4* Country spa hotel in the heart of the New Forest
BookMember since 2015
Disappointing
stayed: August 2026
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We were extremely disappointed with our experience, particularly because this was a landmark 60th birthday present from my daughter and something we had been really looking forward to.
We had previously stayed at Danesfield House and had a wonderful experience. In our opinion, it is a hundred times better than Balmer Lawn, and we really wish we could have stayed there again. It is also much closer to us, making it a far more convenient and appealing choice.
Unfortunately, we understand that you are no longer a provider for Danesfield House, so we had to choose an alternative. We eventually selected Balmer Lawn in the New Forest, despite it being around two hours away from us. Given the additional travel and the fact that this was such a special birthday gift, we expected the experience to be something memorable and enjoyable.
Sadly, it was a real let-down.
The accommodation at Balmer Lawn felt very tired and in need of updating. We were also particularly disappointed with the spa facilities. We would not really describe them as a spa experience. The pool is in one area, while the sauna and steam room are located separately, making the whole experience feel very disjointed. It lacked the relaxing, cohesive atmosphere we had expected from a spa break.
The break cost around 300, which is a significant amount of money, and we simply don t feel that the experience represented good value. To have travelled around two hours each way and then been so disappointed was particularly frustrating.
What makes this even more disappointing is that we know what a good experience Danesfield House provides, having stayed there previously. We would have much preferred to return there for such an important occasion, and it is a shame that this was no longer an option through your service.
This was supposed to be a very special 60th birthday present from my daughter, and unfortunately the experience did not live up to the occasion. We feel genuinely let down, both by the standard of the alternative accommodation and by the fact that there was no comparable alternative to Danesfield House.
We hope you will take our feedback seriously, as we would not want someone else booking a special occasion through you to have the same disappointing experience.
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