Pontins Prestatyn Sands, Denbighshire, Wales
Hotel Information
Hotel Description:
Pontin's Prestatyn Sands Centre is simply bursting with everything you want for family holiday fun. There's no end of entertainment and activities for all ages, including fantastic games and supervised activities for the kids. Under 8's can even test their road-handling skills at Captain Croc's Driving School! Come rain or shine, all the family can take to the water in the indoor heated pool. loading...
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Pontins Prestatyn Sands Reviews
" Wrongly informed "
Submitted By: angelweb
I booked a holiday to Brean Sands for the Christmas period 23th Dec 2009 to the 27th Dec 2009. I telephoned Pontins to book it and was informed that it was £340 for the whole family ( 6 ) self catering but they provided us with a christmas dinner on the 25 th. Brillient I thought .... that was until I phoned to ask if a menu was set etc and was told we were not getting a christmas meal unless we pay another £175 . I reminded the person I spoke to that the telephone conversation I had with one of his collegues about the meal being in with the price and he said they would get back to me. Two days later ( after I had tried to speak to someone the day before to no avail ) I recieved a call from the bookings manager who was very apologetic and was appalled as she said when they played the conversation back of the booking. She said that I had been wrongly informed and that I would have to pay for the christmas dinner. She did say in way of compensation they would give us a bigger chalet .... what good is a bigger chalet when you have no food for christmas dinner. I asked if we could eat anywhere else that maybe a little cheaper and she informed me that every where would be closed so we would have no choice but to pay the £175 for the meals. Thank goodness I had only put a deposit of £50 down , I have asked for my deposit to be refunded and I am awaiting their reply but this surley is false advertising. PONTINS NEVER AGAIN !!!!!
- Date of Holiday:Dec 2009
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Biological Health Hazard "
Submitted By: MARSHYMOOS
Our stay at Pontins Prestatyn was for 3 nights half board, unfortunately we didn't even make it to the first night. As we drove towards the site we joked that some buildings we could see in the distance, which resembled a run down prison camp, would be our abode for the next few days. However, we stopped laughing when it became apparant that this was in fact where we were staying.
Although the site looked run down and desolate, we thought this may be due to booking out of season. We were very wrong. Our 'apartment' which we upgraded from Budget to Club (top of the range!!!) was very tiny, extremely filthy, dated and worn out. We decided to make up our 'bed' which was a bed settee as soon as we unpacked. The mattress unfolded and it looked like there were bits of dead insects/pee stains and black bobbly bits - so we decided to turn it over - big mistake - on the other side we are only guessing that someone probably died on it due to the big brown stains - the only thing missing was the chalk marks.
Our daughter took off her shoes in the 'apartment' as soon as we arrived and the bottom of her socks were black.
The holiday rep came round to see if everything was okay and we told him how dirty everything was - he did offer to change the mattress and get the cleaners in, but we declined. It wasn't just normal cleaning that needed doing to that apartment to make it habitable - it needed decontaminating.
Outside our 'appartment' and indeed everywhere else on the site there were fag ends - thousands upon thousands of them discarded on the floor.
We decided to go to the ball pit play area and unfortunately our daughter had to use the toilet there, all of them were absolutely filthy.
By now we were having serious concerns about even eating there. So we packed all up, checked out, had our money refunded and went home. Yippeee!
Please don't ever think about going to Pontins Prestatyn to have a holiday - not even if you're absolutely desperate.
Although the site looked run down and desolate, we thought this may be due to booking out of season. We were very wrong. Our 'apartment' which we upgraded from Budget to Club (top of the range!!!) was very tiny, extremely filthy, dated and worn out. We decided to make up our 'bed' which was a bed settee as soon as we unpacked. The mattress unfolded and it looked like there were bits of dead insects/pee stains and black bobbly bits - so we decided to turn it over - big mistake - on the other side we are only guessing that someone probably died on it due to the big brown stains - the only thing missing was the chalk marks.
Our daughter took off her shoes in the 'apartment' as soon as we arrived and the bottom of her socks were black.
The holiday rep came round to see if everything was okay and we told him how dirty everything was - he did offer to change the mattress and get the cleaners in, but we declined. It wasn't just normal cleaning that needed doing to that apartment to make it habitable - it needed decontaminating.
Outside our 'appartment' and indeed everywhere else on the site there were fag ends - thousands upon thousands of them discarded on the floor.
We decided to go to the ball pit play area and unfortunately our daughter had to use the toilet there, all of them were absolutely filthy.
By now we were having serious concerns about even eating there. So we packed all up, checked out, had our money refunded and went home. Yippeee!
Please don't ever think about going to Pontins Prestatyn to have a holiday - not even if you're absolutely desperate.
Advice: Weren't there long enough
Activities: Weren't there long enough
- Date of Holiday:Oct 2009
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Avoid Pontins Prestatyn Sands "
Submitted By: TomCampbell
This is the letter of complaint I posted to Pontins Head Office:-
Dear Sir/Madam,
My family and I have just returned from a Holiday from Hell booked and purchased from you. Please find explained below most of the problems we experienced, but the list is by no means exhaustive.
Cost
I paid £691 for my holiday broken down as follows:-
Classic 2 bed apartment: - £394
Ground floor supplement: - £5
Adult meals: - £168
Child meals: - £84
PGL activities: - £40
When we arrived at site, it appeared that the majority of the guests had paid a token sum through The Sun and had a received an automatic FREE upgrade to the same Classic apartment that I had paid for. When I asked if I could upgrade to Club, I was quoted £235 only to find out later, that had I paid through The Sun, then I could upgrade to Club for £90 after having paid the token Sun price. I booked through The Pontins Website direct as it promised the best deal available which is quite obviously not the case.
