done them the last 3 years, taken my little girl to Combe Haven nr Hastings - going again on the 5th Oct, you pay for a min 4 people (£38) and then get the option to upgrade the caravan for about £2 @ night, add in entertainment pass charges and linen and a couple of other bits and it'll cost you about £70/£80 in total for 4 for 3 nights, my little one absolutely loves it down there, loads to do for kids.
not quite the £9.50 each you see (a few hidden extra's) but well worth it and great value for money.
Yeah I'm not under any illusions there, there is gonna be four of us going. We've done the bare minimum and just asked for the isle of wight. If nothing else it will be a weekend on the sauce testing the islands pubs out then back to a caravan to freeze.
mate - upgrade the van if offered by the park, will be about £2 @ night and you'll be amazed at the diffence in quality of the van (heating wise etc) and well worth it...we didn't do it first year and had the oldest van they could find, have done it since and had really nice vans
We did one in Spain a few years back - I was not looking forward to it at all - me, dec, his dad and sister, it came to under £100 for 4 days in a caravan on this awesome site, with all the amenities, restaurants, mahoosive swimming pool. I think the flights were £60ish. We picked 3 resorts we wanted to go to. Just take a look on trip advisor for the resorts that you could get. then at least you know what to expect and adjust your expectations. I was pleasantly surprised and would defo do it again for a cheap break. as long as someone else collected the vouchers!
If you've got kids i'd upgrade.If not risk it.Done a couple years ago.six of us,couples,.One in Weymouth which was excellent and one in Brixham which was a dump.Good giggle though.
Yeah I'm not under any illusions there, there is gonna be four of us going. We've done the bare minimum and just asked for the isle of wight. If nothing else it will be a weekend on the sauce testing the islands pubs out then back to a caravan to freeze.
We do it every year. Isle of Wight last few times. Always upgrade the caravan to minimum of silver rating. This year did gold.
Well worth the money.
With the Isle of Wight you are likely to get a Park's Resort place which is fine, however you have to remember that these places are family focused and as such treat the place as somewhere to crash and then get out and about.
Used to do them every year when I was younger, or Nan and Grandad lived in Bournemouth, so my parents would get a caravan in a local place from the Sun, and so would our aunt/uncle and cousins. Used to really enjoy it.
Used to use these to go to the IOW at least 3 times ayear (staying in Shanklin 90% of the time: Lower Hyde). Great clubhouse, cheesy (but funny) evening entertainment most evenings. Caravans/chalets basic, but comfy. Nice pub in the middle of Shanklin High Street (We always call it the "Green Pub" even tho' they've painted it blue) and theres a terrific Chinese take away near the station. Go down to the beach and find "The Smugglers" pub (turn right at the bottom of the stairs/lift and keep walking), tho anyone over 5ft 10" may have to duck when in there). Always went there when we played Pompey away (Friday-Monday) getting the Cat. at Portsmouth Harbour.
I can speak from 'the other side'. Used to own a static caravan and for a few years used to rent it out. I have to say we hated these fecking offers from the Sun because the site more or less forced us to accept the bookings and, as you can imagine, we made nothing out of it. The site did because they had people buying entertainment passes and drinks at the bar etc. All we got was our proportion of the 9.50 after the site had taken their commission. One breakage and it actually cost us money to put people up!
That was the other thing - they refused to take deposits against breakages. So, go on wreck the place - there'll be no come-back.
done them the last 3 years, taken my little girl to Combe Haven nr Hastings - going again on the 5th Oct, you pay for a min 4 people (£38) and then get the option to upgrade the caravan for about £2 @ night, add in entertainment pass charges and linen and a couple of other bits and it'll cost you about £70/£80 in total for 4 for 3 nights, my little one absolutely loves it down there, loads to do for kids.
not quite the £9.50 each you see (a few hidden extra's) but well worth it and great value for money.
Hope you enjoy your trip to Hastings, Eltham, funnily enough I used to live in Well Hall Road.
