Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, ive only visited Goldensands Mablethorpe in recent years.
I can only speak as an owner who gives a far better service & many more extras are supplied in our vans.
I rent out my van & wouldnt expect anyone to be upset or dissapointed in the standards i offer & only ask for comments as to how i can improve on homely comforts.
I think you will find many people try to rent owners vans in preference to the fleet vans.
I actually had dozens of calls this last fortnight whilst i was having my own families holiday in my van & was complimented on the van by many people who called by enquiring as to availability.
Dave

Just back from the Blue Dolphin. I have never been a caravan holiday before and I was taking my 2 year old and thought it would be great. I was really shocked at the state of the site. There is not much to do and anything they have is old and dirty. We took our son out of the site and had a good time but I have no idea what people do in this site its a disgrace.The caravan itself was ok although it hadn't been cleaned when we arrived which wasn't until 4.30pm so they had plenty of time. There was condoms lying around outside my caravan so my 2 year couldn't go out to play. We had our power supply disconnected a few times by kids/adults and were told by the security manager that this happens alot. The entertainment hall was dark all the time, during the day for the kids club the tables still had glasses and were sticky from the night before. So there was no way you could take part in the activities. On the Sunday night only the main hall was open so it was that busy people couldn't get in, although they probably didn't want to go in it anyway as it was HORRIBLE. The bowling which they have in the brochure is a joke its about 1/4 of the size it should be. Basically all this site was good for was playing the puggies, smoking and letting the kids play in horrible dirty areas while you drink. Dont go.

Can anyone explain the comfort levels on the Haven parks? I am doing a Sun special this weekend and we upgraded to luxury plus but this is not a level shown on the Haven website.
Haven quote Bronze,silver and gold and also 3 & 4 star.

Thanks,
Paul

All I can say is take liberal amounts of ant powder, disinfectant, bleach etc and expect to spend the first day of your holiday cleaning the caravan. If you are lucky and have gone for the gold you may find that the dogs (that are not really allowed in gold caravans but nobody checks, and they have a right to bring their bull terrier with them dont they?) have not urinated, or worse, on all the carpets. Watch for the fire exits - usually screwed shut. Hope nobody in your party has asthma as if you have upgraded you are guaranteed a caravan complete with mould growing up the doors.
Sun offers usually include dirty underpants left outside your caravan for added effect on arrival. Toilet bowl and surroundings covered in the last persons vomit etc, just ready for you to clean, and don't expect to sleep for the full time as Sun breaks are not intended as a family holiday, it is a child minding service for those who wish to drink all day and night and create riots to ensure that your enjoyment is ruined whilst letting their little darlings go round the back of your caravan to increase the population.
Have fun.

I have been on about 6 Sun/Haven holidays and had no problems at all with the caravans they have been clean and tidy.

Like i said before Sun holidays arent really cheap at all !! book direct with the owners for a quality caravan & realistic pricing.
Personally i wouldnt dare let out a van i wasnt prepared to put my family in & i am very very fussy.
Whats the saying.."You get what you pay for"

Show me someone selling a weeks Holiday for around £90 and i will snap it up, i dont think you can get even close to those prices, alot of people are on low incomes and its the only chance they get for a holiday, if you have a large family it may be cheaper to do direct with someone but not for 2 adults/2 children

Yes i can appreciate people are on low incomes, but with all the added extras we give, we beat the Sun holiday price as a whole week is from £199. This includes Passes, gas/electric in a centrally heated/double glazed Gold standard van (not Monday to Friday or Friday to Monday as in Sun Holidays).
Ive stayed in the stated Gold standard & not impressed with just a gas fire & single glazing!!
I cannot reply for all owners but i speak as i find through experience.

It depends on when you are going, ive looked at your prices for May/June and they are £399 i went on a Sun/Haven holiday in May and it was £89 quite a large difference in price, granted you have to compare like with like but it you want a cheap break they cant be beaten.

HAFAN Y MOR
anyone been here,heard mixed reports,im going as part of the £9.50 hols in a caravan
any advice help etc would be appreciate

Yes although im at Golden Sands i have a friend who has a caravan on that site.
Supposed to be very nice although ive not personally visited.
Have a great time

hats great thanks

can anyone recomend a haven site in wales please. we are a family of four , kids aged 9 and 3. thanks.

Hi
Hopefully this site will be suitable.....Hafan-Y-Mor Caravan Holiday Parks in Pwllheli North Wales.
This link is from a fellow caravan owner (Julie) who has a van on this site, she will give you some info on whats onsite.

http://www.directcaravanholidays.co.uk

Me,Hubby and 9 year old son stayed at Presthaven Sands at May half term and had a great time. We booked a 4 star caravan but looking back the spec of it was very much like a gold.

We did however try to book last minute for October half term but couldn't get into any Haven site so we ended up booking through Hoseasons staying at the Talacre Beach site which is not far from Prestahaven. It was a smaller but more exclusive site. The caravan we stayed in was smaller but I would def choose Talacre over Presthaven.

Mandy

thanks for that lloydies- have had a quick look and seem reasonably priced.
Mandy- could you tell me a bit more please. w also have an 8 yrold and a yr old. whats the entertainment like. what is there to do off the site.
thanks

Before booking Haven Prestahven Sands, you may wish to read this thread:

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=33207&highlight=haven

Merged Many thanks for posting the link Magster

You'll find Presthaven reviews HERE.

Pippy

Just got back from Burnham on Sea Haven Holiday Village and it is a shame someone invented the HSE.
The government are pledging that all kids will be able to swim before they are 11, but where?

When I first went to this park there were several high diving platforms, a large deep pool and my kids were up and in.
The next time we went the diving boards were roped off, but the pool was still there.

Now all the Haven indoor pools seem to be restricted to 1.2 metres max depth, probably to make sure no-one drowns, so I popped outside to look at the outdoor pool. Its gone!
In its place there is a miniature square pool with max depth of 1.2 metres and a similar round pool of only paddling depth.

Kids will have to learn to swim before the age of 5 or they will not be able to get their feet of the ground and really learn to swim.

The indoor pool had a permanent lifeguard, who moaned at my 22 year old son because he stepped into the Jacuzzi without using the steps, yet not a word was said when 2 kids jumped (bombed) into the water about 2 feet from my wife and grandson 10 seconds later.

Probably my last visit.