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Which Holiday Parks Have Disabled Accessible and Wheelchair Friendly Accommodation?
The UK’s holiday parks are pretty well geared up for wheelchair users and disabled people who need more accessible accommodation.
Haven, Parkdean Resorts, Park Holidays, John Fowler Holidays and Away Resorts all have wheelchair accessible and adapted properties at lots of their holiday parks (although not all of them). The same is true of some independent holiday parks.
However, the word ‘accessible’ is very vague and it’s risky for me to offer you a 100% guarantee that a particular holiday park will give you exactly what you need for your disability.
I’ve spent a lot of time researching this guide and occasionally thought I had found a holiday park that ticked all the right boxes. Five minutes later I would be scuppered by a one-star review from someone saying that the park wasn’t suitable for their disability.
So, I’m going to give as much advice as possible but encourage you to phone up a park and speak to someone who knows it well before booking. You can also learn a lot from some parks by dropping yourself onto Google Street View.
Happy holidays and good luck!
Haven, Parkdean Resorts, Park Holidays, John Fowler Holidays and Away Resorts all have wheelchair accessible and adapted properties at lots of their holiday parks (although not all of them). The same is true of some independent holiday parks.
However, the word ‘accessible’ is very vague and it’s risky for me to offer you a 100% guarantee that a particular holiday park will give you exactly what you need for your disability.
I’ve spent a lot of time researching this guide and occasionally thought I had found a holiday park that ticked all the right boxes. Five minutes later I would be scuppered by a one-star review from someone saying that the park wasn’t suitable for their disability.
So, I’m going to give as much advice as possible but encourage you to phone up a park and speak to someone who knows it well before booking. You can also learn a lot from some parks by dropping yourself onto Google Street View.
Happy holidays and good luck!
Do Parkdean Resorts have disabled-friendly and wheelchair accessible holidays?
Parkdean Resorts has wheelchair accessible accommodation at pretty much all of its holiday parks (I’m still trying to figure out which are the one or two that don’t!).
If you’re looking for a cheap holiday in accessible accommodation then I would start with one of their best value holiday parks, by looking at our Parkdean Resorts top 10 guide or our guide to the cheapest Parkdean Resorts.
If you’ve got the budget for a more expensive holiday then I would look at the accessible lodges at Warmwell Holiday Park in Dorset and Sandford Holiday Park in Dorset.
Both have accessible hot tubs with hoists, which I imagine could really make a holiday.
If you’re looking for a cheap holiday in accessible accommodation then I would start with one of their best value holiday parks, by looking at our Parkdean Resorts top 10 guide or our guide to the cheapest Parkdean Resorts.
If you’ve got the budget for a more expensive holiday then I would look at the accessible lodges at Warmwell Holiday Park in Dorset and Sandford Holiday Park in Dorset.
Both have accessible hot tubs with hoists, which I imagine could really make a holiday.
Some advice on accessible holidays with Parkdean Resorts
My general experience with Parkdean Resorts is that there is some inconsistency with its accommodation (I’m talking about all accommodation rather than just accessible accommodation). This is partly because the company is a result of a merger with Park Resorts a few years ago.
Parkdean doesn’t have a simple grading system that applies across all its holiday parks (unlike Haven) and you'll find some differences between adapted caravans at different sites.
For example, I looked for accessible caravans at Parkdean Resorts Lower Hyde Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight and found that two of the accessible caravans (‘WFA’) came with a wet room, whilst the third didn’t mention a wet room. In case you're wondering, I think WFA stands for Wheelchair Friendly Accommodation.
On the plus side, I’ve found that the descriptions and photos are generally helpful and make it pretty clear what you're going to find when you arrive.
One challenge with Parkdean Resorts is figuring out where on the caravan site your accommodation will be based. Each park page features a map but I’ve found that these don’t show you where the accessible caravans are located. They also don’t show which parts of the park are hilly and which are flat (resorts are often built around hills to make the most of a sea view). You may want to give the park a call to get clarity on this.
In summary, your best bet for a wheelchair friendly holiday with Parkdean Resorts is to:
Parkdean doesn’t have a simple grading system that applies across all its holiday parks (unlike Haven) and you'll find some differences between adapted caravans at different sites.
For example, I looked for accessible caravans at Parkdean Resorts Lower Hyde Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight and found that two of the accessible caravans (‘WFA’) came with a wet room, whilst the third didn’t mention a wet room. In case you're wondering, I think WFA stands for Wheelchair Friendly Accommodation.
On the plus side, I’ve found that the descriptions and photos are generally helpful and make it pretty clear what you're going to find when you arrive.
