Center Parcs WTAF!
Discussion
I haven't yet done a CP and this thread isn't doing anything much to encourage me to do so in the future. It's probably also due to finding nice places elsewhere in the UK for a fraction of the price, I can't see what makes CP worth the premium compared to doing some shopping around.
Edit - just priced a week in a 2 bedroom lodge for the 4 of us at Whinfell Forest in the Lakes at forthcoming half term, starts at £2098!
Edit - just priced a week in a 2 bedroom lodge for the 4 of us at Whinfell Forest in the Lakes at forthcoming half term, starts at £2098!
Edited by soxboy on Friday 13th September 10:33
SydneyBridge said:
The Occupancy Rates at CP are amazing, 97.6%, for the year up to 20th April 2018.
So they can basically charge what they want, until people stop going !
Yup and that’s a genuine number....it’s a pretty simple business model...only let people book 3 or 4 night blocks or any combination of so they don’t have lots of odd days and price aggressively on/off season. They’re run differently from the ones in Europe which was the original parent company, there people have time share/own the chalets and CP run the facilities etc. So they have a lot less control of the quality of accommodation etc and cash flows. UK company was separated from European one 20 or 30 years ago...they own everything so have total control. The only things they don’t charge for are the water park...and parking.So they can basically charge what they want, until people stop going !
soxboy said:
I haven't yet done a CP and this thread isn't doing anything much to encourage me to do so in the future. It's probably also due to finding nice places elsewhere in the UK for a fraction of the price, I can't see what makes CP worth the premium compared to doing some shopping around.
If you were into sports and swimming and a peaceful sylvan location it was perfect. When it first came about it had few copycats, and was sold as the British holiday the weather can’t spoil.It was a bastion of broadsheet readers with decent manners, rightly or wrongly, a bit pricey but not overly so like now. It had its own independent restaurants (cp run I mean that were actually decent.
Then it became fashionable etc and was bought by a PE firm (not sure if exact timeline and correlation of that) and the inevitable happened. the race to the bottom began. More villas crammed in, higher prices, high street chains replacing in house restaurants. Slipping of standards generally in shabbiness of villas and pools and enforcing policies that made it unique (no single sex parties no cars other than changeover day and none left at villas).
Some sports were dropped things hat distinguished it, such as indoor tennis courts, were changed to more money making uses, pools were renovated and made more toy towny having big rides and massive toddler areas to the detriment of everything else.
I’m guilty in its sinking as have been as group of lads in own villa with one set of adults nearby as 16 yr old and 17 and our behaviour was not the best, but it’s not the same place as when I went as a kid twice a year in the 90s.
I will go again but accepting that it’s not as good as it was or could be.
And to be honest that's why we go.
We go off peak so it's (relatively) cheaper.
You turn up, park the car and forget about it.
Get up each day have a leisurely breakfast, walk to the water park, splash around for a few hours, get out have a walk around the lake or ride the bikes to the country club, let the kids play on the park, have a coffee / pint whatever.
Stroll back to the accommodation, then either cook dinner or get ready to go back out for dinner.
Kids to bed, Adults can sit around as a group have a drink, hot tub, open fire whatever and then head to bed.
Repeat for three days.
Its a relatively relaxing and cheap way to have a break.
Or it can be a relatively relaxing and very expensive way to have a break.
We go off peak so it's (relatively) cheaper.
You turn up, park the car and forget about it.
Get up each day have a leisurely breakfast, walk to the water park, splash around for a few hours, get out have a walk around the lake or ride the bikes to the country club, let the kids play on the park, have a coffee / pint whatever.
Stroll back to the accommodation, then either cook dinner or get ready to go back out for dinner.
Kids to bed, Adults can sit around as a group have a drink, hot tub, open fire whatever and then head to bed.
Repeat for three days.
Its a relatively relaxing and cheap way to have a break.
Or it can be a relatively relaxing and very expensive way to have a break.
