Scotland's 'worst seaside town' that is actually perfect for summer holiday
Scotland's coastline is home to many idyllic seaside towns. When the sun is shining and the mercury rises, nothing can compare to a day by the seaside.
Everybody will have their own favourite coastal spot in the country, and when it comes to a day out you can't go wrong with any of them. However, one seaside town in Scotland was recently named the worst in the country.
As previously reported by the Daily Record, Which? shared a report of the best and worst seaside towns across the UK based on feedback from holidaymakers. Placing at the bottom of the list for Scotland was Ayr in South Ayrshire.
According to the consumer watchdog, Ayr received an overall 'destination score' of just 51 per cent. The resort town also scored three out of five for its scenery and "peace and quiet" and just two out of five for its attractions.
However, despite ranking bottom for Scotland on the report from Which?, Ayr is actually a great place to visit. With the weather set to heat up over the coming days, the seaside resort is perfect for a day out or staycation.
The most iconic and well-known destination in Ayr is Ayr Beach, which is only a short walk from the centre of town. The bay is popular amongst locals and day-trippers alike for its beautiful views and family-friendly amenities.
Ayr Beach has previously been awarded a Seaside Award from Keep Scotland Beautiful, which honour clean and sustainable beaches. It is a great place for a picnic or for little ones to build a sandcastle, with incredible views out over to Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran to enjoy.
Although Ayr's scenery received an average rating of three out of five from Which?, Ayr Beach has received rave reviews from visitors on Google. The bay has an overall rating of 4.5 out of five based on 1,599 reviews.
One recent traveller shared: "Ayr Beach isn't just a stretch of sand, it's an experience, and honestly, one of the best parts of my trip to the UK. It strikes this beautiful balance between peaceful calm and playful energy that makes it special from the moment you arrive.
"As soon as you step onto the beach, the atmosphere hits you. There's something about the fresh sea air, mixed with that cool, sometimes pretty brisk, breeze that instantly refreshes you."
Elsewhere, there is lots to see around Ayr other than its beach. Despite the town receiving a rating of two stars for its attractions, there is fun for the whole family to be had.
Little ones in particular will get a kick out of a visit to Pirate Pete's Family Entertainment Centre, which is adjacent to Ayr Beach. The attraction offers indoor soft play, mini golf, laser games, and more.
Meanwhile, a great place to head in Ayr when the sun is shining is the historic Low Green. A popular visitor attraction going all the way back to the Victorian era, it consists of a picturesque stretch of grass that hosts many events throughout the year.
Ayr is also home to a variety of popular cafés and restaurants where you can enjoy a sit-down meal. Among the top eateries around town are gastropub The Fox and Willow, stylish bar and restaurant The Tree House, and family-friendly café bistro The Secret Garden.
In terms of accommodation, popular choices include the Fairfield House Hotel, the Mercure Ayr Hotel, and the Western House Hotel. Elsewhere, just out of Ayr is the Craig Tara Caravan Holiday Park that features caravans, lodges, and apartments.
If you are looking for a coastal resort in Scotland to head for a day out this summer, don't let one report put you off Ayr. From its fabulous beach to its various tasty food spots, it has everything you could want from a staycation destination.
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North Wales Live
2 hours ago
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Daily Record
2 hours ago
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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Holiday park voted worst in UK as Center Parcs, Haven and Butlins all rank lower than winner
Holiday park voted worst in UK as Center Parcs, Haven and Butlins all rank lower than winner A new survey by Which? has revealed the best and worst holiday parks in the UK, according to visitors, with Potters Resorts taking the top spot, Pontins once again scoring badly and a Welsh resort doing very well too The Pontins near Weston-Super-Mare is the only one in the holiday park chain currently open to the public (Image: Rowan Griffiths ) A survey has unveiled the top and bottom UK holiday parks for 2025, with household names like Haven and Center Parcs being outshone by smaller operators. The survey gathered insights from 1,700 Which? members who rated their stays at various UK holiday parks and resorts. Participants evaluated aspects such as park cleanliness, accommodation quality, the range of free activities available, and the overall value for money of their trip. Leading the pack with the highest "customer score" was Potters Resorts, known for its all-inclusive holidays at two locations in Essex and Norfolk. Although predominantly an adults-only destination, Potters welcomes children during the summer holidays in Norfolk. It achieved a stellar 87% customer score, earning five stars for both facility and accommodation quality, and a perfect score for the diversity of complimentary activities. Despite being the priciest option in the Which? survey, Potters' cost includes all meals and beverages, a variety of activities from pickleball to archery, and 'West End' standard evening entertainment, which earned the resort a four-star rating for value for money. Forest Holidays secured