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Haven or Center Parcs - Which Is Best?
Center Parcs and Haven are two of the biggest names in the UK family holiday market. I might even argue that they are the two biggest, although Butlins or Parkdean Resorts might disagree.
But how do Center Parcs and Haven compare? Which is best for you?
Here’s my summary, followed by reams and reams of waffle about how we reached our conclusion:
But how do Center Parcs and Haven compare? Which is best for you?
Here’s my summary, followed by reams and reams of waffle about how we reached our conclusion:
- Center Parcs is about two or three times the price of Haven for its cheapest accommodation. Center Parcs is better value if you travel to one of their European resorts.
- Center Parcs offers a similar thing at all of its resorts. Haven is more varied. Some Haven resorts are very large and action-packed, others are smaller and quieter.
- Haven resorts are nearly all by the seaside, whereas Center Parcs are in closed-off woodland villages.
- There are only five Center Parcs in the UK, plus about 30 European ones in France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium. Haven has about 40 resorts, which are all in the UK. That means that you’ll probably have a shorter journey to a Haven resort.
- Center Parcs review scores are more consistent than Haven. They all score about 85% from customers whereas Haven resorts range from about 75% - 90%. Here are 10 of the best Haven resorts.
- Center Parcs has the best swimming pools overall, but there are about five Haven resorts with large waterparks including Hafan y Môr in Wales, Craig Tara in Scotland and Seashore in Norfolk.
- Activities at Haven are roughly half the price of Center Parcs' activities - and it’s also easier to leave a Haven resort to look for free days out.
- Haven accommodation is mostly caravans, but you can upgrade to lodges, bring your own caravan or try glamping. Center Parcs is nearly all lodges.
Haven holiday parks are usually near to great beaches (this is Haven Hopton in Norfolk)
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Center Parcs usually have woodland and lakes (this is Center Parcs Park Allgäu in Germany)
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Which gets the best reviews? Haven or Center Parcs?
This is a little complicated, but I’ll hold your hand and talk you through it.
Center Parcs in the UK gets very consistent review scores at its five UK resorts. They typically score about 85% once we add together ratings on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews.
Meanwhile, Haven has a much wider range of review scores. Some score higher than Center Parcs, such as Wild Duck Holiday Park in Norfolk, which has an average review score of 90%. However, several other Haven resorts score about 75% - 80%, which is some distance behind Center Parcs.
Here’s a combined ranking of the ten highest rated holiday parks, including both Center Parcs and Haven. This is a bit like those 'combined XI' line-ups that pundits do before a big football match.
It gets more complicated if we start to include Center Parcs Europe. That’s because Center Parcs Europe is owned by a different company and it’s much less consistent than the UK resorts. Review scores for Center Parcs Europe range from about 65% - 85%.
You can see the full range of scores on our interactive map of Center Parcs UK and Europe, or take at our pick of the best Center Parcs in Europe.
Also worth mentioning is that Which? carried out a survey in 2024 comparing holiday park brands. Center Parcs and Haven both scored 69%. I admit that doesn’t really help you make a decision, but it’s interesting that there was nothing between them.
Center Parcs in the UK gets very consistent review scores at its five UK resorts. They typically score about 85% once we add together ratings on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews.
Meanwhile, Haven has a much wider range of review scores. Some score higher than Center Parcs, such as Wild Duck Holiday Park in Norfolk, which has an average review score of 90%. However, several other Haven resorts score about 75% - 80%, which is some distance behind Center Parcs.
Here’s a combined ranking of the ten highest rated holiday parks, including both Center Parcs and Haven. This is a bit like those 'combined XI' line-ups that pundits do before a big football match.
- Haven Lydstep Beach Holiday Park, South Wales - 90%
- Haven Wild Duck Holiday Park, Norfolk -90%
- Center Parcs Longleat Forest, Wiltshire - 86%
- Center Parcs Whinfell Forest, Cumbria - 86%
- Haven Caister-on-sea Holiday Park, Norfolk - 85%
- Center Parcs Elveden Forest, Suffolk - 85%
- Haven Hopton Holiday Park, Norfolk - 85%
- Center Parcs Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire - 85%
- Haven Thornwick Bay Holiday Park, Yorkshire - 85%
- Center Parcs Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire - 85%
It gets more complicated if we start to include Center Parcs Europe. That’s because Center Parcs Europe is owned by a different company and it’s much less consistent than the UK resorts. Review scores for Center Parcs Europe range from about 65% - 85%.