I've been every year for about 15 years now. Done almost the whole coast of England and Wales. Always go for a site that's caravans only now as had a few really dodgy chalets (sort of shed with a bed!) and always check the reviews on Trip Advisor before filling in the form. I use the caravan as a place to stay in and that's it, occassionally use the chippy/restaurant on the site but usually go out and about. Caravans/chalets get really cold, so it's worth taking extra blankets or hot water bottles for bed as the bedrooms don't generally have heating.
Isle of Wight is lovely so you'll have a great time.
done them the last 3 years, taken my little girl to Combe Haven nr Hastings - going again on the 5th Oct, you pay for a min 4 people (£38) and then get the option to upgrade the caravan for about £2 @ night, add in entertainment pass charges and linen and a couple of other bits and it'll cost you about £70/£80 in total for 4 for 3 nights, my little one absolutely loves it down there, loads to do for kids.
not quite the £9.50 each you see (a few hidden extra's) but well worth it and great value for money.
Hope you enjoy your trip to Hastings, Eltham, funnily enough I used to live in Well Hall Road.
I used to live in Eltham (when I joined here), I should really be wellingaddick now!!
Cheers, always enjoy it down there, think my little girl enjoys the £9.50 caravan weekend more than a week in Spain!
On one right now in bashley new forest. Absolutely smashing. Lovely and clean and it's a lovely area. Even found a nice quite pub with sky sports news on last night. Been on a few of these now because the missus and littlun real seems to enjoy it. But must admit we have found the odd crap one. Pontins in camber was a bit grim!
Took the family on one at Easter (Daily Mail) and we ended up spending about £160 but that was for a 'Prestige' caravan plus entertainment vouchers etc.
Kids absolutely loved it and when you compare that to say Centreparcs, you are probably saving a few hundred quid or so for the weekend.
At the end of the day its a bed, I would never contemplate eating a hot meal in one.
Would say though that it was uncomfortably hot during the day at times and freezing in the night (and that was Easter when the weather was ok)
Had a brilliant time, cost about 80 quid a couple that was ferry, fuel and digs
Had some proper pikos staying next to us who would lock their young kids in to go out and get pissed then have a bunk up in the family transit when they got home. Lovely!
Went to the spyglass down in ventnor, cracking food
Weather was a bit shite but we bought plenty of alcohol and got amongst it
Comments
not quite the £9.50 each you see (a few hidden extra's) but well worth it and great value for money.
Appreciate any feedback or tips though
If you don't mind sleeping in a caravan in a tracksuit, three blankets and two coats over your duvet, then they are great value.
Done loads over the last ten years. Needs must an all that.
Well worth the money.
With the Isle of Wight you are likely to get a Park's Resort place which is fine, however you have to remember that these places are family focused and as such treat the place as somewhere to crash and then get out and about.
Can you do the upgrading when you get there?
Always went there when we played Pompey away (Friday-Monday) getting the Cat. at Portsmouth Harbour.
That was the other thing - they refused to take deposits against breakages. So, go on wreck the place - there'll be no come-back.
Isle of Wight is lovely so you'll have a great time.
Cheers, always enjoy it down there, think my little girl enjoys the £9.50 caravan weekend more than a week in Spain!
Kids absolutely loved it and when you compare that to say Centreparcs, you are probably saving a few hundred quid or so for the weekend.
At the end of the day its a bed, I would never contemplate eating a hot meal in one.
Would say though that it was uncomfortably hot during the day at times and freezing in the night (and that was Easter when the weather was ok)
Been on a couple and been all right - would definitely upgrade accomodation where possible, and look for ones where the entertainment pass is free.
Park Resorts are generally ok.
Had a brilliant time, cost about 80 quid a couple that was ferry, fuel and digs
Had some proper pikos staying next to us who would lock their young kids in to go out and get pissed then have a bunk up in the family transit when they got home. Lovely!
Went to the spyglass down in ventnor, cracking food
Weather was a bit shite but we bought plenty of alcohol and got amongst it