“I Went to Warmwell holiday park restaurant for breakfast. before checking out on Monday 20 October 2025. I Went to bar to order with my daughter as we had a £10 Parkdean food voucher so we couldn’t order on app. My daughter and I ordered our breakfasts at the bar and subsequently I went back to the bar to check if I had ordered my autistic granddaughters breakfast. I waited behind a customer to finish paying And then quickly asked the team member to add the breakfast apologising for any nuisance caused Almost immediately a man and a woman in their late 20s/ early 30s started hurling abuse at me for barging in front of them. I apologised profoundly and said I didn’t realise there was a queue and didn’t do it purposely. Also telling them I am deaf and didn’t hear them. I was met by another wall of abuse yelling at me and saying “ just because your old doesn’t give you a right to priority, you stupid old cow”. F***ing stupid old women she said to her partner.
I raised my voice at them and said “There’s no need to be so rude”. Why are you doing this, just shut up. Which was met by another hurling of abuse focusing on my age and disability. I asked the staff at bar to get a manager as they were scaring me with their threatening abuse . They continued to call me names, repeatedly focusing on my age and disability and I asked them to cease as I have blood pressure and health problems and don’t need this stress and do not want to end up in hospital. To which the woman shouted “I’ll put you in hospital if you don’t apologise you f***ing ‘old’ bag. They were both laughing and the guy was getting really abusive . At that point I was very frightened and waved my walking stick at him in fear to go away . All that achieved was him goading me by saying “go on then, go on then, laughing and the pair of them laughing and saying “it’s working, look it’s working “. And then nudged my stick with his foot.
I pleaded with the bar staff to help but all they did was say to them and myself this is a family holiday park tone it down and then told me to leave the queue and go and sit down as they had people to serve and that they would send a manager over to my table. At which point the woman thrust towards me and very threateningly said “Old C**t f**k off out through the scum entrance” and they both started shouting they wouldn’t stop until they had an apology for jumping the queue. They were both highly agitated with a nervous energy.At no point did the staff or anyone come to my aid even though they were witnessing it all. They didn’t want to intervene . I was on my own clearly elderly, disabled and vulnerable. I went back to my family at the table trembling with shock and fear and in tears and felt very unwell. Some staff came to my table and the first thing the assistant reception manager said was “well you shouldn’t have jumped the Queue” I found myself trying to explain again that I did not realise there was a queue and was just adding my autistic granddaughters breakfast as I had forgot and was in a bit of a tiz! Also I had apologised and they wouldn’t listen. The outcome was my eldest daughter liasing with the two staff members about why no one had called security or come to my assistance. They had looked at the cctv and saw the incident but there was no sound so it was my word against the couple who were verbally attacking me. We all left , for fear of more abuse leaving our food still untouched on the table . And my two autistic grandchildren unable to do their promised activities, furthering the upset. We immediately checked out and left the park to return home. I have never felt so vulnerable in my life . We as a family do not feel we will ever be able to return to Warmwell again for fear of our safety. Which is sad because we really liked Warmwell and thought it was perfect for our family of multi disabled members. However, the nonchalant attitude of the staff and their failure to protect disabled and vulnerable guests indicates that it is not as friendly and welcoming as advertised.”
“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.”
“DON'T BOOK HERE! I have stayed in many caravan parks and this is by far the worst. From the moment qe arrived it waz constant issues with the caravan
L. Fridge freezer not working, lino was raised up which caused trip hazard, radiators were rusted and broken, the pipes under neath the caravan came fully off, the bedrooms weren't spaced properly due to them squeezing in an extra bed which meant there was no walk way within the bedroom. One of the kids got their leg stuck
The bathroom door handle was broken which meant one of the kids got stuck. The toilets constantly smell like rotten sewage. We are a family with disabilities awn kids and neurological adult. We have complained to HR with photo and video evidence, who haven't responded. We have requested to be moved since arrival and keep getting palmed off
Also no hoover which means we are on our hands and knees sweeping up this isn't acceptable.! The accommodation qe paid for isn't what we received. Don't waste your time or hard earned money coming here! Alot of families have had major complaints also! Go elsewhere!”
“Google Review-
Avoid Southview Holiday Park at all costs. We arrived at Meadows 37 to find a filthy caravan — beer cans outside, dirty mats, dead flies everywhere, stained pillows and bedding, mould, broken doors, exposed nails (which cut my child), and even fungus growing on the cooker hood. Staff member Helen promised a deep clean and replacements, then pulled a full Houdini and disappeared. We had to take used pillows from a recently vacated caravan just to sleep. Spent most of our holiday chasing reception, getting nowhere. A few minor fixes were made, but the caravan was still unclean and unsafe. Total lack of care, no management accountability, and zero follow-through. We won’t be returning — ever. Avoid. Left early , they refused refund.”
“Booked a new caravan for 2025 it was more like an old caravan than a new one. The shower backed up cause the caravan to flood double bed broken and can of coke found under one of the small beds with a pair of dirty socks never again would I book with Parkdean booked for 11 days left after 5 days”
“From ease of booking, to interaction with all staff, to arrival on park, we enjoyed a very easy as and efficient system.
