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6 Tricks To Save Money At Isle Of Wight Holiday Parks, Caravan Parks And Lodges
**Whitecliff Bay Discount Code: Save 10% via this link with discount code ISLEGURU10 (expires 31/12/24) + cheap ferry travel**
Caravan holiday parks are often the cheapest type of accommodation you'll find on the Isle of Wight, unless you can tolerate camping or are lucky enough to have an aunt in Bembridge with a spare room.
However, during peak season a family of four might end up paying £1000+ for a week's holiday.
Here are our six favourite tips, tricks and loopholes to save money at the Isle of Wight's holiday parks and caravan parks.
However, during peak season a family of four might end up paying £1000+ for a week's holiday.
Here are our six favourite tips, tricks and loopholes to save money at the Isle of Wight's holiday parks and caravan parks.
1. Don't arrive on a Saturday
Saturdays are the busiest 'changeover' days at the Isle of Wight's holiday parks. As a result, some caravan sites will give you a decent discount if you arrive on a weekday.
For example, we searched for a week's holiday starting on a Friday in mid August 2024 at Thorness Bay Holiday Park and found that the cheapest caravan or chalet available was £809. If you arrived a day later, the cheapest accommodation available was £839, so £30 more. In this case, it was the same accommodation.
It's a similar story at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park. We found a week's holiday in a pet friendly Comfort Caravan ranged from £1311 to £1506 depending on which day you arrive. In this instance, Friday was the most expensive arrival date and Monday was the cheapest. You may decide it's worth being flexible if you can save £200.
You'll also find that the Isle of Wight ferry is most expensive on Saturdays during the summer holidays. It's much quieter and a bit cheaper during the rest of the week. As a rough guide, you might save yourself up to £30-£40 by avoiding Saturdays.
For example, we searched for a week's holiday starting on a Friday in mid August 2024 at Thorness Bay Holiday Park and found that the cheapest caravan or chalet available was £809. If you arrived a day later, the cheapest accommodation available was £839, so £30 more. In this case, it was the same accommodation.
It's a similar story at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park. We found a week's holiday in a pet friendly Comfort Caravan ranged from £1311 to £1506 depending on which day you arrive. In this instance, Friday was the most expensive arrival date and Monday was the cheapest. You may decide it's worth being flexible if you can save £200.
You'll also find that the Isle of Wight ferry is most expensive on Saturdays during the summer holidays. It's much quieter and a bit cheaper during the rest of the week. As a rough guide, you might save yourself up to £30-£40 by avoiding Saturdays.
A caravan site such as Thorness Bay is cheaper if you don't arrive on a Saturday
2. Visit during the last week in August
A lot of parents looking for a July/August holiday on the Isle of Wight avoid the last week of the school summer holidays. I'm not sure if this is because they want to spend a week checking the clothes still fit or if it's because the weather is a bit colder in late August/early September.
If you're organised enough, then you can save yourself an absolute packet if you visit during the final few days of the school holidays.
We did a price comparison for 2024 when most schools were due back on September 4th. The best we could find was a three night holiday from August 29th until September 1st 2024 at Thorness Bay Holiday Park for £239, compared to £579 for the week before.
Of course, prices are even lower outside of school holidays but everyone knows that already so there's no real point in mentioning it (Ed: yet you still did...).
Here's another example. We found four nights at Woodside Coastal Retreat from August 30th 2024 for £675. The week before was £1279 - almost double the price.
If you're organised enough, then you can save yourself an absolute packet if you visit during the final few days of the school holidays.
We did a price comparison for 2024 when most schools were due back on September 4th. The best we could find was a three night holiday from August 29th until September 1st 2024 at Thorness Bay Holiday Park for £239, compared to £579 for the week before.
Of course, prices are even lower outside of school holidays but everyone knows that already so there's no real point in mentioning it (Ed: yet you still did...).
Here's another example. We found four nights at Woodside Coastal Retreat from August 30th 2024 for £675. The week before was £1279 - almost double the price.
We found that you could save a huge amount by visiting Woodside Coastal Retreat at the end of August
3. Get a ferry and caravan bundle
A return crossing with a car and passengers on a Saturday in August can be pretty pricey on the Isle of Wight ferry (occasionally more than £200).
However, you get a discount if you get your accommodation provider to book it for you or if they can provide you with a code.
For example, Away Resorts will book the ferry for you if you are staying at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, The Bay Colwell, The Lakes Rookley or St Helens Holiday Resort. We've found you can get more than 50% off for some dates.
Parkdean Resorts also offer a ferry discount, although you don't find out the exact saving until after you've booked. They'll send you a code which you can then use to book with Wightlink.
However, you get a discount if you get your accommodation provider to book it for you or if they can provide you with a code.
For example, Away Resorts will book the ferry for you if you are staying at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, The Bay Colwell, The Lakes Rookley or St Helens Holiday Resort. We've found you can get more than 50% off for some dates.
Parkdean Resorts also offer a ferry discount, although you don't find out the exact saving until after you've booked. They'll send you a code which you can then use to book with Wightlink.
The Isle of Wight ferry is often cheaper if you ask your accommodation provider to book it for you
4. Search for hidden caravans
OK, so I might have made this one sound a little more exciting than it is but it's a clever trick.
A lot of caravans on big holiday parks are actually privately owned. Resorts such as Nodes Point Holiday Park and Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park sell the caravans and then owners hire them out when they aren't using them.
With a big of digging, you can find these privately owned caravans for hire on Booking.com or Airbnb. For example, you can find privately owned caravans at:
You sometimes need to pay for a pass to use the facilities onsite.
A word of caution: private caravan rentals are a common scam on Facebook. These scammers should be hung upside from the Alum Bay chairlift. My advice is to avoid booking via Facebook and instead use a third party such as Booking.com.
A lot of caravans on big holiday parks are actually privately owned. Resorts such as Nodes Point Holiday Park and Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park sell the caravans and then owners hire them out when they aren't using them.
With a big of digging, you can find these privately owned caravans for hire on Booking.com or Airbnb. For example, you can find privately owned caravans at:
- Thorness Bay Holiday Park caravan at Booking.com (busy park in a quiet area with scrubby beach)
- Lower Hyde Holiday Park caravan at Booking.com (busy park about 20 minutes' walk from Shanklin seafront)
- Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park caravans at Booking.com (busy park next to a sandy beach in Bembridge)
You sometimes need to pay for a pass to use the facilities onsite.
A word of caution: private caravan rentals are a common scam on Facebook. These scammers should be hung upside from the Alum Bay chairlift. My advice is to avoid booking via Facebook and instead use a third party such as Booking.com.
Sandhills and Whitecliff Bay Holiday Parks are next to this sandy beach
5. Get Cosy
You will find that it's considerably cheaper to share accommodation with another family (ideally one that you know...).
We searched for a holiday at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in August 2024 and found that two families of four could save more than £700 if they booked the cheapest caravan for eight people rather than booking two caravans for four people.
Bear in mind that two people will be sleeping in the lounge and a caravan sized kitchen is pretty cosy for eight people. I'd say you will be doing well to have not fallen out by the end of the week.
Perhaps you could agree to eat out every night with the money you've saved.
We searched for a holiday at Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park in August 2024 and found that two families of four could save more than £700 if they booked the cheapest caravan for eight people rather than booking two caravans for four people.
Bear in mind that two people will be sleeping in the lounge and a caravan sized kitchen is pretty cosy for eight people. I'd say you will be doing well to have not fallen out by the end of the week.
Perhaps you could agree to eat out every night with the money you've saved.
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is good value if you fill up their larger caravans and lodges
6. Don't pay for facilities you won't use
A lot of the most popular Isle of Wight holiday parks offer non-stop entertainment with indoor and outdoor swimming pools, kids' activities, outdoor cinema and so on. If that's what you're after, take a look at Lower Hyde Holiday Park, Nodes Point and Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park.
However, if you just want good value accommodation on a quieter site then I would go for a site such as Cheverton Copse Holiday Park - which has playgrounds and gets great reviews - or The Orchards Holiday Park, which is a quiet site with indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
However, if you just want good value accommodation on a quieter site then I would go for a site such as Cheverton Copse Holiday Park - which has playgrounds and gets great reviews - or The Orchards Holiday Park, which is a quiet site with indoor and outdoor swimming pools.
Cheverton Copse Holiday Park is a quieter site with outstanding reviews
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