Center Parcs upping their prices. (Center Parcs)

Member Name: LittleMrsNaughty

Product:	Center Parcs
Date:	30/01/09 (813 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Still a wonderful holiday for nature and fun lovers.

Disadvantages: Expensive.

Center Parcs is a wonderful holiday for those who want a little of everything. I first holidayed at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest when I was 16 in 1989 with 7 friends and it was wild! Me and my hubby have holidayed there several times over 9 years, mainly at Christmas time. We are seldom disappointed with anything at Center Parcs, we haven't experienced any of the problems we have read about on these review sites, but I guess you are either lucky or unlucky.

We have booked to go again this spring to Longleat and have just come back from a weekend break at Elveden, so we will have tried all four Parcs by May. Both these breaks were special offers and quite cheap.

Now my major gripe with Center Parcs...prices have now dramatically gone up since the beginning of January. Our usual Christmas break would now cost over £240 more than if we were to have booked it only a few weeks ago, needless to say we won't be booking this year and perhaps never again at Christmas. This huge price hike has shown Center Parcs to be greedy and unaware of the recession that we are in and although we could afford this holiday we are now booking a castle in Scotland that sleeps 8 for the price of their 1 bed villa.

We still love Center Parcs holidays and dare say we will return year after year during their special offer periods, but it wasn't long ago they said that they were passing their VAT reductions onto their customers and holidays in 2009 would be cheaper, they lied and that to me is asking for trouble on their part.

UPDATE: 15/02/09

I contacted Center Parcs about their significant price increase and they were gracious enough to reply.

Here is a copy of the letter:


Thank you for your recent email which has been forwarded to me for response.

I am very sorry to learn of your concerns in relation to the price of our breaks during the peak breaks and School Holiday periods.

There are a number of factors which influence the setting of our prices and the qualifying arrival dates for our offers. I would explain that our pricing policy is determined by the market conditions for each individual arrival date and Village operating costs. As with any other holiday operator in the UK or abroad, demand for our breaks reaches a peak during school holiday periods.

The ongoing success of our business, to ensure profitability and support for the level of investment required to maintain the quality of our Villages, relies on maximisation of peak holiday demand. Despite the fluctuation in the cost of our breaks during peak periods, the majority of our guests do agree that within the short break UK market we offer an unrivalled experience at a very competitive price.

Please be assured that we most certainly do not wish to deter families such as yourselves from coming to Center Parcs and we do offer many competitively priced weekend breaks throughout the year. From time to time we also display a selection of discounts on the special offer pages on our website www.centerparcs.co.uk.

You may be confident that your feedback has been recorded and will form part of our ongomg evaluation of prices. For your information I have shared your views with the Pricing and Yield Manager who regularly reviews this aspect of our business in conjunction with the Sales and Marketing Director.

Fina lly I would like to thank you for taking the time and trouble to make your views known to us and I do hope that I may welcome you and your family back to Center Parcs again in the not too distant future.



I appreciate this response but feel their prices are still unfair; it is not only the peak season where prices have considerably gone up. A four night break at Elvedon in October for example was advertised at £199 at the beginning of January, it is now £249, this doesn't break the bank but the increase is significant on all of their holidays. This is not peak time and the price increase is not justified in my opinion.

I know that a lot of families will now have far less spending money than before which will have a knock on effect for the businesses paying to operate at Center Parcs, which inevitably will mean customer service will suffer more. We endured a moaning session from one member of staff when we last visited; this was about money and greed, possibly a sign of things to come?

I still believe Center Parcs is a wonderful holiday experience and can't imaging having a less than wonderful time when holidaying at one of their Parcs, but these price increases are immense in some circumstances and will have an impact on peoples holidays. I can't help but think it is to pay for the new Parc in progress in Bedfordshire. It also doesn't sit well with me when they put themselves in the same class as "other holiday operators" they really should be committed to giving value for money for their UK based loyal customers and perhaps if wanting to follow suit, reduce prices. The latest price increases go against what they said in late 2008...VAT reductions and more affordable holidays. Not making up their profits in hard times by over pricing holidays for their customers.

Summary: A lovely holiday but be aware that prices are going up, when they really should be going down.