One challenge with Parkdean Resorts is figuring out where on the caravan site your accommodation will be based. Each park page features a map but I’ve found that these don’t show you where the accessible caravans are located. They also don’t show which parts of the park are hilly and which are flat (resorts are often built around hills to make the most of a sea view). You may want to give the park a call to get clarity on this.
In summary, your best bet for a wheelchair friendly holiday with Parkdean Resorts is to:
- Pick a holiday park that you like the look of, perhaps one from our top 10 Parkdean Resorts guide
- Have a look at the accommodation options to see what the adapted accommodation is like. These are referred to as WFA on the Parkdean Resorts accommodation page, and can found by choosing the ‘Accessible Unit’ option from the ‘Accommodation Features’ drop down.
- Give Parkdean Resorts a call to find out where the accommodation is located before booking it. Contact details can be found here.
Are Haven's caravans accessible for people in wheelchairs?
Haven don’t let you book accessible caravans online. Instead, you have to phone up and they’ll give you advice and book it for you Up to date contact details are on this page on Haven’s website. This has something of a 1990s vibe to it, but I think it is to avoid people booking the wrong type of caravan.
Haven have two types of caravan for disabled visitors.
Haven have two types of caravan for disabled visitors.
- Type one adapted caravans are fine if you have ‘moderate accessibility issues’. You get a ramp rather than steps into the caravan. They also have some lowered kitchen counters to make it easier to cook. The shower isn’t a wet room, but 'has outward opening double doors with an entry lip to retain the water'. So, you’d need to be able to manage a small step.
- Type two adapted caravans are what you need if you are ‘wheelchair dependent or who have limited mobility’. These also have ramps into the caravans (obviously) but the doors are wider and you get a proper wet room. There are hand rails and one of the bedrooms has accessible twin beds. You also get sliding doors, but not the sort with Gwyneth Paltrow.
It’s worth mentioning that a lot of Haven holiday parks are on slopes, because they sit in nice locations overlooking a beach. Haven highlights three as being particularly steep – Devon Cliffs and two Weymouth resorts (Sea View and Weymouth Bay).
Lots of the other parks have a mix of flat and hilly sections. I would take this approach:
There are wheelchair hoists at all of Haven’s swimming pools apart from Lydstep Beach Holiday Park.
Haven has also invested in ‘Changing Places’ facilities at:
The idea of these is that you can stay out for longer rather than needing to keep returning to your accommodation. You can see the full facilities at these Changing Places here.
Lots of the other parks have a mix of flat and hilly sections. I would take this approach:
- Choose one or two Haven resorts that you like the look of, perhaps by looking at our top 10 Haven resorts or our guide to Haven's biggest resorts or look at the map to see which is closest to you.
- Read the ‘Park information guide’ for the parks you like the look of. Take a look at the section called ‘Terrain of the park’ to get an idea of how easy it is to get about.
- Phone up to on the number on this page to see what accommodation they have available.
There are wheelchair hoists at all of Haven’s swimming pools apart from Lydstep Beach Holiday Park.
Haven has also invested in ‘Changing Places’ facilities at:
- Cleethorpes Beach Holiday Park in Lincolnshire
- Haggerston Castle Holiday Park in Northumberland
- Greenacres and Kiln Park Holiday Parks in Wales
- Lakeland Leisure Park in Cumbria
- Seashore Holiday Park in Norfolk
The idea of these is that you can stay out for longer rather than needing to keep returning to your accommodation. You can see the full facilities at these Changing Places here.
What about John Fowler Holidays? What accommodation do they offer for disabled people and wheelchair users?
John Fowler Holidays operates a similar system to Haven for its caravans.
There are two grades of adapted holiday home to choose from:
When we did some test searches, we found wheelchair accessible accommodation for people with disabilities at:
There are two grades of adapted holiday home to choose from:
- the first type are for wheelchair users and have 'low level work tops, wider doorways and full wet rooms along with ramped access and dedicated parking'
- the second type are for 'guests with some mobility' and have 'close parking, grab rails and may feature a wet room'.
When we did some test searches, we found wheelchair accessible accommodation for people with disabilities at:
- Trelawne Manor Holiday Park in Cornwall
- Widemouth Bay Caravan Park in Cornwall (although John Fowler does warn that this resort has a steep gradient in places).
- Sandy Glade Holiday Park in Somerset
- Llanrhidian Holiday Park in Wales
What about Away Resorts? How do they rate for accessible accommodation and wheelchair friendly holiday homes?
It took me a while to figure out the accessible accommodation options at Away Resorts - but I got there in the end!
The website says that it has accessible accommodation at 15 of its 25 holiday resorts and caravan parks. However, when we searched we found accessible caravans, lodges and cottages at 12 resorts (including some that weren't on the list of 15!).
