have friends who say they really enjoyed it as others have on here so I guess it is what it is and without trying it I really am not criticising anything on the sites but the booking process experience really put me off.

Went to a similar style of place abroad, and including ferry, it was about half the price of CP here.

There must be a nice UK alternative to CP?

I would take a Sun Parks (european CP?- I think) holiday over CP any day. Half the price, the villas are nicer, food slightly better and there's more to do off the site

CP would be reasonable if it cost half as much- as it is, it's a complete rip off, ime

We went to Elveden Forest when DD was little with my sister, her DH and DD, out of school holidays in November, and really enjoyed it.

However - restaurants - hugely overpriced except for the posh revolving one, which was great but only for a treat, couldn't possibly afford to eat there every night!

Comfort plus (hate to think what Comfort on its own was like) was a damp, concrete bunker (DH christened it The Gulag) that stank of damp in the kids room, so we had DD in bed with us all week, which was nice...They promised to bring in a dehumidifier but it never materialised.

Activities horribly overpriced for what they were, horse drawn carriage ride (kids too young for actual riding) an absolute rip off, couldn't believe they had the nerve to charge for what was basically a trundle up one path through a load of chalets and back down another path through a load of chalets...

Mini disco was excellent fun, the kids loved it, the other child-related activites were good but really not worth the money. Outdoor play areas fantastic, the kids loved them. Nursery was excellent, as was the babysitting service, which we used one night.

Pool was wonderful, would go again just for that, it was brilliant, as was the Spa. I could have lived in the Spa!

We went to Butlins the year after and for half the cost were in an apartment that was 100% bigger, brighter and better, and all the attractions were free, so on a value for money basis I'd go for Butlins every time - however, Butlins pool was freezing and I've never seen so many obese families chain-smoking over pushchairs in my life, so I guess you pays your money and takes your chances...

I went to Sherwood Forest in 1992 with friends and their children. It was great, everything pretty new and not at all crowded. I went again in 2005 with 11 friends for a hen weekend and was horrified at how busy everything was. There were hundreds of new chalets, so there were thousands more people trying to use the same facilities. The swimming pool was literally standing room only. 2-hour queues for some of the water slides. Luckily we'd pre-booked all our activities (spa morning was lovely), we had a great time but no way would I pay school holiday prices and take my family.

It is expensive, busy, slightly naff etc etc (me and DH always do impressions of the advert when we're there-"because time is precious-and around a fiver a minute )

However, the DC aged 5-17 love it-it's the one place they consistently love to go-and that's just for swimming and the cycling.

One year, a mother duck hatched her eggs outside our villa-it was incredible-our own real life Springwatch!!!!....DH asked me if I'd had to pay a £30 supplement for it.....

We've only ever been to Sherwood and Whinfell-I think they're both equally good

YANBU however I don't agree personally. we went twice last year and loved it both times. It's just what you make of it IMO. I did complain on the 2nd trip (problem with our accomodtion) and as a reslut we got £50 restraunt vouchers, bottle champaign and box of chocolates plus a free upgrade.

We love it so much we are due to go again in May.

Also,the 3 hour world of spa session that my mum and I done together was fantastic and we can't wait to do it again. It was pure bliss < I smile just thinking about it>

I live in Notts,and I always find it hilarious that anyone would pay to come on holiday to Sherwood Forest...

We've only stayed at CP on the continent and think they are excellent value. They are so much better than a mobile home park, for around the same price.

YANBU - we went with some friends a couple of years ago - our friends are evangelical about it and go every year(Elvedon Forest). I just didn't get it I'm afraid. I thought it was unbelievably overpriced and the food was terrible. The 'executive' villa was really not very comfortable at all. However our kids were only 7months at the time and I could see how for older kids it might have a lot more to offer. I didn't tell my friends what I really thought as I thought they'd be hurt. It's just that for the same money, you could hire a lovely house on the coast, in much nicer countryside and do lots of self organised activities - personally much more my cup of tea.

YANBU, everyone is entitled to an opinion.

However I love it and the kids are really happy there and ask to go back again and again.

Both Centerparcs and Butlins make me shudder. But with kids of a certain age there is little else that you can do at short notice without spending a fortune or spending half the time at an airport.

Given that, at least Butlins feels like value for money.

YABU

I LOVE Center Parcs

It's PERFECT for life with small children

Mind you I always take enough food to cook myself, I don't eat out: I love cooking something nice ahhhh

Have never been but looked into it once for summer holiday and could not believe the prices!

And it includes very little really in terms of "entertainment" as far as I could see. (ie you have to pay extra for most things).

Would rather self-cater for a week by the seaside (cost a lot less).

That said, I know a lot of peopole who go again and again so they must like it. Maybe the secret is to go outside school hols (cheaper and less busy?). But that's not an option for us.

Oh and I love the open fires

and dishwashers

and random animals on the patio - last time I saw a BADGER!!!!!!!! A BADGER!

There was no Badget Supplement

OK have just searched for a week at the start of the summer holidays (when we are going on a SC holiday).

The cheapest accom @ Sherwood Forest for us would be almost £1500. For a week! Just what is it offering that makes it so nice? (BTW that is the somewhat derided (here) "comfort")

For the same week we are staying in a lovely house in a seaside town and it's costing about £650. That leaves us £850 which should pay for a bit of bikehire, horse riding, days out at water theme park etc.

Just what is CP offering that would make me change my mind I wonder?

A Badger? You thought it was worth paying hundreds of pounds to see a badger? Lawks but there's a nice little earner I hadn't realised I could exploit so easily.

We saw a fox on a walk last year in Pembrokeshire. It sat so still we took its picture.

It was free as well actually. Not quite up to badger standard tho I'll admit.

No, even I'd have to offer foxes for free. I could do a nice line in random weasels for £10 a pop though.

you should build a lodge in your garden mate

do you do pancakes?

"you should build a lodge in your garden mate"

You think I haven't?

This week's special is white barn owls. I'm taking offers.

I've just polished off a pancake too (seriously)!

we have foxes walking down the street at night

lodge? hmm I wonder if that's what my neighbour's up to - he told me that the wooden structure in his garden is a home office