You can see the full range of scores on our interactive map of Center Parcs UK and Europe, or take at our pick of the best Center Parcs in Europe.
Also worth mentioning is that Which? carried out a survey in 2024 comparing holiday park brands. Center Parcs and Haven both scored 69%. I admit that doesn’t really help you make a decision, but it’s interesting that there was nothing between them.
Haven Wild Duck is smaller than Center Parcs, but it gets better reviews
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Haven's Lydstep Beach gets an outstanding review score of 90%
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Which is cheapest? Center Parcs or Haven?
Haven is the clear winner here – although it’s worth digging into the scores a little to see what you’re getting for your money.
If we look at the cheapest prices available for a week’s holiday in early August 2025 for four people at the 10 resorts mentioned above, then we get these results:
Clearly, there is a big jump up in prices from Haven to Centre Parcs. In many cases Center Parcs is three times as expensive as Haven.
However, it’s worth mentioning that these are the prices for the cheapest accommodation available at Haven, which is typically a 10 foot wide caravan. Haven also offer lodges, which are much larger and cost a lot more than the standard caravans. At Center Parcs, woodland lodges are the standard accommodation.
If we look at the cheapest prices available for a week’s holiday in early August 2025 for four people at the 10 resorts mentioned above, then we get these results:
- Haven Thornwick Bay Holiday Park, Yorkshire - £685
- Haven Wild Duck Holiday Park, Norfolk - £709
- Haven Hopton Holiday Park, Norfolk - £809
- Haven Lydstep Beach Holiday Park, South Wales - £915
- Haven Caister-on-sea Holiday Park, Norfolk - £805
- Center Parcs Whinfell Forest, Cumbria - £2228
- Center Parcs Elveden Forest, Suffolk - £2248
- Center Parcs Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire - £2328
- Center Parcs Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire – £2348
- Center Parcs Longleat Forest, Wiltshire - £2508
Clearly, there is a big jump up in prices from Haven to Centre Parcs. In many cases Center Parcs is three times as expensive as Haven.
However, it’s worth mentioning that these are the prices for the cheapest accommodation available at Haven, which is typically a 10 foot wide caravan. Haven also offer lodges, which are much larger and cost a lot more than the standard caravans. At Center Parcs, woodland lodges are the standard accommodation.
Thornwick Bay Holiday Park in Yorkshire is one of Haven's cheaper resorts
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Haven Caister on Sea in Norfolk has an Adventure Village with lots of pay-as-you-go activities
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And what about Center Parcs Europe? How does that compare on price?
Center Parcs Europe can sometimes be about half the price of Center Parcs UK. It varies significantly, but there are certainly some bargains to be had.
We looked at the cheapest prices at five of the best Center Parcs Europe for a week in August 2025:
So, you can see that these prices sit somewhere between Haven and Center Parks UK. You’ll need to add on travel costs of getting across Europe, plus fuel, toll road fees and various other costs (see our blog about our visit to Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium to see how much we saved compared to Center Parcs UK).
Booking Center Parcs Europe is usually cheapest if you book via the French version of the website rather than the the '.eu' version of the site. You get the same holiday and your browser will do the translating for you. We saved about £100 on our holiday to a Center Parcs in Belgium with this trick.
We looked at the cheapest prices at five of the best Center Parcs Europe for a week in August 2025:
- Center Parcs Park Bostalsee in Germany - £1257
- Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium - £1445
- Center Parcs Het Meerdal in the Netherlands - £1512
- Center Parcs De Vossemeren in Belgium - £1579
- Center Parcs Le Bois Aux Daims in France - £1680
So, you can see that these prices sit somewhere between Haven and Center Parks UK. You’ll need to add on travel costs of getting across Europe, plus fuel, toll road fees and various other costs (see our blog about our visit to Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium to see how much we saved compared to Center Parcs UK).