Accommodation
The accommodation does not look like it has been touched since the 60s. We had 3 separate apartments during our stay due to the filthy and poorly maintained state of them.
1st room (365):- Apartment stank of smoke and damp and there was a thick coating of dust and detritus on most surfaces in all rooms.
Kitchen -Food in the cooker, wall tiles and chopping board. All surfaces were filthy.
Bathroom – The floor was coming away from all sides and there was a build up of black sludge in all corners. The toilet and toilet brush had faeces on them. The shower had a mixture of filth and pubic hair in it.
Bedrooms smelt of damp. Don’t know the quality of the beds as this apartment was a health hazard and should have been condemned.
2nd room (375):- Apartment stank of damp and there was a thick coating of dust and detritus on most surfaces in all rooms as with 365.
Kitchen -Food on the chopping board. All surfaces were still not perfect but better than 365.
Bathroom – The floor was coming away from all sides and there was a build up of black sludge in all corners as with 365. The toilet was coming away from the wall.
Bedrooms – All had a damp smell and the beds had springs coming through so none of us got a nights sleep.
3rd room (395):- Apartment still had a thick coating of dust and detritus on most surfaces in all rooms but by this stage we were beyond caring so we bought cleaning equipment and did it ourselves even though it had, allegedly, been thoroughly cleaned before we were offered it. The toilet brush, again, had faeces on it and there was a ring of black damp around the inside of the toilet bowl.
My daughter has asthma so the standard of cleanliness is pretty important but even had Pontins set their standards low, they still failed to achieve them. In this matter of hygiene standards, I will be contacting Environmental Health Department as my daughter works in environmental health department for a local council so we will be seeking her advice on how to approach this matter.
The laundrette was overpriced at £3 per wash cycle and 50p for 10 minutes in the tumble dryer. Also, it was not possible to hire a clothes airer, so most apartments looked like a Chinese laundry with washing hanging from all available points.
Beachcomber Restaurant and Food Outlets
The quality of the food in the restaurant was acceptable; however, we felt that there was a poor selection especially for children. My daughter had only a plate of chips on 3 occasions due to the lack of choice. There were no pasta dishes, jacket potatoes or burgers on offer and the only healthy option was a very basic salad. There was no water available to have with our meals unless we paid extra, so the children had either fresh orange or a fizzy drink which is not really an option for breakfast. Some staff in the restaurant had a poor grasp of English so we ended up pointing to what we wanted. The other food outlets on-site were over priced and of low quality with staff who appeared completely miserable in their work. While standing at the Casey’s Whistle stop with my son, the staff were heard discussing what they would like to do to some young ladies who walked past.
Activities and Entertainment
The activities provided free of charge on-site were poor and not very well publicised. We only found out later that there was rounders etc going on but this was cancelled due to lack of interest. Had there been a public address system then these activities could have been announced. The clubs and activities indoors were aimed at the under 8s which is no good if your children are 12 and 15 which mine are. The swimming pool was OK but the life guards did not seem to be paying much attention to what was going on. I booked my son in for swimming lessons on 2 days and on the first we turned up at the pool at 0855 as instructed but no-one seemed to be providing any sort of lesson so we left at 0920. We later found out that we had to approach a lifeguard and tell them that we were there for a lesson. We also booked and paid for 12 PGL activities, which I have since been billed for although I have already paid via Paypoint and have the receipt to prove it. When we looked at these activities on the internet and spoke about them to staff via the phone, there was no mention at all that most were restricted to under 16s so my wife and I could not participate. Had we known this then we would have booked less as my children ended up doing activities more that once to use up the pre-booked vouchers. The 2 venues, The Lunar bar and the Fun Factory should have set age limits, because I find young children being in a venue with acts aimed at adults and older children disgusting. Our holiday was planned at this time to coincide with my son’s birthday which was an unmitigated disaster. We asked the day before, how to go about getting him a mention on his big day and we were told to write the details on a note and pass it to whatever Bluecoat was on duty. We did this and were assured that he would get a mention and if we wanted to, we could provide a cake. We did this but as the night went on and nothing was said, we again approached the Bluecoats who assured us that he would be mentioned. At midnight, we decided that enough was enough and left with a very disappointed 12 year old. The entertainment on site seemed to either involve spending a fortune on PGL and amusements or getting drunk in one of the bars. So much for good clean family fun.
Security
Security on the site appeared to be a complete and utter joke. Some men who looked like hired thugs walking around talking among themselves and ignoring what was going on around them. Whilst we were there, there were 2 occasions on which we were evacuated due to fire alarms when we were told to go onto the car park and await further instructions. We were given no explanation on the cause of these alarms and on nether occasion did a Fire appliance turn up which I find disgusting. I suspect this is due to Pontins putting cost before safety as they would be charged if an appliance turns up to a false alarm and they would rather risk a fire taking hold to this happening. Whilst we were there, a couple we were sitting with had their bag stolen by a young girl. When security were informed they asked the details. There was a CCTV camera pointing directly at us but the security guard was unaware of its existence or whether there were any and we were told later that they were just for show. In this day and age of children going missing I find it downright irresponsible for a resort such as this which is aimed at families with young children to provide substandard security, if any at all. On our first night, there was a pitched battle between some drunken yobs which required Police involvement. 2 were escorted off site that night and more were evicted the next day.
