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Reviews of Sandylands Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts )
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Sandylands Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts )
James Miller Crescent
Auchenharvie Park
Saltcoats
Ayrshire (Browse area)
KA21 5JN
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Pitches: 112
Open: 22/03/2024 to 28/10/2024
22/03/2025 to 28/10/2025
Rating: 
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Photos (11)
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 No Tents |
 Caravan Pitches |
 Motorhome Pitches |
 Small Campervans |
 No Glamping Units |
 Holiday Homes for Hire |
 Holiday Homes for Sale |
 No Seasonal Pitches |
 Electric Hookups |
 No Hardstandings |
 No Fully Serviced Pitches |
 Show Full Facilities |
| Who's it for |
 Families Welcome |
 Not Members Only |
 No Rallies |
 Not Naturist Site |
 Dogs Welcome |
 No Dogs Allowed |
 Groups Welcome |
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| Facilities |
 Toilet Facilities |
 Hot Showers |
 Washing Up |
 No Bathroom |
 Baby Changing Facilities |
 Laundry On Site |
 Drinking Water |
 Disabled Friendly |
 Chemical Disposal |
 No Battery Charging |
 No Gas Exchange |
 Recycling Facilities |
 No Kitchen Facilities |
 No Freezer / Fridge |
 No Motorhome Point |
 Wifi Access |
 Shop On Site |
 Bar On Site |
 Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway On Site |
| Activities |
 Kids Playground |
 No TV Room |
 Games Room |
 Evening Entertainment |
 Fishing <1 mile |
 No Wild Swimming |
 Indoor Pool On Site |
 No Outdoor Pool |
 Horse Riding <5 miles |
 No Cycle Hire |
 Golf <1 mile |
 No Tennis |
 Beach <1 mile |
 Watersports <5 miles |
 No Boat Launch |
| Other Features |
 Sea Views |
 Not Working Farm |
 No Campfires Allowed |
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 No Waterside Pitches |
 Public Transport |
 Offroad Dog Walk On Site or Direct Access |
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Reviews:
22 in total, now showing 11 to 20
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| Date of Visit: June 2017 |
Unit: Motorhome |
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| Reviewer: Fred Stubber |
9 reviews from this member |
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 The touring site is next to the railway line and the noise was quite disturbing.
The noise from the entertainment centre was horrendous.
We were told to go on Pitch 9 but the girl (who was very nice and friendly but somehow seemed a bit apologetic) explained that the pitches weren't really marked, 'so just go anywhere you can find a space. ' In fact people were just pitching anywhere; far too close for fire safety. We pitched about 6 metres from the nearest unit but before long someone else squeezed into the gap, so there wasn't room to get our disability scooter between the units. Really dangerous if there was a fire, having units crammed in like this. It might be relevant that our neighbours were Irish itinerants of some sort. They turned out to be nice people but I wonder if the site was afraid to make them space their units out properly.
We weren't given the disabled toilet key when we checked in despite me saying we had a disabled person.
There was no tap for filling the tanks by hose, so I had to stand there holding the hose onto a chrome tap with no means of attaching a hose.
The chip shop was good.
The whole place was was full of chavvy people; huge women overflowing all over their little disability scooters as they gobbled their chips and smoked their fags; dirty children running riot.
There is nothing at all in the surround area of interest or value. The three towns are utterly depressing. 
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| Date of Visit: September 2014 |
Unit: Campervan |
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| Reviewer: Chrisp86 |
4 reviews from this member |
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We arrived at Sandylands Late on a Thursday night and were greeted by the security guards who signed us in and directed us to our pitch- which was very helpful.
The next morning we were able to take stock of where we were staying, and the best description I can use is caravancatraz.
There is a playground, a swimming pool and an arcade type area.
The touring pitches are situated at the very back of the site alongside a very high fence immediately next to the railway line (this could possibly be considered a plus- as a well timed leap from the window of a moving train a train could well land you on the roof of your tourer of campervan- making its transport links ideal for some.
It is also next to the maintenance yard with rubble, bins, broken furniture etc strewn about and all in plain view.
