HOLIDAY HAVEN
I visited the celeb-loved Haven holiday park after multi-million facelift – with revamped pool and great pub grub
The peaceful local beach is also worth a visit - but you really don't need to leave the park
WHEN Stacey Solomon posted on Instagram that “caravan park holidays are the best”, I must admit I was sceptical.
The popular TV host and mum of five had just returned from Haven’s Kent Coast, set back from the water in the village of Allhallows.
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And it turns out she is not the only celebrity fan, with Manchester United footie ace Harry Maguire spotted at Haven’s Prestatyn site in North Wales last week.
But after summers in my Uncle Rich’s mobile home in the late ’80s, where the lounge was too small to lounge in and you could barely fry an egg in the kitchen, I’d need more than these two celebs to convince me.
So, with my partner, Bianca, and kids, five-year old Frank and three-year-old Pearl, I made the trip to Kent’s Hoo Peninsula to check out Stacey’s “best” holiday spot.
Like the former Loose Women star, we had booked a gold caravan with a view over the on-site lake and the Thames Estuary, with Southend on the distant horizon.
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Stepping inside the airy space, any fears of a repeat of Isle of Wight 1989 instantly vanished.
The roomy living area had two double sofas with wide doors that opened on to a veranda complete with table and chairs for al fresco dining.
Back indoors, the kitchen was fully kitted out with a large oven, dishwasher, microwave and even a washing machine.
The kids charged into their room to fight over who would have which bed, while we took in our master bedroom, which featured an en suite and a walk-in wardrobe.
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Now, we were starting to see why Stacey had given it the thumbs-up.
And that was before we had even ventured to the main hub, which has recently had a multi-million-pound facelift.
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We used the revamped pool every day of our stay and it was lovely to watch the kids improve their swimming technique.
Fortunately they had energy left for more active fun, with Frank raring to go for his 9am kickabouts on the football courts with his new mates.
Pearl made sure she did not miss out by signing up for the Activitots sessions, where she enjoyed a mini-Olympics workout by jumping hurdles, throwing kid-friendly javelins . . . and egg-and-spoon races.
The new Adventure Village hosts the bulk of the outdoor activities.
One day, Frank was buzzing after the bungee trampoline propelled him about 20 feet into the air, while Bianca got her adrenalin fix by braving The Jump, a 20ft leap off a wooden platform into a giant Hollywood stuntman-style crash mat.
And both kids loved the mini-aerial adventure, where they tackled an assault course and plunged down a mini-zipline, as well as the inflatable bounce-and-play sessions and a great park with towers and slides.
It turns out Stacey was right after all. Caravan breaks really do make the best holidays.
Us adults made sure we got a workout too with a family kart ride around the site, which involved pedalling the kids through the venue as they took in the sights.
But it wasn’t all fast and furious.
Pearl followed in Stacey’s footsteps and joined a Make-a-Bear class, which gave her the chance to create her new best friend, Bella the dog.
Both kids were also keen to try the balloon-making class in the new 1,200-seater Marina Bar and Lounge.
If you don’t fancy either of those, the Creative Studio also has sand-bottle building, although my personal favourite was the Pottery Creations class.
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Climbing wall
We left with a football piggy bank, psychedelic elephant and two jewellery boxes for Nannie’s birthday.
Then on top of all that there are arcades, fairground stalls, a climbing wall, fishing lake and a NERF Training Camp in an inflatable arena.
Plus there’s day and night time entertainment with lively interactive shows for the kids until 8pm followed by competitions and live acts every night for the adults.
Trying to fit the shows in and eat could be tricky, but luckily your food can be delivered to your table next to the stage from the on-site fish and chip shop, Burger King or Papa Johns.
You can also dine out at Huffkin Of Hoo, which serves up great value pub-style grub.
We barely had time to leave the park, with so much action on site, but I did manage to check out the peaceful local beach and nature reserve.
Both are well worth a visit.
It turns out Stacey was right after all.
Caravan breaks really do make the best holidays.
GO: Haven, Kent
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STAYING THERE: A four-night mid-week Haven Holiday in a two-bedroom saver caravan in autumn is from £69 including access to the restaurants, arcades, takeaways, swimming pools, entertainment and pre-paid activities.
See haven.com.