~We're all going, "I want to go home", on a summer holiday. "I'm going to be so bored". No more worries for a "They had better have an Internet cafe", week or two. Fun and laughter on a summer holiday..."Humph". Well, we were going to have a good holiday, not so sure about the 13yr old Internet addict in the back seat of the car.
No computer, no phone, no Playstation and no Sky TV! And it was just the way myself and the partner had planned it.

The blurb says its facilities include a outdoor heated swimming pool, pool room, take-away, laundrette, supermarket and clubhouse/bar. Not a lot which is what we wanted but it is only a 10 minute walk from Dawlish Warren beach and a short drive from Powderham Castle, Exeter, Paignton Zoo, Quaywest, etc.

Hazelwood Bungalow - The super duper, top of the range bungalow. For an average of £200 a week more than the others you get a bungalow thats 60% bigger than the other bungalows, they sleep six people with a double bedroom, a room with bunk beds in it and a double sofa bed in the living room. They are also recently refurbished with a fully equipped kitchen, fridge-freezer and microwave. They also have the convenience of being near the facilities, I'm not so sure that was a positive thing, but more about that later.

Until I saw them................ANTS! (not cockroaches thankfully!). On the table, in the kitchen, on the floor, that was it, I was gone. I know its only ants but around my food? they might crawl over me in my sleep! Nooo! I don't think the huge ants nest in the middle of the grass helped.

Off we went to explore the park, a good sized playground was only another row of bungalows down. The park is David Bellamy Silver awarded, so there were two large lakes stocked with fish, lots of trees and a stream, so you have to keep an eye out fore the little ones, and lots of ducks to feed. A lot of the caravans and bungalows there were private and people obviously took good care of them with lovely gardens and decorations. Only one problem, which could be seen as a real bother for some was the building site which would have been opposite our old bungalow. They were obviously building new bungalows so there was a fair bit of rubble and things around there. It also wasn't cordoned off very well so a few of the kids were tempted. On the plus side they didn't start doing work till about 10 am so no one got woken up really early by a digger!

We didn't try the pool, mainly because on the days the weather was good we went out, and the rest of the time the weather wasn't brilliant. It was popular with quite a few people. The supermarket was a Londis and promised to keep to their prices, so for once it was reasonable and not over expensive, and well stocked.
The highlight of the facilities was the take-away. It offered chips, pizzas, kebabs, pies, sausages and all kinds of fish. I have to say they were absolutely delicious, especially the (local) fish and chips, very reasonably priced as well.

Oh and the reason I mentioned the Hazelwood Bungalows earlier. Yes they were close to the facilities but would have been a little too close for my liking, especially with the drunken lots coming out of the bar, who had to pass them on the way back to the other bungalows, they were also next to the take-away where the smells must have permeated the bungalows. They also had the misfortune of being near the entrances so quite a few of them would have had headlights shining into their rooms on regular occasions. They also had no play areas right in front of them, which is something I would have missed. You also had to keep a close eye on the kids because that area was busier for traffic than the others. Apart from that I'm sure they were very nice inside!

We spent last year in a Pontins down near Hastings and although there was a lot more to do in the daytime we enjoyed this place a lot more, probably due to the fact there was a lot more to do close by. Well recommended.