The Sun/News of the World UK Holiday Break Deals

T4i

U've prolly seen these on the Sun and News of the World offering uk breaks from £12.50 or something.

We booked one as we don't have much money for a break, we did it through the Sun and put Primrose Valley as our 1st holiday choice. Weeks later we got a confirmation letter saying we had a 4day break at Primrose Valley (Haven) starting 4th April 2005 to 8th April 2005 in a caravan. The £12.50 is rubbish, but we knew it would cost us more, we didnt expect it to cost the SAME as booking it straight through Haven. We paid last year in full and waited for our 4day break for months........

We got to Primrose Valley at 2pm on the 4th April, joined the queue and waited 3 hours to get to front of queue only to be told we had come two weeks early and our holiday was actualy booked for the 18th April to the 22nd April. Driving 2 hours then waiting 3 hours more for the keys......I was not in the mood to be told 'its the suns mistake not Havens, we cant do anything about it'

We were sent to the main reception where we explained everything once more only to be told 'not our problem, sorry' 'what do you expect us to do about it' they sent us back to the booking in room where we queued another 45mins to see the manager. The manager told us exactly what we had been told twice before. The manager then sent us back to the main reception to resolve the matter by offering us a 3day stay in a challet. We got told by the reception staff 'take it or its a drive home for you'........

By this time I was tired, hungry, uncomftable etc......my girlfreind banished me to the car where I was to calm down......I could not believe how the Haven staff talked to me infront of other people.....hence the reason I went to calm down on my own...

While we were collecting our keys to the challet another 'older' couple came in and discussed the very same problem as we were in. But Havens answer to everything was 'the system says your dates are wrong' my point was the 'system' between the Sun and Haven obviously had a glitch and therefore was NOT our problem. It was even suggested I had wrote the wrong dates on our calendar at home and booked the wrong week off work....making out like I was in the wrong.....oh, and the other couple were obviously stupid too.

The park itself was a right mess, about 4 JCB's 'hanging around', diggers, building equipment because of the park extensions. The accomadation was ok, the only fault with it was the bathroom light switch was 4 supermarket bags tied together to make a rope like device.....Our 1st night in Haven was fun, we went to use the haven resturante on-site only to be told 'either you order in the next 5mins or you dont eat' so we quickly ordered and along came the food. £30 for a 1 course meal for 2 adults + 1child. I finished 1st as I do and the waiter came along and asked 'are you finished' I said 'no' as my girly and my 2 yr old daughter was still eating (not even half way through the meal). The waiter 'hung around' and came back 2mins later and said can I take your plate....I said no but he still took my plate. He very kindly gave my daughter a good 5more mins to finish before rushing to our table and taking the other plates.

Haven obviously cant employee people with manners or people skills. I could not believe how such a high rated park had such shabby staff.

We are in the process of writing to both Haven and The Sun for a big apology and compensation. The reason we needed a holiday in the 1st place was because of the stress my girly has during her pregnancy. She is suffering from very high blood pressure, a DVT scare in the family and preeclampsia in her previous pregnancy. Can you believe not ONE person from Haven offered her a seat or a drink of water in the whole time we waited. Nearly 6hours of either sitting still in the car of standing in a queue waiting to be seen.

DO NOT waste your money on these holidays, find a nice family run hotel that will give you respect and a holiday worth remembering. Haven obiously take peoples money well in advance of getting anything for it and then they seem to forget you have paid £100 for a holiday/service. SCAM! SCAM! SCAM! SCAM!

Its about time we pay AFTER we have had our goods/service as advertised. Then if we are not satisfied we have the power to say NO to them! Its all very well taking money in advance, that money has been and gone.

I shall be forwarding this post to both Haven and The Sun so any follow-ups will be appreciated.

Chris

T4i

Oh, the challet offered a high standard of safety to children for putting the MAIN electricity box at floor level on a wall between the bathroom and bedroom. The cables were not bare but the wire wasnt thick enough to prevent people from pushing an object down inside the terminals.

Is this world going mad? Why not just put the mains box at adult height level or even easier build a wooden box round it to prevent people from touching it.

whyhellothere

well i really do feel for you thats appalling they cant do that i wud of not stopped arguing untill i got what was promissed hope you got it all sorted out

Rgds

mrcow

Hi Chris,

Just wanted to say REALLY sorry to hear of all the problems that you and your family had. We've had a couple of the Sun holidays in the past (both at the same (non Haven) site in Cornwall which we know well) and have never had any problems.

