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Holiday Reviews > Holiday Parks > England > Somerset > Doniford Bay Holiday Park > Read Reviews
Doniford Bay Holiday Park ReviewsPage 1 2 3
| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Booked Independently |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs S H Burgess |
| Overall
Rating: |
3/10 |
| Comments: |
Well there was cob webbs out side the door loads, over head light not working. Cupboards and doors were filthy. Bathroom was discusting dirty and smelly. Cups and plates were too small. Nothing was free only the view which i would say was fantastic. The chalet was smelly and damp. this was haven site doniford bay. Enterainment was old hat.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
haven |
| Submitted
By: |
shaba |
| Overall
Rating: |
9/10 |
| Comments: |
booked platinum 3 bed caravan which was spotlessly clean which was privately owned and you could tell this was a well looked after van with its own little extra's in like kids games, dvd's lots of extra cooking equipment etc,right on front row with a great balcony which was great for the kids, the view from it was fantastic and even on a bad day you could draw the curtains back and relax still seeing the view of the bay. well worth paying the extra for.
the park itself was very pleasant could do with more adult activities during the day if the weathers dull but there are some fantastic places to visit around somerset with stunning scenery ,only a rock beach but there was some sandy spots if you walked along great for exploring , the kids loved searching under the rocks and thought it was a great adventure and if we wanted a day on a sandy beach minehead is only a 8-9 miles away there is a bus sevice that stops at the park that takes you there & back for just £3 return . the club is a good size a bit pricey but so is everywhere now could do with the stage brightening up as it was a bit dull for the funstars shows overall the holiday was pretty good and i would go again but id want the same caravan & spot we had cause i think this made it so much nicer.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Haven |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr M N Foster |
| Overall
Rating: |
7/10 |
| Comments: |
After reading the woeful reviews this Park received from previous visitors, I was a little apprehensive to what I might be letting my family in for. Fortunately my worst fears did not come true. My main concern was that a number of visitors had commented on the lack of cleanliness in the accomodation. This was not a problem in the caravan we stayed in (SUPERIOR PLUS.) The carpet had seen better days and would probably benefit from a deep clean, but other than that I was quite impressed with the caravan overall. The beds were small but the children didn't seem to mind.
My two children (2 and 4) enjoyed the swimming pool. Once out of the shallow end the depth is 1.1M all around the pool so they were only just out of their depths. The pool is not very big, but ideal for our needs. One little gripe is that it could have done with being a couple of degrees warmer!!
There was plenty of entertainment throughout the day to keep the children amused. Every morning between 11/12 there was a session for making/drawing/painting. This was well organised and fun for the children. The showbar could be better lit as it is very dark even during the day, and the tables and chairs were crammed together making it difficult to get out!!!
There is a soft play area called Pirates Ahoy which was also good fun.
At 6-30pm every night the characters put on a show on the stage and the children could show off their dancing skills (this wore them out just before bedtime.)
The kids had a great time which is the main thing for us.
Yes the site does look a little dated and the chalets/villas look like they have seen better days. But with the right accommodation I think Doniford Bay provides a decent base for a young family to tour the surrounding area/beaches. I would not recommend this park for families with teenagers as i think their entertainment would be limited.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Booked Independently |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr George Franklin |
| Overall
Rating: |
3/10 |
| Comments: |
We stayed at Haven Doniford Bay for a change from Butlins. Big mistake.
Though the caravan was very clean and tidy it did appear to have the smallest bedas in the world.
We found it hard to relate to the park as it is nothing like the bochure or the internet advert. though the entertainment staff worked hard with the resouces they had it must be seaid that a lack of talent could easily be noticed. The staff appeared to havee very little time for the public.
As for camp facilities they are laughtable. Aqua jets could only be usede at 9 am and not through the day. Pool was small and shut at luch time. The advertised bakery on site we couldnt find afer six days. Only take a way service was from the batter and chip shop, found no fish in it! Bingo every single night!
