Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Godshill Village, New Forest National Park Hampshire, Fordingbridge SP6 2JZ England
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About
#5 of 16 Specialty lodging in Fordingbridge
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
Surrounded by the outstanding natural beauty of the New Forest National Park, Sandy Balls unites an enviable location with an excellent choice of facilities. The perfect getaway for families, couples or groups of friends in this wonderful, unique area of England. You’ll find something for everyone on the park, with resident alpacas, indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, a spa and a wealth of activities including a bush-craft school and Nerf Challenge. The New Forest begs exploration, bursting with wildlife, fantastic walks, cycle tracks and visitor centres. Watching wild ponies roaming across the heathland offers an unmissable treat to any visitor. A host of picturesque towns and villages await on the doorstep, whilst Bournemouth and Poole are nearby.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Archery
Bicycle rental
Indoor play area for children
Parking
Public wifi
Indoor pool
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Fitness classes
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Kids' meals
Outdoor dining area
Special diet menus
Game room
Entertainment staff
Evening entertainment
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Convenience store
Gift shop
Picnic area
Shops
ATM on site
Self-serve laundry
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Room features
Private balcony
Seating area
Sofa
Kitchenette
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Kitchenware
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Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Family
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Full view
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Godshill Village, New Forest National Park Hampshire, Fordingbridge SP6 2JZ England
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Car HireSee all Fordingbridge car hire
1734Reviews131Q+A100Room tips
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Detailed Reviews
Fantastic little break between Christmas and new year in a superior caravan. The accommodation was perfect for what we needed. The complimentary hand wash, washing up liquid and tea towels was a nice touch. For a 2 bed caravan, was also very spacious. Cannot fault it at all. The location is amazingly pretty, and the forest of lights were gorgeous, my wife and kids could not stop looking at all the lights. The food was fantastic also. Having read poor reviews i was sceptical about spending good money in the restaurant and pub on site, but all meals we had were superb, if not a little pricey. a few minor things to stop this being a 5 star review: No WiFi in and around the accommodation, but there is some available in the venues. The Entertainment venue (Woodland Suite) is very small, we had to wait around for tables to become free as people would begin queuing half an hour before it opened. All the staff were amazing, but a i felt the venues were a bit understaffed. The pub is table service and only and could be slow when busy. And only 1 bar staff in the entertainment venue which slowed things up when at the bar ordering. Speaking of Staff, a special shout out to Helena on the entertainment team who was amaxing with my little girl who was too shy to dance but really wanted to. We tried to get her up but she wouldnt until Helena came over. She really made her holiday special.…
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Date of stay: December 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Helpful
Response from Away Resorts, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 6 Jan 2022
Thank you for your 4 star review, GECostin. We're so pleased to hear you and your family enjoyed your break with us. It's a shame to hear the service in the bars was a little slow - this was due to staff isolating so we do apologise for this. It's lovely to hear your Daughter got up to dance with Helena. We hope you'll be back to see us again soon.
