Potters Resorts based in Essex and Hopton-on-Sea offer the best family getaway according to a new Which? report, with activities, shows, spas and great nearby attractions to enjoy
A lesser-known holiday park company, Potters, has secured the top spot for the best family break in the UK.
In a new Which? survey, big name holiday park firms including Butlin’s, Center Parcs and Pontins have been beaten by small and independent brands. Beating household names to the top of the table was Potters Resorts, with a customer score of 87%, followed by Which? Recommended Provider Forest Holidays in second place with a customer score of 80%.
Potters resorts has been operating for over one-hundred years and has two all-inclusive resorts in Essex and Norfolk. Each resort offer a range of accommodation and live entertainment.
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Visitors awarded Potters the five stars for a variety of facilities on offer, the quality of facilities and activities, the quality of entertainment and communication and fours stars for overall customer service, food and drink, value for money and quality of accommodation.
Potters has one resort based in Hopton-on-Sea and another in Five Lakes, which is in the Essex countryside. For the resort in Hopton-on-Sea, guests can also venture into Great Yarmouth, and enjoy the beaches off of the Norfolk coast. Alternatively, for families with a car they can tie in a day trip to the city of Norwich.
For Potters’ Five Lakes Resort, families can enjoy 320 acres of Essex countryside, creating a retreat in nature. Families at this resort can also enjoy day trips to the cities of Colchester and Chelmsford. Alternatively, the sea is also a short drive away, where visitors will find the Blackwater Estuary National Nature Reserve
Guests at Potters Resorts can enjoy a range of activities including adventure golf, bird watching, bingo, crafting workshops, climbing, rally karting, and dance classes. Potters also offers an array of shows across various stages, during both the day and evening.
For parents wanting to get away from their children for some time, there is the Aphrodite Beauty Studio, which offers different treatments including facials, hair removal and luxury massages. It is also complete with a pool, hot tub and sauna.
Potters has late availability stays available from £449 per adult, for a three night weekend stay in July. One guest who stayed at Potters Hopton-on-Sea stated: “Welcome was a great start to our reception was very welcoming. The rooms was just perfect very clean and lovely decorated.”
One of the biggest draws of the holiday park is its entertainment offering which is led by the Potters Live Band, features shows the park claims are “West End quality” in the Atlas Theatre and live music out on the South Terrace when the sun is shining. In terms of activities there is buckets to get stuck into for kids and teenagers, including archery, welly wanging, climbing, a giant swing, an inflatable obstacle course and laser tag. For adults, clay pigeon shooting, bowls and boules may tempt.
Food wise, the all inclusive offering includes a delicious breakfast to start your day, with guests able to chose from a traditional and hearty full English, to a choice of cereal, yoghurts and pastries. For lunch there is a three course spread of hot dishes, salads and desserts, before another three course outing in the evening leaves little room for the daily late night snack selection. As you might expect, a stay at the holiday park is not cheap. Four nights at the park in August costs £729 per adult, £519 for 9 to 17 year-olds, £489 for 2 to 8-year-olds, and £20 for under-2s.
The resorts, however, narrowly missed out on Which? Recommended Provider status as Potters will not issue any refund for customers cancelling within six weeks of their booking. Among the other high-scoring firms, just two others, Hoburne Holidays (75%) and Waterside Holiday Group (74%), were awarded prestigious Which? Recommend Provider Status.
Naomi Leach, deputy editor of Which? travel, said: “Holiday parks have been a mainstay of British holidays for decades, but with so many options to choose from it isn’t always easy to know which will be the right fit for your family.
“Our latest survey shows that it’s worth looking beyond the best-known names, with smaller and independent resorts offering excellent value for money, great customer service and plenty of onsite entertainment.
“Whether you’re after an all-inclusive break, a luxury treehouse with a hot tub or a more budget friendly break, our Which? Recommended Providers are a great place to start your research.”
Which? surveyed over 1,700 people about their experiences at UK holiday parks in the last two years, asking them to rate their stays on the quality of accommodation, customer service, cleanliness, facilities and activities, value for money and more. An overall customer score was then calculated based on overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend.
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