“We had a weeks holiday booked from 15/9/25, however on the the Saturday l didn’t feel well, on the Sunday l felt worse . l had been in contact with my 86 year old uncle who had tested positive for Covid the week before.
I phoned the doctors and they confirmed it sounded like Covid or a virus there apparently are a lot going around. They do not test anymore.
When we booked this holiday we took out a holiday insurance for the week at a cost of £30 we also paid £100 for taking our 2 small dogs.
When phoning John fowler customer services we were advised no refund would be given nor even the £100 for extra cleaning in respect of he dogs. The insurance runs out the day of travel and the week before you only get 20%.
I feel absolutely rotten.. l am still unwell and losing that money is hard to take being a pensioner. My husband has dedicated his life to the NHS and does not earn a large salary so we cannot go away again for a very long time. John fowler you should be ashamed of yourself.
I am going to trading standards also writing to the company director.. l will update you if anything changes.”
“I highly recommend this place. The service is terrible. The manager was very unfriendly. I reported the issue of my dirty hot tube, and she said the water had been changed and that she would show me the paperwork. The water had been changed, but the hot tub was very dirty (I'll add photos at the end). I should also mention that we arrived with a small child, one year old, and another child, nine. There were visible signs of a party where balloons had been popped, and the sofa smelled like something had died in there. The rooms looked like a prison cell. Worst of all, the manager said I could have wiped it down myself with a cloth. I replied that it wasn't my job, that I'd paid for a clean hot tub. I was upset, and the manager said that if I had a problem with it, we could leave. This shocked me, as I was treated this way simply for pointing out something the staff hadn't done. Then the lady offered me an 80 pound refund, but I was right, saying the staff didn't clean the pool, they just replaced the water. I agreed because I didn't want to ruin my family's vacation. The lady said it would take a few days for the money to be transferred to my account. After a month, I haven't received any transfer. I didn't lose much, but I hope people read this as a warning not to rent a caravan there. There are many other resorts nearby with better prices for the quality of the stay.”
“Absolute joke of a company. We booked a lodge through Hoseasons, only for this company to cancel it 2 days before we were due to go.
The reason given was due to an 'unsafe decking'.
The lady that called was pleasant enough, but didn't offer an alternative and basically highlighted it wasn't their problem and that I needed to contact Hoseasons to resolve.
Hoseasons have refunded it, and I haven't got an issue with them.
Not a lot we can do 2 days before we were due to go, and have to hope we can find an alternative.
I'd certainly recommend you avoid this bunch of jokers!”
“Disappointing. Picked a holiday focussed on our children, kids club, activities and things for them to do. Not a single stripe on site any day or night during our week long stay. Entertainment was a single person only. Fox mascot made an entrance on recorded video, didn’t even bother having someone in costume. Food was a let down too, ate at the club just once - 90mins plus to get out and pizza coated and box full of ash, part raw and chicken burger burnt outside and part raw inside.”
“Sandy Glades Somerset, small quiet and very clean site with amazing staff and management.
Small park and indoor pool, the cafe was well priced with big portions! Small club house with arcade but we didn't really use that.
Security were present and patrolling the park in the evening regularly.
The caravan was immaculate, we had a minor issue with no hot water after the gas bottles had been changed, the manager personally came down along with the maintenance man and rectified the situation and didn't leave until they made sure everything was working as it should, was giving a drinks voucher to use for the inconvenience as well.
The receptionist was lovely and explained about the different holiday parks and advised what would suit us as a family along with a loyalty card!
We were so impressed that on day two of our holiday we had booked for next year but decided to book for Sandy Meadows having a lodge with a hot tub.
Amazing holiday and can't wait to come back.”
“The caravan was very clean and in a quiet position. All the staff were friendly and the park is very well situated to travel to other towns around the English Riviera. The bus stop outside is very handy but only a twenty minute downhill walk into Brixham. On the down side this year payment by card everywhere on site is not always welcome as we would have liked to have paid by cash (easier if you are on a budget, we have been several times to this site previously). Also, the bar does not serve any draught bitter and if you don't drink lager or real ale the drinks turn out to be very expensive so we were not happy with that.”
“I was employed as a cleaner at St Ives Holiday Park, Cornwall in March 2025. I was reassured that I would be paid for my first day trial and I worked on a further three occasions. I have still not been paid the full amount for my first week, despite contacting the general manager at the site by telephone and email. I have still not had the courtesy of a reply. Not only has the communication been non existent, the time allowed for cleaning a 2-3 bedroom chalet to their requirements is unrealistic. 1 hour 15 minutes is not long enough. I have cleaned holidays lets for years and so I have enough experience.
I was shocked to discover that there is no official HR department for John Fowler Holidays in the UK, you simply have to resolve your issues with the general manager at the relevant sites. So there is no support if you do encounter issues like I have.”
“Tried to book a holiday online. Advertised at one price, it went up 40% when I tried to pay. Is this some kind of con?
I tried to book the same holiday over the phone and was told that if it's below their minimum you can't book.
They advertise holidays they know people cannot book, surely this is false advertising?
We shall see, I screenshoted it and sent it to advertising standards, because the reply from John Fowler was useless, it was copied and pasted with half the contents missing and sent three times.
This is about as far from professional as you can get.”
“IT IS NOT SAFE HERE, DO NOT BRING YOUR FAMILY HERE!!
The water here is still contaminated with CRYPTOSPORIDIUM.