Anyway, we found accessible accommodation at these properties:
The grade of accommodation varies depending on which resort you choose. In some cases, you’ll need to pay for one of the more expensive properties if you want the accessible options.
If you’re looking for a cheap accessible holiday then options include The Lakes Rookley on the Isle of Wight, which has 'Superior Caravans'. Away Resorts also get a big discount on the Isle of Wight ferry, which makes holidays on the Island a lot cheaper.
The website says that it has accessible accommodation at 15 of its 25 holiday resorts and caravan parks. However, when we searched we found accessible caravans, lodges and cottages at 12 resorts (including some that weren't on the list of 15!).
Anyway, we found accessible accommodation at these properties:
- The Bay Filey in Yorkshire
- Sandy Balls in Hampshire
- Cleethorpes Pearl, Appletree, Kenwick Park and Tattershall Lakes in Lincolnshire
- The Lakes Rookley, The Bay Colwell and Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight
- Golden Sands in Wales
- Moffat Manor in Scotland
- Clumber Park Lodges in Nottinghamshire
The grade of accommodation varies depending on which resort you choose. In some cases, you’ll need to pay for one of the more expensive properties if you want the accessible options.
If you’re looking for a cheap accessible holiday then options include The Lakes Rookley on the Isle of Wight, which has 'Superior Caravans'. Away Resorts also get a big discount on the Isle of Wight ferry, which makes holidays on the Island a lot cheaper.
If you’ve got the budget for a more luxurious accessible holiday then I would take a look at the ‘luxury lodge accessible’ accommodation at Sandy Balls in Hampshire (82%) and Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight (82%).
It’s worth mentioning that some of these parks are in hilly locations, as is the case with lots of holiday parks in the UK. For example, Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park has a very steep slope down to the beach that is difficult with a wheelchair. I've done this walk with a pushchair a few times and struggled through it!
As mentioned at the start of this guide, it’s worth making a phone call to Away Resorts once you’ve narrowed down your options. Contact details for Away Resorts can be found here.
As mentioned at the start of this guide, it’s worth making a phone call to Away Resorts once you’ve narrowed down your options. Contact details for Away Resorts can be found here.
Do Park Holidays UK have a big range of disabled-friendly caravans and wheelchair accessible resorts?
Park Holidays UK has about 50 resorts around the UK and has become a big player in the holiday park market in the last few years. They've got accessible accommodation at about half of their holiday parks.
We've done some digging and figured out which of their parks have accessible accommodation.
Here they are, along with their overall customer review score, based on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews:
In case you want to do your own research, here's how you can find accessible and disabled holidays with Park Holidays UK:
We've done some digging and figured out which of their parks have accessible accommodation.
Here they are, along with their overall customer review score, based on TripAdvisor and Google Reviews:
- Bowland Fell Holiday Park in Yorkshire – 90%
- Pentire Holiday Park in Cornwall – 89%
- Pakefield Holiday Park in Suffolk – 88%
- Waterside Holiday Park in Devon – 87%
- Brynteg Holiday Park in Scotland – 85%
- Trevella Holiday Park in Cornwall – 84%
- Golden Sands Holiday Park in Devon – 83%
- Glendale Holiday Park in Cumbria – 82%
- Silver Sands Holiday Park in Scotland – 82%
- Marlie Holiday Park in Kent – 82%
- Polperro Holiday Park in Cornwall – 81%
- Broadland Sands Holiday Park in Suffolk – 81%
- Carlton Meres Holiday Park in Suffolk – 81%
- Coghurst Hall Holiday Park in Sussex – 80%
- Winchelsea Sands Holiday Park in Sussex – 80%
- Dovercourt Holiday Park in Essex – 80%
- Solent Breezes Holiday Park in Hampshire – 80%
- Hedley Wood Holiday Park in Devon – 79%
- Chichester Lakeside Holiday Park in Sussex – 79%
- Harts Holiday Park in Kent – 78%
- New Beach Holiday Park in Kent – 76%
- St Osyth Beach Holiday Park in Essex – 74%
- Sand Le Mere Holiday Park in Yorkshire – 74%
- Seawick Holiday Park in Essex – 73%
- Steeple Bay Holiday Park in Essex – 71%
In case you want to do your own research, here's how you can find accessible and disabled holidays with Park Holidays UK:
- Firstly, you need to go to this page that shows caravan holidays.
- Next, go onto the booking form thingy and leave the location as ‘All Parks’. Enter the dates you want to visit and the size of your party.
- You then need to look for the filtering options and choose 'Accessible'
You can then click through to the parks that you are interested in and it will just show you the accessible properties.
Planning a trip to Europe? Here's our guide to accessible holidays at Center Parcs in France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark.