HAVEN at Primrose Valley GRRRR

Lifeisbutadream

codger wrote: »

The phrase "not too clean" (your words) isn't some passing triviality: it's actually at the core of what a customer is entitled to expect when paying out so VAST amount to stay in a Haven Holidays' "exclusive" caravan.

But why not forget the caravan's condition and instead, look at the condition of Haven Holidays -- specifically, its mind-set? It has just charged someone the kind of money I'd spend on a 4* or 5* star hotel and when that customer complained. . .

. . . It couldn't care less.

So it's not the company's caravan that's the test of this company.

It's the company's treatment of its customers that's the test.

And oh boy, did it fail miserably.

Hopefully this thread will long continue: Haven Holidays deserves all the publicity (via Google searches which finish up here) that it gets.

I do find it strange that some people would find it acceptable.

I have stayed at Haven places before and have always found them the same (i.e grubby and sub-standard) - however, I have always paid a more 'reasonable' amount. I really thought I was paying the extra for a top of the range, otherwise I really wouldnt have bothered!

spuds_2

Our neighbours have just come back from a 3 night stay at a Haven caravan park in Northumberland. They also paid around £300 for 3 nights.

They also said it was unclean and the heating didn't work properly, the site was a bit grubby and they queued to get in the pool and were then turned away because it was full. They didn't complain because they are Hungarian and language is a bit of a problem.

Still, I certainly won't be going to a Haven site as they sound like over-priced grot holes. You can post your comments on other sites like Blagger.com, Holidays Uncovered or why not write to Watchdog.

http://www.blagger.com/
http://www.holidays-uncovered.co.uk/

You paid a lot of money and are entitled to a high standard of accomodation and certainly entitled to better customer service than you have received.

hippychic81

I have to say i am really shocked at people experiences with haven,
I know I would have been devestated if this was the case when i went to littlesea just before easter.
Yes the price is not reasonable but thats like most holiday parks in the uk.
We didn't have enough bed linen when we got there but we just went to house keeping and they gave us more linen right away, and when we extented are stay they gave us more clean linen (with out charge),
I had the same grade caravan as the OP posted and it was loverly, clean, the heating did take a few hours to work out (but to be honest because of the double glazing we only used it twice), When the cooker didn't work we called maintence and with in 10min they were there (to my shame it was my fault the cooker wouldn't work need to lift lid all the way back "safty issue).
So I guess I'm saying go to littlesea,dorset if you want a great holiday with haven.
Because I did stay in perrenporth MANY years ago in there chalets and i was really unhappy with that.
(just my 2pennys worth)

tbw

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

I do find it strange that some people would find it acceptable.

I have stayed at Haven places before and have always found them the same (i.e grubby and sub-standard) - however, I have always paid a more 'reasonable' amount. I really thought I was paying the extra for a top of the range, otherwise I really wouldnt have bothered!

I think you were allocated pretty ropey accomodation and treated even worse when you had the temerity to complain. In your shoes I would not accept their initial unhelpful answer and would take it further up the management chain (especially if I had photos etc to prove my point).

One thing puzzles me though - if you have previously found that Haven accomodation is grubby and substandard, why on earth did you book another holiday with them? It doesn't matter how reasonable the price might have been on your earlier visits, it still does NOT excuse dirty accomodation! Paying more this time - expecting it to be cleaner/better - was a little misguided.

I hope you get at least a partial refund - its worth nagging on at them, lots of firms work on the basis of 'ignore/refuse the customer once and they will probably go away'!!!

Lifeisbutadream

tbw wrote: »

One thing puzzles me though - if you have previously found that Haven accomodation is grubby and substandard, why on earth did you book another holiday with them? It doesn't matter how reasonable the price might have been on your earlier visits, it still does NOT excuse dirty accomodation! Paying more this time - expecting it to be cleaner/better - was a little misguided.

You are right, I probably was misguided and I do blame myself for that. I think I just thought that paying more would get something nice (and I was also told that Primrose Valley was one of the 'better' sites - I had not been there before) - I was obviously very wrong, but if it saves one person from paying for this and having a carp holiday then great!

willo65

codger wrote: »

The phrase "not too clean" (your words) isn't some passing triviality: it's actually at the core of what a customer is entitled to expect when paying out so VAST amount to stay in a Haven Holidays' "exclusive" caravan.

But why not forget the caravan's condition and instead, look at the condition of Haven Holidays -- specifically, its mind-set? It has just charged someone the kind of money I'd spend on a 4* or 5* star hotel and when that customer complained. . .

. . . It couldn't care less.

So it's not the company's caravan that's the test of this company.

It's the company's treatment of its customers that's the test.

And oh boy, did it fail miserably.

Hopefully this thread will long continue: Haven Holidays deserves all the publicity (via Google searches which finish up here) that it gets.

Some people have higher expectations than others so if it wasn't pristine then someone may refer to it as dirty/grubby etc although could be exagerating. If it was me then I would have asked them to change the caravan for me and as this and the towels where the only actual problems a change of caravan should have solved the problem.

sarahg1969

hippychic81 wrote: »

I have to say i am really shocked at people experiences with haven,...

I'm shocked that a 3-night caravan holiday (particularly on a Haven park) can cost so much! I honestly cannot believe it.

I've stayed a few nights at the Blue Dolphin, for nowt, and still felt like I was being ripped off. Scary place.

sarahg1969

willo65 wrote: »

Some people have higher expectations than others so if it wasn't pristine then someone may refer to it as dirty/grubby etc although could be exagerating.

But surely, it should be pristine? Especially for over £100 a night!

Morglin

I used to own a static van at a Haven site a few years back (Thorness Bay, IOW), and Haven were well known for charging a lot of money for very little in return, to both holidaymakers and owners.:rolleyes:

They couldn't care less as long as they are pulling in the cash.

But, it does have to be said that some of these holidaymakers really trash a van - by the time some of them went home, the vans weren't fit for a pig to stay in.:rolleyes:

Lin

tbw

sarahg1969 wrote: »

But surely, it should be pristine? Especially for over £100 a night!

Of course it should ! Facilities in cheap 2* accomodation clearly can't reasonably be expected to be as good as 4/5* - you get what you pay for re better furnishings, facilities , extras etc. But CLEANLINESS is another matter and I would (and have done in the past!) raised Cain about anything thats been grubby, dirty or broken ! And its always either been sorted on the spot - or, on a couple of occasions when the hotel or Rep. has refused to sort it, the holiday firm has accepted my complaint and made me a fair offer. I'm not unreasonable at all but no way am I putting up with accomodation that is not clean !

The OP has fair cause for complaint and I really hope she doesn't let them fob her off. Good luck OP - go for it.