English campsite named one of the best in the UK that ‘rivals a five star hotel’ with safari lodges and on-site bar
AN award-winning campsite in the UK has been compared to a five-star hotel.
Concierge Camping in Chichester was recently named the AA Campsite of the Year for the southeast in this year’s awards.
Found in the South Downs National Park, the park first opened in 2015.
The fanciest place to stay is the campsite’s safari lodges, looking just like something from a Kenyan resort.
Each wooden hut has a full kitchen and living area as well as an outdoor sofa and picnic table.
Bluetooth speakers, full en-suite bathrooms and room to sleep between four and six people.
Otherwise there are also caravan and motorhome pitches, ranging in size and amenities such as electric hook ups and private bathrooms.
Gladiator Pitches have ‘day living’ safari tents with their own fridges, dishwashers and sink, as well as outdoor dining area and log burning stoves.
Otherwise Emperor Pitches have private cabins to park your vehicle right next to, with space for dining and relaxing.
Even their toilets and shower blocks are award-winning, with people saying they are five-star standard.
And when it comes wanting some food, there is not only a bar area serving wine, beer and cocktails, but two food huts.
Three days a week, guests can choose between Japanese street food at Notso or pizzas at Notdough.
The campsite is open all year round, with the washrooms heated, underfloor heating at the safari lodges and wood burning stoves at some of the pitches.
Along with being dog-friendly, there is also a shop and EV charging points on-site.
Previous guests have raved about the park, comparing it to a fancy hotel.
One person wrote: “Excellent campsite certainly a cut above, fantastic facilities that rival a 5 star hotel, very dog friendly lovely pet field.”
Another said: “Without a doubt the best camp site in the UK bar none with its 5 star facilities.”
A third commented: “This is definitely the Ritz of the camping world.”
The campsite is near both the city of Chichester and walking trails through the South Downs National Park.
It is also near the Goodwood Estate, so expect the campsite to be busy during the annual festival.
Prices start from £45 for the most basic pitch, and £485 for three-night stays at the safari lodges.
Three camping tips from an expert
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
Here are some of the other top campsites for 2024.
And we spoke to a camping expert on his top pitching tips.