Center Parcs WTAF!
Discussion
croyde said:
True.
Well instead of £1500 at half term at CP, am going for all inclusive with free access to next door water park for also £1500 incl flights and transfers in Majorca.
Nice. Well instead of £1500 at half term at CP, am going for all inclusive with free access to next door water park for also £1500 incl flights and transfers in Majorca.
But don’t expect great weather - been there same time ditto Oct a few time and most were utter washouts.
Mid May - Sept super.
Welshbeef said:
croyde said:
True.
Well instead of £1500 at half term at CP, am going for all inclusive with free access to next door water park for also £1500 incl flights and transfers in Majorca.
Nice. Well instead of £1500 at half term at CP, am going for all inclusive with free access to next door water park for also £1500 incl flights and transfers in Majorca.
But don’t expect great weather - been there same time ditto Oct a few time and most were utter washouts.
Mid May - Sept super.
Welshbeef said:
croyde said:
True.
Well instead of £1500 at half term at CP, am going for all inclusive with free access to next door water park for also £1500 incl flights and transfers in Majorca.
Nice. Well instead of £1500 at half term at CP, am going for all inclusive with free access to next door water park for also £1500 incl flights and transfers in Majorca.
But don’t expect great weather - been there same time ditto Oct a few time and most were utter washouts.
Mid May - Sept super.
We usually go to the states or maybe Crete or Rhodes in October. I used to have a place in Portugal which we used loads in october and often had great weather. The canaries can also have good weather.
I’d say Dubai is a good bet, Egypt used to be good before it became a terrorist hotspot. We really need the Middle East to sort it’s s
t out because October in northern Iran or beruit would probably be a lovely climate. El stovey said:
But the weather is going to be better than center parks?
We usually go to the states or maybe Crete or Rhodes in October. I used to have a place in Portugal which we used loads in october and often had great weather. The canaries can also have good weather.
I’d say Dubai is a good bet, Egypt used to be good before it became a terrorist hotspot. We really need the Middle East to sort it’s st out because October in northern Iran or beruit would probably be a lovely climate.
No but generally the U.K. is geared up for poorer weather + indoors vs generally outdoors (pools) We usually go to the states or maybe Crete or Rhodes in October. I used to have a place in Portugal which we used loads in october and often had great weather. The canaries can also have good weather.
I’d say Dubai is a good bet, Egypt used to be good before it became a terrorist hotspot. We really need the Middle East to sort it’s s
t out because October in northern Iran or beruit would probably be a lovely climate. Tunisia was always dodgy
Crazy really as those North African countries could make a killing from the tourist industry offering capacity + even better weather + WAY cheaper than European med countries. Sadly they don’t
janesmith1950 said:
Northern Cyprus is good in Oct (mid 20s+) and great exchange rate means 5* all inclusive for 4 nights is costing less than £700 including flights.
Cyprus Crete Rhodes all of those are lovely. October is right at the end of the season in many parts though. You might find everything closing up in Cyprus at the end of October depending on when your half term is. If that’s an issue.
I get that. The local population seem to see themselves as Cypriots rather than Turks, though. It's also very friendly, perhaps until you go through the DMZ and the Greek Cypriot border guards want to search you! 
Lively place, super friendly, great scenary, food and drink. Loads of history and lovely architecture. And booze. And cheap. And probably lots of geezers who feel Spain is a bit close to the long arm of the British law!
Lively place, super friendly, great scenary, food and drink. Loads of history and lovely architecture. And booze. And cheap. And probably lots of geezers who feel Spain is a bit close to the long arm of the British law!
havoc said:
ralphrj said:
PugwasHDJ80 said:
ralphrj said:
PugwasHDJ80 said:
For every pound you give to Centre Parcs, 50p goes straight to the CAnadian owners.
Its turnover last year was £480m and its profitability was £248m.
They seem to have developed a monopoly on gaining planning permission.
Personally i find it amoral - what they should be doing is re-investing for their clients- taking half the profiability and improving the rather dated decor and slightly dodgy installations (or by reducing the prices in the "market"), instead they are raping the business for every penny they can!
What is the source for those numbers?Its turnover last year was £480m and its profitability was £248m.
They seem to have developed a monopoly on gaining planning permission.
Personally i find it amoral - what they should be doing is re-investing for their clients- taking half the profiability and improving the rather dated decor and slightly dodgy installations (or by reducing the prices in the "market"), instead they are raping the business for every penny they can!
Their published accounts show £480m of revenue but only £69m of profit after tax.
EBITDA- Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortisation
[basically take net profit and add back depreciation and tax]
In this case it ignores:
The cost of building the parcs
The cost of borrowing the money to build the parcs
Both of which were considerable.
That said, 15% net margin (which will be after a fairly chunky 'management fee' from Canadian Head Office, I'm sure) is bloody good for the leisure industry.
Blackstone did its money multiple with ease, looks like brookstone are going to do the same
What is clear however is that the re-investment in the parks is not keeping track with their useage- For the price point, Longleat felt old, dated and a bit worn out. 50% EBITDA margin and a 48% dividend yield shows they aren't keeping the money in the balance sheet!
PugwasHDJ80 said:
What is clear however is that the re-investment in the parks is not keeping track with their useage - For the price point, Longleat felt old, dated and a bit worn out. 50% EBITDA margin and a 48% dividend yield shows they aren't keeping the money in the balance sheet!
Merlin also appear to have taken the Fat Boy Slim approach ("I'm #1, why try harder?")
miniman said:
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.
£999 seems very cheap for UK half term. miniman said:
Erperheide. We stayed there a few years ago, at least as good as the UK sites and very different costs even factoring in the travel.
I had a look at Erperheide and mentioned this to the missus, they do Pony lodges that would be great for the youngest, €500 for half term next year. I commented that it might be a plan. A few minutes later she pipes up that she likes the look of the one near Paris, guess what, €1000! Might as well go to a UK one!RammyMP said:
miniman said:
Erperheide. We stayed there a few years ago, at least as good as the UK sites and very different costs even factoring in the travel.
I had a look at Erperheide and mentioned this to the missus, they do Pony lodges that would be great for the youngest, €500 for half term next year. I commented that it might be a plan. A few minutes later she pipes up that she likes the look of the one near Paris, guess what, €1000! Might as well go to a UK one!Tbh I can't fault the place, there is a lidl thats about 10 minutes by car for the basics, the on site store although pricey was very well stocked, we got baguette every day around 1.60 euros for lunch.
Paris one has deals with disney sometimes for tickets, but tbh your probably better staying at Davy Crockett lodge (can sometimes work out cheaper). I agree the missus has looked at the paris one, but we were put off by the price.
However as stated previously, our friends went to UK centre parcs one, £25 for 15 minute pony ride, Erperheide, its 4 euros (call it £4). So really depends what activities you plan on doing, saving can still be made.
If you shop at tesco, we use clubcard vouchers for the tunnel, again cutting down the cost.
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