Last Updated on August 15, 2018
Caravanning in Dorset at Hoburne Bashley
I have many happy childhood memories of going on caravan holidays with my family. Squashed in the back of my parent’s car with my three siblings, squabbling all the way but with great excitement in the air as we were going on our summer holidays.
So when I was asked if I would like to go and stay in one of Hoburne holiday parks this summer I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take my daughter and grandchildren on a summer’s holiday and see if my young family would enjoy the experience just as much as I did, and what a lovely way to go about making memories.
Caravans have come a long, long way from what they used to be, no longer are you all cramped up in a tiny space not big enough to swing a cat, today’s caravans are really spacious and luxurious in comparison and we were really impressed with the set up at Hoburne Holidays.
We were lucky enough to be staying in a three-bedroom home at Hoburne Bashley in Dorset; it’s such a lovely part of the world, with the New Forest on its doorstep and is just a short hop from the stunning coastline with many beautiful beaches and small fishing ports to discover.
Our caravan had one double bedroom with an en-suite and two single rooms (one which is definitely only suitable for small children), a shower room and an open plan kitchen, with a cooker, fridge freezer and a microwave and a comfy living area with doors opening on to the outdoor terrace equipped with table and chairs, perfect for al-fresco dining. There’s a TV and Wifi, although we did find the Wifi signal rather weak. We were supplied with bedding and bath towels and everything was very clean and comfortable. We were also provided with a travel cot for the baby. There is a small shop on site at Hoburne Bashley where you can buy groceries and there are plenty of supermarkets nearby, but I found it useful to shop before we arrived and brought along the basics I knew my family would appreciate.
The Hoburne Holidays Park is situated right on the edge of the New Forest and about 3 miles from the nearest beach. However, if you just want to chill in the countryside it offers a host of on-site activities and amenities. There is an indoor and outdoor pool, which we spent a lot of time in and which my grandchildren loved; the outdoor pools are surrounded by seating areas and sunbeds, most of which were in full use as we enjoyed some fabulous weather during our stay. There is a fitness suite, a steam room and a sauna. For the kids, Hoburne Bashley has Sammy’s Squad kid’s club, an adventure playground, a soft play area, and multi-use games area, which lots of keen young footballers were putting to use, plus an arcade inside which we didn’t venture into.
If you are a keen golfer you might enjoy the 9-hole, par 3 golf course. And, for beginners and those of us who don’t take it too seriously there is an adventure golf course by the pool area.
Inside the main centre at Hoburne Bashley is a Café h and a bar area with plenty of seating, food and drinks are served all day. We ate some good reasonably price food, which catered well for all the family. But if you fancy something a little more upmarket, or a romantic meal you can go to Brasserie 1912 and enjoy a meal prepared by the Hoburne Holidays park chefs.
Hoburne offer a full entertainment program in the evenings at The Venue, starting early with talent shows and discos for the children and then later for the grown-ups there’s cabaret shows, quizzes games shows and discos. We didn’t get a chance to go but it looks like they cater to all ages and keep a full and varied fun program.
For those keen on nature Hoburne Bashley is a wonderful location as they have an onsite Woodland Centre that offers interactive Bushcraft and arts and craft workshops and advice about the woodland and its wildlife, and of course you can venture out and spend a day in the lush Forest, enjoying some beautiful walks or perhaps go cycling or horse riding.
Spa – Beauty h
In May Hoburne Bashley opened Beauty h, a brand new spa, which I was fortunate enough to go and try out. It’s very elegantly furbished with a relaxation area and luxurious and spacious treatment rooms which offer a two bed option so you could have a massage alongside a friend or partner.
I enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing half hour facial treatment which they used Elemis products; this included a divine head and shoulder massage and proved to be the perfect time out treat away from the children. My therapist was very adept and charming and my skin felt refreshed and glowing afterwards. Alongside a host of different treatments, Beauty h also offer spa days.
Local places to visit
My daughter Georgia and I also wanted to get out and about and see the sights with the limited time we had, so on our first day we drove to Hengistbury Head which boasts beautiful long stretches of beach where we were able to dip in the sea, the children jumped in waves full of joy and excitement, and we happily sat on the sand whilst they paddled and made sand castles, just what family holidays are all about. And then, of course, there’s the fish and chips and ice cream.
We also paid a visit to Mudeford Quay and watched the boats go by. Mudeford Quay is at the entrance to Christchurch Harbour and has a spectacular view out to sea and of Christchurch town; it’s also a popular destination for sailors and windsurfers. We tried our hand at crabbing which the children loved and we took the ferry over to the Sandbanks.