Plus Points
Yes, there were a few plus points. Both duty managers we spoke to could not have been more helpful. Richard, who filled in the Customer Care Form with us could not have been more apologetic and gave my son £40 Pontins Pounds in lieu of his birthday disaster. The reception staff were also very helpful. The Bluecoats, who were obviously overworked, were very entertaining. The character Shop and Nisa store were both competitively priced. The PGL staff were great with the children and were also very friendly.
All in all our holiday was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish and we ended up going home a day early as we had had enough. Had we booked through The Sun and received our FREE automatic upgrade to a Classic apartment then we would probably be a little less disgruntled but including the amount we spent on-site, our holiday cost in the region of £1500 which would have taken us abroad. We travelled 5 hours each way to a holiday camp which looked like a prison camp with hygiene standards that would not have looked out of place in a third world refugee camp. We had looked forward to a nice family holiday only to be confronted with Pontins Prestatyn Sands. I will also be forwarding all our complaints to Watchdog and reviewing the Camp on as many holiday websites as I can find as I could not, with a clear conscience, allow any other family to experience a holiday like we had.
Yours truly
Tom Campbell
Dear Sir/Madam,
My family and I have just returned from a Holiday from Hell booked and purchased from you. Please find explained below most of the problems we experienced, but the list is by no means exhaustive.
Cost
I paid £691 for my holiday broken down as follows:-
Classic 2 bed apartment: - £394
Ground floor supplement: - £5
Adult meals: - £168
Child meals: - £84
PGL activities: - £40
When we arrived at site, it appeared that the majority of the guests had paid a token sum through The Sun and had a received an automatic FREE upgrade to the same Classic apartment that I had paid for. When I asked if I could upgrade to Club, I was quoted £235 only to find out later, that had I paid through The Sun, then I could upgrade to Club for £90 after having paid the token Sun price. I booked through The Pontins Website direct as it promised the best deal available which is quite obviously not the case.
Accommodation
The accommodation does not look like it has been touched since the 60s. We had 3 separate apartments during our stay due to the filthy and poorly maintained state of them.
1st room (365):- Apartment stank of smoke and damp and there was a thick coating of dust and detritus on most surfaces in all rooms.
Kitchen -Food in the cooker, wall tiles and chopping board. All surfaces were filthy.
Bathroom – The floor was coming away from all sides and there was a build up of black sludge in all corners. The toilet and toilet brush had faeces on them. The shower had a mixture of filth and pubic hair in it.
Bedrooms smelt of damp. Don’t know the quality of the beds as this apartment was a health hazard and should have been condemned.
2nd room (375):- Apartment stank of damp and there was a thick coating of dust and detritus on most surfaces in all rooms as with 365.
Kitchen -Food on the chopping board. All surfaces were still not perfect but better than 365.
Bathroom – The floor was coming away from all sides and there was a build up of black sludge in all corners as with 365. The toilet was coming away from the wall.
Bedrooms – All had a damp smell and the beds had springs coming through so none of us got a nights sleep.
3rd room (395):- Apartment still had a thick coating of dust and detritus on most surfaces in all rooms but by this stage we were beyond caring so we bought cleaning equipment and did it ourselves even though it had, allegedly, been thoroughly cleaned before we were offered it. The toilet brush, again, had faeces on it and there was a ring of black damp around the inside of the toilet bowl.
My daughter has asthma so the standard of cleanliness is pretty important but even had Pontins set their standards low, they still failed to achieve them. In this matter of hygiene standards, I will be contacting Environmental Health Department as my daughter works in environmental health department for a local council so we will be seeking her advice on how to approach this matter.
The laundrette was overpriced at £3 per wash cycle and 50p for 10 minutes in the tumble dryer. Also, it was not possible to hire a clothes airer, so most apartments looked like a Chinese laundry with washing hanging from all available points.
Beachcomber Restaurant and Food Outlets
The quality of the food in the restaurant was acceptable; however, we felt that there was a poor selection especially for children. My daughter had only a plate of chips on 3 occasions due to the lack of choice. There were no pasta dishes, jacket potatoes or burgers on offer and the only healthy option was a very basic salad. There was no water available to have with our meals unless we paid extra, so the children had either fresh orange or a fizzy drink which is not really an option for breakfast. Some staff in the restaurant had a poor grasp of English so we ended up pointing to what we wanted. The other food outlets on-site were over priced and of low quality with staff who appeared completely miserable in their work. While standing at the Casey’s Whistle stop with my son, the staff were heard discussing what they would like to do to some young ladies who walked past.
Activities and Entertainment
The activities provided free of charge on-site were poor and not very well publicised. We only found out later that there was rounders etc going on but this was cancelled due to lack of interest. Had there been a public address system then these activities could have been announced. The clubs and activities indoors were aimed at the under 8s which is no good if your children are 12 and 15 which mine are. The swimming pool was OK but the life guards did not seem to be paying much attention to what was going on. I booked my son in for swimming lessons on 2 days and on the first we turned up at the pool at 0855 as instructed but no-one seemed to be providing any sort of lesson so we left at 0920. We later found out that we had to approach a lifeguard and tell them that we were there for a lesson. We also booked and paid for 12 PGL activities, which I have since been billed for although I have already paid via Paypoint and have the receipt to prove it. When we looked at these activities on the internet and spoke about them to staff via the phone, there was no mention at all that most were restricted to under 16s so my wife and I could not participate. Had we known this then we would have booked less as my children ended up doing activities more that once to use up the pre-booked vouchers. The 2 venues, The Lunar bar and the Fun Factory should have set age limits, because I find young children being in a venue with acts aimed at adults and older children disgusting. Our holiday was planned at this time to coincide with my son’s birthday which was an unmitigated disaster. We asked the day before, how to go about getting him a mention on his big day and we were told to write the details on a note and pass it to whatever Bluecoat was on duty. We did this and were assured that he would get a mention and if we wanted to, we could provide a cake. We did this but as the night went on and nothing was said, we again approached the Bluecoats who assured us that he would be mentioned. At midnight, we decided that enough was enough and left with a very disappointed 12 year old. The entertainment on site seemed to either involve spending a fortune on PGL and amusements or getting drunk in one of the bars. So much for good clean family fun.
