Glamping Holiday Reviews 2014
“Birthday yurt celebration”
Reviewed 21 October 2014
An unforgettable magical experience! Yurts were beautiful! Warm, clean and dry and had everything. Fairy lights lit up your way at night. Sheep in fields opposite the yurts. Lynn and Robin the owners, were welcoming, understanding and warm people. A great place to build bonds! Thank you so much!! Definitely recommend my stay in a yurt!
Ladykim68, Los Angeles, California
“Great experience”
Reviewed 19 October 2014
My boyfriend and I stayed here for one night on Saturday 11th October as first time glampers All in all we had a fantastic stay and would recommend a visit! The staff were so friendly and made us feel very welcome, so much so we were given a complimentary bottle of bubbles to ensure we had a lovely romantic evening celebrating my boyfriends birthday! The shower/toilet block wasn't right outside but worth the small walk, private cubicles and powerful warm showers! We will be looking to stay again in the warmer months when we can enjoy their beautiful surroundings and activities
SammyT247
“Vintage Glamping - We Loved It”
Reviewed 7 October 2014
Ok, so I don't like camping, - tents and the lack of en suite facilities tend to make me squirm. However, the chance to get to Dorset and stay in a very affordable Vintage Caravan seemed more me. - The website has lots and lots of information, and many choices, if you don't like tents, then you can book a vintage caravan (two to choose from) or a very contemporary USA Airstream with its OWN SHOWER. as well as a Log Cabin style Lodge, with a Double Bed, and lots of privacy. The Shepherds Hut, is charming, and the Safari Lodge has a very much "Out of Africa" feel. - (I know all this because I had the chance to have a look at all the options before I left) The Yurts are HUGE much more space than you would think, with their own wooden Front Door, all facing away from the site so you do feel very private. The stargazer pods, are spacious too. All the accommodations come with a TV, Heater, and the tents, yurts and pods actually have Double Beds, and some have extra Futons.
Our Vintage caravan ROSIE came with its own loo, and sink, lots of storage, a modern fridge, cooking facilities, TV and DVD player, and surprisingly a Nespresso Coffee maker, and heater (needed in October) we had a deck with table and chairs and in the summer i can see that it is used as a larger covered seating area, doubling the living space.
I am surprised at some of the negative comments on here, because the warmth of the welcome, not only of the manager who was there very late to welcome us with a smile, and with unhurried manner, but also of the whole support team, was superb.
The website shows all that you need to know, this is a campsite, and as such you will have neighbours, much like any caravan site, and in fact more space than a usual budget hotel... the views are all around you, and the site is large enough to go for a walk and take it all in, to expect your own field with 360 degree views is unrealistic - for the price, i feel you get an amazing value for money experience, and as they say sometimes you get out of something all that you put in. I think my next time I will try the Airstream, or the Safari Lodge, because I will be coming back.
David
Room Tip: “All the options are good, the Yurts seem to have the most space, but the caravans have Loo's and one has a shower, - TAKE time to look at the website and see which option is best, as the accommodation is very different to each other.”
DavidBearWorldMag, Manchester, United Kingdom
“Fantastic!”
Reviewed 29 September 2014
My partner and I stayed last weekend with our 13 week old daughter and had the best time!
The campsite was easy to find and in beautiful surroundings close to Shaftesbury town. The facilities were very good and clean.
The galaxy viewer pod was very comfortable and large enough for everything we needed, most of which was provided - electric fire, cool box, tv, double bed and bedding, 2 futons and a hamper with crockery, cutlery and pans. There was also a BBQ and fire put outside with picnic bench.
The staff were great; from booking the stay through to leaving.
There are different glamping units to choose from which would suit everyone and I would definitely stay again! It's just a shame we love so far away!
A great first family holiday for us, thank you!
Ruthlibbysmummy
“Happy family Times”
Reviewed 27 August 2014
I stayed with my family in one of the hurts. We had a great time and the facilities were very clean and modern. We had all we needed supplies we wanted such as pots kettle knives forks etc...
The staff were great...always happy to help and always with a smile... Dawn and Dave, site service, were exceptional...it's a great family camp and I would recommend the site and staff to anyone.
declanbrighton
“excellent value for money”
Reviewed 23 June 2014
Mel and Kim made the glamping experience more special,we had a lovely welcoming to the camp site very friendly. Glamping is definitely the way forward, comfy bed, large screen tv, bbq, all cooking utensils supplied,nice showers and a flushing toilet on this site. The 2 days away was used to completely chill out so lots of bbq and chilling outside the yurt for me. What was nice was being able to have a cup of tea in the morning as a gas stove is supplied with a kettle etc so bacon sarnies and a cuppa went down a treat we even had a bottle opener for the beer!!. cant wait to go back ..thank you Mel and Kim for creating a lovely atmosphere to the camp see you soon. We even seen a chicken strolling around I named him HARRY the chicken lol
382michaela, London
“Excellent experience all round!”
Reviewed 16 June 2014
I organised a surprise group booking and liaised with staff over email to book the site for 19 of us. The staff, particularly Neyah, we're more than helpful answering all my questions and offering insight as well as multiple price options for our group. We chose 5 different types of accommodation and couldn't have been happier with the facilities available.
