We were given complimentary accommodation at Thurston Manor Leisure Park which is part of the Verdant Leisure group.
Last week we were really fortunate to have been invited up to Scotland to spend a week with Verdant Leisure. We stayed at their Thurston Manor Leisure Park which is in Dunbar. Scotland has been on our list of places to visit for such a long time and we were all really excited to be going. Our accommodation for the week was the Deluxe Lodge located in The Glen part of the holiday park.
Thurston Manor Leisure Park, Verdant Leisure
After an almost 9hour car journey which included a stop off at Marks dad’s house in Blyth we arrived. We parked in the small car park just outside of the reception and on-site shop and went to check in. The whole check-in process took a few minutes and we were handed a welcome pack which included a map of the mark. The lady in reception very kindly marked on the map the way to find out the lodge and included in the welcome park were leaflets on local areas as well as a couple of money off vouchers. There was also information on the park including opening times for all the facilities as well as a leaflet for complimentary transport to the facilities in the evening so we didn’t have to walk up and down the steep hill in the Glen.
Deluxe Lodge
The lodge we stayed in was pretty much opposite the entrance to the Glen, it was really easy to find. I had read reviews about how steep the hill to the Glen was however when we arrived it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I would still rather make use of the complimentary pickup and drop off than try to walk through.
As soon as we saw the lodges we all became rather excited for the week ahead.
I quickly left the boys to unpack and did a real quick walk around the lodge to show you all what to expect if you stay in one. I hadn’t planned on publishing it to Youtube so is not the best quality however it does show everything that’s included to give you a great idea on what there is.
Inside the lodge
The lodge was ample size for us as a family of 5 and gave us so much room. The lodge we stayed in was made for 6 people and everything inside catered for 6 from cutlery to glasses to chairs around the dining table to beds. The boys were impressed that they each had their own beds rather than sleeping in a bunk and Jack had his own room! Something he has been longing for, for a while. An issue we have come across previously whilst on holiday is the water. When we stayed in a caravan a few years back it took an age to get hot water. However, It was really refreshing to have hot water on tap, and we didn’t have to wait long either. Mark and I were rather impressed with the shower and how much pressure there was.
Cleanliness
The other thing we were really impressed with was the cleanliness. We are big fans of Four in the bed, a channel 4 show where B&B owners stay in each other’s homes and rate each other. The boys loved pretending to be on the show and had great fun checking under the bed, down the sofa and around the radiator. The whole lodge was spotless though, the bedding was bright white, and the towels were soft and fluffy.
The whole lodge boasted space and there was so much storage! We didn’t fully unpack, however, the boys did, they were keen to get their clothes in the drawers. The Kitchen had every appliance you need including a washer/dryer and a dishwasher. We were given a little welcome pack which included teabags, coffee, milk powder, washing up liquid, tea towel, sponge and blue cloth. It would have been lovely to have had a couple of dishwasher tablets included, we don’t own one so it seemed pointless buying a box for a week.
Despite being near 20degrees back home, Scotland had temperatures of 13-14 degrees so we made good use of the electric fireplace and central heating. The temperature and the rain meant we couldn’t really make proper use of eating on the veranda on the picnic table. I think in lovely weather it would be beautiful eating out there.
The Facilities
Leisure Centre
Thurston Manor Leisure Park has a variety of different facilities which were all available for us to use, for no extra charge. The boys and I absolutely loved the Swimming Pool, although smaller than I thought it would be, it worked out to be the perfect size for us. All 3 boys are non-swimmers pretty much, and we were able to make use of swimming aids such as floats and armbands. When we stayed the site was really quiet,
In Scotland, there isn’t a half term holiday in May. The facilities are open to the general public too and they hold swimming lessons for locals at certain times of the day. The pool doesn’t close but they do section off a section of it. Mark did see a sign saying that during really busy periods swimming was restricted to 45 minutes, thankfully that wasn’t in place. Along with the Swimming Pool, there is also a hot tub which is kind of attached to the pool but separate. We were only able to make use of the Hot Tub once, on the other 2 occasions we went swimming it was either busy or out of order. There is also a Sauna and Steam Room which is for use for over 16’s along with a fully equipped Gym also for over 16’s.
