AIBU?
In a Haven holiday... hell
Mandybrighton · 23/10/2018 20:09
Urgh. I am currently in a Haven Park about a hour away from home with my two boys and never thought I would actually crave to go home!
We stayed at this park in the summer and enjoyed it so much I decided to bring us back for the October half term. This time I booked a ‘ luxury lodge’ and it’s cost just under £800 😫.
For this price I was expecting something extra nice. However it’s basically just a jumbo sized caravan with the same furniture and fixtures that the previous ‘ deluxe’ caravan had. The only difference is 2 showers instead of one, a larger dining table and a larger outside area. Okay fair enough it didn’t live up to the expectation I thought on checking in but it gets worse...
When we arrived at the check in time they advertise I drove round to find repairs still
Being carried out to the ‘ lodge’. Okay not great as with two kids and just me I didn’t feel comfortable to start unloading everything in so they delayed us.
Upon placing things in their rooms and kitchen and so on I notice the cookware is thick in the previous people’s food and greasy. Then I see there’s a pubic hair in one of the showers. Then o walk into the bedroom to see BLOOD smeared on the wall by one of the beds... I called reception and explained. A cleaner turns up and removes the blood, and exchanges the manky cookware for clean ones.
Then the accomadation ‘ manager ‘ comes in all smiley and very dismissive saying to me well we aren’t responsible for the previous people staying and my cleaner said it was a bogey. I told him I had taken photos and it wasn’t a bogey. I explained this is supposed to be ‘ luxury’ and it’s not. He apologised but said ‘ well we got it sorted for you very quickly ‘ with a cheesy grin and a couldn’t give a toss attitude... I said you wouldn’t expect these standards and how could a cleaner miss it !?? That it made me feel sick and for the price I paid .. it was a let down.
When he left I emailed head office and sent them some photos. I said in the email I hoped to find nothing else but going to bed last night I went to pull back my duvet to feel something crusty and old ( looked like food ) on the corner of the duvet...
Also when I moved one of the smaller beds to Male way for my son’s travel cot again noticed stains on the sheets. If I don’t sleep like this at home why on earth have I paid £800 just under for this experience...
I’m
Gutted ... they don’t care with the well we fixed it attitude.. I’m planning to go home early. What I didn’t know and what he never told me is that Haven do have a gurantee that if your not happy with your standard of place you can go home the same day and recurve a refund. Well I didn’t know that and we have stayed now..
Some things I have found after the Intital email to head office. Shall I email again with the other things ? I just feel dirty in here and I expected way better. No where that I have ever stayed in had had someone’s blood there for us to walk into too..
😖😖😖😖🙂
nicelyneurotic · 23/10/2018 20:19
That's disgusting. Please take your kids and leave, you deserve a full refund.
Scientistic · 23/10/2018 20:20
They're usually good at complaints handling, just keep persuing it. Also ask for another caravan. Don't take no for an answer!
I had a receptionist scream at me there once for going into a van early. I had asked the cleaner for permission. On our next holiday we got a hell of an upgrade. I would certainly be asking for more than that for the hideous things you are describing.
Rebecca36 · 23/10/2018 20:22
I really feel for you, it is most unsatisfactory and you deserve more than an apology - a partial refund would be in order.
However I do hope you manage to enjoy the rest of your stay. Many, many years since I stayed at Haven (in Cornwall), had a lovely time, it was great for kids too. Sounds like you got the 'rogue' chalet this time around. Bad luck.
Good luck 
Mandybrighton · 23/10/2018 20:23
This is the best they have. It’s their top accommodation. Just a handful of ‘ luxury’ lodges here ... 😫😫😫
LizzieBennettDarcy · 23/10/2018 20:24
We had a horrendous holiday in the Lakeland Haven site. It was an absolute dump of a site and the "prestige" caravan we stayed in was no better. I had a complete meltdown and didn't even want to stay in it but we'd driven 4 hours to get there. It was worse than a "before" scene from How Clean is your House. There was a line of people queueing for reception each morning to complain, it was that bad.
We've never stayed in another, they were a nightmare to try and get a refund out of. Complain on the social media pages like FB and Twitter, and get as many photos as you can. We battled them for nearly 6 months and got £100 back off a £780 break.
SwizzelsFizzers · 23/10/2018 20:28
Contact the manager.
Tell him that he failed to advise you of their guarantee.
Re-iterate that the room is not good enough. Make sure that he is aware of the further faults
Clearly state that you are claiming on the guarantee.
Cambalamb · 23/10/2018 20:31
OP if you want a decent response , use Twitter or Facebook. You will get an entirely different and swift response.
Mandybrighton · 23/10/2018 20:33
I’ve posted on their Facebook wall.. I think the man that came out was the guest relations manager
Nat6999 · 23/10/2018 20:34
I've never used Haven, I always booked at Park Resorts & have never had a problem there, we went on one of the Sun £25 holidays & when the caravan we were allocated to was too far from the entertainment area, I went to reception & within 5 minutes got a free upgrade to a brand new caravan 30 seconds walk away. We love Park Resorts now. The only way I would go to haven would be if I could book a privately owned caravan, if you look on Facebook you can sometimes pick up some amazing caravans really cheap.
Cambalamb · 23/10/2018 20:35
CarryOnScreamingValenta · 23/10/2018 20:37
my cleaner said it was a bogey
Oh, well, that's all right then 
Babyroobs · 23/10/2018 20:38
we once went to a Haven site in North Yorkshire when my kids were little. On making the beds up we found the underside of one of the kids mattresses smeared with excrement, previous occupants had clearly just turned it over and the cleaner hadn't checked.
bobstersmum · 23/10/2018 20:41
I have luckily not had a bad experience with Haven. Currently on a Haven hol and on arrival the caravan they allocated us was very very small for the five of us and also grubby (like not used in ages needing a clean grubby) so I asked for an alternative one. They gave us one twice the size and deluxe rather than standard. For no extra charge. I would go straight back to the reception and demand a better accommodation op. Don't back down!
Yogagirl123 · 23/10/2018 20:43
How disappointing. The accommodation should be clean, you have paid a lot of money. Keep complaining, they may move your family to better accommodation. I hope you get it resolved ASAP. Good luck.
Mandybrighton · 23/10/2018 20:44
Yes that’s what I thought when he wanted to argue about it being a bogey ... if it was or blood or poo or sick ... it shouldn’t be on the wall by one of the beds 🤮🤮🤮 he claims someone must have picked their nose and smeared it and they obviously wish their customers ‘ wouldn’t do that ‘
ShesABelter · 23/10/2018 20:46
That's ashame we were at one last weekend the Friday to Monday. We had a good time but we were out the caravan and left on the Sunday because we just wanted to relax and chill out and the couch was so disgusting. Heavily soiled and stank the whole caravan smelled stale because of it, even though the rest was clean. I never bothered complaining because I just couldn't be arsed. Just told the kids to sit at the table instead then went Sunday. The manager didn't seem massively bothered when I told her Sunday when were leaving.
However in your situation id of kicked up a fuss or went home definitely. That's disgusting.
BewareOfDragons · 23/10/2018 21:02
YIck.
I would tell them you're leaving first thing in the morning, and that's within 24 hours of arriving, and you'll expect a full refund. Tell them tonight.
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