Dan_1981 said:
And to be honest that's why we go.
We go off peak so it's (relatively) cheaper.
You turn up, park the car and forget about it.
Get up each day have a leisurely breakfast, walk to the water park, splash around for a few hours, get out have a walk around the lake or ride the bikes to the country club, let the kids play on the park, have a coffee / pint whatever.
Stroll back to the accommodation, then either cook dinner or get ready to go back out for dinner.
Kids to bed, Adults can sit around as a group have a drink, hot tub, open fire whatever and then head to bed.
Repeat for three days.
Its a relatively relaxing and cheap way to have a break.
Or it can be a relatively relaxing and very expensive way to have a break.
Exactly this. We go off peak so it's (relatively) cheaper.
You turn up, park the car and forget about it.
Get up each day have a leisurely breakfast, walk to the water park, splash around for a few hours, get out have a walk around the lake or ride the bikes to the country club, let the kids play on the park, have a coffee / pint whatever.
Stroll back to the accommodation, then either cook dinner or get ready to go back out for dinner.
Kids to bed, Adults can sit around as a group have a drink, hot tub, open fire whatever and then head to bed.
Repeat for three days.
Its a relatively relaxing and cheap way to have a break.
Or it can be a relatively relaxing and very expensive way to have a break.
We've been in the past with family: 4 adults, 2 kids and 1 dog. Worked out about £150 a night (in March). It's a nice peaceful location, generally no traffic so you can walk/cycle everywhere, free swimming, cook your own meals so no additional cost there. Activities are perhaps a little pricey, but they're all in one location so you are able to try lots of different things that take your fancy.
We've booked to go away next September, just the 2 of us (and the dog) and I think will be a little over £150 per night, but even so that's not exactly expensive.
Yes, the tree-house type stuff is stupid money, but if people want to pay that then so what?
Dan_1981 said:
And to be honest that's why we go.
We go off peak so it's (relatively) cheaper.
You turn up, park the car and forget about it.
Get up each day have a leisurely breakfast, walk to the water park, splash around for a few hours, get out have a walk around the lake or ride the bikes to the country club, let the kids play on the park, have a coffee / pint whatever.
Stroll back to the accommodation, then either cook dinner or get ready to go back out for dinner.
Kids to bed, Adults can sit around as a group have a drink, hot tub, open fire whatever and then head to bed.
Repeat for three days.
Its a relatively relaxing and cheap way to have a break.
Or it can be a relatively relaxing and very expensive way to have a break.
The format that you have just laid out is pretty much what we did when we went with another family and staid in one of the detached hot tub lodges. However for fiev nights out of season, it was a £2.2k so roughly £1k per family of four. However, that was nearly 18 months ago and prices will have gone up. We go off peak so it's (relatively) cheaper.
You turn up, park the car and forget about it.
Get up each day have a leisurely breakfast, walk to the water park, splash around for a few hours, get out have a walk around the lake or ride the bikes to the country club, let the kids play on the park, have a coffee / pint whatever.
Stroll back to the accommodation, then either cook dinner or get ready to go back out for dinner.
Kids to bed, Adults can sit around as a group have a drink, hot tub, open fire whatever and then head to bed.
Repeat for three days.
Its a relatively relaxing and cheap way to have a break.
Or it can be a relatively relaxing and very expensive way to have a break.
Now that break in holiday season would probably cost in excess of £4k and that is a lot of money for the full on Hot Tub experience. I just refuse toe spend that kind of money on UK based holiday even if it is only four hours away and the restaurants on site at Woburn and Elveden (SP?) were average at best and I would say their Chinese take away was pretty poor for the money it cost.
The downside of of that schedule is no evening entertainment for the kids. Butlins are better than this. We found that we used the evening entertainment on TUI break to Turkey every night and the kids loved it. However the downside of this, is as adults we got no time to our selves at all. Another upside was kids went to bed late and woke up late. With CP's methods ours would still be up at 5 and 6am and that is hard going when you are on holiday.
