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Which Away Resorts Caravan Holiday Park Is Best? 2024 Guide
There are 24 holiday parks and lodge parks that are run by Away Resorts in the UK.*
For a long time, there were about 10 parks, but the company merged with Aria Resorts and took over all of its resorts in 2022.
The growing choice of Away Resorts parks now includes parks around England, Wales and Scotland.
Southern England:
The Westcountry:
The Midlands and Northern England
I think we can all agree that Sandy Balls Holiday Park has the best name, but what about other factors? Let's look at customer reviews, onsite facilities, location and other factors.
If you want the summary without reading the waffle - Barmouth Bay is the most popular with customers, it's good value, it has easy beach access and it's convenient from North England, West Midlands and Wales. However, if you're in the South of England or if you want a park with more facilities onsite then I would go for Whitecliff Bay for a beach holiday or Sandy Balls if you want a woodland setting. Mersea Island also gets good reviews and is great value, but it doesn't have many facilities.
Read on to see how I reached that conclusion:
For a long time, there were about 10 parks, but the company merged with Aria Resorts and took over all of its resorts in 2022.
The growing choice of Away Resorts parks now includes parks around England, Wales and Scotland.
Southern England:
- Whitecliff Bay, The Lakes Rookley, The Bay Colwell and St Helens on the (beautiful) Isle of Wight
- Sandy Balls and Mill Rythe in Hampshire/New Forest
- Mersea Island in Essex
The Westcountry:
- Swanage Bay View in Dorset
- St Ives Bay, Bude Holiday Resort, Newperran, Newquay Bay and Retallack Resort & Spa in Cornwall
The Midlands and Northern England
- Appletree (formerly Boston West), Cleethorpes Pearl (formerly Beachcomber), Kenwick Park Estate and Tattershall Lakes in Lincolnshire
- The Bay Filey and Woodland Lakes Lodges in Yorkshire
- Clumber Park Lodges in Nottinghamshire
- Barmouth Bay and Golden Sands in Snowdonia/North Wales
- Moffat Manor and Piperdam in Scotland
I think we can all agree that Sandy Balls Holiday Park has the best name, but what about other factors? Let's look at customer reviews, onsite facilities, location and other factors.
If you want the summary without reading the waffle - Barmouth Bay is the most popular with customers, it's good value, it has easy beach access and it's convenient from North England, West Midlands and Wales. However, if you're in the South of England or if you want a park with more facilities onsite then I would go for Whitecliff Bay for a beach holiday or Sandy Balls if you want a woodland setting. Mersea Island also gets good reviews and is great value, but it doesn't have many facilities.
Read on to see how I reached that conclusion:
Which Away Resorts holiday park is in the best location?
You might decide that priority number one is a holiday park close to home. After all, a long car journey with children can be pretty torturous. Here are the travel times from London, Birmingham and Manchester to the Away Resorts holiday parks:
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park requires a 40-60 minute ferry from Southampton or Portsmouth
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Sandy Balls is convenient if you live in Southern England
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Travel times to Away Resorts from London
If you're travelling from London you've got a choice of three Away Resorts holiday parks which are two hours drive away - Mersea Island, Mill Rythe and Sandy Balls. The ferry port which will take you to Whitecliff Bay, The Bay Colwell, The Lakes Rookley or St Helens Holiday Resort is a two hour drive from London, but you'll need another hour for the crossing so it depends whether you feel like you're on holiday once you're onboard the Isle of Wight ferry.
The five Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Away Resorts sites are three/four hours away from London (Appletree/formerly Boston West, Tattershall Lakes, Kenwick Park, Cleethorpes Parks/formerly Beachcomber as well as Clumber Park Lodges). The Dorset resorts are about three hours away (East Fleet Farm and Swanage Bay View). East Fleet Farm is only for campers and tourers with caravans.
Meanwhile, about half of the Away Resorts are a stress-inducing five hour drive which would test even the most patient parents. That includes Barmouth Bay Holiday Park and Golden Sands in Wales, The Bay Filey and Woodland Lakes in Yorkshire and the five Cornish Away Resorts parks (St Ives Bay, Newperran, Bude Holiday Resort, Newquay Bay and Retallack Resort and Spa). You'll need to charge up the tablet before departing if you go for any of those.
