 Thorness Bay Holiday Park is one of our run by Parkdean Resorts on the Isle of Wight Thorness Bay Holiday Park competes with three other Parkdean Resorts on the Isle of Wight - as well as about a dozen more sites owned by others. It tends to get lower reviews scores than Parkdean's Lower Hyde, Landguard and Nodes Point. We've visited all three of those, so we wanted to check Thorness Bay out for ourselves.  We enjoyed some great weather at Thorness Bay Holiday Park First impressions of Thorness Bay Holiday ParkThe first thing we noticed about Thorness Bay Holiday Park is that it is in a much more rural location than Parkdean's other holiday parks on the island. It sits on the north coast of the Island but isn't really near to any of the bigger towns. Having said that, the Isle of Wight is very compact, so you're only about 10 minutes from Cowes or Newport by car. The advantage of this is that you get green fields on one side of the park and the sea on the other. It certainly doesn't feel overlooked and most of the surrounding land is used for farming. Accommodation at Thorness Bay Holiday ParkParkdean's Thorness Bay is a mid-sized to large holiday park, which is quite well spread out and has a sprawling feel. It doesn't feel as crammed in as some holiday parks we've been to. This is a major plus point for me, as I like a site I can explore rather than just feeling like our caravan is one of 50 in a row. As we came into the entrance of the site, we first came to a large camping and glamping area. Most of these get a view of fields looking away from the sea. It's still a lovely view but I always go for a sea view if it's an option. We saw five glamping Safari tents during our visit. These get quite a good view as they are raised towards the top of the camping field. Again, they didn't have a sea view, but they were well placed on that part of the resort.  These safari tents are available to hire at Thorness Bay Holiday Park  The glamping village at Thorness Bay Holiday Park is near to the touring area  The tourers at Thorness Bay Holiday Park mostly overlook rolling hills instead of the sea  This is one of the facilities for tourers and campers at Thorness Bay Holiday Park As we continued to explore the site, we came across the large range of caravans. Some of these are quite compact and I would say are probably 12 foot wide. Others are much larger lodges and have balconies. The site is on a gentle slope and you get a sea view from quite a lot of it. However, the sea is set back a little from the site and it isn't quite as good for sea views as Parkdean's Nodes Point, in my opinion.  The majority of accommodation at Thorness Bay Holiday Park is caravans like these  A good number of caravans at Thorness Bay Holiday Park have balconies  Thorness Bay Holiday Park has quite a few mature trees to soften the landscape Exploring the beach at Thorness Bay Holiday Park The beach at Thorness Bay is a very special place but it won't be for everyone. Personally, I love it but don't come here expecting to be digging sandcastles. The beach is quite rustic with a mixture of stones and some rough sand. We've seen some spectacular sunsets here before and it is also a popular spot with anglers. A few years ago you could drive down to the beach, but you now need to walk down a rough track for about five minutes. I would certainly call the beach unspoiled and you won't find facilities or things to do at the beach apart from finding your own entertainment.  Thorness Bay Holiday Park leads directly to the beach via this path  It's only a short walk along this footpath  Thorness Bay Holiday Park has a rustic beach rather than a sandy paradise  Sea fishing is popular at Thorness Bay Holiday Park On site facilities at Thorness Bay Holiday ParkI would put the entertainment facilities at Thorness Bay somewhere in the middle compared to other Parkdean Resorts. It certainly isn't in their Action-Packed category of holiday park, but it has quite a few things to do without exploring beyond the site. The restaurant is large and has been well placed to make the most of the view. Just beneath it is a good-sized playground. Money has clearly been invested at this site.  The restaurant at Thorness Bay Holiday Park  You get a good view from the restaurant at Thorness Bay Holiday Park  This seating can be found outside the swimming pool  The playground is just below the restaurant at Thorness Bay Holiday Park  Money has clearly been spent on the playgrounds at Thorness Bay Holiday Park  The sports courts were particularly impressive. I counted two basketball courts as well as a large football pitch. When I was staying at holiday parks as a child, all I wanted to do was kick a ball around.  The choice of sports courts at Thorness Bay Holiday Park is excellent  We also saw a stage, which had been used for outdoor entertainment earlier in the season (we visited in late Autumn). There's also an indoor swimming pool at Thorness Bay Holiday Park. It certainly isn't the largest pool we've been to, but it has a slide and is good fun.  This stage was up when we visited Thorness Bay Holiday Park in Autumn 2025  Evening entertainment is included at Thorness Bay Holiday Park  This chip shop can be found onsite at Thorness Bay Holiday Park Final thoughts on Thorness Bay Holiday ParkWe were blessed with some excellent Isle of Wight sunshine during our visit but we are objective enough to look beyond that! It's fair to say that we were charmed by Thorness Bay Holiday Park. The views from the site are lovely and far exceeded are expectations. It does vary somewhat depending on where you end up on the site, but lots of people will enjoy a good view from their accommodation. It's certainly true that it doesn't have lots of things like high ropes and climbing walls that you get at some Parkdean Resorts. However, there were discussions a while ago that these might be in the pipeline. For me, I like to get out and explore and the Isle of Wight has a really good range of things to do. It wouldn't put me off at all as we tend to just use the swimming pool and restaurant when we stay at a holiday park. The location is a key thing to understand. Some people might describe it as being in the middle of nowhere. Others would say it is secluded and peaceful. Personally, I really like the fact that it is nowhere near any busy roads. We couldn't really hear traffic noise during our stay, which always makes me feel very relaxed. If you want to be near to a busy resort like Shanklin then Lower Hyde or Landguard would be better. If you want to be near to beach that you might spend a day at, then Nodes Point will be better for you. It's also worth mentioning that in the many years that we've been visiting and reviewing holiday parks, we have generally found that Thorness Bay Holiday Park is cheaper than the other Isle of Wight Parkdean Resorts. For that reason you might decide to base yourself here. Nothing is very far apart on the Isle of Wight and there are some really good deals here if you look around. Related pages from the Holiday Park Guru
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**Park Holidays Offer: Buy 1-Get-1 Free On Food & Drink On Selected Breaks**  Park Holidays UK is a big player in the caravan park market. They’ve now got about 50 caravan holiday parks across England, Wales and Scotland after buying up a couple of smaller chains and bumping up their numbers in the last couple of years. I would suggest that Park Holidays UK probably aren't as well-known as Haven, Butlins, Center Parcs and Parkdean Resorts but lots of their parks are very highly rated by visitors in the know. Park Holidays UK has a particularly big concentration around parts of:
However, they also have parks in Scotland, Hampshire, Dorset, Herefordshire, Cumbria and Wales. As with all holiday park brands, the quality of Park Holidays UK varies from site to site. Mrs Guru and I took on the task of digging out review scores for every park owned by Park Holidays UK and putting them into a ranking from highest-rated to lowest-rated. We used scores on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews to calculate an average. We didn't include ownership only holiday parks - just the ones where you can book a holiday. Let's start with those that scored more than 90%: 1. Tarka Holiday Park, Devon – 94%Highest ranked overallTarka Holiday Park in Devon holds the crown as the best Park Holidays UK resorts - according to customers. The score is approaching perfection and is about as good as it gets for caravan parks in the UK. However, it's certainly not for everyone. Tarka Holiday Park doesn't have a swimming pool or a restaurant. It doesn't have evening entertainment with bingo and entertainers in shiny jackets. And it certainly doesn't have the high ropes, archery and NERF arenas that you get at some of the biggest Haven resorts. In fact, the only entertainment at Tarka Holiday Park is a small playground for children and an exercise area for dogs. It's not even walking distance to the beach - you need to drive for 15 minutes. So, why's it ranked as the best Park Holidays UK resort in the UK - ahead of dozens of others? Part of the reason is that it is conveniently located for the Tarka Trail, which is a 180 mile cycling and walking loop covering a big chunk of North Devon. A big factor though is that simple and quiet holiday parks often rank highly with guests. My theory is that there is more to complain about when you visit a large holiday park ("The swimming pool was cold! The chips in the restaurant were burnt! The outdoor cinema was cancelled!"). Guests visiting a quiet and simple holiday park - such as Tarka Holiday Park - know what they are getting and are mostly just rating the accommodation and location. Clearly, they are doing a very good job at Tarka Holiday Park of keeping guests happy - so congratulations are in order. See our guide to the 10 best holiday parks in Devon to see how Tarka Holiday Park compares to the competition.  