Security
Security on the site appeared to be a complete and utter joke. Some men who looked like hired thugs walking around talking among themselves and ignoring what was going on around them. Whilst we were there, there were 2 occasions on which we were evacuated due to fire alarms when we were told to go onto the car park and await further instructions. We were given no explanation on the cause of these alarms and on nether occasion did a Fire appliance turn up which I find disgusting. I suspect this is due to Pontins putting cost before safety as they would be charged if an appliance turns up to a false alarm and they would rather risk a fire taking hold to this happening. Whilst we were there, a couple we were sitting with had their bag stolen by a young girl. When security were informed they asked the details. There was a CCTV camera pointing directly at us but the security guard was unaware of its existence or whether there were any and we were told later that they were just for show. In this day and age of children going missing I find it downright irresponsible for a resort such as this which is aimed at families with young children to provide substandard security, if any at all. On our first night, there was a pitched battle between some drunken yobs which required Police involvement. 2 were escorted off site that night and more were evicted the next day.
Plus Points
Yes, there were a few plus points. Both duty managers we spoke to could not have been more helpful. Richard, who filled in the Customer Care Form with us could not have been more apologetic and gave my son £40 Pontins Pounds in lieu of his birthday disaster. The reception staff were also very helpful. The Bluecoats, who were obviously overworked, were very entertaining. The character Shop and Nisa store were both competitively priced. The PGL staff were great with the children and were also very friendly.
All in all our holiday was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish and we ended up going home a day early as we had had enough. Had we booked through The Sun and received our FREE automatic upgrade to a Classic apartment then we would probably be a little less disgruntled but including the amount we spent on-site, our holiday cost in the region of £1500 which would have taken us abroad. We travelled 5 hours each way to a holiday camp which looked like a prison camp with hygiene standards that would not have looked out of place in a third world refugee camp. We had looked forward to a nice family holiday only to be confronted with Pontins Prestatyn Sands. I will also be forwarding all our complaints to Watchdog and reviewing the Camp on as many holiday websites as I can find as I could not, with a clear conscience, allow any other family to experience a holiday like we had.
Yours truly
Tom Campbell
- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:Half Board
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" pontins experience "
Submitted By: heljohn
just got back from our first trip to wales.pontins ,prestatyn,budget accomodation was basic and ok for a base.you get what you pay for.check in was a pain.food was ok in restaraunt if a bit expensive but rest of eating places awful.chippy horrendous.bony.skin on fish,frozen chips and watered down peas.vile!swimming ok but basic pool.kids playground ok.two showbars blue coats did there best but a bit miserable at times,not enough daytime activity unless you pay a fiver for trampolining etc.shop well stocked and reasonable.staff not very friendly in shops.gift shop overpriced.needs a major re vamp.more bluecoat training in customer care!on the whole tho not bad we would go again.just needs modernising to come up to haven and butlins standard,staff can only do there best with what theyve got.
- Date of Holiday:Jun 2009
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" not what it says on the website "
Submitted By: jaymo
just been to prestatyn, booked after thinking its been going for years you can trust it to be ok, but where were the free activities that r on the glossy website?? all the bluecoats looked like they couldnt be bothered with the exception of two lads who gave it their all.there wasnt any effort made to pretty the place up it was still the same as when we went 25 years ago. theres no outside seating areas that dont look like youre outside a factory. and the chalets were ok but could have been better. the grass was mowed every day but the blockpaved walkways were dirty and could have done with a clean this would have made a big difference. the reception staff were not at all helpfull. the club was like a community centre with out of date notices showing out of date . having been to a haven site earlier this month theres no comparison their site was lovely clean and loads to do for kids with no big prices for activities, take your kids there instead!
- Date of Holiday:Jun 2009
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Another Enjoyable Pontins Holiday! "
Submitted By: Canetoad
I have just returned from Pontins Prestatyn with my partner and two children. This was our fourth visit to Pontins and, as usual, we had a very enjoyable time. The great thing about Pontins is that you do not spend time worrying about the children accidentally breaking something in the apartment as someone else's children have already broken it.
The apartment was of the usual standard (chipped enamel on the bath, curtains falling off their runners and an iron mark on the carpet) but it was CHEAP - and as we are on a budget that is the main attraction. We go camping a lot and are therefore used to encountering dodgy things, so Pontins feels like a hotel to us!
Prestatyn has the best parking facilities of any Pontins we have been to. We were always able to find a parking place near our apartment. There is an efficient one-way system in operation. The Bluecoats were friendly and approachable and the man on the gate always had a good word, even when we left at an unearthly hour to get to the Snowdown Mountain Railway for the first train.
