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Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park reviews, discounts and facilities 2021
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Devon Cliffs Holiday Park is one of the most popular caravan sites in Devon.
It's run by Haven and is in a prime seaside location just outside of Exmouth. Haven say it's their biggest park and it's certainly well stocked with activities and things to do including swimming pools, several restaurants, sports and entertainment. Here's our guide to Devon Cliffs reviews, discounts and offers, facilities, activities and accommodation. We've also got some advice on how to save money on a Devon Cliffs holiday. |
Hanging out at Haven's Devon Cliffs Holiday Park
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Does Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park get good reviews?
Haven's Devon Cliffs is one of the higher scoring Haven caravan sites in the UK. At the time of writing, it scores 4/5 on TripAdvisor and a very impressive 4.5/5 on Google reviews. Both scores are after several thousand reviews. It's worth noting that TripAdvisor only gives scores in halves whilst Google reviews gives a more precise score, so it may be that Devon Cliffs is actually slightly above 4/5 on TripAdvisor.
Generally, Haven parks score a bit better than big name rival chains in the caravan park market.
Generally, Haven parks score a bit better than big name rival chains in the caravan park market.
How much does a Haven Devon Cliffs holiday cost? How can I get a discount at Haven Devon Cliffs?
In the various comparisons we've done over the years, I'd say that Devon Cliffs is one of the pricier Haven holiday parks. That's not to say that you can't get a good deal, just that it isn't the cheapest Haven resort. Of course, prices are considerably cheaper outside of school holidays, but that's no help if you're trying to have a family holiday without getting a playground scowl from your children's headteacher.
In our guide to the best Haven resorts, we searched for a week's holiday in August 2021 and found that a family of four would pay from £1285 at Devon Cliffs, making it the second most expensive of the 10 resorts that we featured. Meanwhile, in our guide to the 10 best Devon holiday parks, Devon Cliffs was the third most expensive caravan park we featured.
However, there are several ways to save money on a Haven Devon Cliffs holiday:
In our guide to the best Haven resorts, we searched for a week's holiday in August 2021 and found that a family of four would pay from £1285 at Devon Cliffs, making it the second most expensive of the 10 resorts that we featured. Meanwhile, in our guide to the 10 best Devon holiday parks, Devon Cliffs was the third most expensive caravan park we featured.
However, there are several ways to save money on a Haven Devon Cliffs holiday:
- Avoid arriving on a Saturday, as that tends to cost more than arriving on other days. During peak season, a family of four can often save around £100 although the difference is much less significant if you're staying for a week in the middle of March.
- Fill up a larger caravan, as that's nearly always cheaper than hiring two smaller caravans. We've found that you can save hundreds of pounds at Haven resorts by hiring an eight person caravan instead of two caravans for four people. The downside is that things can get a little cosy, particularly if one of the beds is in the lounge.
- Book early for the best price. It's certainly true that there are occasional last minute deals, but the cheapest accommodation tends to be booked quickly. As a result, you'll be getting a discount on the 'luxury' accommodation which probably costs more than the cheapest caravans.
- Check Haven's offers pages regularly, as they often do special UK wide discounts which are available at Devon Cliffs. We add these deals at the top of this page when we hear of them.
- Choose Haven Stay rather than Haven Stay + Play. You can choose at Haven whether you want the full-on Haven holiday or just accommodation for exploring. A Haven Stay holiday just gives you a caravan/lodge and access to the restaurant, whilst a Haven Stay+Play holiday lets you use things like the swimming pool, kids' clubs and sports facilities. The amount you save by not using the Devon Cliffs facilities varies depending on the time of year but when we checked it was a saving of £100-£200 for a week's holiday for four in August. See our guide to Stay + Play for more info.
How far is Haven Devon Cliffs Caravan Park from the beach?
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Haven's Devon Cliffs sits alongside a long stretch of coastline. The caravans on the South of the site are best placed for beach access, as they are next to the imaginatively named Sandy Bay.
The caravans on the East of the site are near to a rockier and inaccessible stretch which includes Littleham Cove and Otter Cove. Some of the Devon Cliffs caravans are literally seconds from Sandy Bay. However, it's worth realising that this is a very large caravan site and it might take you 15 minutes to walk from the northernmost point of Devon Cliffs to the beach. That's at a good pace and assumes you aren't held back by small children who are suddenly tired and dawdling spouses who are behaving as if they are on holiday. There's a site map of Devon Cliffs on the Haven website (to confuse you, the nice beach is on the right on the map even though it faces South). The swimming pool and restaurants are between the entrance and the middle of the site at Devon Cliffs so you might decide you'd rather be near them than the beach. My top tip is to log into your 'My Haven Holiday' account and look for the option called 'Choose your holiday home'. That usually allows you to pick a caravan in a good location rather than being allocated one when you arrive. |
This cafe is next to the beach at Devon Cliffs Holiday Park
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What facilities and activities are available at Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park?
Devon Cliffs Holiday Park is a very well equipped caravan site. You could happily spend several days between the local beach and the onsite facilities, although we like to explore a little further when we visit holiday parks. Facilities include:
Bear in mind that you have to pay extra for a lot of activities at Devon Cliffs. The prices aren't generally as high as Center Parcs but you are unlikely to do everything unless you don't mind coming home with an empty wallet. You can get an idea of prices on this page on Haven's website.
- two outdoor swimming pools and one indoor swimming pool. There's also a four lane waterslide.
- 12 restaurants and other places to eat onsite. There are chains including Burger King and Papa John's Pizza as well as non-chain places to eat.