Tarka Holiday Park is a quiet holiday park, about 15 minutes from Devon's coast  It's conveniently located for the Tarka Trail, which is a popular cycling and walking route = 2nd. Bodmin Holiday Park, Cornwall – 90%Highest rated in CornwallPark Holidays UK bought Bodmin Holiday Park in 2022. At the time it was called Waterside Cornwall but they gave it a new name. The reviews are a mix of the park under its new and old names. It's a very different resort to Tarka Holiday Park (mentioned above). You get an indoor swimming pool, as well as a gym and tennis court. There's a large clubhouse as well as fishing lakes. The accommodation is a mix of bungalows, lodges and villas - including the rather unusual triangular 'villas' in the photo below. Despite being in Cornwall, it's about 20 minutes drive to the nearest beach from Bodmin Holiday Park. On the plus side, you can reach several beaches within half an hour, rather than just visiting the same one all week! See our guide to the 10 best holiday parks in Cornwall for more suggestions.  Lots of the holiday homes at Bodmin Holiday Park are these 'villas' = 2nd. Bowland Fell Holiday Park, Yorkshire – 90%Highest rated in YorkshireBowland Fell Holiday Park is another high scorer with customers. It's not far from Skipton and is a popular one with walkers. You get an indoor pool (nothing fancy, but good for wasting an hour on a wet day) as well as an onsite restaurant and a playground. See our main guide to the 10 best holiday parks in Yorkshire.  Bowland Fell Holiday Park is one of Park Holiday UK's highest rated resorts  Most customers praise the quality of the accommodation at Bowland Fell Holiday Park = 2nd. Malvern View Holiday Park, Herefordshire – 90%Malvern View is another holiday park that was bought up by Park Holidays UK in 2022. They bought several parks from a company called Park Leisure. It's an unusual holiday park, as it's nowhere near the sea. The vast majority of the UK's holiday parks have a beach within a short drive, but Malvern View is around the Worcestershire/Herefordshire border. You do get the rather lovely hills of Malvern and plenty of walking routes. Onsite, there are fishing lakes, a restaurant and a playground - but there isn't a swimming pool.  Malvern View Holiday Park has rolling hills rather than coastal scenery It's worth mentioning at this point that a score of more than 90% is exceptionally good for holiday parks in the UK! You might like to see our ranking of Parkdean Resorts' 66 holiday parks, and you'll see that only a handful get such a high score. Park Holidays UK resorts with a review score of 80%+Let's move on the Park Holidays UK caravan sites that scored more than 80%. Personally, I would be happy booking anywhere scoring more than 80%, which is the equivalent of 4/5 on TripAdvisor. In fact, you'll notice that lots of the Park Holidays UK resorts that score 80-89% are also featured in our top five and top ten guides to each county. This is because they often offer a good mix of price, entertainment and facilities, beachside locations and customer reviews. Also worth considering is my theory that bigger and more action-packed holiday parks tend to score lower than smaller and less well-equipped holiday parks. = 5th Sandhills Holiday Park, Dorset – 89% (Features in our top 10 Dorset guide) = 5th Pentire Holiday Park, Cornwall – 89%  Pentire Holiday Park in Cornwall is a 10 minute drive from a terrific coastline = 5th Pevensey Bay Holiday Park, Sussex – 89% (Highest rated on the South East Coast, features in our top 5 Sussex guide) = 8th Pakefield Holiday Park, Suffolk – 88% (Highest rated in East Anglia) = 8th Ribble Valley Holiday Park, Lancashire – 88%  Ribble Valley Holiday Park is about an hour inland from Blackpool = 10th Waterside Holiday Park, Devon – 87% = 10th West Mersea Holiday Park, Essex – 87% (Touring caravans only, you can't hire a holiday home at this one) = 10th Lossiemouth Holiday Park, Scotland – 87% (Highest rated in Scotland)  Lossiemouth Holiday Park is on the banks of a river, which may explain the high review scores 13th Hengar Manor Holiday Park, Cornwall – 86% 14th Brynteg Holiday Park, Wales – 85% = 15th Newhaven Holiday Park, Derbyshire – 84%  We enjoyed the rolling hills surrounding Newhaven Holiday Park when we visited in 2025 = 15th Trevella Holiday Park, Cornwall – 84% = 15th Wood Farm Holiday Park, Dorset - 84% (features in our Dorset top 10) = 15th Rye Harbour Holiday Park, Sussex – 84% = 19th Golden Sands Holiday Park, Devon – 83% = 19th Par Sands Holiday Park, Cornwall -83% = 19th Ashbourne Heights Holiday Park, Derbyshire – 83% (Well located for the Peak District and Alton Towers)  Ashbourne Heights in Derbyshire is 25 minutes from Alton Towers and CBeebies Land. We visited the park in 2025. = 22nd Felixstowe Beach Holiday Park, Suffolk – 82%  Felixstowe Beach Holiday Park is one of several Park Holidays UK resorts that we've visited = 22nd Glendale Holiday Park, Cumbria – 82% = 22nd Marlie Holiday Park, Kent – 82% = 22nd Silver Sands Holiday Park, Scotland – 82% (features in our guide to Scotland's best holiday parks) = 26th Dawlish Sands Holiday Park, Devon – 81% = 26th Alberta Holiday Park, Kent - 81% = 26th Birchington Vale Holiday Park, Kent – 81% (features in our guide to Kent's best holiday parks) = 26th Broadland Sands Holiday Park, Suffolk – 81% (features in our guide to Suffolk's best holiday parks) = 26th Carlton Meres Holiday Park, Suffolk – 81% (also features in our guide to Suffolk's best holiday parks) = 26th Polperro Holiday Park, Cornwall – 81%  Polperro Holiday Park is a five minute drive from the beach = 32nd Seaview Holiday Park, Kent – 80% (features in our guide to Kent's 5 best holiday parks) = 32nd Coghurst Hall Holiday Park, Sussex – 80% = 32nd Dovercourt Holiday Park, Essex – 80% (features in our guide to Essex's holiday parks)  We visited Dovercourt and were amazed at how much has been invested = 32nd Solent Breezes Holiday Park, Hampshire – 80% (features in our Hampshire and New Forest top five - and it's convenient for Peppa Pig World) = 32nd Suffolk Sands Holiday Park, Suffolk – 80%  We enjoyed the sea views during our visit to Suffolk Sands Holiday Park = 32nd Winchelsea Sands Holiday Park, Sussex – 80%  Winchelsea Sands is one of five holiday parks in Sussex owned by Park Holidays UK Park Holiday UK resorts with a customer review score of 70 - 79%Finally, we've got the Park Holiday UK caravan resorts that score less than 80%. Don't ignore these altogether - but have a read through recent reviews. In some cases you will find that review scores are being dragged down by older issues that have been resolved, or because people have a specific issue that won't bother you. For example, some people mark a holiday park down if they don't have adequate facilities for dogs. We aren't dog owners, so this wouldn't be a big deal for us, but it's understandably a notable issue if you are taking your dog on holiday. = 38th Chicester Lakeside Holiday Park, Sussex – 79% = 38th Hedley Wood Holiday Park, Devon – 79% 40th Harts Holiday Park, Kent – 78% 41st New Beach Holiday Park, Kent – 76% = 42nd Sand le Mere Holiday Park, Yorkshire – 74% = 42nd St Osyth Beach and Martello Beach Holiday Park, Essex – 74%  St Osyth Holiday Park is now merged with Martello Beach Holiday Park 44th Seawick Holiday Park, Essex – 73%  We've also been to Park Holidays UK Seawick Holiday Park 45th Steeple Bay Holiday Park, Essex – 71% Most of the photos on Holiday Park Guru are original photos that we’ve taken ourselves from our own visits to 100+ holiday parks around the UK. Please don’t use them without permission. Other photos on this page are from Park Holidays UK. Related pages from the Holiday Park GuruOur 2026 comparison of prices, location, reviews and facilities at the 16 Warner Leisure Hotels and Coastal Villages Warner Leisure's Studley Castle is stunning - but how does it compare to the other 15 Warner Leisure Resorts? There are 16 Warner Leisure Hotels around the UK. They're only for adults aged 21+ and are mostly popular with older customers who want a hotel with lots of activities and entertainment from a brand they trust. We’ve been investigating which Warner Leisure Hotel is best by digging out review scores, comparing prices and looking at facilities and location. Short answer: which is the best Warner Leisure Hotel?
