My Honest Review of an 8-Night Stay at Parkdean Resort Southerness, Scotland (DG2 8AZ) My wife, our 11-month-old son, and I booked 8 nights camping at Parkdean’s Southerness resort. What follows is my honest and detailed review of the experience. Arrival & First Impressions Check-in at reception was straightforward. We were greeted at the front desk, given a welcome pack and map, and directed to our pitch. The location of the pitch was close to reception, which was convenient, but actually reaching it was a challenge. The camping field is covered with deep holes that pose a genuine risk to vehicles and personal safety. It’s difficult to understand how such hazards are left unaddressed. The tenting area itself offers little to no natural shelter. On the day we arrived, the weather was extremely windy and we witnessed several tents being destroyed. With such exposure, it feels like the site is poorly planned for campers, especially those with young children. On-Site Facilities Shop The small shop on-site is well stocked but predictably overpriced. For essentials, it serves its purpose, but I strongly recommend making the half-hour trip to Dumfries for proper shopping. Launderette Functional but inconvenient. It’s cash-only, and there is no change machine available, meaning you need to come prepared with coins. For a modern holiday park, this feels outdated and unnecessarily awkward. Arcade & Soft Play The arcade is what you’d expect ticket-based machines designed to drain your wallet. What was far more frustrating was the lack of working card payment change machines. Despite being advertised, none were functional during our entire stay. Meanwhile, the £1.95-per-use cash machine worked perfectly. To add to this frustration, the bars and shop do not offer cashback either. Inside the arcade there is a small soft play area. The signage states that parents must supervise, but in reality many don’t. Older children run wild, making it unsafe for toddlers. My 11-month-old lasted less than five minutes before it became too dangerous, even with me there. Worse still, the soft play area was filthy and in desperate need of cleaning. The toilets in this part of the site were also in a very poor state dirty and neglected. Bars & Entertainment The resort has two bars: one primarily for food, the other (“the Showbar”) for evening entertainment. We tried breakfast once it was adequate. Food and drink prices were roughly what you’d expect at a holiday park. Staff worked hard, and the entertainment was decent, though nothing particularly special. A word of caution: the Showbar is very loud. If you have small children, I strongly recommend bringing ear defenders. Swimming Pool The pool facilities were one of the better aspects of the site. Clean, with attentive lifeguards who seemed to take their role seriously. However, on two occasions during our stay the pool was closed because of staff sickness. For a large resort, it’s disappointing there wasn’t a contingency plan in place to keep facilities open. Toilets & Showers (Camping Area) The bathroom facilities were a major letdown. Toilets: Generally clean, but the hand dryers didn’t work, which was inconvenient. Showers: Awful. They are push-button showers that only run for 10 seconds at a time, requiring constant pressing. This makes showering frustrating and unnecessarily time-consuming. Even worse, the design means there is no separation between the shower and the dry area so your clothes and belongings get soaked. For families, the lack of suitable facilities is a real problem. There are no family showers or child-friendly options, making it almost impossible to safely bathe a young child. Overall Condition of the Site The entire resort feels run-down and neglected. Facilities look outdated, and the general impression is that the site has been forgotten by Parkdean. It badly needs investment to bring it up to modern standards. Staff were generally fine some were friendly and helpful, while others seemed disinterested or unhappy in their roles. The one redeeming factor is the location itself. The surrounding scenery is absolutely stunning: mountains on one side, the beach on the other. For the views alone, the area is worth visiting—but sadly, I would not return to this particular site. Side Note: Local Mini Market Just down the road from the resort is a small shop called The Mini Market. Be aware: they charge £1.50 for cashback, even when you’re buying other items. When I pointed out this is illegal, I received nothing but excuses and attitude. In my opinion, this is an exploitative practice, and I have reported the shop to Trading Standards. My advice is simple: avoid it. Final Thoughts Parkdean Southerness has potential because of its stunning location, but the resort itself is poorly maintained, under-equipped, and in need of serious improvement. The lack of investment in facilities, particularly for campers, makes it difficult to recommend especially for families with young children. Until Parkdean address these issues, I would strongly suggest looking elsewhere.