Glamping pods at Oakdown Holiday Park: welcome to the camping space age
It’s camping but not as we know it. Whenever I hear the word ‘glamping’ I think of bell tents decked out with lavish cushions and vibrant carpets. Or safari style tents with shady verandas and crackling fire pits. Last weekend we were invited to review something altogether a bit more space age: the glamping pods at Oakdown Holiday Park in East Devon.
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Oakdown is an award-winning holiday park just outside Sidmouth on Devon’s Jurassic Coast. It has a wide range of accommodation options. You can bring your own touring caravan, stay in a luxury mobile home or, the very newest option, a shabby chic shepherds hut.
We opted for one of two Premier Plus Glamping Pods which are, in my opinion, much less ‘back to camping basics’ than the site’s four wooden glamping pods.
If you’ve not tried luxury camping and fancy giving it a go here’s a guide to glamping with kids.
So why choose a premier pod?
Our Coco Sweet-made pod was somewhere in-between a touring caravan and tent. It had solid sides, a canvas awning, beds and electrics. It came with its own decking, a recycled plastic picnic bench for al fresco dining, three deckchairs and two metal stools.
If you don’t fancy eating outdoors there’s a small fold out table and four stools tucked away inside.
Through the corrugated plastic doors the pod is minimalist, adding to the space age feel. But you do get a lot of luxuries that you wouldn’t find in a wooden pod or your own tent.
There’s a under counter fridge freezer, a small electric portable heater, a kettle, and a microwave. You also have plenty of storage in the kitchen area, under the beds and on shelves in the master bedroom.
The only modern luxury missing is running water. The glamping pods share a mini toilet block, with two toilets and sinks, close by. There’s a fresh water tap outside the block.
The Tin Box girls were beyond excited to have their own bedroom, as were we as it meant we could sit up and read beyond their 7pm bedtime. At night we could hear the rustling of the wind in the trees, just like in a tent. But we had the comfort of the heater clicking on and off with a thermostat when it got a bit chilly. Perfect!
And in the morning we benefitted from a bit of extra time in bed (not enough – does such a thing exist after kids?) thanks to the pod’s blackout curtains that popper shut over the large corrugated plastic end walls. These let in a lot of light during the day, making the pod light and airy.
Our girls enjoyed using their new Regatta pink rabbit chairs sent to us by Hawkshead.
Oakdown Holiday Park’s award-winning facilities
Oakdown was named the AA Campsite of the Year for England in 2015 and has a cabinet of other awards. So what makes a holiday park award-winning? There’s a lot of things that you could easily take for granted that have been very well thought through at Oakdown Holiday Park.
They clearly want to minimise their environmental footprint. The amenities block – a former wartime radar building – is a green building, covered in plants to make it blend into the site’s rural location, and there’s solar panels on the roof.
Inside it’s modern and very clean. The showers shut off automatically after a short time to conserve water. And you are activity encouraged to recycle while on holiday.
However, award-winning isn’t all about being green. Things that make a campsite stand out for me, and were very much present at Oakdown, are music being piped into the warm amenities block, family bathrooms, a modern and well-maintained playground, and immaculate pitches that are spaced for privacy.
The amenities block also offers camping staples like a dish-washing area and laundry room.
Our girls were particularly impressed with the children’s playground which had great equipment, and lots of space to run around.
Handy things to know and bring when glamping at Oakdown Holiday Park
- There’s a cafe serving breakfasts and lunches, and a site shop for all your essentials.
- If you want to use the family bathrooms in the amenities block take some pound coins to feed the hot water meter. You get 15 minutes of hot water in the shower and bath for each pound. We only needed £1 to fill a bath for the girls and have two showers. There’s no charge in the mens and ladies showers. UPDATE: new shower facilities have been added closer to the glamping pods.
- You can buy a linen package when you book your glamping pod. This includes your bed linen (and very comfortable it is), but not towels or tea towels.
- If you have young children and don’t fancy trotting over to the toilet block with them in the night, bring a potty.
- Pack a barbecue or cooking stove, as well cutlery, crockery and utensils.
