Review: Sun Newspaper Holidays – how does it work? (and the codes you’ll need for 2024!)

Updated January 2024

This is a full guide / review for the £9.50 Sun Newspaper Holidays. Answering questions like: How do I book a Sun Newspaper Holiday? Are they worth it? How much do they cost? Which destinations are available? When can I book? Plus the codes you’ll need for January 2024. So keep reading for everything that you need to know about this budget holiday scheme – it can be a great way to enjoy a cheap family holiday.

Are the Sun Newspaper holidays worth it?

The Sun Newspaper holidays are definitely worth it – they’re a fantastic way to get away, even on the tightest of budgets. In 2022 we enjoyed two holidays – one Norfolk break which was £66 for Mon-Fri in May (including a caravan upgrade) and another for £78 to the Isle of Wight in June! Both resorts were Parkdean and it cost us a fraction of the price that it would have to book directly. (Though it’s always worth comparing a direct booking cost!) We had two holidays for less than the price of one!

This isn’t the first time that we’ve used the Sun Newspaper holidays offers either – we’ve done it a few times over the years, and it’s a great way to explore the UK (and make memories with the kids!) without breaking the bank. If you fancy a family holiday, but you’ve not got much money to spend, then a Sun Newspaper Holiday is a great option.

We’ve actually used it twice to visit the Isle of Wight – largely due to the fact that you get discounted ferry travel too when you book through the Sun, which saves even more. We’ve never ventured abroad with the Sun Newspaper Holidays, but there are loads of campsites across Europe available, so you could even use it to seek out some sunshine!

How do I book a £9.50 Sun Newspaper Holiday?

The Sun Newspaper has a token based offer where you collect codes / vouchers from their newspaper – once you’ve collected the correct amount of codes (currently 5), you can go online to look at resorts and dates. But, don’t worry – I’ve added the codes below to save you the trouble!

Having said that, you’ll need to cut them out from the Sun Newspaper if you choose to book via the post rather than online! There’ll be a new four letter code printed each day from 6th January until 25th Jan 2024.

To book your holiday online: Once on their website: www.club950.co.uk select your favourite four holiday parks and four possible dates that you could travel – it’s as simple as that!  They’ll tell you what’s available, suggesting alternatives if needed, and if there’s a holiday that you fancy you can then book it. You’ll able to add ferry crossings, linen and other extras too, depending on your requirements, and these are also usually at a reduced cost.

To book online via Sun Savers: This works the same as above, but you can book the holiday through the Sun Savers app too.

To book your holiday by post: To book via the post, complete the booking form from the Sun Newspaper, and send it with the cut out tokens found in the Sun each day. Send it to: UK holidays in the Sun, PO Box 1811, Colchester, CO2 8LF

How much is a Sun Newspaper Holiday – are they really £9.50?

Sun Newspaper Holidays start from £9.50 per person – meaning that a family of four could get away for less than £50! You can clearly see the costs associated with your chosen holiday at the time of booking, and any costs for upgrade options etc too.

The prices will vary depending on your chosen dates, upgrades and specific destinations – but there are lots of very cheap and affordable options. Even if you end up a little over £9.50pp, it’s super easy to book a holiday for four for under £100 – we’ve never spent more than that. The holidays abroad, for those wanting to explore Europe, are typically a bit more expensive than the UK options but the campsites can be amazing!

Sun Newspaper Holiday Destinations in the UK:

You can easily use the Sun Newspaper Holidays to explore the UK on a budget – as they have parks all over. You can usually find holidays in places like:

• Cornwall
• Devon
• Wales
• Kent
• Lincolnshire
• Yorkshire
• Scotland
• Essex
• Dorset
• Isle of Wight
• North East England
• Somerset
• Suffolk
• Norfolk
• Sussex

Which UK holiday parks are included? Accommodation providers include companies like: Parkdean Resorts, John Fowler (check out my review of John Fowler’s Trelawne Manor), Away Resorts, Park Holidays UK, Verdant Leisure, Blue Anchor Leisure, Lyons and others.

You might be wondering if Butlins or Haven holidays are included in the Sun Newspaper Holidays – as they both were in the past – but unfortunately both companies have stopped taking part. Having said that, both offer their own cheap off-peak deals at various points throughout the year – with family stays sometimes even possible for less than £100. (Check out my Butlins review for more info.)

Sun Newspaper Holiday Destinations abroad:

It can be a brilliant way to have an affordable campsite holiday abroad too, in destinations across Europe, including:

• France (there are absolutely loads of options in France!)
• The Netherlands
• Croatia
• Spain
• Italy
• Germany
• Luxembourg
• Austria

What’s the accommodation like?

In the UK:

We’ve had some brilliant fun on Sun Newspaper caravan holidays. This was our accommodation for our 2022 Isle of Wight stay – it was well equipped and clean, and the beds were comfy too which is always a bonus! We stayed with Parkdean at Lower Hyde holiday park and it even had an outdoor pool with a flume! You can check out my full review here: Isle of Wight with Kids: Parkdean Lower Hyde Holiday Park Review.

