Centerparcs Reviews 

Hi Everyone, me and family are regulars at centreparcs, we go every other year however August 2021 was challenging times for the nation. We are a large party therefore i paid an extra fee to have our huts together but this was not the case - my hut was so far out it was not worth the extra fee! Due to restrictions we couldn't use the pool everyday and yet they did not discount the package deal which they should have in my experience as this is the main attraction especially if you have kids. Whomever is the head of this took advantage of UK holiday makers and made a lot of money on the back of covid-19 and didn't offer discount packages due to reduced service. Very disappointed!! As my family was with me in 1 location this made it to a 3 star but as i said we are regulars whom paid for a full package with reduced services and activities this is NOT what i expect from a reputable holiday which i promote to all my family and friends but unfortunately i couldn't this year . We did not have any issues with the customer service we received from staff - helpful as usual.

awful customer service. On hold for hours, randomly cuts off. No alternative ways to get in touch. Would not book with them again.

Disgraceful service by customer services and complaints department. Web site doesn’t work properly, so after a booking I made, payment was taken but was not show as made on my booking. Spent 1 hour in a queue for Custer service based in Netherlands! They assured me all would be fine and I could show the proof of payment when I arrived. Next day I receive an email from a “no reply’ email to say if payment is not made by that day the booking would be cancelled. Spent 4 hours trying to call on the number they gave me but no answer. Phone rings and rings till it cuts off. Call the customer service in Netherlands again and after 1 hour in a queue they tell me they put a note on the booking and I had to call billing dept on another number to get it resolved. Another hour later I finally speak to someone in billing who tells me that due to a glitch on the website, the payment went on another booking!!! Calls to the number are 69 cents a minute - so €72 euro in phone calls to resolve the issue. Sent an email to complaints dept and based on their reply, they obviously don’t care about unhappy customers and bad reviews … first and last time I will ever book anything with centre parcs

Not a decent company

They offer to move your vacation, but dont tell you the price is higher. You pay for a cancel option, but this option is not worth anything. They lie to you on the phone, and nothing can be done in writing like email etc. You have to call them on an expensive telephone line.

Never never use this company.

Appalling service at the Aqua sana in the Woburn centre . You can’t get through on the phones , they never reply to emails or messages on Instagram . Whole day ruined by the way I was spoken to by one of the beauty therapists . Avoid at all costs !

A little disappointing… the leisure activities were excellent & surroundings - but we were surprised that the quality of few areas were so low considering the fees & it being Centreparcs!!; our areas.. a) the beds were awful with duvet covers starched so hard it keeps you awake at night.. in fact we slept dreadfully; b) hairdryers don’t dry (all 3); c) tv not up to date for today’s world… can’t cast Netflix etc. d) sofa is pretty awful too / plastic uncomfortable e) worst takeaway in the world (Indian); not a treat - can do better with a packet!.. f) v. Poor burger at Huck’s.. & ran out of 1 of the 2 wine options… it just was a surprise really on these areas… not what we expected from Centreparcs

we came back from our first ever centre parcs stay in sherwood forest. i'd read the reviews and joined a fb group and was apprehensive of peoples opinions but thought i'd give it a go.

We had a 2 bedroom executive lodge, in birch 365 and i couldnt fault it and believe me im picky. it was very clean and comfortable, especially once we'd sorted out the heating. one thing i thought they could have provided was a folder with instructions on how to operate the cooker/dishwasher/heating/tv but that was a minor point and we dont have a dishwasher so were clueless.

We had booked all activities, and again couldnt fault. never done archery in my life but had a blast. adventure golf made us cry laughing and this was in the rain, boating which was lovely were all highlights. The pool i thought was hugely overcrowded on an evening, and it didnt help getting smacked in the face by beach balls but once i got in the deep end it quietened down. The rapids despite having a bronze medallion life saving i didnt like because i kept getting kicked from behind as nobody staggered times getting down them.

The restaurants were all brilliant from hucks to foresters inn to bella italia to cafe rouge. we ate at them all and honestly didnt have a bad meal. and they were staffed by the most friendly people i've encountered in a long time.

After suddenly losing mum i needed a break and centre parcs certainly surpassed all expectations. i hope to be back very shortly.

