Ruda Holiday Park — Hotel in North Devon

Disappointed. So we had booked with Parkdean so the change to John Fowler was the first annoyance because I was told originally all activities are still booked, then Parkdean said they cancelled them, emailed Fowler who said no that was sent in error, then told they were so tried to book on there app. Couldn't get in as I didn't have the confirmation email yet so sent an email, was told all was fine booking still good, then another saying no they are cancelled. Finally logged on to the app and it is rubbish, activities say age restrictions apply but I have hunted everywhere and still haven't found the age restrictions emailed and was just told to ask the site not helpful when they go on about pre booking. So just booked jet ski, and managed to get some late swimming sessions and mid morning. I get changing over is a complicated process so I will ignore that because it should be okay once all completed.

Got a call saying we can't wait to see you but bring towels washing liquid and toilet roll he took ages to get off the phone could have been sent in an email. Arrived check it was okay got the key. So after locating our caravan we realised we can't park next to the van, I had to reverse up a road which would be fine if the cars also parked had not kept out so far so they could get out nit be trapped by the wall. First impression so much litter it all blows down and gets stuck in the bush. Fine caravan was clean but I dont understand why the master bedroom has a pretend en suite because it had a door to the toilet and shower but there was only one but two doors so we kept one locked. Playpark was nice on a big field so all the kids were playing with planes and footballs amazing view. Beach is lovely bit of hill so it can be tricky for some toilets are there and takeaway place. Baggy hill and tea room down the road. Lots of rock pools. Too many surfers and body boarders. The beach has strong currents towards the rock end so the safe place to swim between the red and yellow flags is not the biggest area very crowded. But watched by lifeguards who were very quick to move people between flags.

Back on park arcade is small gives your tickets on one of paper when blue light is pushed. However my son got a decent amount of tickets and although the guy was friendly he made him blow all his tickets on a mug he would never use and some rubbish cars. He was basically saying we have mugs for hot chocolate here which one do you want. Ge did the same thing to some others he clearly didn't want to stand there. They should get a ticket prize shop like other places its easier.

Swimming was well I hated every second its very small for the amount of people they allow couple that with a lazy river that throws you out in to people trying avoid the current my son got bashed 3 times, this is then followed by sprinklers which are awful. The shallowend has a small half pipe for kids it really doesn't go fast they had to push themselves down it, the 3 pools seperated by little slides. There is also two slides to the side for 3 and below but it drops into the pool. Also there are stepping stones separating the pools if you step between the two beware there is a drop on the other side. The big blue slide was fun if you like slides. If you kids get over stimulated I would recommend evening slot. Food very expensive very very expensive service friendly but expensive. On the last full day I finally managed to get my son on an activity did the water walkers he enjoyed that. We did build a bear £16 for the bear £10 for the outfit. £10 per pottery bit. Shop has some useful stuff in it with costa coffee machine, milkshake and slush. Other shop next to reception didn't buy anything just expensive. Laundrette was wonderful I spent a nice peaceful 2 hours in there £7 for wash £3 for dry and they already have the washing fluid in there so no need to bring any. It was clean. Kids entertainment, well it was mostly them making the kids line up to take a photo a bit lazy really although they did talk...