If there are any criticisms it is that they could do with a pedestrian gate at the rear of the site during daylight hours to avoid the long walk to the beach via the main gate, and that the 'ticket prizes' in the amusement arcade could do with upgrading. At Hemsby my son managed to get an MP3 player but the prizes at Prestatyn were disappointing to say the least.
If Pontins were to upgrade all their apartments the price would go up and we (and no doubt many others) wouldn't be able to afford to go. Yes, it is all a bit dated but that is reflected in the price and we hope Pontins is going to be around for a long time to come.
The apartment was of the usual standard (chipped enamel on the bath, curtains falling off their runners and an iron mark on the carpet) but it was CHEAP - and as we are on a budget that is the main attraction. We go camping a lot and are therefore used to encountering dodgy things, so Pontins feels like a hotel to us!
Prestatyn has the best parking facilities of any Pontins we have been to. We were always able to find a parking place near our apartment. There is an efficient one-way system in operation. The Bluecoats were friendly and approachable and the man on the gate always had a good word, even when we left at an unearthly hour to get to the Snowdown Mountain Railway for the first train.
If there are any criticisms it is that they could do with a pedestrian gate at the rear of the site during daylight hours to avoid the long walk to the beach via the main gate, and that the 'ticket prizes' in the amusement arcade could do with upgrading. At Hemsby my son managed to get an MP3 player but the prizes at Prestatyn were disappointing to say the least.
If Pontins were to upgrade all their apartments the price would go up and we (and no doubt many others) wouldn't be able to afford to go. Yes, it is all a bit dated but that is reflected in the price and we hope Pontins is going to be around for a long time to come.
Advice: The lookout between Gwaenysgor and Prestatyn is worth a visit (take care as road has 33% gradient)
Activities: Snowdon Mountain Railway
Good for: Beach
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2009
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" I recently stayed in Pontins with my... "
Submitted By: Mrs J Bigley
I recently stayed in Pontins with my two children, as my daughter was dancing. We were due to stay Friday - Monday but returned home on the Sunday night.
I was utterly appalled by the state of the accommodation there. We had booked classic.
On arriving at the apartment, an opending the door, it was cold, damp and smelt. On entering the carpet was filthy, and looked like it had never been cleaned in about 10 years. The skirting boards which inch thick with dust/dirt and well the bathroom I cannot even describe the state of that, the bath was filthy and the floor was full of black muck (god knows was it was). The toilet was dirty and so was the sink.
On entering the kicten, it looked ok, but on closer inspection, you know what is coming next..........pure dirty.
Then we entered the bedrooms, they were cold and the bedding was wet, which they later did change for us. One of the windows leaked and was just terrible.
I actually did take my own bedding and pillows and to be honest left them there, as I was too afraid to bring them home, as when we were checking in, someone was checking out and informing staff that he had caught flees in his room, which he had in a small container, we really should have just turned around and gone home them, only our kids were dancing.
Our stay was terrible was I dreaded taking my kids back to them apartments to sleep at night as they were such filth. I really cannot see how they get away with this. You dont mind rooms being basic, but there is no excuse for them not being clean, surely someone needs to check this out with the Health, as they are not healthy. There was a note to say that our room had been cleaned by Kyle and Kylie, well I would like to see what they live in at home ?????????? as there cleaning is much to be desired.
I cannot understand anyone who has stayed there can say they were clean as there was at least 200 of us and we were all of the same opinion. I would never ever recommend anyone stay there.
I will never be repeating that holiday EVER again.
I was utterly appalled by the state of the accommodation there. We had booked classic.
On arriving at the apartment, an opending the door, it was cold, damp and smelt. On entering the carpet was filthy, and looked like it had never been cleaned in about 10 years. The skirting boards which inch thick with dust/dirt and well the bathroom I cannot even describe the state of that, the bath was filthy and the floor was full of black muck (god knows was it was). The toilet was dirty and so was the sink.
On entering the kicten, it looked ok, but on closer inspection, you know what is coming next..........pure dirty.
Then we entered the bedrooms, they were cold and the bedding was wet, which they later did change for us. One of the windows leaked and was just terrible.
I actually did take my own bedding and pillows and to be honest left them there, as I was too afraid to bring them home, as when we were checking in, someone was checking out and informing staff that he had caught flees in his room, which he had in a small container, we really should have just turned around and gone home them, only our kids were dancing.
Our stay was terrible was I dreaded taking my kids back to them apartments to sleep at night as they were such filth. I really cannot see how they get away with this. You dont mind rooms being basic, but there is no excuse for them not being clean, surely someone needs to check this out with the Health, as they are not healthy. There was a note to say that our room had been cleaned by Kyle and Kylie, well I would like to see what they live in at home ?????????? as there cleaning is much to be desired.
I cannot understand anyone who has stayed there can say they were clean as there was at least 200 of us and we were all of the same opinion. I would never ever recommend anyone stay there.
I will never be repeating that holiday EVER again.
