Doniford Bay Holiday Park

7 readers found this review helpful

I went to Doniford Bay on a Sun promotion Holiday with my Mom and sister (no kids). The camp is laid out very nice with picturesque views over Minehead, Watchet and South Wales. It was very clean and the staff very friendly.
I arrived at the park at 3pm for a 4pm check in. The check in was very easy and I was in my accommodation at 4.15. You are given a ticket with a number on by the person at the barrier as you arrive and then check in when your number is called. This makes sure that everyone checks in turn and everybody gets a ticket. Unlike some places I have been where giving out the tickets (at the Showbar entrance, not the barrier) has been chaotic, resulting in some people been missed out.
I have been to quite a few Haven Camps with the Sun. I never pay to upgrade accommodation but very often I am lucky enough to be allocated it anyway, this time being no exception. We were allocated a luxury 2 bedroom chalet (which you would have to pay an extra £30 to upgrade to), with 2 leather sofas, flat screen TV with DVD player, spacious bedrooms with heaters in and a proper electric shower (not the hit and miss ones like you have in a caravan). Bed linen was provided, although we hadn’t requested it. Everywhere was spotless. It was more spacious than a caravan, much warmer. It was very quiet compared to a caravan. In the adjoining chalet there were a couple of young children but we never heard any noise all week. There was a nice view from the window of cows grazing on the hillside and just outside the chalet you could see the bay over to Minehead and Watchet. There was a car parking space right outside and you didn’t have to worry about moving the car as the space was always vacant when we came back.
Like all other Haven Camps, the entertainment wasn’t up to much if you are over the age of 7. It was the usual stuff which they have every night, year in year out. Character show, Rory & Bradley’s Fun factor, game show party dances and a cabaret by the resident Funstars long after my bedtime. Admittedly, the Funstars do work hard to entertain the kids. I just wished that there was a bar where adults could have a quiet drink away from the kids. There used to be adult sports bars at some of the camps but these were destroyed some years ago at the expense of cafés or more amusements.
The amusement arcade was par for the course and I did enjoy a game of air hockey and bowling. The pool was OK, not the best I have seen but adequate. You can’t do any proper swimming but it was nice to have a dip and the waterslide was good fun. The shop had limited choice and if you wanted essentials like bread and milk you had to get there early. However they did nice sausage rolls and delicious chocolate doughnuts!
Overall, after reading some of the reviews, I was pleasantly surprised at the park with the nice views, the layout and the cleanliness of it all. I have been on Sun holidays three times per year since 1998 and with the exception of a luxury caravan at Burnham a couple of years ago it is the nicest accommodation I have had. It also ranks amongst the nicest parks that I have stayed at.

7 readers found this review helpful

After reading some of the dismal reviews found on this site, we arrived at our destination not expecting to be impressed. However it is Haven and we have spent many a happy holiday on their sites so hoped for the best.
WOW! The caravan was perfect, the site was clean and tidy and the staff really friendly and helpful. We had a great week and wonder why i had spent time worrying about the site.
Holidays are what you make of them so if the basics are there (at Donniford Bay they were) you will be ok!

1 reader found this review helpful

After reading a few bad reviews about Doniford Bay,we were a little worries about what to expect. I must say that we would definatly return, we had a fantastic time and the effort put in by the entertainers was 10 out of 10. A really family orientated place.

1 reader found this review helpful

After reading many reviews and dreading on what I had read I thought well it's haven so it must be good.After arriving we found the site very clean any tidy. Entertainment is very basic and the effort the entertainers put into selling junk to the captive holidaymakers, "They would sell armbands to a corpse" If this effort was turned to entertainment it would be a great place.The shop is worse than any I have ever come accross and talk about expensive. I feel that for a major holiday park operator such as haven it's a total shame on both them and the park .. Trust me guys think twice before going here

3 readers found this review helpful

I just got back from a 7 night break at doniford bay with my in laws, husband and our son thomas. Theres a few things for the kids to do, but on arrival our caravan was in horrid condition. The carpets were covered in black stains and it smelt of pee. We paid an extra 80 pound for the week to recieve fresh bedding, when we got to the caravan there was no bedding at all just horrible blankets, one which was covered in brown and yellow stains. This put a downder on the holiday instantly but we were upgraded the next day to a lovley clean caravan. I was let down with the area just becasue the website for the place is very decieving. Although all the days we stayed the weather was fantastic, up in the 20's, the bouncy castle was never up, and there never really seemd to be much going on, it was very disorganised. The food from the on site chippy was horrible but food from the onsite website was nice. They have a good live lounge wich is good to have a drink and very good for the kids with the shows on. But thats about it really. If your going to stay at doniford bay i would sugguest planning a few days out, we drove out 6 of the seven days we were there, to places like monkey world, longleat etc as it gets very boring at repetative on the site, even for the kids! and if your a smoker buy cigarettes in advance! they are nearly 7 pounds in the onsite shop. i wouldnt stay again to be honest, next time we are going to try a different haven camp, i just think doniford bay needs organizing anduptading a bit. but its good frun for the kid.
oh and the beach is nothing like it shows in the pictures on the website, the water is black and theres rocks everywhere.

