UK's best and worst holiday parks named — Center Parcs and Haven far from top
A survey by Which? has revealed some of the best and worst holiday parks in the UK for 2025, with well-known brands such as Haven and Center Parcs losing out to lesser-known providers.
The survey was completed by 1,700 Which? members who were asked to rate their experiences in UK holiday parks and resorts. Respondents were asked to rank details from the cleanliness of the park to the quality of their accommodation, variety of free activities on offer, and the overall value for money of their holiday.
Topping the chart for "customer score" was Potters Resorts, which offer all-inclusive holidays at two resorts based in Essex and Norfolk. While it's an adults-only resort most of the year, children are allowed during the summer holidays in Norfolk. Potters scored an impressive 87%, with an impressive five-stars for quality of facilities and accommodation, and a perfect score for the variety of free activities on offer.
Although Potters is the most expensive of the parks included in the Which? survey, the price includes all food and drink, activities that range from pickleball to archery and evening entertainment which is described as 'West End' quality, netting the parks a four-star rating for value for money.
Forest Holidays came in second, with an overall customer score of 80%. The brand has eight parks in England, three in Scotland, and two in Wales, with rural locations and accommodation such as log cabins and treehouses. Customers gave positive feedback for the quality of the accommodation and cleanliness, although they only got three-stars for value for money.
Another winner was Bluestone Wales, which is set in picturesque Pembrokeshire. Bluestone offers luxury lodges and cottages, also scoring highly for the quality of accommodation on offer. While they scored well for the variety of children's activities on offer and the entertainment, they also scored three-stars for value for money, giving them an overall score of 77%.
Pontins are yet again at the bottom of the chart, having also come bottom in 2024. The brand only has one holiday park that's currently open to guests, the adults-only Sand Bay Holiday Village in Weston-Super-Mare. Their other two parks in Burnham on Sea, Somerset and Pakefield, Suffolk are temporarily closed in order to house construction workers.
Scoring just 56% for customer satisfaction, Pontins scored just two-stars in most areas and, despite being the cheapest option, customers still felt they received poor value for money.
In a Tripadvisor review of their Pakefield park, one customer said: 'Worst place I have ever visited, chalet was old unkempt and dirty, holes in sheets, beds pushed together with terrible matress and pillows, to shower you had to keep pushing a button in, it leaked all over the floor'.
Another complained: 'Rooms are shabby and quite dirty. Dirt on the baseboards, cobwebs in the corners and behind doors, our shower curtain had pink mold growing along the bottom seam, clearly not laundered between guests.'
However, there were positive reviews of the Pontins experience. One said: 'We went beginning of October had a brilliant week! Food was great, swimming pool was really good and for the price you really can't get any better!'
And many reviews praised the entertainment on offer, with one saying: 'The Bluecoats show Vegas was amazing! They are all so talented and are always doing some activity or joining in on the dance floor and having a laugh or chatting with people.'
The bottom of the list also included Largo Leisure Parks, a chain of six parks in Scotland, who scored 64%. However, it's worth noting they had a small sample size of just 30 respondents who had visited their parks.
A spokesperson for Largo Leisure said: "Whilst this is of course disappointing, this relates to only 30 people who were surveyed about Largo Leisure over 12 months ago. On both TripAdvisor and Google Reviews, where we have thousands of reviews for each of our six Scotland holiday parks, all of them are rated 4.3 or above out of 5.
"We regularly get 5 star reviews on both TripAdvisor and Google reviews and we would encourage people to take a look on both to see a true reflection of the guest experiences at our parks. We are very proud of our track record for providing exceptional holidays for our guests but we never stop trying to improve. We are enjoying a busy year across all our parks and if people read the online reviews they will see why."
Away Resorts had the same score. They have 25 parks across the UK, including the popular south-west of England area and the Isle of Wight.
Away Resorts got just two stars for value for money, despite offering a wide range of accommodation from caravans and glamping to luxury lodges. They also scored poorly for customer service, but received three-stars for cleanliness and quality of accommodation.
The most popular holiday park provider in the survey was Center Parcs, which scored 69%, putting it neck and neck with Haven. While it scored well for the quality of its facilities and accommodation, it received low scores for the variety of free activities on offer and overall value for money. It was the third most expensive on the list, coming in after Potters and Warner Leisure Villages, who offer adults-only breaks.
One Which? member wrote: 'Very expensive for what it is. Accomodation excellent, apart from the oasis pool, everything was extra. Staff were very helpful and the children enjoyed their stay. I will not be going back.'
