Independent Campsite Reviews

The Star Caravan and Camping Park, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

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Site Details

  The Star Caravan and Camping Park
Star Road
Cotton
Oakamoor
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST10 3BN
 
Phone:
+44 1538 702219
Fax:
Website:
www.starcaravanpark.…
Email:
Not Known
Online maps:
OpenStreetMap streetmap.co.uk
MultiMap
Google Maps
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Paper maps:
Ordnance Survey Explorer
259 : Derby, Uttoxeter, Ashbourne & Cheadle
Ordnance Survey Landranger
119 : Buxton, Matlock & Dove Dale area
128 : Derby & Burton upon Trent
Latitude:
53°0'26" N
Longitude:
1°54'5" W

Garmin eTrex?
Need a cable?
I recommend pFranc

Site's own details : Information Obtained: July 2009

   
 

Note from Webmaster: There are numerous reviews for this site with basically a single complaint: that the management vigorously enforce their rules about being quiet, and generally respecting other campers. There are also numerous reviews praising these same qualities. Please read the statement by the management team below, and consider what it means for you before you book



The Star Caravan & Camping Park has been in operation now for some 30 years. The business has been built on offering family friendly facilities, value for money, and consistent standards. We are a 5 Star/Rose Award/Families Welcome tourist board graded park, and have AA 4 Pennants. These are issued after having an un-planned visit, and inspection, by an independent quality inspector. We have a RoSPA 4 Star Play Quality Award play area for the children, and The Silver David Bellamy Award for Conservation. All we ask, is that before you book with us, please read through the terms & conditions and the FAQs sections on our website in detail. We do operate "By the book", and we make no apologies for it. 95% of visitor to our park appreciate the strict rules that we operate, and we have no intention of changing them EVER !!! For some, it may be alien to ask them to show respect for another person’s space, peace, and property, and if you are one of them whom has no manners, and no respect, we kindly ask you not to book with us. However, if you are looking for a clean place to stay, fair prices, and "Old fashioned values", we look forward to seeing you in the very near future.
Kind regards - the Management Team at The Star Caravan & Camping Park, near Alton Towers, Staffordshire.

   
   
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Independent Reviews

Each review represents the opinions of its author. The webmaster cannot confirm its veracity. As with all such information, you must judge for yourself whether you wish to use this review as the basis for any decision you may make.
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  Author: Anglea Wise
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: June 2008  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
over two thirds of people who voted thought this review was accurate
 
 

Never be going here again absolutely disgusted by it...beautiful clean site and well maintained....but when a 3 year old and 18 month old child are told to go and play on the ball pitch and not in between our own caravans then i draw the line. There also seems to be 1 rule for tourers and 1 for seasonal pitchers as their children had balls, bikes, scooters and whatever else they could find but as soon as they were out we were told off. The staff were helpful but only to alert us that the no noise policy is serious...no noise after 11pm we didn't even dare have the tv on. We did have a laugh but only to the extent of watching the seasonal pitchers all turning lights etc off at 11pm...it was like a row of dominoes.

I think it's safe to say we definitely won't be going back.

Lighten up Star caravanning you might even start enjoying yourselves and start to smile!!!



©Copyright Anglea Wise and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: L Thompson
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: June 2008  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
 

Just returned from the Star Caravan and Camping Site and can honestly say in my 36 years that I have ever felt quite as annoyed. At 11.00pm a man from the site came to us and told us to be quiet (we were already quiet as we had 6 children between 3 and 10, asleep in bed). We were then rudely asked where were the men, although we all have men at home we had chosen not to take them. Myself, my daughter (19), my sister (34) and friend (44) were then informed that they do not take all women parties, goodness knows what he wanted us to do at 11pm, but we laughed as if he were joking and he walked away. So don't stay here if you are a woman, a man, a child and if you have slightly big hips as you will have to back into the loos.



©Copyright L Thompson and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Netta Maciver
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: July 2008  
   
over half of people who voted thought this review was accurate
 
 

Never ever again will I stay at the Star, although a very clean site. We were camping and the field was on such a slope it felt like we were sleeping on a children slide. We all ended up in a heap at the bottom of the tent. We had booked in for 4 nights and were told the toilets for the field were in the port-a-cabin at the corner of the field. On our 3rd night these were shut and we were told to use the others miles away. Then the next morning the place to wash dishes was locked, we were never given a key.