The pitches are very small and very crammed in- the only hardstanding pitch available had faulty electric hookup so we ended up in a 'camping' pitch. I really feel sorry for anyone who has to try and put a tent up on this ground as I estimate its hardness to be at least that of Granite- we bent multiple pegs attempting to pitch our mini tent/awning.
It is situated between the railway line, a large transport yard and a golfcourse down a long drive through the back of a housing estate, with possibly the most vicious speedbumps I have ever encountered.
Whilst the toilet block must be relatively new, the floor in the gents was permanently wet and muddy for the duration of our visit. I found it was best to time shower tactically when everyone else had gone to bed to ensure good water pressure. One evening there was no loo roll in the stalls- it appears to be a preference instead to spread it all over the floor.
Our nights sleep was frequently disturbed by the passing coal trains, also the entertainment was very, very loud.
As an aside, if you are feeling lazy one morning but fancy a cooked breakfast- there is a Morrisons and a Wetherspoons close by. The breakfast on site are best avoided being both overpriced and exceptionally poor.
Cigarette butts EVERYWHERE- quite a lot of litter especially around the toilet block
So overall at best a poor show, could not recommend this site to anyone.
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| Date of Visit: June 2014 |
Unit: Motorhome |
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| Reviewer: LBaker |
2 reviews from this member |
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We booked a pitch for one night in a motor home.
The site is next to a beach but situated in the middle of an industrial park.
The site is very clean and the staff very friendly and helpful.
However the site is very similar to a Butlins holiday camp but with static caravans, so if this is not what you want then its better to avoid it.
Also the pitch they gave us was a few meters from a busy railway track so we had the sound of trains thundering by all night. There had been a fight the night before we arrived between two of the holidaymakers staying in the static caravans which resulted in a man sadly losing his life so a lot of the facilities had been closed. The police were still on site carrying out forensic investigations so the beach road was closed as well. This did not affect us as we were intending to depart early the next morning but it would have been nice to have been able to sleep.
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| Date of Visit: September 2010 |
Unit: Other |
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| Reviewer: Prettynice |
1 review from this member |
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We hired the caravan from a friend, we went for a long weekend. The park itself was very quiet except on the Friday but just the usual people going home after being in the club. We didn't go to the club as night as they wanted £7 per night or £35 for the week, it would have been to costly for the 3 of us so we went in through the day. There's still two pool tables but they don't have smaller cues for the kids which would benefit them better. The swimming pool was open but we couldn't get in due to not buying the passes but there is swimming pool and ice skating not far, I'd say 5 minute walk, but its not free. The railway is a put off but you get used to it.
The staff were very friendly. The play park could be bigger, there's no longer the kids football play area that's now got caravans on it, so a great loss for the kids. The chip shop food is nice. The laundrette is great if you want to get your washing done and not want to have all the washing when you get home. With a few small tweaks it could be better
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| Date of Visit: August 2010 |
Unit: Static |
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| Reviewer: Afcbian |
2 reviews from this member |
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Stayed here just really to use as a base for visiting family in Kilmacolm (40mins away).
Stayed with Park Resorts in a bronze 6 caravan.
Caravan was brilliant but we did have a cooker with an oven that wouldn't work. The staff & security guards were great. We eventually got upgraded to a bronze 8 caravan, after several attempts were made to fix the oven. They also offered us some free fun passes for our family visitors to use the swimming pool.
The drive up to Sandylands is on the back of a housing estate, golf course, industrial units & the (old?) football grounds. There is wired fencing surrounding the entire park and it doesn't look very appealing. Some reviews say there is a security gated entrance to Sandylands-i never saw this.
The childs park is right by the entrance to Sandylands but I expect this is because the play park is right next to the entertainment centre. I wasn't so keen on it being right next to the road entrance to the park.
A lot of the park appeared to be privately owned caravans. It is a very sparse looking caravan park & could do with some trees/bushes around the park perimeter & planting to cheer it up. There are no sea views at all from the caravan park, because first you have to go over the railway bridge, then the dunes, to get to the sea.