On the Thursday they had a power failure. This began at 1.50 pm. No one could tell us how long we had to wait for the power to be put back on. eventually we got told 2 to 3 hours. During this time they could still take our money for the childrens rides! At 4 pm I was told another 3 hours to wait. At this time, with nothing to do, we cut our holiday short and came home.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
privaite |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr Mr H |
| Overall
Rating: |
1/10 |
| Comments: |
Hey were do i start the reception staff were rude and un-helpful . Before we actally got the the caravan people we all moaning about the site and the mess of the park.
Walked through the caravan door to carpets that were black .kitchen was greasy.
bathroom moldy and carpet black.Tolietl ooked like it hadnt been cleaned in weeks
The beds were smaller than a double and mattress missing of springs gone in them,
we stayed one night and left the following morning at 6 am .
the swimming pool is alot smaller then the pics.
A weeks holiday that lasted one night .
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Jun 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Booked Independently |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr & Mrs Seddon |
| Overall
Rating: |
3/10 |
| Comments: |
We arrived to find booking in was an absolute nightmare. Not in reception but in the showbar, herded like cattle in front of all the guests already in the bar.
Our Caravan.... the carpet was filthy...and i mean FILTHY. Large Stains, dried food, dirty footprints. Terrible
Two of my children complained about the beds, which we found had been peed in. they stank of the toilet.
the cutley and crockery were all running with water and had to be re-washed before use. The outdoor aerial for the tv didn't work, so we had only the tiny tv aerial itself.
The shop was awful, none of the items you needed were there when you needed them & the staff didn't seem to know when they would arrive, or if they would for that matter. these were things like milk, bread,eggs, that kind of thing.
the arcade is small and limited with the prizes to gain from the tickets you win having thier number amounts changed with felt tip pen(our boy saved for a football item ,300 tickets, to find it had been changed to 1300 at the end of the week. the staff totally denied this, but 'paid' us off with some little items)The crazy golf surface is shabby and in need of repair, the bouncy castle was out of service because of health & safety concerns, the go-carts(two only) were slow and out-dated.
i could go on........
surfice to say, the brochure and internet site shows this park in a much better light than it is actually reality. avoid this outdated ,small haven site if at all possible. we will be.
and to those brummies who stayed on the site june 6-8 on bayside 20 with about 14 of you in the caravan, i hope you are better neighbours in the place where you live and you don't cause the disturbance you did for us..
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Apr 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
HAVEN INTERNET BOOKING |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr A MOTTRAM |
| Overall
Rating: |
1/10 |
| Comments: |
AFTER SEEING AN ADVERT ON TV FOR HAVEN HOLIDAYS AND HAVING A WEEKS HOLIDAY TO TAKE BEFORE THE END OF MY HOLIDAY YEAR I DECIDED TO HAVE A LOOK AT THE HAVEN WEB SITE .DONIFORD BAY DID NOT LOOK TO BAD AFTER VIEWING THE PICTURES FROM THE HAVEN WEB SITE SO I BOOKED THE STANDARD CHALET FOR 4 ADULTS AND LOOKED FORWARD TO OUR HOLIDAY ... WHAT A SHOCK WE HAD!!!!
A VERY SAD SHABBY RESORT WITH VERY POOR ACCOMMODATION. A CLEAN CHALET BUT ON CLOSER INSPECTION, A FRONT DOOR THAT HAD BEEN KICKED IN AT SOME TIME IN THE PAST AND VERY POOLY REPAIRED. A FRIDGE THAT ROCKED BECEAUSE IT ONLY HAD 3 FEET. A CUPBOARD OF PLATES AND BOWLS THAT NEEDED WASHING BEFORE USE .SMOKE ALARM HANGING OFF THE CIELING AND A TWO BAR ELECTRIC FIRE TO HEAT THE WHOLE CHALET.THE NIGHT TIME ENTERTAINMENT WAS POOR . ONLY GOOD THING ON THE SITE WAS THE SWIMMING POOL....WE LEFT AFTER 2 NIGHTS .I WILL NEVER USE HAVEN AGAIN EVER....
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Apr 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Sun holiday 4 night break |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs J Ball |
| Overall
Rating: |
8/10 |
| Comments: |
Having read the reviews on Doniford Bay I must say we were worried what the site and chalets were going to be like.