What an absolutely shocking check in experience which went from bad to worse. I would firstly like to say we have been coming here for 25 years and this will be our last visit. We booked a Harracott Lodge and paid for early check in from 1pm as we were surprising my mother in-law for her 60th birthday so we wanted to put some banners outside of the lodge to surprise her ahead of her arrival. Easy check in - great. Arrived at lodge 13 to some sort of ant infestation. I opened the fridge and they were crawling all around the fridge door and on the inside of the fridge. Ants crawling all over the sofa, under the curtains and throughout the whole kitchen/living area. Ant traps were visible in the corners of the kitchen and the maintenance guy told us it was so that the ants would take the poison bait they put down, back to their nest and die. The cleaning manager told us she has to sign off all of the caravans after they have been cleaned by the cleaners and told us several times the kitchen didn't have one single ant in there when she went in - very hard to believe as they were everywhere! She also said they have a few lodges that they know are prone to ants but lodge 13 wasn't one of them. Again, very hard to believe with the amount of ants everywhere and the ant traps that were visible. We were initially told we couldn't move lodges as there was nowhere to move us to. Then we were told all they could do was move us to a 3 bed (we had paid and booked for a 4 bed) but we would get no partial refund even though we weren't getting what we had paid for. This wasn't even an option as we are a family of 5 adults and two children. Ended up asking if we could switch to a lodge that guests hadn't yet checked into as it was 2pm and check in was 4pm. Our whole surprise was ruined as we had to move lodges but was told it wouldn't be ready until 4pm so we ended up having to meet up with the rest of the family in Croyde whilst we were waiting. Before giving the keys back to reception for lodge 13, I went to use the toilet as we had travelled 5 hours before then spending an hour dealing with all of this. As I closed the bathroom door, the whole shower glass fell on me and smashed into pieces everywhere. Luckily, the cleaning manager (lady with purple hair) was outside as we had previously been discussing our concerns with her so I called her and my partner came in as he heard the smash from outside. The cleaning manager got on her radio and requested someone come and clean it up straight away because there was glass everywhere and "someone's checking in here in two hours". The lady did ask me if I was ok but I was just in shock from what had happened. I am just so glad it happened to me and not the next people going into that lodge as they may have had young children. If we hadn't of complained to the high heavens about the state of the lodge with the ants and been moved, that shower glass would have probably come down on my children. There's no way that shower glass should have fell off and smashed like that which tells me it was potentially broken beforehand and not fitted back on correctly. Someone really needs to be checking these things out as that could have been so much worse. Picking glass out from between your toes isn't exactly the greatest start to your holiday. We did ask the girl with glasses at reception to speak to a manager and her response was "I don't know where he is". Then the maintenance man told us "he's in a regional meeting". Hopefully dealing with all of the guests complaints! Also, whilst walking through Croyde Burrows the morning after (Saturday 26th April), we walked past the cleaning manager from the day before and heard it come through on her radio that they need an ant trap in lodge 13! They had put more guests in there and they were having the same issue as we did. Was also told they still don't know how the shower glass...

Our first time at Ruda and we sadly will not be returning. We just returned from a weekend away Aug 2025. I understand it’s been taken over by John Fowler and maybe they are in a transition period I sincerely hope they make the changes it desperately needs. The location is lovely beautiful countryside and beach views.

The check in was ridiculous the caravan wasn’t ready at 4pm we were told it wasn’t cleaned yet. So we waited and when we got to the caravan late it wasn’t clean anyway. The Caravan: Shower screen hanging off the runner and rusty, sharp screws coming out the wall, mould on the sofa cushions, top veneer from the tv cabinet missing and stained, dirty floor and shower, hair on the bedding, toilet smelt like urine, tv remote not working, the whole caravan looking very tired and in need of a revamp. The Crafty Club: we paid to paint pottery the kids enjoyed it but the person working there was miserable. Fish and Chip Shop: £5 for a portion of chips only a half full box. We complained they did changed them. Swimming Pool: Disappointed with the pool not very big, whirlpool/ lazy river was a bit rubbish, Changing rooms were disgusting hair, rubbish, mud, copious amounts of water all over the floor, No cleaning during sessions of in between slots, No hand soap in the toilet sinks anytime or day we were there, only 4 changing rooms in the female changing rooms, no family/ mixed changing for families to go together. Lifeguards were friendly though. Boardwalk Restaurant & Soft Play: Soft Play is tiny not manned or cleaned, tables and chairs very tired and in need of an update, No Oat milk for a hot drink all weekend I’m dairy free no other alternative milks either, very expensive. Arcade/ Showbar: Toilets were disgusting again! No hand soap anytime again! Toilets broken, Hardly any locks working, full of rubbish, dirty, smelly, the arcade worker looked annoyed and huffed if you asked for any help with a faulty machine, gents on the ticket shop were lovely and really helpful and engaging with the kids, overpriced drinks in the showbar, dark, dingey, smelled like stale alcohol and must, desperately in need of a revamp, the foxy shop looked like something out of the 80s and like the sweets etc had been there for years untouched. Entertainment: Well the Entertainment team themselves were fantastic and made our holiday. The weather was rubbish and so spent a lot of time inside they were engaging and funny really remembered the kids and things they had done one day to the next. Hats off to you boys and girls you make this place! The actually entertainment content on an evening was disappointing, mini disco was a few songs played and then a photo shoot for 20 mins for the kids with the character of choice of the day, foxy club after the disco was hit and miss as well one night the kids just sat on the floor while they watched foxy on the screen playing a video game not engaging at all which was disappointing. We came home early we...