This Resort Unity Brean review is based on my family’s experience of staying in the resort’s ‘luxury lodges’.
I’m going to cut straight to the chase here and you don’t have to read the rest of this review to be honest. I’ll go in to the reasons why I have these opinions in the wider review below, but the general summary is:
- The resort itself and the facilities (incl. food) is genuinely awful – tired, dated and like stepping back in to the 80’s
- The luxury lodges themselves are fantastic – new, modern and really well maintained
- The local area is good for young families – loads to do and some great beaches
First impressions of Resort Unity Brean
Shell shocked is the best way to describe how my wife and I felt on the first night.
Disappointed, demotivated and drained also apply.
Our initial impressions were actually quite positive. Pulling up to the lodge we’d booked for a 5 nights stay, we were really impressed.
The lodges were all laid out in a cold methodical fashion on a flat, featureless field (which was weird), but they looked really good quality. That proved to be true inside as well, and the family was excited.
After unloading the car we decided to go for a walk and explore the resort, which is when things soon changed.
The lodges are clearly the resort’s attempt to attract a different type of holiday maker, but the rest of the resort doesn’t match that clientele.
Everything felt like it was part of an 80s sitcom and I kept expecting to see Delboy turn the corner any minute.
After a short walk we were starting to feel a bit down, but hungry. Stepping in to one of the onsite bars (I can’t remember the name tbh), we took one look at the red plastic decor and one sniff of the bleach stained upholstery and left.
The onsite pub/restaurant (called ‘The Tavern’) didn’t have the same issues with odor but looked like a crumb and dirty cutlery bomb had exploded.
Eating onsite on our first night is a bit of a tradition, but one we were happy to miss this time.
Finding a well reviewed chippy on Google Maps only 5 minutes drive away, I ventured out to get the evening’s meal. What I got was genuinely one of the worst fish and chips I’ve ever had.
For nearly £20 a head.
The whole experience was so bad my wife and I started laughing. There was nothing else we could do.
Thankfully we found a Tesco we could drive to nearby!
It was on the first night we agreed that the lodge was nothing more than a base to explore the local area, it was not going to be a destination in its own right.
Brean Splash water park and Brean theme park
Both the waterpark and theme park are both directly next to the resort and owned by the same business.
We were given free passes to the water park as part of the holiday, and thank goodness we didn’t have to pay.
The marketing for the water park is really glossy and the pictures sell it well. However, the ‘water park’ is no more than you’d find at a decent council run pool, albeit with two winding slides that have massive queues even during off-peak periods.
The theme park is screaming out for some form of investment and upgrades. It is so tired and out of date it has quite a depressing atmosphere about it.
The rides are old, rusty and laid out with no logic that I could see. The dodgems were fun, but then they always are.
Things to do near Resort Unity Brean
Thankfully, there’s loads to do for a young family near Resort Unity Brean. Our decision to treat the resort is no more than somewhere to sleep saved the holiday.
Brean Beach
The beach next to the resort is a cracker. Huge, flat, sandy and a short walk away. This was a highlight for my kids.
It’s also close to a couple of huge amusement arcades, that will burn through your pound coins like no one’s business – but totally worth it.
Weston-Super-Mere
Weston-Super-Mare is a great place to visit if you have young kids. The beach is good and there are a great selection of arcades at the end of the pier.
The town itself is a bit underwhelming and there aren’t a huge number of places to eat. That said, a trip to the beach and pier is a good way to spend your day as a family.
Burnham On Sea
Burnham On Sea is a nice little town, catering for the tourists visiting the beach.
Parking is competitive, but that’s the same for any sea side town. Just make sure you get there by mid-morning during the peak summer months.
It also boasts the UK’s shortest pier. We ventured on it, and can confirm it is pretty short.
Tyntesfield
Tyntesfield is a cracking National Trust house and gardens, with plenty of space and facilities for young kids to tire themselves out.
It is very hilly, so not one for any one who would struggle with that, but there are some good walking trails and play areas.
Wells
Famous for being the location for ‘Hot Fuzz’, Wells is a quint (aka small) city with a nice mix of local history and good places to eat/drink.
Final thoughts
Would I go again? Definitely not.
Did I enjoy the holiday? Yes I did, but I would stay somewhere else if I ever go back to that area.