Staff were rude, we were treated like a nuisance rather than customers. They get their money too easy being so close to Alton Towers.



©Copyright Netta Maciver and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Harry Novizc
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: August 2008  
   
 

First. This is the cleanest and the smartest camping and caravan park that we have stopped on in 15 years of camping.

Second.If you read all the other reviews on this website, and understand what they put down, and then read the park rules and terms and conditions of stay, perhaps they may be doing us all a favour by not going back to The Star.

Third. The prices they charge, for the location and the standards are more than comparable. In the peak times they could get away with charging a lot more !!!

Fourth. The staff went about their daily duties in a business like manner, correcting bad behaviour (but not in any way rude) However we did witness some one being told the next day about being too noisy by a member of staff, we thought the approach to be fair and square as a reminder to the rules.

Fifth. Would we return? If you want clean and tidy (always), a good night's sleep in a safe and secure place, then there can be no other Than The Star. Well Done 10/10 full marks.



©Copyright Harry Novizc and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Mary Chegwin
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: September 2008  
   
 

We stayed at The Star Caravan and Camping Park in September, and once again at the start of October. We were very impressed on both occasions with the high standards of cleanliness on the park, and the attentiveness of the staff.

We booked this park because of it being as close as it is to Alton Towers Theme Park (5 minutes by car) but we also found other interesting places to visit, hence why we went back there again.

The Staffordshire Moorlands, where the park is situated, is a very pretty area, and we really enjoyed the walking nearby.

Back to the site, lots of free showers, a great play park for the kids, plenty of space so you are not packed in like sardines, and reasonable prices. All in all, a very pleasant stay at a very nice site.



©Copyright Mary Chegwin and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Geoff Bowker
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: October 2008  
   
 

We like this camping park !!

Very clean - in fact, exceptionally clean, which is always good to know. We visited the wife, kids and me mother in law. She likes to go to bed early of a night, so this is why we picked The Star as it says they operate an all quiet after 11pm. Our smallest is only 18 months old, and being in a tent, can be hard getting him washed and ready for bed. The Star has a Parent and Child bathroom, that was really lovely to use, with stool, bath/shower etc.

We went on a two day ticket to Alton Towers, thats only 5 minutes away from the site. The site manager gave us some buy one get one free vouchers, that saved us about £72.00.

If I have one criticism about the park, is they only have a limited range of goods on sale at the office. They sell the basics, plus choclates/pop/crisps etc for the kids, so if you need more you have to go to the local town (Cheadle) thats about 3 miles or so away. all in all a very nice park to stay for families, and very clean modern facilities. We are back Easter 2009 to go to the new Sea Life Centre at Alton Towers. Hope that this info is useful??????



©Copyright Geoff Bowker and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Phil Kelley
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: May 2009  
   
 

The site operator has it dead right.

The site is quiet, clean, has excellent facilities and is pretty central for lots of attractions.

All in all this does just what it says on the can and all people have to do is read the site's terms and conditions which are designed to inform visitors before they book and make a peaceful environment for all customers and that can't be a bad thing.

I stayed there with my family this year and will be most happy to stay there again.

If you think the rules on noise are too severe then don't make a noise, or if you want to make a lot of noise, go somewhere else.



©Copyright Phil Kelley and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: JV
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: June 2009  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
over three quarters of people who voted thought this review was accurate
 
 

I can only echo the comments from Matt. This only relates to camping. The campsite is clean, safe and professional. I have no doubt that it has achieved 5 star status for good reasons, however...

On arrival you are met with a list (circa 19 rules) of rules, together with strict instructions not to site your tent within 20 meteres of your neighbour. They say that they will check and make you move it if you fail to comply; believe me they do and physically take a measureing tape to your tent. Kids can enjoy themselves provided that it is in the pen surrounded by barbed wire. The daughter of our friends cut her leg chasing a ball, when discussed with the staff we were told ' well she should not have been near the fence'. The night time (11pm) curfew is brilliant to witness. Like clock work, the staff set about 'telling' people to go to bed, not kids, but adults, fee paying adults at that.

