Pontins Southport

2 readers found this review helpful

I arrived at this Pontins site on 6th June 2011 and our experience was horrendous from the start.
We usually go to the Prestatyn site, in Wales, which we love, but there wasn't the accommodation that we required, available so we booked for Southport instead. Our break was supposed to be a cheap, stress free few days away from the day to day trials and tribulations.
Upon arrival security presumed we had already been there as we had a dated sticker in my car window from last years holiday to Wales. Surely each site should have their own colours and should have a date upon each of the stickers. If it was not for me saying that I hadn;t been there before and didn't know my way around they were more than happy to let us onto the site. In Prestatyn, in previous years, security have given each car that has entered the site a window sticker and a number care to be hung to proove how many people are supposed to be on site. They also used to check booking forms. At Southports they didn't.
We qued up to collect our keys but the 3 ques were intertwining and no one knew where they were going. Te reception staff did not give us any direction to where things were, just the number of our challet.
When we arrived at our challet we unpacked and rested. We checked the bathroom and kitchen to make sure that all utensils and items were there. They weren't.
We went to collect our 2nd key at around 7pm to be told that our maintenence problems would have to wait until the morning. We returned to the challet to cook our evening meal to find that the cooker's hobs sunk dramatically when you put pans on them, and even cooked thigns in the oven when the oven itself had not been switched on and remained hot for numerous hours after.
That evening there was an incident involving next door and a lot of security. We do not know, nor do we wish to know, what happened but we were reassured that nothing else would happen and that we would all be safe.
The tuesday morning we arrived back at the reception desk to be greeted by security as there had been incidents earlier that day regarding aggressive guests. The guy on reception was as nice as could be and put our challet as a priority.
After several hours shopping in Southport we returned to the site, not to be challenged by security, and went to reception to see if the cooker had been seen to as we did not want to use it without it being checked as this, in our eyes was a major health and safety issue. We were told "not everything can be done on our list" and the woman would not give us any more details. That evening we cautiosly used the cooker, even with reservations about the safety of it.
Wednesday we spent a good few hours in the pool. The pool was not too noisy and there wasn't that many children around which was great.
We returned to our challet to find that someone had attepted to break into our challet. My partner allerted security and a maintenance employee was sent to look at the damage. In his opinion it would be inpossible to do as the windows are locked. The windows are shut from the inside and there are no keys to lock the windows. I went back to reception to arrange moving to a 2nd challet as the 4 girls in our group of 5 did not feel safe leaving the challet with it's contents not staying in the challet. It took us over 30 minutes trying to persuade the reception colleague that we needed a new challet.
We had booked a ground challet but the only one available to us was one on the upper floor. We had booked for the ground floor because I myself suffer from back problems and my friend has recetly had an operation on her knee. We both suffered with taking items up and down the steps and even without carrying anything it was a struggle.
I could go on with the things that were wrong with the new challet, apart from that we were given free electric for the remainder 48 hours that we were there. Not really a surfice appology.
After returning from Southport I have had to be signed off work for a week by my doctor as I have had severe difficulty in walking and going about everyday life. I am 21 years of age.
I have put in a formal complaint with the site and am waiting for a reply from them.
I loved visiting the Prestatyn with family and friends as it is in a great location and the staff are lovelly. But I WILL NEVER BE GOING BACK TO THE SOUTHPORT SITE and will not be going back to Pontins for many years until I feel like I can trust the company again.

3 readers found this review helpful

this was the worst place i have ever been to. i don't go away to make my own beds i can stay at home and make my bed. there was ants in the bedroom had to report them and all they did was spray the area and didn't clear the ants so there was dead ants all over the bedding and window sill. the rooms was filthy there was stains on the carpets. the swimming pool looked dirty like they had never even cleaned it before. the food was disgusting, there wasn't really a choice only a few options. the entertainment room was very uncomfortable seating and one night they was doing the Christmas entertainment and we are in June Christmas is 6 months away its bad for the children. so in total i would never go back to this holiday park.

2 readers found this review helpful

WOW. We left after one night. Accommodation was budget but that is no excuse for the excessive mould on the kitchen curtains and snails in the bathroom. The amusements area was poor with a lot of machines not working properly and no sign of any attendants. The bars had long queues for drinks. To top it all we tried the 'All you can eat' breakfast only to discover that they had ran out of bread, the tea machine was empty and we had to clean a table ourselves in order to eat. Service was poor from start to finish. Would advise anyone contemplating this place to try it first before spending money for a longer break. Try a day visit for a fiver.

