Center Parcs WTAF!
Discussion
croyde said:
Out of interest I just looked at the Belgian one, same 2 bed lodge, same week in October half term, 928 Euros compared to £999 in the UK. About the same and you'll have ferries/tunnel costs to add on.
The original CP's were established in Continental Europe back in the 80's. I've been to a few and the cleanliness, general standards and visitors are massively of a higher level. Plus a huge focus on nature which in the UK sites has been overtaken by the profit making agenda...….Worth the extra cost (if any). Each to their own, but Centre Parcs never appealed to me, even when my three lads were growing up, extremely expensive for what is in effect a log cabin in some woods and some cafes that serve fast food. At least at Butlin's all the entertainment was free excluding the bingo. 
You could say don't knock it, until you've tried it, but I'll give it a miss thanks.
You could say don't knock it, until you've tried it, but I'll give it a miss thanks.
Wacky Racer said:
Each to their own, but Centre Parcs never appealed to me, even when my three lads were growing up, extremely expensive for what is in effect a log cabin in some woods and some cafes that serve fast food. At least at Butlin's all the entertainment was free excluding the bingo.
You could say don't knock it, until you've tried it, but I'll give it a miss thanks.
That's far enough but they are a little more than log cabins in a wood with a few fast cafes.You could say don't knock it, until you've tried it, but I'll give it a miss thanks.
I'm a fan but do understand that it doesn't appeal to some.
There was definitely a time when I thought CP was worth it.
When the kids were pre school and you went out of season. Drop them off at baby club and the wife went to the spa and I went cycling off site.
Baby sitter in the evening and out for a drink and a nice dinner at the Indian restaurant.
Once the kids got bigger then it was paying for loads of extras and getting ripped off in the school holidays.
When the kids were pre school and you went out of season. Drop them off at baby club and the wife went to the spa and I went cycling off site.
Baby sitter in the evening and out for a drink and a nice dinner at the Indian restaurant.
Once the kids got bigger then it was paying for loads of extras and getting ripped off in the school holidays.
Edited by croyde on Monday 9th September 16:16
croyde said:
There was definitely a time when I thought CP was worth it.
When the kids were pre school and you went out of season. Drop them off at baby club and the wife went to the spa and I went cycling off site.
Baby sitter in the evening and out for a drink and a nice dinner at the Indian restaurant.
Once the kids got bigger then it was paying for loads of extras and getting ripped off in the school holidays.
So you go on holiday with the family but first chance you get into baby sitting so you can go on your push bike and the Mrs can have some me time in the spa - then come the evening sitter again for drinks and a curry. When the kids were pre school and you went out of season. Drop them off at baby club and the wife went to the spa and I went cycling off site.
Baby sitter in the evening and out for a drink and a nice dinner at the Indian restaurant.
Once the kids got bigger then it was paying for loads of extras and getting ripped off in the school holidays.
Edited by croyde on Monday 9th September 16:16
Did you actually see your kids during the holiday ?
Sorry if it came over rude but if it was the way you described it it sounds like you simply wanted a holiday sans your own kids...
Say no more.
When you go skiing do you leave the kids at home with grandparents for the week ?
768 said:
You don't feel the need for a break from your kids, ever?
Are you sharing your beers with them?
It reads as though he works so the first chance only 5 weeks a year to spend all day with them into baby sitting nice. Are you sharing your beers with them?
Our oldest is 7 in those 7 years I’ve been out for beers 5 times without them.
Welshbeef said:
So you go on holiday with the family but first chance you get into baby sitting so you can go on your push bike and the Mrs can have some me time in the spa - then come the evening sitter again for drinks and a curry.
Did you actually see your kids during the holiday ?
Sorry if it came over rude but if it was the way you described it it sounds like you simply wanted a holiday sans your own kids...
Say no more.
When you go skiing do you leave the kids at home with grandparents for the week ?
I just knew, being PH, that someone would jump down my throat Did you actually see your kids during the holiday ?
Sorry if it came over rude but if it was the way you described it it sounds like you simply wanted a holiday sans your own kids...
Say no more.
When you go skiing do you leave the kids at home with grandparents for the week ?
Of course I also rented a bike buggy and took the little ones out, went walking with them and lots of time in the pool.
Baby club/kids club in the morning as the toddlers loved it. Lunch together, afternoon together and babysitter once, sometimes twice in the week.
Because in the evenings little ones sleep.
My boys are hulking sulking teens these days yet I still take them out for dinner, cinema, canoeing, trips abroad despite it costing a fortune.
Check out the holiday threads as I'm desperately trying to find somewhere reasonable yet warm for their October half term.
Honestly, PH! where having a dig matters.
PS. Despite working, I was their main carer when they were young, for quite a few years due to their mum suffering from breast cancer. I also gave up my life in the country with my girlfriend to come back to London to look after them. So you can see, I put them first.
This is a thread about the cost of going to Center Parcs so do add your thoughts if you have any experiences. Don't read the threads and start nit picking about people's lives, especially when you know nothing about them.
Edited by croyde on Tuesday 10th September 07:58
Edited by croyde on Tuesday 10th September 08:05
Wacky Racer said:
Each to their own, but Centre Parcs never appealed to me, even when my three lads were growing up, extremely expensive for what is in effect a log cabin in some woods and some cafes that serve fast food. At least at Butlin's all the entertainment was free excluding the bingo.
You could say don't knock it, until you've tried it, but I'll give it a miss thanks.
It's not about the accommodation; basic is fine. It's about the activities that would otherwise each be two ours away in different directions.You could say don't knock it, until you've tried it, but I'll give it a miss thanks.
