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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider a £9.50 Sun holiday?

151 replies

Passthepigs · 04/01/2019 18:31

On maternity leave from March so on a tight budget and will have new baby plus a 2.5 year old.

I’ve never read The Sun and don’t like large caravan parks with lots of other other families. Am I crazy to consider it as a cheap something to do for a few days next year or will I hate it?

OP posts:
70sbaubles · 04/01/2019 18:53

When do they start?

mrsed1987 · 04/01/2019 18:53

Ive done them a few times just as a couple and have been fine. Ive paid extra for upgraded accomodation but its still been cheap

Harryo · 04/01/2019 18:54

Just don't go to Pontins at Southport!

We went about 22 years ago and it was horrific. I think it's actually gone down since then.

Original poster
Passthepigs · 04/01/2019 18:54

We would probably be looking at the ones in Cornwall as we usually holiday there anyway. It just seems a lot cheaper than the £1000 a week we usually pay for a cottage and DS would love easy access to a swimming pool and park.

OP posts:
MakeAHouseAHome · 04/01/2019 18:55

Ew. You couldn't PAY me to go... but them again you couldn't pay me to go camping or caravaning either...

Louiselouie0890 · 04/01/2019 18:56

We did one and it was absolutely awful. Stuck in these really old chalets that looked like a smackheads heaven. My son was crawling and he was filthy within minutes. I'm not a snob but I just could not stay there it was awful. We got upgraded after we figured out they lied about being fully booked. I'm surprised the things were still staying stood up. I'd advise somewhere quiet and in term time more likely to get somewhere nice. Do not go to the popular "kids camps/family camps"

NOTthepinkranger · 04/01/2019 18:57

Personally believe anything linked to that must be horrendous

DoodleOodle · 04/01/2019 18:57

We've done a few, haven't had a bad one yet. We seem to do well for free upgrades too, maybe because we go for midweeks in term time when sites are quieter. In fact, every single one we've done so far has been a "pay only" date when there are no extras such as service charges and park passes. £40 is an exceptionally good value holiday if you ask me!

SlippersForMyFeet · 04/01/2019 18:58

I'd go if u can afford the upgrade as the basic is pretty grotty, we had a poor week weather wise and all slept in the front room every night as it was just too cold so wouldn't risk it with a new baby. We went the following year with a deal which meant we paid for silver but got gold and it was lovely, just like a proper tiny house.

LagunaBubbles · 04/01/2019 18:59

We did them last year for the first 2 weeks in July, that's the start of our school holidays as we are in Scotland. 2 separate campsites in France, 1 in Brittany, 1 in the Dordogne. The second one in particular was a bargain, we paid £187 for each week and the 2nd caravan was an upgrade with air conditioning, Eurocamp rep said it would have been a £1000 approx to book it direct with them so definitely not cheaper!

XiCi · 04/01/2019 18:59

Agree chairman. How anyone can give money to the Scum is beyond me. And I certainly wouldn't want to be stuck in a caravan park with the type of people that read it.

LagunaBubbles · 04/01/2019 19:00

Personally believe anything linked to that must be horrendous

Do you mean the Sun? They don't actually run the campsites, it was Eurocamp campsites we ended up in in France.

LagunaBubbles · 04/01/2019 19:01

I never bought the Sun either, just got the codes online.

Invisimamma · 04/01/2019 19:01

We have done it. It's not £9.50 though. We always upgrade and it's more like £150-£200, still cheap though.

I'd avoid pontins and Butlins. Any Haven park we have visited have been very nice.

We've only had one bad holiday from doing it this way and it's just that the site was very small and run down and not what we expected. If you stick to well known park and term time dates it should be okay.

gamerwidow · 04/01/2019 19:01

It used to that you could get all the codes off of the money saving expert site so no purchase was necessary. So you got to take the discount without giving any money to the Sun. I think sadly the rules have changed now.

rwalker · 04/01/2019 19:01

good value but pick your site carefully some of the large one (primrose vally and presthaven ) full of vile people. Some of the smaller ones in wales/scotland fine

NOTthepinkranger · 04/01/2019 19:02

I know they don’t run them but you’re giving them money they’re a vile rag that I can’t believe is still being printed.

Boohooyouho · 04/01/2019 19:03

If you’re going term time check the price direct before you book. Midweek term time usually work out cheaper as they include the passes and linen when you book direct

BaconAndAvocado · 04/01/2019 19:03

We've done a couple in Hastings. Caravan was fine, swimming pool ok.

We used it as a base for days out.

Avoided club house, just not our thing.

FlippinNora1 · 04/01/2019 19:03

You get what you pay for. So if you want a holiday worth £9.50 then go for it Grin

More seriously, my parents think they are okay as a base for walking. We went on a couple with them and they were pretty grim. The toilet not being fixed in was certainly a memory I can’t get rid of Shock

Shitonthebloodything · 04/01/2019 19:03

Pack some cleaning things, plenty of towels, blankets, bedding etc and leave any valuables at home but go for it. I've done loads of them, they're great fun for the kids

WitsEnding · 04/01/2019 19:04

I don't buy the Sun but did several similar holidays with my children when they were small through the local paper. We enjoyed them and it was a cheap way of getting a holiday with grandparents on the same site ... didn't really have a bad one.

We did find that once you added in all the extras - sheets and electricity spring to mind - the holidays were dearer than we thought, but still cheapest available.

Elllicam · 04/01/2019 19:04

We are trying for the first time this year, I’m also on maternity leave. The codes start from tomorrow.

Lazypuppy · 04/01/2019 19:05

They're great and you can upgrade your caravan if you pay a bit extra if you don't want a basic one

WitsEnding · 04/01/2019 19:06

The local paper is still running the offer and I'm sure it's syndicated across the country... never ever buy the Sun!

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