Booking Center Parcs Europe is usually cheapest if you book via the French version of the website rather than the the '.eu' version of the site. You get the same holiday and your browser will do the translating for you. We saved about £100 on our holiday to a Center Parcs in Belgium with this trick.
Center Parcs Erperheide in Belgium has a similar water park to the UK resorts - but it's usually much cheaper to stay
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Center Parcs Bostalsee in Germany is usually much cheaper than the UK resorts - and reviews are similar
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Which is in the best location? Center Parcs UK or Haven?
I'm giving this one to Haven, but it's a personal preference.
Nearly all of Haven’s 40ish resorts around the UK are by the seaside. They are pretty well spread out, with a good choice of holiday parks in most of the UK’s major holiday counties and nations including Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Wales and Scotland. Several of them lead onto outstanding sandy beaches. See our guide to the Haven resorts with the best beaches if that’s your priority.
Particularly good beaches at Haven resorts (in our opinion) include:
The five Center Parcs resorts in the UK are strategically spread out, but they are all inland. You are immersed in some lovely woodland and have lakes to gaze at, but you won’t have a beach.
There are some Center Parcs in Europe that buck this trend and can offer you a beach holiday. Center Parcs Park de Haan in Belgium and Center Parcs Zandvoort are both near to a beach – although neither get particularly good review scores compared to the UK Center Parcs.
Another factor to consider with Center Parcs and Haven is whether you want to explore the local area.
Generally, visitors to Center Parcs don’t leave the site. You park your car in a shared car park once you’ve unloaded and then the site is car-free. Getting out of the site is possible, but it’s a bit of a faff. We've not left the site on the times that we've been to Center Parcs.
It also doesn't make a huge difference which Center Parcs you go to. There are minor differences between them (Center Parcs Woburn Forest is the newest in England, for example) but I would just go for the closest one.
Most Haven resorts allow you to park your car next to your caravan, so it’s much more common for people to head out and explore during the day. For that reason, you may decide to pick a Haven because you want to visit a particular county rather than just because you like the resort.
Nearly all of Haven’s 40ish resorts around the UK are by the seaside. They are pretty well spread out, with a good choice of holiday parks in most of the UK’s major holiday counties and nations including Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Wales and Scotland. Several of them lead onto outstanding sandy beaches. See our guide to the Haven resorts with the best beaches if that’s your priority.
Particularly good beaches at Haven resorts (in our opinion) include:
- Perran Sands Holiday Park and Riviere Sands Holiday Park in Cornwall
- Caister on Sea Holiday Park and Seashore Holiday Park in Norfolk
- Devon Cliffs Holiday Park in Devon (obviously)
- Lydstep Beach Holiday Park in Wales
- Reighton Sands Holiday Park and Primrose Valley Holiday Park in Yorkshire
The five Center Parcs resorts in the UK are strategically spread out, but they are all inland. You are immersed in some lovely woodland and have lakes to gaze at, but you won’t have a beach.
There are some Center Parcs in Europe that buck this trend and can offer you a beach holiday. Center Parcs Park de Haan in Belgium and Center Parcs Zandvoort are both near to a beach – although neither get particularly good review scores compared to the UK Center Parcs.
Another factor to consider with Center Parcs and Haven is whether you want to explore the local area.
Generally, visitors to Center Parcs don’t leave the site. You park your car in a shared car park once you’ve unloaded and then the site is car-free. Getting out of the site is possible, but it’s a bit of a faff. We've not left the site on the times that we've been to Center Parcs.
It also doesn't make a huge difference which Center Parcs you go to. There are minor differences between them (Center Parcs Woburn Forest is the newest in England, for example) but I would just go for the closest one.
Most Haven resorts allow you to park your car next to your caravan, so it’s much more common for people to head out and explore during the day. For that reason, you may decide to pick a Haven because you want to visit a particular county rather than just because you like the resort.
Haven's Perran Sands leads onto a terrific beach - as do lots of Haven resorts
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Most Center Parcs are inland - although Park de Haan in Belgium is an exception
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Which has the best swimming pool? Center Parcs or Haven?
I'm giving this one to Center Parcs - but a handful of Haven parks aren't far behind.
