Posh british campsites - do they exist?

[whiffy]

We are keen to take DS camping (with our own tent) in UK but I have horrible memories of caravan 'holiday parks' from my childhood which seemed to be filled with teenagers on their first holidays drinking cider ... and I also remember - even worse - the 'rural' campsites where there was inevitably one grubby shower to service the whole field and a dodgy pub by the entrance.....
Being a novice in the camping thing I don;t know if there is such a thing in the UK as campsites with spotless facilities, lashings of hot water, a cafe for when it's too wet to fire up the calor gas, maybe a play area & pool, but without the holiday park trimmings and the club 18-30 atmospheres? I guess I'm looking for the UK equivalent of the kind of up-market places you get in France & Italy....any ideas/recommendations much appreciated. On-site spa facilities obviously an advantage

Your wish is my command!

We stayed here last September and it really does have all mod cons. On the downside, it's very busy and pretty noisy.

We were thinking of going here for a weekend next May/June moo, is it REALLY busy? It won the best campsite in Britain award in 2004 (from the AA) so what are it's faults?

I cannot believe this - massages on site too! Thankyou so much.

It was really busy when we went (2nd weekend in September). It's mostly caravans/awnings - not that many tents. My advice would be do not under any circumstances let them put you on the 'family field' (by the play area) - it was noisy from dawn 'til 11pm (helpful parents parked their cars and put headlights on to illuminate the play area when it was too dark to see ) There is a 'quiet field' too - insist on pitching your tent there.

We were unlucky as we pitched next to some extremely noisy people - about three families who had all gone together - who were there simply determined to party with no consideration for anyone else. They had a gazebo and were drinking/talking/singing in there til about 2am when I lost my temper and yelled at them to shut up. I complained the following morning and they were warned by the site management (who were very helpful and sympathetic, btw) but by then the damage was done and we were all nearly comatose with tiredness.

On the plus side, the facilities were excellent - lovely, spotlessly clean, shower blocks, unlimited hot water. Good indoor washing up places. Lots of things for the kids to do, including a swimming pool, table tennis, badminton etc. Well stocked shop. We didn't go to the bar or restaurant/coffee shop but they looked nice.

It was really spoiled for us by the noisy people and that wasn't the site's fault. But definitely go on the quiet field, and not near the play area (that's something I'm going to remember in future whatever site we stay on!)

Thanks for the advice! We avoid play areas like the plague otherwise the dd's would never go to bed at night!

Hi Whiffy check this website out they have 13,000+ reviews by campers/caravanners of camping and caravanning sites in the UK. Hope it helps...? UK Camp Site

That'll keep me busy. Thanks very much for link!

I've now got two other mums on side to come along at same time. we all seem to have gone 'back to nature' this year - I guess it must be something to do with our babies now turning into toddlers and us getting into the whole family/home baking/making your own entertainment stuff (either that or astronomical cost of going anywhere near a hotel chez child )

Maybe we should have an official mumsnet camping weekend. No DH's, just DD's and DS's. And plenty of cheap fizz of course!

oh my goodness there are more mad people in this world than I thought....
count me out of this thread, I'm over to the meet up thread to join the party..