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Original poster

People who have been to Haven holiday parks - how are the caravans arranged? I'm confused...!

31 replies

GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 15:41

We are going to a Haven park tomorrow, our first holiday for a long time thanks to a charity scheme (I have a disabled DC). I've never been to a holiday park in my life so have no idea what to expect!

Haven have allocated our caravan today and I've found it on the site map. I searched for images of the exact section of the park (DC likes to know this stuff in advance!) but all I found was a few TripAdvisor reviews from people who had stayed in the same section.

So the section is called eg Willow Drive and has 10 caravans on it numbered 1-10. We are number 3. I've found reviews from people who stayed at numbers 1, 5, and 8 Willow Drive earlier this summer, who all said they had a Deluxe+ caravan with decking etc but we've only booked a Saver as that's what the voucher covered and I couldn't afford to add any extras. So is there some mistake? Or are the fancy and basic caravans all mixed up? I assumed they were in separate areas but maybe not?

OP posts:
babynoname22 · 01/09/2022 15:43

You maybe have been upgraded if you needed disabled access? Unusual ti have the deluxe and saver plotted together.

Sprogletsmum2 · 01/09/2022 15:45

We have been to Haven recently, if you've booked as needing disabled access I'm assuming they will have upgraded you. There were no saver caravans on our site with disabled access.

Creepymanonagoatfarm · 01/09/2022 15:46

Haven caravans- even the Saver ones are great! If there is anything you aren't happy about def tell them. One year we had no plates or oven trays. Got a £50 voucher for the restaurant! This year a few maintanence issues and the man was straight along to fix them! No need to be without what they promised! Gave fun op. The pools are great!

solarbirdscalm · 01/09/2022 15:49

Really depends, sorry. The first few times we went to Haven we were upgraded into what were clearly owners vans, so were older but had decking, one time we had a dishwasher. Last couple of times booked direct via Haven just got saver vans. If its a premium location (eg sea or lake view) they will usually have all better grade of vans but they do also sometimes shove in a saver one if they have a small space left. If you need quiet to sleep I would take ear plugs just incase!

Original poster
GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 15:49

Thanks for your reply. DC has no physical disabilities and we didn't ask for disabled access accomodation (as I wouldn't say we need it, I'd imagined that it was for people with limited mobility) but I suppose maybe the fact we used a voucher from this charity made it obvious that a disabled child was on the booking?

I just didn't know if it was all Savers in one area, Deluxes in another kind of set up or if they are just sprinkled around any old how!! And I don't want to show DC on a map and then get there and find theres been a mistake and our caravan is actually somewhere else 😬

OP posts:
Original poster
GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 15:50

Sprogletsmum2 · 01/09/2022 15:45

We have been to Haven recently, if you've booked as needing disabled access I'm assuming they will have upgraded you. There were no saver caravans on our site with disabled access.

Well that's the thing, I didn't book as needing disabled access, but maybe they've just assumed it as we used the charity funding. Silly really if so, surely better to ask?!

OP posts:
Original poster
GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 15:51

solarbirdscalm · 01/09/2022 15:49

Really depends, sorry. The first few times we went to Haven we were upgraded into what were clearly owners vans, so were older but had decking, one time we had a dishwasher. Last couple of times booked direct via Haven just got saver vans. If its a premium location (eg sea or lake view) they will usually have all better grade of vans but they do also sometimes shove in a saver one if they have a small space left. If you need quiet to sleep I would take ear plugs just incase!

Sadly no ear plugs for me as I need to hear DC if they wake in the night!

OP posts:
abovedecknotbelow · 01/09/2022 15:52

GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 15:49

Thanks for your reply. DC has no physical disabilities and we didn't ask for disabled access accomodation (as I wouldn't say we need it, I'd imagined that it was for people with limited mobility) but I suppose maybe the fact we used a voucher from this charity made it obvious that a disabled child was on the booking?

I just didn't know if it was all Savers in one area, Deluxes in another kind of set up or if they are just sprinkled around any old how!! And I don't want to show DC on a map and then get there and find theres been a mistake and our caravan is actually somewhere else 😬

They're mixed up. You could have some really swanky ones that owners have upgraded in with regular ones.

mattressspring · 01/09/2022 15:52

They are mixed with no logic

RedHelenB · 01/09/2022 15:53

I think it's likely you have the right place on the map. What you won't know is the style of caravan until you get there.

itrytomakemyway · 01/09/2022 15:54

Have you tried to do an online search for a site map - it should be labelled on there. You might also be able to spot yours on Google Earth. I did this last time I went and I could see that we had been upgraded to a wraparound decking van!

itrytomakemyway · 01/09/2022 15:55

Sorry, I can see you have the site map!

