Haven holiday

[gmlket]

I have just returned last Saturday from Haven Holidays at the Lakeland site. Couldn't fault caravan or site, it was their actual employees that spoilt our holiday. 7 members of the staff came into the Show Bar and the noise that they were making was inexcuseable. I asked them to move cus we couldn't hear the cabaret and that I pay to watch this. The female pool ateendant shouted over at me furiously..that so does she. Eventually they moved 4 tables away but began taunting my husband by laughing and jeering over at him...this continued for over an hour. Whilst my husband was at the toilet, the female cabaret was asking the audience which colour wig to wear. Holding only a blonde and brunette wig, the table in question starting chanting "Ginger, Ginger" as myself and my son have red hair I knew what they were implying. I was disgusted because my eldest son as been bullied in the last 2 years of his high school life. He was very distressed. I immediately asked to speak to the manager and he was siding with them by saying it was their night off. This made me more angry, luckily for me another family complained also because they had to move earlier. I complained the following morning to the manager in reception and she didn't have the decency to ask me my name..she did apologise but I don't think that was enough. She did ask which caravan I was staying in...and yes she couldn't even tell me the outcome of her investigation. I am still in shock that we was treated so disgustingly. I have wrote to their director but I am not going to lie down. Last thing to add..I rang Lakeland Monday morning for the mangers name (as she never gave it to me) and the pool attendants and guess what I received a letter of apology the following day. How far should I go with this complaint? The biggest issue for me was the taunting of our hair colour especially when my son was there cus he thinks his life is always gonna be like that.

[heidi1]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about the appauling manner in which you were dealt, myself being "ginger" and having just returned from a Haven holiday can empathise!

The excuse that "its their night off" isn't good enough.... If you went to work in a uniform, then went out on the town after work in that uniform for all to see and behaved in a similar manner, I'm sure your employers would be having a few stern words, why should Haven staff be any different? For as long as they are the site, they are representing that comapny, and behaving like that is not a very good advertisement is it!

In my case, I got what I booked, a Gold 3 bed caravan, which was clean and spacious, we were located near to the pool and bar (not that I used the bar) and I found the staff to be very polite. We did however end up coming home 3 days early, and that was nothing to do with Haven.... it was the dreadful weather that spoiled it for me!!

I stayed at Reighton Sands on the Yorkshire coast.... if its not too far for you to travel, I would recommend it. Its not the biggest of sites, but sometimes thats a good thing.

I went with a critical mind (being a Travel Agent) they didn't know about my vocation, I was an normal everyday customer with my family, and to be honest, I couldn't find anything to complain about, other than the weather!

With regards to your complaint, may I ask what you see fit as an acceptable outcome? Are you looking for compensation, a sincere apology?? What will you find acceptable, once you have worked that one out, tell Haven what you expect, otherwise you will be going round in circles. Keep your correspondence concise, clear and to the point, tell them what you want them to do about it and to keep you informed.

Good luck, sorry if this is not much help.

All the complaints about Haven on here recently seem to give them a real bashing, and rightfully so from what I've read, just cant believe its the same company. Just thought I'd let you all know, they are not all the same (the parks I mean)

Heidi

[dx100uk]

TBH if it were my son i would not continue and just forget it.
the more you make a big deal about it, the more your son suffers.
i do not condone the bullying neither the staffs' attitude, however, their are much greater issues here concerning the rest of his life.

try having a special needs child...............
sometimes i find it alot better to turn and walk away , who is stronger then? we are.

dx100uk

[DEFA]

hiya there,

do complain, first of all by pass the park and send a letter to haven direct, put in writtting in great detail what happened, how its affected you and your family and how it well ruined your holiday,and how now youv,r lost all faith in haven holidays, also send a copy not the original of the letter they gave you as an apology, that letter is your prove of the incedent, the park can not deny that it happend. make sure you put in the letter, when you went , where you stayed,how long you stayed for, your booking ref, reply address and a telephone number. and send the letter recorded delivery .im sure you'll be compensated

send letter to:

guest relations
haven holidays
1 park lane
hemel hempstead
herts
hp2 4yl

i hope this can be of some help im going through issues with haven myself, good luck and all the best