A Spring Break at Woolacombe Bay #Ad

Getting away to the seaside really makes you feel like you are jumping away from winter and stepping into spring and summer.  So the lure of Devon coast at this time of year proved very strong when Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park invited me down to stay.  There’s really nothing like a trip to the seaside to raise your spirits.

The park is easy to fine and check in was quick and efficient.  Our gold caravan had a great location on the edge of the site.  It had a great view of the surrounding countryside, including the sea, but also wasn’t too far from the main site facilities.  We had our own parking spot right alongside and there were additional spaces nearby (handy if you are part of a group that are driving separately).

As a group of adults sharing the accommodation, we loved that there were proper sofas to sit on and plenty of lounging space. There’s all you need there for a cosy evening in: a TV, connected up to the internet for streaming things on iPlayer, and a electric fire if you need an extra burst of heat or a cosier atmosphere. The heating was really efficient, although we didn’t need it on that much as we were fairly lucky with the weather.

 

The kitchen is well equipped with all you need for a break away.  We didn’t want to cook too much as we wanted to get away from all that.  There was everything we needed to heat up the chilli I brought with us and pop some rice on.  All the things we needed to prepare breakfasts and snacks were there too. The kitchen table comes with 4 seats, but you can easily bring the pouffes in from the lounge area or eat outside on the picnic table, if there are 6 of you eating at the same time.  There were thoughtful touches too like a washing up pack with washing up liquid, scourer and cloth.

The main bedroom is compact, but has everything you’d expect. There are bedside units with a shelf and a power point for charging your phone.  There’s a wardrobe (with extra pillows in case you need them) and a shelf with a mirror which makes a good dressing table.

There are also two twin rooms which are a bit smaller, but the beds are still a good size for an adult.  Again there’s wardrobe space, a shelf by the bed and one on the wall.

There’s a shower room with toilet and wash hand basin.  A pretty powerful, hot shower provided a good start to each day.  We loved that there was an additional separate toilet too, as that gives you a bit more flexibility when there’s a group sharing.

The caravan, lovely though it was, acted very much as a home base for our adventures.  We had an evening out in nearby Mortehoe village visiting the local pubs, which are full of character.  A day and an evening out in Woolacombe (an easy walk down and a way of working off any pasties/ice creams/beers on the way back up – it’s quite a steep hill).  On the Sunday though the weather was less good, so we sought out some indoor attractions.  Woolacombe Bay has a lot of things you can do even on wet days.

We decided to head for the pool.  We did find it a bit tricky to book using the app – it was a bit confusing, but the friendly lady on reception managed to sort it all out for us very quickly.  There are basically two parts to the pool area: a family orientated area with the pirate ship and lots of fun features.  As adults though we stuck to the main pool.  It’s quite a generous pool and very pleasant to swim in.  Numbers are controlled, as you need to book in, and you have an slot for swimming, so that everyone gets a chance.  You’ll need a pound coin for the lockers, but you get it back at the end.

 

One of the highlights of our stay was a visit to the spa.  Again you book in via the app for a session there.  There’s quite a lot to do in the spa.

My favourite was the jacuzzi as that was very relaxing, but there’s also steam rooms, saunas and a cold plunge pool.  Make sure you arrive on time for your slot as the session’s are limited in time – I could have stayed there all day!

There was plenty to do in the evening too.  One evening we stayed onsite to eat and to enjoy the entertainment.  There are plenty of options for eating and drinking.  For daytime or warm evenings there’s the sea view terrace, with fabulous views of the sea and the surrounding countryside. Under cover, but on the same level as the terrace is the Bait Ball Bar and Restaurant.  Upstairs, with grandstand views of the sea at the one end, is the OceanBar.  This serves food and drink, but is also the live entertainment venue. There’s something to enjoy each evening.  Generally, it starts with some children’s entertainment, moves onto bingo and finishes up with some live performances.  The main act were really enjoyable and good to watch.

We decided to eat in the OceanBar, enjoying the views and the sunset until the evening entertainment geared up.  The only downside to eating up in the OceanBar is that whilst it’s the same food as downstairs, it doesn’t come on proper crockery.  The wings though were delicious and we didn’t miss the plates at all.  You can order from the bar or use the app to get your food and drinks in.

Wet day options include the cinema – they had four films showing when we were there and they were a good mix with something for all the family.  Other facilities include a gym, well stocked shop and a launderette.  Plus there are lots of additional activities you can take part in from pottery painting to segway safaris, bungee trampolining to foot golf.

Woolacombe Bay is great if you’re looking for holiday parks in Devon.  It’s got everything you need to make your holiday a good one, even if the weather isn’t on your side.

Disclosure: I was provided with free accommodation for the purposes of this review.