Snape Lodge

The caravans were outstanding, and ours was great, but everything else made this the worst holiday place I’ve ever been to. The staff were friendly, but arriving at night turned finding the right caravan into a maths test. The numbers alternate between even and odd, and if you’re lucky enough to have your number, you might work it out. My dad and I spent an hour trying to find ours. The arcade games all needed coins, but the coin machine was broken. I couldn’t understand why staff were so reluctant to fix such a simple machine. The beach was alright, though at night there were either seagulls or the petrifying sound of a Transport for Wales train passing, like a magnitude 6 earthquake.

The location looks great. I only picked someone up from reception, though, and haven’t stayed there myself.

It’s a well-kept park and the beach, a long stretch of sand, is only a short walk away. The park is huge, which means there’s plenty on site: a shop, chippy, launderette, bar and restaurant, entertainment, a pool and a soft play area. Parking can be tricky when it’s busy. Some caravans have their own spaces, but otherwise you have to use one of the scattered car parks, and you might struggle to park near your caravan.

We had a pleasant holiday, but I wouldn’t return to this particular site. The location was quiet, reasonably priced, and not far from lots of North Wales tourist areas. Our platinum caravan was in a quiet corner, reasonably clean, with beds made up for us, and the balcony and seating were a nice touch. There were too few parking spaces for the number of vans, and some people took up two bays. Reception had limited hours, so there was no one to report it to. The exit card reader was about 20 feet before the barrier, with no sign to point it out. We drove past it the first time and couldn’t get the barrier to lift. Another caravan guest showed us what to do, and we ended up helping four other cars with the same problem that week. The welcome pack was useless: a photocopied map so blurry it was unreadable, plus vague information that didn’t cover basics like where the shop and restaurant were, their menus, or opening hours. There was only one set of communal bins, on the opposite side of the site, so we had to drive for a few minutes to reach them. Reception didn’t open until after 10am. We didn’t use the facilities. The caravan itself was missing basic things. There wasn’t a single hook for a coat or towel, and mirrors were only in the main bedroom. The kitchen and bathroom layouts weren’t great, although I’m not sure how much say the site had in those. The place has a lot of potential, but it just hasn’t been thought through.