Unsurprisingly, it is the Away Resorts holiday parks in Scotland which are the longest drive from London. Moffat Manor is six hours whilst Piperdam is more like eight hours (plus multiple toilet stops...).
The five Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Away Resorts sites are three/four hours away from London (Appletree/formerly Boston West, Tattershall Lakes, Kenwick Park, Cleethorpes Parks/formerly Beachcomber as well as Clumber Park Lodges). The Dorset resorts are about three hours away (East Fleet Farm and Swanage Bay View). East Fleet Farm is only for campers and tourers with caravans.
Meanwhile, about half of the Away Resorts are a stress-inducing five hour drive which would test even the most patient parents. That includes Barmouth Bay Holiday Park and Golden Sands in Wales, The Bay Filey and Woodland Lakes in Yorkshire and the five Cornish Away Resorts parks (St Ives Bay, Newperran, Bude Holiday Resort, Newquay Bay and Retallack Resort and Spa). You'll need to charge up the tablet before departing if you go for any of those.
Unsurprisingly, it is the Away Resorts holiday parks in Scotland which are the longest drive from London. Moffat Manor is six hours whilst Piperdam is more like eight hours (plus multiple toilet stops...).
Travel times to Away Resorts from Birmingham
If you're travelling from Birmingham then you can reach several of the Away Resorts holiday parks in between 90 minutes and three hours.
Clumber Park Lodges are a relatively easy journey of about 90 minutes.
Appletree (formerly Boston West) and Tattershall Lakes are the next closest at about two hours drive whilst The Bay Filey and Woodland Lakes in Yorkshire, Mersea Island in Essex, Sandy Balls in the New Forest and Cleethorpes Pearl and Kenwick Park in Lincolnshire are all about two and a half or three hours.
Whitecliff Bay, The Bay Colwell, The Lakes Rookley and St Helens on the Isle of Wight will take about 2 hours 40 minutes to get to Portsmouth and then another hour to get the ferry and drive to the resort. Personally, I enjoy the ferry crossing particularly on a sunny day but you may feel otherwise. Let's not fall out over it. Away Resorts will get you a good discount on the cost of the ferry.
A big clump of Away Resorts parks take a more-challenging 4-5 hours to reach from Birmingham. That includes the five Cornish Away Resorts, the Scottish holiday park and the two Dorset resorts. For anyone taking notes, that includes St Ives Bay, Newperran, Bude Holiday Resort, Newquay Bay and Retallack Resort and Spa in Cornwall, as well as Moffat Manor in Scotland and Swanage Bay View in Dorset.
The biggest journey of all is reserved for visitors to Piperdam. It'll take you about six hours from Birmingham.
Clumber Park Lodges are a relatively easy journey of about 90 minutes.
Appletree (formerly Boston West) and Tattershall Lakes are the next closest at about two hours drive whilst The Bay Filey and Woodland Lakes in Yorkshire, Mersea Island in Essex, Sandy Balls in the New Forest and Cleethorpes Pearl and Kenwick Park in Lincolnshire are all about two and a half or three hours.
Whitecliff Bay, The Bay Colwell, The Lakes Rookley and St Helens on the Isle of Wight will take about 2 hours 40 minutes to get to Portsmouth and then another hour to get the ferry and drive to the resort. Personally, I enjoy the ferry crossing particularly on a sunny day but you may feel otherwise. Let's not fall out over it. Away Resorts will get you a good discount on the cost of the ferry.
A big clump of Away Resorts parks take a more-challenging 4-5 hours to reach from Birmingham. That includes the five Cornish Away Resorts, the Scottish holiday park and the two Dorset resorts. For anyone taking notes, that includes St Ives Bay, Newperran, Bude Holiday Resort, Newquay Bay and Retallack Resort and Spa in Cornwall, as well as Moffat Manor in Scotland and Swanage Bay View in Dorset.
The biggest journey of all is reserved for visitors to Piperdam. It'll take you about six hours from Birmingham.
