Hey Everyone, Welcome to this Bank Holiday Monday edition of Hocks Holidays. Regular visitors to our blog will know this very popular series usually appears on a Wednesday, However, Last Sunday Eifion's father passed away and The Hocks will be attending his funeral this Wednesday so we have decided to do this one today.
We Love Hearing from you, and are currently looking for ideas on what holidays we could cover for The Next part of this series where we will look at Winter / Xmas Holidays for the Family!
So Lets get on with this weeks Post, and we are going to investigate +Hoseasons
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Hoseasons have been around for 65 years since Wally B Hoseason began selling holidays with one small boatyard on the Southern Broads in 1940. He became rather good at selling his own holidays and so Hoseasons was born after he started helping out his Boatyard neighbours. In the early 1950's Wally's son succeeded his father to run the family business and in 1952 they began to start selling Land Based Holidays by helping other Boat owners market their Riverside Cottages. and in 1957 Hoseasons trialled the first ever boating holiday Adverts on TV in the London region. Hoseasons have been famous for a number of firsts including the first Computer Reservations system for UK Holidays in 1976.
Here is a TV Commercial for Hoseasons
There are 6 different types of holidays you can book with Hoseasons, these are Lodge Holidays, Holiday Parks in the UK, Cottage Holidays, Boating Holidays, City Breaks and European Holiday Parks. So we will look at each one and give an example of each using the criteria we have always used in our Blog Posts in this Series, Which for those new to the posts is a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 children, Aged 12 and 4 in August 2015 for 7 nights.
Lodge Breaks
When you look for a lodge break with Hoseasons you are given a whole variety of options, including which region of the UK you wish to visit and what sort of holiday you would want to go on. We decided to go for Devon and a Lodge Escape Holiday. Full the full options visit Hoseasons Website
When we searched for 2 adults and 2 children in Devon on a Lodge Escape starting on Monday 10th August 2015 we were given 17 different Places we could choose from. We decided to go with The Devon Hills Lodges which are located in Paignton. This is what it says on the Hoseasons website about this particular lodge Park
Boasting a lovely valley setting on the doorstep of the ‘English Riviera’, this superbly located park sits just a stone’s throw from the glorious beaches and bustling town centre of popular Paignton. A haven of peace and tranquillity that unites magnificent Devon countryside views with a wealth of excellent facilities, this is the ideal base for enjoying relaxing and invigorating breaks alike.
The ‘English Riviera’ stretches for 22 miles from Paignton to Brixham, and offers a host of scenic and cultural delights. Within just 3 miles is vibrant Torquay, with its wonderful beaches, fantastic watersports, golf and dynamic nightlife, while Devon’s famously quaint chocolate-box villages and the dramatic scenery of Dartmoor await inland. Exeter and Dartmouth are both easily accessible.
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This particular park has an indoor heated swimming pool, a Sauna and a Steam Room, A gym and Personal Training, Beauty Treatments, A Country park and Restaurant and a Children's playground. These are all subject to conditions and opening times and availability should be checked on the website.
For the week we were looking at there were 4 types of accommodation available and these are described on the website and priced following the criteria above as follows;
Country Four - £699 - Modern holiday home with one double and one twin. Shower. Well equipped kitchen/dining area. Decking complete with furniture. Parking next to lodge.
Country Four Platinum - £929 - Contemporary new style holiday home with excellent design detail with one double and one twin. Shower. Well equipped kitchen/dining area. Decking complete with furniture. Parking next to lodge.
Premier Country Lodge - £949 - Lodge with one double and one twin. Bath with overhead shower. Spacious living area including well equipped kitchen/dining area. Decking complete with furniture, perfect for outdoor dining and entertainment. Parking next to lodge.
Superior Country Lodge - £1299 - Luxurious new style lodge with excellent design detail finished to exacting standards with one master double with luxury ensuite shower and one twin. Deluxe bathroom. Open plan contemporary and spacious living area including modern well equipped kitchen/dining area. Patio doors leading out to decking area complete with furniture, perfect for outdoor dining and entertainment. Parking next to lodge.
Accommodation at this park includes the following (Taken from the Parks page on Hoseasons Website)
- Outdoor hot tub (in Country Four VIP, Superior Country Four VIP Platinum and Superior Country Six VIP Platinum only)
- Flat screen TV/DVD with selected satellite channels
- Wi-Fi*
- Kitchen including microwave and fridge/freezer
- Bath and/or shower
- Bed linen, duvets and towels
- Beds made up for your arrival
- Double glazed and centrally heated
- Gas and electricity included
- Cots and highchairs £15pw each
- Group bookings may be subject to restrictions
- Pets £45pw each (max 2) (in specific accommodation only)
- All non smoking accommodation
- Due to steep gradients, Devon Hills Holiday Village may not be suitable for wheelchair users or persons with mobility difficulties.
