Haven Reviews

Haven Golden Sands. Where to start, arrived on site to a nice clean caravan and that is where the good ends I'm afraid. The whole holiday has been issue after issue after issue. Can't go swimming because its fully booked prior to even arriving on site for the holiday. Then when you go by the pool it is empty or closed before the time stated on the door and the half attempt of a welcome pack given on arrival, considering this also happens to be on the hottest days of the year in July 2022. They also close both the indoor and outdoor pools at lunch so the staff can have lunch together. My question is why do they need to have best part of 9 to 10 staff memebers around 2 small pools have lunch at the same time (you dont see the local tesco close its doors for the staff to eat lunch together thats just bad customer service with poor management and planning) Moving onto the next issue the restaurant was also fully booked and can't cope with the number of holiday makers with less than half the menu available from what I have been told by others that actually got a booking. After thinking about the issues I thought it was best to inform the site management. Well that was like talking to a child having a tantrum (when we finally found someone to talk to) the reception desk was closed over an hour before it should have been with no management in sight or on site for that matter. After asking one of the staff members we found walking round the site, they didn't even know who was the manager or if they were actually on site. All the entertainment and facilities close as and when the staff see fit rather than sticking to the advertised timetables. The whole staffing are kids no older than late teens (which would not have been an issue if they were upto the task) they are clearly under trained and don't give a #£@& seeing it as a bit of pocket money for the weekend. Finally got hold of someone in the sales office a day later and they didn't even seem surprised about the complaints. The park has not been well cleaned considering we are just coming out of a global pandemic.

Not a happy customer and will not be returning again.

Instead I will be taking my family to the sister company Butlins as they seem to be able to manage a holiday park as expected and costs the same price.
If I could have given this less than 1 star rating I would have.

Booked a week away at Blue Dolphin Holiday Park with my son for his 2nd birthday and not had no electricity since been here no ones told us what’s going on or told us how long it’ll be fix I’ll never come here again

Lucky to get 1 star been going to Marton mere for 13 years with my husband and 4 babies never had a problem until this weekend paid for one of the new caravans wasn't cleaned as was old chips and rubbish underneath the sofa bed which I removed my self then with the weather being 27 degrees I wore a bakini top along with shorts nothing on show and was told in a disgusting manner by a female waitress to put a top on when their was others with yoga tops on ect and men with no shirts on I wouldn't have minded if her attitude was better but it made me feel really low as her and a bar man made a laugh and a joke the way u speak to people affects their feelings I will not be returning we work hard to pay for a break I wish we never went now cried most the weekend

Haven in Weymouth Absolutely awful. The caravan was clean and that was the only good thing about the site. Site to big for the facilities available. Booking slots for an empty pool were full. Cocky bloke telling us we hadn’t booked when we had. Restaurant didn’t have half the menu. Waited 30 mins for our order to be taken. Another hour and half for food to be Delivered to table. Waiter plonked down hot food and drinks next to baby despite asking him not to. One evening restaurant was closed early at seven leaving people unable to order food.no notice or reason given. Order a big breakfast one morning. Half items missing. Toast arrived after I had eaten breakfast.
Site is run by kids you had no adult to address your complaints to. Just cocky or uninterested kids. Would never do a Haven again, so disappointing

If you request a brochure from them they will plague your with emails despite being asked in the strongest terms not to keep clogging up your inbox with two emails a day. It is completely ridiculous.

Thoroughly impressed with Rockly Park Dorset. Our caravan was spotlessly clean and in a quiet position. It had everything we needed and more.The staff were helpful and friendly. Particularly liked the guy at the security gate who always smiled and waved.
We didn't have children with us so can't comment on the facilities and didn't eat in the restaurant. But thank you for restoring my faith in caravan holidays.( see my review on another caravan park!)