Below is a fuller breakdown of which Warner Leisure Hotels suit different tastes, budgets and locations. Longer answer: Which Warner Leisure Hotel is best for you?Best Warner Leisure Hotel overallIf you want the safest all-round choice, Sinah Warren Hotel in Hampshire is our top pick. It combines joint-best customer reviews with mid-range pricing and a convenient south-coast location. It isn’t the grandest building in the Warner portfolio, but it consistently delivers the best balance of value, facilities and guest satisfaction.  Sinah Warren Hotel in Hampshire is our top all round winner in our search for the best Warner Leisure Hotels Best Warner Leisure Hotel if money is no objectIf budget isn’t a concern, Studley Castle in Warwickshire and The Runnymede on Thames in Surrey are the standout choices. Both are newer, more expensive resorts with impressive buildings and strong reviews. The Runnymede is particularly convenient for London and the Home Counties, while Studley Castle is ideal from the Midlands.  The newest resort - Runnymede on Thames - is a great choice if you have the money for it Best Warner Leisure Hotel by the seaFor a coastal Warner holiday, Bembridge Coast Hotel on the Isle of Wight and Corton Coastal Village in Suffolk are our favourites. Bembridge offers a beautiful location and a classic hotel feel, while Corton is usually cheaper and suits guests who prefer lodge-style accommodation close to the coast.  We visited Bembridge Coast Hotel in 2025 and enjoyed the sea views Best Warner Leisure Hotel for activitiesIf activities are the priority, Heythrop Park in the Cotswolds stands out thanks to its 18-hole golf course and wide range of leisure facilities. Anglers should look at Lakeside Coastal Village in Hampshire, which is the only Warner resort offering fishing onsite.  Heythrop Park is an outstanding choice for golfers Best Warner Leisure Hotel on a budgetIf you want the cheapest Warner Leisure breaks, the best value usually comes from Gunton Hall or Corton Coastal Village in Suffolk. These resorts regularly undercut the grander Warner hotels by several hundred pounds while still offering the same adult-only entertainment and facilities.  Gunton Hall has these garden lodges, among other accommodation options To see how we came up with these recommendations, take a look at our comparisons of customer reviews, prices, locations and facilities across all 16 Warner Leisure Hotels. Which Warner Leisure Hotel gets the best reviews?Reviews are a useful starting point, but they don’t tell the full story on their own. Most Warner Leisure Hotels score very highly, so the real differences come down to value for money, location and what type of holiday you want. The two main review sites with a useful number of customer opinions on Warner Leisure are TripAdvisor and Google Reviews. We added together TripAdvisor and Google review scores to get an overall percentage, which gives a useful comparison rather than a definitive league table. = 1st: Sinah Warren Hotel in Hampshire - 4.4/5 on TripAdvisor plus 4.4/5 on Google Reviews = 88% = 1st: The Runnymede on Thames in Surrey - 4.4/5 plus 4.4/5 = 88% = 2nd: Studley Castle in Warwickshire - 4.2/5 plus 4.5/5 = 87% = 2nd: Bodelwyddan Castle in North Wales – 4.2/5 plus 4.5/5 = 87% = 3rd: Alvaston Hall Hotel in Cheshire – 4.2/5 plus 4.4/5 = 86% = 3rd: Littlecote House in Wiltshire - 4.2/5 plus 4.4/5 = 86% = 4th: Nidd Hall in North Yorkshire - 4.1/5 plus 4.4/5 = 85% = 4th: Thoresby Hall in Nottinghamshire - 4.1/5 plus 4.4/5 = 85% = 4th: Bembridge Coast Hotel on the Isle of Wight - 4.1/5 plus 4.4/5 = 85% = 4th: Corton Coastal Village in Suffolk - 4.1/5 plus 4.4/5 = 85% 5th: Norton Grange Coastal Village on the Isle of Wight - 4.1/5 plus 4.3/5 = 84% = 6th: Holme Lacy House Hotel in Herefordshire - 4/5 plus 4.3/5 = 83% = 6th: Gunton Hall in Suffolk - 4/5 plus 4.3/5 = 83% 7th: Lakeside Coastal Village in Hampshire - 3.9/5 plus 4.3/5 = 82% =8th: Cricket St. Thomas Hotel in Somerset - 3.9/5 plus 4.2/5 = 81% =8th : Heythrop Park in the Cotswolds - 3.9/5 plus 4.2/5 = 81% (Heythrop Park scores slightly lower on reviews than other newer Warner hotels, which may reflect the fact that some older reviews predate its refurbishment). As you'll have gathered, there's impressive consistency between the Warner Leisure Hotels. There's just 7% between the highest and lowest rated hotel. For comparison, the range between the highest and lowest rated Center Parcs in Europe is 20%. Overall, reviews show that there are no poor Warner Leisure Hotels, but Sinah Warren is the safest all-round pick when you balance guest satisfaction with price.  Bembridge Coast Hotel is mid-table in our ranking Which is the cheapest Warner Leisure Hotel/Coastal Village? Here's my favourite part of the blog! Inevitably, a price comparison throws up some oddities and isn't 100% helpful. We are just looking at one set of dates but it's still interesting nonetheless. We searched for a seven night break for two people in early July 2026. We looked for the cheapest room available including dinner, bed and breakfast as well as access to the facilities and all entertainment. From cheapest to most expensive:
*At the time of typing, this includes discounted Isle of Wight ferry travel which will save you about £50 - £200 depending on the time of year. So, based on our limited price comparison we can see a pretty wide range in prices at Warner Leisure Hotels. We searched several months in advance and found that the two Suffolk resorts were about £800 less than the most expensive resort (The Runnymede on Thames in Surrey). A big group of resorts are in the £1300 - £1500 price range for the dates we looked at.  Gunton Hall in Suffolk is a good choice if you want a low-priced Warner Leisure Hotel Which Warner Leisure Hotel is in the best location?Location is one of the biggest deciding factors for a Warner Leisure break. For many people, the “best” Warner hotel is simply the one that’s easiest to reach or closest to the coast. Six of Warner Leisure's resorts are in coastal locations in Suffolk, Hampshire or the Isle of Wight. The other resorts are inland and are described as country hotels. Of course, that may narrow your choice down right away. If you want to be able to see the sea then there are only really three locations to choose from - Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Suffolk. There's also a riverside hotel - The Runnymede on Thames - but a river view isn't quite as appealing as a sea view in my opinion. However, you might just be thinking of convenience and a short journey. To get you started, we'll look at journey times from big cities around the UK.  Warner's Bembridge Coast Hotel is a popular choice for a holiday by the sea Quick picks by location
Nearest Warner Leisure Hotels from LondonIf you live in London, The Runnymede on Thames is the most convenient Warner Leisure Hotel by a clear margin. It’s around 1 hour 15 minutes from central London, making it the easiest option for a short break without a long drive. If you’re happy to travel a little further, Heythrop Park in the Cotswolds and Littlecote House Hotel in Wiltshire are both solid alternatives at roughly 1 hour 45 minutes by car. Heythrop Park is newer, larger and more expensive, while Littlecote House offers a more traditional historic setting at a lower price point. Among Warner’s coastal resorts, Sinah Warren Coastal Hotel and Lakeside Coastal Village in Hampshire are the closest to London, both taking around 1 hour 45 minutes by car. They are good options if you want a sea-air feel without committing to a very long journey. Bembridge Coast Hotel on the Isle of Wight takes longer overall once you factor in the ferry crossing, but Warner often offers discounted ferry travel, which can make it an appealing option if you don’t mind the extra travel time.  Heythrop Park is the newest Warner Hotel - and it's not too far from London Nearest Warner Leisure Hotels from ManchesterIf you live in or around Manchester, Alvaston Hall Hotel in Cheshire is the most convenient Warner Leisure Hotel. It’s about one hour by car from central Manchester and is also relatively easy to reach by train via Crewe, followed by a short taxi ride. Bodelwyddan Castle in North Wales is another good option at roughly 1 hour 20 minutes by car. It offers a grand setting and slightly better coastal proximity, although it isn’t directly on the seafront. There are no Warner Coastal Villages close to Manchester, so if a seaside location is important, you’ll need to travel significantly further. The nearest options in Suffolk are around four hours by car, which makes them more suitable for longer stays rather than short breaks.  