The railway track runs right in front of the caravan park but there is a huge wired fence protecting you. The trains do run throughout the day up to 1130pm. However I was quite surprised that they were quite quiet when they passed, apart from the odd freight train. My kids loved seeing the trains go past though!
We didn't use any of the evening entertainment, so can't comment on that. We did however use the indoor swimming pool. Ok, the pool was cold (not what I'd call heated) but you got used to it, although we couldn't stay in it for long.
They did provide inflatables for the kids to play with. There are lockers by the poolside for you to put your clothes in etc. I can only comment on the female changing rooms(2 showers, toilets & washbasins) The toilets were filthy & the showers looked. They really need a re-vamp! The indoor heated pool was like an outdoor pool with a metal shed over it.
We went towards the end of the Scottish summer season(kids back at school) & were told it was busy but the caravan park felt very quiet.
Not sure I would ever want to camp at this site as you are right next to a train track. The shop looked well stocked & the launderette must have been good as it was very busy.
Overall it was a quiet holiday base for us to visit family & the kids loved staying in the caravan. It just all looked a bit grey. It just needs a bit more TLC, landscaping & trees/bushes planted (instead of looking at grey wired fencing).
Shame the pool was cold when we visited & the swimming facs were poor but it's a great base to visit Ayshire. We loved Ayr itself. It has super beaches & a great kids beach front park (even the adults enjoyed the park).Oh & you can get free parking right along the sea front for 3 hours!
The staff were very welcoming and friendly.
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| Date of Visit: July 2010 |
Unit: Static |
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| Reviewer: Podge68 |
7 reviews from this member |
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We have just come back from a weeks holiday at Sandylands. We collected tokens out of a popular newspaper and was given this camp site as one of our choices. We chose to extend our stay but not upgrade due to the price shooting up already to over £300! Not a cheap holiday anymore!
And where shall I start? On a plus side our caravan was really nice, all basic home comforts, nice and clean, and plenty big enough for a family of 6. I think I may have had the same caravan as a previous reviewer, as our keys did not open both doors and they looked like they had been forced open on occasion (very flimsy locks). The downside being no mention of the railway that runs alongside the park, both passenger trains and huge long coal trains, 21 carriages long! Day and Night and no I did not get used to it.
The staff were very friendly, always trying to help and offer advice.The entertainment team were not the best but tried their hardest. All the staff members seem to do more than one job on site, one of the security men fixed our boiler then checked our passes then collected our empties! They work really hard.
The bridge over to the beach was handy but not buggy friendly so be aware if you have very young children. The beach was extremely dirty, fly tipping obvious, lots of litter and not one you could spend the day on.
The swimming pool was very warm but very busy, and on one occasion we could not swim only walk about due to the amount of bodies in there. They do operate a band system, but allow too many people in at a time. No individual changing rooms in the womans or mens, only a communal space, so if you're shy it may not be for you.
The shop was stocked with the essentials but a little pricey, however their is a Morrisons just down the road if you want more value. The chip shop was great, very friendly staff and good prices too.
The children's play area is very small for the amount of children on site and mine never stayed for long due to it being busy and older children using it also.
Saltcoats is a small town with plenty of shops and a little market. Lots of pubs about but they did not appear family friendly. It does seem a little run down with borded up shops and a few drunks hanging around (during the day).
We did get out and about and therefore it made a good base. Heads of Ayr farm park was great for the whole family at a reasonable cost and Dean Castle in Kilmarnock was FREE! We spent more time on Troon beach which was a 15 minute drive and was really clean and has a larger town.
Down side to the campsite, DOGS! Both myself and 2 children all stood in doggy poop, one area smelt really bad and I was worried when they were playing football and rolling around in the grass what they may come home covered in. The Family room was really busy and not enough seats, there is a sports bar but not what the children want, and there was an over 18's bar which we never saw open. The arcade was very busy and hot.
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| Date of Visit: April 2010 |
Unit: Touring Caravan |
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| Reviewer: Hunt4juls |
4 reviews from this member |
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Easy site to access, friendly and helpful staff.
Great kids daytime entertainment with a morning and afternoon club, along with kids dances at night. So the site is well catered for for families. Evening acts for adults quite good, one of the bars is for 18 and over if you want escape other peoples kids if you don't have any.
Security very tight in the evening for in and out of the main complex.
The complex consists of 3 bars, pool and games area. Chip shop and mini shop for essentials around the corner. However there is a couple of big Super markets near by.
Space for tourers restricted to two rows, so if it is raining it's very hard to manoeuvre your caravan- due to the slight slope.
Shower block and washing station all together with the water. These were clean enough but shower cold quickly so you will need to be fast when washing yourself.
Although, there is a railway bridge to cross, it is safe enough and if you follow the sandy paths- beach easy to find bypassing the dunes and fences. Great for dog walking.
We all had great fun and will be returning Easter next year.
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| Date of Visit: June 2009 |
Unit: Static |
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| Reviewer: Barjohnivell |
4 reviews from this member |
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Varied reviews have been left about this park, some are understandable if you are in a touring caravan (which this website is mainly aimed at). We booked through Tesco as they accept clubcard vouchers £10 clubcard voucher = £40 towards holiday, so this made it a cheap option.
Booking was easy and after we booked read all the reviews, oh dear!
Most people complained that it was at the back of a council estate and that the place was full of drunks, but I can assure you this is definitely not the case. To me Saltcoats is a typical Scottish seaside town that has suffered from a lack of investment due to the loss of industry and therefore jobs. I would certainly not call Saltcoats any worse than the Mablethorpes or Cleethorpes of this world.
As we have two children one at 3 years and another at 7 Months this park is perfect for the simple things in life, playing on the superb beach, soaking up the evening entertainment with excellent staff, or enjoying the small but very clean swimming pool.
Locally there is the excellent 'Heads of Ayr' Farm park which is a full day out if needed. Glasgow is just 30 minutes away and there is a superb drive up the coast to Greenock taking in some fantastic sights, and an Italian ice cream parlour at Largs en route.
The campsite was clean but did seem to have a few caravans that looked a little worse for wear however the caravans for rent was clean, well equipped and comfortable, and for £229 in June for 5 nights extremely good value.
The evening entertainment wasn't structured, however it did cater for the age and amount of people who were in the clubhouse, so all the kids had a great time, and all the adults enjoyed it as well. Staff in general were very friendly and accommodating and unlike some English parks we found our '£' went quite a long way both on the site, and at the local shops and attractions, you also weren't bombarded with merchandise for the kids, although you did have to walk through the arcade to get anywhere.
All in all for a well priced, enjoyable short break this park is very good and we were pleasantly suprised following all the negative comments we read. This park will not suit all, and I can understand the comments about the touring park as it was next to the railway, it was a little waterlogged, and the trains do run every 15 minutes! we got used to this though as our static was near the railway.
Our verdict 8/10, could be improved with a few more on site activities and better access to the beach, a railway bridge isn't ideal with a pushchair, however an underpass would probably cost a few hundred thousand so fair play.
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| Date of Visit: April 2009 |
Unit: Static |
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| Reviewer: Weemantam |
2 reviews from this member |
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I collected the tokens in a popular newspaper (as I do every year) and landed this site this time around. It being the first day of the season we were expecting things to be a bit. Well. Disfunctional. Off season would always be a good time for the handymen to get stuck in and fix all the problems with the site so that everything was ready for the batch of holidaymakers the following season. This wasn't the case and everything was very dishevelled. Given that they are trying to punt caravan sales I wasn't in the least enticed - even if I was in the market.
The facilities were reasonable although I couldn't work out why one of the bars was over 18's only in a Family Park. You had to walk through the arcade to get to the bars and the family bar was hidden through the back of the sports bar. Very odd layout but harmless enough. Entertainment was reasonable but they had a couple of new staff members so it was a little disjointed at times. No doubt this will improve over the season. The bars were well staffed and had a good choice of drinks and (in the Family Bar at least) plenty of seating. The visiting cabaret provided the best of the entertainment and the host evening show, on our final night, was just about the worst I've ever sat through. Truly indescribably awful - and I'm one for trying to give credit where credit is due. One of the evening's had the entertainment in near darkness since the lighting had tripped and a maintenance engineer had to be called to put the lights back on. Fun.