Stayed at Haven, (Wales), last week. What an auful experience. There was piles of dog hair all over the caravan, dirty crockery, a dirty, disgusting fridge. Over 50 dog ends, (ironically) outside the front of the caravan. Of coursed complained to management. A mop and bucket left outside our van, for us to use. We didn't go on holiday to clean up after others. That's why Haven employ cleaners, "I have a job, Haven". ?. Havan should clean up there act, I Have a mop and bucket, they can borrow. Never going to book a holiday with such a cowboy outfit again.

General customer service for haven
is absolutely shocking.
I've lost out on accommodations this weekend due to inexperience, having too travel further, and also been given wrong advice.
Service heavily relies on whom your speaking too and luckily yesterday I was put through direct to the park from clearly an experienced worker as a saving grace who were both brilliant.
Today I realized there are no photographs of my accommodation booked and neither do I know my check in time considering I'm arriving on friday.
The website only displays the living room and I was sent a link by an inexperienced unhelpful advisor today which stated the page was unavailable. I was also told I couldn't change my booking?? As I'm within 2 days of travel, yet I have paid extra for protection and I should contact the park myself for the check-in time.
I reflect on customer service from butlins, which starts before your holiday, and no matter what they are happy to cater to you, regardless of changes. and as a privilege customer they upgrade you without asking. Haven is no where near, in fact hasn't even left the starting blocks. What makes it even worse is no wi-fi in your accommodation only communal areas and apparently no plans to upgrade. Yet we are in the 21st century and for the price you pay it is extremely disappointing. Haven is not bang for your buck.
Two stars are for the helpful advisors I spoke with yesterday.

Returned to seashore this year after going to pontins for some years & Caister with Haven earlier this year.
Our caravan was great value for the money, comfortable, clean and ready on arrival.
They have made some improvements to the site and they are a great improvement.
The water slides being one of the best as the old slide was outside at the top & you got very cold waiting in the queue.
Their are two big slides and a smaller kids slide, they make up for how small & shallow the pool is compared to other sites.
We would have got bored very quickly without the slides to play on.
Moving the splash area indoors has made the pool area look very cool.
Staff were plentiful & keeping a sharp eye on everyone so Thank you to the lifeguards.
Security on the site is brilliant, door staff are friendly and always patrolling around Checking We are safe, Thank you so much to you all.
The only negative for Me is the booking system, no need for this and some activities that were fully booked were not being used so was a little frustraighted when We couldn't do everything We planned.
Entertainment was a bit Corney & repetitive but for the money, can't complain really.
All in all, We have enjoyed our Holiday & want to say thank you Haven Seashore....

Just back from Craig Tara groups of teens walking about at 4am keeping us awake, place stank of weed brig of Ayr food was ok but terrible service we left got fed up waiting for Childs deserts, caravan was ok but not the cleanest quite a lot of dust in air vents and under things, entertainment was awful, kids didn’t want to go back a second night a rowdy group of 8 between ages of 18 and 30 spoilt the entertainment that was on offer through being so noisy we left god knows where security was but I thought haven was for families, haven also takes to long to refund towel deposits, I’m not actually sure there was any good points as my 10yr old disabled granddaughter struggled to find much activities she could participate that didn’t bore her. Amusements we’re a total rip off half machines we’re broke and has to be the worst arcade I’ve seen the prizes were laughable given that you only really won tickets on most things!!! Craig Tara use to be great what a disappointment!!!! Also most activities were always fully booked the beach down by the caravans were filthy picked up loads of broken glass, I really do think Haven need to up there game.

