Forest Holidays Reviews 

I wish i had used this website before choosing and booking with Forest holidays. Issues seem to be well documented. I have paid in full for my holiday in advance. After receiving a link via email to manage my booking, i attempted to log in. I couldn't access my account either on mobile/app or browser. All receiving errors or loading loops. I called customer service (10 minutes wait) which was a little reassuring to hear my booking details are confirmed. The assistant told me they are aware of an issue on the website and this will be fixed soon. It would have been nice if this info was on their webpage so users could be updated.
Anyway, since the call, i have emailed Info@ and Customerservices@ three times over the last 2 weeks asking for an update with no response. A simple acknowledgment of my email or any communication would do. I have no idea what is going on and will keep this review updated with my experience as things progress.

First off the staff and setting was lovely. Keldy Forest. Our issue was with the lodge. It was clean and the hot tub was lovely. The shower upstairs didn't work. It was either freezing or scalding hot. The TV switched itself off after a couple of minutes. Constantly. There was a hole in the outside table which had sharp pieces of plastic rattan sticking up from it. None of the faults were able to be fixed by the on site team. We were offered the cost of one of our dogs ' stay as compensation £45.in retrospect this doesn't seem enough when you compare what other guests hot for their money. When I handed the key in at reception the person on duty said the whole place was tired and needed a face-lift.

We echo the comments of a few other recent reviewers. We’ve been regularly visiting both the Sherwood Forest and Forest of Dean sites since 2014, and sadly the standards have noticeably slipped over the years.

The cabins are now looking very tired, with cracks, dents, scratches, damp and mould staining. Cleanliness has also become an issue. The floors in our cabin were so dirty that our socks were black after walking around inside. We actually brought floor wipes with us this time because, based on our previous two visits, we anticipated having to clean the floors ourselves.

What makes this particularly disappointing is how dramatically the prices have increased. Forest Holidays now commands a genuinely premium price, but the accommodation and overall experience simply don’t reflect that anymore. Given the change of ownership in 2022, it’s difficult not to wonder whether investment and standards have taken a back seat while prices have continued to rise.

Staffing also seems to have slipped. The team appeared noticeably understaffed and struggled even with a relatively small number of people ordering drinks. At one point we heard a member of staff say they had taken cocktails off because they simply didn’t have time to make them. That’s not a criticism of the individual staff, who seemed to be doing their best, but surely points to inadequate staffing levels.

The shop has gone downhill too. There seems to be an abundance of dog-related products and miscellaneous items, while some of the useful basics you’d actually expect from an on-site shop are lacking. At Forest of Dean, bottles and stock being left out on tables also didn’t create a particularly good impression.

Then there are the basics around the site. Large potholes throughout the roads, tired accommodation and generally neglected-looking areas all add to the feeling that maintenance and reinvestment simply aren’t keeping pace with the prices being charged.

It’s a real shame because we’ve enjoyed coming here for more than a decade and know how good the experience can be. Forest Holidays desperately needs some meaningful reinvestment in its cabins, sites, staffing and cleanliness to get standards back to where they once were.

Sadly, our impression now is that demand remains strong enough that there’s little incentive to make those improvements. At these prices, though, customers should be able to expect considerably better.

Extremely poorly maintained, broken cupboards, loose oven, broken blinds, panel loose on hot tub, dirty in places.
many frustrating issues, no staff knew the complaints proceedure until the second to last day. Staff kept telling me they are shprt staffed due to crap minimal pay so "staff phone in sick" activities cancelled and fobbed off by staff. No organisation what so ever. Manager only came to see us just before we left to say she sees all the issues we have had. Maintenance guy already knew about half the reported maintenance issues. Pile of rubbish, will not return, no where near worth the steep prices

I haven't stayed here yet, however, it is disappointing that Forest Holidays do not allow smoking or vaping, even on your own private terrace.

As a wellbeing break, having to walk to a designated area to smoke, defeats the object of relaxing, and forces you into an open area, exposing a private habit.

It would be nice to expect a private terrace to be your own space to relax without leaving your accommodation..