the second spot, with an overall customer score of 80%. The brand boasts eight parks in England, three in Scotland, and two in Wales, offering rural locations and unique accommodation such as log cabins and treehouses. Forest Holidays clinched second place (Image: Leicester Mercury ) Article continues below Customers praised the quality of the accommodation and cleanliness, although they only awarded three-stars for value for money. Another top performer was Bluestone Wales, nestled in the scenic Pembrokeshire. Bluestone provides luxury lodges and cottages, also earning high marks for the quality of accommodation on offer — go here to read what one visitor who drove 2.5 hours to stay there thought. While they scored well for the variety of children's activities available and the entertainment, they also received a three-star rating for value for money, resulting in an overall score of 77%. Potters Resorts have two locations including the beautiful Hopton-on-Sea in Norfolk (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto ) Bluestone Wales in Pembrokeshire came third in the list (Image: Western Daily Press ) Pontins found themselves at the bottom of the chart once again, having also come last in 2024. The brand currently has just one holiday park open to guests, the adults-only Sand Bay Holiday Village in Weston-Super-Mare. Their other two parks in Burnham on Sea, Somerset and Pakefield, Suffolk are temporarily closed to accommodate construction workers. With 56% for customer satisfaction, Pontins earned just two-stars in most areas and, despite being the cheapest option, customers still felt they received poor value for money. In a scathing Tripadvisor review, one customer didn't hold back about their Pakefield park experience, stating: "Worst place I have ever visited, chalet was old unkempt and dirty, holes in sheets, beds pushed together with terrible mattress and pillows, to shower you had to keep pushing a button in, it leaked all over the floor." Another visitor expressed dissatisfaction, noting: "Rooms are shabby and quite dirty. Dirt on the baseboards, cobwebs in the corners and behind doors, our shower curtain had pink mold growing along the bottom seam, clearly not laundered between guests." Not all feedback was negative, as some holidaymakers enjoyed their stay, with one reviewer commenting: "We went beginning of October had a brilliant week! Food was great, swimming pool was really good and for the price you really can't get any better!" Pontins - who were bottom of the list - have closed locations including Camber Sands in East Sussex (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Mirror ) Entertainment at Pontins also received commendations, with a guest remarking: "The Bluecoats show Vegas was amazing! They are all so talented and are always doing some activity or joining in on the dance floor and having a laugh or chatting with people." Largo Leisure Parks, which operates six parks in Scotland, found itself at the lower end of the satisfaction scale with a score of 64%. It should be noted, however, that this rating was based on a relatively small sample size of just 30 respondents who had visited their parks. A spokesperson for Largo Leisure commented: "Whilst this is of course disappointing, this relates to only 30 people who were surveyed about Largo Leisure over 12 months ago. On both TripAdvisor and Google Reviews, where we have thousands of reviews for each of our six Scotland holiday parks, all of them are rated 4.3 or above out of 5. "We regularly get 5 star reviews on both TripAdvisor and Google reviews and we would encourage people to take a look on both to see a true reflection of the guest experiences at our parks. We are very proud of our track record for providing exceptional holidays for our guests but we never stop trying to improve. We are enjoying a busy year across all our parks and if people read the online reviews they will see why." Meanwhile, Away Resorts scored similarly. It operates 25 parks in locations such as the popular south-west of England and the Isle of Wight. Away Resorts received just two stars for value for money, in spite of offering a broad selection of accommodation including caravans, glamping options, and luxury lodges. The company also had unsatisfactory ratings in customer service but earned three stars for cleanliness and accommodation quality. Away Resorts have 25 family-friendly resorts including one in Newquay (Image: William Dax / SWNS ) Center Parcs in Elveden Forest - their parks received high scores for quality but were described as 'expensive' (Image: Publicity Picture ) Center Parcs, the most popular holiday park provider in the survey, scored 69%, putting it on par with Haven. Despite high scores for its facilities and accommodation quality, it received lower marks for the range of complimentary activities and overall value for money. It was the third priciest on the list, following Potters and Warner Leisure Villages, who cater to adults-only breaks. A Which? member commented: "Very expensive for what it is. Accommodation excellent, apart from the oasis pool, everything was extra. Staff were very helpful and the children enjoyed their stay. I will not be going back." Haven, with 38 parks across the UK, matched Center Parcs' score, although they did receive three stars for value for money. Which? readers awarded them two-star ratings for food and drink and the variety of free activities available. You can read what one mum thought of Haven here. Article continues below Best and worst holiday parks in the UK - ranked Pontins, Away Resorts, Park Holidays, Butlins, Center Parcs, and Haven have been approached for comment.
