Sandy Balls Holiday Village

On arrival at Sandy Balls the reception was closed, we called the number clearly posted in the window and were met within minutes by the out of hours manager who processed us very quickly and was the most cheerful and helpful person you could ever wish to meet. After showing us to our plot he assisted me with pitching we were so pleased when he accepted our offer of a cup of tea as a thank you, but even whilst enjoying his tea he was telling us what was around the local area. My wife and I both said he must be a one off but imagine our surprise when over the next few days every member of staff we had dealings with were equally nice. Due to this we spent an extra couple of days and we have booked to return later this year.

Sandy Balls (despite a name you can't help childishly sniggering at) is, and always has been, a beautiful haven in which people can get away from the stresses and strains of modern life and get closer to nature and it's surroundings. I have been going for years, my parents took myself and my sisters there regularly when we were young and at 27 i now visit even more regularly (about 5 times a year!!) with my parents now residing there, and i still look forward to going every time! The staff are always helpful, the site is kept immaculate and as soon as you drive through the entrance you feel like you're in a bubble far away from modern life, and your workplace. There is everything you need on site, a new modern resteraunt The Bistro, a more traditional pub/resteraunt The Woodside Inn, Beauty parlour for the ladys (or men!) play parks and games area for the children, and it's all nestled among the tall trees. Of course if you want to step out of the park you have the stunning panoramic views of the New Forest with plenty of beautiful walks and country pubs to enjoy a swift pint along the way, and if it's shopping you want then Bournemouth and Salisbury are both nearby. The only gripe for me being the site seems to be opening more touring feilds than it can handle and it can get extremely busy in peak season. But all in all a fantastic holiday with stunning woodland walks .(Be sure to visit Good Friday Hill on site for stunning views)
Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, New Forest, Hampshire

Been going to Sandy Balls for many years now, however think this year may be my last for a while, the staff are good and the park is nice and well maintained, however i have noticed the prices increasing, the food is limited and a tad expensive for what it is, but my main gripe is that there are now far too many lodges and pitches, especially since they now do basic camping. they now seem to be packing them in, however the facilities like the swimming pool have not kept pace, so expect to be frustrated waiting for a swim, or getting a seat to eat, also some of the activities whilst good are poorly run, over booked or cancelled at the last minute, they are starting to hit the kind of prices Centre Parks charge, with nothing like Centre Parks facilities or management.
Sandy Balls Holiday Centre, New Forest, Hampshire

We've stayed at Sandy Balls about 4 times. On all 4 occasions, we stayed in their holiday home caravans and found the water not hot enough and the caravans could have been cleaner inside. Also, the caravans are positioned too close together. Other holiday maker's vehicles made night time noisy and we were woken up at 6am each morning by the delivery van to their on site shop, clanking bottles, etc. We haven't always liked the attitude of their staff either. All in all, it's nice to get out of London and stay here, but it's way over-priced. They always seem to have some kind of building works going on too and we never get offered any discount. We've cut down on staying there now and just go for the day to the New Forest instead.

I stayed at Sandy balls a couple of years ago and it seemed to be a little pretentious for my liking. The park was clean, but there was a feeling of please do not touch anything. We did enjoy the holiday and would recommend it to friends, but if you prefer to have a slightly more relaxed and fun holiday i don't think this is the site for you.

Sandy Balls is the quintessential holiday park. It's been around for ever, and is run as a brilliantly oiled machine. I visited in the Autumn with my two young children. It was a little bit wet (we used the indoor pool and the soft play area) and a little bit dry (we took a lovely walk in Autumnal woods, all glistening amber leaves and toadstools, and we played in the great outdoor play area). The park strives to be eco-friendly, family friendly and to cover all needs. My only small gripe was that the bar food was a little canteen-like for my tastes. I can't comment on the lodges, but for a touring weekend, particularly when the weather might not co-operate, Sandy Balls is peerless.