Haven, Parkdean, Pontins, Hobourne

[Pizzatrip]

Hello!

Looking for a cheap weekend getaway in May/June and are looking to get a 3 bed caravan to cram a couple of families into. There’s so much choice with all the parks! Are all the park owners (such as those in my title) much of a much or are there certain providers that should be avoided at all costs/some that are much nicer?

Musts are an indoor pool (and hopefully outdoor) and evening entertainment for the kids. Looking for something in southern England. Thanks for any guidance!

---

MNHQ update: If you’re short on time, here’s a summary of the best holiday parks Mumsnetters are recommending on this thread:

😎Parkdean West Bay, Dorset

😎Haven Devon Cliffs

😎Parkdean Ruda Holiday park (Croyde Bay), Devon

😎Haven Weymouth Bay, Dorset

😎Hobourne Devon Bay

😎Parkdean Sandford Holiday Park, Dorset

😎Hoburne Bashley, New Forest

😎Twitchen House Holiday Park, Woolacombe Bay

😎Bowleaze Cove Holiday Park, Dorset

😎Golden Coast Holiday Park, Woolacombe

For more inspo, check out our guides to the best Parkdean Resorts, the best Haven holiday parksand the best holiday parks in the UK, all featuring recommendations from Mumsnetters.

Hobourne was a nice camp . We went to the one in Goodrington outside Paignton I think.

I have been to a few Haven, have always enjoyed it. Best one we stayed at is Devon Cliffs, great pool with flumes, on a nice beach, plenty of places to eat and drinks and entertainment was good, I recommend updating your caravan to having heating otherwise it can be pretty cold in May.
Parkdean, once it was in wales and never again, was massively overpriced on park, pool was small, overcrowded and dirty, entertainment was ok, beach was fantastic.
Hobourne, once was in Devon, was the best caravan we've had, park was good, bit of a walk to the beach but was lovely, site was ok, not a lot to do but the indoor pool was average size but manageable, the outdoor pool was nice.
Never been to pontins due to it's bad reputation.
I highly recommend Bowleaze Cove Holiday Park, Weymouth part of the Waterside holiday parks, it has great indoor and outdoor pool, good places to eat and drink onsite, We haven't used the entertainment so can't comment and it's on a lovely beach.

I'd rather dig my eyes out with a spoon than go to Pontins.

Parkdean and Haven have always been nice, but haven't been for years so can't remember exactly which ones we went to.

We did a cheap Pontins weekend. It was hideous. There were bed bugs. Never ever again. I would rather not go away.

We went to Withernsea and then a few years later to Sand le Mere with Parkdean. You do get use of their facilities, such as the pool and the entertainment building, but we didn't use it so I can't comment. The caravans were lovely, big, spacious and clean, though.

Didn't read the southern bit, sorry. Please ignore!

Pahaha! Will strike Pontins off the list then!

Been to Haven Weymouth Bay several times, lovely park, lazy river outdoors and good indoor pool, would definitely go back . Been to Haven Rockley Park in Poole, definitely won't go back there, caravan wasn't cleaned and the park felt run down. Have also been to a haven in Norfolk and another near Scarborough both nice.

We did a Parkdean holiday in August and never will again. Tired and dirty and the staff couldn't have cared less (beds were made up with ripped and stained bed sheets - we had to ask 4 times before replacements were delivered, and those were ripped and stained too!)

I've only ever stayed at John Fowlers and all have been really good.

Stayed at Verdant Leisure in Woolacombe last summer and it was the best caravan/holiday park type holiday we've ever had. We're looking to go again next year if we can.
Pontins is awful.
Have stayed at Parkdean a couple of times in Wales and Skegness, so doesn't fit the south criteria, but the parks were decent enough.
Haven has been nice but we found Burnham a bit rough when we went 10+ years ago...it put me off returning! Having said that Haven at Cleethorpes was great a couple of years ago, again not south!

The Sun from 9.50pp holiday start again from 6th Jan...worth seeing if you can get a bargain there if you aren't tied to school holidays.

We had a cheap midweek break at Pontins Brean around 10 years ago. Never again! We had several holidays at Butlins and thought it would be similar - it wasn't. I don't know anyone who has been to Pontins twice !

I think Haven is generally OK .

There is a website called something like Caravans4hire (google, I think there's more than one site) where you can rent privately owned vans on Haven, Park Homes etc sites .

We tend to camp in the UK rather than stay in caravans but have done parkdean in West Bay (Dorset) and Croyde Bay (Devon). Both were clean and we’d go back again.

Hobourne Devon bay or up the hill from it is Beverley park both good parks , clean vans ,pools , entertainment food on site

We go to a particular Park Dean park each year as DH family live in the area.
We love it.

I found the Hoburne sites to feel smaller and more looked after than Haven. My boys absolutely loved Haven with all the activities. I'd definitely book a Hoburne or Haven again. I've booked Parkdean for the summer holidays this year as I wanted to do the Isle of Wight but unfortunately there's no Haven or Hoburne. I wouldn't be paid to stay at a Pontins!

Never done Hobourne but Haven is definitely the best of the others imo.

Avoid Pontins for definite

I've been to both Hoburne Bashley and Hoburne Naish and they were both lovely.

Really nice accommodation, clean and well looked after. Bashley is the New Forest so a beautiful area with plenty to see and do

Hobourne is a much smaller company than the others and I would say the nicest by a significant margin.

Shorefield is nice too, if you're looking at the New Forest.

Woolacombe Bay - twitchen house, has all you want. Excellent holiday for all the family.

AVOID PONTINS!!!

Haven is great, as is Parkdean.

Definitely not Pontins. The reviews on Tripadvisor are unbelievable.

Another vote for Hobourne. Nice clean parks and staff very good.

Wow, I’m so glad I asked! Will have a look at these. The new forest ones sound good as only 1.5 hours from where we are in Berkshire.

Pontins sounds dire and I’ll be avoiding like the plague 🤣

Not Pontins. I'm not a snob at all and love Butlins, but Pontins really is fucking awful.

Do not go to pontins. Ever.