I can almost understand the rules, but their manner and ability to communicate makes George Bush sound like Mother Theresa! They clearly have no business sense or people skills, anyone with half a brain would simply split the camping area into a quiet area and a family friendly area, they would double their money and have happy campers rather than miserable guests in a rush to leave. The same applies for the disposable BBQ's. Again I can see the logic, but how about asking guests to keep the BBQ up from the grass; not difficult. The staff are rude and arrogant, any challenge to their authority was dealt with by a hierarchical structure akin to school, where the challenger was sign posted to the 'Boss' who was described as a 'big guy that won't be messed with' (umm). They even confiscated a ball belonging to some other (very funny) adult guests to their horror. I could go on. The shame is that the site is near Alton Towers, provides a cheaper option than the hotel. Camping is a family event, children do not understand the rules, the camp has massive potential, but the staff are dreadful, the rules are tragic and what you have read is so true. This is not a complaint, just simply alerting customers to this campsite; it is just our subjective view.



©Copyright JV and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Matt
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: June 2009  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
 

On first arrival the site looks great. Nice pitching area despite the slight slope and good views.

The showers and toilets are not as up to scratch as many other sites across the country and was a bit disappointed with lack of showers and clean facilities.

A good enough site if you’re only using it for Alton towers, only 2 mins down the road.

BUT God forbid if the night watchmen is the one we had - who incidently happened to be the camp site owner.

One of the rudest men we have ever met, from the momment he cam on at 10:30pm he spoke down to us like children and treated us like rubbish (thats putting it politely) I have never been talked to so rudely by an employ especially of a camp site in all my life.

When other reviews say the rules are strict, don’t take them lightly, they most definitely are.

No noise by 11pm means no talking or slight noises at all by 11pm sharp.

If you don’t adhere to the rules then you will as we were and some other campsite users were; be told to move your tent nearer the security camera's so they can "keep an eye on you youngsters" may I add we are all professionals in our 20's.

Ultimately if you want a strict curfew like your parents used to give and don’t want to do the traditional camping thing of staying up chatting with friends playing the odd card game then feel free to come here. The one man who owned the place spoiled our weekend and we packed up that morning and asked for a refund. We were not happy to stay there and let it spoil the weekend any longer.

If you’re in your twenties and want to relax = don’t go!



©Copyright Matt and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Norrie
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: June 2009  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
 

I have been travelling down to this site for over 20 years with tents when I was younger and caravans for the last 10 years.

I had never booked in advance and I had never needed to. However, I arrived on 28th June to be treated very rudely by the man at reception who refused to let me and my 3 kids entry, (kids aged 15, 13 and 7). He told me the site had plenty of pitches, but I wasn't having one! He thereafter denied that I had ever been allowed access without an advanced booking before. He told me to go to another site! He then wouldn't let me even enter to turn my caravan. Anyone who knows the site entrance will appreciate it's off a busy main road. I had to get my 15 year old daughter to guide me back onto that road. She was crying with fear when she got back into the car. I was totally shocked by the whole thing and I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS SITE TO ANYONE EVER AGAIN. All very sad after 20 years of happy camping. It appears that as I choose to tow my unit with an L200 pick up I'm not welcome there. I only found that out when the site I did get booked into told me it happens all the time for numerous reasons. Commercial suicide in my opinion!



©Copyright Norrie and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: catherine delahunt
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: July 2009  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
 

This campsite is run exactly as it says in their rules. Exactly! We checked in to pitch with electric hook up and were asked to produce our cable for inspection. It passed and then we were passed our list of rules. All 19 of them. No music, ball playing except where dogs are walked, no noise after 11pm (including talking in your tent), no entry in or out between 11pm-7.45am,no disposable bbq, no 3 or more same sex camping in one tent, no skate board, scooters or skates allowed and no visitors allowed. We witnessed the owner putting a young couple with 3 small children out for marking a patch of grass with their bbq. This was at 8am in morning. Left ourselves soon after. No atmosphere really and I feel the main aim of the campsite is to attract caravan owners and as Alton Towers is near make some money out of touring campers easily.



©Copyright catherine delahunt and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Hartops
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: July 2009  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
 

DONT GO!!!!!!!!

This campsite is like a BOOT CAMP.

We are not trouble makers or unruly. We are two normal families who tried to make the most of a rainy weekend. The rules were unbelievable and strictly enforced. Barbed wire around the fence and anti vandal paint on gates. No admittance by car after 10.30pm and certainly no chance for last orders at a very nice pub 200 meters away as no is allowed to enter the site (WALKING) after 10.50pm.

Save your money...its very expensive. I recommend the site at Wicksteed Park and Drayton Manor instead.



©Copyright Hartops and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Andy Gerstel
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: August 2009  
   
  Remember that people are always more prepared to write and complain than they are to praise good service.  
 