- Pets are not allowed to stay in the glamping pods.
- 50MB wifi has just been installed on the site, although too late for our visit so we couldn’t test it out. The 3G signal on 3 was very strong.
What did we make of the glamping pods at Oakdown Holiday Park?
We felt right at home in our Premier Plus Glamping Pod. Apart from the fact we didn’t have our own sink, toilet or shower it was very much like staying in our own homely Tin Box.
I always find camping or caravanning very relaxing and our stay at Oakdown was no different. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. Particularly when the first thing I did when we arrived was blow the electrics on our pod. We were back up and running faster than it took me to persuade the Tin Box girls to abandon the playground.
Was there anything we didn’t like? Not much. But if I was being super picky I would mention that there’s a bit of noise from the A3052 during the day.
There was also some serious muck spreading happening in the fields next-door when we arrived. This is par for the course for seasoned campers!
In summary, if you’re desperate to try camping with kids then the glamping pods at Oakdown are a great place to start without roughing it. Or if you’re a regular camper looking for a bit of luxury then you’ll feel positively spoilt here.
We had a great weekend at Oakdown Holiday Park and will defiantly be recommending it to our camping, caravanning and holiday park loving friends.
You can stay in Oakdown’s Premier Pods for between £60 and £75 a night (prices correct at time of review).
There’s a lot to do locally! Here’s my review of our visit to Wildwood Escot nearby in Ottery St Mary, our ride on the heritage Seaton Tramway and a free day at The Donkey Sanctuary at Sidmouth.
Disclosure: we were invited guests of Oakdown Holiday Park and received a free stay in exchange for a review. All views are my own and those of my family. We were sent the Regatta children’s camping chairs in exchange for a mention on the blog. The girls genuinely love them.
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Oh my goodness! These pods look way more fun than any camping I had done as a child. Comfy and cozy with (what I would consider) the necessities of home. My family would love an adventure like this! #MondayEscapes
It was a lot of fun and, yes, quite different from proper camping. It’s a spot of luxury alongside a canvas adventure 🙂
This looks like my kind of camping!!! Never seen glamping pods like this before but it looks great!
I think they are becoming more popular so you’ll see more of them soon 🙂
I’ve never done glamping before but waking up in a tent freezing on too many occasions has led me to consider glamping as an option. Thanks for sharing your perspective. #MondayEscapes
Helena recently posted…Easy DIY Easter Cards
Been there, done that. But before kids. I’m sure it will be different when ours are older but right now they wake up for enough reasons in the night. I don’t fancy the cold being one of them 🙂
Wow! The tents look incredible! I’ve never seen a tent with a kitchen in it before!
The fridge was the really handy feature. Ice blocks and cool boxes never do the job properly.
Now, this is the kind of camping I can get behind. Those beds look so comfy and fluffy. I wouldn’t mind sleeping in on one of those and breathing in the fresh air.
Adelina recently posted…Reflections and Lessons Learned From a Month in Asia
The beds were really good. I’ve slept in worse hotel beds!
Camping is not for me – but this looks lovely!
It was great and definitely a good way to ease yourself into camping if you did ever want to brave it 🙂
I’m not much into camping but I’ve been wanting to try out galloping. I love being outside but hate sleeping on the ground. #mondayescapes
This might be for you then. Comfy beds and lots of fresh air!
Even me – a total no way to ever camping – could be convinced to try these! It looks such great fun and love those glamping pods! #mondayescapes
tracy collins recently posted…Visiting Aarhus European Capital of Culture 2017
It’s definitely at the luxury end of camping Tracy! 🙂
These are like nothing I’ve seen before. I’m always on the lookout for something different to add to our bucket list. The playground looks lots of fun too. Everywhere should have black out curtains lol. #mondayescapes
Suzy McCullough recently posted…Southview Holiday park, Skegness – A review
I totally agree 🙂 Parents would pay extra for them!