Edited by bakerstreet on Friday 13th September 13:29
Currently sat at the new one in longford forest. This is the 6th week of trading so everything is brand spanking and fresh. They're still working out some things re staffing levels etc.
Food is on the expansive side in the restaurants but theres a village next door with some great Irish pubs that serve good food.
Swimming complex is fantastic, the outdoor wild rapids is one of the best rides I've been on anywhere, and our 3 year old loves the kids section.
Bike rental is expensive, my bike rack broke a bolt when loading, I did a speedy trip to the diy store and bodged a repair but 2 miles up the road wasn't happy with the movement going on so went back and left our bikes at home.
I've never been to any other one but its been a very enjoyable week and will definitely lately be coming back.
Food is on the expansive side in the restaurants but theres a village next door with some great Irish pubs that serve good food.
Swimming complex is fantastic, the outdoor wild rapids is one of the best rides I've been on anywhere, and our 3 year old loves the kids section.
Bike rental is expensive, my bike rack broke a bolt when loading, I did a speedy trip to the diy store and bodged a repair but 2 miles up the road wasn't happy with the movement going on so went back and left our bikes at home.
I've never been to any other one but its been a very enjoyable week and will definitely lately be coming back.
irish boy said:
Currently sat at the new one in longford forest. This is the 6th week of trading so everything is brand spanking and fresh. They're still working out some things re staffing levels etc.
Food is on the expansive side in the restaurants but theres a village next door with some great Irish pubs that serve good food.
Swimming complex is fantastic, the outdoor wild rapids is one of the best rides I've been on anywhere, and our 3 year old loves the kids section.
Bike rental is expensive, my bike rack broke a bolt when loading, I did a speedy trip to the diy store and bodged a repair but 2 miles up the road wasn't happy with the movement going on so went back and left our bikes at home.
I've never been to any other one but its been a very enjoyable week and will definitely lately be coming back.
is the pool area small like woburn?Food is on the expansive side in the restaurants but theres a village next door with some great Irish pubs that serve good food.
Swimming complex is fantastic, the outdoor wild rapids is one of the best rides I've been on anywhere, and our 3 year old loves the kids section.
Bike rental is expensive, my bike rack broke a bolt when loading, I did a speedy trip to the diy store and bodged a repair but 2 miles up the road wasn't happy with the movement going on so went back and left our bikes at home.
I've never been to any other one but its been a very enjoyable week and will definitely lately be coming back.
sorry just noticed not been to others.
ClaphamGT3 said:
Each to their own but that to me just sounds really sad. The joy that I - and they - had from teaching them to sail was immeasurable - I’d have hated to have left it to some disinterested gap-year adolescent to teach them
If you want adult time whilst on holiday, either leave the children at home or take the nanny/au pair to look after them
But then it really depends on the kids club don't forget. If you want adult time whilst on holiday, either leave the children at home or take the nanny/au pair to look after them
I remember making some great friends on holiday, not because I didn't want to spend time with my family, or they didn't want to spend time with me, but because actually it was fun to meet new people and do some organised activity with them as well. Not that it was as exciting as sailing or skiing, but games of football or tennis or pool or similar, with other people my age for a couple of hours in the morning was great when you're young, and of course when you're about 13/14 its a great way to meet girls...
May try the new one next year.
Usually go to Sherwood as it's only 40 mins away.
Pool is big and rapids great fun.
We like to cycle to the country club for a drink and maybe a game of racketball/game of pool.
Tried Woburn but pool tiny, rapids not that exciting and whole park quite small. You didn't need a bike.
We shared a lodge with another family with games room and sauna opposite the complex which was excellent.
We go out of school hols for a long weekend normally so take kids out of school Fri & Mon.
Works out about £120 each for a 2 bed or a little less for a 3 bed if kids friends come.