Haven, who have 38 parks across the UK, scored the same percentage as Center Parcs, although they did get three stars for value for money. Which? readers gave them two star scores for food and drink and the variety of free activities on offer.
Best and worst holiday parks in the UK - ranked
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
The 5 items from duty free that can result in £5,000 fines for UK travellers
Passengers travelling from holiday destinations like Greece, Spain, France and Italy face strict rules when returning home Holidaymakers returning from some of the UK's favourite summer destinations have been issued an alert over fines for bringing five items through customs. And the warning is for things travellers may even have bought in duty free. Penalties of up to £5,000 could be meted out to passengers after new rules were introduced by the government earlier in the year following the outbreak of severe disease across Europe. Now those heading home to Britain from areas including Spain, France, Greece and Italy, must not carry any of these banned items in their luggage, reports Bristol Live. Fliers are not permitted to have items including sandwiches, cheese, cured or raw meats or milk when entering the country. All EU nations entering Great Britain are prohibited from bringing these items into the UK. And this applies irrespective of whether the products are wrapped or packaged, or whether they were purchased at duty-free outlets. Those discovered with these products will be required to either hand them over at the border or have them confiscated and destroyed. And in serious cases, authorities state that those found with these items run the risk of incurring fines of up to £5,000. The Government has implemented measures to halt the transmission of foot and mouth disease (FMD) following an increasing number of cases throughout Europe. Travellers are prohibited from bringing cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat, as well as dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use, to protect the health of British livestock, the security of farmers, and the UK's food security. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) poses no risk to humans, but it is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals such as wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas. The outbreak on the continent presents a significant risk to farm businesses and livestock in the UK, despite there being no current cases. The disease can cause significant economic losses due to production shortfalls in the affected animals, as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and dairy. In response to confirmed outbreaks of FMD in Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria earlier this year, the Government has already banned personal imports of cattle, sheep and other ruminants and pig meat as well as dairy products from these countries. The new restrictions apply only to travellers arriving in Great Britain, and will not be imposed on personal imports arriving from Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man. Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said when it was launched: "This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth. "That is why we are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Britain's food security. And the UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for international and trade affairs Dr Jorge Martin-Almagro said: "Following the detection of foot and mouth disease in EU countries resulting in a rising risk of introduction into Great Britain, we have extended restrictions on the personal imports of food products that pose a risk in FMD transmission."
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Brits could be fined THOUSANDS if they don't follow little-known duty free rules for cigarettes, booze & perfume
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRITS could be fined thousands if they fail to follow these little known rules at border control. Holidaymakers could also see their items seized upon re-entering the UK, if they fail to meet border control's high standards. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 UK Border Control is one of the strictest in the world Credit: AFP 3 Luxury items including perfume are subject to the restrictions Credit: Alamy The laws are designed to protect the UK economy, as well as out natural environment. To make it easy for travellers, the Government and British border forces are clear about how much of each product you can bring in. Importing alcohol to Britain Bringing alcohol into the UK is legal, but there are strict limits on how much alcohol you can take with you through customs. You can bring a total of 4 litres of a spirit over 22 per cent ABV (alcohol by volume) or 9 litres of an alcohol under 22 per cent ABV. However, you cannot bring both quantities. If you have a variety of alcoholic products with you, then they must total the same amount listed above. For example, 4.5 litres of cider (a drink under 22 per cent ABV) and 2 litres of a spirit above 22 per cent ABV would be allowed into Britain. This is because each quantity is equivalent to 50 per cent of the legal amount. Meanwhile, 4 litres of a spirit and 9 litres of cider would be double the amount which you can import. Failing to follow customs law could see you being handed a £2,500 fine per contravention. UK airport reveals new security rules for passengers If the amount of imported alcohol is exceptionally high or you are a repeat offender, you could be slapped with a prison sentence. The length of the sentence could vary greatly, depending on your crime. There are strict limits on tobacco products too UK law allows you to bring a maximum 200 cigarettes OR 100 cigarillos OR 50 cigars of 250g of tobacco (including shisha) OR 200 sticks of tobacco for heating to Britain. Like alcohol, you must combine these allowances. That would mean you could bring 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars, for example, as each is at 50 per cent of the total allowed in. Tobacco products, like alcohol, can only be brought into the country by someone over the age of 17. Also, tobacco and alcohol quantities are counted as entirely separate so you don't get a larger quantity of one by taking none of the other. Luxury goods at the border Luxury goods, including perfume or electrical items, can often be imported into the UK without paying duty or tax. However, if the sum total of the items exceeds £390, you will have to pay tax on every item - not just the ones which push you over the limit. For people arriving by private plane or boat for leisure, the allowance is £270. Meat, milk and plants are banned The importation of meat, honey and dairy is strictly prohibited. The only exception to this rule is to infant milk or medical food, though both amounts cannot exceed 2kg. Failing to follow these rules could see you being slapped with a staggering £5000 fine. EU arrivals are the only group allowed to take high-priority plants into the country, though they will need to apply beforehand for a phytosanitary certificate. Restrictions on cash Cash up to a total of £10,000 can be brought into Britain, though this must be declared 72 hours in advance of your arrival. Declarations on all products listed here must be made, even if you are just transferring flight. Failing to declare something could result in you receiving a criminal sentence.