Travel times to Away Resorts from Manchester
If you're travelling from Manchester, then the closest are Golden Sands Resorts in Rhyl, Clumber Park Lodges in Nottinghamshire and Woodland Lakes in Yorkshire. They are about 1 hour 45 minutes drive.
There are then seven other Away Resorts holiday parks which are equidistant. Appletree (formerly Boston West), Tattershall Lakes, Cleethorpes Pearl (formerly Beachcomber), Kenwick Park, The Bay Filey, Moffat Manor in Scotland and Barmouth Bay Holiday Park are all about 2 hours 40 minutes away.
The rest are about 4 or 4 hours 30 minutes drive apart from the five Cornish resorts and the two Dorset resorts and Piperdam in Scotland, which are about 5-6 hours drive.
There are then seven other Away Resorts holiday parks which are equidistant. Appletree (formerly Boston West), Tattershall Lakes, Cleethorpes Pearl (formerly Beachcomber), Kenwick Park, The Bay Filey, Moffat Manor in Scotland and Barmouth Bay Holiday Park are all about 2 hours 40 minutes away.
The rest are about 4 or 4 hours 30 minutes drive apart from the five Cornish resorts and the two Dorset resorts and Piperdam in Scotland, which are about 5-6 hours drive.
The Bay Filey in Yorkshire is one of the closest Away Resorts parks from Manchester
Which Away Resorts Holiday Park gets the best reviews?
We've ranked the 25 Away Resorts holiday parks and holiday villages by adding together the TripAdvisor and Google review scores, as of November 2023. From highest to lowest:
As you can see, Away Resorts Barmouth Bay Holiday Park in Wales, Away Resorts St Helens Holiday Resort on the Isle of Wight and Away Resorts Mersea Island Holiday Park in Essex are battling it out for the top spot based on customer reviews.
There are ten Away Resorts holiday parks which get near identical scores around the middle. Away Resorts Tattershall
Lakes Holiday Park and some of the former Aria Resorts are marginally behind but it's worth noting that TripAdvisor only gives scores in halves, so it could be that they are closer to the others than the score suggests. Tattershall Lakes and Newperran both have scores on Google reviews that are up there with the rest so I wouldn't write them off.
- Away Resorts Barmouth Bay Holiday Park, Snowdonia, Wales - 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor, 4.6/5 on Google reviews - total of 9.1/10
- Away Resorts St Helens Holiday Resort (formerly St Helens Coastal Resort), Isle of Wight - 4.5/5, 4.4/5 - total of 8.9/10
- Away Resorts Mersea Island Holiday Park, Essex - 4.5/5, 4.3/5 - total of 8.8/10
- Away Resorts Mill Rythe Holiday Village, Hayling Island - 4.5/5, 4.2/5 - total of 8.7/10
- Away Resorts St Ives Bay, Cornwall - 4/5, 4.6/5 - total of 8.6/10
- Away Resorts Swanage Bay View, Dorset - 4/5, 4.4/5 - total of 8.4/10
- Away Resorts The Bay Filey, Yorkshire - 4/5, 4.4/5 - total of 8.4/10
- Away Resorts The Bay Colwell, Isle of Wight - 4/5, 4.3/5 - total of 8.3/10
- Away Resorts Golden Sands Resorts, North Wales - 4/5, 4.3/5 - total of 8.3/10
- Away Resorts Retallack Resort & Spa, Cornwall - 4/5, 4.2/5 - total of 8.2/10
- Away Resorts Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Isle of Wight - 4/5, 4.2/5 - total of 8.2/10
- Away Resorts Appletree Country Park (formerly Boston West) Lincolnshire - 4/5, 4.2/5 - total of 8.2/10
- Away Resorts Sandy Balls Holiday Park, New Forest - 4/5, 4.2/5 - total of 8.2/10
- Away Resorts Cleethorpes Pearl Holiday Park (formerly Beachcomber) Lincolnshire - 4/5, 4.2/5 - total of 8.2/10
- Away Resorts Clumber Park Lodges, Nottinghamshire - 4/5, 4.1/5 - total of 8.1/10
- Away Resorts Tattershall Lakes Holiday Park, Lincolnshire - 3.5/5, 4.3/5 - total of 7.8/10
- Away Resorts Bude Holiday Resort, Cornwall - 4/5, 3.9/5 - total of 7.9/10
- Away Resorts Kenwick Park, Lincolnshire - 3.5/5, 4.3/5 - total of 7.8/10
- Away Resorts Piperdam, Scotland - 3.5/5, 4.3/5 - total of 7.8/10
- Away Resorts Woodland Lakes, Yorkshire - 3.5/5, 4.3/5 - total of 7.8.10
- Away Resorts Newquay Bay Resort, Cornwall - 4/5, 3.8/5 - total of 7.8/10
- Away Resorts Newperran Holiday Resort, Cornwall - 3.5/5, 4.2/5 - total of 7.7/10
- Away Resorts The Lakes Rookley, Isle of Wight - 3.5/5, 4/5 - total of 7.5/10
- Away Resorts Moffat Manor, Scotland - 3.5/5, 4/5 - total of 7.5/10
As you can see, Away Resorts Barmouth Bay Holiday Park in Wales, Away Resorts St Helens Holiday Resort on the Isle of Wight and Away Resorts Mersea Island Holiday Park in Essex are battling it out for the top spot based on customer reviews.
