Forest Holidays Reviews 

Have been 3times now and booked again, lodges are spotless, hot tub always hot and maintained daily, lovely walks, always a relaxing holiday

Stayed at Strathyre over Christmas. It was perfect, the staff were amazing, everyone was friendly and extra helpful, checking we had everything we needed. We had the best time and can't thank, or praise the staff enough. The accommodation was great and the location is perfect too.

Excellent setup. Lodge was perfect with everything we needed. The surroundings of Garwant were beautiful and peaceful. 100% reccomend.

Lovely location, very relaxing. What an amazing location at Strathyre staff were very friendly and we did pop into the hub on a number of occasions. On the whole we loved the holiday and the hot tub. We did a number of excursions while we here including Bracklinn Falls, Doune Castle, Deanston Distillery and the Wallace Monument all close by.

The lodge was reasonably well appointed with just enough kitchen equipment to cook a decent meal. The only issue was the bathroom, which suffered from loose tiles, cracked lens on the mirror light and needed a better way of drying swimwear than the existing towel rail. Some of these items are an easy fix, but it looked like they had been overlooked for a long time.

We have stayed at a few Forest holiday sites, and we've loved each one. But got to say Sherwood is our favourite. The staff are so lovely, friendly and helpful.
Everything was just so brilliant

Our stay was cancelled, and customer service since then has been terrible.

Due to a storm across most of the UK, Deerpark in Cornwall had been damaged. Therefore, they needed to cancel our stay. I don't have an issue with this; however, the manner in which this was cancelled and the follow-up customer service has been and still is appalling.

They were aware of the issues on Saturday evening and closed the site on Sunday, the day before our stay. What I would have expected was an email or call on Sunday to advise there was an issue, offering a full refund or transfer to another park. However, what actually happened was we received an email about 4 hours before we were due to arrive, which we didn't see as we were already on the road. Then, we received a voicemail a 1 hour and a half before we were due to arrive to advise the park was closed and to check our emails.

To cut a long story short, tried to call back but could not get through, so ended up calling the main customer service number. The only parks we could transfer to were in Scotland; we were already in Cornwall. Advised we should get a refund within 14 days and would receive a discount voucher for future stays. Therefore, in Cornwall, 4 hours from home with a choice of returning home or trying to find an alternative and paying for this with additional funds, as Forest Holidays can not arrange an immediate refund.

On our return we received the refund with 7 working days, but no voucher. The voucher arrived almost a month later and is only valid for a month!

In the meantime, I have contacted customer services via email and advised I would receive a reply within 21 working days. Now, well over 21 days, and still no reply.

I am sure people have wonderful holidays with them, but if it goes wrong, be ready for terrible customer service.

Our experience was unfortunately let down by some key issues during our stay at the Forest of Dean site January 2025. On the first night, we had no heating or hot water, which is far from ideal when you’re looking for a cozy escape. Although this was eventually resolved, it did impact our initial enjoyment.

To make matters worse, on Sunday evening, we lost WiFi after purchasing the premium package. For a paid service, we expected reliability, but we were left without connection for the remainder of our stay.

While the location itself was beautiful and the idea of a forest retreat is appealing, these inconveniences made our holiday less relaxing than we had hoped. We sincerely hope the management addresses these issues to improve the experience for future guests.

We had high expectations as this was considerably more money than comparable accommodations, this review is based on dog owners.

The doorstep walks did no disappoint and we had a woodland cabin and the position was great cabins around you but you still had privacy.

Unfortunately as dog owners the facilities was not good enough, whilst we had under floor heating, there was no radiators or washing machine, so after 2 long walks and 2 dirty dogs, we had no clean or dry towels and found us placing dirty towels on the spare room floor not ideal.

Facilities for us also lacking considering the cost, simple things like pint glasses, ice cube tray, bowls for snacks all not available

The cabin layout itself was great, plenty of room BUT needs some TLC, door handles hanging off, shower hose needs replacing, lights not working (all things they did not stop using the cabin but once again price suggest a higher standard )

You have to leave the the cabin as you found it, there is no mop and bucket to clean the boot room area

There was construction / maintenance work on a cabin 150 yards away, we understand maintenance needs to be done, but maybe warn us, this was annoying

The shop wasn’t very well stocked and we planned to have one meal delivered they was out of stock of burgers prices are high and you have to pay delivery on top

We have a log burner at home and paid the extra for the warm pack (extra logs , kindle and lighter) there was not enough lighters for the amount of wood, when we questioned it they just offered to sell us some more ? We ran out of lighters on the 3rd morning

In conclusion from a dog owners view environment was great, but to charge the price we paid just shy of £200 per night was not value for money, you can go many other well known sites and get much better value, we did email with our concerns and feed back but had no response

We booked a midweek stay in Glentress forest.
First things first. The booking/check in/organisation was faultless. As was the lodge itself...absolutely stunning, with everything you would need. It was warm and comfortable, and the hot tub was amazing under the stars. I can't fault the lodge itself.

