Sunparks Be-nl Reviews 76

We booked a stay for one night originally, because we were going to a turnament in the area. However, we chose to elongate the stay a week before getting there, as we didn’t want to drive directly after the tournament. We called the hotel to make sure that we were able to just stay in the same rooms as we had originally booked, and they said that was fine. We arrived, got our hotel rooms and double checked that everything was as we had agreed on - they said yes. The next day we asked again in the reception - they said yes. Then, when we came home, they told us that we had to pay a €45 late checkout fee, even though they had confirmed three times that we were able to just stay in our rooms till the next day. The receptionist was rude and not helpful at all, so we had to PAY to get our things back, which they had taken from our rooms without any form of permission or warning.

NEVER GOING BACK.
Fun water slides though.

Early booking discount was pointless as the holiday was several hundred euros cheaper nearer the time.
We also experienced several other issues which mean that I would not book here again, and would not recommend it to others.

When we arrived, there was no bedding provided, despite having booked and paid for it. This meant we were unable to make our beds up on arrival and we had to take a trip to reception -we were the furthest possible away from reception. They then asked us to take the 5 sheet packages back to our cottage ourselves. When you have paid €11.25 for each package, I expect them to have been left in our cottage, prior to our arrival. So, I requested them to be delivered. They were, but they were just chucked on the sofa in the house.

Our dishwasher went wrong during our stay. I texted the help number printed on the map and park information. I never received a reply. Why print a help contact number when no-one responds to it?
We reported it at reception, but were told it was due to a water supply cut off. We said it wasn't, as it had gone wrong the previous evening. So we tried the dishwasher again several times -wasting a lot of time setting it on different programmes to try and see if it would work.
We had to wait to the following day and report it again at reception. Someone came round and said it needed replacing and they would return at 09.30 following day. It was my birthday and we were planning a cooked breakfast. We delayed this as waiting for the people to arrive. We heard nothing and nobody arrived at 09.30. They came at 10.30, by which time we had started cooking breakfast, so they said they'd come back later. This really delayed our day and plans. We wouldn't have minded if someone had communicated with us, rather than just turning up an hour later than we were informed.
I had booked the cottage specially as it had a dishwasher. We ended up only being able to use it once during our stay.

One evening, we decided to go to the buffet restaurant. I can honestly say it is probably the worst meal out I have ever had. I am usually happy with anything, but this was truly awful. No-one explained how it worked, and no-one offered us drinks. It was only when we saw other people going to a table with bottles of drinks on it, that we realised we had to go and ask there. There was no proper bar to get drinks. My rose wine was served in a glass that was completely cracked -from the rim down to the stem. The food was cold and not replaced throughout our time there. I did not see anyone coming round checking the food/stirring it or replacing any of it. Some of the food had a dry crust on the surface.
I had some soup and wanted some bread with it -there was only the crust of a baguette left. No fresh bread was brought in at any point while were there. The presentation was not attractive, and it seemed that the chef really didn't care -they must have been focussing on the other restaurant.
I had to spit some chicken out (which I have never ever had to do before in any restaurant) as the taste was so awful. The vegetables were going dry. Other food was soggy and flavourless. The flavours were awful and it was so disappointing. We had to leave a lot of food -again, that is something I never do in restaurants.
No-one cleared our plates throughout the meal.
Considering the cost was €33 each, we could have had a nicer meal anywhere else, and I would advise others to avoid it at all costs. The food in the outside restaurant that was going past us on the robot trolley looked so much better. For a birthday meal, we were truly upset and wished we had been able to see the buffet before arriving and being asked to pay before entering the buffet area.

The house was not furnished well -several curtains are broken and unable to be fully drawn in the evenings -leaving gaps at the window, and therefore light coming in the bedroom in the morning.
There were no dinner plates, only small plates.
Considering it was an 8 person cottage, there was very limited cutlery and meant you had to wash cutlery up after each meal as there wasn't enough. So we could not put it in the dishwasher.

The spa was really nice, and the staff helpful.
However, there was a special offer that you paid for one person and the 2nd person was half price. When we went to buy a day's spa access, we were told this offer was for females only. There was no mention of this on the poster or in the small print. This seems very unfair and sexist, considering it is a mixed spa. Why is there a discount for females only?

All in all, very disappointed in our stay.
We paid over €900 for our 4 bed cottage, and had a stay that was only worth less than half that amount.
You are far better spending a little more elsewhere and getting a decent holiday, with decent accommodation and service.

Early July I booked a family vacation on Booking.com but encountered an issue with the billing system so I called Oostduinkerke to share my issue. I asked if I could do a direct transfer and I was told that it will be fine to do so. I got the bank account number from them and immediately paid the full amount (over EUR600). The next day the booking was cancelled by Booking.com because they couldn’t effect payment. I phoned Oostduinkerke to see if the booking could be transferred directly with them considering I already paid and was told not possible, they need a reference number from the online booking platform before they can do a booking. So I tried to book online but guess what, I had to pay (again) before the booking could be confirmed. After MANY calls later, to Booking.com, Oostduinkerke and Sunparks directly, it was simply - sorry, we can’t help you. So fine, I made other plans and asked to be refunded. I was told the refund will happen automatically because there’s no reference number attached. I called again a week later and was told I have to wait between three to six WEEKS before they will refund. My money, paid into their account because they told me to, and then couldn’t honour the booking. I’m still waiting.

Terrible overall experience. Oostduinkerke / Select 6 persons house #688.. 4 days stay (which we didn't complete, we left earlier!).. The only nice thing was the girl at the reception when we arrived.. but then we had to go outside again to pick up paperwork and keys and stood in a pool of water under a tent.. for the lady working there I tended to call workinspection services.. horrible working conditions for her! For us.. wet shoes and socks for just picking up mandatory stuff.. The house itself had a broken window lock in bedroom (all the way open or all the way closed were the only options), nothing as stated online (no double sink, no outside bbq).. way too small for 6.. gutter on the roof had a big hole right above the entreance of the house.. no way to get inside without getting all wet.. camping would've been more comfy! .. We brought a dog and paid for it.. a park that offers the option should have some spots to walk your dog you would think.. not!! Parking was a long walk from the house.. the whole housing area looks like one big maze.. for that kind of money it's a BIG no-go!!

Our daughter wanted to visit the Sunpark Oostduinkerke with us after a wonderful trip with her school to that park. We booked, corona came, we changed the booking and had to cancel it the first week of June. Until now we are waiting for our refund.