There are ten Away Resorts holiday parks which get near identical scores around the middle. Away Resorts Tattershall
Lakes Holiday Park and some of the former Aria Resorts are marginally behind but it's worth noting that TripAdvisor only gives scores in halves, so it could be that they are closer to the others than the score suggests. Tattershall Lakes and Newperran both have scores on Google reviews that are up there with the rest so I wouldn't write them off.
Which Away Resorts holiday park is cheapest?
As with all holiday parks, the price of a holiday at Away Resorts varies considerably depending on the time of year and what sort of accommodation you are booking. Some Away Resorts holiday parks have a mixture of caravans, glamping, camping and lodges. Away Resorts Boston West Country Park has hotel accommodation but is adding a lot of caravans.
For the purposes of a price comparison, we will look for the cheapest accommodation for a family of four during the August school holidays in 2024 and during the October half term in 2024.
Cheapest price for a family of four for a week in early August 2024, from cheapest to most expensive:
Cheapest price for a family of four for a week in half term October 2024, from cheapest to most expensive:
So, Sandy Balls and Retallack Resort and Spa were amongst the most expensive Away Resorts holiday parks in both of our price comparisons. Appletree Country Park and Barmouth were among the cheapest.
Notes about the price comparison: For the August holidays, we looked for a Friday to Friday holiday which is usually much cheaper with Away Resorts. For the half term holiday, we just looked for Saturday to Saturday holidays. We didn't include optional extras and upgrades. For example, Away Resorts will book the Isle of Wight ferry for you if you're visiting Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, which will cost you about £50-£100 return for a car and passengers. We excluded camping or glamping, as that's not really comparable to a caravan or chalet.
For the purposes of a price comparison, we will look for the cheapest accommodation for a family of four during the August school holidays in 2024 and during the October half term in 2024.
