A guide · 8 min read

Sandy Balls Holiday Village —
an honest insider's guide

We host Lodge 240, a 7-berth log cabin inside Sandy Balls. We're not the operator and we don't get paid to promote the park — but after years here, we've learned which bits are worth your money and which aren't. Here's the no-spin version.

Our log cabin in the woods at Sandy Balls Holiday Village, Godshill

The basics

Sandy Balls Holiday Village is a 120-acre park on the western edge of the New Forest National Park, just outside Fordingbridge in Hampshire. The park is owned by Away Resorts (a UK holiday park chain) but the layout — woodland, mature pines, no big rides or amusements — feels more boutique than your average caravan park.

On-site you'll find a heated indoor pool, sauna and gym (the “Leisure Centre”), a restaurant (The Hub), a coffee shop (Aroma), an outdoor pub area, a games room, a small on-site shop, bike hire, and a programme of activities run from the “Adventures” centre — archery, alpaca walks, bushcraft, segway, and more.

Caravan vs lodge vs cabin — what you're actually booking

The terminology gets confusing fast. There are roughly three tiers of accommodation at Sandy Balls:

  • Static caravans — the cheapest tier, built from prefab steel-frame units. Functional, dry, can sleep 4–8. Fine for a short stay if budget is the priority.
  • Lodges — purpose-built holiday homes. Sandy Balls grades them Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Heartwood Plaza in order of luxury. Heartwood Plaza tier comes with hot tub included.
  • Timber log cabins — a smaller number of privately-owned units, built from real timber. Older than the new lodges but proper character, deck out front, full kitchens. Our Lodge 240 is one of these.

If you book via the Sandy Balls website you're booking one of their units (caravan or lodge). The privately-owned cabins are only bookable direct from the owner — which is how you find them on sites like Airbnb, or (cheaper) on a host's own site.

The Guest Pass — what it actually does

A “Sandy Balls Guest Pass” is the bit that confuses everyone. It's an optional add-on, paid per booking party (not per person), that gives the whole group access to the pool, sauna, gym, and the ability to book on-site activities for your stay.

What's FREE for all park guests (no pass needed):

  • Restaurant, pub & coffee shop
  • Games room
  • On-site shop
  • Bike hire desk (per-hour rental still applies)
  • Park grounds, woodland walks, playground

What needs the pass:

  • Free unlimited pool access for the whole group
  • Free gym access for the whole group
  • Whole group eligible to book on-site activities (archery, alpaca walks, bushcraft, etc.)

Rule of thumb: if you're planning to swim every day, the pass usually pays for itself. If you're mainly there for forest walks and won't use the pool more than twice, skip it and pay-per-entry. You buy it at Sandy Balls Reception on arrival — not online beforehand.

Where to eat on site

The Hub is the main restaurant — pub-grub menu, kids welcome, dogs in the outdoor area. Aroma does coffee, cake and breakfast pastries. The bar attached to The Hub does drinks and a small food menu in the evenings. None of these need a Guest Pass — anyone on park can use them.

For a proper meal out, drive 10 minutes to Fordingbridge (The Augustus John pub does the best Sunday roast in the area, in our biased opinion), or 15 minutes to Fritham for The Royal Oak — a genuine New Forest gastropub with low ceilings, real ale, and a fire.

What's NOT on the park (but should be)

  • A supermarket — the on-site shop is small and pricey. Big Tesco in Fordingbridge (5 min drive); do a stop on the way in.
  • A petrol station inside the park — fill up before you arrive. Nearest is Esso on Fordingbridge High Street.
  • Direct beach access — closest sandy beach is Bournemouth (40 min) or Christchurch (35 min). Lovely if you fancy a day out.

Getting there

By car: M27 → A338 north toward Salisbury → through Fordingbridge → follow brown “Sandy Balls” signs into Godshill. Sat-nav for SP6 2JW gets you right to reception. The closest train stations are Salisbury(12 miles) and Southampton Airport Parkway (20 miles) — taxis run reliably from both. Free parking on park, no booking needed.

Frequently asked

Sandy Balls FAQs

What is Sandy Balls Holiday Village?
A 120-acre holiday park on the western edge of the New Forest at Godshill, Fordingbridge (postcode SP6 2JW). It's owned and operated by Away Resorts and offers a mix of static caravans, lodges, and a small number of privately-owned timber log cabins (like ours). On-site you'll find a heated indoor pool, gym, restaurant, pub, coffee shop, games room, on-site shop, bike hire, and activity centre.
What's the difference between a Sandy Balls caravan, lodge and log cabin?
Caravans are static holiday homes (cheaper, more compact). Lodges are larger purpose-built holiday homes — Sandy Balls grades them Bronze/Silver/Gold/Platinum/Heartwood Plaza by quality. Log cabins are timber-built and (in our case) privately owned, usually older but built more solidly than a static. We host Lodge 240 — a 7-berth timber log cabin, dog-friendly with an optional deck hot tub.
Do I need a Sandy Balls Guest Pass?
Not unless you want to use the pool, gym, or book on-site activities. A Guest Pass covers your whole party (not per person) for the full stay. Restaurant, pub, coffee shop, games room, shop, woodland walks and park grounds are all free for everyone regardless. If you'll swim every day, the pass usually pays for itself; if you're mainly there for the forest, skip it.
How much does a Sandy Balls Guest Pass cost?
For a 7-berth lodge: peak rates are roughly £56 (2-6 nights), £96 (7-9 nights), £130 (10-14 nights). Off-peak is £53 / £66 / £94 respectively. Pay direct at Sandy Balls Reception on arrival. Peak = Easter, May bank holidays, July-August summer holidays, October half-term, Christmas.
Can I bring a dog?
Yes — Sandy Balls allows dogs at dog-friendly accommodation. Their own lodges typically charge £45-60 per pet per stay; our cabin (Lodge 240) charges £10/night per dog up to 2 dogs. All dogs must be on a lead while on the park; the National Park across the road allows off-lead walks where safe.
Is there a hot tub at Sandy Balls?
Some Sandy Balls lodges have hot tubs as standard (built into the rental fee). Others, including our log cabin, have a hot tub on the deck that's offered as an opt-in extra (£175 for the stay). The advantage of the opt-in approach: you only pay for it when you'll actually use it, and it's the same Sandy Balls service team filling and maintaining it either way.
How do I get there?
By car: M27 → A338 north → A338 to Fordingbridge → follow brown 'Sandy Balls' signs into Godshill. Sat-nav postcode SP6 2JW. By train: nearest stations are Salisbury (12 miles), Southampton Airport (20 miles); a taxi from either is straightforward. Ample free parking on site.
Is it worth booking direct vs through Sandy Balls/Airbnb?
For our cabin (Lodge 240), yes — you save up to 25% vs Sandy Balls direct on the comparable 7-berth tier, plus around 12% vs Airbnb (no platform fees). For the Sandy Balls-owned caravans and lodges, you can only book through Away Resorts/Sandy Balls themselves; direct booking only applies to privately-owned units.
Living room with vaulted skylight, large wall-mounted TV and French doors to the deck

If you want a log cabin here

We host one of them

Lodge 240 is a 7-berth timber log cabin on the park — dog-friendly, optional hot tub, full kitchen, two bedrooms, deck out front. You save up to 25% booking direct vs the comparable Sandy Balls-owned lodges. No platform fees. Speak directly with Scott.

See the cabin·Check availability

Lodge 240, Sandy Balls Holiday Village, SP6 2JW