However I would say there are a couple of urgent improvements needed. The Glentress site is still very much a work in progress. The main hub is a bit of a mess, with building equipment laid around and three huge generators humming away. I guess this is a temporary setup...but given the huge scale of the whole project, I don't think it would have been a lot more work to make a shed/screens to hide the generators and building gear. There is another bigger issue...access. The lodges are 2 miles into the forest along a gravel road. Now I've been going to Glentress for 20+ years, but have never experienced the road like this. The increased traffic has pulverised the gravel to a fine paste. It adheres to everything...then sets like cement when it dries. Boots, clothes, cars. I'd strongly advise anyone not to let this stuff dry hard.
Of course nobody should expect to go to a forest and stay pristine, especially in winter. However there are not a lot of options to avoid the sludge-fest of the access road. Once you are actually onto the forest walking trails, it's fine underfoot; Glentress trails are known for draining really well. I just think a bit of thought needs to be put into making the same kinds of forest paths around the lodges. It would allow guests to access the cafe, and the trail network without going on the road. It would keep kids/guests away from site traffic too.

Abysmal after sales customer service , like many other complaints i have read on here about Forest Holidays, they do not respond to you if you have a post stay complaint and just basically ignore you.
We will be pursuing our claim further if needed in a county court and anyone who has not had a reply or an acceptable outcome to their complaints then i would suggest doing the same.
We have been waiting for over 2 months to get a suitable response and all you get in return is an automated email saying it will take up to 21 days for a reply!
We stayed in a large 3 bedroom cabin in Sherwood forest and paid over £1000 for a mid week stay, the cabin was grotty, tired and dirty. The TV didn't work and we had to call someone out to it who basically took the wall apart in order to access the plug socket which was shared with the microwave, his solution was to run an extension cable into the lounge to access another socket in order to get the TV working but it meant we had no microwave for the duration of our stay and having an unsightly electrical cable dangling out of the wall in our lounge.
The kitchen units were falling apart and the kitchen plinths on the floor were not fixed and kept falling on our feet
The hot tub lid was broken and didn't fit properly and the side panel was hanging off - complete lack of maintenance
the bathrooms were filthy cobwebs everywhere and dirt on the floors
We took photographs of everything and sent to them
One of the main reasons we booked a forest holidays cabin was because they sell these as a quiet and peaceful getaway retreat and we went there for exactly that but as it was bonfire night and we had our dog with us ( one of the main reasons we went was because he frets over loud bangs) the amount of noise we could hear for 2 consecutive nights from fireworks was horrendous and we may just as well as been staying in a city or town centre as the noise was unbelievable to say we were supposed to be staying in a quiet forest where we were not expecting to hear any fireworks at all and the noise went on up until midnight
had we had known about the noise which they should have informed us about before we booked and the poor standard of the cabins and the shocking standard of cleaning of them we certainly would not have booked
we have stayed in many of the other sites that they offer and have always been satisfied but Sherwood Forest was a complete shambles and it has put us off booking with them again owning to the poor after sales service they give.
think twice before staying there