Cheapest price for a family of four for a week in early August 2024, from cheapest to most expensive:
- Away Resorts Moffat Manor, Scotland - £512
- Away Resorts Appletree Country Park, Lincolnshire - £603
- Away Resorts Barmouth Bay Holiday Park, Snowdonia, Wales - £604
- Away Resorts The Bay Filey, Yorkshire - £651
- Away Resorts Swanage Bay View, Dorset - £692
- Away Resorts Cleethorpes Pearl Holiday Park, Lincolnshire - £702
- Away Resorts The Lakes Rookley, Isle of Wight - £738
- Away Resorts Bude Holiday Resort, Cornwall - £760
- Away Resorts Tattershall Lakes Holiday Park, Lincolnshire - £783
- Away Resorts St Helens Holiday Resort, Isle of Wight - £827
- Away Resorts Newquay Bay Resort, Cornwall - £833
- Away Resorts Golden Sands Resorts, North Wales - £916
- Away Resorts Mill Rythe Holiday Village, Hayling Island - £974
- Away Resorts Mersea Island Holiday Park, Essex - £1010
- Away Resorts Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Isle of Wight - £1054
- Away Resorts Kenwick Park, Lincolnshire - £1109
- Away Resorts St Ives Bay, Cornwall - £1117
- Away Resorts The Bay Colwell, Isle of Wight - £1160
- Away Resorts Clumber Park Lodges, Nottinghamshire - £1189
- Away Resorts Newperran Holiday Resort, Cornwall - £1235
- Away Resorts Sandy Balls Holiday Park, New Forest - £1314
- Away Resorts Piperdam, Scotland - £1349
- Away Resorts Woodland Lakes, Yorkshire - £1459
- Away Resorts Retallack Resort & Spa, Cornwall - £1721
Cheapest price for a family of four for a week in half term October 2024, from cheapest to most expensive:
- Away Resorts Barmouth Bay Holiday Park, Snowdonia, Wales - £314
- Away Resorts The Lakes Rookley, Isle of Wight - £392
- Away Resorts Bude Holiday Resort, Cornwall - £396
- Away Resorts Appletree Country Park, Lincolnshire - £418
- Away Resorts Newquay Bay Resort, Cornwall - £424
- Away Resorts Swanage Bay View, Dorset - £430
- Away Resorts Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Isle of Wight - £431
- Away Resorts St Ives Bay, Cornwall - £435
- Away Resorts St Helens Holiday Resort, Isle of Wight - £435
- Away Resorts Golden Sands Resorts, North Wales - £444
- Away Resorts Cleethorpes Pearl Holiday Park, Lincolnshire - £452
- Away Resorts Newperran Holiday Resort, Cornwall - £455
- Away Resorts Mersea Island Holiday Park, Essex - £456
- Away Resorts The Bay Colwell, Isle of Wight - £481
- Away Resorts Tattershall Lakes Holiday Park, Lincolnshire - £499
- Away Resorts The Bay Filey, Yorkshire - £512
- Away Resorts Mill Rythe Holiday Village, Hayling Island - £666
- Away Resorts Moffat Manor, Scotland - £724
- Away Resorts Clumber Park Lodges, Nottinghamshire - £819
- Away Resorts Kenwick Park, Lincolnshire - £839
- Away Resorts Woodland Lakes, Yorkshire - £869
- Away Resorts Piperdam, Scotland - £939
- Away Resorts Sandy Balls Holiday Park, New Forest - £971
- Away Resorts Retallack Resort & Spa, Cornwall - £1228
So, Sandy Balls and Retallack Resort and Spa were amongst the most expensive Away Resorts holiday parks in both of our price comparisons. Appletree Country Park and Barmouth were among the cheapest.
Notes about the price comparison: For the August holidays, we looked for a Friday to Friday holiday which is usually much cheaper with Away Resorts. For the half term holiday, we just looked for Saturday to Saturday holidays. We didn't include optional extras and upgrades. For example, Away Resorts will book the Isle of Wight ferry for you if you're visiting Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, which will cost you about £50-£100 return for a car and passengers. We excluded camping or glamping, as that's not really comparable to a caravan or chalet.
Which Away Resorts Holiday Park is best for a trip to the beach?
Five of the Away Resorts Holiday Parks are very near to beaches:
The Bay Colwell on the Isle of Wight is a five-minute walk to the beach rather than being attached to the park.
Mill Rythe is coastal, but it isn't really a beach. Sandy Balls is half an hour's drive to some nice beaches in Dorset. Tattershall Lakes and Appletree Country Park (formerly Boston West) are both about 45 minutes' drive to the beach at Skegness. I personally don't like the beach at Skegness as it's a long way from the beach to the water, but some people love the open space.
Retallack Resort and Spa in Cornwall and The Lakes Rookley are both a 15-minute drive inland, whilst Swanage Bay View in Dorset has good sea views but it's a 20-minute drive to Swanage seafront.
- Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight is right next to a lovely sandy beach that is only used by a couple of holiday parks. It is one of the nicest beaches on the Island and there's a cafe where you can sip a coffee and pretend it's warm enough for a t-shirt. It's down a very steep slope.
- Barmouth Bay in Snowdonia and St Ives Bay in Cornwall are both next to a long sandy beach.
