Devon Cliffs Review: Haven Holidays Easter 2016

Devon Cliffs: The beach is fantastic for the children

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We have previously been to Devon Cliffs Haven Holiday and we loved it (read my previous review here). In fact we are big Haven Holiday fans, and last summer we went to Caister-on-Sea in Norfolk (review here).

So this year for Easter we decided to go back to Haven Devon Cliffs for our holiday, and this is my full review.

Our journey:

This time we were very lucky because the motorway from Bristol to Exeter was very quiet and the journey was really enjoyable. Almost as soon as we'd started our journey the children typically started to ask 'are we there yet?' - but in few hours we arrived at Devon Cliffs. The check-in was very quick and efficient, and the reception staff were fast and friendly.

Our Caravan

We booked a Deluxe caravan and our place was not too far from the beach and the entertainment centre. But when we arrived at the caravan I could see work going on in the pitch next door. I asked the builders and they told me they were getting everything ready for a new caravan. Thankfully they were very honest and told us it will take around 3 days of works and noise! As we had a short break of only 4 days (and a newborn baby), my wife and I were not very impressed.
The caravan was ok, with a very big bathroom and outstanding views to the sea. But the cleanliness was very poor. Clearly somebody forgot to clean the bathroom shelves, blinds, and the fat and oil all around the kitchen, and change the bed sheets. So I was not really impressed. We decided to go to Starbucks (next door to the reception) and have a word with reception/check in staff who were located inside. Luckily while ordering my Latte I met Timothy Venn who is the Guest Relations Manager. I explained about our issues to him. He came back half an hour later with a key for another caravan (upgrade) in another location. He told us we could have a look and to let him know. We went to see the new caravan (Prestige) and we were really pleased. The location was fantastic, and the cleanliness was great. The area was very quite and not far from the Entertainment centre. This is what I call great customer service. Sometimes things can go wrong and we cannot expect everything to be perfect all the time. But when something goes wrong, it is important to put it right. And on that matter I think that Devon Cliffs was excellent in solving our issue.

Our second caravan was perfect for our little family.

The Park

If you are thinking about going on holiday to Devon Cliffs, my advice is "book it"! You won’t be disappointed. The place is huge, great for families, stunning seaside, amazing beach, and a really friendly atmosphere. Devon Cliffs is one of the biggest Haven Holidays park. There are so many things to do: there is a Starbucks, a Spar (reasonably priced), a Mash & Barrel (restaurant), a Pub, Burger King, Papa John Pizza, Fish and Chips, Beach Club, a huge arcade place for kids and grown ups, two entertainment venues, a very lovely character/gift shop, a mini golf, sports centre, indoor and outdoor pool facilities, and Millie Cookies. I think you get the picture: you will never be bored at Devon Cliffs!

Entertainment

This place is all about family entertainment. The evening shows are very good, funny, and the main venue is really busy (you need to arrive early to get a seat!). My children love the kids disco and games. The team is really friendly, and professional. Everything is really well organised and the variety of shows is really good.

The daytime entertainment is different though. It's clear that it's not a priority for Haven holidays. But to be honest there are so many things to do at Devon Cliffs that it is not a real issue.

Final thoughts

We really love the place (this is our third visit), and we really enjoy it. If you are looking for a great place for your family holiday, this is the place to go. This park is huge, busy, fun, and the beach is really nice.

The ++++

A lot of things to do
Great evening entertainment
Stunning beach
Nice offer of Bars and Restaurants
You cannot be bored.
Timothy Venn (Guest Relations Manager): friendly, efficient, a credit to the park

The ---

The indoor pool is very nice but the water is always a bit cold.
The showers at the indoor pool are very cold
Poor daytime entertainment programme (& poorly advertised)
The cleanliness of some caravans is poor.