Booking ref 6913834
I am in part giving my most recent stay one star due to the fact that I have now made a complaint twice to the Forest Holidays post stay complaint email address and still not received a reply. Can only assume they haven’t replied because they are inundated with other complaints.
I have been a regular and loyal customer at Forest Holidays Blackwood Forest resort for over 12 years now and never once had need to complain. We have always been impressed with the levels of cleanliness, state of the facilities and customer service. Last year however, we decided to spend New Year at the Sherwood resort and were sorely disappointed from the moment we got there. Incidentally, the staff were lovely and a credit to the company. They reacted swiftly to our issues, replacing sheets, the bin, sending Maintenance etc but there is only so much you can do with accommodation and amenities that are run down, grubby and in some cases completely broken.
Arrived on Monday 30th Dec 2024 to find no heating or hot water in the cabin. Two beds with stained sheets (red and brown stains), dirty cutlery, broken kitchen bin, stained downstairs toilet, food crumbs from previous guests in all the grooves of the kitchen table, dirty tray in oven, no chopping board or oven glove, big hair ball with dirt in it hanging off downstairs bedroom door, dead spider and cobwebs in upstairs bathroom, broken blinds in upstairs bedroom and three parts of the hot tub floating in the water that couldn’t be fixed as the parts are no longer made. The WiFi we paid extra for was also intermittent at best.
Maintenance came to look at the heating and tried to fix the issue. Gave us logs and a little heater which we put in the children’s room. However, the following morning the cabin was still freezing cold with no hot water. Called Maintenance back who found out that the pressure in the boiler had gone. They fixed it but it would be hours before the cabin would warm up. When it did finally warm up the cabin then became too hot, despite having set the thermostats to 20 and subsequently 18 degrees. The floor in the downstairs bathroom was so hot you couldn’t walk barefoot on it. Weirdly the floor in the adjacent bathroom had no heat at all. You couldn’t sit in the cabin the heat was so stifling so we then had to open all doors and windows to try and cool it down. No sooner had we managed to get the temperature to a tolerable level which took us until Wednesday, the heating dropped. At first this was fine as we had been so uncomfortably hot for so long we were glad for the drop in temperature, but then the pressure went again and we woke up freezing on Thursday. Once again we had to call Maintenance to come back and fix the boiler. I would say pretty much our entire stay was dictated by trying to make the temperature of our accommodation tolerable. Add to that all of the above issues with regards appliances and cleanliness, it amounted to an incredibly disappointing stay. The holiday cost us £2432 for four nights. We were offered £450 compensation plus early check in and late check out for the next time we book. However, when you consider that we didn’t have one single comfortable day or night in the accommodation, this to me feels like little recompense. The entire experience has made us feel undervalued as customers. Sadly we won’t be returning.
Booking ref 6913834

Small but very cozy park that holds a fantastic view. Our kids had a great time there. The staff was super friendly and went out of their way to help us. Definitely recommend it.

Updated 12/02/2025 - I emailed their customer service as suggested and still no response over 4 weeks later.

Having stayed at Forest of Dean Forest holidays several times I recommended it to my group of friends when we were looking for a relaxing hot tub weekend away together. There were reasons that this weekend was so special to us and we were looking forward to making lovely memories. We checked in on Friday at 4pm and were told the hot tub would be at the correct temperature by 7:30. At 7:30 the hot tub was only at 25 degrees. I contacted the helpline and was told someone would come and check. When they came they said it’d be another 3 hours until it was at temperature, and if we were unable to use the hot tub that night we would get a refund for the Friday night. We were also offered the entertainment package as we were unable to use the hot tub. We waited a while for the package to be activated but this didn’t happen, so we had to call again to chase this up. We stayed awake in the hope of being able to use it that night but when we checked again at 10:30, then 11:30 it was still only 31 degrees.
Luckily the next morning it was at the correct temperature.
We went for lunch at the forest retreat and went to reception to see how we would go about arranging the refund for the night before. I was told the supervisor was on break and she would come to the lodge when she was back, this didn’t happen.
I again went to reception on the Sunday and was told I’d need to speak to the deputy operations manager, they were contacted and met me there. We were offered early and late check out next time we stayed and the entertainment package. We were hoping to book again for a few weeks time as our Friday had been ruined, and as we were told we’d get a refund for that night we thought we could put any refund/vouchers towards that break and be able to fully enjoy 3 nights. We were hoping to book this there and then however we were then told we’d need to speak to the operations manager when they were in Monday to confirm the refund.
I called on Monday and spoke to Sarah, she said that a £50 refund had been issued. We paid £900 for the weekend and had been told we’d get a refund for the Friday night.
We are really disappointed with how this has been handled and the way we were let down over the course of the weekend. The main point of booking here was the hot tub and their site advertises ‘Plan your perfect hot tub holiday or short break
After a day full of adventures, it’s time to sink into your hot tub surrounded by the forest.’ Yet we couldn’t use ours for a third of our weekend and apparently a £50 refund makes up for that. It’s bad enough that it’s not ready to use from 4pm check in but to have to wait until the next day really isn’t good enough.

We recently stayed at Sherwood Forest Holidays in a Golden Oak Cabin, and it was absolutely amazing! The cabin was clean, cozy and a nice relaxing hot tub.
The Visitor Center and reception area had great dining spaces and activities for the kids, which kept them entertained at Visitors Center.A heads-up for future visitors: the cabin comes with a coffee machine, but you’ll need to bring your own capsules or purchase them at reception. Don’t forget essentials like salt and cooking oil if you plan to cook.
Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and we’re already planning our next visit.