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+1
Wow what a fabulous time my family have just had at Sandy Balls. This was our first staycation as we always go abroad so I was very dubious. Pulled up to our luxury caravan and thought we must have the wrong accomodation. It was a new caravan but looked more like a lodge with a large decking. It was alot larger inside then I expected with ensuite to the master bedroom and the twin room had two full size single beds. The living area had patio doors leading out onto the deck. The kitchen was well equipped with washing machine and dishwasher. It was fabulous and I slept really well. Only wished they hadn't have sold out of the ones with hot tubs! The team at woodside inn and Aubreys were so friendly. The food and drinks were a bit pricey but delicious. My family took part in the Alpaca walk and Archery. Both events were great fun and the team members were excellent. We particularly enjoyed watching the pantomime which was well rehearsed with some cracking lines from the dame. The staging was genius with the use of the screen. We also enjoyed the Bill I Am magic show and quiz which I won (thank you for my wine and medal). The onsite shop had lots of local produce and was well stocked. Nice fresh bakery items and souvenirs for my children to buy with their pocket money. The swimming pool was larger then I expected and the children enjoyed a swim whilst I went in the Sauna. Unfortunately due to the weather we were unable to use the outdoor pool. The arcade had lots of 2p ticket machines and the team were onhand to refill machines with tickets. (Only advice to Away resorts is to update the bathroom by the arcade.) The site was well kept and the play parks were great, my children especially liked the zipwire. All in all a fantastic weekend away! Thank you. …
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Guest Solutions, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear S6237IYjob, Thank you for your 5 star review, We're thrilled to read you all enjoyed your staycation at Sandy Balls and had fun with the Alpacas too! We hope to see you all again soon! Kind regards
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We stayed in a luxury caravan in tawny woods, it was a great size and the patio was lovely being able to open the doors onto. We deff found it worthwhile getting a hot tub! The cleaning and maintenance staff where really friendly. The cabin was very clean with lots of spare fresh towels provided, and we had a useful tip to order a Tesco to our location too so we just got a few top ups from the local shop on site ( not as expensive as we expected though definitely worth getting your alcohol elsewhere). Lots of activities for kids , we had a lovely chap called billy b do a pottery paint class with them and help us out with a plan on what to do. only small hiccup was when we hired the bikes all weekend we didn’t realise a lot of the sites we wanted to reach on bike are too difficult with a child pod attachment thing) so would of been handy to have got a heads up from the guys at the bike store about that- you deff need to do most of it on a mountain bike and child less! We will deff be back.…
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Date of stay: June 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Helpful
First visit to Sandy Balls and just returned from a one week stay in one of the Zen lodges. Inside the accommodation was really nicely done and the overall park is a pleasant environment and a good location to explore the local area and beaches. Unfortunately I think the resort has now crammed too many properties into the site. We were really disappointed by the plot we were in as it had such limited usable outdoor space and was pretty claustrophobic. The deck is very narrow and when the doors are open you cannot pass. The hot tub was placed on what looked like a half finished patio with some very cheap and uncomfortable rattan furniture. There is no proper outside dining area or an umbrella. The area was overgrown with weeds and nettles and just didn’t look well maintained. The pools are both nice but limited availability due to the booking system. Both restaurants served decent and reasonably priced food but the service was very poor to the extent that we didn’t go back. Nicer food and much better service at the Fighting Cocks which is 1km away. Overall, kids had a great time but the adults were left disappointed particularly considering we were paying c£400 a night. Very unlikely to return.…
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Guest Solutions Advisor, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 5 Aug 2021
Thank you for your review, David H. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your stay within our Zen lodges and enjoyed the park. I do hope hope you were able to speak to Guest Services team during your stay regarding the overgrown weeds etc to as we could have tired to resolve them during your holiday. I have now passed on your comments regarding the outside space to the general manager for review. Sadly we have had to bring in the booking system for swimming due to the current climate - this is to ensure it gives our guests a fair opportunity to use the pools. We hope you will choose to visit us again as we would love the opportunity of restoring your faith in us.