- Mersea Island and Golden Sands in Rhyl are both next to a shingly/sandy beach
The Bay Colwell on the Isle of Wight is a five-minute walk to the beach rather than being attached to the park.
Mill Rythe is coastal, but it isn't really a beach. Sandy Balls is half an hour's drive to some nice beaches in Dorset. Tattershall Lakes and Appletree Country Park (formerly Boston West) are both about 45 minutes' drive to the beach at Skegness. I personally don't like the beach at Skegness as it's a long way from the beach to the water, but some people love the open space.
Retallack Resort and Spa in Cornwall and The Lakes Rookley are both a 15-minute drive inland, whilst Swanage Bay View in Dorset has good sea views but it's a 20-minute drive to Swanage seafront.
Away Resorts Barmouth Bay is one of three resorts near to a beach
Which Away Resorts holiday park has the best facilities?
There's some variation in the size of the Away Resorts holiday parks and what they offer. The larger sites are Barmouth Bay, Whitecliff Bay, Sandy Balls, Newquay Bay, Golden Sands, Retallack Resort and Tattershall Lakes.
Mill Rythe, Mersea Island, The Bay Colwell and Moffat Manor are smaller. St Ives Bay, Swanage Bay View, The Lakes Rookley and Cleethorpes Pearl (formerly Beachcomber) are somewhere in the middle. Appletree Country Park (formerly Boston West) isn't really comparable to the others as it is more of hotel with a golf course but they are adding caravans and lodges.
Most of the resorts have an indoor swimming pool.
Here's our summary of facilities at each resort:
Mill Rythe, Mersea Island, The Bay Colwell and Moffat Manor are smaller. St Ives Bay, Swanage Bay View, The Lakes Rookley and Cleethorpes Pearl (formerly Beachcomber) are somewhere in the middle. Appletree Country Park (formerly Boston West) isn't really comparable to the others as it is more of hotel with a golf course but they are adding caravans and lodges.
Most of the resorts have an indoor swimming pool.
Here's our summary of facilities at each resort:
Larger Away Resorts parks
- Sandy Balls in Hampshire is one of the large resorts. It has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna and spa facilities, two main restaurants, kids' activities, sports such as archery, laser tag, playgrounds, soft play and alpaca walks.
- Barmouth Bay in Snowdonia is a large resort. It doesn't have as many facilities as most of the other large holiday parks but it does have an indoor swimming pool, outdoor cinema, playgrounds and a sports court. The beach makes up for the smaller range of facilities.
- Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight is a large resort. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a restaurant, kids' activities, outdoor cinema, soft play, playgrounds, a sports court, crazy golf and activities such as archery and zorbing (those giant hamster balls).
- Tattershall Lakes in Lincolnshire is a large resort which specialises in watersports such as waterskiing and a floating obstacle course (also known as an aquapark). As well as an indoor swimming pool, there's a large outdoor swimming pool (a 'lido'), a high ropes course, fishing lakes, a restaurant, minigolf and a sports court.
- Newquay Bay in Cornwall is quite large, but the facilities aren't quite on the same scale as some other Away Resorts sites. There's an indoor swimming pool which is bigger than most, as well as an outdoor swimming pool, a surf school, restaurant and playground.
- Retallack Resort and Spa in Cornwall is a large and well equipped resort. There's some really nice accommodation at the luxury end of things and there's an onsite watersports place with an inflatable aqua park, wake park and 'flow rider' which is a surf simulator. It was one of the resorts bought from Aria Resorts in 2022.
- Golden Sands in Rhyl in Wales is a large resort right next to a beach. Some of the accommodation has a sea view. The choice of things to do onsite is quite good, including a simple swimming pool, games arcade, a choice of places to eat, soft play, playground and sports court.
- The Bay Filey in Yorkshire is another former Aria Resorts site which is on the larger side. It has some pricier accommodation overlooking the lakes, as well as cheaper apartments and cottages. The indoor swimming pool is a straightforward rectangle, but it's a good size. It's also got a gym, tennis court, boules, a playground and a restaurant.
- Kenwick Park Lodges in Lincolnshire is spread across a large site and has a mix of 1-4 bedroom lodges and a 51 bedroom hotel. There's an onsite spa, indoor swimming pool, gym and restaurant as well as some sporty activities.
