Vacation park voted worst in UK as Middle Parcs, Haven and Butlins all rank decrease than winner

Editorial Team
9 Min Read


A brand new survey by Which? has revealed the perfect and worst vacation parks within the UK, in line with guests, with Potters Resorts taking the highest spot, Pontins as soon as once more scoring badly and a Welsh resort doing very effectively too

The Pontins close to Weston-Tremendous-Mare is the one one within the vacation park chain presently open to the general public(Picture: Rowan Griffiths)

A survey has unveiled the highest and backside UK vacation parks for 2025, with family names like Haven and Middle Parcs being outshone by smaller operators.

The survey gathered insights from 1,700 Which? members who rated their stays at numerous UK vacation parks and resorts. Individuals evaluated elements akin to park cleanliness, lodging high quality, the vary of free actions accessible, and the general worth for cash of their journey.

Main the pack with the very best “buyer rating” was Potters Resorts, recognized for its all-inclusive holidays at two places in Essex and Norfolk. Though predominantly an adults-only vacation spot, Potters welcomes kids throughout the summer time holidays in Norfolk.

It achieved a stellar 87% buyer rating, incomes 5 stars for each facility and lodging high quality, and an ideal rating for the variety of complimentary actions. Regardless of being the priciest possibility within the Which? survey, Potters’ price consists of all meals and drinks, a wide range of actions from pickleball to archery, and ‘West Finish’ normal night leisure, which earned the resort a four-star ranking for worth for cash.

Forest Holidays secured the second spot, with an general buyer rating of 80%. The model boasts eight parks in England, three in Scotland, and two in Wales, providing rural places and distinctive lodging akin to log cabins and treehouses.

Forest Holidays
Forest Holidays clinched second place(Picture: Leicester Mercury)

Clients praised the standard of the lodging and cleanliness, though they solely awarded three-stars for worth for cash.

One other prime performer was Bluestone Wales, nestled within the scenic Pembrokeshire. Bluestone gives luxurious lodges and cottages, additionally incomes excessive marks for the standard of lodging on supply — go right here to learn what one customer who drove 2.5 hours to remain there thought.

Whereas they scored effectively for the number of kids’s actions accessible and the leisure, in addition they obtained a three-star ranking for worth for cash, leading to an general rating of 77%.

Hopton-on-Sea in Norfolk
Potters Resorts have two places together with the attractive Hopton-on-Sea in Norfolk(Picture: Getty Pictures/iStockphoto)
The swimming pool at Bluestone Wales
Bluestone Wales in Pembrokeshire got here third within the listing(Picture: Western Every day Press)

Pontins discovered themselves on the backside of the chart as soon as once more, having additionally come final in 2024. The model presently has only one vacation park open to visitors, the adults-only Sand Bay Vacation Village in Weston-Tremendous-Mare. Their different two parks in Burnham on Sea, Somerset and Pakefield, Suffolk are briefly closed to accommodate building employees.

With 56% for buyer satisfaction, Pontins earned simply two-stars in most areas and, regardless of being the most affordable possibility, clients nonetheless felt they obtained poor worth for cash.

In a scathing Tripadvisor evaluation, one buyer did not maintain again about their Pakefield park expertise, stating: “Worst place I’ve ever visited, chalet was previous unkempt and soiled, holes in sheets, beds pushed along with horrible mattress and pillows, to bathe you needed to hold pushing a button in, it leaked all around the flooring.”

One other customer expressed dissatisfaction, noting: “Rooms are shabby and fairly soiled. Filth on the baseboards, cobwebs within the corners and behind doorways, our bathe curtain had pink mould rising alongside the underside seam, clearly not laundered between visitors.”

Not all suggestions was unfavorable, as some holidaymakers loved their keep, with one reviewer commenting: “We went starting of October had an excellent week! Meals was nice, swimming pool was actually good and for the worth you actually cannot get any higher!”

Aerial views of Pontins Camber Sands in East Sussex which is now closed to the public
Pontins – who have been backside of the listing – have closed places together with Camber Sands in East Sussex(Picture: Adam Gerrard / Every day Mirror)

Leisure at Pontins additionally obtained commendations, with a visitor remarking: “The Bluecoats present Vegas was superb! They’re all so gifted and are all the time performing some exercise or becoming a member of in on the dance flooring and having fun or chatting with individuals.”

Largo Leisure Parks, which operates six parks in Scotland, discovered itself on the decrease finish of the satisfaction scale with a rating of 64%. It must be famous, nevertheless, that this ranking was primarily based on a comparatively small pattern measurement of simply 30 respondents who had visited their parks.

A spokesperson for Largo Leisure commented: “While that is after all disappointing, this pertains to solely 30 individuals who have been surveyed about Largo Leisure over 12 months in the past. On each TripAdvisor and Google Critiques, the place we’ve 1000’s of opinions for every of our six Scotland vacation parks, all of them are rated 4.3 or above out of 5.

“We frequently get 5 star opinions on each TripAdvisor and Google opinions and we’d encourage individuals to have a look on each to see a real reflection of the visitor experiences at our parks. We’re very pleased with our monitor report for offering distinctive holidays for our visitors however we by no means cease attempting to enhance. We’re having fun with a busy 12 months throughout all our parks and if individuals learn the net opinions they may see why.”

In the meantime, Away Resorts scored equally. It operates 25 parks in places akin to the favored south-west of England and the Isle of Wight. Away Resorts obtained simply two stars for worth for cash, regardless of providing a broad number of lodging together with caravans, glamping choices, and luxurious lodges. The corporate additionally had unsatisfactory rankings in customer support however earned three stars for cleanliness and lodging high quality.

General view of  Towan beach, Newquay
Away Resorts have 25 family-friendly resorts together with one in Newquay(Picture: William Dax / SWNS)
Center Parcs in Elveden Forest
Middle Parcs in Elveden Forest – their parks obtained excessive scores for high quality however have been described as ‘costly’(Picture: Publicity Image)

Middle Parcs, the most well-liked vacation park supplier within the survey, scored 69%, placing it on par with Haven. Regardless of excessive scores for its services and lodging high quality, it obtained decrease marks for the vary of complimentary actions and general worth for cash. It was the third priciest on the listing, following Potters and Warner Leisure Villages, who cater to adults-only breaks.

A Which? member commented: “Very costly for what it’s. Lodging wonderful, other than the oasis pool, every part was further. Employees have been very useful and the kids loved their keep. I can’t be going again.”

Haven, with 38 parks throughout the UK, matched Middle Parcs’ rating, though they did obtain three stars for worth for cash. Which? readers awarded them two-star rankings for food and drinks and the number of free actions accessible. You’ll be able to learn what one mum considered Haven right here.

Finest and worst vacation parks within the UK – ranked

Pontins, Away Resorts, Park Holidays, Butlins, Middle Parcs, and Haven have been approached for remark.

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