Pontins Southport, Merseyside
Hotel Information
Hotel Description:
Southport Beach offers breath-taking views of the coastline, while Ainsdale Beach has recently been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag Award. The Centre itself offers everything you need for a fun-packed family holiday, with a host of entertainment and activities for all ages. There's no end of games and supervised activities for the kids to enjoy, they can even learn circus skills!Nearby Hotels Viewed by Other Travellers
Pontins Southport Reviews
" We have just returned from Southport... "
Submitted By: Mrs J.K Sangha- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" after reading some of the reviews we... "
Submitted By: Miss N Taylor- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:pontins
" I have just returned from pontins. I... "
Submitted By: Miss S Barry- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Other- Please Specify
" I have been to many pontins over the... "
Submitted By: Miss M L Barrow- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" We came back from Pontins in... "
Submitted By: Mrs K S MillsWe went the next morning and moved rooms, we were actually given 6 different chalet keys to go and look before we moved all our stuff out of the dirty room. Out of all the other budget room we looked at only one was clean we couldn't take that one though as there wasn't enough beds..
In the end we were upgraded to a classic it wasn't spotless but it was okay. .
After all that we did enjoy our hols and we will go back but I'd only book the club chalet. My children enjoyed it especially my 8 year old he loved everything about it so we will take them back..
- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" After reading some of the horror... "
Submitted By: Mrs K Forresterif i was to complain it would have to be about the chalet. Although we had been concerned about the cleanliness before arriving, there was no need to worry as it was more than acceptable for the money. My problem was the furniture. There was 7 in our group and there was only 1 bed settee to sit on. Also the seating at the table consisted of 6(not 7) hard plastic chairs, just like school. So there was a lot of swapping of seats as only 2 people could sit down comfartably at any one time. we stayed for 4 days and boy did my bones know about it when i got home!!!!
All in all Pontins was no where near as bad as i expected.
Park clean
Facilities good
Prices of food and drink Reasonable
Staff/bluecoats Amazing
Entertainments Very good
the bluecoats work tirelessly all day and night and deserve medals- WELL DONE.
- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" HAVE TO SAY NEARLY DIDNT GO AFTER... "
Submitted By: Mrs L Hopper- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" A rundown of what I think about... "
Submitted By: Mr G ParrIn my experiences there (I've lost count of how many times I've stayed!), the accommodation hasn't been that bad. I've stayed in far worse hotels / B&Bs. I'm amazed that some of the reviewers here can even survive in the real world!
I've had the odd issue (faulty kettle, e.t.c.) but it has always been dealt with promptly. Perhaps if fellow guests could be a bit more responsible and not go out of their way to trash the place... but Pontin's seems to attract... well, I'll be frank... scum, especially on the really cheap weeks (Sun offers are a prime example). If the camp were in perfect condition, it wouldn't be after a couple of nights with some of the people I've seen staying there. I bet they couldn't even plant some nice new trees without some unruly brat with parents getting sloshed 24/7 from kicking them down. I guess you could blame the site for having 3 bars, and not encouraging responsible drinking (they actually advertise alco-pops by the pint, and beer is much better value in a 4 pint jug, what do they expect - polite level headed guests all sober as a judge?!)
The Bluecoat shows at night weren't really my cup of tea, but they passed the time, and I guess any live entertainment is better than nothing at all (well, not always, but this wasn't bad, just not what I'm used to. I prefer live bands, rock music, e.t.c.)
I hear the Bluecoats are great for kids but can't comment on that aspect, as I don't have any!
The on-site food / drink is acceptably priced, and of reasonable quality. The fried chicken outlet is no more expensive than any high-street chain version (a chicken wrap, drink and fries was just over £4, no worse than KFC), and was surprisingly nice, although I didn't try any portions or reformed junk (uuggh... nuggets), I stuck to fillet based stuff. Pub meals also reasonably priced. The on-site chippy isn't worth bothering with though, to be quite honest I had a meal there and it was completely over greasy, to the point when I threw 90% of it away - and I never leave a clean plate if I can help it. Note to chippy staff : thick chips should not be transparent.
Staff were fine, security staff on at night seemed to keep things in order, and seemed cheerful with the guests - professional but welcoming, not intimidating. Bluecoats also seemed fine but they are more for the 'kids' than myself. The arcade area was fine, although it really could use a thorough clean. Put it this way, if you dropped something on the carpet, I think the carpet would eat it. Otherwise fine. A dodgy smell but maybe that was me?