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+1
We arrived to a friendly welcome, directed to our accommodation (comfort lodge Larch 14) with its own parking directly outside. We were a little concerned it could be noisy being reasonably close to the entrance and main area but no issues whatsoever. Everything was clean and certainly warm, we appreciated the heating and fire being on to greet us. A tea towel, washing up liquid and bin bag bundle was most welcome too, I had forgotten to pack bin bags so thank you for that added bonus. On unpacking we realised we hadn’t received our towel booking (£10 for 4 hand towels and 4 bath towels) which was swiftly sorted and within 10 minutes they were delivered to us. Good quality towels and saved a lot of packing space too. We tested the theory of making real dinners while we were away and had everything we needed including potato peeler (this was a little dicey to use as the blade kept falling out of the handle but it did the trick). Shepherds pie, chilli and chicken enchiladas were easily made in the kitchen. Plenty of storage space in the kitchen although a particularly small under counter fridge/freezer. The water was hot and plentiful, it’s a soft water area so not so much soap required or you’ll be a bubbly mess for a while! The beds were comfortable but just one pillow per person. We were okay with there just being two of us staying in a four berth we still enjoyed two pillows apiece. It was fab to have an actual bath in the main bathroom. We had a problem with being unable to take the key out of the door on returning one evening after hours but a message sent through on the app and within minutes a maintenance man arrived, sorted the problem and gave us a different key. The lock was still occasionally stiff at times though. A couple of suggestions (not complaints) a rug/cushions in the lounge would be a real added bonus. Instead of a ‘bedside table’ a slightly larger coffee table would be better. Our dining table was incredibly sticky in places despite our efforts in cleaning with antibacterial wipes made no difference. We bought a couple of large thin plastic chopping boards to use as placemats which made a huge difference. One morning we went to Aubrey’s on site for breakfast, good menu selection and very tasty food. We popped into the shop too, extremely friendly young man serving on both occasions, made us feel most welcome. A completely relaxed break in a beautiful area with fantastic customer service. Thank you…
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Helpful
Response from Away Resorts, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 12 Jan 2022
Thank you for your 4 star review, Poodle1973. We're do pleased to hear you enjoyed your stay. We're sorry for forgetting to leave the towels in your accommodation, but we are pleased this was swiftly resolved by the team. We do hope you'll be able to come and visit u again in the future!
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I have given Sandy balls a 4 overall. It has the potential for 5 but there are some improvements to be made. We stayed in an Heartwood Plaza with Hot Tub (larch row134) which was spacious enough for the 2 of us. Highlights: Staff are all friendly Lodge was a good size Lovely places to walk Good location but a car is needed Peaceful Dog friendly but at times overbearing Welcome pack was thoughtful especially the Prosecco The lodge was clean and homely The pop up shop was handy but very expensive The hot tub was well maintained and checked daily Bad points: No entertainment and only one bar open during a midweek break which sometimes meant slow service No hand soap provided but saying this they do give you body wash, shampoo & moisturiser Woodside Inn drinks and food expensive expect to pay London prices The shower in the shower room was extremely hot and seemed impossible to turn down, Also took an age to drain away. Lounge area in lodge could have done with a coffee table rather than a pouffe so drinks did not get knocked over. The kitchen could have done with sharper knives or at least a bread knife. Patio furniture needed a clean and also a table would have been handy for drinks. Would have also been an idea to inform visitors of lack of buses around the area. Overall, We may re-visit but n season as too much closed out of season and hope they can look at the above points.…
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Date of stay: March 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Helpful
Response from Away Resorts, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 17 Mar 2022
Thank you for your review, 112gillw. Its great to read you enjoyed your break with us and found your Heartwood to be spacious and homely. We do advertise on the website that during off-peak times, not all facilities would be available - this does include the entertainment. We thank you for your comments and will pass them on to the General manager for internal review. We hope you'll come back to visit us again soon!
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+1
Really grubby, paid a premium and it didn’t seem like the lodge was cleaned at all, the pots and dishes had remnants of food on them, the carpets were filthy and even the bedding was stained with mud. The cleanest thing was the hot tub as the engineer came passed twice to put chemicals in it. The shop was very reasonably priced and all the staff were super friendly, but I wouldn’t return to this - especially in the current circumstances - we didn’t use any of the facilities like the leisure centre, or eateries - it just put us off. If the lodges aren’t clean, what other precautions are they bothered to take? First time booking here and I definitely won’t return.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
3 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Guest Solutions Advisor, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 12 Nov 2021
Thank you for your 3 star review, HolidaymakersS. It's disappointing to read you wouldn't return to our holiday park. Our team are trained to ensure all units have a deep clean between guests - we can only apologise at this late stage that we let you down. Your comments have been forwarded to the housekeeping team and will be addressed internally. We do hope you'll change your mind in the future and come to see us again.