To pay for a room with an outdoor area that you cannot use the way you want is unfair and quite discriminative and seems our comfort matters less than the comfort of non-smoking guests.

I totally understand not smoking inside a property, out of courtesy for the next customer, however the policy makes me feel unwelcome and judged, rather than accommodated as a paying guest, especially at these prices.

For this reason, I would not stay or recommend any of their properties.

Avoid. Stay at Sherwood Centre Parks instead. Found the staff to be blatant liers, unprofessional and customer service management don't respond to complaints.

I'll never stay at Forest Holidays again as to not be able to check into your room on the hottest day of the year, to not be offered a free cold drink or ice cream for the children and only just about be let in to put our food in the fridge (after complaining about unfair treatment). All because of a 'misunderstanding' about an early check in which fortunately we could provide proof that everything we said was true despite being accused of giving incorrect dates.

Terrible level of service for a £2k weekend.

We were looking for a relaxing, peaceful style break, amongst woodland and with not much to do apart form enjoy the forest, ride bikes, make dens, and walk the dog. For that, blackwood forest was amazing. The kids loved the hot tub and lodge and the forest ranger activities, bbq afternoons, early evening bike rides, relaxing at the forest retreat, with super friendly staff. All in all, exactly what we were looking for and no complaints.

We used to be regular Forest Holidays customers, staying frequently between around 2014–2019, particularly at Easter and Christmas at Sherwood Forest. Back then, the concept really worked: comfortable cabins in beautiful woodland with a genuine connection to nature.

By 2019 we'd stopped going. Prices had risen significantly, even with loyalty discounts, while the cabins were becoming increasingly tired and cleaning standards had deteriorated. On previous visits I'd even brought my own cleaning equipment and vacuum cleaner.

This summer, with our boys now almost 17 and 20, we planned a UK road trip beginning with four nights in the Forest of Dean. Forest Holidays kept appearing in my searches and, after reading generally positive reviews, I decided to give it another chance.

Sadly, it wasn't simply as tired as I remembered. It was considerably worse.

On entering our cabin I could smell bleach and initially had high hopes. Within minutes, however, I had the vacuum cleaner out. There were crumbs and pieces of food throughout the living, dining, kitchen and bedroom areas. The dining table was sticky and stained, beneath the cooker and kitchen units was filthy, and the sofa was badly stained, grubby and smelled throughout our stay – despite this not being a pet-friendly cabin.

The bathrooms were particularly poor, with mould around sinks, baths and shower areas. There were cracked floor tiles, dirty windows, cobwebs, and dents, chips and scratches everywhere. By Thursday evening there was also an absolutely foul smell coming from the sink.

We told staff we'd had to vacuum the cabin on arrival but received no meaningful response.

Other problems accumulated: no bedroom bins, nowhere to hang towels in the en-suite, no meaningful drying facilities, worn/broken outside furniture, litter by the entrance and a kitchen utensil I considered unsafe. The water also went off for around half an hour.

The hot tub – supposedly one of the highlights – was disappointingly cold with extremely weak bubbles/jets. We also paid extra for internet/casting and found it very poor. With one of us having no mobile signal, reliable Wi-Fi mattered.

The on-site facilities seem to have gone backwards too. What I remembered as a useful shop is now essentially a café/gift shop. We could buy dog treats and gifts but not something as basic as cereal. When we wanted kindling, there wasn't any either.

Staff were pleasant enough when we spoke to them, but customers were frequently left waiting while staff walked past. On several occasions we simply gave up and left without buying anything.

We wanted to hire bikes but they were already fully booked, so hired elsewhere instead. Beyond a handful of bookable activities, there is very little on site.

And that's perhaps the saddest part. Forest Holidays used to occupy a lovely space between a holiday park and an isolated cottage: quieter, more connected to nature and with a strong woodland/environmental feel.

Now it feels as though the cabins have been packed in while too little is being invested in cleaning, maintenance and the basics.

If Forest Holidays wants to position itself as a woodland retreat, those basics matter. A cabin should be properly clean. The hot tub should work. Paid-for Wi-Fi should work. Bathrooms shouldn't have mould. Furniture shouldn't smell. Guests shouldn't arrive and immediately have to vacuum somebody else's food from the floor.