The swimming pool – or Subtropical Paradise – is one of the main attractions of a Center Parcs holiday. It’s also one of the few free activities.
Center Parcs pools typically have rapids, flumes, hot tubs, wave machines and a lazy river. I’m a big fan of the tropical theme and they tend to be a nice temperature.
Haven’s swimming pools vary significantly. Smaller resorts might just have a standard rectangular pool with a single slide. Most have indoor and outdoor pools but there’s no consistent rule about what they offer.
However, there are a handful of resorts where Haven has invested significantly in its swimming pools so that you are getting a large water park with lots of things to keep you entertained.
The best Haven swimming pools include:
Of course, the other advantage that Haven has is that you can have beach days as well as swimming pool days. I very much enjoy larking around on the beach and enduring the freezing cold English sea but you might be less keen.
The swimming pool – or Subtropical Paradise – is one of the main attractions of a Center Parcs holiday. It’s also one of the few free activities.
Center Parcs pools typically have rapids, flumes, hot tubs, wave machines and a lazy river. I’m a big fan of the tropical theme and they tend to be a nice temperature.
Haven’s swimming pools vary significantly. Smaller resorts might just have a standard rectangular pool with a single slide. Most have indoor and outdoor pools but there’s no consistent rule about what they offer.
However, there are a handful of resorts where Haven has invested significantly in its swimming pools so that you are getting a large water park with lots of things to keep you entertained.
The best Haven swimming pools include:
- Splashaway Bay at Haven Hafan y Môr in Wales
- Splashaway Bay at Haven Craig Tara Holiday Park.
- The Shore Waterpark at Seashore in Norfolk.
Of course, the other advantage that Haven has is that you can have beach days as well as swimming pool days. I very much enjoy larking around on the beach and enduring the freezing cold English sea but you might be less keen.
Center Parcs swimming pools are great fun (this is Center Parcs Vossemeren in Belgium)
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Hafan y Môr's Splashway Bay in Wales was given a £3m upgrade and is now one of Haven's biggest and best swimming pools
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Which is bigger? Center Parcs or Haven?
The dull answer is ‘it depends on what you mean'.
Center Parcs typically has about 800 holiday lodges spread over about 400 acres at its UK resorts. That's the equivalent of 250 football pitches, although I'm not really sure if that makes it any easier to get your head round it...
Meanwhile, Haven has anywhere between 200 and 1800 caravans and lodges at its sites. The three biggest Haven resorts are:
See our guide to the five biggest Haven resorts, although it's actually six because we forgot to include one and added it later (whoops).
A large site, such as Haven Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, is spread over about 250 acres whilst smaller sites are less than 100 acres.
In other words, Center Parcs fits about two lodges onto an acre of land whilst Haven Cleethorpes Beach fits about seven caravans or lodges onto an acre. Lots of the space at a Haven or Center Parcs resort is taken up with lakes, swimming pools, restaurants but the gist of it is that Center Parcs is more spacious.
Center Parcs typically has about 800 holiday lodges spread over about 400 acres at its UK resorts. That's the equivalent of 250 football pitches, although I'm not really sure if that makes it any easier to get your head round it...
Meanwhile, Haven has anywhere between 200 and 1800 caravans and lodges at its sites. The three biggest Haven resorts are:
- Haven Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire (1827 caravans and previously called Haven Thorpe Park)
- Haven Devon Cliffs in Devon (1641 caravans)
- Haven Craig Tara in Scotland (1583 caravans)
See our guide to the five biggest Haven resorts, although it's actually six because we forgot to include one and added it later (whoops).
A large site, such as Haven Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, is spread over about 250 acres whilst smaller sites are less than 100 acres.
In other words, Center Parcs fits about two lodges onto an acre of land whilst Haven Cleethorpes Beach fits about seven caravans or lodges onto an acre. Lots of the space at a Haven or Center Parcs resort is taken up with lakes, swimming pools, restaurants but the gist of it is that Center Parcs is more spacious.
Haven Cleethorpes Beach is a huge holiday park with about 1800 caravans and other accommodation
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Center Parcs are typically more spread out than Haven resorts (this is Het Meerdal in the Netherlands)
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Which has the best activities? How much are activities at Haven and Center Parcs?