Live in Manchester? Alvaston Hall Hotel is your closest Warner resort Nearest Warner Leisure Hotels from BirminghamIf you live in Birmingham, Studley Castle Hotel is the standout choice for convenience. It’s just 35 minutes by car, making it by far the easiest Warner Leisure Hotel to reach from the West Midlands. If you’re willing to travel a little further, Holme Lacy House Hotel in Herefordshire and Heythrop Park in the Cotswolds are both reachable in around 1 hour 20 minutes by car. Holme Lacy is more traditional and better value, while Heythrop Park is newer, larger and more expensive. Reaching a Warner coastal resort from Birmingham requires a longer journey. Sinah Warren Coastal Hotel and Lakeside Coastal Village in Hampshire are the closest seaside options, but both involve a drive of roughly three hours.  Warner's Studley Castle Hotel is 35 minutes from Birmingham What's the difference between a Warner Leisure Hotel and a Warner Leisure Coastal Village?You will have noticed there is some difference in how the 16 Warner Leisure locations are described. Some are hotels, some are villages, some are castles . The difference between them might help you decide which type of holiday you want. Warner's Coastal VillagesWarner's Coastal Villages have lots of separate accommodation units, which are described as chalets and lodges. You still have access to shared facilities but it is more like a holiday park or lodge park layout with a range of accommodation depending on your budget. For example, at Norton Grange Holiday Village on the Isle of Wight you can choose from grades of accommodation with names like 'Standard Chalet' (£) 'Premier Chalet' (££) and 'Garden Suite' (£££). The chalets are on a single storey, so if you want a sea view then you need to study the maps on the Warner Leisure website. For example, at Corton Coastal Village in Suffolk the best views are from the 23 Deben Clifftop lodges whilst the Waveney Suites are further back.  Warner's holiday villages such as Corton in Suffolk have some lodges with excellent sea views Warner's HotelsWarner's Hotels are large buildings with lots of rooms (you probably guessed that much). Some are grand old houses, others are castles. However, it's worth realising that you may not actually be staying in the historic building shown in the brochures. Instead, you may well be staying in other accommodation around the site. This is made clear when you choose your room. Littlecote House Hotel for example is more than 500 years old and is Grade I listed. Only 12 of the bedrooms are within the house itself whilst there are about 200 rooms in more modern buildings called Kennet Hall and The Stables. If you want to stay in the older building, look for rooms described as 'historic'.  Warner Leisure's Littlecote House is a beautiful old building in Wiltshire. There are 12 rooms in the House plus about 200 in the grounds. Which is the largest Warner Leisure Resort?The size of a holiday resort isn't necessarily relevant, as it's more about the facilities on offer. However, it may be a factor in your decision making. You may prefer quieter and smaller resorts or you might prefer the atmosphere and buzz of a larger Warner Leisure Hotel. We've ranked them in order of how many rooms they have, from highest to lowest.
It's interesting that the biggest Warner Leisure Hotel by far is one of the newest - Heythrop Park in the Cotswolds. This was the view when I visited Bembridge Coast Hotel  I was impressed with the balcony at Bembridge Coast Hotel Which Warner Leisure Resort has the most facilities and activities?We've attempted to pull together the main facilities and activities at all the Warner Leisure Hotels into a handy table:
What can we take away from this great big list of information? There is admirable consistency at Warner Leisure Hotels. Whichever resort you choose, you will be able to do things like archery, crossbow, croquet and rifle shooting as well as some indoor activities. However, there are some notable differences:
 You can take boat trips if you stay at Warner's Runnymede on Thames Hotel  Heythrop Park is the only Warner Hotel with a proper 18 hole golf course Which Warner Leisure Hotel has the grandest building and the most interesting history?Part of the appeal of a Warner Leisure holiday is that they have some impressive old buildings amongst their hotels. There are five which are particularly historic and have either a Grade I listing or Grade II*, which means it is more important than a Grade II.
 Holme Lacy House is one of the grandest and oldest Warner Leisure Hotels...  ...whilst Thoresby Hall in Nottinghamshire is another belter of an old building There are four other Warner Leisure Hotels that are Grade II listed.
 Nidd Hall in Yorkshire isn't Warner's oldest property - but it's still a beautiful building As I mentioned earlier, there are usually a few rooms in the historic house and then further accommodation in the grounds surrounding the properties. Bembridge Coast Hotel on the Isle of Wight is a bit different as there are more than 200 rooms in the main house. Conclusion - which is the best Warner Leisure Hotel or Coastal Village?There isn’t a single “best” Warner Leisure Hotel for everyone, because the resorts are deliberately consistent in quality while differing in location, setting and price. Reviews across Warner Leisure Hotels are tightly grouped, so price, location and the type of resort (hotel vs coastal village) usually matter more than small differences in customer scores. If value for money is your priority, Sinah Warren Hotel stands out for combining strong reviews with lower prices. If you want something grander and are happy to pay more, Studley Castle or The Runnymede on Thames are the obvious upgrades. For a seaside break, Corton Coastal Village and Bembridge Coast Hotel are the strongest coastal options, with Corton usually the cheaper of the two. Because prices vary widely by date, it’s worth checking a couple of locations that suit your travel distance rather than focusing only on league tables. Related pages from the Holiday Park GuruMost of the photos on Holiday Park Guru are original photos that we’ve taken ourselves from our own visits to 100+ holiday parks and other resorts around the UK. Please don’t use them without permission. Other photos on this page are from Warner Leisure.
Visiting Disneyland Paris between January and March is one of the best choices you can make if you care more about shorter queues, cheaper prices and a calmer experience than guaranteed sunshine.
​ These months are the quietest of the year outside of exceptional dates like New Year and February half term, which means dramatically shorter wait times for rides, cheaper tickets and much better value at official Disneyland Paris hotels. The trade-off is colder weather and slightly shorter opening hours, so this time of year suits couples, adults and families with younger children better than those chasing summer heat. 
Disneyland Paris is great value during January to March - but it can be cold!
​January–March at Disneyland Paris: quick verdict
**Add one day of magic to your Paris stay: Buy your ticket now for Disneyland Paris**
Why Disneyland Paris is much quieter in January, February and March​
Crowd levels are the single biggest reason people deliberately choose to visit Disneyland Paris in winter.
You’ll spend less time waiting for rides and will have less trouble finding a great vantage point for the daily parades and shows. Let's look at a couple of examples. Over the whole year, the average wait for the Princess Pavillion meet and greet is 61 minutes whilst the Meet Mickey experience averages 48 minutes (according to Queue-times.com). However, visiting in January, February and March can cut that number significantly. We compared data from Thrill Data for a day in early December to a day in mid January and found the following.
So, a visit in the quieter months of the year should mean you can squeeze a lot more into one day. This is backed up by the official Disneyland Paris FAQ which suggests that 'If you want to visit when the number of Guests is fairly low, plan to stay mid-week (Tuesdays to Thursdays) during mid-January through mid-March or mid-April'. The benefit of visiting the Resort when the number of guests is low is that waiting time are shorter.' 
Attractions such as Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast have shorter queues in winter
Is Disneyland Paris cheaper in January, February and March?​
For many families, winter prices are the deciding factor — especially when staying in official Disney hotels.
