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Is it Haven or hell?

10 replies

Curiousmama · 13/04/2010 12:00

Dp the boys and I were trying to decide where to go camping this weekend gone. DP favours quiet sites as do I normally, but thought it'd be nice to go to one with at least a play area for the boys.

So I did a search and found that some Haven sites let you camp there in your tent. We don't use electric so just needed a basic field. I decided on the Blue dolphin near Filey. My very first holiday as a child was Primrose valley in a caravan. In fact to be honest it was the only one I had apart from visiting family

Anyway, I booked it and got a deal for 2 nights £38 which I thought was good considering it included the fun passes.

We arrived there late on Sat night so missed the reception but rang a mobile and was instructed to take passes and map out of the box and choose a spot. We found a good flat spot and put up the tent. We then had an explore and found the toilets/showers etc.. were very close and very clean. Also found one play area nearby and a bigger one near the funtime area. There's a fair sized spar shop too.

On the Sunday the boys used the pool and loved it. We didn't go to the entertainment as the boys were happy playing together. We visited Filey and had a paddle ..that was so cold but fun

We didn't eat at Haven as we tend to cook ourselves but did eat some fish and chips at Filey.

Has anyone else camped at a Haven? How did you find it? I've heard mixed reviews but we'll definitely be going again after this visit.

OP posts:
Curiousmama · 13/04/2010 12:01

For those of you who are on my camping website you may see this review there too

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aSilverlining · 13/04/2010 12:02

Curious mama, we love camping and go a few times a year, and alos do Haven once a year in one of their holiday homes. We love primrose valley.

hocuspontas · 13/04/2010 12:04

Having had the most dreadful camping/caravanning experience at Haven's Marton Mere I wouldn't go anywhere near them again! Which is a shame because obviously your experience was totally different.

Curiousmama · 13/04/2010 12:06

That's a shame hocuspontas

aSilverlining I hope to talk dp into doing PV sometime, he hates caravans though but I'd like to go and am sure the boys would love it?

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hocuspontas · 13/04/2010 12:08

Holiday homes different! We enjoyed one in N.Wales that did half-board and led down to a beach. Hafan y Mor I think it was called. I'd go there again.

Curiousmama · 13/04/2010 12:11

Thanks I'll do a google hocuspontas.

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brook1 · 13/04/2010 12:35

Mixed feelings about haven really, weve used them about 4 times now, 3 times in statics and once in our tourer caravan.

Theres no denying that the indoor pools are handy and the play areas are ok, and the place is full of other children but, I too hate the evening entertainment thing and the fact that you have to walk through lots of slot machine things to get to it, its horrible. Was persuaded to go by dc because other kids had told them they would be in there with their parents.

We probably wont use them again now that we have our tourer, I didnt think the shower blocks were well looked after.

But, theres no denying that you can get a really cheap camping holiday with them together with use of their facilities so if it keeps the children happy then hey ho!

HappyHome · 13/04/2010 16:47

We went to Blue Dolphin 2 years ago in our touring caravan for two nights - it was a free offer from the caravan club. It must have altered alot since we were there as hell on earth was the only way I could describe it!

Curiousmama · 13/04/2010 20:53

Oh heck happyhome not good then! Apparently the pool's been updated? Did you go high season?

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HappyHome · 14/04/2010 09:37

Hi, we went mid Sept. Tbh my DS (then 8 yrs) loved it - the slot machines, play area and on site Burger King were his idea of heaven!
However the touring caravans that were on site came in towed by Transits and left leaving old fridges and pallets in their place!

A good tidy up and better management of the camp/touring site would have made all the difference to our stay.

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