Center Parcs?

Penny_Farthing_2

Die Kempervennen (sp?) is a long drive but good when you get there. Their most basic villas were not as nice or clean as uk ones but their activities seemed to be much cheaper and it didn't feel so overcrowded.
In Longleat I think they've just rammed too many people in. It's very overcrowded now. Also, you see a lot more fags and tats (can turn a blind eye) and hear more bad language (can't turn a 'blind ear' unfortunately).
I think CParcs has changed hands several times since we first went in about 1997. I think it's gone downhill each time. I don't think high prices screen out the kind of people we don't want to holiday near - loud, bad-mannered, inconsiderate types can be found driving Land Rovers too!!!

shariatlanta

Thanks to those who gave info about the European Centerparcs, I'll keep looking to see which one suits my family the best as the kids are aged bewtween 1yr and 15yrs so need something for everyone.

One thing I have noticed on this thread is the few people who seem to think that anyone who smokes or has tattoos is automatically a bad class of person, several of my family smoke and have tattoos myself included, however we are always considerate to others and we have no desire to go to Butlins for a holiday either, please don't tar everbody with the same brush.

pinkmami

Well I've been thinking about Haven again..& fancy trying the Quay West one in South Wales which is about 3 hours from me. Trip Advisor reviews are good (I'm surprised!!) & New Quay looks really nice & we could drive around so we don't have to stay in the camp. Price for a Deluxe caravan (gotta upgrade - don't do standard!) are OK for 4 night next August. I'll start another thread I think to get opinions on Quay West!!

I really want to try somewhere different but I'm sure where ever I try the standard won't be as good as CP.

Supernatural_girl

We've been to Center Parcs a few times now (Sherwood once and Longleat three times). I love it but fancied a change this year, especially since the prices seem to have gone up. Also my 3 year old son loves the beach, so we wanted to go away somewhere near the seaside. We have booked to go to Bluestone Wales in Pembrokeshire instead. We've never been before but it's been recommended by friends and looks fab. Got a 4 night break in September in a semi-detached Caldey lodge sleeping 4 people for £236, which I think is really good. Hopefully it will be great and my little one will love it.

pickledonionspaceraider

hahaha. i am shocked at how butlins has gone downhill then. I went there a couple of times when my kids were 9 - 12 years old. the accomodation was always basic though, and the fence was always there, but I aways saw that as a bonus added security if the young uns go off for half hour to the adventure park or something. the only thing i didnt like about that, was the gate at the back that leads to the beach - they lock that at tea time! shocking. after your post, dont think i will be going back

Eagle_1

JasonLVC wrote: »

In case you think I'm just being snooty, we enquired about checking in, we were sent to a big hall which stank of beer and fags and we had to wait until 3.00pm and wait for our name to be called out....like we were at school or something.

.

Its no smoking now, so you wont have smell of stale fags/beer :cool: When we have checked in you go to reception, join the queue and pick up your keys ? We always stay Silver and have not had problems with apartments, they are always nice and well equipped. If you stayed basic then yeah they are not as nice but its like everything you get what you pay for ! Im sure if there was a problem with an apartment Reception would sort it anyway :cool:
Re fence round the outskirts : surely that makes people feel a bit safer in that only residents of the park are on site, little children would find it hard to escape so yeah not a problem for me :cool:
Also having the fence round means people cannot get free use of all the entertainment, if you paid to go to Butlins and seen random people just walking in getting in free you wouldnt be happy would you ?

For anyone reading these negative comments i suggest you just ignore them. I have been to Butlins on a few occasions and do not agree with the bad comments. I would not stay in place which was run down and dirty etc and Butlins Skegness is not like whats been described !

Spendless

cheers Eagle :beer: cos I have a confession ...we are booked to got to Butlins Skegness aug BH w/end It is the 1st time any of us have been except my 80+ nan who went with my uncle and her family in the 1980s.

We booked Butlins this year over CP, cos the walk between whinfells accom (that we can afford) and the village centre is too far for her to walk and we went to Sherwood twice last year when we discoved a MW break was now too tiring for her with all of us and we needed to knock down to a w/end break and the cost.

I am more than happy to come back and tell people I loved it or hated it.

So far, I am impressed that when I rang to request a ground floor apartment (silver) the cost was only £10. I liked that you could pay bit by bit off your hol -not that we used it cos we only saw it after we paid in full -but I like the idea.

We are also considering an Autumn break to CP prob whinfell as my kids school has helpfully stuck 2 teacher training days together, but it will be without granny.

emmaanddave

We have had pleasant experiences from both Centre Parcs and Butlins. When our girls were 2, so about 3 yrs ago, we booked Mon-Fri at Skegness Butlins in Gold accommodation. There was no waiting to get keys, had our own reception and the apartment we could not complain. The facilites were good, swimming pool the girls loved and obviously the BTB/Angelina shows. We got involved with as much as we wanted. We were SC but ate out a few times. We didn't encounter any bad behaviour.

The year after we stayed at CP at Elveden in a Executive style villa. Lovey villa, great facilities. BUT the first night we got our bikes stolen although they were all locked together and to post with a motorbike lock! We used hire bikes for the rest of our stay and went swimming and booked up for 2 activities. Again we ate out a few times and got involved with as much or as little as we wanted without the pressure.

Both holiday we enjoyed in their own right. BOTH have security fences round them. Having had our bikes stolen and KNOW it is a weekly problem at Elveden we felt safer at Butlins. Despite the bikes we would go again but would hire bikes all week or not declare any bikes that we took on the initial booking form.

I would class my family as middle class and do not like to holiday where there is chav and the like. From our experience we did not find this at Butlins and would recommend it to families with young kids. Silver plus/Gold accom.

What is chav and I hated was Pontins! We made a mistake of booking when the girls were 18mths, as an 'extra' break, and went to the one near Breane Sands. NEVER AGAIN!! What a dump and THAT was full of chavs and people we would not normally holiday with. The apartment was filthy, furniture broken, didn't dare to go swimming, never ate there and spent every day off site! We checked out at our earliest ever on holiday by 8:30am!

Anyway my rant and experiences over, hope this helps someone. All I can go in is my experience of both Butlins and CP and we'd go back to either. Although now girls are getting a bit older def CP/Havens or UK similar.

Just got back from Oakdene Forest park and would recommend that area too!!:D

Veryskint

I know this is an old thread but it seemed the most appropriate for my question, hope that is ok.
We are thinking to go to CP next week, there is still some availability - my concern is if it pours down all week, will I have a bored 5 and 7 year old, or will I have to splash out on lots of extra activities, and end up paying more than if we just took them to disneyland for a week...?
thanks very much

pinkmami

No! Take your wellies. rain coats & brollies & go out walking in it! You have use of the free pool & the soft plays. I go to Whinfell & my 2 (age 8 & 6) love roller blading at about £3.50 per child for the hour. Take a DVD player with you & stay in for the afternoon - relax & take a book yourself!