A dad was left seething after being slapped with an unexpected hefty fee while celebrating his wife's 50th birthday at a Haven holiday park in Wales.
Mark Hayward had forked out £300 for a cabin stay, assuming that access to the park's bar and nightclub was part of the package.
However, Mark's excitement turned to shock when he discovered that entertainment passes for his family would set him back an additional £260 for the weekend – a cost he hadn't anticipated on top of his initial payment.
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An irate Mark exclaimed: "I'm going away to Wales for three nights, I'm not going to Barbados!" He criticised the lack of clarity at the time of booking, as it wasn't obvious that the activities weren't included when he booked through a private owner rather than directly with Haven.
"I was devastated, frustrated, angry. It was like a kick," Mark vented to the Manchester Evening News. "I've actually paid £300 plus £75 deposit to then be told it's another £260 for the passes. We thought we were getting passes included."
Upon further investigation, Mark realised other options on the campsite came with the pass included, leading him to comment on the steep price of the pass: "We saw it was £260 to have this pass, which I thought was a bit steep.", reports the Mirror.
He cautioned others to be wary of the extra charge to avoid being caught out like he was.
Mark shared his disappointment at the heightened costs for returning customers seeking direct site bookings, "I thought to get a caravan for the weekend, and I saw a caravan for £400 with the passes. I thought, wow. I just think as returning customers it's harsh that they're inflating the prices for people that are going directly onsite."
Having previously enjoyed holidays and even worked at the site's bar when he was 18, Mark felt dismayed by the recent pricing, particularly as he was planning to celebrate a special occasion: "It's my wife's 50th," he remarked, "I just think it's really harsh. We want to celebrate her birthday."
The situation has tarnished what was meant to be a joyous event for his family, "We're not exactly rolling in money, I would've liked some sort of good will gesture. You're trying to celebrate something only to be told it's going to be double the price - the excitement has been taken away."
A Haven spokesperson responded to the concerns raised in a statement to the M. E.
N. : "The satisfaction of our guests is incredibly important to us and we always listen to their feedback. In this case, Mr Haywood booked his stay directly with the owner of a caravan – not through Haven."
This means Mark's booking would not automatically provide certain amenities: "This sort of private arrangement provides a stay in a fantastic coastal location, but does not include a Play Pass which gives access to all of Haven's on-site entertainment and facilities."
The spokesperson emphasized that guests renting privately still have options, "All visitors to our parks, including those who have rented through a private hire, are welcome to purchase a Play Pass from Haven should they wish to. The best way to ensure complete certainty on what is included in your holiday is to book directly."
Advice on securing all features for a getaway was clear: "All visitors to our parks, including those who have rented through a private hire, are welcome to purchase a Play Pass from Haven should they wish to. The best way to ensure complete certainty on what is included in your holiday is to book directly."
