Seal Bay

"Wow, what a spot! We visited in August 2021 for a week and honestly, theres so much going on that we didnt even get around to doing everything. From the moment we arrived, it was clear this place is packed with activities. We stayed in one of the West Sands caravans, which was pretty standard but comfy enough for what we needed. The thing is, its missing an iron - a bit of a pain when youre trying to stay tidy! The location is spot on, just a couple of minutes walk to the pebble beach, which is lovely and the on-site fairground shop and bars are all in one spot, making it easy to grab a snack or a drink.The complex is lively with plenty for kids to do. Theres a great arcade, crazy golf and a water feature that shoots jets out of the floor in front of the restaurant - fun even if its a bit quirky. The upstairs restaurant was a real highlight on our trip; the food was lovely and the staff really friendly. The other eateries seemed more like fast food joints but still decent enough for quick bites.Check-in was a bit of a nightmare at first - the queue was massive, which was a bit daunting. Luckily, some friendly staff came out to take our details if youve booked directly, so we didnt have to wait too long. That said, the queuing experience could have been smoother. The indoor pool is popular - always a queue, even early in the morning - but only about 15 minutes wait, which isnt too bad. Kids loved it once inside, especially during the special adult-only swim times from 7 to 10am.The outdoor pool is at the sister site, White Horse, which is a bit of a trek but worth it if the weathers good. Sometimes it takes a while to find a lounger, but never more than a few minutes. They also hire out private lidos for £40, which includes your own loungers and a fridge with cold drinks - perfect for a hot day. As parents, we appreciated that the arcade is smaller but just right for us; its not overwhelming and theres plenty for the little ones.We also tried the bowling alley - paid about £25 for a slot in the evening, which was great fun for all five of us. Theres a pottery station you can book via the app, along with a shop, restaurant and upstairs entertainment area. Sadly, their evening entertainment only runs on weekends, which was a bit disappointing, but we did manage to catch bingo every night at 7.30 - tickets go on sale at 6.30, so its best to get there early.Now, the entertainment at West Sands was a bit of a mixed bag. Its a busy spot and getting a seat is a challenge, especially if you want to see the acts properly. I really think the larger venue at White Horse should be used for entertainment more often, because its bigger and more comfortable. We finally got a good view on our last night and the shows were quite good - musicals, singing, dancing, game shows - you name it. One night, we spotted staff carrying boxes with flashing headphones and we went outside to see what was happening. Turns out, they had a silent disco on the little grass area - honestly, it was one of the best nights! Everyone had headphones and the big screen was on, creating a fun, unique vibe. That wasnt advertised anywhere, so we felt lucky to stumble upon it.The entertainment at West Sands can get pretty kid-focused and the queues for drinks are a bit ridiculous. Theres also a random bag search before entering the main entertainment area - so if youre thinking of sneaking in a drink, be cautious. We didnt try, but we saw others having their bags searched and drinks taken away.Getting around the site is easy with the free bus, which is handy. The fairground, though, was a bit of a letdown - quite pricey and not really suitable if you have smaller kids. Weve got a 5, 6and 9-year-old and only the 9-year-old could go on most rides alone. Everything else required an adult and it was £3 per ride. The unlimited band costs £15, which sounds reasonable, but then you end up paying extra to accompany the kids on rides - so its actually quite expensive. We spent around £20 just to be able to go on a few rides with them. Maybe getting an adult band as well would make it a bit better value.All in all, we loved our stay here and are already talking about booking again next year with a bigger group. Were about an hour from Portsmouth and nearby places, though we didnt explore much close by. Theres a nice sandy beach called West Withering about 20 minutes drive away - supposedly a lovely spot to visit if you want to get out and about.So, if youre after a lively holiday with plenty to do for everyone, this place is definitely worth considering. Just a heads-up about the fairground prices if you have small kids, but aside from that, its a cracking spot - we had a fantastic time!"

"Decided to go for the silver upgrade for extra room, which was definitely worth it. The duvet was a bit small for the bed, but luckily, we could borrow one from another room. Not bad at all!"

"The caravan is pretty basic but in decent shape. Not much space - we expected that. It did smell a bit of cigarettes, so we grabbed a diffuser to freshen it up."

"We had an amazing week, especially due to Halloween, will be rebooking for next year. Didn't get to do much as my sister was unwell and had trouble walking, as well as looking after 3 kids. The caravan was lovely shame we had to pay for WiFi and the rooms got really cold even though the heating was on and has left a tiny bit of mould on my sons pillow due to lots of condensation."

"Our Seal Bay review: We really enjoyed our stay, especially around Halloween - it was fantastic! We are definitely planning to come back next year. Sadly, my sister wasnt feeling great, which meant we didnt get to do as much as wed hoped and looking after three kids was quite the challenge. The caravan was lovely, though it was a bit disappointing that WiFi cost extra. Also, the rooms got quite cold despite the heating and there was a tiny bit of mould on my son's pillow from the condensation. Still, overall, it was a good trip!"

"Accommodation was great especially the wet room as my grandson is disabled with limited mobility. Plenty of room, comfy beds and most things you need supplied."

