Haven Holidays - can anyone recommend a 'nice' site, or tell me if I'm expecting too much??

[josben]

We are going to mablethorpe's Haven in september, and i'm umming and ahhing whether to change the site as we have just come back from the Haven site at Great Yarmouth which was fairly tatty.

It actually was a fantastic holiday - but that was mainly due to the miraclulously sunny and hot weather that we got everyday!!

The GY site was littered with dog ends, the swimming pool was packed and a bit tired looking and the nappy bins were overflowing, the showers were boiling! (Although the splashzone and park were fantastic for our kids.)

My main disappointment was our caravan - we went for the 'superior +' one which is one rating away from the highest rating one - the 'Prestigue' and i found this to be a bit grotty...

It was described as an 8 berth caravan but for me there was only just enough space for the 5 of us - although we struggled to fit round the table together at one time to have meals! Plus the caravan carpets and sofa was quite grubby, and the caravan smelt of stale smoke...

This was our first Haven holiday and so I don't know if thats typical of all the accomodation, sites etc...? or am I being moany cow!

Funny how people have different experiences. My friend went to Wemyss Bay last year - grotty caravan and the noisy neighbours from hell

Wemyss is not Haven it is ParkDean.

We went to the blue dolphin one near Morecombe / Filey. I wanted to come home straight away - the caravan was filthy. I spent ages cleaning it and got them to send the cleaners out to it again. However dh made me grin and bear it and it wasn't that bad after I'd cleaned it thoroughly. Lots to do nearby. Didn't use the facilities on site at all. Ds's enjoyed it, so that's what really counts.

I thought it was Haven, got it through one of the Sun promos. That might have been why it seemed so different from the other 2.

yip weymss bay is parkdean ..

I have one experience of them... at southerness.

based on that visit plus things I have heard I would say parkdean is much better value in terms of accomodation but the facilites are much better at haven sites.

I think whereever you go you are going to find some parents who are happy to drink all hours of the day

Hafan y Mor in N. Wales is the nicest we've been to. We did half-board and the food was good. The accommodation is in two settings. The setting nearest the beach is away from the pool, shops and slot machines but near the sports activities and a 5 min walk down to the surf. We didn't use the facilities and can't speak for the entertainment but would definitely go back

We've been to Haven at Caister twice first time was a shed chalet and not alot of space. The second time we went half board in a silver caravan and was lovely.

Went to Primrose valley before it had a lot of money spent on it. Not the best Park then but it has improved a great deal. Although one eating place we went in was on the expensive side.

Don't go to Thorpe Park it's too depressing (the area and the park). Only good thing for LOs is night time entertainmet a7777n7777777777777777777777777777777d swimming pool etc (also theme park nearby for olders). Lots of NUM posters and tinpot caravans from the 1950s dotted randomly amongst more modern makes. go somewhere in a nice area and sp7e7777777777n7d 7all 7yo7u7r 7time of7f7 s7ite.

Devon cliffs is lovely and it has a sap for a bit of mum time

oops ment spa

I also agree that the Hafan y Mor one is nice. It's in a nice setting - got beach/woodlands and boating lake. Surrounding area is very nice, inbetween 2 small welsh beach resorts, Criccieth and Pwllheli.

we were at the gret yarmouth one in june we had an utterly fab time it was spotless and our caravan was beautiful- im really surprised at that all the haven hols ive been on have been brill!!!!!

Rockley Park was fab we went 3 years ago with 2 sets of friends (we all had children under a year at the time) loads to do, beautiful beaches (Sandbanks etc)

We've just got back from Hafan y Mor one today and I can't agree I'm afraid. It is our first experience of Haven so maybe I was expecting too much. The caravans are packed together with little or no privacy...we were woken every night at 1.00 am by our neighbours returning to their caravan. The swimming pool is admittedly well designed but was packed and filthy. The toiets should be avoided unless desperate. The wash hand basins in the ladies drained into a large plastic bucket which was so full it was overflowing all over your feet and legs as you stood washing your hands!!!! If you want to use the facilities take alot of cash as the only things that are included are the bars and shows and the pool everything else is at extra cost and very quickly adds up. We booked a superior plus caravan which was shabby and alot was either broken or missing. We spent 2 days waiting for the shower and hot water to be fixed. It was only done on the 3rd time of reporting after which the shower still leaked but I gave up. Having spoke to an owner of a caravan on the site I learned that the van we were in was only 6 months old and the shower had leaked ever since it had been sited!! The icing on the cake was the emptying of the recycling bins right next to our caravan at 6.30 a.m on a sunday morning. The only thig that stopped us leaving was the excellent weather and our love of that area of Wales. Like I said we have never been to a Haven before and our only experience of this style of holiday was Camping Life in Brittany last year which we also paid for with Tesco vouchers, was cheaper and far superior imo.

Go to Devon Cliffs it was fab!

been to hafan y mor 3 times now, the 1st time was silver, half board accomodation and was acceptable, basic but clean. the next 2 times were self catering chalets and was not really very impressed..toilet that took about an hour to flush and really big windows that would just open up and allow your tot to fall out-not so good if you are on the second floor! on the plus side there is a nice small beach there within walking distance.

been to Lakeland aswell..thought that was quite nice..this time stayed in a superior+ caravan which was spotless.thought it was a really nice park

oh dear, sounds like Hafan Y Mor was much better earlier in the season, the swimming pool was absolutely fine when I went in May.

Strange how different the opinions are on here. We hated Haggerston Castle. We went last year and found the "entertainment" truly horrible, the pool was small and only just enough to interest our 3yo and 5yo DCs. You have to go through a very tacky amusement arcade to get to the swimming pool or even the playarea. There is only one playarea in the whole campsite.

The fact that you hardly have your purse in your pocket bothered me too. Bike rental, pony rides, boating lake, kids entertainment, the amusement arcade. We have been to Centerparcs in Holland and Germany and hardly spent any money once on site.

The caravan itself was ok, but freeeezing cold. And that was July last year. There was only the heating in the living area and even that was just enough to take the edge of the cold.

We would definately not go back.

We went to Hafan Y Mor October Half Term last year half board. The food was good, the site is an old Butlins and the pool complex is good but it was very busy and we only used it twice. The entertainment was ok but too many gaming machines in my opinion. We stayed in one of the scandanavian chalets which was absolutely brilliant. We used Tesco Clubcard Vouchers and seemed to have been given an accomodation upgrade. Lovely beach and coastal walks and lots to do around the area.

we go to hafan y mur in north wales - it is suppost to be one of havens best sites it is big and our 2 year old loved it. we are going to go to scotland one ayr in a few weeks hope thatsite is okay as we havent been before!