Have stayed at several Forest Lodges and they never disappoint - Particularly like The Forest of Dean because go the easy access to walk to Symonds Yat.
The lodges are spacious very comfortable and well equipped. The Retreat has a well stocked shop and provides excellent tasty food. The staff are cheerful friendly and helpful. I can't think of a negative.

While the concept of the Forest retreat is amazing, the execution is terrible. This was our 5th stay with Forest Holidays and our last. Our first stay is why we kept giving them another chance. We have stayed at Blackwood, Ardgarten Argyll, Cropton, Forest of Dean and the "crowning achievement" Glentress Forest. While the location was spectacular. I am sure you know the saying a 3 dressed up as a 9, this is a solid 1. Let me give you a rundown:
- We arrived at 4PM for our Golden Oak Hideaway and sat outside the cabin while they cleaned till 5PM. I thought that this is OK if the 3 cleaners inside are ensuring it is clean... not the case!
- The bathroom looked lovely BUT. 1) The tub was not clean my wife went to have a relaxing bath and was met with a soapy scum ring. 2) One of the 2 sinks was broken with a huge crack in it, remember this cabin is brand new! 3) One roll of toilet paper for a 1 week stay. 4) My shirt fell to the floor and was knocked under the island the sinks were on and came out covered with dirt and hair.
- The fit and finish of the cabin is terrible, paint splashed on the the windows, flooring that is buckling, flooring that does not meet the wall or missing. Plaster clearly not completed. The wood frame around the windows not coated, stained and left which meant as I brush the dust off them I got a sliver.
- No Wood starter kit was left as advertised
- The ordered meal for 6PM arrived at 6:30PM the first day. The pizza the second day was an embarrassment. The price was outrageous. I am not opposed to paying for adequate food.
- The hot tub was great even though they did not service it for 3 days then after they did we could no longer use it as the chlorine smell gave you a headache.
- None of the furniture was cleaned under DISGUSTING. Whatever you do never reach your hand down between the cushions on the couch.

We could go on but really £1700 for that??? You decide.

Beautiful cabins. Spotlessly clean. Great location of cabin - felt private. Great hot tub cleaned everyday. Very friendly staff in hub. We had a problem with no hot water and was resolved within a few hours. Lovely surrounding and walks. Great playground. Had good fun at the quiz night.

Whilst we love going on Thorpe Forest, this being our 4th visit. We were a bit disappointed. The staff were great, and happy to help anytime. However, the Golden Oak cabin we stayed in, which we have previously stayed in before, was looking tired and grubby.
The cost of staying at Forest Holiday sites is not cheap! and having holidayed at several different sites around the country, including their new site in the Brecon Beacons. I really do think Forest Holidays should spend a little of the money they earn on refurbishing some of the older sites.

Black wood Forest, Golden Oak Cabin. Ok, so the only good point was that the hot tub was great and hot. But very strong smell of chlorine.
I booked this holiday to take my elderly mother and my children away for some quality family time. Unfortunately my mum got very sick and was admitted to hospital on the Saturday, before our 5 day break starting on the Mon. My mum was very sick, the consultants told us that she wasn't going to survive the hospital visit and started her on palliative care. The hospital was 1 hour away from our lodge so we decided to go on the Monday and visit my mum in the hospital during the daytime with the children. On arrival late Monday afternoon around 7.30 ish we arrived. We told the staff on reception our situation and the response was that it's to late to order food. If we want food we would have to buy what they had in the freezer section and cook it. So we did, totally overpriced and not worth it.

The next day we needed to sort out the WiFi so we could keep in touch with family and hear of news of my mother. My husband went to the reception and asked for help. The response was that they only knew how to set it up on Iphones. They don't know about Android.

Sadly my mum passed away on the Tuesday night. We were all devastated and decided to use the lodge as a place to rest and come to terms with what has just happened before setting off again.

In those days I had one hot shower as there was no hot water. And before you reply forest holidays yes we turned down your "luxury" floor heating but still no hot water. The cutlery and plates were dirty with old food stuck to them so had to wash everything before using. The lodge was average not anything luxurious. The full TV package we bought was basic, log fire basic. That's it!

Awful customer service, no compassion whatsoever. Worst week ever 😢💔

Well what an experience during Storm Darragh. We had a full black out yet your team (especially Rob) were exceptional. They were so positive and did absolutely everything they could to keep everyone safe and with a great sense of humour! Thank you for being so incredible we will be back (but hopefully without the storm!) thank you for everything! A special thank you to Rob, and the elves Reagan and Dai! And a lovely lady that we didn’t get her name that was with Rob. Lastly the 2 ladies on reception on Friday were just fabulous too! Thank you all. Stay safe and see you soon!