You’ll probably have figured out that there’s something of a pattern to this guide.
Center Parcs offers lots of activities and is pretty consistent so you get roughly the same stuff at each of its resorts – but you pay a high price.
Meanwhile, Haven is much more varied as some of its holiday parks are small and others are very large. Some give Haven a run for its money in offering loads of activities, whilst others are much more basic so you'll need to explore the local area for things to do. Overall, Center Parcs tends to have a lot more activities but you leave the site more often with Haven so you can do all of the local attractions as well.
If you’re after a Haven with lots of activities then I would take a look at our guide to the biggest Haven resorts. These are the resorts with the most caravans and lodges but they also tend to be those where there is the biggest range of things to do. You can expect to find an Adventure Village with high ropes, climbing walls, a giant pillow you can jump onto and so on.
And how do activities at Haven and Center Parcs compare on price? Here are some examples:
Center Parcs offers lots of activities and is pretty consistent so you get roughly the same stuff at each of its resorts – but you pay a high price.
Meanwhile, Haven is much more varied as some of its holiday parks are small and others are very large. Some give Haven a run for its money in offering loads of activities, whilst others are much more basic so you'll need to explore the local area for things to do. Overall, Center Parcs tends to have a lot more activities but you leave the site more often with Haven so you can do all of the local attractions as well.
If you’re after a Haven with lots of activities then I would take a look at our guide to the biggest Haven resorts. These are the resorts with the most caravans and lodges but they also tend to be those where there is the biggest range of things to do. You can expect to find an Adventure Village with high ropes, climbing walls, a giant pillow you can jump onto and so on.
And how do activities at Haven and Center Parcs compare on price? Here are some examples:
Activity |
Center Parcs UK price |
Haven price |
High ropes/aerial adventure |
£40 - £47 for 60-90 minutes |
£20 for 60 minutes |
Archery |
£20 - £29 for 55 minutes |
£12 for 45 minutes |
Segway |
£39 - £43 for 45 minutes |
£20 for 45 minutes |
Build a Nature house/bug hotel |
£23 for 60 minutes |
£10 for 45 minutes |
Den building |
£54 for 90 minutes |
£8 for 45 minutes |
(These prices are from 2025 and are just a guide, rather than a definitive list)
As a rule of thumb, I would say that Center Parcs activities are roughly twice the price of Haven activities. However, there is some difference in what you get and how long the activity lasts for.
Also worth mentioning is that activities at Center Parcs Europe are cheaper than those at Center Parcs UK - and are roughly on a par with Haven prices. You can read about our visit to Center Parcs Erperheide for a more detailed comparison.
Also worth mentioning is that activities at Center Parcs Europe are cheaper than those at Center Parcs UK - and are roughly on a par with Haven prices. You can read about our visit to Center Parcs Erperheide for a more detailed comparison.
High ropes activities tend to be much cheaper at Haven than at Center Parcs in the UK (this is Haven Lakeland in Cumbria)
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However, activities at Center Parcs in Europe are a similar price to Haven (this is Center Parcs Les Trois Forets)
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Center Parcs v Haven - which has the best accommodation?
My opinion is that Center Parcs' cheapest accommodation is nicer than Haven's cheapest accommodation. However, that's not terribly surprising considering it sometimes costs three or four times as much!
Haven's cheapest caravans are called the Saver models. They are typically 10 or 12 foot wide and have two bedrooms. Meanwhile, Center Parcs cheapest accommodation are their standard woodland lodges. They are much larger and give you some private outside space.
However, what a lot of people don't realise is that you can get posh lodge accommodation at Haven if you've got the budget for it (or if you visit off-peak). You also get sea views from a lot of the poshest Haven accommodation, whereas the best Center Parcs can offer is a lakeside view. That's much less exciting in my opinion.
Haven's cheapest caravans are called the Saver models. They are typically 10 or 12 foot wide and have two bedrooms. Meanwhile, Center Parcs cheapest accommodation are their standard woodland lodges. They are much larger and give you some private outside space.
