Who would seriously pay £4000 to go to Center Parcs??

[SquiffyHock]

Honestly???

I've been browsing holidays for May next year (DS starts school in September so we will be restricted to school holidays). We have a new baby due in March so DH suggested going to Center Parcs - just looked it up, Comfort accomodation starts at £1700 - new style executive Lodge, which we've stayed in before £3000 and the most expensive type is £4000!!

I was looking at a 4 bed as we will take my parents but honestly! We went to a really lovely villa during the Easter holidays this year and it wasn't that much including flights.

Just wanted to rant really - they must sell some of these villas, I just wondered who to

I went to CP before I had ds, we enjoyed it but it did feel like being on holiday at a motorway service station! The restaurants were nice but it felt like we were in a bubble. I would go back for a few days but not at their current prices, quite frankly I think CP are deluded if they think that people will pay those rip off prices! It is possible to take the family to almost anywhere in the world for the same price as staying in their middle class sanitised bubble!

I must go to the wrong motorway service stations ! As for going to Spain in October, yes thats cheap, but its going to be too cold to go on the beach and in the pool so what are you going to do there ?

We are going to CP in Elveden in September - £400 for a week for a Comfort Plus villa. We have been before and enjoyed it - I think you have to go with the full knowledge that (1) it won't be cheap and (2) it will be busy - people don't go to CP for peace & quiet and idyllic views etc.

I think some of you are missing the point here - if you ever try booking a CP holiday last minute for school holidays - you can't because they are full - lots of people are obviously prepared to pay - that's the only reason they get away with charging it.

Rookie - we also priced up October half term at Longleat - many schools (including ours) are now doing a 2 week October half term so that explains why prices still high. Anyway we were looking at the top grade house (hot tub, sauna etc) for 2 families to stay in and yes it was not far off £4000 for the long weekend Friday to Monday. Needless to say we have decided on a "staycation"

We were at Sherwood last week and had alovely time, it was our second visit. Our children are 3.5 and 15 months and they love it too. Although it was August it didn't seem too full, everything was clean and the facilities were good. We had a four bed Comfort Plus Villa which we shared with family and it cost £1400 altogether. I know the ones with hot tubs are well into the thousands though. Our children are too young to do many of the sports yet although I do think some of them are ridiculously priced. We hired bikes and a trailer for the kids which they loved, went swimming, did the nature trails, went to the bird feeding hide, played crazy golf, went on the beach and spent ages every day on the playgrounds. The kids had a whale of a time and so did we because they were happy, there was no traffic and the surroundings are beautiful. The restaurants are not cheap but are very child-friendly.
We have been to Butlins and Center Parcs and they are not at all the same. Butlins pool was good but not as clean, Butlins has a funfair, redcoats, Bob the Builder etc. Center Parcs has beautiful forest, wildlife, no cars, no loud music/rides. Each to their own I suppose, we enjoyed both. I love CP but I wouldn't spend £4000 to go.

Don't get me wrong I like CP but just don't understand paying ridiculous prices for it.

I agree there might not be that much to do in Spain in October but having been to CP when it bucketed down the entire weekend, not entirely unusual in the Lake District, once you have exhausted the pleasures of the free swimming pool, packed to the brim with everyone else, there isn't that much to do unless you book expensive activities. Plus the restaurants seem bizarrely unable to cope with being full at lunchtime which shouldn't be unexpected to them. Agreed though I do love the surroundings and the Aqua Sana if we can coax rookietoddler into the creche.

Abbylou, I am soooo glad to read your thoughts on CP & especially Sherwood forest as we have a midweek break booked in 5 weeks time and I was really starting to worry what I was letting us all in for. I am already worried enough as will be 36 weeks pregnant. Thank goodness we got a deal out of the paper and wil have paid less than £300 for the privilledge, so can come home if I hate it that much.