Nothing was too much bother and all questions were dealt with to our satisfaction.
The parks we've visited have been excellent!
Well laid out and grounds clean and well kept.
The caravans have varied, but recently it seems there are many new hire caravans and the older ones have had a bit of a revamp.
The price is outstanding, meaning we've been able to enjoy around four value for money holidays a year!
Never disappointed us yet and looking forward to our next trip away.”
“Do not buy a home from this company, they don’t have any customer service apart from taking your money , nobody will ever get back to you and when you try to resolve anything all they care about is taking your money”
“Had a caravan at Looe Bay. The smell of wet dog was awful. The smell in the main bedroom made me think they had been lending out to a group of homeless people. Actually thought of sleeping in the car. The other bedrooms had a damp smell. The settees were so dirty looking and stained didnt want to sit in them. Asked if we could be moved but was offered sheets to throw over the seating. Tv didn't work but was fixed promptly the next day. The guttering around the caravan is so blocked with grass etc. there was loud dripping noises when it rained. Paid full price for this. Have been twice before to Looe Bay and had two good caravans but this experience has really put me off going again. Very disappointing.”
“I cannot express how terrible our stay at Naze Marine was. We were left for our whole stay with no heating or hot water due to a fault with the boiler. When we arrived on the Friday evening we noticed the caravan wasn’t clean, which is no surprise given the lack of hot water. No one on site could fix the issue so we were told a gas engineer would have to be called, we waited all evening and no one attended. After two nights of freezing with a baby and small children, and not having been able to wash for 2 days, we ended up cutting our stay short. We were all miserable and ready to get home. The reception was closed when we returned the keys and yet still no one contacted us to arrange to come and fix the boiler - so we would have been left for the third night.
What was most disheartening was Parkdean's response. They offered no compensation for the lack of basic amenities throughout our stay and made no attempt to remedy the situation beyond a weak apology. The lack of care and disregard for their guests is appalling.
I would strongly advise anyone considering a stay with Parkdean to think twice. Our experience was not just an inconvenience—it was a breach of basic service standards. This company does not seem to take pride in their accommodation or customer service. How can a company believe it is acceptable to leave customers with no heating or hot water for the entirety of their stay?”
“I am so disappointed with Park Dean and with how we have been treated by the manager Mark in Mersea.
I am a foster carer, and this was my child very first holiday in his little life and I booked 4 days in Mersea with my other 2 children and 2 small dogs..
Inside the caravan was absolutely disgusting.
My house is 10 times cleaner than where we went to.
It was covered in false black widows spiders, where i cleaned it for over 2 hours as my F.child who has high needs and suffers from allergies and asthma, and I really did not want to complain!.
We were on holiday!!
In the morning to our horror, we found a flea or bed bug in my child's bed.
I took pictures of everything and showed it to the staff on the dest tgat were amazing in initially trying to get it sorted.
The sink was coming off the wall. There were disgusting stains in the bathroom.
The sofa had dirty stains all over it, and that with the cushions smelt terrible.
My foster child woke up at 3am and was coughing, I opened a window, as an f.b.spider fell in.
He was traumatized, so I put him on the sofa with the quilt they gave me, but he kept coughing, and the dogs were scratching.
It was a difficult night, to say the least.
In the morning, that was when i saw how dirty the sofa was, and I let him lay on a stained quilt.
We were there for a total of 20 hours, where the manager was implying the bugs came from me and was extremely aggressive in making his feelings known.
We waited for 4 hours in the morning to show staff and supervisor the caravan plus the pictures.
It was so hot in there as we were fearful of openening a window as the spiders that were massive kept coming in.
My foster child was been so upset and everyone wanted to go home plus I now needed to wash and clean everything from the car before I brought it into my own home, plus go to the vets to make sure they were retreated.
We found out from the permanent residents who were all so lovely that the previous people who stayed had left the caravan in a state and had 3 large dogs and they had spent less than 40 minutes cleaning it.
I spent over £300 for this gated caravan, and they want me to pay for the 20 hours I was there, and they have said they would only partly refund me.
Forget the wifi and the amount of work it was to get permission to take him, washing clean/dirty cloths, car, petrol, de flea the dogs, cloths, food etc
I have written so many emails from that night when I got home and still have not had a response.
I can not speak to a real person after spending hours trying.
This was something my children and foster child had never experienced together, and it was a total letdown.
They had no understanding or empathy on the impact this had left him and all of us, especially with how the manager spoke to us and was obnoxious and extremely patronizing.
Saying if I went, it was my choice but wouldn't get a refund.
I had a responsibility to my foster child to take him out of that situation and moving to another caravan(even though he said he didntvhave a dog friendly one and I would be passing on the bugs I had brought to the next caravan was insulting.
So I feel I have no choice but to write this review.”
