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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

HAVEN holidays? Are they really naff or actually quite good and cheaper than Centerparcs?

24 replies

Majeika · 05/09/2008 17:33

Going away in Oct with 2 boys of 3 and 6 and DH.

Pondering HAVEN but wondering if they are chavtastic, but thinking it is only 4 nights and we can escape to our caravan, but will it be hell?

Going to Dorset.

TIA and sorry for being a snob!

OP posts:

jellybeans · 05/09/2008 17:45

We have been to Haven parks and some simelar Parkdean ones, one was what you may mean by 'chavtastic' or as I would put it, rowdy, more than the others (not the one you mentioned). Overall we have a great time and the kids love it. There are plenty of 'normal' families there! We just go to a few kids clubs (morning ones are very quiet compared to later when the club is packed, getting a seat can be impossible) and panto shows and use the place as a base. We don't really do the arcades and only use the pools once or twice as they are so busy in school hols. I think they are great if you pick a good park, we go to the smaller/quieter parks which suits us, and they are cheaper with less extras to spend on (ie £2 a go trampolines/go karts etc).

Original poster

Majeika · 05/09/2008 20:59

Thanks JB.....which ones have you been to?

OP posts:

tortoise · 05/09/2008 21:01

My 4 DC love Haven. We have been to two parks in Weymouth.
Hope to go to Devin cliffs in October if i can raise the money.
Food is expensive so buying from a local supermarket is a good idea.

Janni · 05/09/2008 21:02

Ha Ha Ha.

Yes, they are really chavtastic, but the kids have a great time and as long as you can have a laugh at it, it's good fun. We went to the Dorset one in the absolutely worst week, weatherwise, of the summer holidays. The children enjoyed the pool, the park, the entertainments. I absolutely
loathed the arcades through which you have to walk to get to the pool/restaurant, but hey ho. Book yourselves the most luxury caravan that you can afford. The beach is not great there.

Lulworth Castle is a BRILLIANT day out from there.

Beauregard · 05/09/2008 21:04

Parkdean holidays are good and not chavvy,as they have some smaller parks.

jellybeans · 05/09/2008 21:11

Hi I have been to one near Berwick, Newquay in Wales and Filey in Scarborough. Last two were my faves and very nice, not chavvy at all IMO.

cat64 · 05/09/2008 21:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Majeika · 05/09/2008 21:19

oh gawd!

maybe a cottage would be better.............

OP posts:

Bumperlicious · 05/09/2008 21:39

I personally hate them, but then I worked on a Dorset Haven site for 2 years. And I haven't tried going away with children yet!

Dorset is lovely though, so may be worth going just for that. Is it Weymouth you are going to?

Just avoid the clubhouses, they charge a fortune. If it's Weymouth you are going to get the bus into town, there is also the Sealife Centre.

Have fun anyway

Original poster

Majeika · 05/09/2008 21:43

Bumper - we went camping with a friend to Dorset and we loved it.

Just thought that a caravan might be OK but can only find a HAVEN site.

OP posts:

Blandmum · 05/09/2008 21:46

I have read that the caravans can sometimes be a bit disapointing. But friends have gone and had fun.

We went to one site in France which was good but a bit too big and busy for us, but that was a personal taste thing.

Some of the places that they are in are a bit grim, I think there is one in Mablethorpe....sorry if there are Mablethorpians reading, but it is not my cup of tea

frasersmummy · 05/09/2008 21:57

we have always had great accomodation at haven

The paws clubs for under 5's is good..loads of drawing, sticking, treasure trails etc.

It can be a bit tacky at night .. we tended to do kids clubs/ on site activities in the morning , headed outwith the park in the afternoon and only headed down for the 30 mins character show at t6pm. After that we sat in our lovely caravan and watched dvds.

I think if you just think of it as a hol for the kids and not for adults then you will have a great time

TheProvincialLady · 05/09/2008 22:08

We had a free week at one last year thanks to the generosity of a relative. We would not have had a holiday otherwise and I am grateful, but I would not go back. There was a fight on the Sunday night outside our caravan, with lots of "Leave it Dave he's not worf it" and we also found that the pool was dangerously overcrowded...with 20 something men in lurid shorts swearing and dive bombing.

Mamazon · 05/09/2008 22:12

if you mean do they have a lot of families who dont sho at boden,...then yes.

but the children will love it as the parks are all really geared for children, and they all have lots of things to do especially if the weather isn't great.

I have been to a few with my family and we have enjoyed them all. some of teh parks are better than others.

TheProvincialLady · 05/09/2008 22:14

Yes in fairness my DS was only 9m so we didn't get the benefit of the children's activities.

princessglitter · 05/09/2008 22:16

The caravan was freezing and I complained about the chavtastic element the whole time.

CarofromWton · 05/09/2008 22:19

Only went to Haven (north Wales) once and won't be going again. Wasn't very impressed with the accommodation but the facilities were quite good up until about 7 pm when the park seemed to go BINGO MAD!!!! If you don't like bingo, drinking loads and filling your kids up with brightly coloured e-numbered drinks all evening, I wouldn't bother.

morocco · 05/09/2008 22:33

went to blackpool one.
the pool was closed on day 2 cos someone had done a poo in it
my parents got shouted at for making too much noise putting their (1) suitcase in the car when packing up at 9 in the morning - too fecking early apparently
our toilet door locked people in the loo and couldn't be opened from the outside unless you forced it open with a knife. it was fixed on day 3

oh yes, it was great

katebee · 06/09/2008 07:18

There are some nice places in the Hoseasons brochure..range of accommodation to suit different budgets. Choice of livelier or quieter holiday parks...many are by the sea.

Bumperlicious · 06/09/2008 07:34

How about this private one, it's right on a cove or this one or this one?

They all look much nicer than Haven.

Leslaki · 06/09/2008 11:00

If you don't mind the drive to Holland why don't you try here
or here

Duinrell is fab - absoultely amazing. We went last Oct half terma nd got the 2 bed mobile for £140 for 4 nights so prices still may go down. It's like centre parks cmbined with a larger version f Gullivers/smaller version of Alton Towers and is near a gorgeous beach and lovely town. There are loads of posts on here about it - all complimentary!

Leslaki · 06/09/2008 11:04

sorry those links were meant to come up with the actual pages of prices! Hmmm... not too hot at the links! basically you can get 4 nights with Keycamp at Duinrell in Oct half term (inc ferry crossing) for £149.50 for all 4 of you. Staying in a Supernova with decking. That's accommodation, park passes and ferry. Not bad! And you can stop off in Calias on the way back and load up with cheap wine! Would go there anyday before centre poarks or Haven.

Original poster

Majeika · 08/09/2008 14:29

thanks for all the info and links

think we might go to one of Bumper's links

they look great!

OP posts:

Kewcumber · 08/09/2008 14:38

we went to Camber (south coast) to Park Resort (hried privately) - yes was a littel Bingo heavy after 7pm for me but we just cleared off back to the van. DS (2.8) LOVED the childrens disco at 6pm, it was worth going just for that!

Renting privately puts you in the owners sections of most sites which do tend to be quieter.

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