ADULTS BEWARE (Golden Sands Holiday Park)

Member Name: KLH

Product:	Golden Sands Holiday Park
Date:	01/09/08 (337 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Near beautiful beach

Disadvantages: Nasty Caravan, Poor service, Dirty site

Have just returned from a weekend at Golden Sands in Mablethorpe - very glad to be home. I booked a prestige caravan for £332 (including £5 to hire a 'cot side' and £10 deposit for this service). Immediately on arrival, everything seemed OK. A security guard meets your car as you turn into the site and directs you to a temporary car park where another security guard sends you to reception once you've parked your car. Both these chaps were very nice and informative.

Luckily, as I had selected the 'prestige' caravan, I was allowed a 2.30pm check-in and so there was only a short wait at the reception. (Later that day I saw the queue for the check in for the people who had the lower grade accomodation and could not believe it - there must have been 200 people there and the queue snaked round the block!)

When we got to the caravan the first thing that struck you was the stench of cigarettes - I don't mind the smell of smoke but this was disgusting. The flies - there were so many that I had to go and buy fly spray immediately. (Large supply at the convenience store - wonder why??) The carpet was absolutely filthy. However, on the plus side, the cot side I requested was there, the beds were all made up as stated, the cigarette smell had not permeated through to the bedrooms and we had a separate toilet and shower which was very handy.

First night we decided to eat at the restaurant on the complex - very small for the size of park - but were told that it would be 50 min to 1 hr wait for food. As we wanted to see the show at 8.00pm this was no good. So we decided to get fish and chips. I stood in the queue at the fish and chip shop for 40min and there was only 6 people in front of me - it was unbelievable - the kids (and I mean kids) running it had no idea what they were doing - it was embarassing. So the result was that we missed the beginning of the show and when we got to the showbar it was full with no tables remaining. The show itself (The Incredible Hulk) was so LOUD that my three old was terrified and we had to leave after 5 min anyway - Great first night.

We spent most of the next day on the beach which is lovely and the biggest asset to this holiday park in my opinion.

We ate early in the restaurant and at least we got served this time. The food was OK and reasonably priced. Then we went to see a kiddy show which my children enjoyed. The Showbar is very grotty - this may be due to the fact that it is the end of the season and that it needs a really good clean - it was a feet sticking to the carpet type of place. Luckily it is very dark in there so you can't actually see how filthy it is.

The next morning we decided to go swimming. Now one of the reasons I chose Golden Sands was because the 'Splashzone' looked good with flumes inside and out. First of all we waited 20min to get in. Then they had run out of lockers so we had to put all our stuff at the pool side - unattended - although we could leave our valuables with the boys on the entrance desk - how reassuring. Once in the pool, whaddya know, the slides weren't working. I asked a lifeguard why not and he said that it was because the outdoor pool was open and they didn't have enough lifeguards to man both pools and the slides - fantastic! My eight year old was really satisfied by this explanation. After about half an hour, they did actually open the indoor slide - just as we were about to get out so my son did get to have a go a couple of times. On the positive side, the water was lovely and warm in the outdoor pool.

Overall, the kids had a good time although it worked out fairly expensive for me. The crazy golf is £2 each, trampolines £1 for 5 min, bouncy castle £1 for 5 min, dodgems £2 each and so on. With three kids it adds up. The amusements are set up so you have to go through them to get anywhere.

So, we got home today after our three nights at Golden Sands. Would I go again, never! Would the kids go again - TOMORROW!!!

Hope this has helped.

Summary: But Kids Love it!!