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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:
juneybean · 28/03/2010 12:27

"cannot imagine why anyone without kids would go though"

Eeek! I quite fancied the spa....

morningpaper · 28/03/2010 12:29

I went pre-kids with a girlfriend and we spent all our time in the spa and drunk in the revolving restaurant

'twas fun!

tryingtobemarrypoppins2 · 28/03/2010 12:38

After paying £80 :0 :0 OMG, yesterday at Lego land for 2 adults and a 2 year old to get in (will NEVER GO AGAIN - wrong age to take!!) centre parcs prices don't seem so bad!

juneybean · 28/03/2010 12:38

That's what we intend to do MP!

thesecondcoming · 28/03/2010 14:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SixtyFootDoll · 28/03/2010 14:21

what a charming turn of phrase there secondcoming.

MrsMattie · 28/03/2010 14:27

Its like a package holiday in the UK, isn't it? You could rent a nice cottage somewhere and organise all the activities yourself with a bit of nouse (and probably for a lot cheaper) but a lot of people like the 'all in for one price' concept, don't they?

My idea of hell, personally.

Original poster
minxofmancunia · 28/03/2010 15:14

TSC you have dared to voice my true thoughts that i was too scaredy cat to say on here! Twas chavtastic!!! Sorry people I wish I could think of a better way of putting it and call me a snob if you wish, i know i am .

Re the spa, if i was bothered about such things there are several spa type places within walking distance of my house which have all won awards etc. Re the wildlife, lovely though it was we can get all that (bar the red squirrels admittedly)at our lovely local nature reserve. And the gym we're members of is a million times nicer than that horrible, nasty, tacky sports plaza!!!

I think it was the glipmses of the lovely lake distirct thru the trees that got me down, here we were in beautiful countryside but just out of our reach! (Although admittedly we could have left the compound just never sorted getting up off our arses to do so)

OP posts:
piscesmoon · 28/03/2010 16:03

They offer exactly what they say they are offering-if you don't like that sort of thing then don't go! We found it very useful with teenage boys in a wet, autumn week in Cumbria-everything was on site. We could have had a cottage (we generally do) but we would have ended up driving to different venues and centerparcs was more relaxing (with the advantage of the red squirrels!)We could go out-get soaked come back have a hot bath and dry off.

Neverchuckanokiaatthepm · 28/03/2010 16:04

Iwould like to ban CenterParcs

SPBInDisguise · 28/03/2010 16:15

Is there anything you wouldn't like to ban neverchuck?
I think you may be on course for a banning youself...

Neverchuckanokiaatthepm · 28/03/2010 16:21

WE ARE WORKING ON BANNING MNET TOO.IT JUST WONT TOE THE PARTY LINE

SPBInDisguise · 28/03/2010 16:27

Can we ban the party line then?

Neverchuckanokiaatthepm · 28/03/2010 16:32

I AM WORKING ON THE BANNING OF ALL POLITICAL PARTIES

omnishambles · 28/03/2010 16:37

We go once a year - generally in either eater hols or October half term - we have different hols to other people so its cheaper.

And yes I am a bit tired of it but for the money its just so easy - we have a 20 month old and a 7 year old and there's stuff for both of them to do (increasingly so for the older one - he cant wait to do the tree/highwire stuff) - actually quite rare with a mix of ages. And they both love the pool.

We are non drivers as well so the lovely cottage in the middle of nowhere thing doesnt work for us and for people who live in cities CP is actually relaxing.

Neenz - dont sweat, you and the dcs will like it - book yourself in for the pregnancy spa treatments and some babysiting in the evening.

The restaurants are a bit shite though.

MP - I see your badger and raise you a mole...

Ellokitty · 28/03/2010 17:19

To say Centre parcs is devoid of culture, is a bit like saying Paris is the worst beach holiday you've ever been on.

I think OP, if you were expecting a cultural holiday at CP, then you rather missed the point - go somewhere like Rome, or Madrid, or any other big city with lots of museums, art galleries, opera and concerts etc...

The point of CP is that it is a relaxing holiday - in the woods, everything in one place where you really can just chill and do nothing all week, or go to the spa or do lots of sports - whatever you enjoy doing for relaxation.