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Five off-limit attractions in the UK offering free secret tours – including 10 Downing Street
Plus, other buildings you can explore for the first time I'M DOWN Five off-limit attractions in the UK offering free secret tours – including 10 Downing Street Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THERE is nothing more exciting than getting to explore a place where visitors are usually not allowed. Think: Downing Street, the BBC Broadcasting House and the BT Tower. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 As part of the Open House Festival, the public can explore a number of places they usually can't access for free Credit: Getty Win one of 8 incredible holidays to the Caribbean, Mexico and Greece by voting in The Sun's Travel Awards - enter to win here And as part of London's Open House Festival, there are over 700 properties, buildings and places where the public will be welcomed to visit between September 13 and 21. Five of these are offering extremely exclusive limited tours, with a public ballet now open until August 18. According to the Open House Festival website, many of the destinations will be a "be once in a lifetime visit". Here are the five places you can enter the ballot for, as well as what dates you will be able to visit. 10 Downing Street The home of British Prime Ministers since 1735 will open its doors to the public for two sessions on September 13. Guests will get to see behind the famous black door, where some of the most important decisions in UK politics are made. Currently, 10 Downing Street is undergoing some upgrades to its facilities to ensure the historic building is preserved. BBC Broadcasting House We all know the BBC and see content from it daily, but for the Open House Festival people can go to the first ever purpose-built broadcast centre in the UK. It was built back in 1932 and features an art-deco design, including a clock tower. More recently the building was refurbished and extended to create a new broadcasting house. Inside multi-million pound upgrade for popular Scots tourist attraction The building is now home to the largest live newsroom in Europe, right at the centre of the complex. Again, to go to this spot you will need to enter the ballot, with 12, one-hour sessions on September 20. BT Tower When in the depths of London's streets, you can often catch glimpses of the BT Tower. The tower's famous revolving floor sits 158 metres above the streets of the capital. Two high speed lights will transport visitors to the revolving floor in just 30 seconds. Bizarrely, the Tower was classified as an 'official secret' until 1993 despite it being evident in the city's skyline. To see this building, you will also need to enter a ballot for one of 16 tours, each lasting 45 minutes across September 20 and 21. 5 You could head up the BT Tower which is soon set to be turned into a hotel Credit: Getty Canada House Canada House is to the Canadian Embassy and was originally designed as two buildings. Just over 10 years ago, the building underwent a large scale revitalisation linking it to the former Sun Life Assurance of Canada building. Inside today, the building houses around 300 pieces of Canadian Art. One tour will run on September 13. 5 Or head to Canada House which is home to the Canadian Embassy Credit: Alamy London Museum Currently under construction, the public can enter a ballot to go on a tour of the Poultry Market, at the new London Museum. The London Museum is set to open in 2026, bringing new life into the historic Smithfield market buildings. And with this tour, lucky visitors will get a sneak peak ahead of its opening. Six tours will be open to the public on September 20. The museum's permanent galleries are set to open in 2026 and the 1960s Poultry Market will open in 2028. The Poultry Market will eventually house the museum's collection stores and temporary exhibition and learning spaces. 5 And you could get the first glimpse of the new London Museum Credit: londonmuseum/Secchi Smith New locations for 2025 There are also a number of new destinations part of the festival this year including Studio AVC's offices - which are located in a 1929 shop which used to be Liberty's printing workshop and part of William Morris' Arts and Crafts legacy. Or you could head to The King's Foundation, in Hackney, which is set in a refurbished factory warehouse. And there is the London Film School as well, in a former banana warehouse. For architecture buffs, you can head inside the RIBA House of the Year from 2024. A new £100million indoor resort is also set to open in the UK with a 'next generation waterpark' and thermal spas. Plus, a much-loved UK theme park reveals new rainy day guarantee – with free return after bad weather.
