The mere mention of a caravan holiday can trigger childhood memories of awnings flapping in the wind and midnight runs to the toilets.
But many of today’s caravan parks are in a different league, with heated pools, saunas, pizzerias and shops stocked with Bollinger.
Whether you’re in your own palace on wheels or renting a hostel, these are some of Britain’s most stylish caravan parks.
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ELEGANT IN PEMBROKESHIRE
Whether you’re in your own palace on wheels or renting a lodge, we’ve rounded up some of Britain’s most stylish caravan parks. Pencarnan Farm (above) in Pembrokeshire boasts stunning sea views
Pencarnan Farm is a 96-acre working farm, just a few miles west of the Welsh cathedral city of St Davids. Enjoy stunning views of the vast Whitesands Bay, plus access to the coastal path and Porthsele Beach for swimming, surfing and kayaking.
ELEGANT FACTOR: Craft beer bar and wood-fired pizzas made on site.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £39; Static caravan sleeping six to eight people from £1,200 for seven nights (pencarnanfarm.co.uk).
WARWICKSHIRE WONDER
Ettie’s Field is on a former pig farm and now offers glamping, camping and caravanning. Meet the animals, including Kunekune pigs and Nubian goats.
ELEGANT FACTOR: Chimineas to warm your feet.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £35 a night; Ettie Airstream Caravan sleeping two people from £240 for two nights (ettiesfield.com).
DREAM DEVON
Facilities at Cofton Holiday Park in Devon include a sauna and steam rooms.
Near Dawlish, the 80-acre Cofton Holiday Park has lodges, cabins and statics, plus spaces for tents and caravans. The pitches have a luxurious alpine shower block. For children, there are ropes in the treetops.
ELEGANT FACTOR: Sauna and steam baths.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £32; Two bed static caravans for two nights from £155 (coftonholidays.es).
WELSH LUXURY
Plassey Holiday Park in Wrexham feels “more like a country club”. Above – your indoor pool
Not only does Wrexham have a noteworthy football team, it also has one of the most stylish caravan parks in Britain. Spread over 250 acres of Dee Valley, Plassey Holiday Park is more like a country club, thanks to its indoor pool, golf course, games room and 20 shops.
ELEGANT FACTOR: A modern barber salon.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £20; Two-bedroom accommodation for seven nights from £629 (plassey.com).
CLASSY IN CUMBRIA
Guests can stay in a safari tent (pictured) at Skelwith Fold in Cumbria.
Set on 130 acres on the outskirts of Ambleside, Skelwith Fold in Cumbria has 70 caravan pitches plus 22 ‘premium’ sites with picnic tables. Guests can book a static tent, pod, safari tent or cabin.
ELEGANT FACTOR: No marigolds needed, there is, hallelujah, dishwasher.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £31; One bed accommodation for seven nights from £673 (skelwith.com).
RITZY SUSSEX WEST
Concierge Camping, in West Sussex, bills itself as the ‘Ritz of camping’ with 27 pitches with high-speed Wi-Fi.
At the foot of the South Downs, Concierge Camping calls itself the ‘Ritz of camping’. Caravanners heading to Ratham Estate, owned by Lord and Lady Hodgkin, will find 27 pitches with high-speed Wi-Fi.
ELEGANT FACTOR: Bollinger in the store.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £45 a night; Two-bedroom lodges for three nights from £485 (conciergecamping.es).
SECRET OF CORNWALL
St Ives without paying the Earth? Book a caravan pitch at the nearby 16-acre Parbola Holiday Park and it will cost you less than £20 a night. There’s a pool, Alice in Wonderland mini golf, and a dog agility course.
ELEGANT FACTOR: Safari tent for dinner.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £16.80; seven nights in a two-bedroom caravan from £348.50 (lovatparks.com).
FRESH COTSWOLDS
Cotswold Farm Park is owned by TV presenter Adam Henson and serves delicious small plates in the restaurant.
Cotswold Farm Park, a regular on BBC One’s Countryfile thanks to its owner, presenter and farmer Adam Henson, is located in the Windrush Valley.
ELEGANT FACTOR: Delicious small plates in the restaurant.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £41.50; two-bedroom accommodation from £563 for two nights, cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk.
LAKE DISTRICT WINNER
Glamping at The Quiet Site, an award-winning Lake District campsite
In 1963, The Quiet Site, overlooking Ullswater, began life as a rustic camping pitch. Now there are glamping sites, cabins and dens. AA Campsite of the Year 2024.
ELEGANT FACTOR: The ‘zero waste’ store.
RESERVE: Caravan pitches from £40; accommodation from £900 for a week (thequietsite.co.uk).
