Hoburne - Bashley Park, New Forest

At the time of booking our key priority was a dog friendly self-catering accomodation that accepted pets and was available at a weeks notice for October Half Term. Clearly with such little notice almost anything was considered. Static caravans weren't high on our list but they were the affordable option and the only one under £2000.

We rented privately but paid £23.50 direct to Bashley Park for use of all the additional facilities.

On arrival we drove down a well maintained long tree lined private lane with multiple zebra crossings past a golf course, tennis courts, a crazy golf course and large childrens play area to recpetion where we collected our keys. We were given a welcome pack containing a map of the park, the opening times and locations of the various facilities and an entertainment timetable.

The site has approximately 400 static caravan pitches and three fields for touring caravans accomodating an additional 450 caravans and motorhomes. The site operates a strict no tent, no pup tent, no trailer tent policy in addition to very specific pitching instructions. The pitches are all very generously proportioned with ample space between each.

The site boasts a well stocked Costcutter general store offering the essentials at reasonable prices although there is a large Tesco 3 miles away in New Milton. The launderette is open from 8:30am until 8pm and is token operated meaning a 200m walk to reception before you start. There were plenty of machines available throughout, not surprising at £2.75 a load and 50p for 5 minutes drying time.

The Club House (and the reason for the additional charge) houses a very popular self service restaurant with large portions at £4 per childs meal which was big enough for the under 12s. It also offers a two lane indoor bowling alley, an over 18s bar area, an amusement arcade, a sauna, steam room and a heated indoor swimming pool with a remarkably long slide and bubble pool. Its worth noting that the design of the pool is such that no matter where you stand you can't see everything which is why Hoburn insist all under 12s are accompanied in the water at all times. The poolside offers three voyeristic showers one of which is cold. Theres always a queue to use them, the only alternative is to head back to your caravan or one of the touring fields shower blocks to shower off in privacy but that can entail a ten minute walk.

Outdoors during the summer there is an enormous childrens paddling pool and outdoor swiming pool. Additionally theres a snooker and games room where a snooker tables costs £3 per hour and both darts and table tennis are £1 per 30 minutes.

For the more adventurous theres a nuture trail around the primiter of the 100 acre site althought he majority is not paved and wellies are advisable. Despite the requirement that children are supervised at all times and that pedal bikes are fitted with lights driving after dusk is downright scary as black clothed toddlers lurch across roads imediately in front of traffic without a second glance, or even a first one chaperoned by marginally elder siblings. Children roam in goodnatured packs of 20 or more which can be intimidating.

Overnight the site was quiet with the majority of noise centred around the clubhouse which closes at 11pm.

There was plenty of entertainment laid on. The site has resident entertainers who during the day don the costumes of Sammy the Seahorse, Larry the Lobster and Tommy the Turtle providing daytime childrens entertainment and a childrens disco each evening until 7:30pm. Elsewhere in the complex is a nightly game of bingo followed by adult dancing and cabaret. Not my cup of tea so we avoided that but there were plenty of places to sit out of ear shot. For the sports obsessed Sky Sports was on constantly in the adult bar.

The park is clean, well maintained and relatively quiet. The entire site is wheelchair friendly with a number of caravns adapted with ramps for easy access.