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" what can i say
filthy dirty... "
what can i say
filthy dirty grotty smelly and thats just the start,this is the biggest misstake we ever made ,we have been here before and it was great should have left it at that ,staff looked like they didnt want to be there not much hope for us then ,youths running wild with fights and stouting at all hours ,entertainment was very poor most of whitch was the bluecoats doing the shows themselfs bit like x factor out takes, my daughters friend was assulted with a bb gun one night in the arcade and when reported was told what can i do and to complain in the morning this i done and it got me no where , pool was not fit for animals as there were a number of times it was closed while poo went through the filters,had to go out in the evening at 5 .30 just to ensure we got a seat and the bar prices are that high if u dont get a bank loan u can get a drink.there is only 3 good points of my holiday 1,i got to leave 2.one blue coat (brad)who help my teens to enjoy there stay and the photographer who took a truely great photo of my children other thank that this place is nothing more than a dirty badly run prison camp
filthy dirty grotty smelly and thats just the start,this is the biggest misstake we ever made ,we have been here before and it was great should have left it at that ,staff looked like they didnt want to be there not much hope for us then ,youths running wild with fights and stouting at all hours ,entertainment was very poor most of whitch was the bluecoats doing the shows themselfs bit like x factor out takes, my daughters friend was assulted with a bb gun one night in the arcade and when reported was told what can i do and to complain in the morning this i done and it got me no where , pool was not fit for animals as there were a number of times it was closed while poo went through the filters,had to go out in the evening at 5 .30 just to ensure we got a seat and the bar prices are that high if u dont get a bank loan u can get a drink.there is only 3 good points of my holiday 1,i got to leave 2.one blue coat (brad)who help my teens to enjoy there stay and the photographer who took a truely great photo of my children other thank that this place is nothing more than a dirty badly run prison camp
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Select
" After reading the reviews on this web... "
Submitted By: Ms E A Thompson
After reading the reviews on this web site I was dreading my holiday at Pontins Prestatyn Sands. We were going on one of the Sun newspaper holidays, and this site was my last choice, I had never been to a Pontins before. I warned my family how bad it was going to be, after reading the comments here, and off we went for our four night stay at Pontins. What a suprise when we arrived, the site was clean, very well kept, lots of lovely flower beds which we saw being watered regularly, lawns mown, litter being collected and very friendly helpful staff, and we actually got our keys earlier than expected. Our apartment was on an upper floor which we had to reach by climbing concrete steps at the side of the block, I must admit I wasn't keen on those. When we reached the apartment we found it to be basically clean, could do with a good 'bottoming' though, with the beds made up in pristine white linen, the towels provided were also white and freshly laundered. I must say at this point I had upgraded from the Basic apartment supplied by the Sun holidays to the Club apartment. The room faced the Zip wire tower and football pitch, with a lovely view of the hills beyond. The activities were quite expensive, we tried out the four seater bike, thinking £8 was a lot for 45 minutes, but after pedalling furiously for twenty minutes we realised how unfit we were, it was great fun though. The food was good, we ate in the beachcomber diner a few times, and enjoyed every meal, these, though, were also quite expensive. We didnt do the evening entertainment, as we found it too loud and we dont play bingo. The security staff at the main gate were really nice, and we felt safe knowing everyone had to be booked in and out and werent allowed through the barrier without passes. All in all I would definately go again, and would recommend it to friends and family.
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:The Sun Newspaper Holiday offer
" Im Not Being Funny Or EnyThing But... "
Submitted By: britt
Im Not Being Funny Or EnyThing But You Are All Saying You Are Not Happy With The Rooms But Come On
Yehh
Your All In The Budget Ones So What Do You Expect You Get Exactly What You Should For Your Money So Stop Moaning
But I Love My Holiday Here This Was My First Time And It Was Grate And I Hope I Go Agen
The Rooms Were More Than Good For Your Money And I Think It Was Realy Clever How They Put All THe People From THe Same Place Together So If You Do Get To No People You Can See Them At Home
The Entertainment Wasnt For Me As Its Directed To The Younger Kids But My Brother Seemed To Like It
The Queen Vic Had Lovely Food And The Arcade Was Grate I Spent Over £20 In There And Had So Much Fun
Nights Were Brill We Went To The Queen Vic For Lovely Food And Went To THe Arcade Till About 11Pm Then We Sat On The Top Of The Chairs On Are Own And Just Relaxed And Listened To The Music
I Love Pontins As Its So Safe So I Get Independence To Do What I Like
OverAll My Stay At Pontins Was A Weekend To Remember Im Defonatly Going To Come Agen !
Yehh
Your All In The Budget Ones So What Do You Expect You Get Exactly What You Should For Your Money So Stop Moaning
But I Love My Holiday Here This Was My First Time And It Was Grate And I Hope I Go Agen
The Rooms Were More Than Good For Your Money And I Think It Was Realy Clever How They Put All THe People From THe Same Place Together So If You Do Get To No People You Can See Them At Home
The Entertainment Wasnt For Me As Its Directed To The Younger Kids But My Brother Seemed To Like It
The Queen Vic Had Lovely Food And The Arcade Was Grate I Spent Over £20 In There And Had So Much Fun
Nights Were Brill We Went To The Queen Vic For Lovely Food And Went To THe Arcade Till About 11Pm Then We Sat On The Top Of The Chairs On Are Own And Just Relaxed And Listened To The Music
I Love Pontins As Its So Safe So I Get Independence To Do What I Like
OverAll My Stay At Pontins Was A Weekend To Remember Im Defonatly Going To Come Agen !
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Our 11th visit over 8 years two main... "
Submitted By: Mr M A Lowe
Our 11th visit over 8 years two main points that cheesed me off.........
1- the bed settee nearly crippled me
2- the entertainment needs improving,i.e, cabaret starting at eleven pm, no good....
the only 1 good turn 'the madhatters' were as funny as ever........
apart from that, apartment was clean, site needs a touch up, perhaps showers installed into budget accomodation...... menu in restaurant needs updating as it has the same stuff on it as it did about 5 years ago....... staff helpful....... and for all you comedy film experts did you recognise that the camp was used in 'Holiday on the buses'? come on mr Pontin give it a re-vamp..................