Inside the changing rooms
Inside both male and female changing rooms are lockers which can be hired at £1, you get your money back when you have returned the key. We kept the money in a little bag when we were not swimming to make sure we had the change for next time. Each changing room also had a larger cubicle with a baby change as well as 3 or 4 smaller ones too. There were 2 showers in the ladies and 1 in the men’s as well as a toilet and handwashing facilities.
Hunters Restaurant
The last thing on our mind after we arrived, checked in and went shopping was to cook. Thankfully on site, there is a restaurant with a takeaway service. The welcome pack in the rooms had the kids menu and takeaway menu listed so it was easy to find the prices however it doesn’t include the prices if you choose to stay and eat. We bought burger and chips for adults at £7.95 and 3 children’s burgers and chips, 2 with beans and 1 with salad which was £4.95 each. The portions were a decent size and were surprisingly filling too.
The boys really enjoyed their meals. Drinks were not all that expensive either for an onsite restaurant. The fruit shoots were the smaller bottles and were 75p each and there was also milk and water available too. We chose not to have a pudding as we had brought a tub of ice cream when we went shopping, however, a scoop was only 75p each.
Alongside Hunters Restaurant there is also a separate bar area as well as a function room. The Function Room is where the evening entertainment is held and is a decent size. I couldn’t get any decent photos, it was low lighting with lots of flashing lights and with other children. I think there must have only been a couple of other families there with us and the boys were tired and not in the mood for taking part so we left. It was pretty much what you would expect for children’s entertainment.
Games Room
We kept the Games Room quiet until the last day. The boys love arcades and once they are aware it is there their behaviour changes for the worse. However, before we left to come on holiday Mark and I sat and prepared a bag of change each for them and it seemed to have worked really well. There was plenty of games to choose from, mainly 2p, 30p and £1 games with the odd 10p game chucked in. The games issue tickets which can be redeemed for prizes. Altogether we accumulated just over 1000 tickets, which meant the boys got to choose a prize. They each ended up with a small toy car and a small Haribo style burger sweet.
The Shop
The shop was rather impressive in the fact it wasn’t overpriced. It stocked pretty much everything you would need from breakfast to frozen meals to fresh fruit and veg. There is a meal deal offer too for a sandwich, crisps and drink for £2.50. Along with the food and drinks, there is also second-hand books to purchase as well as a DVD rental, souvenirs to buy and games etc.
Playparks
The boys are rather obsessed with playparks so we had to check out what was on offer at Thurston Manor. Thankfully there are 3 playparks on site, all rather easy to get too. The one pictured below was our closest in the Glen. The only downside to all the parks was there was no seating. For us, this playpark was close but not close enough to allow the boys to go and play whilst we potter around the lodge, however, there was nowhere for us to sit and watch the boys either. In the summer it wouldn’t be an issue, I bet it would be lovely with a picnic blanket and all.
Overall
We all had a really lovely week holiday staying at Thurston Manor Leisure Park. All the staff we came across were happy and smiling and couldn’t do more to help. The weather wasn’t the greatest compared to back home however we made the most out of it! We took a day trip to Edinburgh Zoo which was under an hour away as well as to a National Trust property, Newhailes. There was an Asda and Mcdonalds within a 10minute drive with other supermarkets a bit further afield. I suppose the big question would be, would we return? and yes we would! For our first family holiday to Scotland it was pretty much everything we had hoped and wanted.
We got our lovely break away from normality whilst being able to show the boys a little bit of Scotland. Thank you, Verdant Leisure, for inviting us to review Thurston Manor. We hold so many lovely memories of our stay!
Giveaway to win a 2night caravan stay with Verdant Leisure
Would you like the chance to win your own mini-break with Verdant Leisure? They have given me an awesome prize for one of you to win! A free 2 night caravan stay at any of their Leisure Parks during the Off Peak season (so sorry, no school holidays).
Please make sure you read the Terms and Conditions
- The winner will receive a free 2 night stay in a caravan during the OFF-PEAK season at any Verdant Leisure Park.
- The Stay is self-catering, no food is provided
- It is up to the winner to ensure they are able to reach the destination, no travel expenses are included.
- UK entrants only
- No cash alternative
- Over 18’s only
- The winner’s details will be passed onto Verdant Leisure who will then get in contact to discuss dates.
- The Winner has 30 days to respond to the email before I will redraw.
- Giveaway closes midnight 31st July
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