We had a fantastic holiday and the caravan worked out at less than £20 per night. Obviously, the quality of the accommodation and the site facilities will vary – so get googling before you book!

Trelawne Manor in Cornwall (a John Fowler resort) is also one of the available parks – though we didn’t book this particular trip through the Sun Newspaper – we loved our stay there. You can read my review for more info: Cornwall with Kids: Trelawne Manor Review, John Fowler Holidays, Looe.

Abroad:

The European destinations on offer are often Eurocamp campsites, or similar – there are loads of holiday parks available to choose from! I’ve included a couple of photos from our abroad travels, as your accommodation would likely be a mobile home similar to this:

In order to assist with your accommodation booking / upgrade options, you might want to check out my article: Eurocamp holiday reviews: Which accommodation should I choose? What’s included?

It would also be wise to compare the cost with booking directly through Eurocamp (or similar providers) to ensure that you’re getting the best deal. Because the Sun Newspaper Holidays will often have extra costs for entertainment etc, it may sometimes be cheaper to book a break with everything included directly through Eurocamp – so do your research first.

Read my full Eurocamp Guide so that you know what to expect from this type of holiday, and explore my reviews of the places that we’ve visited.

Eurocamp Holiday Review: Camping Cisano San Vito, Lake Garda, Italy – check out this article if you fancy a break in Italy. This campsite in Lake Garda (photo above) is available to book in January 2024 through the Sun Newspaper Holidays – we loved it there!

Camping Village Fabulous in Rome, Italy is also available and a fantastic base for exploring Rome with the kids – we did Rome in a day when we visited!

And, two campsites that we’ve visited in France are also options too – reviews below: (Though, please note that we booked all of these European stays directly through Eurocamp.)

Camping La Chapelle, Argelès, South of France:

Les Lacs du Verdon Campsite, Regusse, South of France:

What else do I need to know?

UK holidays will generally be a long weekend or a Monday-Friday stay, but you can book consecutive dates to extend your holiday to a week. Some Europe based holidays will have 4 / 7 night options. And, you can also book more than one Sun Newspaper holiday, like we did in 2022, if you fancy a few different breaks away or a longer holiday.

For most bookings you’ll have the option to upgrade to a posher caravan / mobile home, and also the option of adding entertainment passes (usually around £20 for a family of four) which means you’ll be able to use the campsite facilities like the pool and watch the shows in the evening.

Some parks and campsites will include linen, others will have an additional charge, but you can always bring your own to avoid extra costs. Remember to select a dog-friendly accommodation if you’re planning on taking a furry friend!

Term-time dates will have the best availability, so if you’re able to make the most of this then it’ll open up a greater likelihood of you securing the holiday that you want at a budget price. The summer months and the school holiday dates will be the first to go – and they’re usually a bit dearer – so be speedy if that’s what you’re looking for!

What are the Sun Newspaper Holiday codes?

You only need 5 codes this time, so here they are:

• Code 1: GULL
• Code 2: WAVE
• Code 3: CASE
• Code 4: S4L7
• Bonus Code: SAND

These codes are valid for bookings between: 10/1/24 – 9/2/24.

When can I book a Sun Newspaper Holiday?

The Sun releases the codes a couple of times a year so remember to keep your eyes peeled for the next lot too! Research the parks that you would possibly like to stay at – use Trip Advisor and other review websites to get a good understanding of what will be on offer and to gauge other people’s experiences.

It’s wise to have a look at the parks available whilst waiting for all of the codes to be released, it’ll be first come first served so you’ll be able to secure your holiday quickly when the time comes. For this round, booking is now live today – Wednesday 10th January 2024 – and you’ll need to have made your booking by the closing date: 9th February 2024.

To get more information or to book your trip away, visit club950.co.uk.

Want to save even more on your family holiday?

Check out: 25 tips for travelling abroad on a budget with kids – here’s how to save money on your family summer holiday!

UK family travel on a budget: 20 ways to have a cheap staycation holiday!

And you’ll want to read these too!

Where should we visit in Cornwall with kids? A review of 5 popular attractions!

Cheap days out with the kids: 20 ways to have fun on a budget in the school holidays!

Kent with Kids: The 10 best indoor attractions to entertain the kids on a rainy day!

How can my child get a Blue Peter Badge? Enjoy over 200 UK free days out to UK attractions!

Frugal family days out: The 10 best FREE places to visit in London with kids!

Kent with Kids: The 15 best FREE family days out in Kent!

Wales with Kids: Hafan y Mor Haven Holiday Park Review, Pwllheli, North Wales

How to home educate on a budget: UK discounts, freebies & homeschooling tips – cheap travel, resources, activities & days out!