Classy holiday camp?

[ButterPecan]

We only holiday in the UK due to my child’s health issues. We normally go to holiday camps as my eldest hasADHD and needs a lot of activities. However, without sounding like a snob, often the people don't have much in common with us and my eldest can’t make friends. They are also often too loud for her - sensory overload, with kid entertainments is on too late in the eve and a large arcade area.

is there such a thing as a more upmarket/classy UK holiday park, which doesn’t cost over our budget (2k a week in July)

Most people we know that holiday in the UK use Airbnb, but my eldest needs to swim every day and do other activities so a holiday camp with on site pool and other sport clubs suits our family better!

🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Do you need an actual holiday 'camp', or do you mean like a caravan or lodge site with onsite facilities, or is that a holiday camp?

I imagine a holiday camp to be Butlins but wouldnt call a caravan site with a pool or games room type of thing a 'camp'.

Perhaps they're the same thing

I suppose people might say centreparks?

Center parcs?

Yes butlins would be a camp, but never been there. We go to caravan parks but stay in a lodge. Centre parcs way too expensive in the school hols! 😢

Where in the UK do you want to go OP?

Places like haven have what you need, just don’t go to the arcade or late evening entertainment? Unless you are leading on house prices, I don’t see how superficial holiday park conversations kids have can decipher whether they are similar people to you? What is your kid saying to turn the other children away?

What about an airbnb type thing but work out an itinerary for yourself so that you have lots of activity time for your child?

Don’t mind, maybe Devon, Dorset or Cornwall

How old are your children? If the younger end Id say Bluestone in Pembrokeshire

If only I could afford centre parcs! So expensive during school hols

Hoburne parks are much nicer than the likes of Haven, Parkdean etc but are smaller with fewer activities. Hoburne Devon Bay is situated a very short walk from Goodrington Sands & Quay West water park. The bus service there is also amazing for reliability & price.

We are here now in a 3 bed caravan with decking for 10 nights. It cost £1900. Caravans with hot tubs are available for maybe £500 more.

Oh yes someone else mentioned that thanks, they are 9 and 3

Amazing thanks so much for the tip, I will check this out!

Try Pinewoods camp site Wells next the Sea / Holkham beach in North Norfolk. Very quiet, dark skies policy, nothing on the camp except reception and a small shop but also a board walk nature walk area, short walk to the beach, pine forests, Wells town and the Holkham estate with lake, go ape type thing, walled garden, also good area for cycling. Very new high quality caravans with decked areas.

Definitely have a look at Bluestone

Yes I’ve heard Bluestone is good and a cheaper alternative to Center Parcs

Also Forest Holidays have nice places - a more chilled out version of Center Parcs but with some organised activities like canoeing, den building. But tends to be hot tubs in lodges, rather than swimming pools.

I’ve heard North Norfolk is lovely, I will check this out thanks!

Great tips thanks!

Ribby Hall is nice, or it was 10 years ago when we liked it so much when went 2 years running.

Have also had good holidays at Darwin Forest in the Peak District and Sherwood Pines in Nottinghamshire.

Currently at Golden Coast near Woolacombe which has a lot going on. The caravans are on a site called Cleavewood which is 5 mins walk from the main site so easy to avoid the evening entertainment and arcades etc as the noise doesn't carry, yet the site has indoor and outdoor pools, high ropes and climbing wall etc, lots of activities if the kids are so inclined. The accommodation on the main site is lodges/bungalows/apartments as well as touring pitches. Got to say we are fans of a caravan though! We've been here a couple of times and the area has lots to do and lovely beaches.
Edited to add, I wouldn't say it's classy but it's in budget and the caravans being separate do help!

Not a holiday park (a hotel) and possibly slightly over budget (but full board), I used to go here as a kid and the activities were amazing - https://www.manorandashburyresorts.co.uk/.

There are tonnes of activities (sports and crafts etc) and the evening entertainment wasn’t naff.

I haven’t been for years but might be worth a look if you don’t mind all sharing a family room.

See I’ve been to Center Parcs numerous times over the past decade and don’t really observe much difference in the clientele than somewhere like Haven 🤷‍♀️ just a general mix of people and lots of families.

Centerparcs is the obvious choice. You can do it for less than £2K but you would have to go outside school holidays or for less than a week. Ribby Hall is a decent alternative but but probably not much cheaper

Surely classy holiday camp is an oxymoron.

Potters resort would be great but doubt you could afford a week (I can’t either)

You used to be able to go to center parcs for the day, I think but no idea what they charge. Otherwise, could you rent a house near a leisurecentre or something and join on a temp basis? Or near an amazing water park or something?

As for recs we’ve booked a caravan holiday at Woolacombe Bay in Devon for a week this summer holidays. I think it came to 1100 for a basic but modern caravan, lodges and fancier accommodation was an option too. The facilities look really good for a UK holiday park (lots of slides, splash pads, indoor pools and heated outdoor pools, soft play etc) and they have been loads of additional activities that you can book (Segway, water activities, nature walks, forest school type things) for prices that are very reasonable in comparison to Center parcs, I think the Segway was about half the price than at CP so I’ve been able to actually say ‘yes’ to booking things 😁

We’ve not been before though so can’t say for certain if it’s going to be good!