This Summer we are very fortunate to have planned lots of wonderful adventures here in the UK, going from top to bottom and left to right. I am always extremely grateful that our work takes us to so many amazing places and, whilst it isn’t always easy, having this time together as a family is a constant reminder of why we work so hard. So we were beyond excited to kick start our Summer holidays at Croyde Bay Resort in Devon, somewhere we had never visited before but had seen and heard so many wonderful things about!

Located in Croyde, with direct access to the beach, Croyde Bay Resort offers self catering accommodation including three and four bedroom lodges and two bedroomed cottages, as well as being the only hotel in Croyde. We were greeted by the most beautiful blue skies and, having completed a quick and COVID-secure check-in we were excited to view our lodge for the week. Although the lodges do not have private parking spaces beside them, you can leave your car in the car park and use one of the trolleys to transport your luggage to your accommodation. I actually loved this as it meant there was no traffic around the resort and our children could play freely without us worrying about cars.

The Accommodation

We stayed in a three bedroomed lodge which was perfect for our family with 800 ft.² of living space, located close to the sand dunes, and sleeping up to six people plus an additional person on a pull-out bed or cot. Our first impression was just how large the lodge looked with a gorgeous decking area overlooking the green and, as we stepped inside, we weren’t disappointed!

To the right of the lodge was a stunning open plan kitchen and dining area with a large wooden table and six chairs, perfectly positioned to enjoy the view outside. We are huge fans of open plan living on holiday and love how we can all enjoy time together regardless of what we are doing in the lodge – be that eating, cooking or relaxing watching TV. I was also hugely impressed by the cleanliness of the lodge, it was literally spotless!

The ktichen was faultless with everything we could possibly need for a self-catering holiday together. As well as a full size fridge and freezer, an oven, grill and hob, microwave, toaster and ample crockery and cutlery, the lodge also had a dishwasher which always feels like such a luxury on holiday. Even better, there was also a washing machine which feels like the holiday jackpot and makes my life so much easier on the return home when all of our clothes are already washed and folded ready to hang back in the wardrobe!

To the left of the lodge was a gorgeous living area with two large sofas, coffee table, a side table with a fan and a large television with Netflix which again, felt like such a luxury! I love how homely the lodges feel, with matching soft furnishings, soft fabrics and a stylish but neutral decor. We instantly felt at home and that’s so important when you’re on holiday and just want to sit back and relax.

To the rear of the lodge double patio doors opened onto our private terrace which was an amazing additional space to enjoy in the sunshine, dine al fresco or enjoy in the evening as the children played on the green in front of our lodge.

With a wicker table and chairs, as well as a large parasol, our decking area was my favourite spot to spend our time. Despite having lodges to the side of us it was blissfully quiet and, during the evenings when we sat on our decking watching the sunset over the sand dunes, we often commented that we could stay right there forever.

To the rear of the lodge were three bedrooms, a family bathroom and an en-suite in the master bedroom. The master bedroom was beautiful with cream furniture, a large double bed and even a television with Netflix. I have shared before how we don’t have a television in our bedroom at home so it’s always exciting to go on holiday, get in bed and just enjoy that luxury of watching a film before falling asleep.

I loved how much storage there was in the bedrooms, something we’ve found to be an issue in other accommodation we have stayed in, and it meant that we could fully unpack, make ourselves at home and tidy away our cases to really maximise our living space in the lodge.

The en-suite was immaculate with a walk in shower, toilet and sink as well as having fresh towels for each of us which really helps when we are already packing for five people. Our shower was lovely and warm all week, with hot water on demand, as well as hair and body wash fully re-filled in the shower cubicle.

There were also two twin bedrooms which felt lovely and spacious with both wardrobe and drawer space. All beds were made up on arrival and as the children leapt onto their chosen beds they all commented on how comfortable they were (they all slept for twelve hours a night all week!).

Despite our stay coinciding with a heatwave the bedrooms to the rear felt lovely and cool and it was lovely for the children to have their own personal space to enjoy at the end of the day to curl up with their iPads, read a book or play a game. The wardrobes also came in handy for a sneaky game of hide and seek!

And then finally the family bathroom which had both a bath and an overhead shower which is just perfect for families. Although our children enjoy a shower now they are a little older, having a bath is so important for small children and I love that the lodge gave us the option of both. Again, it was immaculately clean and in terms of cleanliness across the whole resort, we just couldn’t fault it.

The Facilities

When it comes to the facilities for families here at Croyde Bay Resort, I could not have been any more impressed. As much as our children are happy enough with a playground and space to run, the options to keep them entertained here are endless. With the resort built around two open greens, one of which our lodge directly looked out onto, it feels incredible safe for the children to play and a wonderful way for them to make friends with the other children and most of all, just have fun!

Absolutely everything at Croyde Bay Resort is included in the price, so there are no hidden costs for swimming or to take part in any of the activities on the green (apart from surf hire which runs separately) and all equipment can be taken from the stations dotted about so you can use it at your leisure. On the green in front of our lodge we had a putting green which was a fun activity to enjoy together.

There is also a tennis table with rackets and balls which are free to use and, as you can imagine, we had a lot of table tennis tournaments over the course of the week! With us visiting just out of school holidays the resort was very quiet so we never once had to wait for the activities but perhaps in the busier peak season this may vary.