We had so much fun relaxing and enjoying the sunshine however if the weather had been poor we would have been more than happy with the indoor space each accommodation offered - including TV/DVD!
I chose to book two on site activities - archery and laser clay shooting. The archery was run by on site staff, with the laser shooting a company who bring their equipment in. Both were absolutely fantastic and great value for money. We were additionally welcome to use the field at our own leisure which we played rounders on - great fun! The only point I would say is a toilet slightly closer to the glamping area would have been greatly appreciated but the 1min walk was not a massive issue. Overall we had a very special weekend and I could not recommend the site and the services more. I have pictures if they would like them as the website does not offer much insight into the different accommodation types or do them justice. Thank you :)
Danielle A
“Excellent Trip!”
Reviewed 22 May 2014
Hi,
My partner and I just got back from Dorset Country Holidays and stayed in one of the yurts. It was awesome, lovely views, cosy and lovely staff!
Did the Archery which was so much fun!
Had a look at the other accommodation, the pod star gazing and the bell tents, and will definitely go back with friends and family to try them all out.
Really relaxed atmosphere, had lovely BBQs, and fires in the fire-pits in the evenings. And lovely fry up with the grill / cooker in the mornings - all provided at no extra cost! *:o)
PodPhotography, London
“Beautiful setting,Top weather, Oh and we got engaged!!”
Reviewed 19 May 2014
Super friendly staff, everything you need for your stay, including firewood, charcoal, bbq and fire pit!! I got the impression the site is constantly evolving and will be even better in the future. Interesting experiences and different types of accommodation to suite all needs. Such a relaxing atmosphere and plenty of space to feel like your spot is your own. We took part in cocktail making and had a great time, plus when mentioning in conversation we had got engaged, my partner and i were presented with flowers and champagne compliments of the site. We were also informed that due to our engagement, if we would like to return we would be given an extra night when purchasing two. We would've gone back anyway!!! Lovely place and we will always remember it. It will always be special to us, and I'm so happy I chose to propose there!!!
Room Tip: Stargazer pods were awesome!
james h, Oxford, United Kingdom
“What an incredible weekend!”
Reviewed 18 May 2014
My husband & I spent two nights in the Hideaway Pod back in March 2014 and it was just perfect. I'd wanted to write a review as soon as we got home but, once back at work, the holiday blues kicked in and I could hardly even think about it for wishing I was back there!
We were greeted on arrival and allowed to park our car directly in front of our cosy looking pod so that we could unload our things. This was very helpful as it saved multiple trips to the car to get our snacks/clothes/etc. We were even offered help with carrying things! We were then left to settle ourselves in while Ken & Jude (the site wardens) informed us that they'd be on hand should we need anything. We felt this was the perfect balance of being helpful while not interfering.
The pod itself was SO sweet and homely! There were plenty of blankets, a cooler for our food/drinks, a heater and cooking equipment, even a small TV! The bed was comfortable and the whole place thoroughly pleasant, clean and welcoming.
We'd brought with us most of the things we needed, being seasoned campers, and in fact were surprised at how many facilities actually were available. The only thing we didn't have was cigarettes! We remembered that we'd passed a garage on the road when we came in, so wandered up there to buy some. The super friendly guy in there said that they didn't sell them, but he gave us directions of how to get to Shaftesbury, the nearest town. His explanation was perfect and he even recommended a pub on the way (which we took advantage of!). We had the most wonderful walk up to the town and got some great photos, none of which would've happened had he not suggested it to us.
By the time we got back on this first night it was starting to get dark and we were pleasantly surprised to see a group of people sitting around a barbecue near to our spot. It was the site wardens, the manager, some other guests and even the chap from the garage! They invited us to join them, but we declined as we were tired from our walk and wanted an early-ish night. However, one of them took the opportunity to recommend another walk to us for the following day and even gave us a brochure!
The next day we explored around the local area for most of the morning which was just beautiful. We returned to the site in the afternoon as we had an archery session booked. This was the highlight of the trip for me - what fun! I was a natural (of course) and my husband wasn't bad either, but most importantly Ken was really patient with us and even spent longer with us than we'd had booked because he saw that we were getting the hang of it and enjoying ourselves so much! We were quite cold after standing around firing arrows for such a long time, so after that we went to light a fire in the fire pit provided in our little 'yard'. Heaven! Ken sold us some fire wood and provided us with kindling to get the thing going. He even built the fire for us! We stayed outside until pretty late, just chatting by the fire, drinking cider and enjoying the outdoors. As far as I know, nobody made any complaints about us (despite there being another couple quite close by and the wardens' caravan being a stone's throw away!) as we were intentionally keeping our voices down, though still didn't feel restricted in any way. I hope therefore that our late night drinking/chatting didn't cause any inconvenience for anyone. I think it's easy enough to avoid annoying others (i.e. not being rowdy, getting plastered, swearing, etc) if you're considerate about your behaviour wherever you go, which we like to think we are! All in all, an absolutely fantastic break. The whole site felt clean and safe with good facilities for everything we needed. All the people we came into contact were so friendly and welcoming, we felt very well looked after while still feeling sufficiently as if we were fending for ourselves 'in the wild'. The perfect balance! Thank you so much.
