FORT HOLIDAY PARK

• Not much going for it

  1 out of 5

  Tracy McEwan

  To start with a positive, the grounds are really well maintained and the childrens play area is modern and clean and our 2 boys (1 and 3) loved it. Onto the negative - Our caravan was 12 years old and had seen better days. We could live with that as it was one of the cheaper vans but it was filthy inside with dead flies on the childrens beds and curtains. The fridge was disgusting as was the cooker with enamel peeling away around the edges (we didn't cook with it all week). We wouldn't use the shower as it was absolutely filthy and had to put our blankets on the settee before we sat down. We had concerns because the van was so old and the only gas inspection sheet was from 10 years ago. Also, there were no PAT test stickers on any of the electrical items which was worrying. We have since seen the parks certificates and all is in order but I do think this should be clearly displayed in all vans - especially on a family park. BEWARE - What they don't tell you in the glossy brochure and the smart website is that the park itself is right in the middle of a residential area (the small driveway is between 2 houses). They also don't mention that it's situated in a REALLY rough part of the town of which there is no getting away from. Granted, there were caravans over the other side of the park overlooking fields but the park itself is tiny so I would imagine everybody would suffer. However, our caravan we found out was literally 3 metres away from a very large council carpark and skate boarding park which doesn't get locked over night. Every night of our 7 night holiday was awful. We had swearing, screaming and shouting until midnight. The caravan would literally vibrate with the skate park all night and then to top it off we had cars doing hand brake turns around the carpark and large petrol remote control cars being driven around until 1am. Sandowns nightclub is only over the carpark and this didn't help matters either. With the kids not sleeping because of the racket, we were all shattered and it got too much. In the middle of our holiday we asked the owners (David & Jane) for a local police phone number which they gave us. They told us they'd never had trouble before and that we were the first to complain. The owners didn't even bother to come and see us to make sure everything was ok over the remaining 3 days of our holiday. They were completely uninterested in the situation and said it was a council matter. Upon leaving the site, the receptionist told us that they had many complaints about the anti social behaviour and that the owners had in fact had many meetings with the council, police and local residents to try and resolve it! The grounds might be nice but that's of no use atall if you can't sit out because of the anti social behaviour! I would warn anybody tempted with this site not to be fooled by the lovely website and glossy brochure which use very deceptive photography. You have been warned! 7/3/2009 7:02:54 PM

  Share this on: FacebookTwitter

  • Write comment
  • Write review
  • Report abuse

  ---

caravan parks, holiday rental space, family caravan holidays, cheap caravan parks, ferry inclusive package, self catering holidays, isle of wight, residential caravan parks, recreational vehicles park, isle wight, self catering accomodation, holiday accomodation, seaside holiday, caravan park