On +Reevoo this park has been reviewed 24 times and been given the following ratings
Comfort 9.1/10, Cleanliness 9.4/10, Furniture and Fittings 9.0/10 and Value for Money 9.0/10. Therefore it has an Overall rating of 9.0/10
As mentioned at the beginning there are many different options of accommodations and places to stay, for the Full list, please visit Hoseasons Website
UK Holiday Parks
For our UK Holiday Parks search we decided to go for the North of England and came across the Oceans Edge Holiday Park in Morecombe, Lancashire. It is listed under the "Family Fun" Category and is a caravan park. This is how its described on the Website;
Just a 10 minute drive from Morecambe’s famous promenade and beach, and boasting a cabaret lounge among its superb family friendly facilities, Ocean Edge Holiday Park is perfect for a fantastic family holiday in one of England’s best loved areas. Vibrant, new look Morecambe hosts top class entertainment while the Lakeland hills, 40 minutes’ drive, create a dramatic backdrop across the bay. Historic Lancaster is close by.
This Park has an indoor heated swimming pool, A Sauna, WaterWalkerz, A Water Resorts Programme, A Family Cabaret Lounge with Entertainment and Bar, Children's Entertainment, A Family beer garden, A Café and Takeaway, Wi-Fi in the main complex, Indoor soft play area, pool table, Arcade, Outdoor play area, a Sports Resort Programme, Sea fishing, A Shop and A Laundrette. These are all subject to conditions and opening times and availability should be checked on the website.
For the Week we were looking at the Following types of Caravan were available and these are the prices and details we were given on the Hoseasons Website:
BRONZE 2 - £336 - Caravan with one double and one twin. No pets.
SILVER PLUS 2 - £427 - Comfortable 12ft-wide caravan with one double and one twin. Heating throughout. No pets.
PLATINUM 2 - £750 - Caravan with one double and one twin. Double glazed and centrally heated. No pets. NB: This Caravan was not available to start on Monday 10th , but from Saturday 8th.
It is Worth pointing out at this point that other caravans were available that slept more people but you can still hire them, we however haven't looked at these and just the ones that only sleep 4 people.
Accommodation at this park includes the following (Taken from the Parks page on Hoseasons Website)
- TV
- Kitchen
- Shower
- Bed linen and duvets
- Gas and electricity included
- Babies must be included in party total
- Travel cots £15pw and £10 per short break each
- Group bookings may be subject to restrictions
- Pets £50pw and £30 per short break each (max 2) (in specific accommodation only)
Facilities 7.7/10, Location and Surroundings 7.4/10, Helpfulness of Staff 8.7/10, Value for Money 8.3/10. Therefore it has an overall rating of 8.0/10
Again, there are different parks and different caravan types so for the full range please visit the Hoseasons Website
Cottage Holidays
We've decided to pick the Most expensive cottage on the list that had 2 bedrooms and this was the Garden Cottage in Berriew, Nr Welshpool in Powys.
This is how the Hoseasons Website describe this cottage and the area it is in.
This charming, detached holiday cottage is located within the Rhiewport Hall estate close to the village of Berriew. Berriew is home to 2 local pubs serving good food, a village shop and the Andrew Logan Museum of Sculpture, all within walking distance. Welshpool, Powys Castle, Llanfair light steam railway, Montgomery Canal, Offa’s Dyke and Gregynog Hall are approximately 3 miles. Visitors to this area will have easy access to the Shropshire border towns of Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Bridgenorth and Iron Bridge, as well the attractions of North Wales and Snowdonia. Shop, pub and restaurant
All on ground floor: Living room. Dining room/kitchen. 2 bedrooms: 1 double (3 steps down), 1 twin (1 step). Step to bathroom with shower attachment and toilet.
Its Facilities are Biomass central heating, electricity, bed linen and towels included. Travel cot. High chair. Freeview TV. DVD. Electric cooker. Microwave. Washing machine. Dishwasher. Wi-Fi. Fenced patio. Ample parking. Cycle store. Pet free of charge, must be kept on lead at all times. No smoking.
The cost for the 7 nights is £653.00, Here are some Pictures that are taken from Hoseasons Website
Again, for a full list and choice of cottages, visit the Hoseasons Website
Boating Holidays
For the Boating Holidays Section of the Hoseasons offer we decided we wanted to go on a cruiser on the River Thames. There are obviously a few different types of Boating options on the website, including Narrow boats and obviously for the full range do check out the Hoseasons Website!
We decided to go with the Swancroft boatyard which is located at Benson on Thames, Nr Oxford. This is how the area is described on the website;
Just 10 miles from the historic city of Oxford, at the foot of the Chiltern hills, lies the large attractive village of Benson, boasting one of the earliest locks in the country. The good selection of shops, pubs and restaurants Benson has to offer makes this an ideal starting point for your holiday on the Thames. Located right by the Thames Path in open countryside, you have a choice of cruising direction, either east towards Henley and Windsor or west towards Oxford, making sure that you discover the hidden treasures that the River Thames has to offer.
It is described on the Hoseasons Website as a "Dual steering cruiser ideal for all weather cruising."
The Caprice has the Following Features;- Dual steering
- Large picture windows
- Sliding sunroof
- Security safe
- Shower/WC
- Recommended for two
- 240v system
- Warm air heating
- Galley including cooker, fridge and kettle
- TV/DVD
- CD/radio
- Bed linen and duvets
- Open air car parking at extra charge
The Second Boat is another cruiser and is called Scirocco and is priced at £1605 for the same criteria as above. It is described on the Website as a "Modern and Stylish Cruiser with a Aft steering position"
The Scirocco has the Following features;
- Aft steering
- Bow thruster for ease of handling
- Spacious aft cockpit with seating and wet bar
- Bathing platform
- TV/DVD in aft cabin
- Security safe
- Shower/WC
- 240v system
- Warm air heating
- Galley including cooker, fridge and kettle
- TV/DVD
- CD/radio
- Bed linen and duvets
- Open air car parking at extra charge
On Reevoo, The Caprice Boat has a rating of 8.8/10 from 10 reviews and the Scirocco Boat has a rating of 8.0/10 also from 10 reviews.
City Breaks
We were given 4 options after searching for a 7 night Stay in Scotland from Monday 10th August. Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh Waterfront or Edinburgh Royal Mile. We decided to buck the trend and investigate the Aberdeen Apartments.
This is what it says on the Hoseasons Website about the location of these Apartments:
Enjoying easy access into the heart of the city, these apartments sit in Aberdeen’s West End – a convenient base for exploring the “Granite City”. Bright and comfortable, these fully equipped apartments offer complimentary private parking, weekly housekeeping and broadband. Aberdeen is a beautiful city, thirteen times winner of Britain in Bloom and offering a diverse array of museums, galleries and family attractions. Boutiques, curio shops, malls and high street shops abound, while golf enthusiasts enjoy 30 courses within a half-hour drive. Johnston gardens, a lovely tranquil public garden, is just a short walk away.
The apartment comes with the following features;
- Widescreen TV/DVD with Freeview
- CD player
- Wi-Fi (charges apply)
- Kitchen including microwave, fridge/freezer, washer/dryer and dishwasher
- Tea/coffee making facilities
- Bath with overhead shower
- Bed linen, duvets and towels
- Beds made up on arrival
- Direct dial telephone
- Hairdryer
- In-apartment safe
- Double glazed and centrally heated
- Cots and highchairs are free of charge
- 1 night minimum stay
- Check in from 14:00, Check out before 10:00
- Non smoking apartment
- Complimentary luxury toiletries
- Continental breakfast pack, that serves two, including croissants, muffins, muesli, fresh orange juice, condiments and fresh coffee available at £8.50pn
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The Apartment has a double Bedroom and A Twin bedroom and was priced at £945 for the 7 nights.
Again, we must stress this was just 1 Apartment that was available in 1 part of the country and for a full list of Apartments available please visit the Hoseasons Website
European Holiday Parks
Hoseasons also offer European Holiday Park Holidays. You can visit France, Holland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, or the Czech Republic and stay in either Apartments or Mobile Homes.For our example we have decided to research their Norcenni Girasole Club which is located in Florence, Tuscany which for those no good at Geography is in Italy.
This is how the Website describes the Holiday Park;
Norcenni Girasole Club is in a stunning setting high in the Arno Valley just half an hour from Florence. This is a lively holiday park with excellent facilities including a bar, restaurant, sporting activities and children will have hours of fun at the pool complexes complete with waterslides. A perfect base for a wonderful holiday exploring the culture and cuisine of this eternally popular Italian region.
The Holiday Park has the Following facilities
For the week we were looking at, the following Mobile Homes were available
CLASSIC 2 - £1114 - Mobile home with one double and one twin. Decking
COMFORT PLUS 2 - £1402 - Spacious mobile home with one double and one twin with ensuite WC. Fridge/freezer. Decking.
The accommodation at this park generally will include the following features, however, different types of mobile homes will vary so please check the website for more details
- Kitchen
- Shower
- Blankets and pillows provided
- Bed linen, towel and beach towel hire
- Additional sleeping for two in lounge area
- Air conditioning
- Travel cots and highchairs free of charge
- Gas and electricity included
- Barbecue
- Garden furniture
Obviously you will need to travel to each of thee locations and that will incur further costs.
All prices were correct as of Sunday 03rd May 2015
You can find Hoseasons on +Facebook by clicking Here and on +Twitter by clicking Here
You can read Reviews about Hoseasons and its Sites by visiting the Reevoo section on Hoseasons Website, just click Here
We do Hope you have enjoyed reading this post and if it inspires you to check out Hoseasons, let us know! We now wont be back until Friday when we will be doing our regular Friday Top of the Hocks Feature due to the reasons mentioned at the beginning of the post.
