Christmas week at Centerparcs

[kjules]

I am looking at booking for Christmas weeks at Sherwood Centerparcs. We have 2 boys aged 9 and 10 (and a dog). Does anyone have experience of going at this time of year? How do they justify the price??

have been the week before christmas (christmas countdown week) has all the same entertainment etc as xmas week but without the obvious bonus of actually being there xmas day.

dont know how they justify the extortionate prices but...... it is without a doubt the best time to go there, i really cannot descibe just how magical it is at this time of the year.

we have been there at other times of the year and the xmas period is by far the best time we have ever experienced there.

if i could afford to go xmas week then id jump at it.

(we are going this dec aswell actually- they have a new family rapid ride! eek!!)

must add though... we stay in the executive accom which i think makes it all the more better, dont know what the comfort accom is like.

Having a dog, we have no choice on accommodation - do they put Christmas trees in the villas or do you take your own decorations I wonder? I would imagine that if you book a restaurant for Christmas meals it will be extortionate (sp?) but would appreciate any tips as we do like to eat out.

How is it so magical? What is extra that's not normally there? The website seems to be a bit quiet/unhelpful!

I love the idea of spending a snowy weekend at CP but snow's never guaranteed around Christmas

we like to take some nice food and cook in but we have eat out at the rib-house and that was nice as they have a kids play area inside aswell which keeps them occupied before and after meal.

I really dont think that they charge extra in the resturants, surely the hike in accom price should cover the whole resort.

i never noticed any difference in the food prices when i went just before xmas compared to any other time of the year.

I dont think that they decorate the villas, although im sure its something that they would allow you to do yourself.
could you not go just before xmas to keep the price down?

sue, they have all fairy lights in the trees, everybody has got that "just before xmas" excited feeling about them, the Father Christmas is out of this world, he has a proper log cabin, in the woods with a little post box etc outside.
just little things really, we settle down with the kids and watch x-massy films with a glass of mulled wine, the squirrels etc and ducks come up to the patio door and the kids feed them.
On both occasions that we have bben there before xmas the weather has been once, frosty and the second time snowed.
the swimming paradise has a lazy river that goes outside through the trees, there was snow coming down onto us but the water was like a lovely hot bath......

gosh i could go on, its somewhere that i would never go in the summer but it really does do something at xmas.

Both children are school age plus going over Christmas allows us to escape the rest of the family ... The restaurants don't raise their prices generally - but we went once over New Year and you can't always go for a 'normal' meal eg. New Year's eve all of the restaurants have set menus that you have to pre-book.

We did have a fantastic time when we went over New Year (2004) but you do have to watch out for the extras. I have found the old 'planning your stay' pre-booking brochure. The New Year's Eve meals varied between £25 and £50 per adult - depending on where you booked. Other times were booked out at various restaurants over the week. We found the New Year's Day jazz brunch OK for value - it was !6 per adult, £7 per child (3 yrs +). when the children arrived they got a mini stocking with jelly beans in.

We have been christmas week about 3 times now and it's fab, all the family go. No christmas stress! You can order a christmas tree, we take our own lights and decorations and do christmas dinner ourselves. The stuff on christmas eve especially the carol service (gospal choir) is really good and the atmosphere if fantastic especially for children. We always stay in the comfort accomodation (is expensive enough christmas week!) Last year we were in the spa on christmas eve, when else would you get to do that?! No extra cost to eat out except for christmas day. The jazz brunch on boxing day is fab as well. Would highly recommend it, money well spent IMO.

Thanks anchovies. What does a Christmas tree cost approx? Can you pre-order Christmas dinner ingredients? Are the Christmas dinners at the restaurants similar prices to the New Year eve dinners? We are looking to book for Xmas 2006 - how's that for organised? We already have 2 nights booked away between Xmas and New Year on a farm in Yorkshire for this year. The Centerparcs price is going to be about £1000 for a 2-bed comfort - we have to add in the ridiculous price of £50 for our dog too. I'm sure he'll love the rapids though

is this a thread where you finish the sentence?

"christmas week at Centerparcs....is my idea of hell"

Think the christmas tree is about £10? You can get everything for christmas dinner delivered by them but there is an asda about 10 minutes away that we nipped to on christmas eve morning last year and bought everything ready prepared. Depends where christmas falls in the week as well, if it's early we just take everything with us and just order the turkey from them. Got a feeling christas dinner in the restaurants is expensive, same sort of prices as new year. Good job you're booking early (£1000!!!) Am very lucky as my parents pay for all of us to go (no wonder I like it so much!)