My favourite UK holiday park. (Welcome Family Park Dawlish)

Member Name: jeffjen

Product:	Welcome Family Park Dawlish
Date:	15/07/09 (161 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful beach, good entertainment, plenty places to visit.

Disadvantages: None

Welcome Family Holiday Park is located in Dawlish Warren, South Devon. Dawlish Warren and Dawlish (which is a few minutes drive away) are beautiful places to visit, only a few miles from Torquay on the English Riveria.

I first discovered this holiday park back in 1990, when browsing through the Hoseasons brochure looking for a place to go for a family holiday in Devon, at a reasonable price.
I booked a week here, as I remembered a few years earlier being on the train to Torquay and ,the train line running along the beach at Dawlish Warren and in and out of the cliffs. It looked so scenic and I had never forgotten it. So I booked a week at this park in Dawlish Warren and enjoyed it so much we have returned many times since that first visit and always had a good time.

With many people booking holidays in the UK this year due to the credit crunch and the poor exchange rate for the Euro, I can recommend South Devon for its mild climate and the many places there are to visit.

Dawlish Warren is quite small, and quieter than its neighbour Dawlish, and it has a beautiful sandy beach which has been awarded the blue flag year after year.
I have spent a lot of time on this lovely beach over the years, as we always seem to have been lucky with the weather. This area of the country does have a mild climate, clear waters and palm trees, hence its name 'The English Riviera'.
The beach is backed by sand dunes, leading to a peaceful Nature Reserve with small lakes and pathways. The beach also stretches to the Exe Estuary in one direction and the small town of Dawlish in the other.
It is possible to walk along the beach and sea wall from Dawlish Warren to Dawlish itself, and also as I already mentioned, the train line runs alongside also.

Welcome Family Holiday park is situated behind the beach. The accomodation is mainly caravans, though there are some bungalows too.
The caravans vary in size and price. The smallest have two bedrooms, one double and one twin, with seating area in lounge which can be converted to sleep another 2 people.
The smallest caravans are the ones we have always chosen, and although small, (12ft wide) it was perfectly adequate for our needs and very clean.
All the caravans have TV, microwave, fridge-freezer,cooker, heating and a shower. Electricity is included in the price, and bed linen is provided.
Cots, highchairs, bedguards, pushchairs, garden furniture and even computer games are available to hire from the park.
There are some newer caravans which obviously look better,and some really large ones, but as long as I am staying in clean and comfortable accomodation which suits my needs, then I am happy.
Prices for a week in these caravans start at £105 upwards depending on the time of year.

Check-in has always been quick and problem free. Although it is stated that your accomodation will be available at 4pm, we have always been allocated our caravan earlier than this if it is ready. It is possible when booking to request a specific caravan, so you can stay in the same one each visit if you wish!
I have always found the staff to be very helpful, welcoming and friendly.

The park itself is quite large, clean and spacious with well maintained gardens. An adventure playground,sports ground and mini golf are available for the children. There is also a cafe, takeaway and shop. The fish and chips are lovely!
There are four indoor heated fun pools and a games arcade, as well as a full programme of activities and competitions for all the family, to keep you occupied.

Which brings me to the entertainment. I must admit I do not expect much from holiday parks when it comes to evening entertainment, and have stayed in some places where it has been absolutely terrible!
However, this is not the case here. The same entertainment manager, Mark Price has been at this park for years, and has always worked hard with a talented team to ensure a good programme of entertainment.
Talking to other people staying at the park,I have realised this is one of the reasons why people return here year after year. If you want further evidence of this then look up the park on You Tube, where videos and clips of shows have been uploaded, and read some of the comments left by guests and viewers.
I was particularly impressed by keyboard player/ vocalist Roger Parkes, who has also been here many years, and Mark Price is a good vocalist himself, who has released material, and also does a mean Neil Diamond impression!
One of the team was an illusionist and his act was truly breathtaking. A lot of magic and illusion acts to little to impress me, but after watching his show I was left wondering how did he do that?

Evening entertainment consists of different shows each night in Cruisers club and competitions, such as talent shows etc. Bingo is played early evening before the show begins.
Children are invited to their own Jolly Roger club, to give parents some time to themselves, before being brought back later in the evening.
The children really enjoy this and are entertained with disco's, magic, films and face painting etc.

We have always spent our evenings watching the entertainment here at Welcome Family park, but during the day, if not visiting the beach, there are plenty of places to visit in the area.
If you have a car then the whole of South Devon is on the doorstep, although there are good transport links too.
The nearest place to visit being Dawlish, which can be reached by a few minutes in the car or by bus. We have often walked along the beach and sea wall to Dawlish, it doesn't take long and is great if you fancy a scenic stroll, but do check the tide, or you may get your feet wet if it is high tide!

Dawlish is a pretty town, famous for its black swans which you will find on the brook which runs down the centre of the town to the sea. Beautiful landscaped gardens and pathways adorn either side of the brook, and are illuminated at night with different coloured bulbs.
There are shops, supermarkets and gift shops in Dawlish, and I can highly recommend a visit to Gays Creamery, a family run bakery which sells delicious home made pies, pasties (enormous), cakes and scones, as well as home made ice cream topped with clotted cream! Also available are clotted cream teas, as well as gift sets and fudge to take home.
If you are on a diet then do not visit Gays Creamery as I can guarantee the diet will go out of the window!

Other places worth a visit are Torquay which is only a few miles away, and its historic village of Cockington. Babbacombe Model Village, Kent's Cavern, and adventure parks such as Crealy Country offer a great day out.
If you prefer something quieter then head up to Dartmoor to Becky Falls or Canonteign Falls (England's highest waterfall), they are both beautiful places to visit.

Welcome Family holiday park is a fantastic place for a holiday, and if you visit here you will realise why people return year after year. It is real good value for money, and also an ideal base to explore South Devon.

You can book a holiday here by visiting Hoseasons.co.uk.

Summary: Great value holiday in the UK.