It seems madness to complain about CP being something it is blatantly not and has never pretended to be!

piscesmoon · 28/03/2010 17:33

I agree with Ellokitty-if you are looking for culture you will be sadly disappointed but you would be a bit mad if you expected it! The brochure doesn't offer culture.

bruffin · 28/03/2010 17:50

I have never been to a UK centerparcs only the european ones which are a fraction of the price of the uk ones. We have lovely relaxing holidays there and dcs have so much to do (again a lot cheaper than the uk even with the current euro)

serinBrightside · 28/03/2010 17:51

Get yourself a copy of cool camping, life is out there!!

fluffles · 28/03/2010 17:51

we go with a big group (3 x 6bed lodges) with children at all sorts of different ages so it's good for us.

we go in january so i suppose it's quieter.

we eat lunch out and dinner in (cause of the babies) and mostly just hang out and swim and go for walks and chat and spend time together.

i like it.

giveitago · 28/03/2010 19:06

It think it's OK - went once and will take ds one more time in a few weeks.

I'd never been on holiday in England before - but we had ds so I doubt that NYC, or Rome or Cape Town or somewhere nice in Malasia or India would really do it for a little one - so why not CP?

Not my thing but if I'm going with a ds why not somewhere with a swimming pool and in a forest? Fairly quiet.

If ds happy then it make my life easier.

Oh but do not bother eating the minging restaurants.

I found the caravan park thing we did last year a bit odd tbh and cottage in the middle of nowhere when you have only one child - boring for child?

Original poster
minxofmancunia · 28/03/2010 19:15

I agree giveitago about the cottage in the middle of nowhere thing being boring for one child, we have 2 but as ds is only 6 months dd (3.5) would be bored pretty quickly with just me and dh to play with...plus add to that that my brain would start dribbling out of my ears having to entertain her all day. She's pretty high maintenace, that's why we chose CP. Lots to do and the presence of other children.

My main beef with it was how and I hate to use this word downmarket it was, was expecting something a bit classier, not the ritz but not butlins in a forest either.

As for culture, well obviously I wasn't expecting museums and art galleries but thought the restaurants might not be quite so dire and maybe there would just be a bit more of an authentic atmosphere rather than plastic not so fantastic.

I think the sloution is to go to a cottage with friends. we are going back to a lovely gite in france in July that is one of 6, in a row of converted old farm outouse buildins. the garden in front has a sandpit, swings pirate ship etc. and it's surrounded by vineyards, 1 hour from the beach and loads of rustic french villages.

I think I'm going to give up on British holidays. have tried 3 now and they've all been pretty dire.

OP posts:
giveitago · 28/03/2010 20:25

Minx - are there any upmarket UK holidays? I've no idea?

Issue for us is we could spend the same money and go to Paris or spend more and go out of europe (huraah!) BUT the cultural stuff a 4 year old wouldn't get it and there's not much for little kids in big cities. We go to Italy and people are envious - we go lots and every single time ds has a meltdown as there's NOTHING to entertain him and I then have a terror on my hands.So for me, in the absence of knowing much about my own country (shame on me) CP is a very easy option.

But agree, expensive, and I would never go in the holidays - I don't take to queuing very well!

Oh bloody hell - the restaurants -this time we're taking heaps of food and plan to actually leave the Parc and get out and about a bit!

And then I'll do research into other types of holiday we can do.

Link me to the French thing? Please?

tifyv · 28/03/2010 20:31

Look out for cheap deals as we've never paid full price. We take frozen meals which thaw slowly in fridge and save he cost of the restaurants which are a total rip off. We spend days in the forest eta and then swim about t time, put pjs on in pool and cycle back. Always a good night sleep. Our children are still v young so they are happy with this but I would imagine very expensive if you do loads of clubs

Original poster
minxofmancunia · 28/03/2010 20:36

giveitago www.grangedumoulin.com

Your ds would love it, the owners are English and have lived in france 15 years so really have an understanding of childrens holiday needs and French culture and how best to combine. They do you an individual welcome pack with suggestions for local activities and have wine tasting/vinewalks/teddy beras picnics and pottery painting. their dcs are 2 boys 7 and 4 so definitely at least 2 for him to play with.

OP posts:
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