‘Disgusting shack’ holiday park named UK’s worst for 11th year running

Forget overseas holidays to sunnier climes, sometimes a UK holiday park is all you need for a family holiday.

Resorts across the country offer outdoor activities, entertainment and water parks that offer wholesome fun for a variety of budgets.

And now a new list from consumer giant Which? has ranked holiday parks and asks visitors to rate their stays on a variety of factors, including value for money, cleanliness, food and drink and quality of activities/facilities.

And that’s bad news for one famous name that has been ranked last for the 11th year in a row.

Founded in 1946, Pontins has just two sites left in Suffolk and Somerset and guests weren’t exactly thrilled with what they had on offer.

One reviewer who traveled to Somerset Park in June called the place “soul destroying” and said: “Horrible accommodation, staff didn’t care, bad food, lack of facilities, really run down…would never come back even if he paid me!” “

A visitor to the Suffolk website called her stay “a holiday to forget”.

Another guest said the resort was dilapidated: “Every inch of the so-called holiday park needs upgrading or demolition, everything is old and tired.”

Meanwhile, reviews of the recently closed Prestatyn Sands Pontins were equally scathing.

“Disgusting shack,” began one TripAdvisor reviewer. “There are no words to describe how horrible this place is. A prison cell would be better than a cabin.’

Meanwhile, another review said: ‘I would never come back here if it was the last place on earth.’

Who? reviewers said that although the place is cheap at just £38 per person per night, it only got two stars for value for money. It came down to accommodation, cleanliness and quality of food and drink. Overall, which one? gave the verdict that Pontins was ‘cheap but not jolly’.

It’s not all bad news, though.

At the top end of the rankings, lesser-known Potters Resorts beat such stalwarts as Center Parcs and Butlins to claim the top spot.

Who? dubbed Potters – which has sites in Essex and Norfolk – as a “luxury affair with everything”.

From £110 per person per night, guests can stay in bungalows, hotel rooms or suites and include West End-inspired activities and entertainment. The resorts are also all-inclusive, which means your holiday cocktails are included in the package.

Activities include rowing on the boating lake, air rifle shooting, archery and working out in the dance studio.

Holiday parks including Forest Holidays and Bluestone Wales came in second and third respectively.

The most popular holiday park was Center Parcs, ranked 9th.

Visitors loved the wide range of activities across the UK’s five parks, including cable cars, water sports, cycling and plenty of fitness classes. Children are well looked after and on a rainy day you can head to the spa or indoor pool for the all-important rapids.

However, Center Parcs has fallen short on value for money. Survey respondents said they spend an average of £79 on accommodation, making it the most expensive option with no food or drink included. There is also a lack of free facilities on offer – only the pool is part of the package.

Finally, Butlin’s came 12th in the rankings and costs £47 per person per night. It scored most prominently for the quality of entertainment and the wide range of facilities and activities for children.

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