I found Details of The Star as i suspect most do on the net, I didnt however read any reviews UNFORTUNATELY. Well heres mine if it manages to save just one family from having a miserable time then it will have been well worth one finger typing this for them.. I booked over the phone approx 4 weeks prior to our planned visit to Alton Towers, I booked for two "B" sized tents and booked electric hookup pitches because i thought that i could borrow a hookup cable and then the Females of our group would be able to straighten there hair and stuff. Sorry.. our group consisted of myself, my wife our children ( 2 girls and a boy ) and my nephew. We arrived at approximately 2.30 after having driven up from Portsmouth, I pulled up in front of an electrically operated barrier and as directed went into reception to do any paperwork and pay the balance.

i was asked to present my hookup lead to site staff for inspection, After explaining that i hadnt managed to get one and that i just wouldnt be able to hook up ( Obviously )i followed some fellow to my car as he had picked up all my paperwork. He annoyed me straight away as he stuck his head right through the open drivers side window and proceeded to explain to my wife where to go etc. I was stood right behind him and after being ignored once when i suggested that he pull his head out and explain it to me as i was the driver, i felt that i must insist when he started sticking things to the inside of my windscreen that would clearly have obscured my view.I can only put his actions down to him being a letch and nothing else. When in his directions he stated for us to keep the electric pitches to our left and head up the field and find a space i reminded him that we were on electric pitches. His reply was OH NO YOUR NOT i had to refrain from smiling to myself and replying in PANTOMIME fashion OH YES I AM, I explained that i had paid for electric hookup to which he replied "but you havnt got a cable so you wont be having one. I went then into reception to try and explain that the fellow outside says i cant have an electric pitch as i havnt got a cable. They said this was right and when i asked if a had infact paid for electric they stated yes but i didnt need it. I felt at this point that i was in the twilight zone and maybe they were right and i was wrong in expecting what i had paid for, whether i was going to use the electric or not. I went back out to the car to have a moment.. to find the bloke who had his head in my car running up the drive like some demented WILLY WONKA shouting back at me " FOLLOW ME I GOT JUST THE PITCH FOR YOU" not wanting to be pitched in the middle of a cow's field i asked at this point to speak with the manager/owner as i didnt believe that everyone on this site could be rude and obnoxious and forgive me for saying STUPID. WRONG... The manager stated that i wouldnt be pitched on an electric hookup as these were at a premium ( I THOUGHT THAT I HAD PAID THE PREMIUM )But did say i could get my deposit back and go elsewhere if i wasnt happy, Funny how he was prepared to give me my deposit back but wouldnt take off the difference between electric and non electric... If i had known the area and thought that i wouldnt have struglled to get on another site with it being the school holidays i would definately have gone elsewgere. Anyway i could go on and on with things like the excessive DO'S AND DONT'S (the use of waterpistols being a dont) And family not even being able to stay for 5 minutes having driven from up north to drop off my nephew. But i will end on hopeing that the star will soon be known as supernova ( having burnt out and died ) i feel so strongly about it that if i had the money i would buy a couple of fields adjacent to theres and drum them out of business ( The star better hope and prey that i dont win the lottery ).........



©Copyright Andy Gerstel and Nick Porter

 
   
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  Author: Lynn
This is the only review by this author
Last Visit: August 2009  
   
 

We have stayed at this site twice now. Once when I was 18 (1999) with a group of ALL girls and once last year just me and the boyfriend.

Site is lovely, nice and clean, no complaints about the facilities at all. Best campsite I've been to.

Staff were very straight to the point and maybe a little intimidating.

The rules are supposed to be strict but last year when we were there, we ended up pitching our tent in the corner thinking we would keep out of everyone’s way and could just sit and chat in our tent. Then a guy and his teenage son pulled up, decided to blast music out their car while they put up the tent which was a lot closer than it was supposed to be!!! Then when it was lights out time (yes 11 is a bit early but we had a long drive) all we could hear was them talking, and not even quietly. For once I wish these supposedly strict people could have had a word with them. Maybe not as strict as people make out!



©Copyright Lynn and Nick Porter

 
   
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Please Note: I have received many many reviews for The Star campsite, some of which you will have seen above. A great number of them comment that the site has some strict rules, and that those rules are enforced. I think that picture is, by now, quite clear. Please don’t bother to send me yet another example of how strict the rules are, as such a story does not generally contribute much for the benefit of my readers.
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