AIBU?
To warn people not to book with a certain well known caravan park in Devon
dontbookit · 06/10/2022 20:45
I'm not the kind of person that would normally write something like this. I completely understand that I will get some commenters saying I shouldn't post this. However if I can stop people making the same mistakes we did then I really want to warn people about it. I haven't named the company exactly but can say it is a very well known caravan company who may or may not start with 'ha*', and the one we visited was in Devon. If anybody wants more details I can happily pm you.
We have had holidays at this park many times. I've been visiting for many years, not just since I've had my own kids but for years before that with family members and their children. Never had issues.
We went in the summer holidays just gone, although it had been booked for about11 months before that. We did get an email after Christmas to say that they had put their prices up, so where we had booked a platinum caravan it would now only be the same as a bronze. However, in their defence they did say they would honour our caravan type because we had already booked and paid.
I rang a week in advance to check that we still had the type of caravan we were promised and this was confirmed. I then got assigned a caravan the day before arrival and it was a bronze. I spent an hour or so on the phone trying to sort it out, they were very helpful on the phone and changed it for us.
When we arrived the caravan was absolutely beautiful, we were really impressed. The issues started from that evening. We went to dinner with the other group we were on holiday with. At least half of the menu was unavailable (obviously not saying this is their fault as I know there are supply issues at the moment) but we eventually managed to order what everybody wanted. Service wasn't great considering it wasn't very busy. After waiting 40 mins for drink and 55 mins for food , we realised most of it was cold. Me and my husband had ordered the chicken Caesar salad, but when we started eating we realised we had actually been given the French dressing instead of Caesar. Again not a big issue but the fact that we weren't told could have been a worry if one of us had an allergy.
Second issue was when we went swimming the next day, the pool was literally full with hundreds of dead flying ants. We got the kids out of the pool (most people had jumped out by this point) and were told it was an issue they have every day because of the drains. The poor lifeguards were being tasked with walking round the pool with tiny nets trying to catch them all constantly.
Third issue, we went to the sea front cafe on site for lunch the next day. Me and my husband shared the seafood platter which at the time was lovely. Then after a few hours of being back in the caravan we were both violently sick, couldn't get off the toilet, hot sweats.. the works. Called 111 as I felt so poorly. They said it sounded like food poisoning so to keep drinking lots of fluids and if we didn't feel better to contact them again and they would get us seen asap. Luckily it only lasted about 24 hours otherwise we would have had to have come home and missed the rest of the holiday which wouldn't have been fair on the kids.
Have tried to raise this all with them but they have got their head office team to 'investigate' and as predicted have denied all knowledge of everything.
I just think for the prices they are now charging people should be aware of what they are booking. I never thought I wouldn't return there but now I would never book with them again. For approx £1000 for 4 days I can not justify the price for such a low quality anymore. Especially because we can only afford to do this type of holiday every so often. I hope this just makes people double check reviews etc and hopefully book with one of the other companies who seem less well known but have much better reviews.
dontbookit · 07/10/2022 07:11
Tuilpmouse · 07/10/2022 06:58
Because we've only just received their reply stating that they accept no fault at all. Also because this is normally the time of year that people look at booking holidays for next year. Re the food poisoning the seafood platter and the Caesar salad were the only things that me and my husband both ate the same thing of and we were both violently sick. In the 72 hours before that we hadn't eaten any of the same food (DH works away) so the likelihood that it was anything else is extremely low.
Based on what you wrote; I accept there's a strong chance that it was the food, but equally norovirus causes similar symptoms, so without more evidence the park isn't going to admit liability.
Yeah I accept that. I knew they would never accept liability for the food poisoning. The fact that the other group we were there with and our own children (who shared our bed every night) didn't get it leads me to think it was the food but I understand this is impossible to prove without a stool sample.
AloysiusBear · 07/10/2022 07:26
is it really a thousand quid for four nights in a caravan park? Is that normal these days?
These are larger caravans that will fit (for eg) a family of 6. Yes that's what it costs.
We are paying over £200 for 3 nights camping pitch in the summer holidays next year, just for the pitch. And thats not a fancy site - no swimming pool etc, very few facilities.