1- the bed settee nearly crippled me
2- the entertainment needs improving,i.e, cabaret starting at eleven pm, no good....
the only 1 good turn 'the madhatters' were as funny as ever........
apart from that, apartment was clean, site needs a touch up, perhaps showers installed into budget accomodation...... menu in restaurant needs updating as it has the same stuff on it as it did about 5 years ago....... staff helpful....... and for all you comedy film experts did you recognise that the camp was used in 'Holiday on the buses'? come on mr Pontin give it a re-vamp..................
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Having enjoyed holidays to wales and... "
Submitted By: Mrs R Beech
Having enjoyed holidays to wales and british camp sites when I was a child, now with two small children of my own looked forward to going. WHAT A DUMP! I doubt the sites had a revamp since I went as achild, apartments are filthy. We went CLUB heaven help anybody in CLASSIC or BUDGET. There was that much dirt on the floor I cried. With a baby with me, The thought of him crawling on the floor was almost too much. And you wouldn't beleive the filthy travel cot they gave us, its a wonder my baby didn't come back with scabies. We stuck the holiday out for the sake of my toddler who bizarrely seemed to enjoy it. Me and my husband have never been so glad too come home and safe in the knowledge if this is the state of british camps ROLE ON my foreign holiday next year!
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Whata dump dirty filthy not worth a... "
Submitted By: Mr R Kelly
Whata dump dirty filthy not worth a penny everything over priced food poor shop expensive not enough washing machines/driers etc broken glass everywhere staff unhelpfull if you can find them entertainment good if you like bingo nothing much else its just the dirt what makes me sick we booked groundfloor as my wife is disabled the lack off springs in bed made life unbearale no seating in bingo hall sorry i mean entertainment area just crap!!!!!! never again
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Here is a copy of a letter of... "
Submitted By: Miss SJ Vian
Here is a copy of a letter of complaint I have sent to the site manger at Pontins Prestatyn.
I booked this holiday for my family in good faith but I now find myself having to write to complain about several aspects as listed below. This was our first experience of a Pontins Holiday and it will certainly be our last, we will not be returning and would not recommend to anybody.
1. On first arrival at the entrance gate we were greeted by a sombre member of staff who gave us a tag to place in our car, no smile or welcome comment made.
2. We then entered the reception area to pick up our keys, once again no smile from reception staff or welcome comment.
3. On first entering the accommodation it appeared reasonable but on further inspection it was filthy and there was a smell similar to that of accommodation being left empty for some time.
4. Lounge/Kitchen area- windows filthy, cooker unusable to ingrained dirt and grease, cooker was also not safe to use due to not being installed safely, it was too close to cupboards, pots and pans unusable (should have been put in the bin), although the fridge was clean it had not been defrosted and there was a build up of ice in the freezer compartment.
5. Bathroom area – window was disgusting, when opened it revealed a build up of dirt in the frame, build up of mould around the bath and handrail, flooring was dirty and coming away from skirting, toilet and toilet brush in a dirty state.
6. Bedrooms area – whilst the bed linen looked clean the actual beds were in a poor state, some stains on quilts and bedding. All skirting’s had a build up of dirt and dust and carpets looked as if they had not been hovered recently.
7. Facilities –
Swimming pool was reasonable but lifeguards spent most of their time drinking red bull and chatting to each other, not really aware of what was happening in the pool. Dining areas, only one open during the day and when asked most staff were unable to give us information on opening times of the others. There appeared to be a lack of staff to clear tables and once again no smiles, the staff looked so miserable. Children’s activities, PGL staff were good but claimed to be overworked and the cost of each activity was a bit overpriced.
Entertainment, Lunars Bar was reasonable but needs updating and a new carpet, staff were once again miserable and there was a lack of table staff to clear tables. Fun Factory, this was the only time that you got a glimpse of a Blue Coat. The only all day event that was open was the Treasure Island Amusement Arcade, that’s ok if you have a fortune to spend.
Security staff, Do you have any, I certainly did not see any and I do think that there should be some security staff to deal with unruly people at night time as the noise some nights was unbearable. Children could not sleep and were frightened. As your reception closes early evening there is no contact with anybody who could help in a situation like the one above.
First Aid, there was no first aiders on site.
8. Miscellaneous – on one occasion your staff knocked over some glasses from a table in the Fun Factory area and whilst they cleared the broken glass from the table they did not clear the broken glass from the floor. When asked by my brother (who has small children) if they could clear the floor their response was “I am not a cleaner”, the broken glass was never cleared from the floor.
You hand out vouchers to the value of £75, thats ok if you drink pepsi, alcohol ect.
Within your welcome pack you include a “Good behaviour charter” but who do you contact in the event of encountering poor behaviour?
9. Finally, we tried to stick it out for the sake of the children in our party as it was their holiday and we did not want to disappoint them but they even wanted to go home. Having tried to clean up our accommodation we had enough and went to reception to hand in our keys two days early, we asked to speak to the site manager but was told that he was too busy in the office to speak to us. Very poor customer relations. Whilst in reception there was two other families waiting to complain and to go home early.
10. I would appreciate some form of refund as compensation for our disappointment and having to leave early, we did try to complain to staff but the response was poor and no action taken. I appreciate this was on the face of it a cheap holiday but does that mean we have to put up with filth and poor customer services. I would recommend that the site be refurbished or demolished and that staff numbers are increased. I would also recommend that staff are trained in “Customer Care” and “Security”.