“Absolutely terrible company. Please do not book with these. Booked caravan Paid £1450..online. When arrived Caravan was not the one we booked. Was Absolutely disgusting and dirty..Had to say there for 3 days ..no compensation from company. Just put us in lodge which were told is a fire risk as too many in party.
Complained to Parkdean resorts after .Just did not want know .So be warned.
Date of experience: 23 August 2024”
“This was one of the worst holidays I have had in the uk. Stayed there over August bank holiday 2024 with my grandkids but I could not believe how bad this place was. Everything you wanted to do had to be booked which harps back to the covid age. Tried to book the pool but was told it was book 3 weeks in advance but looking at the indoor pool this didn’t even look to be at half capacity, we where told the out door pool was walk in but only had a 45 min swim time we queued but to get in but around 40min later they closed the pool, the indoor even form standing at pool reception we found it was so humid possibly due to lack off ventilation and the out door pool is falling apart with the grout breaking up and trip hazards on the floor. we stayed in a service pitch near 2 toilet blocks, one toilet block was absolutely disgusting and needed more regular cleaning, toilets did not flush but somehow managed to leak, lag of toilet roll in every cubical, the showers were shocking, men’s shower stayed on for around 1 min before needing to turn back on and my wife told me the ladies toilet where as bad with the shower drains blocked and flooding. The other toilet block had cold showers.The evening entertainment hurt my ears both nights even my grandkids hated it. We decided to go for an evening meal which cost more than a regular pub of that style but the food was lacking, microwave mash with a packet stake and ale pie with a supposed adult portion that would struggle to fill a 5yr old. The best part was the leaving, this place is a waste of money and has definitely gone down hill if this how all Parmesan holidays are I would stay clear”
“We have booked through Parkdean resorts for 2 years in a row, this being our third year. Unfortunately due to my wife going through a miscarriage we are not able to go to our caravan holiday and Parkdean has made asking for a refund another hellish experience even though we have a cancellation cover. Never going with them again. My poor wife is in bits and these money grabbing selfish company are condescending and basically calling us a liar. Please safe yourselves the trouble of booking through them because if something like this was to happen to anyone, they might not refund you even with a cancellation cover. HORRIBLE company.”
“I wouldn't even give it a 1 star review. Arrived to badly cleaned caravan which I took on the shoulders and cleaned myself - carpet not cleaned very well, dirt under fridge etc... Upon putting my children to bed I found the bedrooms full of mould. Complained first thing in the morning - luckily they moved us to another caravan which is actually fine but we have lost a day due to their negligence. I've asked for another night to compensate for the time lost but they want me to pay another £400 and comlpetely refuse a goodwill gesture. Totally disgusting. Made an official complaint and all they can do is give me £50 off another booking - not even reimburse me the extra day we have lost due to the incompetence of the park. Its like talking to a brick wall with Lorraine Redstone
(Owner and Guest Experience Manager) absolutely no compassion that I paid almost £2000 for 10 nights - and have lost a day of that yet still wants more money. Vile person who absolutely does NOT have the guest experiences best at heart.”
“this was our lodge with parkdean 🤢 https://youtu.be/N7PPernjIEg.
Our lodge was in a terrible state when I complain I get no where and so will post my video untill I get bored.
Update 😡🤮
Parkdean are not willing to sort this problem
Beware when booking you "holiday",”
“We pay park dean £12,000 rental fees per year and the customer service woman at Skipsea KIM slammed the phone down on me today whilst trying to resolve an issue. They also breached our personal data on our owners accounts. I wouldn’t buy a caravan at parkdean . Look at haven sites or other sites instead.”
“Mattress needed replacing and lots more issues in our expensive lodge Fed up naming them all as constantly on phone or visiting reception some were sorted out but made our holiday miserable.”
“Worst holiday in my life. Not customer friendly, that was very stressful and disappointing time for us. Security was so rude and disrespectful. Office people don’t care about customer. If you want to punish yourself and your family that’s the right place. Never again”
“I wish I had read the reviews before booking the 7 night holiday at Warmwell holiday park staying in a Lane house 1 bed lodge. The reception staff was pleasant enough, on entering the lodge all appeared okay, plenty of cooking utensils, the kitchen appeared clean,bed linen clean, towels clean. However as stated in other customer reviews. No way had the lodge been cleaned properly, cobwebs on windows with dead flies, cobwebs inside bedside lampshade,thick dust on top of pictures and mirror, cobwebs on light in bathroom, cobwebs behind TV in lounge, spare duvet covered in blood spots? or something and grubby, the mattress had urine or sweat stains, was not covered with a mattress protector (very unhygienic ). A previous customer's socks are still in the dressing table.Very poor entertainment,basically one hour of entertainment team singing and dancing.First evening shutters down at the bar, when we asked why, were told by staff that the bar only opens at the weekend, so had to go to restaurant to get a drink. My husband complained about a cider he was served which was flat and tasted not quite right, the restaurant manager took on an attitude and was reluctant to change it, also the breakfasts were only just warm. All activities advertised on site you had to pay for. Left three days early and would not recommend.”