Usually go to Sherwood as it's only 40 mins away.
Pool is big and rapids great fun.
We like to cycle to the country club for a drink and maybe a game of racketball/game of pool.
Tried Woburn but pool tiny, rapids not that exciting and whole park quite small. You didn't need a bike.
We shared a lodge with another family with games room and sauna opposite the complex which was excellent.
We go out of school hols for a long weekend normally so take kids out of school Fri & Mon.
Works out about £120 each for a 2 bed or a little less for a 3 bed if kids friends come.
GreatGranny said:
May try the new one next year.
Usually go to Sherwood as it's only 40 mins away.
Pool is big and rapids great fun.
We like to cycle to the country club for a drink and maybe a game of racketball/game of pool.
Tried Woburn but pool tiny, rapids not that exciting and whole park quite small. You didn't need a bike.
We shared a lodge with another family with games room and sauna opposite the complex which was excellent.
We go out of school hols for a long weekend normally so take kids out of school Fri & Mon.
Works out about £120 each for a 2 bed or a little less for a 3 bed if kids friends come.
yeah woburn is too small in every sense, to crowded and cramped park and pool, and the rapids (i forgot) are pretty crummy compared to the older parks. Health and safety maybe?Usually go to Sherwood as it's only 40 mins away.
Pool is big and rapids great fun.
We like to cycle to the country club for a drink and maybe a game of racketball/game of pool.
Tried Woburn but pool tiny, rapids not that exciting and whole park quite small. You didn't need a bike.
We shared a lodge with another family with games room and sauna opposite the complex which was excellent.
We go out of school hols for a long weekend normally so take kids out of school Fri & Mon.
Works out about £120 each for a 2 bed or a little less for a 3 bed if kids friends come.
saunas are crap too dont get anywhere near hot enough and no coals/stones to pour water on (again H&S i assume). elveden villa saunasa used to be proper ones, albeit small.
edit to add also no jacuzzis in the subtropical swimming paradise. whats that all about?!
Edited by theplayingmantis on Friday 13th September 15:43
irish boy said:
theplayingmantis said:
is the pool area small like woburn?
sorry just noticed not been to others.
Not sure but I read on trip advisor it compared well in size to the UK, plus maximum capacity is 2500 people rather than 5000 so hasn't seemed busy/no queues for slides etc. sorry just noticed not been to others.
ClaphamGT3 said:
Each to their own but that to me just sounds really sad. The joy that I - and they - had from teaching them to sail was immeasurable - I’d have hated to have left it to some disinterested gap-year adolescent to teach them
If you want adult time whilst on holiday, either leave the children at home or take the nanny/au pair to look after them
But I can't do the proper RYA courses as I'm not an instructor. They came away with proper knowledge and experience that helped when I took them sailing or they went with their schools. If you want adult time whilst on holiday, either leave the children at home or take the nanny/au pair to look after them
Again their choice. One of them in later visits decided she would rather spend time with me. Which was lovely. As long as they have a good holiday.
I'm about to take my boys away to an all inclusive with waterpark somewhere hot. Not really my cup of tea but it's about them.
Not sure why random posters keep piling and saying kids clubs are bad. Sure some are but many are not.
m3jappa said:
We have been a couple of times to woburn and i think once with friends to elvedon.
Its ok and thats it imo, the cost gets to me, the food is utter s
t, it actually seemed worse this year and i am convinced it comes out of a microwave.
Everything apart from swimming in the overcrowded pool is designed to extract as much as is possible which i suppose as a business is great and if the occupancy is so high then good for them.
I cant explain how i feel but ill try and explain.
A few years ago people used to brag about how much their kitchen was, or their car, or holiday etc, i dont see that much now (possibly because everything is on tick
) but centre parcs sort of feels the same, its as if people go there to make themselves feel middle class and feel like they are having a break away at some luxurious woodland retreat. Maybe thats in my head but i feel like that.