In our price comparisons, we’ve found that staying in one of the official Disneyland Paris hotels is great value in January, February and March – particularly if you can avoid staying on a Saturday night. We searched for the price for two nights for a family of four at the Disney Hotel New York – The Art Of Marvel, including three days of tickets to both Disneyland Paris parks. In mid-January 2026 (outside of school holidays) we were quoted a price of £969. Meanwhile, in mid July 2025 (also outside of school holidays) the price was £1495. That’s a difference of about £500. 
Disney's Hotel New York at Disneyland Paris is significantly cheaper in January than it is July
It’s a similar story if you just want to buy tickets for the Disneyland Paris parks without booking official accommodation.
We searched for tickets for four days for a family of four. In mid-January 2026, the price was £911. In early July 2025, the price was £1381 – a difference of £470. Both sets of dates were outside of UK school holidays to make it a fairer comparison. Shorter opening hours: drawback or hidden advantage?​
Another factor to consider is that Disneyland Paris closes a little earlier in the colder months. Typically, you can expect the parks to close at around 6pm in January and around 8pm by March. The exact time varies depending on events. By the summer, Disneyland Paris is open until much later (sometimes around 10pm).
This may seem like a negative point but it can actually be a positive for parents with younger children. Earlier closing times means that the evening parades, drone shows and fireworks begin earlier. I know my young children would struggle with a 10pm closure and we would all pay for it the next day! The closing times in January, February and March are much easier to manage. The official Disneyland FAQ also says that there 'may be fewer scheduled shows and events' during the quieter periods. 
Disneyland Paris' evening drone shows and parades start earlier in January, February and March
​Who should visit Disneyland Paris between January and March?
The downsides of visiting Disneyland Paris in January, February and March
Visiting Disneyland Paris in winter isn’t for everyone, so it’s important to be clear about the trade-offs.
Of course, the weather in the first few months of the year is pretty cold. You can expect temperatures which are not hugely different to southern England. In January, the average temperature is around five Celsius at Disneyland Paris with some rain on about a third of half of days. By March, the average temperature has risen to somewhere around 10 Celsius. One thing I would say that is that you will spend quite a long time walking around during a Disneyland Paris holiday, which helps keep you warm! There’s also an argument that the summer months can be a bit too hot for a day of walking around with young children. August temperatures at Disneyland Paris average 20 Celsius but temperatures regularly reach the mid-twenties. It’s also important to note that there are some dates in January, February and March that are unusual. New Year’s Day and the first few days of January tend to still be busy. The park is still celebrating Christmas and most children are off school. February half term can also be a bit busier. Some French schools have a winter break which extends into early March, which can also make the park a little busier. ​Frequently asked questions about visiting Disneyland Paris in winter​Is Disneyland Paris worth visiting in January, February or March?
​Yes. For many visitors, January, February and early March are some of the best times to visit Disneyland Paris thanks to much shorter queues and significantly cheaper hotel and ticket prices. The main trade-offs are colder weather, shorter opening hours and fewer shows.
​Is Disneyland Paris too cold in January and February?
It can be cold, with average daytime temperatures of around 5°C in January and February. However, most visitors find the amount of walking keeps them warm, and many prefer this to the heat and crowds of summer.
Is Disneyland Paris busy during February half term?
February half term is usually busier than January due to French and European school holidays, but it is still noticeably quieter than Easter, summer or Christmas periods.
Did you know...staying at one of the cheapest official Disneyland Paris hotels
is often cheaper than booking a local Airbnb or independent hotel and buying separate tickets? (Yes, really!) ​This is because guests at cheap official hotels and resorts such as Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe get free theme park tickets and free parking included.  Landguard is one of four Parkdean Resorts on the lovely Isle of Wight We've visited all of the Parkdean Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight over the years. However, it had been some time since we had been to Landguard Holiday Park in Shanklin. We went back to the park in Autumn 2025 to see what's changed and to see how it compares to the others. Our first impressions of Landguard Holiday ParkLandguard Holiday Park is the sister park to Lower Hyde Holiday Park. Between them, the two resorts cover a large area in the seaside town of Shanklin. Neither of them are right by Shanklin's lovely sandy beach, but it's only a walk of about 20 minutes or a short drive. As we first approached Landguard, our first impression was that there is a shared parking area rather than parking spaces next to the caravans (with a few exceptions). Personally, I prefer being able to park next to the caravan as I always forget something and have to go back. At Landguard Holiday Park the majority of the caravans are in neat rows so there isn't space for cars in between. We soon got used to this though and decided that it's not a big deal.  We found our way round Landguard very easily Location of Landguard Holiday ParkShanklin itself is a quaint little town with a thatched historic village as well as a sandy seafront with amusements. It's also got a good-sized theatre that puts on shows throughout the year. There are quite a few different places to eat and drink, including some decent restaurants on the seafront (The Steamer and the Waterfront are our favourites). We quite enjoyed Shanklin Chine, which is a sort of woodland walkway that leads down to the beach. It will cost you about £13 but you can return within the week. Accommodation at Landguard Holiday ParkAs mentioned, there is a large block of neat rows of caravans at Landguard Holiday Park near to the main car park. These are typical standard caravans, which are 10ft-14ft wide.  These are the standard caravans at Landguard, which are arranged in neat rows  You can't park next to your caravan in this part of the site  Some caravans in this part of the park are larger and have balconies However, there is also a very nice part of the resort that we didn't see last time we visited called Woodlands. In here are some really lovely wide lodges. These have balconies and are underneath a canopy of lovely mature trees. They're also more spaced out and they allow you to park your cars next to the accommodation.  The Woodlands was our favourite part of Landguard  The lodges in the Woodlands area are much more spacious My advice then would be to go for one of these if you can get a good deal. At peak times we found that they are quite a lot more expensive, but outside of peak season you can get one for a pretty good price.  You can also park next to your lodge in this part of the park  All of the lodges have a balcony Landguard Holiday Park also has a large camping and touring area, which we explored during our visit. The pitches sit amongst rows of trees in a nice, peaceful sheltered corner of the site. It is a flat site and doesn't have spectacular views but it has a nice atmosphere to it and a leafy surrounding.  The camping area is surrounded by trees  Camping and touring is one of the cheapest ways to visit the Isle of Wight  This is the touring and reception area at Landguard Facilities at Landguard Holiday ParkOne reason why you might choose Landguard Holiday Park over the sister park of Lower Hyde is that it has its own indoor swimming pool. It isn't a huge pool but it has a slide and is good fun and will fill some time on a rainy day. Whenever we stay at a holiday park, we always end up using the pool three or four times just because it's so convenient (and sometimes because the weather isn't as good as the forecast!). There's also somewhere to get something to eat or to watch some entertainment at Landguard Holiday Park, as well as a modestly-sized playground.  This is the restaurant and evening entertainment area at Landguard  You can use the Boathouse, whether you stay at Landguard or Lower Hyde  This is the main playground at Landguard  We also found this smaller playground whilst exploring  There's also this set of swings at Landguard A convenient locationOne of the things that I like about Parkdean Resorts on the Isle of Wight is that you can use facilities at any of their parks if you are staying in one of them. This means that you can walk through to Lower Hyde and use the facilities there. The two parks are very easy to walk between and you don't need to leave the site to do so. I would say it took us about 10 minutes to walk from the indoor swimming pool at Landguard Holiday Park to the outdoor swimming pool at Lower Hyde. Lower Hyde has a bit more of a busy buzz to it, as it has a good sports court and mini golf as well as a bigger choice of places to get something to eat.  We found it easy to walk between Landguard and Lower Hyde  We stumbled upon this stream between the two parks Final thoughts on Landguard Holiday ParkThis is controversial, but I personally would see Landguard and Lower Hyde as one large resort. You can hop between both sites very easily, which gives you an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool to choose from. I prefer the sprawling layout of Lower Hyde to the neat rows of caravans at Landguard Holiday Park. However, the Woodlands area in Landguard Holiday Park is one of the nicest areas across both sites. Personally, I would take a look at which is offering the best price for the type of accommodation you want. Related pages from Holiday Park Guru: The Lakes Rookley is one of four Away Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight (we've been to them all!) The Lakes Rookley is one of four Away Resorts holiday parks on the Isle of Wight. They were all bought a few years ago from a company called Aria Resorts and had previous lives under different owners. We paid a visit to the Lakes Rookley in the autumn to see how it compares to the other three.  