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

Try Hoseasons instead. We've found the parks they have caravans on to be nicer. I can especially recommend Cardigan Bay holiday park, although they might be book direct only now.

See id need pool over fossils but ill still take a look

Love a haven trip! It's basic but okay, nothing fancy but usually fun!

They look a bit more mature? The pools don’t look as splash tastic, happy to be corrected though?

DH sounds like snob. These kind of holidays are all some people can afford. Sounds like you just want a holiday for you and DH with the kids tagging along.

I really really hate Haven holidays, parks holidays and generally family caravan park holidays. We have our own van and it's sited in the middle of the Peak District on a quiet park with beautiful facilities but no pub, entertainment etc as it's that part of it that we hate!

However, we have been to Devon Cliffs. I promise you it is the nicest of the lot! We avoided the entertainment bits and it was a nice holiday made better by really nice weather!

We have had good holidays here- kids stuff (nice pool, play area etc) onsite and stuff to do in the area- https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/accom/finlake-holiday-resort-finl?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw48-vBhBbEiwAzqrZVB9amvGwowkD3zI6YwMY-EHbhhqDbyLLDb6IJpjGV55rda7FDQc-vRoCMysQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.hoseasons.co.uk/accom/sandymouth-holiday-resort-atla?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw48-vBhBbEiwAzqrZVPFo6EHxQQzBnM0ry3N7DaOXXzp5xYlGQc5t-_lEnVagncrJk397_hoCwugQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

We also like Minehead Butlins

That’s quite a nasty little comment from you isn’t it. I’ve actually said upthread, I want a holiday for my kids, hence the beach, splash pool and fossils, funnily enough I can swim and don’t hunt on the beach for fossils 🫠

We've done lots of Haven holidays and they know exactly what they are doing. Decent clean accommodation and loads for kids to do. Evening entertainment is always cheesy but if you go in with an attitude of 'it's so bad, it's good,' and a very large glass of wine 🍷 you'll have great time.

Haven is cheaper and quality of entertainment matches that, I preferred it to Butlin's though because I found the accommodation better and it was less busy.

Butlin's is good if you want to be able to entertain kids without leaving site, everything they need is right there and if you're ok with lots of people everywhere then it's a good option.

I get easily overwhelmed by crowds and all the queues at Butlin's drive me crazy. We had the premium dining plan and there were a couple of evenings I just couldn't face battling the masses at the buffet and ended up going elsewhere.

I like Haven & Parkdean. Good for when DD was primary age. I agree peak prices are 🥺 but it's a British holiday which I think is a very different experience to going abroad.

we had quite a few hols at the Chichester one when our DDs were small. I think it’s church farm. It was a few years ago now but we loved it.

Devon cliffs is lovely especially if the sun is shinning. It has beautiful beach with rock pools for crabbing. My kids love a pool and the beach so all the extra bits to do are just a bonus! Entertainment is cheesy but the kids enjoy it. Also never had a bad caravan at any site we’ve been too and we usually only go for the basic one!

I found butlins very loud too! Very loud.

some of the butlins shows were a bit pants, the panto wasn’t one I’d do again, but my kids loved all the little shows

i don’t love things being rammed so wondering what last week of august would be like pool wise

Does it have to be haven or would other caravan parks be suitable? We love parkdean, have never had a problem, always clean, lots of actives on site for kids! Look at Sandford dorest! It’s the Jurassic coast so plenty of fossils to go looking for! Plus you’re in good driving distance for lots of other beaches, Weymouth, Bournemouth, sandbanks, all lovely sandy beaches!

I think a lot of the expectation and then experience depends on the price you pay. You'll get four nights midweek pre school hols for a really reasonable price.

I booked October holidays for under £100 for four nights for four of us. We could barely go swimming four times for that price and it's a site we love so delighted.

But if I'd paid £600 in August I might want more for my money.

If you can get a sire that's a good base for other things you'll have a good time. We've always been happy with the caravan even the most basic but equally, I'm not the type of person to photograph down the street de of the fridge to check for dirt.

While yours are small take advantage of getting a bargain. If you can book a 12ft one you get a bit more space but your kids won't care.

My top tip is packet pack - a packing cube or small bag for each if you slots onto the shelves or bottom of the small wardrobe. A big suitcase is a pain.

Similarly I have a bag for life with Calpol, extra cloths, kitchen bits etc that I just leave in cupboard so it is easy to pack up at the end.

I’m not attached to heaven as long as there’s a nice pool with a splash area for little ones, a park and it’s clean and decent anywhere is good!

look on centre parcs too but then didn’t fancy a full remortgage so closed the browser lol

We've done a couple of the sun £10 caravan stays (they aren't actually £10!) and the caravan has been just fine, I tend to not look too closely at everything, but on the surface it was clean enough, the mini gold nicely kept

We didn't go in the pool as don't have children, ate in the restaurant one night and the food was fine, probably in between Maccy Ds and weather spoons (the one round here does nice food!)

The other guests were fine, although didn't do too much hanging around them, just had dinner, the football was on so DH wanted to watch it so we stayed in the bar and no one did anything awful

It's actually quite cosy chilling in the caravan in the evening with some activities and board games, although who knows if I'd be saying that if I had little ones!

I think our Bournemouth one was Park Dene and the IoW either them or Haven

I'd make sure to do your research on trip advisor of any possibilities

We can't afford to go abroad this year so if we did do something and I'm not pregnant yet, I'd be open to considering doing another if we can afford to

Golf not gold!!

We always do haven holidays. We’ve been hafan (north wales) Devon cliffs, littlesea and going Craig Tara at Easter.

ive never had an issue and I went to hafan for 10 years. I’d look at the bigger parks such as hafan, Devon cliffs, Craig Tara as they have soo much for the kids to do and most of them either have a beach on their doorstep (hafan and Devon cliffs) or a beach nearby

you’ll always get people who turn there noses up at a caravan holiday but honestly they are fine.

you can now get a food and drink card which covers the restaurants, takeaways and bars

@Thisisembarassing at Haven the pool is free but you have to pre book sessions, there are several parks but not like Butlins more 1990s residential area wooden parks. I think for the little ones there were some free arts and crafts and nature walks but you had to book them all.
Last time we went to Butlins (which was some time ago) you had the pool, all the shows, fun fair, great parks etc but you might not need to worry about any of that if your more after a bucket and spade holiday. Generally we like activities ABIT more as we live 5 mins from a great sandy beach that it's not a novelty.

I'm sure you'll have a great time either way.

Unsure why your husband is repulsed by a haven holiday?
I have been on several with my grandchildren and we had a great time. Lots of family friendly activities, caravans clean and comfortable. However, you and more importantly your husband, will have to adjust his mindset and expectations.
These holidays are very different to those with villas etc

Butlins Minehead with little ones - we've been around 4 times now. It's in a lovely setting - really scenic around that area.
The comfort plus apartments are nice and a very short walk to the entertainment etc. We usually combine it with a premium dining plan.

So DH can find something then eh

My kids love a haven holiday!

I think they're what you make of them really, and that they're a good value UK family break. I draw the line at camping, my back can't take it, and I book a silver or above Haven van. Mine love the swimming pools, and the nature ranger activities (pond dipping, bug Hunt, fossil hunt, etc). I love the beach. We don't spend a lot while we're there really.

We live nearer the Yorkshire coast so I can't comment on the Devon sites but I imagine they're all similar.