I am warming up to the idea of glamping – slowly but surely!! This place does look really cute and comfortable! #MondayEscapes
Katie recently posted…MCDONALD’S AROUND THE WORLD – UNUSUAL FAST FOOD
It was defiantly cute and comfortable.We really enjoyed it and will definitely by glamping again
This looks lovely and I have to say the blackout curtains would be a winner with me! Looks like you had a fan family break. x
#MondayEscapes
It was a great weekend. We’ve really taken to glamping 🙂
I love all the new types of accommodation that are on the market now – some really innovative camping ideas. Your pod looks great and the idea of a thermostat warming you up in the night is the height of luxury. So pleased you had a great time – it looks a well-maintained, clean and lovely site.
#mondayescapes
Trish @ Mum’s Gone To recently posted…A little taste of Italy in Stamford
It was a lovely site Trish. We’d definitely recommend it to our caravanning friends too.
I do not camp, the though of it sends shivers but this looks fab and something I would consider as a non camper x
Sarah Christie recently posted…A Little Garden Project With The House of British Ceramic Tile
This is definitely at the luxury end of camping Sarah 😉
On my! I haven’t see a glamping space so cool! From the inside, it does looks like you are staying on some sort of tent. It looks very nice. all the extras sound incredible. Sometimes I want to camp but I prefer to do it the easy way (not having to pack all the cooking and bedding equipment). #MondayEscapes
This is definitely the easy way to camp!
This is the kind of camping I think I could really enjoy! Looks like you had a fabulous time. #mondayescapes
It was really good fun and there was so much to do locally. We had a great weekend
My dad hated camping so we never went, but I do keep thinking that perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad especially now when you donlt have to put your own tent up. Those pods look very comfortable, but I like the idea of still getting the swooshy tree noise and the feel of being under canvas.
Sol Solntze recently posted…Multimedia Art Museum Moscow: Lego, owls, Eisenstein, quilts and dolphins.
It’s definitely a good way to give camping a go if you’ve not done it before. You get all the benefits without the downsides 🙂
We’re not really the camping type (we had a very wet camping holiday in Sweden a few years back… that was enough), but this looks like something I would enjoy! Although… the thought of having to go outside to go to the toilet in the middle of the night with our toddler isn’t very appealing. #MondayEscapes
Lisa – FlipFlopGlobetrotters.com recently posted…Tulip fields in Holland, when and where?
I didn’t so either Lisa. That’s where the potty was a life saver 🙂
They look really awesome! Hitting the right spot between luxury (those beds!) and camping. I love that the roof was canvas so you could still hear the wind and the leaves and I imagine the rain as well. #MondayEscapes
Kat recently posted…Hidden Gems of San Francisco: Hiking Marin Headlands Rodeo Beach
The bed was really comfy. I always notice that sort of thing when we are away from home and I’ve stayed in worse beds in holiday homes!
These sound amazing Claire! I know Tyne would just love this, I`m so not the camping type but I could do this! xx
Hayley McLean recently posted…Legoland Windsor Review
Staying in one of these made me realise how much of a fair weather camper I am – I loved it. I’ve been far too spoilt by out caravan to want to do ‘real’ camping again 🙂
Don’t they look just so appealing. The great outdoors combined with a glamorous indoors. #MondayEscapes
tots2travel recently posted…Findhorn on the Moray Coast – a Favourite Stop
That’s exactly what it is! The best of both worlds 🙂
Love the curtains to separate the beds from the rest of the pod!
Keri | Ladies What Travel recently posted…Steakhouse review: Miller and Carter Cribbs Causeway, Bristol
That was a really handy feature as it meant we could sit up later once the girls had gone to bed
Oh WOW! Now that’s my idea of camping!! I wish we’d had options like this available when my parents dragged me camping every summer when I was growing up. Summer in my part of the world typically means rain, and there’s nothing all that fun about soggy, dripping tents! :'(
Absolutely not! There’s nothing worse than being outside and getting wet, then coming back to a wet tent 🙁
Being able to stand up makes such a big difference! As does having a proper bed, a playground, a cafe if you fancy not cooking at any stage and being able to bring bbqs. Kids love holidays like this – the marshmallows would be hugely popular with my girls! Thanks for hosting #MondayEscapes
Jo recently posted…TYNTESFIELD, SPRING COLOUR AND VICTORIAN SPLENDOUR
It was definitely far removed from ‘real’ camping but still with lots of the fun 🙂
Oh wow this looks and sounds fantastic! I would love to stay in a glamping pod, something we really should consider doing as a family soon! #MondayEscapes
It’s great fun, you should definitely give it a go 🙂
perfect! like a little cabin:) #mondayescapes
Tanja (the Red phone box travels) recently posted…The ABCs of my travels
It was really lovely to stay in.