Christchurch is also worth a visit; it’s a bustling seaside town with lots of guesthouses and hotels, plus plenty of cafes, restaurants and quirky shops to browse in.
This was my first time trying an intergenerational holiday, when you have a large family like I do it can prove very expensive to go abroad or rent a cottage big enough for us all, so a caravan holiday provides a great alternative. We thought that the site was very well equipped and that there were lots of activities available to keep the kids occupied, whilst at the same time providing a relaxing environment for the adults. All of the Hoburne staff were friendly and helpful which made everything very easy.
Buy your own Hoburne holiday home
Hoburne Holidays has sites in seven locations in the South West of England, from Cornwall to Gloucestershire and they also offer the opportunity to buy your own holiday home. What a great idea for families who want to put their roots down and know they can escape to the countryside or by the sea on a more regular basis. And of course, that gives you the option to create a home-from-home styled caravan decorated to your own liking.
The great thing about our visit to Hoburne Bashley was its simplicity. It’s only a 2-hour drive from London it was lovely to get away with my daughter and her boys and also be able to take my son’s daughter. The children were safe and as happy as Larry playing outside and swimming just as much as they possibly could, and of course, they very quickly make friends. We chose to do a mix of eating out and self-catering and we enjoyed evenings on the terrace with a glass of wine. It’s definitely something I will consider doing again with the family, it proved to be a wonderful way to bring us all together, and make some lovely memories into the bargain.
The seven Hoburne Holiday Parks in the south of England in locations including Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall. Some are in the countryside, others self-catering accommodation right on the beach. They offer a range of different facilities but all are well set up to cater for kids. Some of the sites offer a range of accommodation from lodges and chalets to camping pods and pitch sites in addition to static caravans.
For more information visit: hoburne.com and check here if you are interested in owning your own Hoburne Holiday Park Home
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Coming from a large family, I totally agree that vacations can get ridiculously expensive, not to mention hard to plan. This looks and sounds like such a fun trip and I bet it was amazing getting to relive your childhood memories too. It’s amazing how advanced things have become these days though!! I’m still stuck in the thinking that caravans are cramped so this was an eyeopener for me!
They have come a long way. The kids look like they are having a good time. That spa looks really nice. Sounds like a cool getaway.
Yes it’s funny how having grandchildren brings back all those childhood memories.
It is so wonderful to relive childhood memories through your grand children 🙂
I loved the camper settings. The concept of buying holiday homes sounds so good.
This sounds like a wonderful family trip! The caravan seems like it has plenty of room and there are so many activities for the kids. The golf and spa are the cherries on top
It was a fabulous family break and there was so much to keep everyone entertained.
What a fabulous place to make memories with the family! The caravan looks much better than the ones I remember from my childhood, and I definitely love that they have a spa, steam room and sauna on site!
The caravan is incredibly spacious, not like the one my family used to have! The Spa was a lovely treat.
First of all I cannot believe you have already grandchildren – wow! Although I’m not a big fan of these parks, there are certainly some activities I would enjoy a lot – like the SPA that looks so relaxing. And the beach with the cute blue cottages looks more than inviting. By the way, as a child, we didn’t go caravanning, but camping; that was pretty horrible: Adam and the Ants and the like…
Thanks! Its such a lovely part of the world in Dorset so its easy to get out and explore as well as enjoy the amenities.
Gosh this took me back! We used to go caravanning all the time when I was a kid! Times have definitely changed though, this holiday park has way more amenities than I would have expected – it’s great to have an indoor and outdoor pool in case the British weather is a bit dodgy. The spa sounds lush too, I’d be sneaking off there for a massage for sure!
You’re right times have really changed, the sites are so well equipped now and this park was in a great location.
I love how this holiday park has a spa, definitely not like old-fashioned holiday parks of the past! The caravan looks really spacious and modern and to have the entertainment and facilities on hand is a plus point especially with kids.
Yes it had all the mod cons, and great to have spa, gives the grown ups a bit of a break.
Oh I wish we had been able to go on caravan adventures when we were kids! We never had the opportunity (growing up in India is so different) and when I did my first ever caravan trip, I fell in love with the idea of it! Hoburne Holiday Parks look amazing, and the indoor as well as outdoor pools are so cool. Such a lovely way of spending some quality time with family, especially on a weekend.
It was very different when we were kids, we had a caravan trailer which was so small in comparison. This was a great opportunity to get the family together
Oh my gosh all the amenities! So nice! the caravan room literally looks like a hotel room! and those pools look like so much fun! Sounds like a great summer holiday to me!
Yes it was a great holiday, its amazing what fantastic amenities are available at Hoburne.
The amenities were fantastic, especially the swimming pools which the kids loved. Our caravan was very comfortable, more like a small appartemnt.