The company's 37 holiday parks are dotted across the UK, with coastline locations in Scotland, England and Wales, with acts such as entertainer Keith Chegwin and Bucks Fizz booked in during the season to perform in evening shows.

John and Mel Berry, here from Bristol with their 7- and 15-year-old daughters, decided to stay in the UK for this holiday, reserving their flying holidays for summer, when they'll go either to Florida, where they used to live, or their native South Africa.

"When the kids go on a plane, they want to go to Florida or Johannesburg," says John. The family chose this resort because of the beaches and other nearby attractions.

As for the park itself: "The linen is lovely and clean. The unit is clean," his wife Mel says. John points out there's a good TV in their chalet. "I can watch the Grand Prix tomorrow," he says with a grin, as the children yell out, "Dad, we're on holiday!"

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"It's adequate. It's not the Hilton," he says.

"It's not Butlins," either, according to another guest. "The caravan was lovely," says a young mother from Liskeard, Cornwall, pushing her 20-month-old baby on a swing. But she thought the property in parts was run-down and not very clean.

"The changing room in the swimming pool was a bit dirty underfoot." It was the family's first time at Park Resorts, and they liked using it as a base to visit Exmoor Zoo, Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, and The Big Sheep - a popular farm attraction that's a must-see in the area.

The couple, who don't go away on big holidays every year, used Tesco Clubcard vouchers for this break. "It cost us nothing," says the husband, raising his eyebrows in delight.

Our visit revealed a resort ideally suited as a base for coastline activities, but lacking some charm in certain areas.

Good things - beyond the spectacular location in North Devon - included the well-constructed adventure playground, which kept our 5- and 10-year-old busy for an hour while we drank coffee and enjoyed the view. "Can we come back after swimming?" they pleaded.

The Water Walkerz activity was a hit with them (doing it) and us (watching it). The guest gets into a big inflated plastic ball and is rolled onto the outdoor pool to "walk on water." In practice it was more "hamster in an plastic exercise ball" as the children hilariously tried to stand up, run and crawl their way around the pool. Sessions in the indoor pool were pleasant and uncrowded - you sign up for a time slot so it's never too crowded.

Yet you get what you pay for in other respects. The artificial turf on the mini-golf course was balding and needed a good sweeping. At the indoor pool, paint was peeling off the pool's ledge and in sections the brickwork was black around the edges.

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