I’m honestly so disappointed and angry.
We’ve been taking the kids to all different Haven’s for years, including Rockley Park (for the third time) last year. We booked via a private let, as it worked out better value. However, once we arrived, we purchased passes then tried to book slots in the indoor pool. We were very shocked to be told they were all booked up weeks ago by ‘Haven’ guests. Our three sons (2, 8 and 9 at the time) were absolutely sobbing when they found out they couldn’t go in the pool they called ‘the best pool over’ just two years previous.
I thought things may have changed by then…
My mother-in-law has booked to take our boys back to Rockley Park at the end of the month. She booked a private let as she could only do three nights (and you couldn’t book that with Haven). Today she phoned Rockley Park to see what to do about the swimming pool and was told that it was all booked up. Every single slot! Apparently, Haven allows guests to book up to 14 slots? How is this fair? My husband has just had to break the news to our sons and they burst out crying – it’s the only reason they wanted to go there! Every single caravan should be allocated a certain number of slots, and those booking a handful and never turning up should be charged a penalty. I can’t tell you how disappointed I’m feeling on behalf of my boys. Why is there even still a booking policy in place? It worked fine before. There must be something you can do? I thought Havens were all about families and making kids happy?
This issue needs addressing urgently.

We recently returned from a short Monday - Friday break at Haven Blue dolphin. We booked fairly last minute (only a couple of months ago) and booked the cheapest deal we could find (even the basic rate caravans are nice enough for a few nights at Haven). On arrival we found the caravan we had been allocated was of an excellent standard (en suite master bedroom, dishwasher, built in fridge freezer etc). Very high quality and a very pleasant surprise for the price we paid. Spotlessly clean caravan and park (playparks a bit tired in places). Great entertainment. Excellent customer service throughout the park. We were all a bit sad to leave. We will definitely be back.

I would like to say a massive thank you to all the staff members at Doniford Bay Haven Holiday Park for giving me and my family the best little holiday break. I've been to many Holiday parks and this one was by far the best we have been too. The caravan and the holiday park itself was spotless? staff couldn't do enough for you.. friendly and helpful, my daughter loved them ? and my little son loved the entertainment, adult entertainment was also good, really got everyone involved ?. The food at the restaurant was lovely too?.
There was so much to do there for both my daughter which is 9 and my son which was 2.. the outdoor pool was a massive hit with us and we had lots of fun there.. soft play center was also a hit with my son.
We can't wait to return 5 days just wasn't enough for us.
Thank you so much HAVEN?⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Our holiday with Haven is probably the worst I've ever experienced.
Without going in to too much detail, I contacted Haven about issues several times while being at the park and called them (all of which I have proofs of on my phone). Each new day when I was able to actually reach the maintenance team, they 'fixed' the issue but it resulted in either a 29degree caravan in the middle of the following night, or no heating at all for us and our 2 year old.
The experience was not what we signed up for.
Even when we left the park I contacted them again to advise of the issues so that they can resolve for the next family who holiday there.
Since returning I contacted to try and come to a fair refund due to the bad service, and all I have been met with are unhelpful comments, an offer of £50 or lies saying that I could have done things differently such as leaving a voicemail for the team - which I then checked out of hours on the same number from my home and was not the case, there was no voicemail set up on the number.

Long story short,if you want try and get a refund for a bad holiday you must not stay for the full amount of days. We had no choice as the issues happened at night, so of course we wake up next day in the caravan ... doing this each day with the issue being 'fixed' in the daytime while we were out of course means we would eventually stay for the duration, as we were under the belief that issues were fixed until the following night.

I am now going down the legal route. It's not for the money, it's for the complete lack of customer service, support and understanding.

The chalet was very run down - decoration was like a very basic bedsit, electrical trunking to the TV wasn't fitted properly, picture in the main room was tatty. Fire had obviously been replaced, but the wall hadn't been repainted to cover the previous fires fixings. Carpet had a lot of dog hair from the previous holidaymakers, but otherwise cleaning was good. Hot water needed repairing on three different days during our 7 day holiday (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). The double bed had a single quilt in a double quilt cover. Room heater remote control was stuck inside the glass front of the fire. Kitchen was OK but the ceramic hob had been cleaned so much that it wasn't possible to tell which ring was controlled by which knob. The rooms are too small, giving no room to walk around the bed in the middle of the night. TV aerial needs upgrading, the picture was freezing and breaking up - looking at other neighbouring chalets they seem to have much bigger better aerials.

UPVC Front door expanded in the sun so it was almost impossible to open. God help anyone in there if there was a fire.