Bold claim: a holiday park nightmare can ruin a weekend, even when you pay for a bargain break. Now, here’s the full story behind what some travelers are calling one of Britain’s worst holiday parks.
A travel-enthusiast who reviews holidays across the country, Steven, runs the BeachlifeAndBeyond YouTube channel. He says his stay at Cala Gran, a Haven park in Fleetwood just over an hour from Manchester, was the stark opposite of what he expected. Steven alleges his caravan wasn’t cleaned before he arrived and that he found serious cleanliness issues: “bogies in the bed and dirt and grime all over the floors.” He adds that he’s stayed at rough spots before, but this time the location felt like it bordered a landfill, not a holiday park.
Steven’s visit to Cala Gran came with a strong scent issue: he claims the site sits next to a landfill, producing a odour so potent it reportedly made national news. When he reported the smell at reception, he found other guests with the same complaint, suggesting the problem was widespread rather than an isolated incident.
Steven paid £245 for a weekend away. While he enjoys budget holidays overall and has had great experiences elsewhere, Cala Gran proved so uncomfortable that he couldn’t stay for the full booking. He cautions that a “bargain break” can sometimes turn into a costly mistake.
He’s a fan of holiday parks in general and says Cala Gran followed a highly positive experience at Butlin’s, which made the disappointment sharper upon arrival. “This is the first holiday park I’ve visited that doesn’t have a beach,” he remarks, adding that while Cala Gran lacks its own beach, it does sit near a landfill, which contributed to an initial, unavoidable stench.
Beyond the odor, Steven argues the park’s overall cleanliness was lacking. He describes carpet as pitch-black and stained, cushions with visible marks, and a prevalence of wrappers on the floor. In a startling find, he claims to have uncovered items under the sofa cushions—spoons, bracelets, baby socks, and candy wrappers—implying the caravan hadn’t been thoroughly cleaned.
Steven notes he had previously stayed in Bronze-grade caravans and had never encountered such conditions. He emphasizes that the lack of cleanliness was the main issue, calling the situation “the worst.”
Although some cleaning effort was evident—vacuuming in some areas—Steven believes the work was rushed. He explains that while staff did replace bedding and perform a brief re-clean after he complained, there was no viable seating option because upholstery remained damp. The possibility of re-cleaning the upholstery seemed impractical given the current state.
Meanwhile, Steven observed a contrasting positive: the park’s arcade appeared spotless, and a nearby Wetherspoons offered a glimmer of hope for a better experience elsewhere on site. However, Cala Gran, in his view, felt more basic and less well-themed than other Haven sites he has visited.
Due to the extent of the issues and the park’s full occupancy, staff couldn’t relocate him to another caravan. Ultimately, Steven cut the stay short, leaving the site 24 hours after arrival.
After his complaint, the cleaners returned promptly and replaced all bedding, providing a more moderate level of cleanliness. Yet, Steven notes that while an upholstery cleaning offer was made, it wouldn’t have left them with a usable seating area until the furnishings had dried, making the option less appealing.
In response to the video, Haven issued a statement apologizing for the experience. The company said the caravan did not meet their high standards and acknowledged that the issue was addressed quickly once the guest notified them. They emphasized Cala Gran’s ongoing popularity, noting tens of thousands of yearly visitors enjoy the park’s facilities and its location near Blackpool. Haven also mentioned upcoming upgrades, including a multi-million-pound investment to reopen the on-site pub as a JD Wetherspoons this summer.
Thought-provoking question: with a price tag of £245 for a weekend, is there a threshold at which you’d walk away from a stay you’ve already paid for, or would you push through in the hope of improvement? And should parks be held to stricter cleanliness standards or more transparent pricing about possible odors near landfill sites?
