'Best campsite in England' has heated pool, spa and sandy beach nearby
VisitEngland has named the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year, and with its thanks to its luxury facilities, it's not hard to see why
There's arguably no finer way to embrace the British summer and enjoy the great outdoors than embarking on a camping trip. Many of us may remember childhood camping trips involving pitching our own tents, enduring cold showers, and relying on thin sleeping bags for warmth.
However, with the right location, camping can feel like a truly relaxing holiday. Indeed, there are some truly remarkable campsites in England that could easily rival a holiday resort rather than just offering a patch of grass for your tent. One such site has recently been crowned the best in the country.
Set near St Ives in Cornwall, Polmanter Touring Park has officially been named the Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year by VisitEngland.
This accolade is part of the tourism agency's annual Awards for Excellence, which honour businesses providing top experiences for tourists nationwide.
As a Gold Award Winner, Polmanter Touring Park has demonstrated the highest standards of guest experiences and excellence across its operations. The park is situated in a picturesque corner of Cornwall known as Penwith, reports the Express.
However, it wasn't just the breathtaking location that clinched this year's award for the campsite, but also its state-of-the-art facilities that make it feel more like a retreat than a traditional campsite.
With a heated 20-metre swimming pool and a spa offering a range of luxurious treatments from full body scrubs to scalp massages, it's a world away from the shaky tents and chilly showers you might associate with some campsites.
Kids won't be bored here, with both indoor and outdoor play areas, a kitted-out games room, and two tennis courts where rackets can be hired on the spot.
Forget about roughing it in the great outdoors – there's no need to forage for wood or start a campfire when you can grab freshly-baked pizzas from the on-site restaurant.
For those keen to venture out, the site offers two footpaths leading directly to St Ives, or if you're not up for the walk, a handy shuttle service is ready to whisk you off to town.
One satisfied Tripadvisor user described their visit as: "Our experience exceeded all expectations and truly felt like a five-star stay. As first-time campers, we approached the adventure with a mix of curiosity and hesitation, but we were pleasantly surprised by how wonderful the site was."
Praise also came from another guest who shared: "Polmanter is incredible. It's super clean, the food is great, the park is immaculate. The kids play areas are well maintained, as are the toilet blocks. They have thought of everything!"
With a selection of pitches to suit every type of camper, whether you roll up in a campervan or pitch a traditional tent, many come complete with electricity, water, and even a TV socket, though they can also accommodate those seeking a tech-free zone.
Whether you opt for a luxury flat or cottage, rest assured, you'll be treated to breathtaking views of the Cornish coastline wherever you choose to stay.
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We ordered a tzatiki to go with our drink and asked if the bread was included, which the waiter agreed there would be. It was then a surprise when the cocktail arrived in a large fishbowl not different to those in the images. When exclaiming 'I'd asked for a small cocktail', the reporter was told 'that is the smallest we have', with the waiter laughing at our reaction. In a sigh of relief however, the bar did stick to the original price agreed upon and only charged €10 for the fishbowl. This was somewhat confusing as other British tourists told of having paid more than €20 for the same sized cocktail at the same bar. As MailOnline attempted to locate 'The Gate', yet another apparent 'rip-off' restaurant with on average one and two star reviews, there seemed to have been a mistake. Only a restaurant named Castello stood in its place. Again, it is only through old reviews that holidaymakers are able to figure out that the restaurant and building is the same, and has just been rebranded in an attempt to confuse tourists. Here, in yet another case, the drinks menu had nothing but colourful pictures of fruits and descriptions of the fancy cocktails and 'slush puppies' on offer, but no indication of the prices or sizing. When our reporter ordered a Greek salad and some sparkling water, a small bottle of sparking water was brought out promptly. ADVERTISEMENT The rather reasonable portion of salad came to only €8.50, which was clearly stated on the menu. But the €5 charged for a sparkling water came as a shock. When the reporter questioned the price she was told 'that is the price' and then asked if she would like to provide a tip. 'They're scammers. Scammers.' Speaking to British tourists in the cobblestoned streets of Rhodes Old Town, many expressed their shared frustration over the 'rip-offs' and 'scams'. One couple told MailOnline: 'There's a lot of rip-offs around here let me tell you. 'We just got this one beer and a water from the shop, €12. How is that €12? 'And they always try to say "oh it's cheaper, it's cheaper if you give me cash". 'There's so many like that. I was trying to buy a bag and the woman said €20 but if you give it in cash I'll give it for €10. 'They're scammers. 'And bar this one place on the right, everywhere the gyros sound like its coming out of microwaves. 'The one back there, we literally heard it come out the microwave, it went "PING". 'And they do that boot thing. You can get a 1L one, or 2L ones. 'You know actually, we got two daiquiris around there right, it cost us like €60. '€60 for two daiquiris. It came out in the massive bowls. 'And some of the bars they charged like €8 for a 1L boot, some of them charge like €16. 'Actually one of them charged €16 for half a litre, an even smaller one.' ADVERTISEMENT Another couple told of a similar incident, pointing towards Polloniatissa. Katherine Lombard and Kyle Watson, both of the Isle of Man said: 'We had two drinks there that cost us €60. 'It was a cocktail and a boot of beer. It was like €66 euros or something. 'The boot was €20 and the cocktail was €46. I'd only seen it the day after. 'They bring out the big fishbowl which isn't what we asked for, we just thought it's a cocktail and a large beer. 'Other than that we have kind of managed to avoid it. As soon as someone asks us to come in we sort of think to ourselves "no". And the 'tourist traps' and pushy tactics seem to be no secret, with one couple telling us they were aware of it 'before' they arrived and had been careful not to get caught out. Charlotte and Ryan Squibb, from Colchester said: 'We haven't been caught out by any of them because I knew about it before we came. 'They apparently say it's cheap food but then they get you in and end up giving you huge drinks which are like ten euros a go. 'So we haven't gone near them, we know all about it.' Meanwhile, Mark and Ethan Williams, 38 and 18, from Exeter, had just arrived on a big family holiday and had already been subject to the extortionate prices. Mark said: 'We just got charged €150 for one round of drinks for nine people. 'They said it was €6 a pint before we went in but obviously when you go to pay you can't really argue. ADVERTISEMENT 'They get you with the boots, they brought out big 1L ones. 'And the cocktails were like €25 each and they're massive. 'We probably should have known. We're here for two weeks and only got here two days ago. 'It just means we'll be more wary going forward.' Another couple, who did not wish to be named, told of their frustrations with the prices. They said: 'There was a place just down there we went the other night was really expensive but not good food. 'The prices were on the menu but it was €40 for one gyros between two, a glass of wine - which was €12, a water and some pitta. 'For that price as well you expect it to be somewhere high-end. But it wasn't.'