The weather had been quite chilly so rang the park a week before to ask which accommodation we would be in. Being a sun holiday we were told we would be in a basic chalet with a gas fire in the front room but no heating in the bedrooms, so having 2 children we decided to upgrade to a comfort chalet.
We arrived at the the site which is very clean but smaller than alot of the previous Haven sites we have stayed on over the last 7 years, 12 in all!
Check in time was not till 4pm (which should have been earlier having upgraded) but not a problem as kids had a go in the Indoor Fun Palace which is great. They went on the go-karts and trampolines (£1 each). Being the start of the season there were no queues all week so they had longer time on the activities. There is also crazy golf (£1 kids £2 adults) A bouncy castle/slide (£1 each), a great little park , sports court, and the funworks amusements with pool, ten pin bowling etc.
4pm came and we were a bit worried what to expect of the chalet but to our
surprise it was lovely,bright, clean and warm and near to the entertainment, activites and beach.
The staff on the site are very friendly. Our children loved the kids entertainment during the morning and the evening. They got to see alot of the characters (Rory etc) We won family bingo 4 times though on the last night it we were told we did not shout loud enough by not so Funstar Mark so were not given it!!!!!!(£3 a go)
The Cafe Bar is very clean with good meals. The children enjoyed the character breakfast with Polly and Rory.
The swimming pool again very clean, changing rooms and lockers by the side of the pool. Outdoor pool and 4-lane slide closed as too cold and early season. Aquajets (£5 for 30 mins) very fun experience for children.
The only bad point is the beach itself, though it is lovely having the direct beach access, its rocky with no sand and the sea is brown and mucky.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Mar 2008 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Booked Independently |
| Submitted
By: |
Other A PERSON |
| Overall
Rating: |
4/10 |
| Comments: |
AFTER HAVING READ SOME GOOD BUT MAINLY BAD REVIEWS ABOUT THIS CAMP I HOPED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE DISAPOINTED WITH OUR BREAK.
I HAD BOOKED A FOUR NIGHT BREAK FOR MY FIANCEE AND I, WITH A VIEW TO TAKING HER TO CORNWALL, DEVON AND THE MOORS WHILST WE WERE THERE.
OUR CHALET WAS ADEQUATE, CLEAN .ALTHOUGH THE BATHROOM WINDOW DID NOT CLOSE HENCE WE HAD TO LEAVE THE HEATING ON ALL OF THE TIME
WE WERE GIVEN WHAT WERE LAUGHINGLY CALLED "FUNWORKS PASSES" AND TOLD NOT TO LOSE THEM AS REPLACEMENTS WERE £5 EACH! AS FAR AS WE COULD SEE, THESE PASSES GOT YOU INTO THE BAR IN THE EVENING AND THAT WAS THAT! YOU COULD WALK IN THROUGH THE SMOKING AREA FOR NOTHING ANYWAY!
WE ATTENDED THE CABARET ON THE FIRST EVENING AND AS THE ENTERTAINMENT WAS SO LAME, WE DID NOT BOTHER TO GO BACK, EXCEPT FOR THE CASH BINGO WHICH COST £6.50 FOR FIVE BOOKS AND THE LARGEST PRIZE WAS £9!
IT SEEMED THAT ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES (COLOURFULLY DISPLAYED ON THE WEB SITE) FOR CHILDREN TO DO MEANT STICKING YOUR HAND IN YOUR POCKET ENDLESS TIMES EVERY DAY. OTHERWISE THERE WAS OF COURSE THE ARCADE WHERE THEY COULD SPEND POUNDS. OR THE SWIMMING POOL WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT NOT WORTH GETTING CHANGED FOR.
WE WERE ONLY TOO GLAD THAT WE DID NOT HAVE OUR CHILDREN WITH US, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BANCRUPT!!
ALL IN ALL, I WOULD NOT TAKE ANY CHILDREN THERE AS THEY WOULD BE BORED RIGID.
