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Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

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Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

UK travel

Haven holidays - ever been on one? What are they like?

71 replies

Miaou · 14/03/2007 21:04

We are thinking of booking to go to Haven Holidays (Craig Tara in Ayrshire) for the October holidays. Has anyone been on one? Are they any good? We went to a Center Parcs place a few years ago and were quite impressed.

Tried to find a review on MN but there doesn't appear to be one ...

OP posts:

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Skribble · 14/03/2007 22:19

good thing about haven is you can just use it as a base and go off site more, still get use of pool for free and everything is there if you do want it.

misdee · 14/03/2007 22:20

just book it. we usually go for the mid range caravans (basic are too basic and with dd1 asthma not worth risking it being chilly). but one of the time we went we upgraded to gold, and now i dont think i can go back to to silver

misdee · 14/03/2007 22:20

oh and we go off site most days as well.

LilyLoo · 14/03/2007 22:21

Absolutely skribble we spent our days on the beach in Oct!

Skribble · 14/03/2007 22:21

Oh and in the October holidays there is a daily kids club at the nearby Culzean castle. 2 hours fun and games in the mornings and another optional hour inthe afternoon and a world away from haven.

Miaou · 14/03/2007 22:27

Oooh thanks everyone, and thanks for the ideas of what to do Skribble. We haven't been to Ayrshire before so it will be an adventure

Misdee, what are the differences between bronze, silver and gold, then? I think it will have to be Bronze for us just to keep the costs down.

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ArtfulAardvark · 14/03/2007 22:27

I think when you go to centerparcs it has cost so much you tend to stay on site...which costs even more money

You dont mind going out & about when you are at Haven

Skribble · 14/03/2007 22:28

Oh please go so I can sell Ayrshire to you . Loads of things to do, how old are the kids?

ArtfulAardvark · 14/03/2007 22:29

Id go for silver minimum..their website will tell you the differences.

SparklyGothKat · 14/03/2007 22:32

Bronze caravan are very basic and can be very cold and drafty (we were in a disabled bronze one a few years back and it was freezing at night) I would go for silver if you can afford it.

Miaou · 14/03/2007 22:32

By October we will have dd1 (10), dd2 (nearly 9), ds (2), and a baby who will be 10 weeks (ish). We like to do things as a family so walks, the odd castle visit (the dds love history) - but finances will restrict those a bit! - beaches, swimming, museums etc.

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misdee · 14/03/2007 22:32

bronze, gas fore in living room ,can get very very cold expecially in oct.

silver, little air heaters in the nedrooms as well

gold, central heating in some.

futurity · 14/03/2007 22:33

thanks for responses to me as well...have sent DH comprehensive email with details and copied and pasted your replies!

Skribble · 14/03/2007 22:35

The 9 and 10 year old might like the Young naturalist club at Culzean Castle.

It might be worth getting a family membership for the NTS as it does cost a fortune to go for the day, but a years membership is about £47 and you can use it allover the UK. Other places near NTS Ayr too.

Miaou · 14/03/2007 22:41

Oh great - we were members of NTS but let it lapse - might take it up again. The dds go to our local Young Nats club up at Glencoe which is fab, so definitely up their street!

Not too worried about the cold tbh - our house is quite cold - so if that's the only downside to the bronze caravans that won't put me off

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PhoenixGirl · 14/03/2007 22:43

We've been to Haven loads of times (minus kids) We now have a 1 year old and are going to Craig Tara in June (ds will be 16mth) Can't wait now i've read the good comments on the site and surrounding area

ArtfulAardvark · 14/03/2007 22:44

Ah but you dont realise how much even the coldest house insulates you against the elements. If you can id really find the extra for the heaters!

Skribble · 14/03/2007 22:45

They all have gas heaters in the living room area, if it gets really cold you could all sleepin there .

PhoenixGirl · 14/03/2007 22:47

The caravans seem much colder than a house.

We went in a bronze haven one last may when ds was 12 week old. I was so paranoid he was too cold. It fell to about 11 degrees thru the night, that was May so Oct will be colder

colditz · 14/03/2007 22:48

I LOVE them and am going on one in May. Caister - Luvverly.

be prepared, it is not MC, never has been and never will be. Chips are heavily featured, as are bandit machines.

It's bloody brilliant if you have small kids and are on a budget. The 4 night midweek breaks are good, and cheap, and all the nobs come at the weekend anyway.

If you have a car take your own linen, but if you have to use theirs because you are going on the train, it's ok quality.

misdee · 14/03/2007 22:48

caravans are very very cold compared to a house with no heating lol.

some of the bronze ones can be awful.

Skribble · 14/03/2007 22:49

Its true the caravans don't retain the heat as well as a house, but the chalets rows are dire. Take big duvets or extra blankets, it will be chilly in October, site is open to the sea and will be breezy.

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misdee · 14/03/2007 22:51

take jumpers.

SparklyGothKat · 14/03/2007 22:51

the one we were in had a gap at the bottom of the door, drafts whipping through the window, mould growing up the nets and curtains. It was nasty. Went in a gold the following time (last minute booking, very cheap) and it was defo. worth it.

SparklyGothKat · 14/03/2007 22:52

the chalets in Caister are very nice, we went in one the first year we went to Haven and it was warm and clean.

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