Last summer, we embraced our first Center Parcs experience as a family. But, rather than hit the forests of Longford, we opted for a trip to the coastal town of Zandvoort in the Netherlands.
Why Zandvoort you might ask? Well, it wasn’t because of the Formula One race, which takes place at the end of August each year in the town – although you can certainly hear the noise from the nearby racetrack.
No, what appealed is that, with a teen, a tween and a toddler in tow, it seemed to offer something for everyone: the expanse of the North Sea for bracing swims; plenty of safe cycling paths; Amsterdam just down the road for day trips; and the typical Center Parcs experience – weatherproofed fun in an extensive indoor/outdoor swimming area and a host of activities should anyone get bored.
And there was also the expectation that opting for somewhere other than Ireland would prove to be less expensive. When we went last July, the differential in the cost of accommodation between Longford and Zandvoort was of the order of about €900 for a week.
Of course, one could argue that you have the additional costs of flights, etc – and there is most definitely a lot to be said for just packing up the car and heading off. However, it’s easy enough to get reasonable flights to Amsterdam Schipol (KLM, Ryanair and Aer Lingus all fly there directly), and the train goes directly from the airport to Zandvoort – well, apart from exiting one station to cross over to another station at one point on the 50-minute or so journey. Center Parcs is then just a 10-minute walk/quick taxi ride away.
Another plus is that, when it came to food, being on the doorstep of the town of Zandvoort, with its cafes, ice cream shops and restaurants – not to mention supermarkets – meant you were never restricted to eating in Center Parcs. This will also likely have a beneficial impact on how much you end up spending.
But if you have yet to book a summer break, or are looking at a mini break over the coming year, and are thinking of going to Center Parcs, would you be better off hitting the Continent?
Like with like
First of all, it is important to note perhaps that when comparing Center Parcs in Ireland and Europe, it is not always possible to do so on a like-for-like basis. This is because while Center Parcs operates under the same brand across Europe, it actually has different owners which means that Center Parcs in Belgium is going to be a bit different from Center Parcs in Longleat in the UK.
As a spokeswoman for Center Parcs UK/Ireland says: “Although we share the same brand name, we operate under very different market conditions and offerings, which makes a comparison quite difficult.”
Many of the continental European parks allow access by the day, or even half a day. In Longford on the other hand, you can only get a day pass as a friend or relation of an existing Center Parcs resident.
The six resorts in Britain and Ireland are now owned by Brookfield, a Canadian private equity company – which tried to offload them, unsuccessfully, last year. The 27 continental resorts in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, on the other hand are owned by US asset manager Blackstone.
As we’ll see, pricing across Britain and Ireland is very similar while the resorts on the Continent undoubtedly offer a cheaper alternative. But how much cheaper are they?
Accommodation
First of all, we took a look at the cost of a break this summer. In lovely Longford, a week this summer at peak times will cost almost €3,000 for the cheapest two-bed woodland lodge option. A hefty cost for most families.
You could save €850 by opting for our location, Zandvoort or Marne la Vallée, just outside Paris and 30 minutes from Disneyland; or €1,140 by going to Hamburg in Germany. Depending on the euro/sterling exchange rate, however, you’ll probably end up paying pretty much the same in Britain.
As mentioned, there may be slight differences in the offering. You’ll be looking for a “woodland lodge” in Longford and Britain, for example, while on the Continent the prices quoted are based on a “comfort cottage”.
If you have a January break in mind, and you’re willing to take the kids out of school, there are super savings to be had.
As our table shows, four nights in Longford will cost you €629 for a family of four for a Monday-Friday sojourn (€157 a night). While this sounds like a bargain when compared to peak times, going abroad is significantly cheaper again.
Take Zandvoort, where you’ll pay just €88 a night for a family of four – and when you tire of watching a movie in the swimming pool (no charge), you can head into Amsterdam for a trip to the Anne Frank museum or a football match at the Johann Cruijff Arena, just a quick 30 minutes away on the train.
Flights are cheap too, at just €111 return.
Or how about Hamburg, where you get a return flight for just €96 at the same time? Your break here will cost €96 a night for a family of four.
Similarly, you’ll pay a lot less on the Continent if you’re looking for an Easter break. For the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights of the Easter weekend, you’ll pay from €1,299 in Longford – again the most expensive in our survey – and pretty much the same as Elveden Forest in Britain.
The activities
With some 171 activities, it’s hard to beat the offering available at Longford. Indeed, this is far in excess of what’s on offer in Zandvoort (72); Hamburg (108); or Paris (89).
Of course, many of these have to be paid for.
When it comes to comparing activities, it does get a bit trickier, as the options vary from resort to resort.
You’ll pay €12.50 for a yoga class in Longford for example – but €15 in Hamburg. On the other hand, hiring a pedalo for a lake ride costs €21 in Longford – but just €16 in Hamburg and €15 in Paris.
Or how about archery? It’s €13 each in Longford, but just €7.50 in Zandvoort.
And the cost of renting a bike can also differ, ranging from just €27 for a child’s bike for a week in Paris, to €52 in Elveden. In Longford, bikes cost from €47 for an adult and €35 for a child, for a mid-week (Monday-Friday) break.
It’s also worth considering where the park is located. In Longford, for example, you may find yourself staying put on site, which can end up in a larger ultimate bill as you keep everyone busy.
On the Continent, however, depending on where you pick, you might find you spend as much time outside the resort as within it. The Paris resort, for example, is about 30 minutes by RER from the city, and is also close to Disneyland.
During our time at Zandvoort, long cycles along the seafront, or to the gem that is Haarlem, hanging out on the beach, as well as taking day trips to Amsterdam (just 30 minutes away on the train), meant that the only activity we ended up paying for was squash.
The extras
It’s hard to get a Center Parcs break without factoring in quite a few extras. A bit like Ryanair perhaps, you can rely on the holiday operator to charge for anything it can.
If you’d rather be close to the action so the kids can have a bit of freedom, or a grandparent doesn’t have to trek too far, you can certainly request this – but you’ll have to pay. In Longford, to be in the middle area, which is about a 13-25 minute walk to the Village Square, you’ll pay €58.
In Elveden, in the UK, to be within a 12-minute walk of the centre, you’ll have to pay an additional £70, or £49 to be in within 25 minutes walk.
And what if you want to bring a dog? Again, you’ll have to pay extra. In Longford, you’ll pay €89 for one dog, or €109 for two – better perhaps than the UK, where you’ll pay the same amounts, but in sterling.
It’s a bit cheaper on the Continent.
In the Netherlands for example, Rex or Kitty will cost you €49 to have the pleasure of their company.
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