We actually loved the Forest of Dean. Our canoeing and kayaking were fantastic and we enjoyed cycling the old railway tracks. It is a beautiful part of the country and we'd happily return.

We just wouldn't return to Forest Holidays.

It was a dismal start to our holiday. We subsequently moved on into Wales, where we finally started relaxing, having fun and receiving good service in clean, well-maintained accommodation.

After giving Forest Holidays another chance several years after we stopped visiting, sadly I think this really will be our last.

Emailed 3 times and still have not heard back from anyone…

“I’m writing to confirm a list of complaints regarding my families stay this weekend at the Garwnant site. We’ve paid for a “premium” at the white willow lodge and I’m very disappointed as it’s far from it. I’ve raised issues with reception to no avail so here is a list of issues I want to raise. I’ll also send pictures as proof.

The outdoor BBQ has broken utensils and the doors are damaged they don’t close properly. We were missing things for the pizza oven which meant we had to leave site and I raised this with the front desk team and they wouldn’t help saying it’s not their policy even though the paperwork say otherwise.

The hot tub has broken panels that are a health and safety risk, the cover is also green from not being cleaned properly.

I enquired about bike hire and was told to come back tomorrow only to be told they didn’t have anyone to check the bikes safety so only the pre ordered bikes are checked which I found strange. I then asked if we could book disc golf and that we couldn’t as it no longer exists so that needs updating on your website. We are very disappointed so far and there’s a lack of front office staff willing to help because there’s only so much they can do.

I’m definitely not getting what I’ve paid for in terms of a family experience, the last thing I want to do is complain about what should have been a fantastic stay but so far it’s far from that.”

Terrible experience. £3k 3 night break for a special birthday surprise, family of 10, in tree house lodge Brecon Beacons. Hot tub broken, cold whole holiday, tried to rectify it by throwing in lots more chemcials so undiluted chlorine floating on top. Serious health concern with young children and elderly in party. Broken toilet, cracked sink, broken flooring, unusable dishwasher, no toilet roll - the list goes on, photo evidence provided. I raised the complaint with forest Holidays every day whilst there and no resolution provided. I wrote a formal complaint the day I returned - a week ago, no response from HQ as yet. They are saying never received it despite reading back correct email address to advisor. Avoid!

We've been to a few Forest Holidays sites now and things have generally been ok. This review is specifically for the Delamere Forest site. The holiday cabin itself met our expectations. It was clean enough and comfortable enough. There are 2 reasons for the low rating:
1. The 10 minute drive from the main road to the site is a poor experience. It's rough and full of pot holes. A proper off-road vehicle would handle with ease, but given that most cars have tyres and suspension set up for normal road conditions, it was an unpleasant journey every day.
2. The pine trees surrounding the road and cabin 'rained' debris constantly on our car - cones, twigs, branches and clumps of needles. This has caused ongoing damage to the paintwork as it's been left with spots of hard, sticky pine resin that have peppered the bodywork. I still haven't managed to get rid of them all, several washes later and they have left stains. I may have to pay a car detailer to fully resolve it back to the standard it was at before staying at Delamere Forest.
I emailed Forest Holidays to make them aware of these issues. I think they should either take action to help improve the site or at least to warn people about the risk of damage to their cars. After 3 weeks, I haven't even received a response to acknowledge receipt of the email.

Gorgeous cabins at the Garwnant site in the Brecon Beacons, genuinely lovely woodland setting, and the staff on-site were kind and helpful, that part was great. However, during our stay we ran into safety concerns, maintenance issues, a fee we still don't understand, and internet that barely worked. We raised all of this directly with Forest Holidays, not once but twice, in writing. Two separate emails, and to date, not a single reply. Once they've got your cash, they dash. It seems once payment clears, they've got no interest in hearing from you again. Beautiful location, shame the company behind it doesn't care once you've paid.

