Coghurst

We stayed four nights and left today. The caravan was nice and clean, and the park is in a nice location. Staff were super friendly and I can't fault them. The bar and shop were pricey, as they often are, I assume that's how they can offer good holiday prices. The bar area didn't look big enough for events like bingo or entertainment, so I'm not sure where those are held. On our walk to the clubhouse, it was pitch black the whole way. The paths need better lighting, and it wouldn't feel safe for a woman on her own at night because the park is so dark and deserted. A motorbike raced around the park, then the rider parked at the clubhouse in full racing gear, acting like someone special. He was definitely smoking weed. I'd come back despite the issues, but they really need more lighting for safety.

The van was very clean, so no complaints there, but it was the worst placed one I've stayed in. I booked a Gold pet-friendly van, though I'm not sure it actually was pet friendly. It was hidden in bushes, with blackberry growth filling every window and blocking the view. Tall trees covered the messy patio area in bird poo, and bushes about 20 feet high made the inside very dark. The TV kept freezing, possibly because the trees were affecting the signal.

The park itself was lovely and peaceful. Waking up to birdsong and sitting by the tranquil, beautiful fishing lake was calming and much needed. The caravan was basic, with an uncomfortable sofa and a lumpy bed under a plastic-coated mattress and thin sheet, which made it sweaty. The washing-up bowl, grill pan and some saucepans were dirty. There was no sink plug, so I used a saucepan to wash up because I didn't want to use the bowl. The bathroom had no towel hooks, and there wasn't enough space on the small heated rail for two wet towels. Even one kept falling off because it was awkwardly close to the wall. The mirrored cupboard was so deep that it was hard to spit toothpaste into the sink, and there was no hairdryer. The area beside the caravan was overgrown and had discarded plastic pots, though it could have been a nice place to sit in the morning sun if kept tidy. The caravans were much closer together than at similar places we've visited. Hedges and trees are meant to screen them, but in early spring, when many plants had died back, we could hear the neighbours talking and the kids running about. A solid fence might help. Some caravans are very near the main paths, with a zigzag walkway running around their fronts. Some roads are narrow too, with few passing places for cars coming the other way. The morning of our short stay, the park called to say our booked two-bedroom caravan wasn't available and we'd been given a one-bedroom one instead, with free WiFi as compensation. They explained the map, our location and the parking, but I expected more details about the resort in the welcome pack. There was a leaflet about kids' clubs that month, which wasn't useful for two adults, but nothing about when food was served or when reception and the pool were open that week. The promised free WiFi wasn't there either, so we had to ask at reception for those details. The shop had no bread and few basics. We had to use the valleys car park, but often couldn't find a space during our four days, and parking was frequently so awkward there was no room to manoeuvre. On Monday evening, the restaurant, bar and entertainment area was extremely noisy. There was no child-free area and nowhere away from a speaker blasting awful music overhead. A quieter area would make sense. When we went back on Wednesday, there were quiet spots by the TV screens, which thankfully had no sound, and the place was generally quieter. The playlist was much better too. We couldn't use the arcade or pool table without paying by card, which we didn't want to do. On Thursday we went in for a drink but left after one because of the most horrendous karaoke I've heard. I'm not sure the lyrics were child-friendly either 🤔. It seemed to be at full volume from every speaker in the building, and even earplugs didn't help. Fishing looked appealing, but the booking information didn't mention the extra charge, which I believe was £15 a day, or the need for a valid rod licence. Would I return? Only if it were on offer, outside school holidays, and I could choose where we stayed.

The staff I met were friendly and helpful, and my caravan was clean and nice. Bodium castle and Hastings old town are both close by and worth visiting. It's a hilly site in places, with a small pool as part of the recently refurbished bar, restaurant and reception. The park is small to medium sized, mostly caravans with some lodges, and has a nice lake. It looked as though the fishing spots were reserved for caravans beside the water. There's a small bar and restaurant with average food prices, plus a little shop and arcade. Aldi is eight minutes away.