The pool was very functional (no frills) there being a toddlers pool and a deeper play pool. They provided toys etc but I never noticed them until I was leaving. The biggest plus was that both of the pools were ROASTING which meant my baby daughter had the greatest time there.
The arcade was the usual lunacy but I was disappointed, when playing pool, one of the slot machine attendants watched indifferently while children tried to sit on the pool table and another one continuously stabbed a sword down the pocket! Grr. One of the two tables was broken with no signage to prevent you putting in your money.
The staff, generally, were about the most friendly I've met and they (or at least most of them) really do make an effort.
As far as my caravan is concerned I've been unlucky. I always put these things down to being unlucky but there are things where site staff could have done more. On arrival our key was 45mins late. I had turned up 30mins late to avoid this but it was a further 15mins before we received our key due to housekeeping issues.
The caravan was fairly much as expected, reasonable content and good clean condition. It had a microwave, toaster, hoover, iron and table, TV and freeview in living room and bedroom (though we had to set it up ourselves) and even a DVD player and music system. Not bad.
On the downside we immediately noticed there was no water. On turning the water valve on we then noticed there was no gas so we turned that on too. We lit the boiler and unpacked. How housekeeping could operate without hot water confuses me but they had apparently just finished with our unit, hence the late key I'm not at all sure. The doors were hellishly stiff, the hinges of both external doors were either seized or their doors were warped. The key we were given only fitted one of the doors so we locked the other internally. That evening the smoke detector fell off its Velcro(?!) and landed on my son's head. My teenage son decided to stay in the caravan while we went out in the evening since he wasn't feeling well. He turned up during the evening telling us the hallway bulb had popped and tripped the lighting circuit in the caravan so we had to go back from the bar and find the circuit breaker and reset the RCD. This all happened on Friday. Saturday passed uneventfully and on Sunday, while visiting the nearby Cinema, my father-in-law reported that the problem door had sheared at it's hinge. Maintenance attended and stated that they would need to send away for the necessary materials (not much use to us since we were leaving the next day). In the meantime they would need to track down the key for the other door since the broken door could no longer be opened and closed. Four hours later maintenance had clocked off and gone home without tracking down the key. The office had also shut up shop and security said they couldn't (wouldn't?) help.
Everything that happened on Friday could simply be put down to 'unlucky' or first day of the season blues. The situation with the door meant we were caravan ridden on the last night of our 3-day break and that must be put down to inconsiderate maintenance staff.
We didn't spend much time out of the site so I can't comment much. There is a reasonably good cinema and shore arcade. A supermarket is a couple of miles away but there is a 'AT ALL TIMES' buslane which causes massive tailbacks unnecessarily.
The overall site has to be given a 5/10 since it really isn't that bad and will probably improve later in the season. Our caravan has to get a 3/10 but I'd give it a 7 if we hadn't had the problems or at least had some assistance with the door. Great for kite fans though!
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| Date of Visit: October 2008 |
Unit: Static |
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| Reviewer: Ulen |
5 reviews from this member |
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We booked this as and end of season last minute bargain. We have a folding camper but because of the weather decided to rent a caravan. Our static caravan was very nice with TV microwave etc. It was clean and tidy and certainly more than adequate. The pool was fine, showers slightly too cool but okay. Although the pool was closed 2 days out of the 4 days we were there, the site had arranged for us to swim at the local pool for free. We were disappointed with the entertainment. The kids clubs were not really running, staff said it was due to the lack of people/interest but there was no alternative activities offered and no real attempt at trying to get people interested. In my opinion they seemed to be just trying to put in time until the end of season.
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Common Questions
Is Sandylands Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts ) child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Does Sandylands Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts ) have a swimming pool? YES, there is a pool on site View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Sandylands Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts )? There is a shop on site View all facilities
Is Sandylands Holiday Park ( Parkdean Resorts ) dog friendly? YES View all facilities
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