Original poster
GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 15:57

mattressspring · 01/09/2022 15:52

They are mixed with no logic

Oh ok thanks, I'll show DC the map in that case! I'm just printing and laminating 3 copies of it as maps are a current obsession Grin

OP posts:
Stropalotopus83 · 01/09/2022 16:00

We went to Haven this summer and I just booked a saver caravan due to costs. When we got there we had been upgraded for no apparent reason to a Gold caravan. Was a lovely surprise and this may be what they have done with you x

JenniferAllisonPhillipaSue · 01/09/2022 16:06

Haven upgraded us once to a privately owned platinum caravan - it rather spoilt us, and we've had to book prestige ever since! Prestige and platinum tend to be on their own roads as they have individual parking; the other grades do tend to be mixed, with large shared parking areas.

Original poster
GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 16:08

Stropalotopus83 · 01/09/2022 16:00

We went to Haven this summer and I just booked a saver caravan due to costs. When we got there we had been upgraded for no apparent reason to a Gold caravan. Was a lovely surprise and this may be what they have done with you x

Well I wouldn't complain 😂

But I won't hold my breath as it sounds like they're just randomly dotted around. I can see it on Google maps (good idea whoever suggested it!) and I don't think there's decking but can't really tell as it's got a massive dark shadow round one side. It looks the same size as the others in the section apart from one on the end which is really massive! It will just be lovely to be by the sea for a week tbh.

OP posts:
Calmdown14 · 01/09/2022 16:18

There's no real way to tell but if they look more spaced out or are near a lake or nice feature there's a fair chance you've got an upgrade.

We lucked out in the summer with an amazing caravan with a full size American fridge freezer when we just booked basic

Calmdown14 · 01/09/2022 16:20

Also have a look at the timetable up outside the showbar. There are little kids activities on most mornings for free but they aren't always immediately obvious on the app.

Many sites have additional swimming from 6-8pm that you don't have to book but again it's not always obvious

Original poster
GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 16:27

Calmdown14 · 01/09/2022 16:20

Also have a look at the timetable up outside the showbar. There are little kids activities on most mornings for free but they aren't always immediately obvious on the app.

Many sites have additional swimming from 6-8pm that you don't have to book but again it's not always obvious

Oh thanks! We have booked several swimming slots already but DC will always go swimming again Grin They're not little though, secondary school age, but wouldn't cope in peak holiday season so we are going for the first week of term instead!

OP posts:
mattressspring · 01/09/2022 16:29

JenniferAllisonPhillipaSue · 01/09/2022 16:06

Haven upgraded us once to a privately owned platinum caravan - it rather spoilt us, and we've had to book prestige ever since! Prestige and platinum tend to be on their own roads as they have individual parking; the other grades do tend to be mixed, with large shared parking areas.

I think it depends on the park. Some of them have parking alongside the majority of vans, plenty of which are not top tier. But there is no 'grouping' of type on the park.

Thesearmsofmine · 01/09/2022 16:31

In my experience they tend to be mixed up unless you are overlooking the sea but we have been upgraded loads of times when it’s not too busy so you might have been upgraded. Have a lovely time.

x2boys · 01/09/2022 16:44

Family fund?
I have a disabled child we have always gone in the basic caravans , my chod doesn't have physicsl disabillities either ,they have been absolutely fine enjoy your holiday.

gogohmm · 01/09/2022 16:50

Just be aware that as it's school term time there may be limited activities on offer from Monday. We have been (adults) and there were only older adults and parents of young children during the week, weekends there were more children

Sirzy · 01/09/2022 16:52

GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 15:57

Oh ok thanks, I'll show DC the map in that case! I'm just printing and laminating 3 copies of it as maps are a current obsession Grin

Show quote history

Ask at the site and they will give you maps. One site arranged once for a map of every haven site to be posted to Ds once

Original poster
GreenEggsAndBabycham · 01/09/2022 16:54

gogohmm · 01/09/2022 16:50

Just be aware that as it's school term time there may be limited activities on offer from Monday. We have been (adults) and there were only older adults and parents of young children during the week, weekends there were more children

That's fine, there's loads of day trips we want to do to castles and Roman forts and whatnot. On-site entertainment (other than swimming) isn't really suited to DC needs anyway.

OP posts: