Riverside Caravan Centre — Hotel in Arun

Right, where to start...

Booked up a mid-week break at Riverside, for years normally going to Bunn Leisure in Selsey we thought we might have a change and if any good book up for 2 weeks in the summer.

Well.. a change it certainly was! we booked in on the Monday and went to see the caravan. once we got to the caravan through the waterlogged grass surrounding it, It was disgusting, Green and looked about 50 years old. We went in for a look around, and found dead flies all over the caravan, woodlice in the bedrooms, Black mold on the curtains and under the sofas. If that wasnt enough, the front door did not lock properly, the shower didnt work it dribbled, both bathroom and toilet doors did not lock, Damp spots on ceilings, filthy plates and cutlery, old cooker not working properly.

Despite this we decided to stay as we didnt want to have a long drive home after just getting here. The site is sandwiched in between 2 main roads (one being a dual carriageway) and a tesco extra. We went up to the arcades that are on the site at around 8pm, they were closed.. despite saying they are open until 10.30pm.

During the night we could hear the road noise alot more than during the day and the caravan did not heat up, having one gas fire in the living room and none in the bedrooms we went to sleep fully clothed with extra blankets.. still cold! with my mum having a chest infection this was not good.

In the morning my dad went up to the site office to resolve this issue and explained his wife has a chest infection and the caravan is freezing, he told my dad that if he wanted to hire out heaters he could at an extra charge. When my dad explained to him thats its not acceptable to stay there with the mold, dead insects, woodlice and doors that dont lock the man said to my dad 'Well it is a sun holiday, what do you expect?' (The sun paper) but my dad then said we had not booked through the sun and we paid full price going through hoseseasons to book. All the man said is if you are not happy, pay and upgrade.

So now after one cold night, no entertainment on and mud drenched trainers we decided to go for a spot of shopping. Well thats about all you can do here, it was like being in the middle of a retail outlet or shopping park, then we went into town to see whats there. so once we shopped we went back to the site to see what we could do, the key fob was not working on the scanner that was wobbling and was not secure, so we rang the bell and the security said he wasnt going to let us on without a fob, after 10 minutes of arguing we have the fob its just not working we got in and went back to the caravan. We went up to the arcades next, this time they were open. My 2 year old son changed up his fiver and we went on some things. The toy grabbing machine took my sons 2pound coin and swallowed it. there were no staff around and the kiosk was shut, after hunting around we couldnt find anyone and the club was shut. so me and my partner tried the pool machine and it gave us every ball except the black. and then we tried a car racing machine and the pound got stuck, with no staff around we didnt hang about being ripped off so went back.

We wanted to go home but no one wanted to drive as it was getting late and we was all tired so we put up with another cold night and in the morning gave the keys straight back, swallowing on the other nights we had paid for, the man in the office asked why we was handing them in early, we explained again and he shrugged and said fair enough, no apology, nothing. and now im writing this review from my nice warm house and it feels better than anything to be away from that horrible caravan site.

THE SITE: outdated, ancient caravans everything closed waterlogged grounds no maintenance, rubbish and scrap dumped pool is green and dirty Rude staff and security no parking facility's...

Been coming here for 40 years. Both sets of grandparents owned vans on here during the 70s, 80s & 90s. It's a real shame the problems they've had with flooding. People have obviously lost a lot and my heart goes out to them. However... opening this site as a holiday destination right now (its 85% owner and 15% holiday letting so I'm told). We arrived to a dirty van. The previous occupants rubbish found around the van. Pots and pans rusty. Stained bedding. Stained carpet. Stained sofa. Sockets not working etc. The site itself is a scene of devastation. Vans tipped. Flooded. Deserted. Rubble everywhere. Fridges and freezers, mattresses and all sorts dumped around the site. It's certainly not a scene you'd see in the holiday brochures. It was actually just depressing to see. My mum isn't very mobile and has a scooter. The ramp up to the outdoor pool is too small to get around in a scooter. I've not long had cancer surgery and shouldn't lift heavy things.. but the scooter got stuck and I had to pull it around the tight gap. Not able to access the indoor pool as steps both sides. It was just a bit embarrassing for my mother to be honest. The entertainment wasn't great. They closed the main venue and shoved us into a small function room (for those of you who knew the site in the 80s.. its the former "rainbow room".. now called "percys"). Not enough seating for everyone. Staff desperately trying to drag in extra tables and chairs each night. Just open the main venue?? Felt like we were all squeezed in. Owners all obviously know each other but it felt awkward and too close for us. No atmosphere. One night in particular there was a tribute act. I'm not going to say who as it's not kind... but it wasn't good.

Used to be a thriving fish and chip shop, supermarket/gift shop, cafe, betting shop and back in the day even a hairdressers. Nothing there now. A lady in the club who used to sell sweets from a booth. Just added a little something for kids. Arcade isn't what it used to be.

Staff don't seem bothered who walks in and out. Esp pool and clubhouse. Pretty sure people just walked in off the street. Felt on edge around the pool as kids in the "big pool" struggling to keep a float but lifeguards say nothing at all despite signs up saying no non swimmers. Lifeguard had to jump in one day. All in that pool when the kids pool was empty?? Why?? Barely any sunbeds.. was a case of people reserving with towels but then not appearing for hours. Only 20 odd. Plenty of space for more. Invest in a few more.

Overall.. just disappointed to see this site like this. 40 years of amazing memories here.. with family who are no longer with us. It was just sad to experience this. Not sure we will be back.

I hope everyone who has suffered loss here recovers. I just don't think its fit for holiday...

After reading some of the negative reviews, I’ll be honest—we were a little nervous about what our caravan would look like. We booked anyway (feeling brave) and decided to skip the bedding package, bringing our trusty sleeping bags instead.

Check-in was smooth and easy. First impressions: the caravan looked like it could use a good scrub on the outside. Inside though? Pretty much what you’d expect from a Bronze at ParkDean or Haven—lived-in, but perfectly fine. Carpet was well-loved, but we just kept our sandals on indoors and it wasn’t an issue. The sofa had a few little marks (nothing that would make you hover before sitting down), and the mattresses were stain-free. My wife insisted on our own sheets under the sleeping bags (🙄) but overall, everything was acceptable—and definitely better than some reviews had led me to believe.

We booked a 2-bed but got upgraded to a 3-bed at HW63, which turned out to be a jackpot location if you’ve got kids. We were literally opposite the swimming pool entrance, two minutes to the arcade, restaurant and entertainment hall, and about a five-minute stroll to the play park. No long treks like some Haven sites where you’re walking half a mile just to reach the pool!

Facilities & Opening Times: Swimming pool: 10am–5pm Arcades: 10am–9pm Soft play: 10am–9pm Restaurant: Breakfast 9am–11:30, Lunch from 12pm, Dinner 5pm–9pm Bar entertainment area Main theatre area To access all of the above area (except the swimmingbpool), you need to go through the arcade!

Everything—restaurant, soft play, arcade, toilets was spotlessly clean. Because we came in September, it was blissfully quiet. My kids (2 and 7) had the soft play to themselves every single time, the arcade was peaceful but still had loads of ticket-winning games, and the food was reasonably priced. Swimming pool was nice and warm with an added bonus of a jacuzzi bubble area at the same temperature as the main pool. All the staff were very friendly and welcoming.

Compared to ParkDean or Haven, I’d say this park more than holds its own. The kids absolutely loved it, and the location of our caravan made life so much easier. Honestly, the convenience alone bumped this trip up a notch for us.

Oh, and if you need supplies (or just fancy a KFC or McDonald’s), Tesco and fast food options are just around the corner.

I’ve added plenty of photos because when I was researching, I struggled to find them to help with my own expectations etc... Hopefully they’ll give you a clearer idea of what to expect. All in all, pleasantly surprised, kids happy, and would...