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UK travel

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

Original poster

Sun £9.50 holidays are back from 5th Jan. Am a virgin Sun holiday person. Are there any tips to guarantee a good holiday?

166 replies

Notalone · 29/12/2008 20:52

Due to a mixture of the credit crunch, me being a mature student and DP having had an accident and not working, I am going to see if I can get a Sun holiday this year for us. Ideally we are looking at North / Mid Wales, Southern Scotland and Yorkshire. Are there any fab places to go that we should ask for? Are there any dives to be avoided at all costs? Can anyone share their experiences from years goneby? Thanks!!!

OP posts:
Isaidkissmeunderthemistletoe · 04/01/2009 14:25

nkf - some sites have no entertainment charge, but I think they all have a surcharge for electricity / gas / etc. The better the site the more you will pay on extra charges.

nkf · 04/01/2009 14:28

I'm only doing this Sun business because a friend recommended it. I have to say I feel soiled by buying it. So if it's going to cost the same.....

Isaidkissmeunderthemistletoe · 04/01/2009 15:05

The list with all the surcharges usually appears in a supplement with news of the world - prob next week if not today.

I would collect the tokens anyway but make sure you work out the true cost.

Isaidkissmeunderthemistletoe · 04/01/2009 15:15

just looked at terms and conditions on sun website.

Entertainment charges are up to £10 per person.
Service charges are up to £36 per break.
Not all the parks charge for these things, but most do ime. So potentially a break for 4 people costs up to £114.

nkf · 04/01/2009 15:21

Hmm. I went to a smallish camp last year with a friend. And we paid about £120 between us. Six of us. Two adults and four children. It's not looking that good.

Isaidkissmeunderthemistletoe · 04/01/2009 15:21

just looked at Haven website and 4 days in june at hafan y mor is from £134.50, 7 days from £199.50.

Can you tell I'm bored today??

nkf · 04/01/2009 15:22

YOu may be bored but it's useful stuff.

Isaidkissmeunderthemistletoe · 04/01/2009 15:24

should add the haven price is for up to 6 people too.

Moondancer · 04/01/2009 15:40

Is it at all possible to get anywhere anytime for a total cost of £38 with this offer?

Isaidkissmeunderthemistletoe · 04/01/2009 16:01

I think there are a few parks with no extra charges so it is possible; they will be smaller, less popular parks though.
I personally don't know of anyone who only paid £38.

aidansyummymummy · 04/01/2009 16:42

nkf where are you thinking if going? Maybe i can then list supplements as I have a priority booking brochure with park details

LucyEllensmummy · 04/01/2009 17:48

kissme, we recieved a booking leaflet from haven and they quoted the same price that you have there - there was nothing said about linen and entertainment passes though. I wonder if that is a hidden extra - with the leaflet we got, it says there are no hidden extras

We had only 2 adults and one child but still had to pay for four entertainment passes and linen. It was still a cheap holiday though, we had an extra couple of nights for £20 and took our dog for £20 too.

but yes, it appears that no one is giving that much away.

Isaidkissmeunderthemistletoe · 04/01/2009 18:14

If you book direct with haven the entertainment passes and linen is included in that price.

Original poster
Notalone · 04/01/2009 18:22

Damn damn and double damn. couldn't get a paper yesterday or today. Thats is us buggered then I did however get a voucher for half price Haven if booked before 19/01 and paid in full. If we can afford it maybe it would work out cheaper?

OP posts:
Original poster
Notalone · 04/01/2009 18:25

PS - Isaidkissmeunderthemisteltoe - we did this last year with Lydstep Haven (next park down from Kiln Park) and it was fab - sea views the works for £600. Sadly we can't affor £600 this year. A short break with Haven may come to about £150 though for a superior caravan so may see if we can afford this with the half price deal - perhaps Hafyn Y Mor or Greenacres, either that or a quiet part of Primrose Valley if that is possible

OP posts:
MegBusset · 04/01/2009 18:45

Last year we paid about £140 for a 4-day break at Park Resorts Camber Sands at the end of September -- we paid extra to upgrade to Gold standard accommodation as we wanted heating in all rooms (the standard didn't have any!). I checked on the website and we could have got the same break for about £170 if booked directly, so hardly a huge saving (especially given that we didn't get our first choice of date or park, and had to buy the Sun for a week!).

We did have a good time and would go back, but would book directly.

LucyEllensmummy · 04/01/2009 18:47

we got that voucher too notalone, i understand it that you only have to pay £50 now and the rest eight weeks in advance? What are the sites like in north wales?

We went to Devon Cliffs and were plesantly surprised last year - our caravan was clean but not spotless but we took our dog at the last minute so i think we got a slightly bigger caravan as it had three bedrooms - I was more than happy with it.

What is it like in North Wales and the Welsh sites? Might be a bit far for us - I have heard that the quality varies greatly from one site to another.

DP has just suggested a joint holiday with his brother - im a bit as his brother is very in your face and has very different parenting ideas than us not sure i could put up with him for four nights.

Original poster
Notalone · 04/01/2009 19:00

Hey LucyEllensmummy - not sure tbh about the North Wales sites. We haven't been to any yet but as we live in Yorkshire it is closer for a 4 night break. Have heard Greenacres is lovely though and the whole area is supposed to be stunning. Would avoid Rhyl and Prestatyn though - too tacky and not all that scenic

Will reread that voucher too. Hopefully I have read it wrong and we can afford a short break after all

OP posts:
LucyEllensmummy · 04/01/2009 19:10

I hope so too notalone. I think we are going to be dull and go back to the site we went to before, better the devil you know and all that and it would be too long in the car. Our three year old bellowed all the way back from Devon (to kent) last time - she literally didnt stop - it was hell!! So thinking an even longer journey would be just too much.

MegBusset · 04/01/2009 19:22

Are the priority booking forms transferrable? If so then Notalone you can have ours if it's any use

Original poster
Notalone · 04/01/2009 19:55

Megbusset - I think I love you! Really? Thank you so much. However, we don't have any tokens yet so would we be too late or would a Priority form sort that out?

OP posts:
Original poster
Notalone · 04/01/2009 20:00

Lucyellensmummy - I don't blame you. We were going to try somewhere different last year too but we love it at Lydstep and thought, if it aint broke then why try to fix it. It is mainly a private site though and doesn't appear in the brochure either so is definitely not a Sun Break. South Wales might still be ok for you though distance wise and if you can get to Kiln Park then I don't think you will be disappointed. Tenby is amazing - lots of fantastic beaches, Folly Farm is a great day out when it is wet (you can literally spend all day there)and the coast path is spectacular.

OP posts:
MegBusset · 04/01/2009 20:08

It says on my form to start collecting tokens from Mon 5th Jan, and that you only need eight of them, so I think you should be OK. CAT me your address and I'll post you the form tomorrow

LucyEllensmummy · 04/01/2009 20:08

We were given a priority code by a lovely mumsnetter last year, which meant we didn't need any tokens, i think you need to have the codes though, we were given those too, but i think you can find them on moneysavingexpert. Enjoy your holiday will take on board re the welsh coast, ive always wanted to go to Wales, but might leave it a few years as DD still really isn't up for the walking. I love Devon me.

LucyEllensmummy · 04/01/2009 20:11

Ive just checked my Haven leaflet thing, you only get the full discount if you pay in full - that works out OK for us actually as we will have the money now - not sure we would in the summer (DP a builder so very up and down).