Sandy Balls Holiday Village

A aimé : Wow what an amazing site! Brilliant value for the facilities and entertainment set in a beautiful location and all of the staff were so chatty and friendly!

N'a pas aimé: The camping toilets got dirty quickly in the morning but that is the only bad point and they were quick to clean them again. It's a shame they can only open for 28 days, we would have loved an extra couple of nights but we unfortunately booked at the very end of the season 😞

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A aimé : The staff were really friendly and helpfull. The pitch for our tent was huge. Shower and toilet block clean and modern, lots of on site facilities with good size shop and deli. Really nice pools. The new forest is stunning and the site itself relaxing but still with lots to do !, overall we really had a good time and would go again

N'a pas aimé: NO real dislikes only suggestions , the camo field washing up area only had cold water so we needed to take a boiled kettle with us each time, and I would have paid slightly extra for an electric pitch. BUT WE LOVED OUR STAY

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A aimé : Had a great time camping here. Not far to walk to get to the centre of the resort for shop, pub and arcade. Staff were friendly. Good location for visiting New Forest or heading into Bournemouth. The air show was on while we stayed which is a must for anyone staying at that time of year.
Good level pitch which were marked out.

N'a pas aimé: You need to book early for swimming pool. We booked the camping pitch spare of the moment & pool was booked up. However we had lovely weather and headed to the beach, and Fordingbridge to splash around in the river and little padding pool in the playground.
While shower/WC block was bright & airy, could have had a few more cleans. I’ve used worst facilities, but there was room for some improvement. It was at the end of the camping session so might not have had the staff? Nothing I had to complain about, but would have been an extra bonus in my view if floor was cleaned daily.

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A aimé : Loved the value for money that you get with this site as the pitch fee includes access to the holiday park. The kids loved it as lots of activities for them to do (although most activities were at an additional cost but this was justified in our minds by the fact we weren't spending out on accomodation). The outdoor swimming pool was also really lovely and this is included in the pitch fee.

No campfires allowed however bbqs and gas stoves are so we managed to cook our meals on site every day. There's a shop on the holiday park open until 8 but its not cheap and does take as long to walk to it as you could probably drive to the local co-op. We did get some good deals on some reduced meat in there though one evening for our bbq. There was a large open field next to the site which was great for ball games.

The site itself was nice and tidy. Showers and toilets were kept clean and nice hot, private showers.

It's in a great location with loads of stunning walks nearby. Fordingbridge recreation ground is also a few minutes drive away which is amazing for kids and only cost the parking. Massive play area, outdoor paddling pool and a beautiful river to paddle in. The town itself was also very pretty and has a large co-op for all your essentials.

It's also only 30 minutes from Bournemouth beach and lots more in the area which we didn't have the time to explore. 25 minutes from Paultons park.

N'a pas aimé: It would be nice if there were a few more showers and toilets as only 3 in the female block which caused a bit if a queue which isn't ideal when you're trying to get out for the day.

The pitches are very close together but I think this is quite common on holiday parks like this.

There's no playpark on site unless you go quite far into the holiday park around the lodges but it's a bit of a walk. It would be nice if there was one on the camping field.

The indoor swimming pool was very grimey and in need of modernisation. The leisure centre changing rooms and showers were also in the same state. We stayed in the outdoor one as this one was much cleaner and well maintained. You have to book the swimming sessions in advance and these get booked up weeks before your stay. We did manage to go in last minute though a couple of times if others don't show for their session.

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A aimé : The arcade on site...WHEN you get there.

N'a pas aimé: This campsite is not ON Sandy Balls. If you are expecting to be on site with the amenities a short walk or safe bike ride away DO NOT book. It is down the main road. I have many happy memories of camping at Sandy Balls as a child and was really excited to take my own children many years later. I remembered my time cycling to the shop to get my Dad a newspaper. I was excited to see all the extra facilities since my time there. However we arrived to check in to be told to wait in the car as the campsite was overloaded and not ready for us. The first alarm bell was, 'there are cars holding up traffic on the road'. We were told to wait for 8 minutes which turned into 25. Eventually I went back inside to ask for an update and was then told we could go. So we had to turn around and go back on the main road for 500m and turn right. This was we found out our field to camp in. Not a good start. It was pretty full already. No pitches laid out, just rows of tents ahead of us. We then were told by the young man there to pitch up anywhere and let him know where. Our children like cricket so we thought lets go along the trees to the right opposite others and have a bit of space to play in front of us. My husband began to set our large 8 berth tent up whilst I took the kids back INTO Sandy Balls to check things out. So we hopped on the bike and cycled back along the main road. 45 minutes later I return to a tent that is up, well done hubby, and then the young man saying that where we were was not a pitch and we had to move. Sorry...you said pitch anywhere? Obviously we called management, another 30 minutes later for them to walk to us we complained about the lack of information about it being Sandy Balls. Explained the council stopped camping on site in 2018? Why was this not clear on the website? We managed to get £30 vouchers in compensation to use on site. Ironic. Anyway, we did move, tent back down etc. to another pitch and then went into site for some food. Well, where to start. The restaurant is done up wonderfully, but the chefs cannot keep up with the small and overpriced menu. Over £40 for a decent bottle of wine, £17 for a small and boring caesar salad & cold chips which we sent back and never got again. Then the kids meal deal was labelled wrong on ALL of the menus and was overcharged, yet that is my fault? (£10.45 for main, dessert & drink). Back along the main road to the tent which we then had to push the bikes with head torches as pitch black and dangerous.
Then the campsite facilities, 2 portaloo blocks for what could be 300 people. 3 toilets & 3 showers in each. Safe to say there were queues. Luckily we made the most of it and once in our pitch we were happy and cycled a lot through the New Forest. BUT we did not have the experience we wanted. We wanted to use the amenities and have a nice chilled break. This was not it. Will not be returning and nostalgia of what was a lovely site has gone. If you want to escape to the New Forest into a field with no amenities, which this was, this is there are plenty more available to you within the New Forest.