However, what a lot of people don't realise is that you can get posh lodge accommodation at Haven if you've got the budget for it (or if you visit off-peak). You also get sea views from a lot of the poshest Haven accommodation, whereas the best Center Parcs can offer is a lakeside view. That's much less exciting in my opinion.
Haven's Saver caravans are much smaller and cheaper than Center Parcs' lodges
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Haven's lodges, such as this Diamond model, are a similar size to a Center Parcs lodge
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This is a typical Woodland Lodge at Center Parcs in the UK
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Some Haven accommodation comes with a good sea view
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What about food and drink at Center Parcs and Haven?
A couple of years ago I would have told you that there wasn't a massive difference in the range and price of food and drink at Haven and Center Parcs. The larger Haven resorts often have a Burger King, Papa Johns and Slim Chickens whilst Center Parcs often has Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas.
You could expect to pay about £12 for a burger at an onsite pub-style restaurant at either brand. Sure, you'd find some offers and so on but both offered relatively standard prices for a meal out (i.e. not that cheap!).
The main change more recently is that Haven has started opening Wetherspoons resorts at its holiday parks. They're slightly pricier than my local Wetherspoons but they are still cheaper than most holiday park restaurants. You can get a burger and a beer for about £10, as well as various other cheap deals.
The first Haven Wetherspoons opened at Haven Primrose Valley in Yorkshire in 2024. Wetherspoons opening at Haven resorts in 2025 include those at Devon Cliffs, Ceethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, Kent Coast and Haggerston Castle in Northumberland.
You could expect to pay about £12 for a burger at an onsite pub-style restaurant at either brand. Sure, you'd find some offers and so on but both offered relatively standard prices for a meal out (i.e. not that cheap!).
The main change more recently is that Haven has started opening Wetherspoons resorts at its holiday parks. They're slightly pricier than my local Wetherspoons but they are still cheaper than most holiday park restaurants. You can get a burger and a beer for about £10, as well as various other cheap deals.
The first Haven Wetherspoons opened at Haven Primrose Valley in Yorkshire in 2024. Wetherspoons opening at Haven resorts in 2025 include those at Devon Cliffs, Ceethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, Kent Coast and Haggerston Castle in Northumberland.
The first Wetherspoons opened at Haven Primrose Valley
What about dogs? Is Center Parcs or Haven better for pets?
You can bring dogs to all of the Center Parcs in the UK and to nearly all of the Haven resorts (the only exceptions are Riviere Sands in Cornwall and Burnham on Sea in Somerset). Center Parcs allows dogs in two grades of its lodges whilst Haven allows dogs in three grades of caravan.
A handful of Haven resorts have 'Bark Yards', which are dog agility areas. You can find these are Caister on Sea in Norfolk, Golden Sands, Skegness Holiday Park and Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, Hafan y Mor in Wales and Kent Coast (in Kent, surprisingly). More than half of Haven's holiday parks also have dog friendly beaches next to them. You can also take dogs into the main restaurant (there's a list on this Haven help page).
Center Parcs has dog play areas. Some restaurants allow dogs whilst others require you to sit on the terraced area outside. You can bring a maximum of two dogs to Center Parcs. You don't get dog bowls or beds provided, but there are some water bowls around the sites. You currently pay £89 to bring one dog or £109 for two dogs, regardless of how long you stay.
A handful of Haven resorts have 'Bark Yards', which are dog agility areas. You can find these are Caister on Sea in Norfolk, Golden Sands, Skegness Holiday Park and Cleethorpes Beach in Lincolnshire, Hafan y Mor in Wales and Kent Coast (in Kent, surprisingly). More than half of Haven's holiday parks also have dog friendly beaches next to them. You can also take dogs into the main restaurant (there's a list on this Haven help page).
Center Parcs has dog play areas. Some restaurants allow dogs whilst others require you to sit on the terraced area outside. You can bring a maximum of two dogs to Center Parcs. You don't get dog bowls or beds provided, but there are some water bowls around the sites. You currently pay £89 to bring one dog or £109 for two dogs, regardless of how long you stay.
Conclusion - Haven v Center Parcs - which is best?
The answer to the question of whether Haven or Center Parcs is better is....rather unhelpfully...'it depends'.