THEY WERE PRETTY FORCEFUL IN TRYING TO SELL US ONE OF THEIR CARAVANS, WE CHOSE ONE AND ASKED THAT IT BE TRANSPORTED TO THE CAMP IN TENBY NEARER US,(IN WALES) BUT THEY APPARENTLY HAD NONE!!! OTHER PEOPLE BOUGHT THE SAME ONE AFTER US! WE WERE SUSPICIOUS THAT THEY WANTED US TO KEEP IT THERE!
AFTER THE FIRST EVENING'S ENTERTAINMENT AND HAVING SEEN WHAT THE CAMP OFFERED WE DECIDED TO USE THE PLACE SIMPLY TO SLEEP IN AND SPEND THE DAYS TOURING THE AREA. WHICH WAS BEAUTIFUL AND MADE UP 100% FOR THE LOUSY START TO OUR BREAK.
ON OUR LAST EVENING (YESTERDAY) WE WENT TO "THE HAIRY DOG" IN MINEHEAD FOR A MEAL WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC, A VERY NICE PUB WITH A GREAT ATMOSPHERE.
WE DID MANAGE TO SECURE THE PURCHASE OF THREE LOVELY HOUSES IN THE AREA SO THE BREAK WASN'T A COMPLETE DISASTER AS THE PROPERTIES ARE SO BEAUTIFUL AND SO CHEAP THERE. WE COULD MAKE £700-£800 A MONTH EACH HOUSE IF WE WISHED TO RENT THEM OUT.
THIS WE ARE CONSIDERING AS A TAX FREE INCOME.
THE AREA AROUND THE PARK IS STUNNING AND WELL WORTH THE VISIT, NOT SOMETHING I COULD SAY FOR THE PARK ITSELF UNFORTUNATELY.
SOME FINAL ADVICE....DO NOT BOOK A CHALET WITHOUT HEATING UNLESS YOU CAN TAKE YOUR OWN. WE HAD HEATING BUT STILL HAD TO PUT ALL FOUR OF THE COOKER RINGS ON TO GAIN ANY WARMTH.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Oct 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
SUN HOLIDAY |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs L Wicklen |
| Overall
Rating: |
9/10 |
| Comments: |
We weren't sure what to expect, having read some poor reviews. We arrived bang on check in time and only had to wait 5 minutes for our keys. As this was a cheap Sun holiday, we knew that the accommodation would be basic.
We had been allocated a chalet just opposite the entertainment complex. The accommodation was warm and clean, with everything we needed for the stay. We were concerned that it may be noisy, but heard nothing throughout the evening.
We spent the evenings at the family entertainment with our boys (aged 3 and 6) who had a fantastic time. The entertainment staff were fantastic and most staff were very cheery and helpful. We didn't use the swimming facilities as the opening times were not suitable for our needs so I cannot comment on this.
All in all we had a great time and the only negative I can say is that the food in the restaurant was a bit of a letdown (not much choice - but then this was the last week of the season) and the bar and kids bar were a little pricey (but what do you expect).
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| Board Basis: |
Room Only |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Sep 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Sun Holidays |
| Submitted
By: |
Ms A.N. Other |
| Overall
Rating: |
10/10 |
| Comments: |
My husband and I, along wtih some friends stayed at Doniford last September (2007) for a long weekend. We had a brilliant time! Our caravan was large and clean, obviously it's a caravan so not the warmest place in September, but with an excellent gas fire it didn't take long to make very cosy.
We only used the evening entertainment facilities once but really enjoyed it even if it was as some people put "lame". It's a caravan park what do you expect?
The staff were courteous when approached and we had no problems at all.
None of our party have children, so we cannot say about the children's activity side of things but we did see lots of families so it's clearly popular.
For the person who secured "three holiday cottages" on their visit to the area- if you can afford to buy three properties in Somerset then why oh why are you at a Haven holiday park? This is a review site for Doniford not a forum for showing off.