IF YOU DRINK THE WATER YOU WILL GET SICK!!
I WAS PUT IN HOSPITAL- DUE TO THIER NEGLIGENCE.
I was not informed as the manager feels he does not have a duty of care to guests who book through private owners!!
There is NOTHING on their website to warn you. And there were NO SIGNS in the park to warn guests!
They are only giving guests who book directly with them an A5 Flyer warning them NOT to DRINK THE TAP WATER.
AND IN EXTREMELY SMALL PRINT ADVISING GUESTS TO USE THE POOL AT THEIR OWN DISCRETION????
CRYPTOSPORIDIUM SPREADS IN SWIMMING POOLS AND IS CURRENTLY IN THIER TAP WATER.... HOW CAN THIS BE SAFE??”
“Lovely place caravans really clean and tidy.However my nan left some of her trousers in the caravan she contacted to customer service department which said that they could post them to her if she sent all the equipment and payment to do we went on the 1st of June and she still hasn’t got them back! As they can’t be arsed to go to the post office for their customers as this was my childhood holiday park I am disgusted how they have felt with this situation. Lovely place but arrogant attitude. St Ives holiday park in Cornwall.”
“Sandy glade holiday park.....what a joke!!! Came with 2 grandchildren for a few nights easter break. Booked a gold caravan ...no pets. Gold? Perhaps it might have been a bronze elsewhere.
The space was small.. the table wobbled so couldn't eat at it. The furniture was stained...the plastic kitchen bin was broken which could have caused injury if we allowed children to touch it ..the shower tray was full of water and could not get it to drain....there was no oven or grill pan in the cooker...the pots and pans had to be scrubbed before we used them...no dvd player despite it being in description.. bathroom radiator filthy...mattress on double bed was awful..no where to sit outside....Generally a very poor condition for what is considered gold. The play area consisted of one climbing frame...the entertainment for children was really poor..We would NEVER stay at one of the john fowler sites again...”
“Sunny glade stayed in chalet 48. Arrived 15th May 2023 for 4 night stay left after 4 hours.
On arrival went to get cups out for cup of tea cups were all coffee stained cutlery not been washed up had dried food on them plates dirty so washed all before using. All wardrobes had no doors. Sit on sofa and touch TV that close tucked in a little corner. Sofa and bed made you Itch. Wet floor shower dirty and rusty not the place you would want to take a shower. The whole place needed a complete deep clean.
Food was expensive frozen rubbish £8.50 for frozen lasagna £9.00 for from formed fish and chips. Dog bin by carpark over full smelling very bad.
Was so unhappy decided to leave took keys to reception but was closed gave keys to bar staff asked if had told reception but how can I when closed.
Tuesday 16 the May 2023 called park to check they had the keys, told they were waiting to speak to park manager and would call me back. Today is Friday 19th May 2023 still had no phone call from park. Called head office informed because I left the park was not able to give refund. How could I report my issue's if reception is closed.
All I can say is my dog has stayed in cleaner dog kennels.”
“So where do I begin we booked back in May for a silver chalet but then decided to book Gold to upgrade.
After booking glanced at reviews and was mixed well when we arrived at 1pm which was early was told to come back at 3pm then yet again told to come back as not ready and our accommodation was gold and entitled to a 3pm check in.
We were told to wait 30 mins didn't get keys till 4.30pm !
They had only just been in ..We drove to chalet to see very old tired looking buildings where we had come from opposite reception was modern.
We got to 254 Chalet in front of door was dog poo so that was a great start!
On entering the building the aroma of Bleach filled our lungs which was so over powering it made us feel sick! it was like they had literally tipped a whole bottle down .
It was modern inside but not my opinion of a upgraded chalet. Fridge was smelling awful and then the kitchen wear was not clean...
Once we went back to complain about it had to queue for 40mins and whilst in queue we heard the General Manager CHRISTINA tell numerous people that all the cleaners had quit 2 weeks ago.. No idea why and all the other staff including chefs , pool staff were cleaning accommodation!! absolutely shocking.. then was told there was no where else to go as fully booked they would send the cleaners to go back over it..they did offer a refund and CHRISTINA the general manager would look on booking. com but as was late we decide to stay..BTW one of the cleaners can't smell so not the best ! just shocking we wanted to leave but as it was 5.30pm and we were in a impossible situation we agreed to stay the night. I had bought some cleaning spray which sort of disguised smell but then once spending time in chalet it got worse....
I physically felt sick, was crying and felt anxious the smell in the carpets and curtains”
“Awful place never stay here shocking accommodation and they are not fit for anyone to stay in , over crowded short staffed as all cleaners left 2 weeks ago General Manager Christina at St Ives Holiday Village lied to us as we were promised a refund for our disgusting chalet and we never got it so she is a liar and can't be trusted ruined my child's holiday no memories created here just awful...If you like the smell of bleach and dog poo and the smell of smoke that's in the curtains and floor to the point it makes you physically sick”
“Spent hours deciding which park and time to go. Completed on-line forms (including bank details) and you promptly took the deposit even though the holiday didn't exist. Spoken to customer services, not very apologetic , they expect I should get my money back within 5 working days. (Took 3 seconds to take out!) Same holiday advertised next day I looked, are they hoping you'll choose another accommodation or date? I'll never recommend JF.”
“Broken curtain rails broken cooker and no one ever arrives for repairs, entertainment is pants I have heard fighting cats sing better and nothing for kids to do.”