- two entertainment venues, where there are evening and family-friendly shows
- a surf school
- 'normal' sports including football and minigolf
- somewhat more adventurous activities including high wires, segway, target shooting, bungee trampoline and rock climbing
- rainy day creative activities such as pottery painting
- wholesome outdoorsy activities such as bug hunts and den building
Bear in mind that you have to pay extra for a lot of activities at Devon Cliffs. The prices aren't generally as high as Center Parcs but you are unlikely to do everything unless you don't mind coming home with an empty wallet. You can get an idea of prices on this page on Haven's website.
Devon Cliffs Holiday Park has a big range of activities including crazy golf, aerial adventures...
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...and three swimming pools, including an indoor one
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Which is the best accommodation at Haven Devon Cliffs Holiday Park?
There are several grades of caravan available at Devon Cliffs Holiday Park.
The majority are 12 foot wide caravans with the cheapest being called 'standard'. You then pay extra for things like outside decking, newer models, bigger TVs, proximity to the main entertainment centre and so on.
The next upgrade is a 'lodge' which is quite a lot wider than a caravan (16 foot instead of 12 foot). There are also some lodges with sea views which cost extra.
As mentioned earlier, once you have booked have a look at the 'Choose your holiday home' option on My Haven Holiday. Otherwise you will be allocated a location automatically.
Camping and touring isn't available at Devon Cliffs Holiday Park. About two-thirds of Haven's holiday parks offer touring, but Devon Cliffs isn't one of them. The Westcountry Haven resorts with camping and touring include Littlesea and Seaview in Dorset, Burnham on Sea in Somerset and Perran Sands in Cornwall. You can see the full list on the Haven website.
The majority are 12 foot wide caravans with the cheapest being called 'standard'. You then pay extra for things like outside decking, newer models, bigger TVs, proximity to the main entertainment centre and so on.
The next upgrade is a 'lodge' which is quite a lot wider than a caravan (16 foot instead of 12 foot). There are also some lodges with sea views which cost extra.
As mentioned earlier, once you have booked have a look at the 'Choose your holiday home' option on My Haven Holiday. Otherwise you will be allocated a location automatically.
Camping and touring isn't available at Devon Cliffs Holiday Park. About two-thirds of Haven's holiday parks offer touring, but Devon Cliffs isn't one of them. The Westcountry Haven resorts with camping and touring include Littlesea and Seaview in Dorset, Burnham on Sea in Somerset and Perran Sands in Cornwall. You can see the full list on the Haven website.
What's the difference between Haven Stay v Haven Stay + Play at Devon Cliffs Holiday Park?
When you book at Devon Cliffs you are given the option of booking Haven Stay or Haven Stay + Play.
A Haven Stay holiday just gives you accommodation and access to the restaurants. A Haven Stay + Play holiday also includes use of the swimming pools and gives you the option to book activities like the climbing wall and football sessions. You have to pay extra for some of these, but you won't be able to book them if you just choose Haven Stay.
The amount you save varies. During the off-season, the saving is tiny (perhaps as little as £1-2 per day per person) but during the peak season we found that a family of four would often save £100-£200 over a week if they didn't use any of the facilities. The downside is that you are likely to spend more outside the resort if you just go for Haven Stay, but you might get away with a combination of beach days and free days out with a bit of planning.
See our full comparison of Haven Stay v Haven Stay + Play before you make your decision.
A Haven Stay holiday just gives you accommodation and access to the restaurants. A Haven Stay + Play holiday also includes use of the swimming pools and gives you the option to book activities like the climbing wall and football sessions. You have to pay extra for some of these, but you won't be able to book them if you just choose Haven Stay.
The amount you save varies. During the off-season, the saving is tiny (perhaps as little as £1-2 per day per person) but during the peak season we found that a family of four would often save £100-£200 over a week if they didn't use any of the facilities. The downside is that you are likely to spend more outside the resort if you just go for Haven Stay, but you might get away with a combination of beach days and free days out with a bit of planning.
See our full comparison of Haven Stay v Haven Stay + Play before you make your decision.
Can I hire privately owned caravans direct from owners at Haven Devon Cliffs?
I'm glad you asked.
Yes, one alternative to booking via Haven is to book a privately owned Devon Cliffs caravan via Airbnb.
This can be a cheaper option and it also has the advantage that you can read reviews and see photos of the actual caravan you'll be staying in.
Yes, one alternative to booking via Haven is to book a privately owned Devon Cliffs caravan via Airbnb.
This can be a cheaper option and it also has the advantage that you can read reviews and see photos of the actual caravan you'll be staying in.
Conclusion
If you want a week of isolation and silence away from families with children...then I probably wouldn't stay at Haven Devon Cliffs holiday park.
However, if you want a good value and high quality family holiday next to a sandy beach then Devon Cliffs is an excellent choice.
Reviews are well above average for this type of large caravan park and you can keep the price down with various tricks such as arriving on an odd day or booking direct with a caravan owner.
The site has lots to do including a big choice of places to eat. It's also in a lovely part of the Westcountry if you want to get in the car and explore beyond the site.
However, if you want a good value and high quality family holiday next to a sandy beach then Devon Cliffs is an excellent choice.
Reviews are well above average for this type of large caravan park and you can keep the price down with various tricks such as arriving on an odd day or booking direct with a caravan owner.
The site has lots to do including a big choice of places to eat. It's also in a lovely part of the Westcountry if you want to get in the car and explore beyond the site.
Images are from Haven
