CARAVAN holidays are something of a childhood rite of passage. Buckets and spades, sandy feet and slightly uncomfortable mattresses.

Sure, far-flung destinations like the Maldives and Caribbean have their allure, but when you have children you quickly realise the real luxury is spending time together. And not spending half your holiday travelling.

Which is why it didn’t surprise me when multi-millionaire businesswoman Coleen Rooney revealed her four boys Kai, Clay, Kit and Cass love nothing more than a trip to Butlins.

In a year where airport queues, delays and general travel chaos caused by international affairs I’ll not mention, the idea of piling into the car with my nearest and dearest and heading somewhere just a few hours from home suddenly feels far more appealing than going further afield. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a real surge in staycations this year as a result.

Which is why I was thrilled to be invited to visit Ladram Bay, an independent family-run site tucked along the stunning Jurassic Coast in south Devon, where we headed to last weekend.

Devon is somewhere I know well. I studied in Plymouth and landed my first journalism job nearby. But this particular stretch, between Budleigh Salterton and Sidmouth, was completely new to me. And it’s one of those places that makes you wonder why you hadn’t been sooner.

From the moment we drove down into the award-winning park, we quickly saw why it enjoys such rave reviews. The cliche adjective ‘breathtaking” is entirely justified. The sweeping view, filled with the sea, looks out over dramatic red cliffs and a sheltered beach cove just minutes down the hill.

We were spoilt with our accommodation and stayed in a modern holiday home directly facing the sea. Fresh and thoughtfully designed, it had a sleek galley kitchen, stylish bathrooms and crucially, a genuinely comfortable bed. A relief after some of the caravans we’ve frequented before.

We’ve got a couple of holiday parks under our belt now, and not all are created equal. The standards at some of the bigger chains vary wildly and we were pleased that Ladram really stands out for all the right reasons.

As my husband neatly put it: “Everything you need is here, without it feeling overwhelming.” It’s compact in the best sense - easy to navigate, yet never crowded.

The attention to detail was also impressive. The indoor swimming pool had soft flooring, as opposed to tiles, making it much safer for children. The soft play had recently been updated and was spotlessly clean, while the wooden playground has been thoughtfully designed and is overlooks the bay - perhaps offering the best swing view in Britain.

We got lucky, sunshine for most of our stay with a spot of rain where we made use of the park’s various activities including pottery painting and trips to the well-maintained pool.

Even without the blue skies, there is plenty here to keep children and adults entertained with a packed programme of activities from jewellery making, pottery-painting, adventure golf, not to mention the South West Coast Path which is ready to explore.

I managed a couple of solo coastal walks - though I couldn’t help but envy the retirees striding off on far more ambitious routes - and everywhere you turn, the views deliver.

There’s a great shop onsite with a good selection of locally sourced meat and groceries, along with fresh pastries and all the essentials you might need.

The onsite fish and chip shop was also very good.That might be helped by the fact they’ve recently hired the “best fryer in Budleigh”, who joined from a local chippie that sadly closed down.

Pebbles, the restaurant, has a stunning terrace with real show-stopping views. There was a decent variety of meals, and while prices were a little on the high side, they were comparable with similar holiday parks.

One of the things we loved most about Ladram was not needing to get in the car. We spent the entire time soaking up the beach and making the most of the brilliant swimming pool. Our little ones especially loved the slides. In the summer, there will also be an outdoor splash park, which I can already imagine will be very popular, along with a brand-new beachside café. I was only slightly gutted we visited a little too early in the season to experience those.

The evening entertainment was brilliant. The wonderful team worked hard to keep the children engaged, and the daily 6pm disco was a big hit.

I told my eldest I was writing a review about the trip and asked if he wanted to share his opinion. He said: “When can we go back?”

Which, really, is the best endorsement you can get.

  • Ladram Bay Holiday Park is an award-winning, family-owned site based at Otterton, Budleigh Salterton in Devon. It is around three hours' drive from Bracknell. Prices start from £149 for a four-night stay. Call 01395 568398 to book or visit ladrambay.co.uk for more information.