** Useful advice for anyone considering it :
Southport is a lovely town, with an excellent range of shops (Chapel Street, and especially the famous Lord Street), and a huge array of food and drink on offer, including a Wetherspoons and a Lloyds No1. If you don't fancy the onsite pub, give them a shot! Also the usual McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Pizza Hut, Frankie & Benny's, plenty of fish and chip shops and even upmarket restaurants. If you don't mind walking the 5>10 minutes into Ainsdale for the train, Southport is a £1.95 return (as of April 2008) for adults, which is well worth it.
Ainsdale Village just down the road is a lovely picturesque village (at least as far as I walked into it!). Plenty of small family-run type businesses, paper shops, a supermarket (Somerfield), some more pubs, a Toby Carvery (it's been recommended but I didn't get a chance to try it!) and a nice safe, upmarket feel to the area.
There is a world outside Pontin's, and if you do as I do (use Pontin's as a base camp - a place to grab breakfast before heading out, then return to so you can wind down at night, and sleep), making sure to make the most of the local area during the day, you can't really go wrong.
If you intend to stay on camp 24/7 when there is so much to do in the local area, then more fool you, you deserve to notice small stains on the carpet and bits of dust for confining yourself to what is basically a shoebox by-the-sea.
There you have it, I think the site is 'generally good, not perfect and definate room for improvement, but NEVER worthy of 1/10'. People who compare the site to prison camps e.t.c. need to stand back and take a look at themselves.
Just someone PLEASE give the site a lick of paint, and generally 'modernise' it. Paint would be a good start, inside and out. Just generally tart it up a bit, so it doesn't look run down, otherwise guests will assume you just don't care about them, or the business.
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" FRIENDLY STAFF CHALET NOT TO BAD IN... "
Submitted By: Mr S J NICHOLS- Date of Holiday:Jun 2007
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:pontins
" FRIENDLY STAFF CHALET NOT TO BAD IN... "
Submitted By: Mr S J NICHOLS- Date of Holiday:Jun 2007
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:pontins
" My husband myself and two friends... "
Submitted By: Mrs DykeThank you Pontins for a very enjoyable weeks holiday.
The holiday was booked in the name of Mrs Shaw and we are all going to your camp at Prestatyn in October "Can't wait"
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" We have returned from a very... "
Submitted By: Mrs S MooresThe Queen Vic served excellent food and reasonably priced.
All in all had a good weekend.
Next time would upgrade to a Club Chalet.
Don't be put off with what you read, it's what you make of it that counts!
- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked IndependentlyFootball Tourament - Sports Tours
" we stayed at southport pontins in... "
Submitted By: Mr Jwn Thomasall i can say is this has been the worst weekend i and my family have had.
FINAL THOUGHT
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A LONG W/E OR ENGLISH HOLIDAY PLEASE PLEASE AVOID PONTINS AS I CAN ONLY ASSUME THEY ARE ALL THE SAME
NO CUSTOMER RELATIONS
NO STANDARD OF ACCOMADATION (ZERO STAR)
NO HEALTH OR HYGIENE KNOWLEDGE
NO ADDEQUATE TRAINING FOR STAFF IN IN ALL THE ABOVE AREAS
AFTER ALL THIS I WILL STILL TRY TO GET HOLD OF SOMEBODY TO EXPLAIN WHY IT IS SO BAD.
- Date of Holiday:Mar 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independentlydirect with pontins
" Spent one night at Pontins and that... "
Submitted By: Miss N H SharpFood also discusting. Wouldn't feed it to the local dogs.
I have given Pontins an overall rating of one but really this is to good. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone and never want to see it again. It needs knocking down.
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:Room Only
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" We upgraded before we arrived to the... "
Submitted By: Mrs D BeemishWe arrived at the weekend, as did lots of loud, older woman and men celebrating 40th birthdays,stag nights and other parties.Security guards were plenty (a feel of prison again) some woman said they were searching people for drink - nice!,we didn`t stay long.
About 2 o`clock that`s when the disco finished and the noise began,screaming,shouting,banging of doors---not a place for a family or anybody who wants a proper holiday.STAY AWAY DON`T RISK IT ,IT WILL HAVE TO BE KNOCKED DOWN BEFORE IT GETS ANY BETTER
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Sun Newspaper offer