- Piperdam is described as a 'Leisure Resort'. It's another that is spread over a massive site. There are large lakeside lodges, golf courses alongside things like minigolf, football golf, tennis and bike hire. They also have a jumbo version of table football that is good fun.
Retallack Resort and Spa in Cornwall has some lovely accommodation...
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...and watersports onsite including an aqua park
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Smaller and medium-sized Away Resorts parks
- Mill Rythe is probably the smallest Away Resorts site although it's undergoing a lot of investment. Mill Rythe used to offer adults only breaks, but all holidays are now open to families. There's an indoor swimming pool, sports court and restaurant.
- Mersea Island is another fairly small Away Resorts holiday park with a modest range of facilities. It's got an indoor swimming pool, playground, clubhouse and outdoor cinema.
- Appletree Country Park (previously called Boston West) is a hotel with golf facilities but they are now adding more than 100 caravans to the site, some of which have hot tubs. The facilities are also being expanded.
- Cleethorpes Pearl (previously called Beachcomber) in Cleethorpes was bought by Away Resorts in 2021 but had operated as a holiday park before that. I would say that it is mid-sized. It's a pretty basic site but it's got an outdoor swimming pool, playground, an entertainment room and a sports court.
- St Ives Bay in Cornwall is another site which was taken over by Away Resorts in recent years. The location is hard to beat, as it's next to a nice stretch of sandy beach. It's got an indoor swimming pool, tennis court, crazy golf and a restaurant. Some of the accommodation has sea views.
- Bude Holiday Resort is one of four Cornish resorts bought from Aria Resorts. It's mid-sized in terms of the number of caravans and lodges and it's 15 minutes walk to the beach. The facilities are limited to an outdoor swimming pool and a playground.
- Newperran Holiday Resort is a mid sized Cornwall resort. It's another former Aria Resorts site and has got a simple indoor swimming pool, a playground, a skate park and a restaurant.
- The Bay Colwell on the Isle of Wight was bought from Aria Resorts in 2022. It's got a small indoor swimming pool, somewhere to buy a coffee and hot tubs with some of the accommodation but there's not much else onsite. The expensive accommodation has sea views whilst the cheaper ones are a bit like modernised chalet bungalows. The beach nearby has a trendy restaurant called The Hut and a beach café.
- The Lakes Rookley is another park on the Isle of Wight bought from Aria Resorts. I'd say it's mid-sized. It has more onsite facilities than The Bay Colwell and St Helens, but not as much as Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fairly small restaurant and watersports on the lake. It's roughly in the middle of the Island, so it's about 15 minutes drive to the beach.
- St Helens Holiday Resort is a small park which is the third Isle of Wight holiday park which was previously under the Aria Resorts name. It's a simple site which has lots of modern accommodation including lodges and caravans with hot tubs. It was previously called St Helens Coastal Resort but it's not really by the beach, so the rebrand makes sense. The nearest beach is a 15 minute walk. Onsite, there's a small playground and an outdoor swimming pool.
- Moffat Manor in Scotland is a small resort which was formerly run by Aria Resorts. There's a shop, onsite pub and a playground but it's more of a base for exploring Scotland than somewhere with lots of things to do onsite.
- Swanage Bay View is medium sized, with an indoor swimming pool, a gym and a bar/cafe. It is well positioned on a hillside so a lot of the accommodation has a good sea view, even if it isn't right by the beach.
- Clumber Park Lodges is a nice collection of lakeside properties but it isn't somewhere to head for onsite entertainment. There are several nature trails nearby and they have a deal with a local golf club, but I would see this one as accommodation with a view.
- Woodland Lakes is medium sized and is particularly good for fishing. The choice of activities is impressive and includes a swimming pool, as well as archery, axe throwing, and things like craft workshops and disc golf.
Swanage Bay View is a mid-sized resort with great sea views...
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...whilst St Ives Bay is in a very convenient location for a beach trip
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How can I save money on an Away Resorts holiday park?
