By William Coleman
Summer 2017 has proven to be an absolute blockbuster for Shropshire’s new £5.5 million caravan and glamping site that opened in May. The successful opening saw a staggering 20,000 guests visit since May. And the booking just won’t stop!
The early expectations for success were high, but the managers at Love2Stay at Emsrey, Shrewsbury had no idea that the summer opening would bring such a massive amount of bookings. The public response to the new holiday resort has been overwhelmingly positive. Not only was the sight a great success but the activities provided were also a smash hit. With guest booking up because of the wide range of activities on offer.
The resort site has 124 touring caravan pitches for those wanting to visit on their staycation and a village of 11 luxury glamping lodges that were officially open for bookings in August. All 11 of the glamping lodges comes with its own private hot tub and fire pit for those evenings that need to be appreciated under the stars.
The holiday resort is aiming to set a new high end standard for holiday resorts across the UK, and 20,000 visitors in a matter of months is certainly a bar raiser. One of the UK’s top tier caravan and leisure companies, Salop Leisure, developed the resort which offers visitors an impressive and luxurious natural retreat.
Laura Plumridge, who manages the site with her husband Geoff, has said “The response has been absolutely phenomenal. We opened the weekend before the Whistsun and the resort has been full every weekend since.”
The site offer a wide range of activities that has been a major attraction for the resort. “One of the things that has surprised us most is the demand for activities. We had no idea just how popular they would be – our record to date is 220 children in one day and we had 60 children on the lake raft building and problem solving.
“We arrange up to 12 activities a day and have families staying with us just to participate. Our guests have really embraced the ‘back to nature’ ethos and there is a hunger for parents to be able to facilitate that for their children.
When visiting you can learn bushcraft and survival skills with their in house forest ranger. A perfect way to keep the children entertained. The site makes the most of its surroundings and bases a lot of the activities on the outdoors. Instead of iPad and tablets the kids can get fully immersed in the great outdoors with fishing, building a woodland hideout and swimming in the centerpiece of the site, the natural swimming pool.
The stunning pool, pictured below, has an amazing backdrop and is flanked on three sides by decking and hot tubs. You can take in the view of the area’s picturesque surroundings while floating around in the cool gin clear water. The pool has the look of a nice lagoon that you would find deep in the woods. The water is chemical free and naturally filtered which gives it its crystal clear look.
Of an evening the outdoor area becomes an Italian eatery where you can get a traditionally made Italian pizza that is cooked in wood fire oven. There is also a cinedrome where guest can relax and watch films.
Following the monumental success of the opening the the months following the pre bookings are coming in thick and fast, word is certainly travelling fast about this site. The site is already taking a lot of bookings for the remainder of the year with slots for the October half term, Bonfire night and New Year’s Eve already being booked ahead of time. With the guest who visit having such an amazing time 65% book another visit before they have even left.
The Love2Stay site strive to provide something more than just a Caravan and Glamping site. They are providing services found boutique hotels. There is a separate reception and concierge desk, a food delivery service and a service where you can book your own personal chef for a outdoor meal.
The resort is set in 22 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds with panoramic views across to Wales from one side and over to the Shropshire Hills from the other.
Salop Leisure’s managing director Mark Bebb, the driving force behind the resort, explained the thinking behind the resort. “We know that we need to put effort into the re-generation of our industry and it’s our vision that Love2stay will accomplish this,” he said.
This certainly does not seem like your normal caravan escape. If you want the freedom of a caravan holiday with the combined luxury of a high end hotel then the Love2Stay site is the one for you. For more information visit their website, Love2Stay Website