What I do recall though is that the letter detailing your holiday dates etc actually comes from the holiday parkcompany itself, not the Sun, so this sounds to me like a complete Haven c*ck up. I'm pretty sure that the Sun just pass your details and preferences onto Haven and that Haven do the rest. Do you still have the original letter from them to confirm this?

The most annoying thing will probably be that now Haven have your details, they'll take every opportunity to bombard you with marketing material for your next holiday (as if you'll ever want to book with them again!).

Good luck with your complaint.

T4i

whyhellothere wrote:

well i really do feel for you thats appalling they cant do that i wud of not stopped arguing untill i got what was promissed hope you got it all sorted out

Rgds

I was getting nowhere by arguing or shouting.....infact the reception staff just stood there smiling at me which wound me up even more!

I didnt want to spoil the holiday even more by getting banned from the park.

I rang the Sun holiday phone number as we lost our confirmation letter, the guy told me he would send me the final reciept asap. That letter never turned up, he gave me a ref. number and said goto ur holiday and quote the ref number. Now I know why I never recieved a reciept of my booking (because there was a co?k-up between Sun & Haven)

When we returned back from our holiday a letter fom Haven was on the door-step. The reciept from Haven with the dates 18th - 22nd on it, good of them to tell us that after we set-off!

We did this holiday deal with the Sun last year (it isnt actualy our idea, my girly's gran collects the paper and stamps to qualify us for the offer and she wont take no as an answer, so we go bless her) we went to the coast near Newcastle (much smaller park - not Haven) and it was brill, no queue time when we got there, booked in promptly etc......no problems with the holiday. Just seems only HAVEN can ruin a 2yr olds holiday successfuly.

I hope we get info from Haven cas I shall find the relevent phone number, ring them and tell them where to shove it!

shrek101

Sorry to hear of your problems I live near to Primrose valleys its near Filey.

Sounds like Haven is at fault here. I stayed at a Haven camp at Looe bay Cornwall last year cost me £450 for a caravan, but had a great time.

Think it was very rude of a waiter to make your rush like that, its sounds like they are under pressure with the bookings, still that doesn't help you, and regardless of how much you paid for a holiday you do expect politeness and being treated equally as anyone else there.

Anyone hope after all the things you went through you had a good time, don't think bad of the area, its Haven that are at fault.

T4i

Haven wont spoil my attitude towards the east coast. I live in West Yorkshire so its a easy journey across. The reason I'm so annoyed is becuae I can only think what a perfect holiday we *should* of got.

Haven even advertise this 'all singing all dancing' swimming pool on-site. We went to it, how is a swimming pool a swimming pool when its not actualy deep enough to swim in it. If you stand up in the deep end your knees get cold. Total rubbish! Haven are having a right laff....

I'd like to meet Mr Haven :rotfl: >>>>> BANG! :T =

financial_filly

Really sorry to hear about the bad you had at the hands of Haven (also hope your gf is ok...i had preclampsia with my son and i know what a worrying time it can be)

We considered either primrose valley with Haven or butlins Skegness for our holiday this year as we need somewhere to keep a very lively toddler happy not to mention the o.h. and i am pleased after reading your story that we decided to go for Butlins, well it had Bob the Builder as well (sadly no neil morrisey..boo ..lol).

Such a shame that you have had a bad experience but i certainly dont blame you for taking this up with both the Sun & Haven. When they do have the nerve to bombard you with deals to go on holiday with them i hope you give them what for

T4i

Thanks all for feedback, it does make things better talking to people.

Glad you went for Butlins financial_filly, I would not recommend Haven to Gordon Brown.

Happy Holidays!

toozie_2

We had a few "Sun" cheapie breaks a few years ago, when the kids were little. We usually ended up at a British Holidays Site-don't even know if they're still going?

Once we arrived and the path from the car to the caravan was a mud bath, we didn't even unload the car, went back to reception and said we couldn't stay there, coz firstly their caravan would be covered in mud in side, and secondly all our shoes would be ruined.

They couldn't have been nicer, 30 min later we were in an up-graded van, with no extra costs, in a better area on the site.

Sounds like standards have lowered considerably, won't book again, sorry to hear of your total disaster T4i.

beachbeth

Its awful when things go wrong like this and no one will take responsibility for the blame.I think the people involved need training in customer relations from the sound of it.

I went on my first Sun holiday last year and stayed at a Haven site in Yarmouth. It all went smoothly, the caravan was lovely and we had a lovely relaxing time, so Im sorry to hear of your experience. Im just kicking myself that I didn't save up the coupons this year because Id like to go again!

I hope you get some compensation from Haven as it seems they are the ones at fault.