Last time we went to woburn they had built some treehouse type buildings which did look pretty cool, wife checked the cost for june iirc and im sure it was £3900 a week (which im sure is just the 4 days). Insane! Id rather go to the maldives thanks.
It also feels like some kind of final civilisation type scenario, you know everyone else is dead and its just you and these others who are held in this locked encampment. Trying to leave to go out for the day is met with questions and surprise.
Book your breakIts ok and thats it imo, the cost gets to me, the food is utter s
t, it actually seemed worse this year and i am convinced it comes out of a microwave. Everything apart from swimming in the overcrowded pool is designed to extract as much as is possible which i suppose as a business is great and if the occupancy is so high then good for them.
I cant explain how i feel but ill try and explain.
A few years ago people used to brag about how much their kitchen was, or their car, or holiday etc, i dont see that much now (possibly because everything is on tick
) but centre parcs sort of feels the same, its as if people go there to make themselves feel middle class and feel like they are having a break away at some luxurious woodland retreat. Maybe thats in my head but i feel like that. Last time we went to woburn they had built some treehouse type buildings which did look pretty cool, wife checked the cost for june iirc and im sure it was £3900 a week (which im sure is just the 4 days). Insane! Id rather go to the maldives thanks.
It also feels like some kind of final civilisation type scenario, you know everyone else is dead and its just you and these others who are held in this locked encampment. Trying to leave to go out for the day is met with questions and surprise.
£7098
Village: Woburn Forest
Lodge: 4 bedroom Treehouse
Check in
22-06-2020
Check out
29-06-2020
Utterly ridiculous.
Pothole said:
m3jappa said:
We have been a couple of times to woburn and i think once with friends to elvedon.
Its ok and thats it imo, the cost gets to me, the food is utter st, it actually seemed worse this year and i am convinced it comes out of a microwave.
Everything apart from swimming in the overcrowded pool is designed to extract as much as is possible which i suppose as a business is great and if the occupancy is so high then good for them.
I cant explain how i feel but ill try and explain.
A few years ago people used to brag about how much their kitchen was, or their car, or holiday etc, i dont see that much now (possibly because everything is on tick ) but centre parcs sort of feels the same, its as if people go there to make themselves feel middle class and feel like they are having a break away at some luxurious woodland retreat. Maybe thats in my head but i feel like that.
Last time we went to woburn they had built some treehouse type buildings which did look pretty cool, wife checked the cost for june iirc and im sure it was £3900 a week (which im sure is just the 4 days). Insane! Id rather go to the maldives thanks.
It also feels like some kind of final civilisation type scenario, you know everyone else is dead and its just you and these others who are held in this locked encampment. Trying to leave to go out for the day is met with questions and surprise.
Book your breakIts ok and thats it imo, the cost gets to me, the food is utter s
t, it actually seemed worse this year and i am convinced it comes out of a microwave. Everything apart from swimming in the overcrowded pool is designed to extract as much as is possible which i suppose as a business is great and if the occupancy is so high then good for them.
I cant explain how i feel but ill try and explain.
A few years ago people used to brag about how much their kitchen was, or their car, or holiday etc, i dont see that much now (possibly because everything is on tick
) but centre parcs sort of feels the same, its as if people go there to make themselves feel middle class and feel like they are having a break away at some luxurious woodland retreat. Maybe thats in my head but i feel like that. Last time we went to woburn they had built some treehouse type buildings which did look pretty cool, wife checked the cost for june iirc and im sure it was £3900 a week (which im sure is just the 4 days). Insane! Id rather go to the maldives thanks.
It also feels like some kind of final civilisation type scenario, you know everyone else is dead and its just you and these others who are held in this locked encampment. Trying to leave to go out for the day is met with questions and surprise.
£7098
Village: Woburn Forest
Lodge: 4 bedroom Treehouse
Check in
22-06-2020
Check out
29-06-2020
Utterly ridiculous.
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff