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This is not a full review, just info we discovered ourselves.
We chose this site, mostly for the facilities and prime beach location, our daughter is 5 years old (going on 15), so her needs were a particular consderation. We always choose a new site with caution.
We went down for 5 nights and must say we enjoyed the trip. Close to the beach in a nice bay (sand is a bit rough tho at high tide). Beach is accessible at high tide.
1) Location - You wont be dissapointed, close to St Austell's shops (10 mins by car), but close to nature too. Although we chose a pitch towards the rear of the site (with the busy A road and cars / vans doing 60-70mph going past), it was not overly intrusive, and we had shelter from onshore winds.
2) Facilities - The site itself, although large has ample facilities close to your pitch. The rear of the site is greener than the front with grass / trees / hedgerows, electrical hookups and personal water supplies. We preferred bottled water, theirs tasted of chlorine, particuarly in hot drinks. The onsite shop was well stocked, also had fresh meat, gifts and camping equipment. If you are stocking up down there, ASDA / Tesco in St Austell is accessible.
We counted over 80 people in the pool and there was room for more. It closed 2 hours early one day and the deep end was restricted another due to poor visibility at the bottom of the deep end (safety issue), but they managed to handle the situation professionally.
We are not the type of campers whose highlight is the club house, but we were impressed with the size of the room, air conditioning and decent sized bar / stage. There was quality childrens entertainment each night, before adults main entertainment and bingo. There is a restaurant downstairs serving all day, but we found the prices expensive (£30 for a typical pub meal for 2.5).
Toilet blocks were cleaned once daily from what I saw, showers were a bit hot, but adequate sized cubicles and adequately maintained. Convenient recycling facilities were appreciated.
3) Experience - Good overall, friendly staff, well kept facilities, good entertainment, beach location, quiet setting. We were able to leave a bit later on departure day as the only time it rained was 4 hours before we started packing up, so could dry the tent out.
Take a trip to Mevagissey (5 min drive or 2 mile coastal walk) to see the harbour and idyllic fishing village, with pubs/ restaurants, fresh local fish (just ask them to descale, and fillet if needed for the bbq!). We ate in the ship inn which was really nice!
Another day we took a 15 mile drive to Newquay which has more beaches, softer sand and waves!
Two week holiday over Whitsun , two adults and two 14 year old lads. Site quite full and the British weather trying its best to spoil the bank holiday, had really strong winds one day and arrived back after day out to find people chasing their tents around. We had picked a spot a couple of rows back from the lovely beach which I began to doubt was a good idea with the awning threatening to take off. However we weathered the storm without any damage some weren't so lucky, nothing at all the campsite can do about this but it is worth bearing in mind when choosing the view over more practical issues, I still think I'd choose to be near the beach though. 'Note to self invest in extra strong storm strap!'
The beach club has a quieter bar downstairs where the food is served and a larger entertainment bar upstairs which we discovered the second week is only open during busy times. There was an act on each night and a single game of bingo (line, 2 lines full house) which was for decent prize money, house being over £200.00 and in contrast to some other clubs I've used, that played as early as 6:00pm to get you in, opted to sell the bingo tickets from 8:45pm to play approx 9:00pm. This was a welcome surprise giving you the chance to try to boost your holiday funds whilst having a bit of fun without requiring you to rush around getting ready early. Even though it was busy we always found a seat and quite a few people left after the bingo creating more space.
The second week when a lot of people went home the upstairs entertainment bar was closed, we weren't expecting this however it didn't detract from our enjoyment. The small team of entertainment staff (3 of them) were still around organising quizzes and killer pool for a bottle of bubbly, they worked really hard. There was still bingo for considerably smaller prize money but as there were less people, more chance of winning . In theory. It was less hectic and we got to know some of the other holiday makers which was nice.
I didn't try the food either in the pub or snack bar so I can't comment except to say they weren't cheap but they never are. We did have a nice meal in the Ship Inn in Pentewan again not cheap but good size portions and lovely steak. Short walk through campsite to get to pub.
The pool looked great but it was freezing the first few days we were there, I queried it towards the end of the first week as the boys wouldn't get in and was told the boiler had been broken, it was by this time repaired but would take a few days to warm up ! It did warm up enough for them to brave it days later but it wasn't as warm as some other outdoor pools I've used.
There is an on site amusement arcade the usual things one arm bandits and pool table. The boys weren't too impressed with the facilities for teenagers and until they discovered fishing off the beach, at times were bored. This is a great site for those with boats, or for those who enjoy beach activities eg. Sunbathing fishing , paddling, swimming.
There are some nice places to visit close by, Mevagissey is quaint. There are several supermarkets nearby, Asda, Tesco and Lidl.
The toilets were always clean and the showers free and hot, it was annoying when they automatically went off after literally 20 seconds, I did discover after a week of tutting about it that if you press the button 3/4 times together it will stay on for a minute and a press every now and again will prevent the water going off, the shower I used allowed me to overide the auto cut off anyway.
Shop well stocked and handy for odd items, papers and freshly baked croissants in the morning.
I heard a rumour that the site is to be re-developed at some unspecified time in the future and will include a room for the teenagers who did seem to be ignored a bit, the little ones were entertained in the evening with games when the big bar was open and colouring and stuff when downstairs . This would be a welcome addition to what is an otherwise excellent site, providing it doesn't become too much like some other larger commercial sites which have no charm at all.
Shop had almost everything you could need and my twin sons loved the pool, eventhough it was too wet and cold to use some days.
The pitch we were on was huge and we could play boules next to our tent. It did get quite boggy and the ground under the tent became spongy during the week but then about 4 inches of rain fell between 2 days that week.
Ladies toilets were generally clean and mostly managed to keep a dry floor. My husband was not as impressed with the gents. Yes, they shut to clean but there was always the disabled loo left open while they cleaned the others. Maybe a 3-4 times a day loo inspection might help to keep them in top form.
My kids found the showers too hot and we found no means of adjusting the temperature in the block we were in. The push buttons didn't stay on long enough! Also the laundry facility was quite pricey although the irons were free (but I didn't use them. Don't use them normally so not a hope when on holiday!). A couple of sinks for handwashing clothes would not go amiss there, as it would be possible to line dry outside in the good weather (though I noticed a lady doing hers at the dishwashing sinks)
Can't comment on the Beach club or takeaway as we didn't use it. Asda within 3 miles and also plenty of external takeaways.
We are back this year for a fortnight and I am looking forward to evening walks across the beach again.
Well we have been going to this site now for over 15 years and have had bad and good times there . Yes toilets are closed at silly times yes some times dirty but when you think of the number of people that use them well no one could keep them clean all the time. We go with a club which block books a number of pitches and we save a fair amount, yet we are not placed out of the way like so many sites do with club bookings. We go in july just be for schools out which is nice and quite well nearly . Well worth a vist 8/10 score will be down again 5 th july for 2 weeks
The Pitches are a good size but be aware this seems to be a primarily Water Sports based site so there are lots of speed boats water jets ect that people bring.
Dont be put off by that the sea front is well marked with bouys to stop them going where the swimers are.
A good sized shop is on site with fresh baked bread every day.
The takeaway was not to my liking fast food and overcooked.
The reserant/ club is very good though Breakfasts are nice.
The Pool is very clean and very well supervised by lifeguards (yes I do mean more than one)
Toilet blocks were clean and tidy.
Some pitches got a bit spongy after a heavy downpour.
BLISS ! Thats all I can say. We first visited Pentewan 4 years ago and unfortunatley havent been back till this year but we are happy to say that after looking forward to it for nearly 9 months it is still the best ever campsite we have stayed at. On the front row the outlook is stunning , watching the sea come in and out on a daily basis will be in our memory till next year
( 2008) when we will defintiely be going back.
The toilet/ waste disposal facilities are second to none and sharing one fresh water tap betweeen you and your neighbour is a giant plus !. Cant fault this site,what more can any person want, Heaven !
Having been at this site for 2 weeks I can honestly say for me there are no bad points and is probably one of the best sites I have stayed on all the facilities were there so you wouldn't have to leave the site if the weather was good we had one week of gorgeous sunshine so took full advantage kids morning club was excellent and the entertainment team made every one feel welcome even evening entertainment catered for all, pirates club for the young ones and adult entertainment after that the site was very clean and beach definitely sandy
All in all a great site and I will definitely be going back there and would recommend every one to try it
As with previous reviews the ship inn is a must although we first went there on a Sunday for the carvery and felt nothing lived up to it it does get very busy in there and it is only small so get there early
Went to Pentewan for the first time, this year. 1st of all, I agree with the review below, washing machine facilities were really expensive, it cost me £20 for two loads of washing.
2ndly, to pay an extra 30% for a "premium pitch" and its the same rate for a tent, as well as a caravan, I thought was a bit off, everywhere else I have been, there have been different rate for vans. These premium pitches are all well and good, if the weather is guaranteed, but you will get the brunt of the storm, as we did, our huge heavy six man tent, nearly went kite flying at 5am! We will pay for electric hook up next time, but wont concern ourself with a beach view, the campsite isnt that big that it would be a struggle to walk anywhere, remeber the closer you are to the beach, the further away you are from the shop.
After all that though, it truly has beautiful views, and I never had a problem with any of the toilets, or washing facilities, the kids club is great for the young ones, mind you if you have got kids older than 11, they are left a little to their own devices, apart from an hour mid morning
The entertainment was good, and they have the best Chinese takeaway, and pizza place that delivers to pentewan!
The facilities (shop, entertainment, pool, toilets, showers etc) all perfect. Location perfect. friendly efficient staff and all good.
So why are we thinking about revising our plan to return for a fortnight next year?
Because unbeknown to us the site allows people into their pitches any time on the day of arrival. Now, that meant that by 8am we had eight- yep eight- families staring at us as they had block booked several pitches including those that we had not left. Now, we were booked until 10 .30 am and actually found that really intimidating! We didn't feel able to eat breakfast whilst being stared at, and ended up leaving with three hungry children only to be stuck in traffic and unable to feed them until almost 11 am!( we would have been out before 10.30 anyhow, we were not running late).
Now it seems to me that if you book until a certain departure time, your pitch is your own until then?
Most people we noticed left on the evening before departure in our area, I wonder if this is something they too had experienced.
My only other minor quibble was that the shop didn't take cards and their cashpoint was broken most of the time.
So on balance an extremely good site that deserves all its good reviews, the beach is amazing, but with one administrative issue just big enough to imprint firmly on our memories. Shame, really.
Let me first tell you about the good points of the site
1. First and foremost is the location you are right on the beach which has lovely soft golden sand, you have to cross a little shale to get to it but it is lovely and soft.
2. The size of the pitches are huge you can have you caravan, awning windbreaks and a gazebo and still have room left to park. Plus all pitches seemed very flat.;
3. The little village of Pentewan has a fabulous pub called the Ship which serves fantastic food which is reasonably priced the staff are also very friendly.
4. The on site shop is huge and very well stocked and surprisingly not to expensive
Ok now to the bad points, first let me say that it was quite a wet 2 weeks but the toilet and shower blocks where filthy most of the time, I heard one woman asking the attendant why did he close the showers for over 1 and a half hours at 12 oclock, then heard the attendant asking why on earth would anyone want a shower at that time of day. He had to be educated on what needed washing after a morning on the beach or in the pool. Ok there is another shower toilet block under construction
Secondly the food at the club house was dreadful and very highly priced The 6 oclock arrivals breakfast about the only thing worth eating as it is self service and you can get your monies worth.
Thirdly I have never been on a site with so many Spiders, each morning we would awake to an awning that resembled some halloween pantomine full of spiders.
Having said all this if the sun shines the location of the site makes up for all its faults
Just got back from our first visit to Pentewan Sands in Cornwall. We stayed for 10 days (booked for two weeks but the weather got the better of us!)
On arrival we were quickly and pleasantly dealt with at reception and given our welcome pack etc. After a 30 second drive we arrived at our pitch (B33) just a few rows back from the incredible beach! Once we were setup we went to have a bit of breakfast in the restaurant on site, just under the main club house. Full English cost us only £4.99 each and get this, it is a self service as much as you like buffet! Good value and very much appreciated after the 6 hour drive!
Once we were full we set off to explore the beach and surrounding areas. The beach is great, but there have been some conflicting reviews on the quality of the sand etc. Apparently the beach was re surfaced three years ago with reclaimed sand. Yes this is much courser than what you might expect but still very bearable and easy to walk on. The far right hand side of the beach as you look out to sea is the best though, this has really fine golden sands that are great to play in! Lots of rock pool action to be had and some lovely secluded spots for some real R and R.
The launch area is clearly marked out for the boats and seemed to be manned and in use most of the time, so safety was not an issue. There were also lots of people flying power kites on the beach head (made me and my daughters Dora the Explorer kite seem a little inadequate!) and they kept themselves away from the families that were on the beach playing etc.
My daughter also enjoyed playing on the park on the beach, two sets of swings, junior and senior and a large climbing frame/slide. I could see this being a little hectic in high season but more than adequate whilst we were there.
The pitches themselves seemed well maintained and our row were more than happy with the setup. All pitches have EHU and water supplies right next to them. We had quite a lot of rain whilst we were there but the drainage was excellent at the top where we were, people lower down in H field were saying that they were bogged down and in some cases flooded. To be fair, the rainfall was exceptional for this time of year! We had more than enough room on our pitch for the tent, a utility tent, the car and a little room for playing cricket on!
As the weather was so poor we did find ourselves using the kids club that is provided to entertain the kids in the main clubhouse on site. Our daughter loved it there and the staff made lots of fun for the young ones. Drawing comps, indoor bowling and not forgetting Pascoe the pirate whom my little one adored! The entertainment team worked tirelessly to make sure the kids always had something to do, thank you Rohan, Kelly, Jenny and the gang!
Again the weather scuppered us for the most part in the evenings too, so we found ourselves back in the club house on site. Good prices and well kept draught beer, surprising for a camp site club in my experience, £2.60 for a pint of hand pulled Bass! There were competitions every night for the kids, finished of with a disco,my daughter took gold in the disco dancing competition, GO ELLIE! or an entertainer. There was a magician one night and a clown another, you get the idea. Then it's cabaret time for mums and dads. This varied from singers, comedians, karaoke and the entertainment team doing there very own "holiday" show! As this is all included in the price you pay you cant complain at all I don't think.
The toilet/shower blocks were fine and always clean. One criticism here would be that ALL the toilet blocks close at 11am for two hours cleaning. Would it not be more prudent to stagger this?? That little grumble aside the showers were hot and free.
The laundry room was fine but at £4 per wash I thought expensive, with that and the use of the dryer it cost £6.50 for one load of washing. Free irons and ironing boards though for use in the wash room.
Pot washing stations were again adequate, but not much water pressure in the station we used but always hot. There is another toilet block being built right now that should be ready soon which will make peak times a little easier. We didn't have to Que once while we were there!
The camp site shop is huge and well stocked and they have fresh croissants and bread baked daily. Again, a little more expensive than usual but no more so than any other site I have visited! The chocolate ones are ace! For bigger shops there is an ASDA about 3 miles away! I forgot to take my rubber mallet and bought a new one in the shop for £1.30, bargain!
Pentewan village is a short walk across the site and is a very pretty, typical Cornish village. One shop, one pub etc. The Ship Inn is a great pub. Fantastic beer and food all at good prices. The carvery was £6.99 and £3.50 for our daughter. All cooked fresh, best rib of beef and leg of lamb. Have to say this was the best carvery I have had anywhere! I recommend a pint of Tribute to wash it all down!
All in all a great site and we had a great holiday there. It may be a little commercial for some peoples tastes but it suited us down to the ground. Would recommend this site particularly for young families and we will definitely return!
I booked this site about 3 months prior to us arriving for the week before Whitsun. On arrival at the site we received a friendly greeting and was directed to our pitch, which was quite near to the beach. It was a bit windy on the day which made putting the awning up a bit of a challenge and just as we had finished, the wind died down.typical. The pitch itself was very spacious, probably one of the largest we have ever had and we were right next to a fresh water tap. For most of the week the site was mostly empty (we had one 'neighbour' and there were only about 7 or 8 other tourers on the site). In the afternoon on our day of arrival I thought I'd take a look at the pool and to my astonishment found it empty !. My son and I went for a walk around the site and found most of the toilets locked, most of the shower rooms were locked, the shop was closed, the restaurant/bar was empty (although this was open) and the games room/amusement arcade locked. Not sure why this was, I asked at the reception only to be told that everything would be open for the weekend (Whitsun Bank hol). This was no good to us, but as my son was taken ill on the first night, it didn't make much of a difference to us. However, on the second morning I thought I would try the only shower block that was open, only to find the showers were cold. Our neighbour also had the same list of complaint(s). After all said and done the site is quite nice and at the Whitsun weekend it was very busy and everything was open as indicated. The site is generally flat but the brochure is quite misleading when you look at the map of the park. One word of caution - try not to book one of the few pitches nearest the beach as they get the brunt of the wind. On our last Saturday night we had one almighty storm that ripped many peoples awning off and caused a lot of damage. In the morning it was like a bombsite. The tourers nearest the beach got the worst of it and I was glad to return home on the Sunday. The shower blocks and chemical disposal points are quite a trek from the front row of tourers, so be warned.
Great campsite, excellent facilities and a top beach! What more could you ask for? Well one thing springs to mind, as a family we like touring Cornwall in the summer which means we usually only spend a couple of nights in each campsite before moving on. Pentewan unfortunately does not allow you to book in advance to secure a pitch for say 3 days, they only accept bookings for a week minimum, which is fine if that's what you want but doesn't cater for the short stays associated with a touring holiday, meaning we have to turn up on the day and hope we can get a pitch! Only once out of the last 3 years have we been successful. Heligan Woods which is the sister site does allow for short stay bookings and you are at least allowed the use of Pentewan's facilities (this is what we did last year) but its not within walking distance especially when you have 4 kids with you.the youngest being 3 years old. All in all though a great site with excellent facilities, but all this doesn't come cheap for a family of 6, at over £30.00 a night and yes I've stayed in better sites in Cornwall for half this price.
I am sitting here waiting for the phone lines to open,ready to book for August 2007. We started going to Pentewan in about 1992 so you can see how much we enjoy it, as soon as we arrive I relax even when we had our 4 children coming with us as I knew they were safe. Our daughter and husband now come with their 2 children so that speaks for itself as to how fantastic this site is. Plenty of room on the pitches, showers fine though it is a pain when they keep going off but that is a small price to pay. Anyway thats enough I could go on but it's 2nd November and we (my daughter and myself) have to man the phone to get us our pitches for next year, so wish us luck.
This is the second time I have been to this site, and the main reason we came back was for the glorious beach, which is private to the campsite and occupants of Pentewan Village. They have excellent facilities for getting your boats in and out of the water and there are cordoned off parts of the sea for swimmers and boats etc. The beach is lovely and sandy and excellent for late afternoon kite flying! Despite the pitches being large, it really felt like people were parked on top of each other. There was no problem with parking where you wanted to on your pitch, and therefore it felt overcrowded. The site is huge and was full when we were there. This site has an outdoor heated (?) pool but the kids thought the sea was warmer ( only slightly!) The shop is huge and I thought a little pricey although I would pay for the fresh bread every morning! and there is an Asda and Tescos not far away. The phone service ( Vodaphone and Orange ) was rubbish unless you walked around to find some signal. Considering the place is huge, the launderette is totally inadequate. There are six washers and dryers and three of each were out of order the second week. I was extremely disappointed with the toilet facilities which I thought were very poor. The showers were dribbles, the queues were horrid, and the floors were dirty. I cannot believe that somewhere this big only cleans once a day. To be honest that put us off going again. However, if sailing is your thing, or even the evening entertainment, then try the place out. I was very disappointed.
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Common Questions
Is Pentewan Sands Holiday Park child friendly? YES, it accepts children & has a playground View all facilities
Does Pentewan Sands Holiday Park have a swimming pool? YES, there is a pool on site View all facilities
Where is the nearest shop to Pentewan Sands Holiday Park? There is a shop on site View all facilities
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
All reviews and comments are the personal opinion of the review author only , and as such do not represent the view of the UK Camp Site.co.uk.
The facilities shown on this website are a guide only, and you should check with the campsite direct before making any booking. The UKCampsite.co.uk will not be held responsible for any errors or omissions
Tent Pitches 
Caravan Pitches 
Motorhome Pitches 
Small Campervans 
Glamping Units 
Holiday Homes for Hire 
No Statics for Sale 
Seasonal Pitches 
Electric Hookups 
Hardstanding Pitches 
No Fully Serviced Pitches 
Families Welcome 
Not Members Only 
Rallies Welcome 
Not Naturist Site 
Dogs Welcome 
No Dogs Allowed 
Groups Welcome 
Toilet Facilities 
Hot Showers 
Washing Up 
Bathroom 
Baby Changing Facilities 
Laundry On Site 
Drinking Water 
Disabled Friendly 
Chemical Disposal 
Battery Charging 
Gas Exchange 
Recycling Facilities 
No Kitchen Facilities 
Freezer / Fridge 
Motorhome Point 
Wifi Access 
Shop On Site 
Bar On Site 
Restaurant or Cafe or Takeaway On Site 
Kids Playground 
TV Room 
Games Room 
Evening Entertainment 
Fishing On Site 
Wild Swimming On Site 
Indoor Pool On Site 
Outdoor Pool <5 miles 
Horse Riding <5 miles 
Cycle Hire On Site 
Golf <1 mile 
Tennis On Site 
Beach On Site 
Watersports On Site 
Boat Launch / Mooring On Site 
Sea Views 
Not Working Farm 
Campfires Allowed 
Coastside Pitches 
Public Transport On Site
No Dog Walk 
Electric Car Charging Point
This is not a full review, just info we discovered ourselves.