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We've been several times before but this was our first time staying in a knighthood Lodge with a hot tub and heated outdoor seating area etc, as it was my husband's 40th and what a treat it was! There was a great welcome pack on arrival with Prosecco, chocolates, tea, coffee, apple juice and biscuits which was such a lovely touch! The bathrooms had a selection of free toiletries which smelt lovely and the lodge had wifi (which I understand not all lodges do). The lodge had all utensils, appliances and pans we needed to cook and serve drinks (aside from washing up liquid. They give you dishwasher tabs but I bought some just to save a putting on a whole dishwasher load for mugs from morning coffee or water cups etc) and the decor was fab! The location is great, I recommend a visit to the Fighting Cocks pub and the Royal Oak pub while you're there! There is bicycle hire available to see all the beautiful surrounding area has to offer and as we got a pizza to takeaway from the onsite pub and it was delicious! I pre-booked my husband a full body massage at the on site spa too and he said it was fantastic. Will definitely be returning to a Knighthood Lodge again!…
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Date of stay: March 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: I recommend a Knighthood Lodge for a private, sheltered hot tub with overhead heating and a...
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Helpful
Response from Away Resorts, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 18 Mar 2022
Thank you for your review, LivingDaydream. It's fantastic to read your comments and we are so pleased you enjoyed celebrating your Husbands 40th Birthday here. We really hope to see you both again soon!
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Just read a previous review who stayed in the Zen 13 and we have just had 4 nights in the Zen 14. Very similar experience unfortunately and very disappointed with the lodge. 3 similar lodges literally on top of each other and like said on the other review, very little privacy for the hot tubs. Tiny little decking for walking into the lodge and seating outside very limited with so little space or sun. No WIFI as advertised unless you’re by the main shop and bars. WIFI is standard everywhere I’ve been now so this is really odd as barely any phone signal either. Every lodge or caravan had stickers on the doors to indicate they’d been cleaned, we didn’t and there were no toiletries as advertised also, not even hand wash or soap during a pandemic. One permanent resident next to us had removals arrive at 06:30 one morning and woke everyone up. No attempt to be quiet at all and a totally inappropriate time for this to start shouting and banging. We did speak to guest services about these issues and we got the welcome pack that wasn’t left on our arrival and sincere apologies. Resort location is great in the New Forest and walks around it were fab. Although when we walked up to the new parts of the resort where The Bluebells, Tawny Wood and The Brambles are located, we were shocked at how different they were. Lodges all spread out, large decking areas with seating and looked lovely with easy access to your parked car for loading/unloading during your stay. Also when we spoke to guest services we were told they all had WIFI too (which really rubbed salt into the wound) at a similar price we paid for our Zen. If we did return then would certainly insist on staying in these areas as looked a far more comfortable stay and value for money. Staff were very good, well stocked shop and every effort made to comply with C19 restrictions and guidance with lots of hand sanitisers and a one way system in place. Lots of activities to do and my two boys really enjoyed the mini archery once we eventually found the location. Signage could be improved as a first time visitor we struggled on arrival to find where we were going for parking etc and some locations even with a map. Aubrey’s service and food was very good. Outdoor pool was a lovely way to finish our mini break off with the temperature at 28C. After the first day there was no way I’d come back but as the week went on and discovering the new area of the resort, we discussed giving it another go in that area. The break certainly finished off better than it started.…
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
We stayed in an indulgent 4 bed lodge which allowed pets and had a hot tub. Upon arrival we had very generous welcome packs for us and the dogs!! The whole lodge was spacious, modern and very clean. Every staff member we met was so happy and friendly, the park was very clean and had lots of activities on offer. Only thing that we found was the restaurants were quite pricey, food was lovely but the portion sizes were quite small for the price. Also if the resort would be willing to invest in an adult changing table/facility for the swimming pool this would be extremely beneficial for our family and others for future visits. All in all, we had a brilliant time, staff could not have been friendlier and the park was decorated beautifully. Thanks all 🎄
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
Helpful
Response from Greg L, Other at Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Responded 21 Dec 2020
Thank you for the 5 star review ameylc94! We're pleased to read you and you four legged friends enjoyed your stay. We will ensure all your lovely comments are fed back to the team and we have taken on board your comments regarding the changing facilities within the swimming pool. Merry Christmas and we hope to see you again next year!