Room Tip: Highly recommend the Hideaway Pod for couples!
Slanzer, Winchester, United Kingdom
“Great glamping break”
Reviewed 12 April 2014
We came to Dorset Country Holidays glamping with our friend, who had been given the trip as a present for Christmas. On arrival the staff were very friendly and chatty, we were shown around and to our yurt. The yurt was very clean and well maintained, and had a BBQ, chimnea and gas stove outside. All essential utensils were provided, so once we had bought some food, we were able to start cooking straight away. The toilets and showers were clean at all times. Unfortunately the week was a little cold, particularly in the evenings, however there was a small but effective heater in the yurt, which kept us all very warm. The sofa bed was a little uncomfortable, but not a real issue, although being close to the floor meant it was cold at night. The main bed was very comfortable. The only limitation was the location, where you need a car to be able to access anywhere easily, again not a real problem for us. I would definitely recommend staying here, it would be particularly nice on a warm summers week!
phil_egan, London, United Kingdom
“Wow a place that must be visited”
Reviewed 22 March 2014
We went hear for a weekend get away. Ken and Jude are great people that are in it for the love of guests, great local information and this is a place I need to revisit and will do for many years. Rob the owner was also great, as I required some assistance with medical equipment, this was done. Again outstanding customer service, also Ken and Jude, we would have been very cold if it was not for your great assistance in showing us how to get the fire going. We will see you very soon. This is a must. YOU have to visit this site, so much care for the guests. ken and Jude worth there weight in gold and more see you soon. Gareth Padfield
Gaz4062, Leicester, United Kingdom
“Fantastic Glamping Experience”
Reviewed 1 March 2014
This glamping experience was bought for myself and my fiance as a christmas present for us both. Rob the owner of the campsite emailed me to inform me about the campsite due do the bad Weather the past few weeks we were offered an upgrade or to change the date of our holiday as the campsite had been damaged by the weather, which myself and my fiance agreed to an upgrade and we are extremely pleased we did. Up on arrival Ken and Jude (the site wardens) greeted us and gave us a warm welcome to the campsite and gave us a tour of the campsite and the facilities. They were always on hand if we needed anything and were very kind and helpful. We loved it here so much we stayed an extra night, we didn't want to come home. We also had a brief meeting with rob the owner of the campsite on passing and even though he was extremely busy he made time to stop and chat to us to welcome us to the campsite and to see if everything was ok. We were meant to of stayed in the star gazer pod but it was damaged by the weather in the past few weeks, we were upgraded to the Hunters lodge which was fantastic. We will definitely be returning to this campsite for future holidays. Ken and Jude were extremely helpful and they made the holiday. We strongly recommend this campsite. Thank you again for a fantastic holiday.Room Tip: All of the accommodation are extremely beautiful, but I would strongly recommend Hunters lodge.
Namoi, Cirencester
“Brilliant Glamping Week”
Reviewed 27 January 2014
We were given our Glamping trip as a christmas present. On arrival we received a warm welcome from Ken and Jude & were quickly informed that we were to be upgraded from our Hideaway cabin to a very spacious Yurt. The accommodation was fantastic, considering it was early January the Yurt was so warm. The bed was so comfortable, it was great to have electricity & we had all the cooking utensils & equipment we needed to eat really well. Loved the decor inside & was such a different experience than just staying in any regular tent. We were really impressed with the cleanliness of the whole campsite, especially the toilets and shower block. A huge positive was the fact that our dog Daphne was treated like any other human camper. We weren't made to feel like she was any sort of burden & was even provided with blankets, toys and food bowls for her. She had a great time, she loved waking up & seeing the sheep in the opposite field. As many people have said, Ken and Jude really make this place special, their commitment and passion for the campsite is fantastic & their friendly and warm manner made us feel so welcome & no problem was too difficult for them to handle. We loved the place so much instead of staying 1 night we ended up staying for 4. Thankyou so much to everyone at Dorset Country Holidays, we loved it. See you soon.
Mike J, London
“What a great experience!”
Reviewed 6 December 2013
We booked a stay in the Stargazer Hut during the October half term holiday. Unluckily, our stay fell on the night after 'the great storm of 2013' which was all over the news. When we arrived, the campsite had encountered a power cut (along with half of the UK) and the manager and his partner had complicatedly sourced and rigged up a collection of generators to keep us all cosy. After a delicious meal at a local pub (we were even offered a lift over there by Ken!) we returned to the darkened site and enjoyed the truly amazing views of the stars. The electricity came back on late at night to the delight of everyone. The dedicated staff were amazing; welcoming, chatty and fun. They even spent time giving us recommendations for local places to visit and they were so passionate about their site and the surrounding area. This was further exemplified by the fact that despite the horrid muddy weather, the whole place was spotless! Highly recommended for a fun glamping experience. Thanks to Ken and Jude. Fab.
Gemma O, Milton Keynes