Orchards is UK’s pick of the crop say readers

Staff and the family owners of The Orchards holiday park on the Isle of Wight are celebrating after being voted the best place for touring guests to stay in Britain.

The Newbridge business beat more than 3000 other UK parks to become overall winner in an annual poll run by top-selling magazines Practical Caravan and Practical Motorhome.

Readers are asked each year to deliver their verdicts on parks they have visited in the publications’ “Top 100 Sites” survey – and The Orchards triumphed as the overall winner.

It’s the second year in succession that the park has taken the prestigious accolade, and owners Julie Gray and her husband Tim say they are absolutely delighted.

Since taking on The Orchards 13 years ago, the couple have invested much time and energy into creating an idyllic destination for Isle of Wight holiday parks.

Their reward has been to see a continuous rise in touring guests from the UK and overseas, plus a raft of different quality and environmental awards.

The Orchards was last year named as the AA’s “Regional Campsite of the Year”, and in 2016 also received the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level.

The start of the year also saw the park declared as “The Best Place to Hook-up” in the annual Red Funnel Ferry awards for top tourism businesses.

Bordering an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the park provides camping, touring caravan and motorhome pitches with spectacular views across the island’s gentle countryside.

There are also luxury caravan holiday homes to hire, and facilities including heated indoor and outdoor pools, a coffee shop, mini-supermarket and activity games areas.

Readers voting in the “Top 100 Sites” survey highlighted the park’s attractive layout, generously-sized pitches, free wifi, the “gorgeous warm pool” and the immaculate cleanliness.

There were many words of praise too for the friendly atmosphere and readily available help.

Julie Gray said that much of the credit was due to the park’s hard-working staff team who always went the extra mile to make guests feel welcome and at home.

The park is a member of the Best of British group, a consortium of independent parks providing some of the highest quality standards and levels of hospitality in the UK.

There is more information about the park at www.orchards-holiday-park.co.uk