Center Parcs is a popular holiday destination in the UK, known for its beautiful forest locations and range of leisure activities.
However, this unique staycation comes at a cost that’s often significantly higher than similar UK holiday parks, which often leaves those who’ve never previously visited Center Parcs wondering whether a stay here is worth the high price tag.
Center Parcs is worth the money if you’re staying midweek or during term time. However, the price increases during the school holidays and over weekends are so significant it’s often better value for money to go on a different UK break or even abroad instead.
Having visited multiple Center Parcs villages and other UK holiday parks across the UK we’ve been able to compare the various activities and amenities offered at Center Parcs to see if and when they justify the higher price tag.
How Much Does A Week At Center Parcs Cost?
Center Parcs offers three-day, five-day and seven-day holiday breaks. However, it’s often not the duration of your visit that drastically increases the cost of your stay.
Instead, it’s when you choose to visit.
Center Parcs has been known to triple the cost of the same lodge in the same village from one week to the next if that week is a school holiday.
As a result, one week at Center Parcs during term time can cost around £900 while the following week can cost upwards of £1,700 because it’s during the school holidays.
These prices are based on the cheapest lodge available at that time which can accommodate up to four people.
As such if you’re looking for a lodge with a hot tub, games room etc. then you will be paying upwards of £200 more.
Meanwhile, all Center Parcs lodges are self-catering only.
Therefore no food, drink or activities are included in this price (excluding swimming) – although you can bring additional items (food, drink etc.) to the Center Parcs villages with you to help keep additional costs to a minimum.
As a result, the average family is likely to spend an additional £300 to £1,000 over the course of a one-week stay.
How Does The Cost Of Center Parcs Compare To Other Holidays?
The cost of visiting Center Parcs is often seen as expensive in relation to other holiday breaks both within the UK and abroad.
To demonstrate this we compared the cost of a week at Center Parcs with the cost of a week in a silver apartment at Butlins and the cost of a week in a 3-star hotel in Spain.
| Holiday | Price |
|---|---|
| Center Parcs | £1,998 |
| Butlins | £1,031 |
| Spain | £2,109 |
Prices are based on one-week self-catering (from the 7th – 14th August 2023) and are for a family of four (two adults and two children).
Meanwhile, in the case of the holiday to Spain; flights, transfers and luggage are included.
- See the screenshot of Center Parcs
- See the screenshot of Butlins
- See the screenshot of the holiday to Spain
Is Center Parcs Worth The Money?
In our opinion, Center Parcs is worth the money during term time when the prices are more reasonable.
The infrastructure is set up to allow you to enjoy a range of activities (at an additional cost), and the grounds are incredibly relaxing.
However, as our children get older and we begin having to think about going away during the school holidays, we’d likely avoid Center Parcs given the significantly higher prices and how they compare with a similar holiday abroad.