Welshbeef said:
It reads as though he works so the first chance only 5 weeks a year to spend all day with them into baby sitting nice.
Our oldest is 7 in those 7 years I’ve been out for beers 5 times without them.
I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment, but imo you need a bit of balance.Our oldest is 7 in those 7 years I’ve been out for beers 5 times without them.
We;e just booked one of the hot tub lodges - 3 bed - updated spec, with hot tub and sauna.
4 adults, 2 kids, 2 infants...... £1400
Middle of August?
Nope..... Last week in January. Ouch.
To be fair we could have had a basic lodge for £579 - and that's when it makes sense, out of season, lower end lodges it works out as quite a bargain.
I don't class what we've just booked as a bargain.
4 adults, 2 kids, 2 infants...... £1400
Middle of August?
Nope..... Last week in January. Ouch.
To be fair we could have had a basic lodge for £579 - and that's when it makes sense, out of season, lower end lodges it works out as quite a bargain.
I don't class what we've just booked as a bargain.
Bill said:
Welshbeef said:
It reads as though he works so the first chance only 5 weeks a year to spend all day with them into baby sitting nice.
Our oldest is 7 in those 7 years I’ve been out for beers 5 times without them.
I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment, but imo you need a bit of balance.Our oldest is 7 in those 7 years I’ve been out for beers 5 times without them.
It's definitely a balance thing.
I have 3 aged 19, 17 & 12 and we have always tried to get away for a weekend together every year and also lads weekends/girls weekends if we can. Also meeting mates in the pub on a Friday for a few hours.
It's a whole new thread topic, but my wife and I used to frequently go out/take holidays either as a couple or with the boys/girls before the kids came along.
This all stopped once we had kids, my eldest is eight, my youngest five and we can count on one hand the number of times we've had a night away without them.
If we have a rare night out then the only person to ever babysit them is either my mum or one of two very close friends, if any of these aren't available then we don't go out.
We include them in virtually everything, there are times when you don't like your own kids, how can you expect someone else to like them if they are being little s
ts?
Wandering even further off topic,
We were in Dubai at Christmas, there's a nice little kids water park in our hotel, we took our kids there for an hour every morning before hitting the beach with them. The same little boy was there on his own every morning, he was always there in the evening if we went back after the beach, so something like eight hours on his own, wandering from child to child looking for a friend. One afternoon we saw the mum and dad come and collect the boy, they had designer shopping bags hanging off them. The kid raced over to the them to give them a hug and they'd back off because they didn't want their designer branded clothes to get wet. They actually made one of the pool staff dry him off and get him changed, it made me so sad that this poor little sod was left all day while his parents went shopping, every single day we were there the boy was there, alone.
This all stopped once we had kids, my eldest is eight, my youngest five and we can count on one hand the number of times we've had a night away without them.
If we have a rare night out then the only person to ever babysit them is either my mum or one of two very close friends, if any of these aren't available then we don't go out.
We include them in virtually everything, there are times when you don't like your own kids, how can you expect someone else to like them if they are being little s
ts?Wandering even further off topic,
We were in Dubai at Christmas, there's a nice little kids water park in our hotel, we took our kids there for an hour every morning before hitting the beach with them. The same little boy was there on his own every morning, he was always there in the evening if we went back after the beach, so something like eight hours on his own, wandering from child to child looking for a friend. One afternoon we saw the mum and dad come and collect the boy, they had designer shopping bags hanging off them. The kid raced over to the them to give them a hug and they'd back off because they didn't want their designer branded clothes to get wet. They actually made one of the pool staff dry him off and get him changed, it made me so sad that this poor little sod was left all day while his parents went shopping, every single day we were there the boy was there, alone.
Coin Slot. said:
it made me so sad that this poor little sod was left all day while his parents went shopping, every single day we were there the boy was there, alone.
The cynical me thinks that's typical of the sort of person that likes "holidaying" in Dubai (you don't appear typical, BTW, before you take offence).
Ok, sorry for thread derail.
(And we are definitely not the type to dump our kids in Holiday Clubs all day when on holiday. We only started going to 'resorts' in the last 4-5 years when the kids were a little older and we could do stuff together (However our youngest is football mad and loves going to organised football matches/training if the hotel does it). Up to then it was always Dorset/Devon/Wales in the caravan)
Back to how bloody expensive Center Parcs is
(And we are definitely not the type to dump our kids in Holiday Clubs all day when on holiday. We only started going to 'resorts' in the last 4-5 years when the kids were a little older and we could do stuff together (However our youngest is football mad and loves going to organised football matches/training if the hotel does it). Up to then it was always Dorset/Devon/Wales in the caravan)
Back to how bloody expensive Center Parcs is
Dan_1981 said:
We;e just booked one of the hot tub lodges - 3 bed - updated spec, with hot tub and sauna.
4 adults, 2 kids, 2 infants...... £1400
Middle of August?
Nope..... Last week in January. Ouch.
To be fair we could have had a basic lodge for £579 - and that's when it makes sense, out of season, lower end lodges it works out as quite a bargain.
I don't class what we've just booked as a bargain.
My guess that was for a weekend. 4 adults, 2 kids, 2 infants...... £1400
Middle of August?
Nope..... Last week in January. Ouch.
To be fair we could have had a basic lodge for £579 - and that's when it makes sense, out of season, lower end lodges it works out as quite a bargain.
I don't class what we've just booked as a bargain.
We still haven't booked anywhere for our summer Holiday and I am still thinking about Centre Parcs for our main holiday. Ticks a lot of boxes.
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