JustAWeirdoWithNoName · 07/10/2022 07:34
That sounds awful OP - ants pouring out of the pool filter sounds like something from a horror movie 😱
We personally always choose Hoburne for a South Coast caravan holiday and can't recommend them highly enough - always very clean and the staff are so friendly!
justasking111 · 07/10/2022 07:34
We live in North Wales. Locals know through the press that the campsite in Pwllheli this company own is very good albeit expensive. On the other hand avoid Pontin in Prestatyn at all costs. Food poisoning report to local environmental health whether your away on holiday or at home. They'll do the testing inspect the premises and give you a legal leg to stand on
CinnamonJellyBeans · 07/10/2022 07:39
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sparepantsandtoothbrush · 07/10/2022 07:40
Tuilpmouse · 07/10/2022 06:52
I clicked on this expecting to hear some real horror stories, but although what happened wasn't great, I think your reaction here is a bit extreme.
Are people's expectations really this low these days? OK it's not a horror story but it's still pretty bad isn't it!
Idyllicidealist · 07/10/2022 07:41
justasking111 · 07/10/2022 07:34
We live in North Wales. Locals know through the press that the campsite in Pwllheli this company own is very good albeit expensive. On the other hand avoid Pontin in Prestatyn at all costs. Food poisoning report to local environmental health whether your away on holiday or at home. They'll do the testing inspect the premises and give you a legal leg to stand on
Yes. My ds lives near there and the Pwllheli site looks lovely.
Last went to a Haven 20 years ago in Filey.
Very basic standard.
TarasHarp55 · 07/10/2022 07:43
I used to love caravan holidays, but on principal I couldn't spend £1000 on one for four nights.
Yanbu OP, for that kind of money you deserved so much better. But personally.....I just couldn't pay it. They want huge amounts of money for so little in return. They don't deserve your custom.
CeeJay81 · 07/10/2022 07:44
We've never had any issues like this with Haven but nearly always go to Hafan y mor as its fairly local to us. Never been to any in Devon or the Yorkshire coast which would take us all day to get too. We are going in October half term and cause the Welsh half term is different to the English one this year its costing us about a third of the price. Woukd never go in the summer hols at their prices. We have paid a little extra to pick our caravan too. So know where it'll be onside and what it looks like.
TarasHarp55 · 07/10/2022 07:46
sparepantsandtoothbrush · 07/10/2022 07:40
Are people's expectations really this low these days? OK it's not a horror story but it's still pretty bad isn't it!
Tuilpmouse · 07/10/2022 06:52
I clicked on this expecting to hear some real horror stories, but although what happened wasn't great, I think your reaction here is a bit extreme.
A grand for 4 nights? I think she's justified.
Pikafuckingwho · 07/10/2022 07:55
Havens prices have rocketed. It used to be an affordable family holiday, since Covid they have put their prices up so they are on parr with a some holidays abroad.
We went to the Weymouth Bay one a few years ago, people walking round like cattle in a tiny lazy river.
Haven are charging enough money to remove some of the caravans and put in decent sized swimming pools and facilities.
We try to go to the Church farm one as its local as a massive family group for a weekend once a year but even that has gone through the roof and the pool is tiny.
RequiemForAcat · 07/10/2022 07:56
catinboots123 · 07/10/2022 06:45
Yeah the one in Hastings is a dump
Oh God it really is, we stayed there about 4 years ago and it was the worst time ever, my daughter and I got bitten to shreds by bedbugs, moved caravans and it was so cold it felt like we were sleeping rough. Service was awful they couldn’t even make cocktails as nobody was trained to do it. I’d never ever ever ever stay at Haven again.
Like the OP the never accepted any fault.
Livebythecoast · 07/10/2022 07:58
JustAWeirdoWithNoName · 07/10/2022 07:34
That sounds awful OP - ants pouring out of the pool filter sounds like something from a horror movie 😱
We personally always choose Hoburne for a South Coast caravan holiday and can't recommend them highly enough - always very clean and the staff are so friendly!
Agree with Hoburne. Used to go to the Christchurch one in Devon when my daughter was younger. Never had a bad holiday - lovely memories 😊
Skinnermarink · 07/10/2022 08:01
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Are you this nasty in real life?
dontbookit · 07/10/2022 08:04
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