The reception at The Lakes Rookley  We are always impressed with the smart signs and branding at Away Resorts  The Lakes Rookley is a long and thin site First impressions and location of The Lakes RookleyThe Lakes Rookley is quite unusual for an Isle of Wight Holiday Park as it is some way inland. Of course, that means you won't be walking to the beach in the evening, which is a negative point in my book. However, as someone who grew up in the middle of the Isle of Wight, I do think it's worth putting across a counter argument. The Isle of Wight is - in my opinion - just the right size. If you're staying in a central location then you can go anywhere within about 20 or 30 minutes. If you end up at a holiday park in the East Wight then you might have a drive of nearly an hour to reach The Needles and Alum Bay. The Lakes Rookley gives you much more flexibility to explore. I would consider it then if you want to get a feel for the whole Island in a week, without spending too much time in the car. Rookley is a fairly pretty village but I would say that there are some that there are slightly more scenic and interesting villages on the island. It's worth saying that there's a very high bar for scenery on the Isle of Wight and that I have enjoyed some excellent bike rides nearby! As we came into The Lakes Rookley, one of the first things that we saw was one of the large lakes that has been tastefully decorated with white lights around its perimeter. This is a simple addition but it really does give a good effect at night.  The onsite restaurant overlooks the main lake  We liked the lighting around the lake  The lakes give the site a lot of its character  These lights look great at night and give it a nice atmosphere on warm evenings Accommodation at The Lakes RookleyThere's an interesting mix of accommodation at The Lakes Rookley. It has been owned by a few companies in recent years and each has added their own type of accommodation. That gives it a good character that you wouldn't get from a purpose-built holiday park. In my opinion, the nicest accommodation are the lake houses that have particularly good views. There are also a good number of standard caravans and some that have balconies and are a little wider. Most of these don't have a lake view, but some of them do have a good view out towards the farmland surrounding the site. Finally, there is a sizeable section of the resort that is made up of brick-built properties that I would call holiday chalets. I quite liked this part of the site and would say it's a good choice if you fancy something a little more robust than a caravan. I can imagine these would be cosy in winter. There isn't any camping or touring at The Lakes Rookley.  We found it quite easy to explore The Lakes Rookley  Caravans make up a good number of the accommodation units at The Lakes Rookley  Some caravans enjoy a lovely view over fields at the edge of The Lakes Rookley  There are quite a lot of these chalet type holiday homes at The Lakes Rookley  I liked the modern lakehouses at The Lakes Rookley  These lakehouses overlook a large lake (as you'll have guessed from the name) Facilities at The Lakes RookleyThere are some activities provided at The Lakes Rookley, which take place on the water. We also liked the indoor swimming pool. It is only a very simple rectangular pool without any slides, but it is a useful addition for a rainy day. As we explored, we found the large covered building for what are known as 'urban sports'. There's also a pretty good playground that sits near to the main restaurant and entertainment area. I like it when these are placed near to each other as it makes it easier to keep the children entertained whilst they wait for their food to arrive. There are some other activities that you can sign up for at The Lakes Rookley. It doesn't - of course - have big facilities such as high ropes or things like segways. However, its central location does make it good for exploring. The Isle of Wight has a terrific range of things to do if you do a little bit of research.  The restaurant and entertainment complex at The Lakes Rookley are nicely bunched together  There's a large terrace at The Lakes Rookley  The main playground at The Lakes Rookley  The indoor swimming pool at The Lakes Rookley isn't massive but it's a nice addition  Various activities take place in the Urban Sports Arena at The Lakes Rookley Vibe and atmosphere at The Lakes RookleyThe Lakes Rookley is a mid-sized holiday park. It is large enough that it took us quite a while to get our bearings but not so small that we got bored quickly. You are not going to spend every minute of your holiday here, but you could also enjoy a little bit of time on site each day. We visited off peak but there were still quite a lot of people on the site and plenty going on.  We were charmed by The Lakes Rookley Final thoughts on The Lakes RookleyWe liked the setup at The Lakes Rookley. The accommodation overlooking the lakes is particularly appealing and the communal areas are also well placed to make the most of the view. For me, I would always favour a holiday park that is walking distance to the beach.
For that reason, I personally would go for Away Resorts' sister parks of The Bay Colwell or Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park. Both are next to fantastic beaches. However, if you are an explorer who wants to see the whole Island in a week, then The Lakes Rookley is an excellent choice.  Lower Hyde is a sprawling and leafy holiday park in Shanklin If you've read this website before, you'll know that we are big fans of the Isle of Wight and of Parkdean Resorts (we also run Isle of Wight Guru). We paid a visit to Lower Hyde Holiday Park this autumn - here's what we thought of it.  There is a nice undulating landscape at Lower Hyde, which gives it a bit of character First impressions of Lower Hyde Holiday ParkLower Hyde Holiday Park can be found at the end of a long driveway in the seaside town of Shanklin. It isn't right by the beach in Shanklin, which is something of a shame. However, it's only about a mile away, so it's a short drive or a long walk (if you are more patient than me). Lower Hyde Holiday Park has a sister park called Landguard. They are effectively one park with two halves and you can use the facilities at either. We will write a separate review for Landguard, as we've also visited that park recently (yes, we get about a lot!). One of the first things that I picked up visiting Lower Hyde Holiday Park is that it is quite a leafy and sprawling site. There is a significant range of accommodation and it takes you some time to get to know where the site extends to. The facilities are compactly located but the accommodation covers a large area.  We found plenty of trees scattered around Lower Hyde  Lower Hyde is quite a large site, once you factor in the adjacent site of Landguard  The trees soften the scenery at Lower Hyde Facilities at Lower Hyde Holiday ParkWe liked the fact that the main facilities at Lower Hyde Holiday Park are all together. It's got an outdoor swimming pool with a slide, which was not in use when we visited as it was the end of the season. There's also a good sized restaurant and a couple of other places to get food, including an ice cream hut. The minigolf course has been recently revamped and we thought it looked great. The same goes for the sports court at Lower Hyde. During busy times there is a great buzz around this central entertainment area.  The seaside themed minigolf at Lower Hyde is looking good If you want to use an indoor swimming pool, then you can walk to Landguard. The two sites are connected by a footpath and you don't need to cross any roads to get there. It took us about 15 minutes to walk from one swimming pool to the other. Lower Hyde also has a pretty good playground as part of the main complex, plus an arcade. A bike hire company is based at the resort, which works well as it is next to a long cycle track called the Red Squirrel Trail.  This playground can be found near the swimming pool at Lower Hyde  The sports court at Lower Hyde is in good condition Of course, it would be nice if there were an indoor swimming pool at Lower Hyde, but I think having the Landguard pool nearby pretty much makes up for it. Neither of the pools are huge but they are both good fun and you will spend a lot of time at the beach anyway.  This is the reception building at Lower Hyde  Entertainment can be found in this building at Lower Hyde  There's a small Nisa shop at Lower Hyde Accommodation at Lower Hyde Holiday ParkThere's a real mixed bag of accommodation at Lower Hyde Holiday Park. You will find a big range in prices when you go through to their website. Some of the cheaper properties are single storey chalets. We had a wander around these, which can be found near to the entrance. These have a real nostalgic vibe to them and will appeal to you if you want to relive your childhood spent at somewhere like Butlins.  These traditional chalets are a budget option at Lower Hyde The majority of the accommodation at Lower Hyde is standard caravans, which are mostly 12ft wide (I didn't bring a tape measure, but they looked like 12 foot wide caravans to me!). These are scattered throughout the fairly hilly site. You won't get a sea view at these, but they are a little bit more interesting than straight rows of caravans and many of them are underneath trees.  Kudos to whoever put this caravan into place!  I liked this area of the park, which had larger lodges and a bit more space As we made our way towards the Landguard end of Lower Hyde , we found some really lovely larger lodges with balconies. These were in a very neatly kept part of the park, which had beautifully smooth tarmac and some lovely trees.  This spacious lodge was on a path between Landguard and Lower Hyde  The layout is quite sprawling but it's more interesting than Landguard  We also spotted these rather modern caravans and lodges  Caravans at the edge of the site overlook fields As we explored Lower Hyde, we also found the touring and camping area as well as the glamping safari village. The camping field is surrounded by tall trees, which gives it a nice bit of shelter (which is welcome if you are coming in high winds!).  