6 readers found this review helpful

I thought I would treat the 2 boys and take them to Southport Pontins for a 3 night break. What an experience. As we drove up to park our car, there were a number of chavs, cans of lager in hand, having a party around the cars. Oh well, I thought, they are on holiday.
I parked the car and went to check in. Got the keys to the chalet and oh my god. I have stayed in other pontins and Haven sites but this accomodation was unbelievable. The strong smell of tobacco lingered at the back of my throat. Everything, including the walls seems to have a slight brown tinge from what could only be cigarette smoke. I resisted putting my head on the couch settee as it reaked of cigarettes and was sticky to the touch. The carpet stuck to your shoes (I didn't dare take my shoes off)as you walked across, making a strange noise with each step I took to the... kitchen. Nothing a bottle of bleach wouldn't sort out there, apart from the peeling laminate and ingrained mould which was beyond remedy. In one of the kitchen cupboards the electric meter was located. I never had to put any coins in this during the stay as someone had bypassed it, giving a free supply of electricity.
Dare I venture into the toilet... well it wasn't too bad and had probably been cleaned recently.
Fighting back the urge to shower I went to customer services and asked if there was an alternative chalet as the smell of tobacco was too much for an ex smoker. The lady looked at me with defeat in her eyes, mixed with pity and sadness and said ''sorry they are all like that'' She did give me a large can of air freshener which I went back and emptied all over the carpet, walls, curtains and sofa.
The holiday had become slightly more bearable, so after covering the sofa, giving the boys rules, that shoes must be worn indoors at all times and wash hands before going to the toilet, we made our way to the entertainment complex. We cut short our hol, only staying 1 night as I didn't want to dissapoint the boys, only the chanting football songs, couples arguing, with new swear words learned by my young sons from the chavs walking home until 3 in the morning, drove me to cut the hol short.
To sum up,, if you want a chavtastic holiday, can live in accomodation which would scare a tramp, Pontins is for you

What do people expect for the price,its a holiday for children,iv just came back from a 5 night stay,absolutely shatterd with all the fun filld days, YES the carpets are dirty but there all in the middle of getting new flooring and decorated,if u want 5 star go n pay for it !!

3 readers found this review helpful

If you thinking of going to this dump please save yourself from the stress, 17 coaches from David Urquhart travel arrived on monday 6th of June 2011 95 per cent of the holiday makers were over 65 and they were treated appallingly,one of the workers at Pontins said he was outraged at the way they had treated us all, he said we were treated like cattle, 99 per cent of the holday makers wanted to go home on arrival and it got worse from there on in, thilthy is an understatement, ants were a problem people had them in there beds, floors and carpets were thilthy, duvets and pillows were well past there sell by date!!I could go on forever

a bit run down but overall friendly and cozy

1 reader found this review helpful

booked for may half term got there check in was disorganised when we finally got our keys and got to our appartment we was in and out in 10 minutes the whole holiday lasted 2 hours insted of the 4 days it should of done it was disgusting and we were in classic there was stains all over bedding pots and werent washed fridge was rusty and dirty floors were all stained and sticky i would say dont do it

2 readers found this review helpful

We went end of may monday to friday after reading all the reviews i was expecting to be leaving when i arrived. I stayed the whole 4 nights i went with my partner and my two children 7 years and 8 months. The room is basic i think most people that went were expecting 5 star for £100 . You get what you pay for. The only things i can complain about was the grill plate did not fit under the grill and you could not use the handle . The shower dripped and the sofa bed was horrible to sleep on and there are no fire regulations telling you what to do in the event of a fire. The entertainment wad fab. And the blue coats were good with the kids. !!!!! also if you have kids watch that they do not scold them selfs on the hot water very hot. I would tell people to go with a open mind. As other people have commented there was refurbishment going on while we were not there. Not as bad as people made out... Go see for your self

2 readers found this review helpful

Went for a 4 night break in the half term and returned home the same evening. Rooms were unhabitable as carpets were filthy with stains on. furniture looked like it was well overdue for the skip and the walls were filthy and had brown splash marks up the walls in the bedroom and I had to promptly remove my 2 year old son that was leaning on the dirty wall. After queing for ages for a refund and 2 tired hungry children at 9pm we gave them chicken nuggets and chips as no better alternative (already had lasagne in the car to cook but no facilities as no clean apartment)and then found the chicken nuggets were stale and was told there was a problem with the cooker. 24 hours later they had the runs. Pontins you should be ashamed and Britannia too if you now own this. It needs condeming with a big buldozer on the whole site.