I hate writing negative as ive been coming to firedt of dean forest holidays since they opend .wen it was a campsite was here drcmber in hideawsy then feb. My sons bought this break on sumday for my birthday so literally had few hours to get ready ..i usually stay in forest jst a persomal choice but more than happy tp stay in meadow jst loves being here! However its 30 degrees wen arrived and my cabin is full facing sun.my dog has not slept all night panting ! Etc
I can try minimise it but this heat in a full sun all day is impossible she cnt evn go out on decking for a wee its so hot..thought i wld try ask if any chance for dogs sake they cld move us to forest of they had any empty at least its full shady no sun..so shecan use outdoor space go toilet and be more comftable its going to be nearly 40 degrees today i love the sun dnt bothr me i got a parasol with me but mycavapoo is literally struggling moving is more hassle for me empty fridge wardrobe etc head office was fine with it but said it dwn to on site manager they did agree if i paid 50 pound admin fee! ??? My dog cannot breath she cannot go outside on decking its a furnace. I dont want to move i want help for my dog..they have droppd a fan whicj can only be in one room at a time.honestly who sits in an office and has no compassion gor adog in full exposed sun and heat and want paperwork money i could never ever be that person.if it wasnt serioysly overly hot fine if it wadnt full sun were we positioned fine if it was because im hot fine if i was rich fine i jst was asking for help for my dog and somone wouldnt do it unless i paid for thst help i dont have 50 pound not in my bank.icame witheverything bread food i knw how it works here so comes prepared.i hope i never become that person .tbere is something so rewarding and nice wen you can help people or animals..hope the manager of retreat os proud and happy with herself. Decmber will be my last time here i dont care about me i wldnt have piked this cabin it genuinly was my sons .if they check booking..but too not help a dog in 36 degree heat wen you able to or can takes a certain level of person..! Yes my dog is worth 50 pound ...i book hideaway and tbey not cheap cabins. Principle...my dog cnt evn go for wee as decking in full sun!

June 2026
Location was scenic and very peaceful. Accommodation was tatty, dirty and in need of a total refurbishment. All the woodwork on doors and skirting was stained, warped and split on the bathroom doors. The silicone was mouldy in the bathrooms. The floor was filthy so we didnt want to be barefoot. I don't believe they ever clean under the sofa!! In the ensuite water was seeping between the flooring, unknown if it was coming from the toilet or shower, gross! Was permanently damp in there.
Walls, light fittings, alarms had cobwebs, dirt marks and dead bug marks. Glass in windows filthy, blinds broken. The whole place very run down and dirty.
We had a hot tub, it was nice to use it for 15mins at your own risk, the chemicals were so strong it over powered the experience. My silver jewellery has been tarnished black by the experience, way too much chemical used.
The airgun and archery were great. Friendly and fun instructors (run by an external contractor!)
We hired bikes, child's one not as described and way too small, one adult bike only had one working break, particularly dangerous considering the terrain, the second adult bike had damaged gear levers, in essence very poorly maintained and limited our usage and enjoyment of day 2 plans ( they said they had no other bikes to offer).
The TV remote didn't work properly and TV frequently blanked out, reception so poor mean't it was very frustrating.
The beds were at least comfier than they looked and ample storage for a weekend stay although returning home everything feels damp.
A 3 night stay at £880 (excluding bike hire and activities) makes this place hugely over priced and not a place we would return to.

