To consider a £9.50 Sun holiday?

[Passthepigs]

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?

Don;t go to Pontins Camber Sands it was a shocker.

Been on loads always been fine bit basic. As others say use it as a base or upgrade Perran Sands Haven Perranporth is lovely nice pool, walk down to beach avoid entertainment if it's not for you but they got indoor play (went Oct half term)
Hendra Newquay is great mega pool and again indoor play land train etc.
Do it OP!

I'm looking at booking this year for the first time but through the Breakfree Holidays Facebook page. They post the codes for you this week and can book from the 9th. I can't buy the sun (I'm from Liverpool) or the Daily Mail (who does??) but the codes are also in some local papers. On the page they list all the parks so you can do your own research and also the extras you have to pay for depending on which weeks you go. The sites are mostly Haven ones

According to the FB group a p.p. recommended they release the codes on there every day.

Done a few in the past
St Osyth in Essex Hopton in Norfolk Hastings (Coombe Haven). We enjoyed each enough and got free upgrades as soon as we checked in.
Took our own towels though and took food with us as the site shops are expensive.
All in all we enjoyed our Sun breaks.

If you've booked before, you usually get sent a Sun Savers Priority Code which means you can book using the Sun Savers App a day before everyone else (you need to buy the paper each day to get the unique Savers Code). If you don't want to buy the Sun or don't have a savers bonus code you can book online using the codes published on the fb page (and other sites like Money Saving Expert), although a day later than the Savers bookers.

Pontins Camber Sands - If I’m ever really bored, I read through the trip advisor reviews. Then wonder why anyone going there appears not to - they are shocking. Never been into it, but it’s bad enough just on the outside to never want to go in.

Agree with Park Holidays as a good choice - we’ve been to one at Swalecliffe near Whitstable (Seaview?) a couple of times on a cheap break and it was lovely both times.

We have done 2 - one at woolacombe which was really lovely, nice big clean caravan in a peaceful spot, loved it.

The second was golden sands near Hastings and it was absolutely hellish - we were "upgraded" to an apparel tent (on 1st floor) so toddler had to negotiate concrete steps and couldn't just pointless about outside on the grass. It was filthy (bogeys wiped up walls, mouldy and stank). Hated every second and left early.

Agree with above donnot go to camber sands! It’s dire! Read tripadvisor before you pick anywhere!

Ffs

I'll revise my post:

*appartment

• it wasn't near Hastings it was south Devon somewhere that was horrific. Never again.

It's all about the park YOu choose I have dragged dh to a few holiday parks since dc were born as I grew up going to Butlins and love a bit of that stuff.

My sis has had some ropey places via those Sun hols but I've been taking advantage of those deals in Cornwall for about ten years now at Parkdean, Holywell Bay nr Newquay. It's reasonably priced (you do pay extra costs directly to Parkdesn) but it's still a bargain.

We do these about 4/5 times a year. Research the quieter parks and times to go and if holiday camp style stuff isn’t your thing use it like PPs have said as a base for the local beaches/tourist attractions. Be aware though unless you go in March or October term time it’s not 9.50 it’s 15 per person (you have to pay for minimum of 4 people) plus linen and entertainment passes so you are usually looking at least 100. Still loads cheaper than full price especially for a big name like haven or butlins. Avoid pontins like the plague though I m not fussy and I wouldn’t stay there again if they paid me!!!

I did one last year as was completely on my knee's. Me and 4 older kids. Basic caravan, but the sun shone so were only in it to eat. Park was lovely, dawlish was gorgeous. This year going to dorset. It does what it says on the tin!!

My brother has done the sun deal and they are fine. The parks are caravans and you don't have to use the other facilities but with a toddler the pool and kids activities might come in handy. It's pure snobbery why people will spend a lot of money at centreparcs but sniff at seaside holiday parks, we've done both and the main differences is price, centreparcs is seriously overpriced! We've done French holiday parks too, and the kids met kids from across Europe.

Avoid Park Resort Camber Sands at all costs.

Someone I know who went to Pontins Camber described it as a Prisoner of War camp

80% of the people who go on sun holiday are theJK show types. The other 20% normal people.

Never ever go to pontins EVER! Part resorts/dean well when they tried to sell me a static when I was in that type or market exclusively told me they stick all the sun holidays in one section of the park to keep them all together and so that they don’t impact on the owners and their private guests. As well as any holiday I’ve had there even paying peak top end prices the accommodation has been shockingly terrible.

Haven pick one this is not accessible by bus/train easily. That rules out the shabbier sites and more Jk types. Pick the right ones at the right level and you will walk in and go wow! Pick the wrong level and place and you will be counting down the days till you leave.

Ive done 12, they've been mixed but only 2 terrible. Go for it.

We've done a few but always upgraded so it doesn't actually cost £9.50 but is a hell of a lot cheaper. My advice would be to read the park reviews and don't go to the crazy OTT parks, choose a smaller one and don't go bank holiday or school half terms.

Pontins Camber was the holiday where we found a used nappy in the floor on arrival.

Do you have to pay more than 9.50 per person for the ones in Europe?! Or do you have to get your own flights that would bump up the cost?

I wouldn't but only because my DCS both suffered asthma attacks due to the damp in a caravan we stayed in once. They were ok, they didn't need hospital treatment as we had their inhalers but it wasn't nice and there was very little sleep involved.

You can pick and choose which facilities and activities you want to get involved with- if you're not a fan of the entertainment etc then bring some card games for the evenings and stay in the caravan, go out for a meal somewhere nearby etc.

We are thinking about booking one of these just to use the pool and club at a resort near to where we are staying this summer... would they check up on you to make sure you are staying in the caravan?

Someone I know who went to Pontins Camber described it as a Prisoner of War camp

Yeah, and they were being generous I think given the reviews.

80% of the people who go on sun holiday are theJK show types. The other 20% normal people

That is just complete and utter bollocks. WTF is 'normal people'? Those who think they are better than everyone else? Who went from a council house to middle management (or marrying someone who did) and now think they are above others? It's THOSE types a lot of us want to avoid actually. I prefer decent, genuine people to judgemental snobs any day, as do a lot of people.