11. My party included, my brother and his partner along with 1year old son and 11 year old daughter, my mother and my 9 year old son.
12. Photos enclosed for your reference.
I booked this holiday for my family in good faith but I now find myself having to write to complain about several aspects as listed below. This was our first experience of a Pontins Holiday and it will certainly be our last, we will not be returning and would not recommend to anybody.
1. On first arrival at the entrance gate we were greeted by a sombre member of staff who gave us a tag to place in our car, no smile or welcome comment made.
2. We then entered the reception area to pick up our keys, once again no smile from reception staff or welcome comment.
3. On first entering the accommodation it appeared reasonable but on further inspection it was filthy and there was a smell similar to that of accommodation being left empty for some time.
4. Lounge/Kitchen area- windows filthy, cooker unusable to ingrained dirt and grease, cooker was also not safe to use due to not being installed safely, it was too close to cupboards, pots and pans unusable (should have been put in the bin), although the fridge was clean it had not been defrosted and there was a build up of ice in the freezer compartment.
5. Bathroom area – window was disgusting, when opened it revealed a build up of dirt in the frame, build up of mould around the bath and handrail, flooring was dirty and coming away from skirting, toilet and toilet brush in a dirty state.
6. Bedrooms area – whilst the bed linen looked clean the actual beds were in a poor state, some stains on quilts and bedding. All skirting’s had a build up of dirt and dust and carpets looked as if they had not been hovered recently.
7. Facilities –
Swimming pool was reasonable but lifeguards spent most of their time drinking red bull and chatting to each other, not really aware of what was happening in the pool. Dining areas, only one open during the day and when asked most staff were unable to give us information on opening times of the others. There appeared to be a lack of staff to clear tables and once again no smiles, the staff looked so miserable. Children’s activities, PGL staff were good but claimed to be overworked and the cost of each activity was a bit overpriced.
Entertainment, Lunars Bar was reasonable but needs updating and a new carpet, staff were once again miserable and there was a lack of table staff to clear tables. Fun Factory, this was the only time that you got a glimpse of a Blue Coat. The only all day event that was open was the Treasure Island Amusement Arcade, that’s ok if you have a fortune to spend.
Security staff, Do you have any, I certainly did not see any and I do think that there should be some security staff to deal with unruly people at night time as the noise some nights was unbearable. Children could not sleep and were frightened. As your reception closes early evening there is no contact with anybody who could help in a situation like the one above.
First Aid, there was no first aiders on site.
8. Miscellaneous – on one occasion your staff knocked over some glasses from a table in the Fun Factory area and whilst they cleared the broken glass from the table they did not clear the broken glass from the floor. When asked by my brother (who has small children) if they could clear the floor their response was “I am not a cleaner”, the broken glass was never cleared from the floor.
You hand out vouchers to the value of £75, thats ok if you drink pepsi, alcohol ect.
Within your welcome pack you include a “Good behaviour charter” but who do you contact in the event of encountering poor behaviour?
9. Finally, we tried to stick it out for the sake of the children in our party as it was their holiday and we did not want to disappoint them but they even wanted to go home. Having tried to clean up our accommodation we had enough and went to reception to hand in our keys two days early, we asked to speak to the site manager but was told that he was too busy in the office to speak to us. Very poor customer relations. Whilst in reception there was two other families waiting to complain and to go home early.
10. I would appreciate some form of refund as compensation for our disappointment and having to leave early, we did try to complain to staff but the response was poor and no action taken. I appreciate this was on the face of it a cheap holiday but does that mean we have to put up with filth and poor customer services. I would recommend that the site be refurbished or demolished and that staff numbers are increased. I would also recommend that staff are trained in “Customer Care” and “Security”.
11. My party included, my brother and his partner along with 1year old son and 11 year old daughter, my mother and my 9 year old son.
12. Photos enclosed for your reference.
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Just spent a week at prestatyn... "
Submitted By: Mr D ILES
Just spent a week at prestatyn pontins{NEVER AGAIN}.
Prrobably the worst holiday we've ever had as a family.
The camp itself was quite big and reminded me of an old
style butlins for those of you who've been back in the day.
Chalets were clean enough but they need to do away with
the bed settee which was like sleeping on a jagged rock.
Entertainment was'nt up to much only one good show all week.
Bingo seems to be the highlight of the week and everyone and
everything seems to stop for it{PRETTY SAD REALLY}.Not much
to do at all either in surrounding areas Rhyl is a bit of a dump,
sewege in the sea, a proper toilet; All the staff on camp were extremley
rude and ignorant and blue coats hardly spoke to anyone.
Nowhere near the standard of wall park where we went last year
which was 1000 times better.Sorry WALES Prestatyn has just made
me never want to come to your country ever again;;;;;
Prrobably the worst holiday we've ever had as a family.
The camp itself was quite big and reminded me of an old
style butlins for those of you who've been back in the day.
Chalets were clean enough but they need to do away with
the bed settee which was like sleeping on a jagged rock.
Entertainment was'nt up to much only one good show all week.
Bingo seems to be the highlight of the week and everyone and
everything seems to stop for it{PRETTY SAD REALLY}.Not much
to do at all either in surrounding areas Rhyl is a bit of a dump,
sewege in the sea, a proper toilet; All the staff on camp were extremley
rude and ignorant and blue coats hardly spoke to anyone.
Nowhere near the standard of wall park where we went last year
which was 1000 times better.Sorry WALES Prestatyn has just made
me never want to come to your country ever again;;;;;
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:Self Catering
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
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