These parks provide affordable holidays for all and should be valued for what they supply: some time away from the hassles of daily life, a break for children and parents and a chance to enjoy the seaside.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Haven |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr J B Ogg |
| Overall
Rating: |
1/10 |
| Comments: |
After being offered three different chalets that could only be described as a health hazard due to the levels of filth, we decided to turn around and go home. The possibility of being ill in this place was too big a risk for us and there was no way we could have had a half decent holiday in this place.
We will be choosing the another site extremely carefully and it will not be Doniford Bay.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Booked Independently/Haven website |
| Submitted
By: |
Other J B |
| Overall
Rating: |
2/10 |
| Comments: |
The whole site was disappointing. As we drove up to it we saw a right mess of a place. The place to pick up your keys was inside the arcade, not in the reception. We had a silver caravan, but it was a right state. We didn’t even get matching bed sheets when we got our linen. It was a mix and match. Paint was falling of the ceiling in the bathroom, and mould was growing in all the corners (we have photographic proof).
The worktop was also mouldy, and a part of the surround had come of. The cooker/grill did not come with a tray so we had to improvise and use a plate and a towel. The glasses were chipped and the plates were a mix n match of several items. It was the same for all of the cutlery and dining equipment. The cooker was ancient and had to be lit by a match.
The security was good at the gate, but it made you feel a bit threatened by the barrier and guard at the entrance. The drive down from the main road is so long and took us a while to get to the end of it on foot.
The club was grimy and the arcade gave you these pointless tickets. You got on average about 3 tickets every time you used a machine, each play costing 10p. You needed 1600 tickets for a little electric clock which I later found in my local shops for £3.99.
Also the pool staff never really paid any attention to what you were doing, so when a fight occurred in the pool, it took several minutes before they got off their bums to stop it. Imagine if your child was drowning in there, would they notice that?
Also the fact that children are now allowed to run free in the club after 10 means you get tired, misbehaving children running around and causing mayhem. A couple of years ago all children had to be out of the club by 10 o'clock. The adult shows are not very adult like and are very boring.
We have been to several Haven sites before and it has never been like this. We even went there 5 years ago and it was fine. The whole site has deteriorated and so I, personally, advise people not to go to it.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Haven |
| Submitted
By: |
Mrs P Kirby |
| Overall
Rating: |
9/10 |
| Comments: |
We stayed in a silver caravan. It was very clean and had all equipment that we needed in the kitchen. We were very impressed with amount of room in the lounge area, enough for 7 of us to relax.
The park itself was really clean, main bins emptied every day and gardeners tidying up at least 3 times whilst we were there.Very quiet park, nice and relaxing at night. Teenagers enjoyed the arcades and thought that the slides at the outdoor pool were great.
The staff were very pleasant and helpful. Minehead beach was only 15 mins away, super helicopter rides! Enjoyed a lovely meal at "The Hairy Dog" in Minehead and "The Windmill" which was recommended by Haven staff. Ample parking for both our cars. Bar prices very reasonable.
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| Board Basis: |
Self Catering |
| Date of
Holiday: |
Aug 2007 |
| Tour
Operator: |
Haven Holidays |
| Submitted
By: |
Mr A Riley |
| Overall
Rating: |
4/10 |
| Comments: |
Well, the chalets are clean(ish), but shabbily decorated. Ours had no external TV ariel & with 2 kids wanting CBBC every morning, this is not a good start. It didn't get any better when we made a cup of tea. All the glass crockery was chipped. I dont think that is at all safe.
The staff NEVER smiled the whole week we were there. We were told that between last year and this the "ents complex" had been redesigned. This meant that in order to watch the football, you had to fight to get a seat with people who are eating meals, and listen to the main entertainment at the same time. Bad design!
In the so called fun zone, a lot of the machines were able to take your money and then not deliver the game, so a sullen repair man had to be called to get the money back. 3 times in 1 hour is over the top.
Also, the kids can collect tokens to exchange for gifts at a store that is only open AFTER most guests have checked out. You try to explain that little problem to a 6 year old who has 300 Rory tokens...
We have been to other Haven parks, and really had a great time. We won't be heading back to Doniford Park EVER!
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Doniford Bay Holiday Park ReviewsPage 1 2 3
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