1 reader found this review helpful

I love this site it might not look like much but this site is great they do lots of entertainment for the kids and are really friendly, the food is not so good but the caravans are so well equipped that it really does not matter, the beach is lovely for rockpooling, the place makes for a great holiday i have been going for three years and will keep going the drive down to the site is great and they have the charachters out nearly all the time, it is well worth going to, and enjoy your holiday.

5 readers found this review helpful

The chalet we were given was fairly clean.the bathroom floor felt as if you were going to fall through it, when you stood on it it was sinking .The bed was almost bare springs which creaked and groans with the slightest of movement, it had the feel of an old butlins chalet that had been just opened after a very long winter. The staff to be fair were extremly helpful and nothing seemed to much trouble. The breakfast is a disaster, because you have to pay extra for toast, the whole process falls to a grinding halt as you wait for the girl to toast each slice for customers. there are no staff to clear tables so you have to either sit amid the rubbish, try clear a space yourself or carry it into the bar next door as we had to with no knives , cold plates and no condiments.Better still go to Burnham on Sea 100% better

More Photos...

12 readers found this review helpful

I was a bit wary of going to doniford after reading the reviews but I was pleasantly surprised. Ok, the apartment wasn't fantastic, smelt a bit doggy but comfortable. We
took our dog with us and considering how dirty your dog can get after a walk down the pebbly beach the accomodation was clean. We didnt have a window blind in the kitchen and reported this to reception and was rectified the next day, after all we didn't arrive till late. Was told that some of the chalets/apartments are to be demolished from November and replaced with caravans (low maintainence). Was a bit miffed of having to have a bath as there wasn't a shower but the bath filled quite quickly and always had hot water and I got used to it. Bathroom was going mouldy but maybe thats the reason for getting rid. Went for a drive out most days to Minehead about 15-20mins drive away and weston super mare which took 50 mins drive. The site was clean and tidy, staff were pleasant and the food was lovely. I recommend the carvery. We have already booked for August next year in an apartment but booked on site to come again in October next year and having a caravan instead. The entertainment wasn't brilliant unless you like kids shows everyday, which didn't bother us as we were so tired by teatime we didn't want to go out, but we went just to see what it was like. I really enjoyed our holiday there and looking forward to next time we go.

6 readers found this review helpful

We stayed at Haven Doniford Bay, (2 adults and 2 children) with a Sun Holiday we stayed on Exmoor Way, the accommodation was a chalet (budget) for a weekend stay it was fine, basic but clean. The childrens funstars were excellent especially Brett, Lucy, Mike and the dude with the blond streak, our kids thought they were brilliant - keep up the good work dudes ! Please dont pay attention to the poor reviews, its fine ! Food is reasonable, and the Carsberg is £2.75 a pint so not too bad !! Dont forget your kitchen roll, tea towels, loo roll and a dish brush and enjoy it.

6 readers found this review helpful

We stayed in Doniford Bay and had a Superior Plus Caravan. The caravan was not exactly as it looked in the brochure but was fine for what we needed. It had afew faults with it but nothing major and we were not always in it anyway! The site and staff were fine and we had no problems. We checked in early as arrived early and our caravan was ready so we were glad especially when we saw the que at 4pm and we were all unpacked and walking to the entertainment area.
The shop and bar/restaraunt were pricey but we took as much food as we could and went to a supermarket mid week to stock up.
The entertainment was ok, the kids loved the characters so that was good and because it was end of summer holidays it was not too busy.
The pool was not deep enough and would not have been great if it had been busy as not huge but still it was better than not having one.
The park was tidy and had recyling facilies there.
We drove to minhead to the beach which was lovely as the local beach was not great, it was a nice day out and we really enjoyed it.
Overall it was a good holiday and we had no problems with out stay and just did what we wanted and went where we wanted and the kida loved it which makes it all worthwhile.