5 Cheap Alternatives to Center Parcs in England

Many people are surprised by how much it costs to stay at Center Parcs. While they offer a lot in terms of accommodation, entertainment and activities, it can sometimes be too expensive for a lot of families. That’s why I pulled together a list of some great, cheap alternatives to Center Parcs in England to try.

Centre Parcs are a popular choice for families in the UK, but they can sometimes work out more expensive than going abroad. I’m not sure if it’s the impact of the pandemic, which saw the price of staycations boom, or just factoring in the price of facilities and activities in addition to accommodation, but the price of staying at Center Parcs can be too much to pay for a lot of people. Fortunately, there are lots of cheap alternatives to Centre Parcs that offer similar holidays.

Don’t get me wrong, I can totally understand why Center Parcs are so popular. They’re one of the most highly recommended places to stay in England, located in beautiful areas with great facilitates and lots of different things to do. As a network of villages, they are designed to have everything for families for a fun and entertaining holiday. But staying at Center Parcs can cost a lot of money, setting you back up to £2000 for a week’s holiday.

That’s why I wanted to provide some more budget-friendly alternatives to Center Parcs in England, which offer similar holidays but at more affordable prices. Check out the list below for some of my favourites! 

The best cheap holiday resort alternatives to Center Parcs

If you like the idea of a staycation but are a little overwhelmed with how expensive the likes of Center Parcs is, then hopefully these cheap alternatives will come in handy.

1. Butlin’s, Minehead

If you ask anyone in the UK what the best alternative to Center Parcs is, they will probably tell you Butlin’s. In fact, it was first founded in the 1930s for the purpose of providing Brits with an affordable holiday here in England. So it rightly became a popular, quintessential British holiday that lots of people still value today. It’s also a name synonymous with children’s shows and entertainment, where they put on lots for families looking to keep kids busy.

As of now, Butlin’s has three resorts; Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness. Each one is located by the coast, and comes complete with fairgrounds, swimming pools and theatre shows. There’s also things for adults to do to, like the Ocean Spa at Bognor Regis, The Yacht Club and other restaurants at Minehead, and the Leisure Hub at Skegness.

Although all Butlin’s resorts are great alternatives to Center Parcs if you’re looking for something more affordable, my personal preferences is Minehead. It’s the largest of the three resorts, found near the sandy golden beaches of Somerset. It hasn’t changed as much over the years, so still has that old-school family-friendly British seaside holiday kind-of-feel. However, all three have splash parks, entertainment, rides and everything you could need.

Butlin’s at Bognor has recently had huge investment to make it even better.

Butlin’s isn’t necessarily as fancy as Center Parcs, and they specialise in seaside resorts instead of nature resorts. However, they are generally considered the go-to alternative for Center Parcs in the UK. 

If you have a group of you interested in visiting Butlin’s, it could be cheaper and easier to travel to Butlin’s by minibus.

Accommodation 

Accommodation at Butlins is pretty good too; you can choose a level (and budget) to suit you, which generally helps to keep things cheaper than Center Parcs. From standard rooms to bungalows to chalets and seaside lodges, there’s a wide variety on offer across the three resorts.

At the Minehead resort, you can choose from rooms, apartments and premium accommodation. From the room selection, the ‘silver room’ promises to be suitable for budget-conscious guests. They have everything you’d need and expect from a basic but comfy space to stay and shower, so this is a good option to keep things low cost.

If you want something above a standard hotel room, then you can opt for an affordable apartment stay or a deluxe bayside apartment stay, a seaside lodge, or a lake chalet. The lodges and chalets are probably the most similar to Center Parc-style accommodation, but they’re still cheaper.

The range of accommodation available means that you can find the right accommodation based on your budget. If you want to splash out on a fancier apartment, you can – or if you only plan on staying in the rooms for sleeping, a basic hotel room may be better for you. 

Facilities 

Butlin’s includes a lot of activities in their prices which means that when it comes to things to do, you don’t have to worry about piling on additional costs for your holiday. This really can pay off when it comes to paying less. You get unlimited fairground rides, access to indoor and outdoor swimming pools and splash parks, evening shows, and entertainment. 

Of course, there are additional costs if you want to try other activities like archery, adventure golf, bowling, and pottery painting. But a lot is included in the price. I actually think that booking with Butlin’s is really easy, because you can clearly see what is included in the price.