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David R asked a question Jun 2022
London, England, United Kingdom4 contributions4 helpful votes
Answer from reeseyReeseyford
Jun 2022 |
We have been to sandy balls every year for short breaks for about 10 yrs and have seen the changes away resorts have done and for the better yes the older lodges can be a tad worn but simply ask for newer one..or spend more ie a heartwood lodge or zen.some times the cleaning could have been better but never horrendous but I have found that even in hotels.Restaurants are convenient if you don't want to drive out of site and food is what you expect on a site its OK. We love sandy balls as it has a wonderful peaceful feel to it and if you stay out of season in January February its very reasonable.Away resorts has been investing so much money on the site but it takes time.yes the pool is it a bit shabby and I'm sure they will improve that area in good time.You cannot compare here to centre Parc (which has shabby lodges)as it it a different concept really.The idea of going away is to relax and enjoy not going around picking fault in everything like some reviewers on the site. OK if you find a slight fault just shrug your shouldes and say oh well get it dealt with if need be and enjoy your holiday and don't listen to the moaners and you will create some lively memories here as we have done
JJ2103 asked a question Jun 2022
Basingstoke, United Kingdom272 contributions23 helpful votes
liverpoolsarah21 asked a question Jun 2022
liverpool38 contributions8 helpful votes
Answer from Claire C
Jun 2022 |
The nearest Asda/large Supermarket is over 20 miles away I’m afraid so you’ll have to make do with the Co-op in Fordingbridge. They deliver to Sandy Balls or you can click and collect. It’s a larger than average Co-op but without the cheap offers of larger supermarkets. There’s a Tesco Express too. And also a couple of decent takeaways.
Carl R asked a question May 2022
1 contribution
Answer from LLLLJLJL
May 2022 |
We had a luxury lodge with hot tub and ours was at the end of the park right by the nature reserve and it was beautiful. But I do believe they are dotted around.
Poodle1973 asked a question Apr 2022
Northamptonshire, United Kingdom55 contributions5 helpful votes
Answer from Harriet P
Apr 2022 |
Indulgent lodge had a dishwasher. I don’t know about luxury.
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spanielsandhorses wrote a tip Jun 2022
Fordingbridge7 contributions5 helpful votes
"Speak to staff when making your booking, but I think that all the accommodation is good."Read full review
Vicky O wrote a tip Jun 2022
1 contribution3 helpful votes
"Only go for the most expensive options"Read full review
Fizzy fairy wrote a tip Jun 2022
Pett, United Kingdom10 contributions9 helpful votes
"Woodside very busy and book book book everything early!!!"Read full review
Cassie O wrote a tip Jun 2022
9 contributions1 helpful vote
"Book everything on the app before you arrive"Read full review
YBD wrote a tip Jun 2022
12 contributions3 helpful votes
"My rating for service applys to the restaurant NOT Sandy Balls staff"Read full review
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PRICE RANGE
£157 - £225 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
sandy balls holiday centre hotel fordingbridge
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandHampshireNew Forest National Park HampshireFordingbridge
NUMBER OF ROOMS
300
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Which popular attractions are close to Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Nearby attractions include Insight Activities New Forest (2.4 miles), Breamore House (3.0 miles), and Fordingbridge Museum (1.3 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an indoor pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Cartwheel Inn, La Lambretta, and Rose and Thistle.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Yes, guests have access to an indoor pool, a fitness centre, and fitness classes during their stay.
Are pets allowed at Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Are there any historical sites close to Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Rockbourne Roman Villa (3.5 miles), Sarum College (4.4 miles), and Newhouse (4.7 miles).
Is Sandy Balls Holiday Village accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.