Disappointed Center Parcs

[Dawbie]

Anyone else really disappointed with their trip to Center Parcs?
mad a child I remember going and absolutely loving it.
Went last month and was SO disappointed. Accommodation dirty, small and very cramped. We booked a 4 bedroom lodge and feel conned as the floor plan was ‘indicative’ and we got one less bathroom that promised at booking.
basically the floor plan so different to what we booked.
Also the experience called ‘baby owls.’ Completely misleading. The youngest owl was 7 (definitely not a baby) and they have justified it by saying the experience is for babies - despite under 1s not being permitted.

Ive always been a believer in you get what you pay for with Center Parcs that is not the case. NEVER AGAIN.

Sorry but the owl being too old is just too funny.

Just back and loved it, it’s convenient we know what we are getting and only tend to pay for one or two activities the rest of the time is swimming, walking and relaxing. We also
like forest holidays but prefer the pools at CP (now unlimited again). Also had voucher for spa day - amazing.

Centre parcs is just staying in a shed inn the woods, nothing glamorous at all.
Weather is usually rubbish, only good activity is swimming, and also only free one.

IMO they've had their day. Pontins in the woods

We like it but our DC isn’t school age yet so we pay around £700 for the week and often go with a family with similar aged DC so it’s really £350 per family for accommodation and swimming which I think is great value. I wouldn’t be as happy paying 3-4 times that for school holiday prices.

After this thread I decided to book Butlin’s for a Monday - Friday break in the summer holidays. Some how with all there discounts we have deluxe accommodation, a dine around plan (so dinner and breakfast each day at any of the resteraunts we decided to go to there with drinks ) and a adrenaline pass a pass which allows my son to do a climbing wall, zip wire and aerial walkway and I added circus tickets as there is some kind of circus tent there for 600 pound. There is also Stephen mullern there and itv masked singer entertainment!

unintentionally hilarious 😂😂😂

Sadly most barn owls die really young. Random fact but they are not long lived birds ☹️ Even in captivity! If thé youngest was seven he was already ancient for a wild one and a middle aged captive one 😂

@Skinnermarink aaaw thats sad, poor old owls 😪not being sprightly enough for the petting zoo 😪

Every time we go to Centerparcs I get excited and then disappointed once we arrive.

The accommodation is extremely poor for the cost. Never very clean, cramped and damp. None of the bathrooms have windows or good ventilation so they end up swimming in condensation. Wifi is bad. TV never works properly. Sofas uncomfortable. I reckon they do this deliberately so you go out in the evening and spend even more money. I've visited most of the parks and they are all as bad as each other.

It's the fact that it costs so much, then you have to self cater! Or spend more money on eating out. Then more money on all the activities!

The only reason I go back is that the kids are ecstatically happy and I get a couple of trips to the spa.

Well If it makes you feel any better OP, I thought the same thing about what the Baby Owls experience would mean. A bit like you see farm parks promoting lamb feeding in the spring. The Baby Owls activity never seemed to be available to book when we were searching for activities for our upcoming trips so I actually assumed it was because no owls had been born in recent months. Every day’s a school day, eh? I’ll get my coat 🥴

Re the accommodation, that does sound disappointing. The 4 bedroom lodges We have stayed in there have always had a second shower room.

The thing that bugs me every time is the way that food burns on the underside every single time whenever I’ve tried cooking anything in those gas ovens. Not sure if it’s down to the gas oven itself or rubbish baking tray as I never have issues at home.

We go to centreparcs several times a year, have SEN dc and always stay in the same lodge so they know exactly what to expect.

I really don't understand why people have such an issue with it. Is it that they expect a lot more for the price point? It's in the UK therefore expensive in terms of staffing, running and materials. It's always sold out in school holidays so obviously there is sufficient demand, it is correctly priced.

Centreparcs gives you a UK holiday on a site which is predominantly car free therefore safer for kids and allows cycling, running, skating etc that you would struggle to be able to do elsewhere.
The pool complex is very good and unlimited use
The restaurants are mainly chains and price seems to be consistent with other locations
There are plenty of activities and they really aren't much more expensive than they would be elsewhere.

If you want cheap, or sun, or local restaurants you're going to the wrong place.

OP I am amazed at their attitude to you getting the wrong accommodation, do follow that up.

Baby owls is obvs an owl experience for young kids.

Agree with you here, how on earth is that possible.

I just take the airfryer 😂

YABU to think Centre Parcs is a luxury brand

Imagine how many owls they'd have if they constantly had 'baby' ones available 😂

We’ve just returned from CP and I totally agree about the bloody ovens! We did oven pizzas that looked fine on top but I was wondering where the burning smell was coming from! Turns out the bottom was practically black. Thought it was just me.

went there recently. Wont go back with all the reservation requirements or else you wont have slots - breakfast, lunch, dinner. Especially the limit on swimming and booking. Just too difficult to commit to everything with a baby or toddler.
Plus they don't even clean the accommodation once when we were there for 7 nights. Just yuck! We only suck up with the fly and go overseas for same pirce, with lots more offers.

Butlins for the middle classes -used to love it but now find Butlins is actually cleaner and delivers better customer service

We love it. Book activities the kids love. Play in the playgrounds. Swim for hours. It's such a easy holiday. Book same lodge every time so we know what we get. Always go on edge of holidays for sensible price. We love it and so do the kids. But I am super organised with what we do each day so everyone has fun