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A aimé : We chose to camp at Sandy Balls because of all the extra facilities we would be able to use on site. Swimming pool, arcades, kids clubs etc.
Our younger ones loved the kids disco in the evenings and the campsite itself was perfect. Basic but had everything we needed.
The price seemed a bargain, we paid £144 for a family of 5 for 4 nights.

N'a pas aimé: The only negatives were no hot water for washing up, although we filled our washing up bowl from the adjacent shower block. Also the walk from the campsite to swimming pool etc was about 10 mins away.

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A aimé : This was our first time camping. The staff on site were very friendly and helpful, the site was clean and we saw cleaners in the shower block in the mornings. They had a freezer for ice packs we could use on site. We used the entertainment which the kids loved and we paid for a couple of activities alpaca walk was a winner for my children. We managed to do swimming top tip if you haven’t booked, turn up 10 mins after the hour if people haven’t shown up you can go swimming, we did this and got in straight away! The arcade was good fun too and the children enjoyed spending their pocket money here.

N'a pas aimé: Having to book for swimming and cost of activities on site are a little expensive. No wifi and bad phone signal (became a problem when I’d forgotten what time I’d booked an activity for and tried to look this up). The site shop was a little pricey but there are local shops close by which I will use next time.

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A aimé : Clean toilets and showers
Very respectful fellow campers - quiet by 10pm
Level pitches
Friendly staff

N'a pas aimé: No hot water for washing up

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A aimé : Right 3rd like writing this as my phone decided to keep getting me out..seems like it's trying to tell me not to write this!

So...
The camping :

Everyone was respectful of noise level at night...except a car alarm went off in the middle of the night..can you believe :o ooopsie...sorry..not me my friend...

That 100s of campers were not therr and it was a relatively small area...which is good for us unsocial people but just enough people for when we want to socialise...maybe...

The activities...
Imagine your young children doing the glitter globes and I say "look" and they double took the great big bear. "Wow that bear is so realistic " . Yes yes go get a photo!

The entertainment
.wow that pirate treasure...what a great game...one family won a chest and when it opened up ans they won "nothing" it was brilliant - bless... but it didn't end there..another family won a chest and they won a high 5 and the host goes "better than nothing" ha almost fell off my chair.
The party bingo was fab. Love this idea...yes I do understand now why it is only 1 line then full house..Imagine playing bingo and your numbers don't come up.for a long time and then bam BINGO!!!
Just want to say we loved the prizes wow !!!!

My friend got up and danced and won a prize ! Was brilliant.

The alpacas walk...wow what beautiful sights..
Imagine you're having this lovely walk " awww look at archie, what a good alpaca..he is described as laid back" he stops...he is not moving....you look at him and he is staring back at you chewing like " what you gonna do"..scary but survived wooo!!! Very good walk!!

During the nerf sessions there was a game and the host was a target as well as he had to shoot the children...it was so funny.. the guy was so chilled about it the kids loved it... he got shot in the eye and that's why you wear the goggles!

Damn I just remembered while writing this...I got to go up on the stage as I won the bingo...and cheered as I was so happy with those outstanding prizes...my hands up... I just remembered I was dancing so much...wondered if my sweat patches were seen!

One of the children I came with had type 1 diabetes and he lost his bag and the site tried ringing and not only that he had money in there and it was not taken..everything was handed in - thank you if you're reading this.

The soft play was nice touch as well as the wooden playground area...actually I followed the adventure playground sign and it led to the tiniest playground that was funny.
Overall it was such a fun time for the kids with some great laughs from my friend and I too!

N'a pas aimé: Disliked is optional but not the liked...that's cool!
Well..I dislike the wasps...but that can't be helped!!

I disliked that the camping pitches I felt were quite close and crammed in the middle...would have been better to the sides...and have the space in the middle for the kids...
Also do you know how exhausting it was going up and down and around judging people's tents because om a professional camper...haha jokes...

I saw one young girl serving the shop and the cafe...would have been nice for more staff or hope she got paid a lot more ! She was like a yo yo ! Well done you!

I disliked that the prizes in the 2p arcade machines suxked.BUT then I remembered it's aimed at kids not me...so the children enjoyed the arcade ha!
The WiFi.. what WiFi? No one needs that when camping :D
Overall my main dislike was I had to go home :(

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A aimé : We had a camping pitch on the further field and it was lovely. A nice quiet site with similar young families and small groups that were respectful. The showers were hot and clean and the washing up and bin facilities good. Surrounded by trees. The main facilities were within easy reach for a hot meal and well stocked deli. We were really pleased.

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