Our favourite tricks for saving money at Away Resorts include:
- arrive on a weekday instead of a Saturday. During peak season, this could save you as much as a couple of hundred pounds if you're staying for seven days. It might not be quite as convenient but it can be a really good saving.
- check the Away Resorts special offers page.
- fill up a larger caravan. You'll find that a caravan which sleeps eight people is not usually twice the price of a caravan or chalet which sleeps four people. Bring along a couple of aunts and the grandparents and the price per head can be much cheaper. Occasionally, we've seen deals where you could save yourself £1000 over a week. Of course, a caravan with eight people can be pretty cosy, particularly as two people will be sleeping in the lounge.
- if you're visiting Whitecliff Bay, The Bay Colwell, St Helens or The Lakes Rookley then make sure you get Away Resorts to book the ferry for you. It can be half price compared to booking it yourself. The ferry booking is an option when you book accommodation.
- try camping or touring. Of course, these aren't for everyone but camping and touring tends to cost a fraction of the price of hiring a caravan. Camping and touring is available at East Fleet Farm in Dorset, St Ives Bay in Cornwall and Mersea Island in Essex.
- Glamping is usually a bit cheaper than the cheapest caravan, but it's not as much of a saving. Glamping is available at Whitecliff Bay and Tattershall Lakes.
Conclusion
If you want a good value beach holiday at a highly rated Away Resorts holiday park then I would start by looking at Barmouth Bay if you live in the North of England, Wales or West Midlands. It doesn't have the range of facilities that you get at some Away Resorts holiday parks but it's the most popular with customers and it was quite good value in our price comparisons.
Golden Sands Resorts offers a similarly excellent beachside location and is convenient from Manchester and Liverpool, but reviews aren't quite as outstanding as Barmouth Bay.
If you live in Southern England and you want a busy resort with lots to do, then I would go for Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight if you want a beach holiday or Sandy Balls if you want to visit Peppa Pig World/Paultons Park and if you don't mind getting in the car to explore. Whitecliff Bay was cheaper in our price comparison, but you need to allow an extra £50-£100 for the Isle of Wight ferry. Swanage Bay View is a good choice if you're in the South or South West and want a veranda with a sea view rather than easy beach access.
If you are keen to try out watersports and an aquapark then Tattershall Lakes is the obvious choice from the East Midlands or Retallack Resort and Spa is better if you are in the South West of England. Tattershall Lakes is a little way behind on reviews, but it has a lot to do onsite and was good value in our price comparisons.
If you live in Southern England and you want a smaller resort which has a beach nearby and good reviews, then Mersea Island or St Ives Bay is best for you. It scored really well in our price comparison, but it's not got a huge amount to do onsite.
If you're a golfer, then Appletree Country Park (previously called Boston West) is the obvious winner.
Golden Sands Resorts offers a similarly excellent beachside location and is convenient from Manchester and Liverpool, but reviews aren't quite as outstanding as Barmouth Bay.
If you live in Southern England and you want a busy resort with lots to do, then I would go for Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight if you want a beach holiday or Sandy Balls if you want to visit Peppa Pig World/Paultons Park and if you don't mind getting in the car to explore. Whitecliff Bay was cheaper in our price comparison, but you need to allow an extra £50-£100 for the Isle of Wight ferry. Swanage Bay View is a good choice if you're in the South or South West and want a veranda with a sea view rather than easy beach access.
If you are keen to try out watersports and an aquapark then Tattershall Lakes is the obvious choice from the East Midlands or Retallack Resort and Spa is better if you are in the South West of England. Tattershall Lakes is a little way behind on reviews, but it has a lot to do onsite and was good value in our price comparisons.
If you live in Southern England and you want a smaller resort which has a beach nearby and good reviews, then Mersea Island or St Ives Bay is best for you. It scored really well in our price comparison, but it's not got a huge amount to do onsite.
If you're a golfer, then Appletree Country Park (previously called Boston West) is the obvious winner.
Images are from Away Resorts.
*There are also three Away Resorts properties that aren't holiday parks or lodge parks so they aren't included in our comparison:
*There are also three Away Resorts properties that aren't holiday parks or lodge parks so they aren't included in our comparison:
- East Fleet Farm in Dorset is touring and camping only.
