Wales Online writer Ruth Mosalski and her family spent four nights at Haven’s biggest UK campsite, Hafan y Mor in north-west Wales, and found it to be a hit with the kids
Haven’s largest campsite, nestled in the stunning Llyn peninsula of north-west Wales, spans a whopping 500 acres. Ruth and her family family spent four nights there and said her children were “absolutely smitten.”
Located just outside Pwllhelli, the Hafan y Mor site was once a Butlin’s holiday park. Remnants of its past still linger, such as the platform from the land train and some of the old apartment blocks, although the cable car is long gone. Today, it’s a sprawling, modern site boasting hundreds of caravans and an impressive array of dining options and activities.
Ruth shared her visit and said: “We embarked on our four-night getaway last summer, arriving just as check-in opened. The queue of eager holidaymakers had already extended beyond the campsite and onto the main road.
READ MORE: You need laser-sharp vision to find 5 hidden microphones in baffling brainteaserREAD MORE: You are ‘highly attentive’ if you can spot sewing machine in colourful scene
However, the efficient staff quickly resolved the situation, making the check-in process one of the smoothest I’ve ever experienced at similar venues. There were no lengthy checks or key handovers because all necessary information is provided via the app prior to arrival, reports Wales Online.
Once your car registration is verified, you’re given directions and off you go! Your keys await you on the counter inside your caravan, with a security seal (and your name) on the exterior door to ensure you’re at the correct location. This streamlined system significantly speeds up the entire process.
We were cosied up in The Stables area, in a gold-level caravan. Tucked away on the far side of the site, it was blissfully quiet yet only about five minutes’ stroll from the Dragon Lakes adventure village and roughly 10-12 minutes from the main facilities including eateries, pubs and pool.
The caravan itself, the highest grade offered by the site, was spanking new and genuinely plush. The living space was considerably larger than others I’ve experienced at similar sites, boasting two sofas (not the modular ones that are impossible to get comfy on), televisions, ample storage and extra perks like USB plug sockets and a hairdryer. The master bedroom even had an en-suite.
Prior to our arrival, the app proved useful for booking activities, viewing the entertainment schedule and even providing a handy packing list – even at the gold level you need to bring plenty with you. However, the sparse Wi-Fi coverage on the site meant we occasionally struggled to access what we needed unless we were in one of the site’s main areas. While there, this app can be used to book activities but also order grub to your table in the pubs, or even to your caravan.
Food and drink on the site
There’s a plethora of dining options on site. While they may not be winning any gourmet awards, for a mum who’s usually cooking three meals a day, it was a welcome break.
On-site eateries include popular chains like Papa Johns, Slim Chickens, Burger King and Millie’s Cookies. Haven’s own offerings include their pizza joint, The Pizza Deck, their pub, HMS Glendower, and the Coast House bar and restaurant. For sunny days, there’s the Box Bar, and The Cakery serves Costa coffee and cake right next to the playground.
We enjoyed two evening meals at the Coast House – one was “excellent pub food”, but the other left us wishing we’d ventured elsewhere. However, with kids eating for just £1 when adults order a full-priced meal, and the option to combine this with the two for £18 meals deal, four of us managed to dine for just £20.
A breakfast of four full breakfasts (two kid-sized, and two adult) with Costa coffees came in at under £30. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the on-site shops were reasonably priced. Stocking Co-op items, even typically marked-up products like nappies were sensibly priced.
On-site activities
There’s a plethora of activities on offer here, all reasonably priced. From trampolining and climbing walls to pedalos, Nerf battle zones, sports pitches, and a thrilling leap of faith jump. Our top picks were the 4×4 off-roader experience and the pic ‘n’ paint pottery. You can hire karts for a cycle around or Segways for a bit of fun.
There’s also a soft play area and two large arcade areas for those who fancy a go at the 2p machines or grabber toys. The swimming pool was an absolute blessing. With five different pools catering to all ages, including a smaller one for our nearly two year old and slides that our adventurous four year old could enjoy.
There was even a lane pool, although we never managed to tear ourselves away from the slides long enough to use it. It’s evident that there’s been significant investment in these facilities. Haven was acquired by Bourne Leisure Ltd ten years ago, the same company that owns Warner Leisure Hotels, and they’ve spent that time investing heavily.
This is clearly visible here, with the only giveaway of the site’s age being some of the paintwork in the pool area, but that’s just nitpicking. As you’d expect from Wales in August, the weather during our stay was a mixed bag. We had glorious sunshine on our arrival, departure and middle day, but torrential rain on the other days.
On the sunny days, we ventured off-site to explore the stunning beauty of Criccieth, Aberdaron, Llanbedrog, Abersoch, Llanystumdwy and fulfilled a travel bucket list item at the Ty Coch Inn at Porthdinllaen.
Despite the rainy days, we made the most of the on-site options. Our kids would tell you it was the best holiday ever. Our four year old spent an hour hunting fossils in an interactive show (£16) before we saw Haven’s mascot perform her own show. We also got to paint a pot (£12 per person), have a swim (free with the play pass or £10 otherwise), and then danced at the Tots Disco (free).
We even took seats in the huge showbar for the on-site team’s panto (free), with fish and chips delivered to our tables for tea (£5.99 for a kids meal, including fruit shoot).
Many of the activities are outdoors and carry on regardless of the weather. The staff were helpful in rebooking things on the day we were due to do something outdoors, but they were almost all fully booked by the time we were there at 9.25am, probably because everyone had the same idea.
We’ve previously visited Eurocamp and French equivalents, as well as Bluestone in Pembrokeshire, but the entertainment here was much more suited to our kids. In France, things only really get going much later at night, which isn’t ideal for our younger kids.
The tots disco here started at 5pm and lasted half an hour – perfect for little ones. When it comes to entertainment, Haven was the clear winner. For us grown-ups, it served as a brilliantly situated base in a region we’re often priced out of exploring.
We didn’t just explore Llyn itself, but my husband and I also managed to cover a few more miles of the Wales Coast Path, which runs alongside the park.
We never made it to the nearby beaches, but they were completely deserted and should definitely be signposted more to showcase the area’s natural beauty. However, for our children, it was the jam-packed schedule that left them shouting, screaming and smiling from dawn till dusk.
We departed exhausted, but wonderfully happy with memories we’ll cherish for years to come. In conclusion, the site’s facilities cater to nearly every age and ability, and our caravan was superbly equipped, comfortable and offered lovely sunset views.
If we hadn’t been so knackered each day from cramming in as much as possible, it would have certainly been the sort of place where we’d have happily sat on the decking with a bottle of red and a pack of cards, but those water slides really do take it out of you.
Do you have a story to share? Email [email protected]