Rob's reviews
Review of Riviere Sands Holiday Park
24 May 08, 16:53
Not a bad stay, bit of a basic caravan though 
As we couldn't afford a family holiday abroad we decided to give the Riviere Sands Haven Holiday Park in Hayle, Cornwall a go. We stayed for 4 nights, so prices below are for a 4 night stay (it's a little extra for 7 nights).
First of all it was a bit of a struggle to find (the AA directions using the postcode on their web site took is to the wrong place!). Once we found the holiday park we found we weren't able to check-in before 4pm. We were able to park up on the site temporarily to pick up a check-in pass (which gives free parking in the local car park).
We stayed in a standard 2 bedroom caravan. It was a reasonable size with combined kitchen/lounge area and two small bedrooms (one with a double bed, the other with two single beds).
In a standard caravan you don't get much. Bed linen is an extra £10, a microwave is not included (that's an extra £5). There is a TV in the caravan although you don't get anything other than the basic 5 channels (this isn't really too bad if you're out most of the time). We were able to hire some bed rails for our 2 yr old daughter although there was an option to hire a travel cot (again both of these are about an extra £5). We also had an issue with ants in the caravan which despite us complaining about, it didn't seem like anything was done about it (it wasn't a big problem, just annoying).
Facilities on site included a laundrette (£4 per wash, and about £1.50 for dryers), fish & chip shop (we didn't try this), local convenience shop selling the essentials (it's a little pricey, Lidl's and Co-Op supermarkets are probably your best bet in Hayle, or Tesco in Redruth). There was a play area for the kids, vast sandy beaches (with great views), two swimming pools (one in door, one outdoor) and also an arcade and clubhouse with offering entertainments during the day and evening and a bar in the evening.
I'd certainly recommend the holiday park if you can find a good deal. The staff were friendly enough (Leighton deserves a special mention) and the kids loved the entertainment. If you stay in a standard caravan make sure you bring extra blankets if you're staying in the spring, and maybe a DVD player to keep the kids amused if you don't want to go to the clubhouse. It's also a good idea if you arrive early to do a bit of shopping for essentials (food, toilet rolls, tea-towel, washing up liquid) before you check in.
We've booked for next year although this time we're going to stay in a 'Superior Plus' caravan which while more expensive is a big bigger and includes a few more things such as microwave, heaters in the bedrooms and TV with video (or DVD if you're lucky).
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