Best and worst holiday parks in the UK revealed with Scottish locations at top and bottom of list

Daily Record

a day ago

A new survey by Which? has revealed the best and worst holiday parks in the UK, and Scottish parks were among the winners
A Which? survey has uncovered the top and bottom holiday parks in the UK for 2025, and some Scottish locations have topped the list.
The research involved 1,700 Which? members who shared their feedback on various UK holiday parks and resorts. Participants rated aspects such as park cleanliness, accommodation quality, the range of free activities available, and the overall value for money of their stay.
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Taking second place in the rankings was Forest Holidays, with an 80% positive score. Forest Holidays have three locations in Scotland: Ardgartan Argyll on Loch Long, Glentress Forest near Edinburgh, and Strathyre, Ben Ledi.
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The company also have eight parks in England and two in Wales, offering rural settings and unique accommodation options like log cabins and treehouses.
Forest Holidays customers praised the quality of the accommodation and cleanliness, although it only received a three-star rating for value for money.
They were beaten to first place by Potters Resorts, known for its all-inclusive breaks at two locations in Essex and Norfolk. Predominantly an adults-only destination, Potters does welcome 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 flawless rating for the wide range of free activities.
Despite being the priciest option in the Which? survey, Potters' cost covers all meals and beverages, a variety of activities from pickleball to archery, and 'West End' standard evening shows, securing the resort a four-star evaluation for value for money.
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Bluestone Wales also emerged as a top choice, nestled in the scenic Pembrokeshire. Bluestone provides luxury lodges and cottages, earning high marks for the quality of accommodation available.
While they scored well for the range of children's activities and entertainment provided, they also received a three-star rating for value for money, resulting in an overall score of 77%.
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At the bottom end of the rankings was Largo Leisure Parks, with six parks in Scotland, scoring 64%. However, they had one of the lowest sample sizes in the survey of just 30 people.
A spokesperson for Largo Leisure said: "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.
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"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.", they added.
Pontins found itself at the bottom of the list once again, having also ranked 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.
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Their other two parks in Burnham on Sea, Somerset and Pakefield, Suffolk are temporarily closed to accommodate construction workers.
With a mere 56% customer satisfaction score, Pontins earned just two stars in most categories and, despite being the most affordable option, customers still felt they were not getting good value for their money.
In a scathing Tripadvisor critique of Pakefield, one visitor did not mince words, stating: "Worst place I have ever visited, chalet was old unkempt and dirty, holes in sheets, beds pushed together with terrible matress and pillows, to shower you had to keep pushing a button in, it leaked all over the floor".
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Another disgruntled guest complained about the state of their accommodation: "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."
On the flip side, some holidaymakers enjoyed their Pontins experience, evidenced by one review which read: "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!".
Entertainment at the parks also received applause, as another reviewer shared: "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."
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Away Resorts, sharing the same percentage, runs 25 parks across the UK, including two in Scotland.
Away Resorts received a modest two-star rating for value for money, despite its broad selection of lodgings ranging from caravans and glamping to high-end lodges. The company also fared poorly in customer service but managed to secure three stars for both cleanliness and the quality of their accommodation.
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Center Parcs emerged as the survey's most popular holiday park provider, garnering a 69% satisfaction rate, placing it on par with Haven. It was praised for the quality of its facilities and lodgings, yet it didn't fare as well when it came to the range of complimentary activities and overall value for money.
Ranking as the third priciest option, the only other parks that were more expensive where Potters and Warner Leisure Villages, which caters exclusively to adults.
A Which? member said: "Very expensive for what it is. Accomodation 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, boasting 38 parks throughout the UK, matched Center Parcs with a 69% score, earning three stars for value for money. However, Which? subscribers awarded them a mere two stars for both food and drink and the assortment of free activities available.
Best and worst holiday parks in the UK - ranked