It's hard to call a winner on review scores alone. The highest-rated Haven resort beats the highest-rated Center Parcs resort. However, Center Parcs is much more consistent - all of its resorts score about 85%, whereas Haven varies from about 75% to 90%. The two brands got identical scores when Which? carried out a survey in 2024.
If you want a seaside holiday then Haven is the clear winner. Many of their resorts lead directly onto outstanding beaches, such as Perran Sands Holiday Park in Cornwall and Seashore Holiday Park in Norfolk (see others here). The same is true if you want a holiday walking in the mountains or exploring a local area. Resorts such as Haven Greenacres near Snowdonia or Haven Lakeland near the Lake District are both particularly good for scenic walks.
Haven is also the winner if you are looking for a cheap holiday. A family of four can easily get a week's holiday in August for about £700 - £1000 with swimming, evening entertainment and some other activities included. Outside of peak times, you can get a holiday for peanuts (sometimes less than £100 for a midweek break without entertainment). Center Parcs in the UK doesn't come close to those prices, although Center Parcs Europe has some good deals.
Center Parcs is better than Haven if you want to spend most of the week in the swimming pool. Their Subtropical Paradise pools are hard to beat - although Haven has a handful of great waterparks that give them a run for their money.
Center Parcs is also better if you want lots of activities onsite - and have deep pockets. The larger Haven resorts certainly have a great range of things to do, but smaller and mid-sized Haven resorts have a much smaller choice that isn't in the same league at Center Parcs.
We found that Center Parcs activities are roughly twice the price of Haven activities. It's also much more hassle to leave the site at Center Parcs and explore the free and cheap things in the local area. That's partly because Center Parcs is a traffic-free paradise where everyone leaves their car in a shared car park.
On accommodation, it really depends on how you see things. Haven's cheapest caravans are often a third of the price of Center Parcs' cheapest lodges, but they are certainly not as spacious or well-equipped. A fairer comparison is with Haven's lodges, which are similarly spacious but are more comparable on price to Center Parcs. Haven has the advantage of offering some sea view properties, whereas the best Center Parcs can offer you is a lake view.
It's hard to call a winner on review scores alone. The highest-rated Haven resort beats the highest-rated Center Parcs resort. However, Center Parcs is much more consistent - all of its resorts score about 85%, whereas Haven varies from about 75% to 90%. The two brands got identical scores when Which? carried out a survey in 2024.
If you want a seaside holiday then Haven is the clear winner. Many of their resorts lead directly onto outstanding beaches, such as Perran Sands Holiday Park in Cornwall and Seashore Holiday Park in Norfolk (see others here). The same is true if you want a holiday walking in the mountains or exploring a local area. Resorts such as Haven Greenacres near Snowdonia or Haven Lakeland near the Lake District are both particularly good for scenic walks.
Haven is also the winner if you are looking for a cheap holiday. A family of four can easily get a week's holiday in August for about £700 - £1000 with swimming, evening entertainment and some other activities included. Outside of peak times, you can get a holiday for peanuts (sometimes less than £100 for a midweek break without entertainment). Center Parcs in the UK doesn't come close to those prices, although Center Parcs Europe has some good deals.
Center Parcs is better than Haven if you want to spend most of the week in the swimming pool. Their Subtropical Paradise pools are hard to beat - although Haven has a handful of great waterparks that give them a run for their money.
Center Parcs is also better if you want lots of activities onsite - and have deep pockets. The larger Haven resorts certainly have a great range of things to do, but smaller and mid-sized Haven resorts have a much smaller choice that isn't in the same league at Center Parcs.
We found that Center Parcs activities are roughly twice the price of Haven activities. It's also much more hassle to leave the site at Center Parcs and explore the free and cheap things in the local area. That's partly because Center Parcs is a traffic-free paradise where everyone leaves their car in a shared car park.
On accommodation, it really depends on how you see things. Haven's cheapest caravans are often a third of the price of Center Parcs' cheapest lodges, but they are certainly not as spacious or well-equipped. A fairer comparison is with Haven's lodges, which are similarly spacious but are more comparable on price to Center Parcs. Haven has the advantage of offering some sea view properties, whereas the best Center Parcs can offer you is a lake view.
Images are from Haven.