Lower Hyde has a good-sized camping and touring area  The camping and touring area at Lower Hyde Near to the camping and touring area, we found the Safari Village with its selection of glamping accommodation. These tend to be similarly priced to the cheaper caravans. See our guide to glamping with Parkdean for more advice.  There are several safari tents at Lower Hyde's Safari Village  The safari tents are in a secluded spot towards the edge of Lower Hyde Final thoughts on Lower Hyde Holiday ParkWe liked Lower Hyde Holiday Park a lot. Personally, I like a holiday park that is sprawling and has an interesting range of accommodation. I am less keen on holiday parks where caravans are in neat rows. That's only a personal thing but I think it works better. We've now been to all of the Parkdean Resorts on the Isle of Wight. My favourite is Nodes Point as it has lovely sea views and easier access to a beach. However, Lower Hyde has a fantastic feel to it and it's more convenient for getting to the more tourist-equipped parts of the Island. Related guides from the Holiday Park Guru Cheverton Copse Holiday Park scores very well with customers - but what did we think? We've been wanting to visit Cheverton Copse Holiday Park for quite some time. It gets outstanding reviews and stands out on value amongst the Isle of Wight's best holiday parks but we wanted to see what all the fuss was about for ourselves. First impressions and location of Cheverton Copse Holiday ParkYou'll find Cheverton Copse Holiday Park on the outskirts of Sandown, near to the local airport. This may sound like a noisy location, but the airport only deals with light aircraft. It's not right by the sea, but it isn't a long drive to Sandown and Shanklin or to the East Wight villages of Bembridge and St Helens. The nearest beach is about six minutes in the car. One of the first things that we noticed about Cheverton Copse Holiday Park is that it isn't a vast holiday park. There are some caravan parks in the local area that I would describe as sprawling (e.g. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Lower Hyde Holiday Park) but I found it quite easy to get my bearings at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park.   The reception area at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park Accommodation at Cheverton Copse Holiday ParkThe majority of the accommodation at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park is caravans. I would say that most of them are standard 12 ft wide caravans, although we did see some larger options as well. The caravans are arranged neatly on a very well-kept grassy site that has some nice trees to add a bit of greenery. Within the caravans are two playgrounds that act as nice focal points and encourage a few holiday friendships. The view you will get from Cheverton Copse Holiday Park is of green fields rather than of the sea but it is still very pleasant.  The majority of accommodation at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park are caravans like this  Many caravans have nice views of the local hills  There are also some more spacious lodges at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park Facilities at Cheverton Copse Holiday ParkAs well as the two playgrounds, Cheverton Copse Holiday Park also has a small clubhouse. I thought this was a nice addition and it wasn't something that I would expect to get from a holiday park of this size.  The Clubhouse at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park Its location is also convenient for self-catering as there are a couple of supermarkets within a short drive. There isn't a swimming pool at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park and you won't find the big range of facilities and activities that you get at some Isle of Wight holiday parks (e.g. Nodes Point Holiday Park, Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park). However, this isn't a big problem. This part of the Isle of Wight is very well equipped with things to do, including entertainment at the seaside playgrounds and a local swimming pool called The Heights within a few minutes. There are also a couple of nice playgrounds nestled between the caravans.  We liked the choice of playgrounds at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park    This is the second playground at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park The other thing that I very much liked about Cheverton Copse Holiday Park was the very large playing field that sits alongside the accommodation. I think some holiday parks would have attempted to expand onto this with more caravans. However, this has been left as a large green space for kicking a ball around or playing with a basketball. When I visited holiday parks as a child all I wanted to do was to play football! The vibe then of Cheverton Copse Holiday Park is old fashioned family fun and making friends on holiday. Entertainment will not be laid on for you endlessly but that isn't always what is needed on holiday.  Cheverton Copse Holiday Park has a good amount of green space  This playing field is available for guests at Cheverton Copse Holiday Park Final thoughts on Cheverton Copse Holiday ParkIf you're looking for a traditionally run and family-owned caravan park, then Cheverton Copse is a great choice. It doesn't have some of the bells and whistles that you get at big chain holiday parks such as indoor swimming pools or a high ropes course. However, it does offer a very neatly and well maintained site and plenty of space for getting to know other families. And whilst it isn't right by a beach, I would say that the location is a good one for easy days out. Related pages from Holiday Park Guru Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat is one of two Darwin Escapes on the Isle of Wight Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat is one of two Holiday parks owned by Darwin Escapes on the Isle of Wight. We have visited several Darwin Escapes around the UK (and every holiday park on the Isle of Wight), so hopefully we can offer a little insight as to how it compares to the others.  The park sits along this beach - Woodside Bay First impressions of Woodside Bay Lodge RetreatIt took us some determination to get to Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat, as it is at the end of a very long series of roads and driveways. I am exaggerating a little, but it is five minutes from the main road along a bumpy road near to Wootton Creek. We find that a bumpy road and a long drive is usually a good sign when we visit holiday parks. Those that take a little bit more effort tend to be more scenic and more peaceful than those that are in the middle of towns. That is certainly the case at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat, which is right next to the beach on the northeast side of the island. As we first approached the site, our impression was that this is a modern site, which is smart and fits in with the standard that we have come to enjoy from Darwin Escapes.  There's a good sized patch of grass for children to lark around in the summer Accommodation at Woodside Bay Lodge RetreatWoodside Bay Lodge Retreat has about 120 lodges that are scattered across a site on a fairly steep slope. At the bottom of the hill is a woodland with very tall trees that sit in front of the beach. Curiously, this means that the lodges with the best views are actually those furthest away from the sea. Most of the lodges have their view of the sea blocked by the trees for most of the year, but will get a glimpse in winter. A handful of lodges at the top can see over the top of the trees. We did a walk of the site and concluded that the lodges with the best views are 2, 4, 5 and 115. When we stayed we were lucky enough to be allocated lodge number five. That meant that we enjoyed the terrific view of ships coming and going on the Solent and the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. You can't pick your lodge number when you book, but we have previously phoned up reception after booking online. They told us which grade of holiday lodge related to which numbers on the site map, and we then asked them to allocate us the one we felt was in the best location.  The lodges are more spacious than a typical caravan  Our lodge had a sea view (this photo doesn't really do it justice) The accommodation throughout the site is pretty consistent. There is some variation in the style of lodge but they are mostly two and three bedroom lodges, some of which have hot tubs. There are also a couple of quirky and romantic tree houses, which have got one bedroom. One day I'll bring Mrs Guru back and we'll stay in one of those.  These woodland treehouses are one of the quirkier options at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat Our lodge was very well equipped with things that I consider essential, including a dishwasher.  Our well-equipped kitchen at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat  We enjoyed the views and space from our lodge at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat Exploring Woodside Bay Lodge RetreatShortly after we had arrived and unpacked, we started to explore the site. We took a wander down towards the beach and found the woodland path. Along here is a small playground, which includes a couple of tyres and some things to climb on. There isn't a larger playground at the site, but it's not a big issue as you will want to spend most of your time at the beach or exploring the Island. The beach at the site is beautiful but is quite rustic. There are patches of sand but it is quite rough sand rather than the sort you will be building sandcastles from. I would describe it as a dog walking beach, rather than somewhere you will want to bring a deck chair. The woods near the beach are good for exploring and for having a lovely evening walk. Facilities at Woodside Bay Lodge RetreatWoodside Bay has a large attractive building near to the entrance, which serves as a reception, bar and shop. As far as I could tell, it no longer has the on-site restaurant or gym, which it previously had (feel free to correct me). However, we did enjoy having a drink and playing one of the provided board games in this building. It looked like there was outdoor dining offered in summer. When we visited it was towards the end of the season, but I could imagine that on a summer's day it would be busy with people enjoying the green space and the outside seating.  