Center Parcs UK & Ireland launched their new phone app this week (October 2024), designed to “help your break run more smoothly than ever”; basically it’s to help you plan your trip and find your way around once you arrive.
When I first heard they were launching (or relaunching?) an app, I wasn’t sure what to expect… Especially when I saw there was only one review, with one star… But now I’ve had a chance to look around, here’s what I thought:
First impressions
It was surprisingly easy to log in. My password didn’t work at first, but the password reset process was surprisingly smooth, the email came through straight away, and I could reset my password in-app without having to move to a browser and back again. Great start!
The Home Screen is simple, but user-friendly, and has all the important info I need at a glance: how many days until my next trip, what dates, which village, as well as my booking reference number (which is needed for check-in when you arrive, so very glad to have it on the Home Screen!).
There’s also a handy link to “get directions”, where you can choose to open Apple Maps or Google Maps, and it will take you directly to the correct Center Parcs village. Again, surprisingly smooth, and useful to have on the front screen of the app.
Read more: Top tips for a stress-free arrival day at Center Parcs
Booking activities, restaurants and things to do
The next section of the app helps you book things to do for your upcoming trip (available from 12 weeks before you arrive).
Unfortunately it did prompt me to log in again, but I’m hoping once I’ve logged in there once, I won’t have to do it again… (I’ll update next time I use the app!)
It’s simple and easy to search for activities, it seems to use the same booking system as the Center Parcs website, but it does the job and seems smooth to use. Similarly to the website, the prices for the activities aren’t immediately obvious, and other than a few, selected activities at the top which give a “from” price, you still have to click into each individual activity to find out how much it costs.
The few times I’ve scrolled through this section, I’ve found the search function sometimes lets you filter by “guide price” (£0-15, £16-25, £26-35 and £36+), but sometimes this option doesn’t show… not sure why, but perhaps I’ll figure it out when I’ve played with it more…?
It also gives the option to filter by age, which is useful for families with younger kids.
Restaurant bookings also seem fairly straightforward, and there are options to book things like “early arrival” (access your lodge from 2pm instead of 4pm), vehicle charging, towel hire, and food “starter packs”, which are handy to access all in one place.
Read more: How much do Center Parcs activities cost?
Map
The second tab shows you an interactive map of the site you’re visiting, which can give you directions to most places, including bike parks, children’s play areas and dog exercise areas, as well as all the main buildings and facilities.
I think that’s a nice touch that will be really useful once you’re actually on site and trying to find your way round.
Read more: 6 surprising items I’d pack again for Center Parcs
Itinerary
We don’t have anything in our itinerary yet because we haven’t actually booked anything, so instead it prompts you: “it’s time to start booking!”
Again, I think this will be handy once you’re actually there, so you can see all your planned activities at a glance.
“More”
I nearly skipped over the “more” tab, but a couple of things I noticed: the “contact us” page has a great list of all the important contact numbers for your break, the Guest Services Directory includes loads of info (including manuals for all the kitchen appliances!), and there’s some great FAQ bits in there as well as the standard terms and conditions etc.
Read more: Our unofficial Center Parcs planner, now available on Amazon!
Only useful for already-booked trips?
While it’s great for Center Parcs breaks that are already booked, it seems from the first (and only) review on Apple iOS the app isn’t so great for people trying to book a holiday. Perhaps the website is still better for that, for now…
Where can I get the app?
It’s available in both the Apple and Google Play app stores, named “Center Parcs UK & Ireland”, and you can find a link to both on the Center Parcs website here: Official Center Parcs App
Read more: The Ultimate Center Parcs packing list (over 200 items!)