Any Tips on Eating Out (More) Cheaply at CenterParcs?

Thriftyknickers

We (DH, DD x d), my Mum and sister-in-law & her hubby) are going to Longleat CenterParcs on 2nd November. Normally we eat out there - making full use of our Tesco Clubcard Deals at Ortega, Cafe Rouge & Strada) and it saves me doing all the cooking! :eek: However, I was just about to send off for our Clubcard Deals when I noticed none of them are now valid at CenterParcs! (I think Strada didn't take them last time but the rest did). None of the special offers - 2 for 1s etc seem to be valid there either. Has anyone come across anything that would help reduce the cost of eating out at CenterParcs. I really don't fancy cooking every night....

2520years

It sounds like it's too late for Thriftyknickers, but does anyone have any tips to save money at Centerparcs?

Do the restaurants accept printable vouchers?

What activities are free at Whinfell?

Thanks for any help!

pinkmami

2520years wrote: »

It sounds like it's too late for Thriftyknickers, but does anyone have any tips to save money at Centerparcs?

Do the restaurants accept printable vouchers?

What activities are free at Whinfell?

Thanks for any help!

I've been to Whinfell 8 times & I love the place! The swimming pool is totally free & the walking and there's a great wooded adventure playground just outside the village centre (towards Threee oaks ec) with slides, zip wire, suspension bridges & my kids love it. But I tend to spend there cos I save all year as its my only holiday & I never cook - always eat out. But the supermarket is very well stocked with meat, pizza, fish & everything you need. I don't find the meals there priced differetly to what you'd find in a pub or restaurant anywhere else in the country. I do take the basics with me like butter, jam, cheese, bread, bacon, milk & cereals etc.

To me is my holiday too cos I do all the cooking at home & the last thing I'd do is cook whilst there!!!!

When are you going? I'm off in March!

2520years

pinkmami wrote: »

I've been to Whinfell 8 times & I love the place! The swimming pool is totally free & the walking and there's a great wooded adventure playground just outside the village centre (towards Threee oaks ec) with slides, zip wire, suspension bridges & my kids love it. But I tend to spend there cos I save all year as its my only holiday & I never cook - always eat out. But the supermarket is very well stocked with meat, pizza, fish & everything you need. I don't find the meals there priced differetly to what you'd find in a pub or restaurant anywhere else in the country. I do take the basics with me like butter, jam, cheese, bread, bacon, milk & cereals etc.

To me is my holiday too cos I do all the cooking at home & the last thing I'd do is cook whilst there!!!!

When are you going? I'm off in March!

We're going next week! We have booked one meal at Bella Italia, so it's good to hear the meals aren't any more overpriced than any where else.

I thought the swimming was free, but I didn't know about the adventure playground being free.

We plan to visit a supermarket in Penrith on the way. According to yell.com there's a Morrison's and a Somerfield.

pinkmami

There are also free soft play in the Lakeside Inn, Sports Plaza (small one) & a tiny one for babies in the arcade place & near the bowling. The pub one is great as they have a little area for smaller kids & a seating place for parents just outside it. There is soft play in the sports hall in the Sports Plaza & its £3.50 for a good hour. HUGE!!

Bella Italia is lush!! Do you have a lodge near the centre?

Thriftyknickers

Oops! Here's my update - I posted it in my MFW diary rather than here.

'And we've had a reasonably cheap stay at CenterParcs. I was devastated to find out they no longer accept Clubcard Deals at any of their restaurants - I was sooooo looking forward to a break from cooking and 'eating out' - mainly because although there were 7 of us going, it always seems to be me who does the majority of the cooking! Anyway, to keep costs down we took a packed lunch for the first day and then made a very quick toad in the hole, mash, beans & gravy for dinner, plus took some homemade cakes for our 'pudding' which saw us through every other night too. We had lunch at the villa every day and then had a main meal for dinner at Cafe Rouge and Ortega. I thought the latter was particularly good value - 5 of us, including my 2 kids shared some tapas. For the 4 of us that I have to pay for, plus drinks, it worked out at £31. My kids had a kiddy icecream (£1) from the sweetie shop for their pudding every day - obviously fed up with my cakes! I think we probably saved money by avoiding the children's menus too - they shared a 'lighter lunch' in Cafe Rouge plus had bits of ours. On bonfire night we had Hot Dogs & Hot Chocolate in the villa and then later ate at the CenterParcs Hog Roast. DH and I didn't do any classes etc - we were just happy to have a break! My 3 year old DDs loved their 'Fairy Fun-time', 'Teddy Bear's Picnic' and Hair-braiding though - expensive, but they had a great time and probably pretty good value following my 'more bangs for my bucks' philosophy!

sandiep

Hehe! That's what I was going to suggest. Basically, sharing and splitting meals. 2 and 3 course meal deals split between the family. Adults meals split between kids as opposed to 2x kids meals.

Whinfell, I always think that the show is really good value for money. Panto. etc.

2520years

We're staying in Seven Pines which is fairly central. I just hope the wafts from Bella Italia don't come our way all week!

We're staying two doors down from some friends, so I'll cook one night and they're doing a curry another night. Plus, they've got a Wii, so that should be good for at least one cheap evening in.

Now I just hope it's not too muddy!

pinkmami

The walk ways to the lodges are clean - not at all muddy so you'll be fine!! The wooded play area is about 3 -4 mins walk from Seven Pines depending in which lodge you are.

But do take your walking boots cos a friend of mine went for the 1st time.....& took heels. Big mistake!!! lol!

2520years

That's good news about the mud!

Just a quick couple of questions:

Is it possible to move a bed into a twin room (we're in a New Style Woodland Lodge) so there are three beds in a room? Or maybe move a mattress into a twin room? (There are three girls going altogether and they fancy a sleepover.)

Is it possible to wash/dry/iron clothes there?

Cheers.

pinkmami

I'm yet to stay in a new style lodge (march!) but in the original comfort lodges, we put the girls in a twin room & pushed the beds together & it was huge!!! If the rooms in the new lodges are the same size as the original ones you'd be pushed to get another bed in there. But maybe they'd love to be in the same bed? Big enough!!! When I've been each lodge has had an iron & a board but I think it depends on the type of lodge you booked & what is in it. I'm sure it lists what is in all the lodges on the website. I don't know about the laundrette neither!