I really like the minimalist feel of your pod, I think it adds to the relaxing outdoor vibes. I’ve just gone glamping recently for the first time and I’m a huge fan – it’s so neat to hear about different glamping spots around the world! #MondayEscapes
We have a touring caravan, which is a style of glamping, but I didn’t realise until we tried out tent glamping. It’s so similar and a lot of fun.
This kind of camping definitely seems easier with littles along. A real bed is a definite bonus! Erin #MondayEscapes
Absolutely, much comfier than an a lilo or roll mat 🙂
These pods look amazing. I would love to give glamping a go. Camping with a heater, I love it.
Yes! I’m totally sold on camping with home comforts 🙂
These look great. We will be staying in a yurt for the first time in May and we’re really excited. I think glamping is the way forward, although we’re pretty used to regular camping. Sarah #MondayEscapes
Sarah Stockley recently posted…Happy Mallows – taste test
Ooh, staying in a yurt sounds like great fun. We’re really enjoyed out glamping experiences after many years of ‘real’ camping. I think we’ve just got to that stage in our lives…especially with the kids 🙂
It all looks and sounds amazing…We were given some vouchers to use the pods at Snowdonia Surf, this post has just got me all excited about it again…and reminded me to get it booked!!
Cerys {mascara & mud} recently posted…{#deanwyebloggers} Tudor Farmhouse
Ohh, that’s a great locations. I’ve heard good reviews of the facilities
I think we would really enjoy this. The pods look fabulous (my kind of camping!) and I know my husband would be particularly pleased with the attention to the environmental footprint – great recommendation, we’ll remember this when we make it to the UK! #MondayEscapes
It was really good fun Marta. The kids would love it too.
I like the sound of a heater – definitely a useful luxury when camping in the UK!
Yep, camping with warmth is a definite plus 🙂
Ah, a bit of old muck-spreading. Adds to the ambience! Seriously though, these sound amazing. It’s lovely waking up to that morning light – andeven better if you can do it in comfort.
Nell (Pigeon Pair and Me) recently posted…A first family ski holiday at Saalfelden Leogang, Austria
LOL! Yes, it made the experience more authentic 🙂
This is my perfect idea of camping! How cool are those pods! I love all the new options that are on offer for Glamping now..#MondayEscapes
Me too! We love staying in places that are a bit unusual. It add to the excitement and enjoyment of our trips.
My kids adore the idea of camping -though I honestly think glamping is more their scene! An easy way to ease them from resorts to the desert i think!!! #mondayescapes
Yes! You definitely need to dip your toes into the camping world with a glamping trip first 🙂
I’ve never been camping but I would like to give glamping a go!
Wandermust mummy recently posted…Carrier or Stroller? The great baby travel debate!
It’s definitely a good starting point if you’ve never camped before 🙂
Looks a good choice. Your photos really convey a sense of the accommodation.
Thanks! We really enjoyed out stay.
These look fab – camping with cosiness and convenience!
This looks really interesting! We are planning on doing some camping this summer and this might be quite handy 🙂
Wave to Mummy recently posted…March 2017 – What happened in our lives
It was great fun and took the ‘roughing it’ out of camping with kids 🙂
I loved following your little break over Social Media as I haven’t seen anything like these pods before. We’ve tried wigwams and yurts and these look like a step up. Love the black out blinds as an additional touch.
Sam | North East Family Fun Travel Blog recently posted…The pros and cons of flying long haul with children
It did feel a bit light cheating 🙂 Yes, the blackout curtains were something we didn’t expect while camping!
It looks so cosy!
It was really cosy. Having a heater and electricity while camping is such a luxury!