Bargain-loving Brit explains how she booked caravan holiday for half the price

Staying in caravans has always been a popular option for staycationing Brits who want to stay closer to home for an affordable price.

After all, who doesn't love a good seaside family trip in a caravan?

However, ever since the pandemic, the prices of caravan bookings has skyrocketed as the demand rose exponentially. More people are opting for staycations in the UK due to constantly changing travel restrictions.

However, Danielle Elton from our sister site 2Chill discovered a neat trick that helped her cut the price of her caravan stay in half.

Her secret? Reach out to caravan owners directly rather than with middlemen, as evident with how much Danielle saved.

The self-confessed bargain-loving Brit shared her experience trying to book a caravan for a few days.

A seaside stay in a caravan is the kind of holiday us Brits have been enjoying for years – they’re fun, family friendly and most of all, they’re affordable.

That was until the pandemic.

With the demand for staycations soaring and with businesses trying to recoup lost revenue, the price for a caravan holiday in the UK has gone through the roof.

And although, like many, I wanted to book a staycation, as a self-confessed bargain-loving Brit, I just didn’t want to stump up the kind of money these companies were asking for.

But I still wanted to get away this year, and I love a caravan holiday. So with some time off planned, I scoured the web looking for a good deal.

And Wales was my destination of choice, Tenby in particular.

There’s a fantastic Haven site in this Pembrokeshire resort, Kiln Park. It’s a lovely site with lots to do, it’s no wonder it’s so popular with families.

But that popularity comes at a price.

Although I’m always prepared to pay a premium for a stay here, not at the prices I was seeing.

For four nights mid-week in June, I was looking at more than £450. It doesn’t sound too bad in comparison to some of the crazy prices for holidays this year, but as an experienced caravanner, I’ve previously been able to book this time of year for more than half this price.

I think in part it was a lot to do with availability. I’m always quite happy to stay in a standard grade caravan but this just wasn’t an option.

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Resound to the fact that Tenby might be off the cards this year, I remember a friend telling me how she always books directly with owners rather than the park itself.

And after a quick Google, I stumbled uponUKCaravans4Hire . It’s a booking site that cuts out the middle man.

I managed to book a deluxe caravan for just £245. Almost half of what Haven was charging.

But it’s not only the price I liked about this particular way of booking, it was all of the personal touches I found when I got to the caravan.

There were books, DVDs, board games – perfect for those rainy days or when you just want to chill back at the van.

And there was washing up liquid, tea towels, cleaning products – all of the things I usually forget to pack.

But the best thing for me was the local knowledge supplied by the owner in a handy little guide, perfect if you’re new to the area.

Mine included the best days out, the best places to eat, which places needed booking, where to get a taxi – it was super helpful. The owners had even recommended their favourite takeaways in the area.

That local knowledge was priceless.

And although I cannot guarantee that all privately-booked caravans will have the same, from speaking to my friend who has booked this way countless times, it’s pretty common practice.

You’re booking someone’s own personal holiday home, and that personal touch can really make a difference to your stay.

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