"We had a lovely time at West Sands, the caravan was really spacious and kept clean throughout. The only hiccup was the boiler breaking down on our last evening, so no hot showers which was a bit of a pain. We didnt bother calling anyone since it was so close to leaving, so we just managed without. Also, it wouldve been better if there were two pillows per person in the master bedroom - my husband and I had to steal cushions from the lounge! Overall though, a good stay."

"The caravan was very small with no storage at all. We were constantly having to move out of each others way. You had to close one door to open another. I would not stay in such a small caravan again. I had no prior knowledge of how small it was."

"We recently spent a week at West Sands with our two adults and three kids. The caravan was a decent size, but honestly, it wasnt very clean when we arrived. Bedsheets had hairs and some bits of dirt on them, which was a bit off-putting. The cutlery and plates had clearly been put away unwashed, so we had to clean everything before using. There was a small toilet with a wooden panel covering the boiler and it had a ring on it. Our three-year-olds were curious and touched it, which caused the whole door to fall off and cut one of them in the face. It was only held up by a tiny magnet-I really think this could be secured better. We did enjoy some of the activities though. The Cove show in the club room with lunch was pretty good and the bounce nets, while a bit small for toddlers, were okay. Unfortunately, the pirate & princess adventure in the green lawns was a real letdown. We paid £30 for our three kids, but it was poorly managed. The staff seemed either hungover or smoking more than cigarettes-they kept whispering private jokes to each other and didnt seem to know what they were doing. The game involved kids walking over a hose pipe pretending to be snakes and jumping through hoops as crocodiles, which was a bit silly. Plus, lots of other kids, of all ages, joined in without paying, since no tickets were checked. It was frustrating having to pay for something others got for free. Definitely not worth the money in our view!"

"everything on cove app apart from emergency no if needed. Nowhere to contact rec. on app, when we did need it, had to drive there, and was closed, so ended up going to white horse, and spoke with security which helped us."

"Really worth trying, honestly!"

"Comfortable stay with lovely touches"

"Great value, cosy stay, would recommend."

"We stayed at this lodge recently and honestly, its stunningly clean and quite beautiful inside. The place really does look as lovely as the pictures. That said, one of the sofas was a bit disappointing because it dipped way too much in the middle, so not super comfy. We also had some trouble with the heating controls-no clear instructions and the maintenance guy didnt seem to know how to sort it either, so we just toggled it until it felt right. The master bedroom TV isnt a smart one, so streaming isnt an option, but it still worked. Oh and if youre a first timer, dont forget to bring your own hand soap, washing up liquid and sponge-there's an Asda just a couple of mins away, so it's no hassle!"

"Really enjoyed the experience, definitely returning soon."

"The upgrade to gold really made our stay much more enjoyable indeed."

"The staff were super warm and welcoming, making our visit really enjoyable. There's lots to do, too. Honestly, our grandkids didnt want to leave-they loved it! We all had a great day out, definitely recommend it."

"Nice place, would definitely come back again!"

"Really impressed with the van's cleanliness and comfort. The seats were comfy and everything looked spotless, which made our trip so much nicer. We didn't have to worry about any mess or fuss. Definitely would recommend for anyone wanting a hassle-free experience!"

"We loved our stay here! The views were stunning and the location was really peaceful. We didnt dine onsite but the George pub was perfect and very accessible. Thanks!"

"Really impressed with the caravan, it was spotless and well stocked."

"Really impressed with this caravan"

"Really pleased with the upgrade to a premier van, made our trip so much better!"

"Great spot for a quick getaway, loved the local surroundings."

"Comfortable, clean, great value"

"The accommodation was good. Plenty of hot water. Only down side the beds were not made up."

"We absolutely loved it here! The caravan was modern and really nice, which made for a lovely place to stay. There was so much for both kids and adults to do. We will be booking again as soon as we save up!"

"Site is well kept. Facilities are good but where quite busy, especially the lido. Restaurants are pretty average."

"Fabulous location. Easy to get around the site too. Lovely staff and I particularly loved the strawberry in my Prosecco!"

"We stayed at West sands resort and we had a really good time. Caravan was very clean and had all we needed in it and was within walking distance to all facilities including beach.the club house and pool are great.the only downside was that all the extra activities on site came at an extra cost and not cheap either,luckily my family just wanted to swim and go on the beach so it was okay."

"Great place, close to the sea, lots of attractions"

"Lovely clean, well landscaped camp.Pools were great. There were a number of play areas and plenty of spaces for children to play The sea was calm & warm. Ideal for adult swimming. It is a very pebbly beach with sudden drop when tide is in so may not be great for young children wanting to paddle unless tide is going out or for them to make sandcastles. The camp does have large sand pits for this and the pools are great for all ages. It is spread over a large area so courtesy bus helps cover distances if you don’t want to walk. The walk from main site to the outdoor pool is on a narrow road with no footpath in places and can be dangerously busy with cars squeezing past The toilets at lido pool although clean never smelt fresh but those inside complex were fine. We only had drinks at the quays and breakfast at the lido. The food was really good value and came quickly. We felt the prices were reasonable & staff were helpful. The other people’s meals looked good and portions were excellent. The supermarket was reasonably well stocked & prices ok compared to local supermarket. Would definitely go again."