The children’s favourite thing, possibly about whole resort, was the football table which again we played on from morning until night! Usually when we stay at a resort we find ourselves having lots of days out to entertain the children and explore the local area and yet here, we stayed at the resort for all but one of our days which speaks volumes.

On the next green you can find a huge adventure playground as well as a large crazy golf course which was so much fun. This green was overlooked by the hotel rooms and the cottages and yet with our children a little older now at seven, eight and nine, we felt more than comfortable allowing them to play here out of sight for a short while. As someone who is more than happy to admit I over-protect my children, this says a lot about the kind of resort Croyde Bay is and our children relished every bit of their freedom.

The children adored the playground with us spending time on there every evening before bed and first thing every morning. It was also a great opportunity for them to make new friends which they did, and burn off some energy – always a bonus!

Croyde Bay Resort also has a full sized tennis court with rackets free to borrow. Our children have never really played tennis before so it was lovely to have the chance to learn a new skill, I love that the resort really encourages outdoor activities and keep the kids active.

There is also a huge football pitch behind the cottages which is an amazing open space to play, run, fly a kite on a quiet evening and kick around a football. I’m not sure we have ever stayed at a UK resort with so many options to keep the children entertained and it’s easy to see why we were so impressed!

For those who like to surf, as I mentioned earlier, for an extra cost you can hire a surf board directly from a shop located at the front of the resort. The beaches are great for surfing at Croyde and although we chose to bodyboard this time, it’s great to have the option to hire equipment should you need it.

There is also an indoor swimming pool at the resort which we didn’t photograph due to not wanting to impinge on anyone’s privacy but due to COVID swimming slots can be booked prior to your visit and limited to 30 minutes. On the two occasions we used the pool there was no more than one other family in the pool at the same time although the sauna and steam room remain closed at this time. There is also a gym which can be booked in the same way due to limited numbers.

The Restaurant

The great thing about Croyde Bay Resort is that should you wish, you really could stay there the whole week and never need to leave. There is a large restaurant which also offers a take away service, and we were keen to sample the menu on our first evening after a lengthy drive South.

Although the menu is quite small, the dishes on offer are delicious and the Greek feta and olive salad I ordered for starters was bursting with flavour. Having spent last Summer eating the same dish in Greece, I can honestly say it was just as authentic!

Gaz went for a traditional prawn cocktail which he said was great with tasty fresh prawns, lettuce and a delicious sauce. The children weren’t keen on either of the starter options and yet once they had sampled ours they were soon asking for more!

For our main courses Harry chose his absolute favourite burger and chips and although the portions were huge, he ate every last bit. The girls both went for the vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread and a side of broccoli which was delicious and a great meat-free alternative.

Gaz and I both went for the steak which was served with a choice of chips or jacket potato and a choice of sides. As I’ve shared before, Gaz is very hard to please when it comes to his steak and yet he was so impressed by it and even sent his compliments to the chef.

The desserts were amazing with Megan choosing a warm waffle and ice cream, Eva a sticky toffee pudding and Harry strawberries and ice cream. The ice cream in Devon is so good and we definitely made the most of it over the week!

On a couple of the mornings we visited the restaurant for breakfast where we had a choice from continental dishes and a cooked breakfast. Ordinarily I think there may have been a buffet option but due to COVID it was table service only which suited us just fine. On both mornings Gaz and I opted for a full English which was a. great way to start the day, and the children enjoyed either bacon or sausage sandwiches and fresh croissants.

At all times in the restaurant we felt incredibly safe and the waiting staff were not only respectful of our space but instructed us of safety measures at all times. They even went as far as adding an additional two spaces to every table to use as a “serving space” so that all dishes could be laid there for us to distribute amongst our table. I was so impressed by their safety measures, not just in the restaurant but throughout the whole resort.

The Beach

For me, the biggest positive of Croyde Bay Resort, of which there are many, is the fact that it is located directly on the beach. You literally walk across the sand dunes via a private path located at the rear of the resort, and you are instantly there on the most beautiful beach with white sand and clear waters.

With it being private access, that part of the beach was incredibly quiet and we were able to spread out and set up camp for a day in the sun. The children had the most amazing time building sandcastles, body boarding in the sea (and in the sand dunes!), playing football and making new friends. With it being so close to our lodge we were able to nip back for a swim or to cool down at our allocated swimming spot and it just took that huge stress out of driving, finding a car parking space and lugging all of our towels, buckets and spades, body boards and picnic down to a beach. You really can’t fault this location!

In the evenings we would walk back down to the beach to watch the sunset and the sky really was spectacular. There’s something really special about watching the sunset together and for me, those moments are the ones I will always remember. Nothing makes me happier than those Summer evenings skimming stones, drawing in the sand, kicking a football around and sitting arm in arm to watch the sunset on another wonderful day together.

I think it’s safe to say that we had an incredible time here at Croyde Bay Resort and we were all so sad to leave when our stay came to an end. We have been lucky to visit some fantastic places over the years but I think Croyde Bay is definitely up there as one of our favourites. You can find out more and book your own stay here at www.croydeunison.co.uk.