The reception at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat is a modern building  You can have a drink on the terrace but there isn't an onsite restaurant  The reception also have a small shop and some board games  The woodland at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat has a small playground Location of Woodside Bay Lodge RetreatWoodside Bay Lodge Retreat is very convenient if you're catching the ferry from Portsmouth. It's only a short drive of about 10 minutes from the Fishbourne ferry port on the island to the resort. It's a fairly long drive of about 45 minutes if you want to visit The Needles in the West Wight. However, it is more convenient for a trip into Ryde, which has a great big sandy beach and seafront attractions. The resort is near to Wootton Creek, which is an attractive part of the Island but is slightly more developed than a lot of the West Wight and South Wight.  A woodland path links the two Darwin Escapes holiday parks Final thoughts on Woodside Bay Lodge RetreatWe greatly enjoyed our time at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat. We continue to be impressed with Darwin Escapes. I take great interest in the branding at a holiday park as I think it makes big difference to how professional and smart it looks. As usual, this Darwin Escapes resort was very on brand with lots of helpful signs. The landscaping and tarmac throughout the site was also beautifully smooth and well maintained. Again, this may seem like a minor point, but we've visited dozens of holiday parks and tend to notice these things! One thing worth mentioning is that Darwin Escapes also owns a holiday park next door called Woodside Coastal Retreat. We've also stayed there and will write up a separate review. The gist of it is that Woodside Coastal Retreat has better sea views but slightly older accommodation and doesn't have its own bar and shop. Overall though, it's a definite thumbs up for Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat.  A view from the woods at Woodside Bay Lodge Retreat  There are three Butlins resorts in the UK, including Skegness in Lincolnshire We've been to Butlins a few times over the years, including both the Skegness and Minehead resorts. However, it had been about 15 years since our last visit and the first with our own children. Here are our thoughts from our recent visit, which took place between Christmas and New Year (sometimes referred to as Twixmas by annoying people). We paid £716 for three nights accommodation for four people in a three bedroom Gold Apartment, with £335 of that cost being for Premium Dining (breakfast and evening meals). In other words, about half the cost was accommodation and the other half was for the food package. First impressions of Butlins SkegnessButlins is on a scale that you don't really get at most other holiday parks in the UK. We've been to various large holiday parks in the last year, including Haven Primrose Valley and Parkdean Resorts Cayton Bay but neither are on the same scale as Butlins Skegness. On scale, a closer comparison is Center Parcs, which we've also visited in the last year. We checked in via the drive-thru check-in after a five minute wait and then drove around the site for about ten minutes to find our parking. The Skyline dominates the resort and I personally think it looks great. Having a focal point to a holiday park helps give it shape and character, as well as helping you navigate your way round. Resorts on this scale are very appealing to me, as I like to be able to explore. However, I would caution that Butlins will not be for you if you are looking for a peaceful and simple break. You don't park directly next to your accommodation in the part of the resort we stayed in and the distances between different parts of the site are considerable.  The Skyline provides a nice focal point for the whole of Butlins Skegness Activities and facilities at Butlins SkegnessThis is where Butlins does exceptionally well, as it offers a bigger range of facilities than Haven and Parkdean Resort but is less expensive for activities than Center Parcs. The swimming pool at Butlins Skegness is exceptionally good. It's called Splash Waterworld and we spent many hours making the most of the pools and rides. You can read our separate review of the Butlins Skegness swimming pool here.  Splash Waterworld is an excellent waterpark with plenty to do The Butlins Skegness funfair is another big plus point, as it's something you don't typically get at holiday parks in the UK. There are exceptions, of course, such as if you stay at Legoland but that's a slightly different type of holiday. We tried out the dodgems, the carousel and the small train ride but there are also some more grown-up rides. There aren't huge rollercoasters or anything like that, but there is something for most tastes. It's similar to the fairground rides that tour the country and appear in town centres for a few days.  The main funfair rides are included in the cost of a Butlins Skegness holiday  The carousel at Butlins Skegness We also spent a good chunk of time in the Skypark, which arrived at Butlins Skegness a couple of years ago. This is an exceptionally good playground, with three tall towers and lots of smaller things to play on around the park. It was busy, despite being December.  We loved the Skypark at Butlins Skegness We didn't get enough time to watch any of the big shows, which are a notable part of the appeal for a lot of visitors to Butlins Skegness. However, we did catch a little of a daily workout for kids that takes place within the Skyline.  We had a good choice of shows at Butlins Skegness The only activity we paid for was pottery painting, which had a £10 entry fee and then a choice of things that you could buy. A couple of small things were included in the price but we went for items that were £5 extra each. The pottery isn't glazed, but it was still considerably cheaper than the mug we decorated at Center Parcs! Eating out at Butlins SkegnessWe picked between two dining packages at Skegness Butlins, including the Food Court and Premium Dining. We went for Premium Dining, which was £335 and included three evening meals and three breakfasts for four people. That works out as about £111 per day for a family, or about £10 for breakfast, per person and about £18 for dinner, per person. We were impressed with the food, which offered a big range and had good allergy labelling. For the price, you get unlimited tea and coffee but you don't get alcohol. For the evening meals, you get three courses including a good choice of puddings plus a salad bar and themed nights.  We went for Premium Dining, which included some excellent puddings Accommodation at Butlins SkegnessThere's a big range of accommodation at Butlins Skegness including single storey chalets, double storey chalets, plus caravans on the other side of the road (accessed via a tunnel). Honestly, I think we were unlucky with our accommodation and I wouldn't want our experience to put you off too much. I spoke a friend who was also staying that week who had a much more positive experience. We went for a three bedroom Gold Apartment and were allocated to Sands Court in The Keys. When we arrived, we found the door wide open and various clues that it hadn't yet been cleaned (no towels, bin full etc). We called Guest Services who were very apologetic and helpful. They said they were fully booked so couldn't allocate us another apartment but could send someone out to clean. We went exploring and went for our evening meal (which was very good). We returned about two and a half hours later to find that it had been cleaned, but there were still various problems. There were small things we could live with but most concerning was the broken glass and peanuts on the carpet and under the sofa. One of our children has a severe peanut allergy so we decided we couldn't safely stay there and contacted Guest Services again.  Our Gold Apartment at Butlins Skegness  We decided we couldn't stay after finding peanuts on the floor  The broken glass on the carpet was also an issue Once again, Guest Services were very helpful and within about an hour had found us an alternative Gold Apartment in Neptune Court. We repacked our things and moved across. The apartment at Neptune Court had its own issues, including doors missing from cupboards, an unflushed toilet, rusty radiators, rubbish in the bin and stained mattresses. All of those things we could live with but unfortunately, one of the mattresses had a very strong chemical smell to it, which was strong enough that we didn't want to use the room. It was getting late and we didn't want to complain again, so we made do without that bedroom and had a bumpy night's sleep (it was also very noisy, which didn't help).  We were moved to Neptune Court  This was our second Gold Apartment   The second Gold Apartment had a similar layout to the first In the morning, we decided we would go home in the early evening and do day trips instead. We live about 90 minutes drive from Butlins Skegness, so this was just about achievable, if a little tiring. A couple of days later, Guest Services called us to see if everything was OK with the accommodation. I'm not sure if this is something they do with everyone or just because we had been moved. I explained that we had gone home and were doing day trips and they kindly offered us £100 credit that could be spent onsite. I think it's worth emphasising that our experience wasn't typical and I've heard some more positive reviews of the accommodation. We are not particularly fussy and were not hankering for any compensation (they called us, rather than vice versa). Final thoughts on Butlins SkegnessAccommodation issues aside, we had a great time at Butlins Skegness. We didn't get to use all our meals that we had paid for due to the travelling but in most circumstances I would recommend the dining plan. With a little more time we would have gone along to a show or two but we certainly made the most of the swimming pool and some of the other entertainment. Related pages from Holiday Park Guru |
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