To consider a haven holiday for summer hols

[Thisisembarassing]

I’ve never been before and heard divisive reviews. Some worst thing ever and some best. Trip advisor too seems to cut it that way.

anyone been? What’s Devon cliffs like? My kids are 4 (will be nearly 5 by august) and 2.5. We’ve done an expensive holiday already this year but need another little break

dh is repulsed by the idea

Why is he repulsed?

He’s just heard quite bad things. He’s not done a caravan hols before so for HRH I think holiday=hotel (less ideal villa).

but we’ve spent our annual holiday budget and beggars can’t be choosers

I went Devon Cliffs last year. Was alright tbh. Lots for kids to do. Facilities onsite. Steps down to the beach. Yeah, absolutely fine 👍

edit - my DH always turned his nose up at caravan parks, but as it was a last minute booking and all i could afford from my savings, it was all we could do. He was pleasantly surprised

I like holidays where there is loads for the kids to do and I can just switch off for a week. Heaven sounds fun. Not done it but booked a family friendly campsite for Easter and really looking forward to it.
I think holidays are what you make of them. We did Butlins last year and I embraced the cheese and tackiness and we had a great time!
Go for it!

Was the accommodation clean? What one did you stay in? Was the pool clean, a dirty pool is🤢

We loved Haven and were surprised to, we didn’t even use any of the site facilities but the caravan was great and the prices unbeatable. On our list to go again.

This is the thing, I managed to get hrh to butlins and my kids loved it, the pool was absolutely lovely, spotless. Eldest said she preferred it to Disney (which hurt given how much we paid comparatively for Disney)

I took mine to Primrose Valley. The kids absolutely loved it, didn't want to come home. I felt a bit the same, fell in love with the caravan!

I was always dead set against a Haven holiday - but gave it a go and fully converted!
It's perfect for younger kids. They love the entertainment and the swimming.
Restaurants are good value for money too.

Repulsed? That's a bit strong

I've been. The caravans are spotlessly clean and modern. There are loads of activities for children. They won't be bored. The parks I've been to have both outdoor and indoor pools. It's fine for a cheap and cheerful break...like most holidays in the UK though, you are at the mercy of the weather!

If you go for the newest, highest grade caravan you can afford (I think some parks do lodges as well, but I haven't stayed in one on Haven) then that would help. The newer caravans tend to be bigger and obviously less worn than older ones, but then I bloody love a Haven holiday anyway!

My honest opinion with Haven holidays is that they are what you make of them, and it depends on your expectations! If you’re expecting a 4 star Maldives style holiday then you’re obviously going to be disappointed with Haven, but if you just take them for exactly what they are then they are lovely.

I always loved our family Haven holidays as a child and now our group of friends and all our children go for a long weekend every year. The caravans are basic but as long as you don’t go in expecting 5 star luxury they are absolutely fine, and there’s absolutely loads for the kids to do all of them love it! The only thing I would say though is it may not end up being as cheap a holiday as you think because the vast majority of activities you do have pay for, swimming is usually included and there’s outdoor play parks but thats about it, other than that all activities you pay extra and they don’t tend to be cheap. The same applies for if you’re going to eat on site, spend evenings in the centre watching the kids show etc, it can add up, so it may not be as cheap an option as you think it is but it can be a lovely trip if you decide to make it one.

The fact your husband is already twisting about it though would probably make me steer clear of it if I was you. It is a trip you need to both make the best of, it will spoil it for everyone if you have to spend your time convince him to have a nice time!

It's so easy with kids, we go a couple of times a year to the one at the bottom of the lake district and its great - well worth the money and a cheap way to get away. We don't go in the summer hols though as tend to go abroad but I think its more expensive then so you might actually get better for your money doing something else at that time of year. I'd never been before having kids and was very very skeptical but was really pleasantly surprised.

The only Haven I’m familiar with is Cleethorpes beach (used to be called Thorpe Park). Perfectly fine for a caravan holiday, park well kept, good amenities, nice beach, plenty of walks, regular bus does the three miles along the coast to the centre of Cleethorpes past the cinema and 10 pin bowling and Maccy D. Loads to do with kids that will keep them occupied for a week.

We’d be doing last week of august so as good as it’s ever going to be lol

If you go, go to Devon Cliffs! I had low expectations but it was great, the DC really enjoyed it. Agree with book the very best accommodation that you can.

How can I find out that? You can tell I’m a newb lol

I took DD and her friends for one 2 miles down the road for her birthday. Caravan was spotless, evening entertainment suitably rubbish but we go to the actual theatre alot and DD is a teen, I'm sure little ones would love it. It was fantastic for what we wanted which was a base for a load of teens to mooch about safely and a few activities out of season it was cheap as chips. Absolutely no way I'd pay ££££ during the summer though. The sofa 'bed' was an inch of horrible sponge. I ended up driving home and getting our air mattress instead.

For your age children I'd go to Butlins, stay in the Shoreline kiddies hotel with a meal plan ( the cheaper chalets tend to be more noisy and ot as nice). Butlins is far superior for this kind of child-centric family holiday.

We stayed in one of the cheaper vans last summer, as OP so nicely puts it, beggars can’t be choosers and that was our summer holiday. Not at the park OP is looking at, ours was on the east coast. Van was spotless, bed comfy. Close to the beach, the parks on site were good, peaceful.

If it’s any consolation a colleagues son preferred a caravan holiday in Claiton to Disney. She was gutted 🙈

We did Bognor butlins hotel and meal plan before, pool was so lovely but Bognor beach is stone so was hoping sand, and it’s a bit more expensive than haven too

Was considering adoption, can’t lie. She’s also Disney mad, and utterly loved Disney, so that’s how highly recommended butlins was lol

We must be beggars then as we go to Haven at least once a year for our holiday.
We go in term time and always have a decent time, never had a bad or unclean caravan and my kids enjoy it. The entertainment is naff but that’s what you get at a holiday park. We go swimming every day and then tend to go off site to visit local places or for meals out.

@TruthorDie my kids are very lucky and have been to some amazing places but even now it's still Butlins and caravan holidays that they loved.

Nothing wrong with a caravan holiday, modern vans are so much better. We have had some great autumn breaks on IoW and they are double glazed and centrally heated.

In my experience, children like these sorts of holidays but the adults need a holiday of their own afterwards

I think they are fine as long as you adjust expectations.