To be scared we're off to haven *gulp*

[booomy]

DP has just announced his parents have booked a last minute caravan in a haven park. I know i'm being stuck up, but I'm really afraid it's going to be filthy! I don't know if i'm more upset about staying in a caravan or the fact I might see FIL in his pants on the way to the bathroom...

I do a short caravan holdiay most years, me SIL and kids (leave dh's at home) and always have a great time.

The vans are basic and quality/cleaniness is variable depending on the age of the van. Beds are short and narrow and not the most comfortable, last one we were at you could feel the springs through the mattress, but luckily there was a spare quilt and we slept on top of that. It can get a bit intimate with lack of space and the thin walls so hope you all get on well!

Evening entertainment is bloody awful/repetitive and the drinks expensive (so fill up on in the van before you go ), but kids love it so the fun is more about watching them enjoy themselves. Atmosphere is normally friendly.

If you plan on cooking in the van take a couple of big pots/frying pan as the ones they provide are tiny (and ovens are pretty useless).

For us its just a basic base for exploring the surrounding area during the day, we normally leave the site in the morning and don't come back until early evening.

Don't go with high expectations of luxury (they are very basic) or you will be better staying at home. SIL would prefer to camp in a tent so for me its a step up from that!

Bad thing about Haven is there is simply nowhere to buy Green and Black's choccies, organic fruit and veg or local artisan cider on site

LOLZ!!!!!

Welsh I didn't realise that, thank you, feel a lot better now! I was just remembering the dire holiday that was Pontins thinking I'd done it again, even the kids wanted to come home!

I think it's what you make of it mostly isn't it, with any holiday? I was planning on being off site mostly so it would be brilliant to have some recommendations. Thank you so much

Have 5 DC aged 11-2 so hopefully I'll be able to keep them all entertained

There is something quite primal about sitting in a caravan in your underpants, scratching a living on the goods from the onsite store.

I really do enjoy it!

A week stuck in a caravan with the inlaws

I feel more sorry for the mil seeing as op would like to give her dog food!

Seriously though, seriously they have a separate van?

Haven is fine. Park Resorts = dire.

Lets hope your FIL does indeed where undergarments, if not shut your eyes.
Am sure its clean if not just tell them.

I thought park resorts were Haven too.... Didn't they merge? Hence Rory the tiger and Bradley bear?

I booked this year for first week of the summer holidays.

I was shitting it that it was going to be damp and dirty and horrid.

It was clean and nice and dry and friendly, and people actually looked after their own children (I was worried they'd al go feral) and it was not even that expensive for drinks or tat that you buy children to glow in a disco.

It was FINE.

I would definitely go again, the DC LOVED it.

Agree about Park Resorts. Awful awful awful!

as an example, it cost £1 for candyfloss, £9 for a bottle of shit but drinkable wine in the bar, and £6 for a great big glowing sword. I didn't think that was too bad. I knew it would be more expensive than camping, but it was ok. And the entertainment was fine. It wasn't for me, was it, it was for the DC, and they enjoyed it, so we were happy.

at big glowing sword

Really? I went to Haven in Dorset a few years ago and it was fab. Park Resort in Borth last year was not terribly clean, generally grim. Which is a shame because Borth is lovely and we have relative in Aberystwyth and have to make an annual pilgrimage, but are yet to find nice family friendly accommodation.

it was impressively large that sword

Perran Sands in Cornwall is the nicest Haven camp I have been to and Donniford Bay in Somerset is the worst. It's like a POW camp.

We had a cheapy Sun holiday to Cayton Bay (Scarborough) last year with Park Resorts and came home 2 days early it was that bad. We are rough not snobby.

The Escape Committee will make contact soon after you arrive. They will direct you to the safest tunnels, and how best to avoid the searchlights and the guard dogs.

If you're fair-skinned, take boot polish. It makes your face less visible in the dark, should you decide to hazard a chance and scale the perimeter fence.

Wg Cdr 'Biffo' Turnip DFC

MumsGoToReykjavik - coincidence or what - I didn't see your POW comment before posting!

Haven are fine.

I however am not fussy because not only did I spend a week at a Park Resorts during the summer, I'm going away to one in about an hour!

I've been to Haven lots of times and the children loved it and consequently we had a good time too.

Out of interest, I have no tattoos, gold jewellery, sports wear or anything else on the daft list. I actually have a good job and a higher degree. The times I went there was very little of the stereotypes some people are talking about on the thread.

Go and enjoy it.

Perran sands is lovely and the one further west in Hayle is nice too but lots smaller.

Notshort I will add my ramblings later when on PC. We love north Devon!

agree with custy. it's all about the attitude. sure I would prefer a week in sicily or bedruthan steps, but if needs must haven, I'm going to try and enjoy it and not obsess quite so much that it isn't "naice".

We stayed at a Haven and the caravan was perfectly fine.

I wouldn't recommend eating in the "restaurants", but DS loved the kids entertainment and the outdoor pool was nicely heated. It was a good base although not somewhere I would rush back to.

I would rather eat my own arm than spend a week in a caravan with my in laws.