Firstly I would like to start with the 'Seasonal Canine Illness' upon booking our trip we received no prior warning of the above sickness. We even paid an extra £50 per dog for them to attend and upon paying for them to visit we still received no warning of illness or sickness in dogs brought to site.
When we finally arrived at center parcs other members of the group arrived earlier than us with there dog ( Cockapoo) and received no prior warning entering the site of the illness and where completely oblivious. We however, when we arrived were told by the lady at check in that there had been minimal cases of 'Seasonal Canine Illness' and it was caused by Red Ticks from the woods.

With this information in mind, we decided to keep the dogs on the lead for the visit and stick to the paths, even though both dogs are treated monthly with prescribed tick and flee treatment. Our stay was from Friday to Monday however on the Sunday afternoon both dogs presented very poorly.

Both dogs were violently vomiting, could not walk back to the cabins and actually could barely lift there own heads. The sickness caused severe dehydration and both dogs were extremely ill. We rang guest services to be informed that all they could do is send us to an emergency vets 1hour and 20 mins away. The service and help was appalling. We were very shocked to discover that even with a recurring illness you do not have an on site vet if cases of this illness occur.

We ended up cutting our stay short from Center Parcs and opting to take the dogs home to local vets for treatment. Both dogs have had to remain at the vets on intravenous drips and fluid and are still severely unwell. This has cost us in excess of £800 pound to date, and there is no sign of the dogs getting better so far.

Regardless of the above incompetence and lack of care by Center Parcs, we also had an very very bad experience of the village overall. Before arriving at the site we booked a 6 seater electric boat that I specifically checked with the online team we could participate on with 6 adults and 1 infant . However when we got the activity an extremely rude staff member said this was not the case and basically accused me of lying about the conversation.

The service at the village was shocking. We walked into bella italia and asked to sit outside on the terrace as it was 22 degrees outside, and we were informed that we have to sit inside due to lack of staff. When we pointed out that a group where already sitting outside we were told that they were an exception as they had a dog. The staff member was very rude and the restaurant was empty !! It was completely unreasonable that we would not be able to sit outside.

In and around the site the staff are unknowledgeable and unwilling to help you with queries. When looking for somewhere else to get lunch as Bella italia could not accommodate us we asked 2no members of staff where the foresters lake bar was. Both staff member looked at us as if we were speaking a different language, one also said that there was nothing like this on the site !!!!!! However it was on the map. When we found the foresters bar, the service was all QR code service that was extremely SLOW we waited 40 mins for 5 drinks and when we complained we were told that the app told us that and that if we didn't want to wait we should not order.

Finally we attended site with a downs syndrome child, who has mobility issues. When we arrived we had forgotten her badge so we went to guest services with a photograph of her badge as proof and again they were very unhelpful. We were told that even though she was obviously disabled and we had proof of the badge we could not park closer to the villa we had paid for. Absolutely no consideration for guests.

The whole parc is run down, faded and shabby and the service is horrendous. No one is willing to help you and we paid for a trip that was cut short to take our dogs to emergency services which has cost us even more money.

Just returned from a wonderful overnight Spa Break with my daughter.
The new Aqua Sana at Longleat is now complete and looking very modern, if lacking a little of the originality it had.
That said, all the experience rooms are fresh and clean and offer safety with advised limited numbers in each experience.
We did clock up some miles wandering from room to room due to the high numbers of people also on Spa Days. At times a little overcrowded.
Personal Aqua Sana bags were supplied to safely store towels and dressing gowns to avoid mix ups, and staff on hand to help with any questions and really lovely Discovery Session with Christine to try new Elemis Products.
The Redwood Accommodation was clean, spacious and had a lovely balcony to enjoy the bottle of wine we took with us and watch the nature outside.

The following are observations and not complaints:

There seems to be a lack of knowledge / understanding of Center Parcs by staff and some training would be an advantage.
For anovernight stay, there was little information available on the website and when asking staff at Aqua Sana, they had to call House Keeping to confirm facilities in the rooms. We were told 'nothing' but we could buy a coffee to take away from the Aqua Sana restaurant, then to be told no 'take-away' cups available, but offered two complimentary Tea Bags, as there was a kettle in the room ! I did buy bottled water @ £2.50 each for a small glass bottle. I asked about recycle points and the look I received was blank !

As this was a Spa Break we expected the accommodation to be close by, however, it was a 20 minute walk with our overnight bags.
You can take the car closer but have to return to it the Spa car park, then walk again.

Once in the room, what did we find ? Kettle, Tassimo Coffee Maker, Toaster, Fridge, Dish Washer etc.
Why did no one in Aqua Sana know this and housekeeping advised otherwise ? Milk Pods or a single pint of milk would also have been useful.

I received a phone call before our visit to make a restaurant reservation as the restaurants 'get busy'. At that point I requested Twin Beds, only to find we had a double.
There were no contact phone numbers in the room, but found a number on the map supplied. Two ladies rocked up about 20 minutes later to rectify.

As a Spa Break it would have been nice to see some complimentary products in the bathroom...nothing! Disappointing as this was not a cheap break !

As a two day break we would have liked to enjoy some of the activities in the park.
We were told to down load the App, which no one at Centre Parcs knew about, and we could not find on our iPhones, we registered via the website and it advised NOTHING was available. Again disappointing.

Confusion over booking in/out times. Email said one thing, the staff said something else. As no activities available we went for breakfast and a long walk, when we got back to our accommodation to pack up our key fob had been cancelled and again had to ask House Keeping to let us back in.

Finishing on a positive note, staff around the park were friendly, all areas were clean with no rubbish.
Hucks is an incredible restaurant and worth every penny spent. We also did a bit of Christmas shopping in the Plaza.

We will be back for our annual Spa Day.

First off the staff were great. I am not knocking any member of staff.

The Swimming pool amazing. My 3 year old loved it. The kids area with slides etc was such a hot and just couldn’t fault any of that.

We stayed in a lodge (new style Woodland Lodge) that was just so uncomfortable. Sofas cheap and impossible to get comfy on, bed rock hard, pillows like bricks and winter duvet in summer. It looked good/layout was good but considering it was a new updated lodge I’d hate to think what the old style ones were.

In terms of activities. As we all know they’re added extras. But they just aren’t done very well and very over priced for what they are. Pony ride lasted a solid 9 minutes. Weren’t even allowed to stroke the pony which seemed daft.

Just all the activities lacked something. All a bit and short and lacking imagination. Considering we spent over £250 on activities we felt really let down.

CentreParcs has such rave reviews, and we’ve done many UK holidays previously. But feel like for the money it cost (over £1500 for a week plus activities and spending money) it just wasn’t worth it.

Disappointing as we’d wanted to go for so long as after the pants last 18 months it didn’t live up to any of the hype from others.

Just a bit gutting to be honest. The little one loved it, as all kids would… but can’t say we would rush back any time soon.

I attended the Aquasana for a day spa visit and really enjoyed it. Staff were pleasant and helpful and made me feel welcome. There were multiple themed spa rooms and a beautiful pool. Food was included in the day and really good
I had a lot of trouble booking the day with a gift voucher so if you're going to do this, suggest buying a day out instead

My family and I have been regular visitors to Centre Parcs (2-3 times a year) for the last 10 years. After several rescheduled trips due to covid we rebooked to visit next February, unfortunately I will be cancelling this trip if the restricted pre-book swimming is not removed. We normally spend much of the day in the pool and enjoy the odd night swim. I cannot see how Centre parcs can demand the same money when they are not providing the same service. I understand why this was implemented during the height of Covid but the company must revert back to unlimited swimming to keep their loyal customers. I’m sorry to say we will not be returning until the restrictions are lifted inline with the rest of the country.

We have yet to get there as booked for end of September but if I hadn't paid deposit I wouldn't give them my custom. A month before booking for bikes and activities and they are unavailable through being full where in the past you would book them whilst being there. As an activity and cycling holiday it's pretty pointless if you cant do what you wanted to enjoy. Swimming pool slots which are of times not compatible if you want to go out for the day but it's take or leave it. A holiday park which has turned into a concentration camp as there's no doing what you would like only what they allow you.

I have always loved the ease of booking with Centre Parcs. Since booking my holiday for September, it has been impossible to speak to them regarding booking bikes, activities or questions. It is fine if you have requested bikes when making the initial booking but they are no longer an efficient organisation.

Have been a regular visitor for over 20 years .. the last few years there has always been a drama , closed cycle route , closed rapids , building works all around you .. this time tops it .. it is stinking here lodge is dirty , toilets in public areas dirty , charging you to book everything 10p pp to pay to eat in restaurants , £7 for a game of pool .
It needs to change hands and have managers who can bring it kicking back into the real world . Longleat CP

It’s not made clear when you initially book and in fact, not until you have paid your balance, that the ‘Covid restrictions’ for swimming mean only two swimming slots for a 5 day stay.
Center Parcs making up their own rules- I can swim anywhere else freely... the only conclusion is that Center Parcs is gouging its customers by rationing the only free activity they offer. Let’s face it, the pool is a massive draw if you have children. Without it, they are trying to force you to pay for all the other activities- strangely, nothing else is rationed... Was lied to by Head Office who claimed in an email to me that texts would be sent in a daily basis offering extra swimming slots - staff confirmed when I checked in that this has NEVER happened. I could have taken my children to a Haven Park, paid less and had unlimited access to a pool.
Such an awful way to treat customers who have been coming to CenterParcs for years. Won’t bother again.

I’ve been to Centre Parcs many times before but this is the first time I’ve experienced bad customer service.
Completely understand post Covid they are trying to be careful with restrictions to the pool, but we have been unable to book a slot, the only one was on our last day, we stayed 4 nights in total.
Customer service team said restrictions will stay in place, no discounts offered on any other activities nor villa stay.
If you are looking to book please take into consideration that they will not offer any discount to compensate the restrictive on the pool which is one of the main attractions at Centre Parcs.
If we had known this we would have booked a uk beach holiday at a much cheaper cost.

I am writing this not because of a visit, as we have not yet gone, but because of a new policy of Centre Parcs. Firstly, let me tell you that we have been many times and always loved our visits and have never had cause to complain before.
My complaint is this: our visit is after the UK government COVID restrictions are lifted. This means I can visit a swimming pool when I want and as often as I want. However, centre parcs has decided to put a cap on visits to this amenity which was (when we booked in 2019 for 2020) included in with the cost to, now, just 2 x 2 hour visits in the 5 days we are there. There is no reason for this other than one imposed by centre parcs. The main selling point of centre Parcs has been that the swimming pool is included in the visit.
This now means that we are in their resort and faced with nothing to do other than book other activities at additional cost. Centre Parcs offers no reduction in cost for the limits on pool use and offers no recognition of the additional expense of filling the time with bookable activities.
Rather than looking forward to our break we are left feeling frustrated. There are no government restrictions which would apply on our holiday date and therefore it seems that Centre Parcs is cheating us out of a significant part of our holiday. A cynic may conclude that this is Centre Parcs’ way of making additional profit by forcing customers to pay for additional activities to fill the time.
Further, we have been unbale to find a phone number that allows us to speak to a person regarding our concerns.

My wife and two children took part on the centreparcs tree tops climbing activity. My 7 year old daughter went second on the activity and I had to watch from a viewing platform while she was left unattended hanging by her neck choking momentarily by her helmet strap.

She went on the activity with her mum and older sister. All went well until the zip line part. There was no staff helping my family at this stage and was clearly understaffed. I filmed my family on part of this activity and looking back, it’s clear my family were left unattended as the only member of staff was with a different group.

Whether the rope being caught around the chin strap of the helmet was like it from the start - and had gone unchecked - or had somehow got caught during the activity, was unknown but a staff member checking would have noticed.

The main rope that fits through the Caribbina clip had got caught around her helmet strap on the zip line and she had to hold her body weight up with her arms which was some doing for a 7 year old and of course I did not notice at this time.

When she then went to grab the rope at the end of the zip line, she let go of the rope that she was holding herself up on and and her body weight dropped and she hung by her neck and throat and was choking and could NOT breathe to which I screamed for her help and fortunately the rope unsnagged and she fell down to the normal hanging height in the harness.

On hearing my shouting the staff had to get a ladder to help her down. This was so very upsetting for me, my wife, my family and of course most importantly my daughter. She has not been able to talk about her holiday since.

If she was much heavier or bigger this could have snapped her neck. It was so upsetting and her neck was bruised and marked straightaway.

The staff AFTER the event were helpful and offered her a toy. She was very upset and didn’t want any toys.

Since, centreparcs have offered their £50 come back soon offer, the standard offer to anyone who’s already booked a holiday with them - which is incredibly upsetting and disappointing

I paid over £2.000 for this weekend and my daughter is very scared of ever going back. This is not about money but to offer £50 off for such negligence is quite disrespectful and I ultimately want to somehow reverse my daughters fear and it would have been nice to leave centreparcs on a good note rather than such an upsetting one.

This activity, without the correct staffing should be closed with immediate effect to safeguard any other children or adults getting seriously hurt.

Dreadful customer service. Take your money and run!
Not only retain 30% of my refund but making me wait 6 - 8 WEEKS to refund it!
NEVER AGAIN!