I wish we’d have checked Trustpilot first!
Sadly I cannot fathom how Forest Holidays can be shortlisted for an award, when our recent experience included the most dusty, cobwebbed, grubby doors, windows, curtain rails, window cills, door frames, skirting, that I’ve ever had the displeasure of staying in.
The cabin was tired, in need to updating (as well as a thorough deep clean), the lower part of the curtain near the stairs stank of dog pee, the sofa seat cushion was ripped (not by us), the hoover was full to capacity and stank, therefore unusable (clearly had been in this state for months) with no spare hoover bag to rectify the situation (not that I go on holiday to empty an overflowing hoover from months of previous visitors).
The beds were comfortable, the bedding clean and suitable, toilets clean - the door did not lock into a metal housing, only into the wooden frame - deadlock therefore not usable - lots of ‘play’ on the door, definitely not ‘secure’, someone could easily kick the door in. The outside areas were grubby, covered in cobwebs and unkempt. The BBQ secured to the wooden balustrade of the balcony (I know!) was warped and did not sit flat, therefore anyone using a BBQ tray would be at risk of it sliding off! (We didn’t risk using it!).
The decked area around the hot tub had not been swept/cleaned in possibly years. The hot tub water tester attended daily, unannounced, just let themselves in through the gate with zero regard for our privacy or the fact that we had a large dog with us who would’ve jumped to our protection, had he realised before we jumped up to close the door!
The TV volume didn’t work, it remained at the same level regardless of increasing or decreasing on the remote - the noise was tinny and the picture quality was awful. The ‘hot tub info’ video did not work - hence we had no idea when another staff member was going to test the hot tub water.

The grounds were beautiful if you look past the overgrown foliage, offering up dangerous bramble runners everywhere - not to mention the fallen tree blocking one of the walks - clearly having been there many weeks - and the fallen branches partially blocking other pathways on walls around the grounds. Such a shame - as long-time supporters of Forestry England, we had high expectations of Forest Holidays in collaboration with them. But no - not anywhere near the same level of care and attention to Deerpark as other Forestry England sites we regularly visit (and live near).

The staff were lovely, helpful, apologetic about things that they should not have to apologise for, because things should not be in this state int he first place. Our weekend away to escape busy jobs and lives, was tainted by the huge disappointment of our experience at Deerpark. I emailed my complaint 4 days ago and have not even had an acknowledgement, let alone a response. They will not be getting our vote for any awards, as for us, it was sorely lacking basic cleanliness and falling below even the most minimum of standards. We were sucked in by the photos on line, by the location and reviews, and by the collaboration with Forestry England. How could it have been so poor?

We stayed with Forest Holidays in May and unfortunately experienced several issues during our stay which left us extremely disappointed, especially considering the cost of the holiday and the expectations attached to the Forest Holidays brand.

Following our stay, I submitted a formal complaint via email to both customer service addresses provided and have since sent multiple follow-up emails over the course of several weeks.

What has been most disappointing is not just the original issues we experienced during our stay, but the complete lack of customer service afterwards. We are now approaching the end of June and despite repeated attempts to contact Forest Holidays, I have not received a single acknowledgement that my complaint has even been received.

I have tried to resolve this privately and fairly, but being completely ignored for this length of time is unacceptable.

I am posting this review in the hope that someone at Forest Holidays will finally investigate my case, acknowledge my complaint, and provide the level of customer care I would have expected from a company of this reputation.

I would appreciate someone from Forest Holidays contacting me regarding my outstanding complaint as soon as possible.

We were attracted by the lovely ads about getting away from it all but our peaceful forest experience was ruined by a large family of drunks nearby who played loud music and swore all day. We complained about the antisocial behaviour but the company's phone call to the party concerned - not even a visit - didn't have any effect. Rather than listening to bird song, we heard non-stop 'f' words and rap music all day. Hardly relaxing. Overall, a very expensive price tag for a Butlins experience.

My family and I stayed with Forest Holidays for the first time last year at Deer Park in Cornwall. We traditionally take a week away each March as it coincides with both my wife’s and my birthdays, as well as our wedding anniversary, so it is a particularly meaningful trip for us.

Our stay at Deer Park was absolutely wonderful and left us with a very positive impression of Forest Holidays. We enjoyed it so much that we were excited to book again this year, choosing Strathyre for our 2026 visit.

While the location itself and the staff on site were excellent—everyone we encountered was friendly, helpful, and professional—we were unfortunately quite disappointed with the condition and readiness of the accommodation, which is ultimately the core of the experience we are paying for.

Prior to our arrival, I called a couple of weeks in advance to confirm that a stairgate would be available, as we were travelling with our toddler. I was informed that stairgates come as standard in the cabins we had booked. However, upon arrival after a full day of travelling, we found that no stairgate had been fitted. This meant we had to closely supervise and carry our toddler around the cabin until a member of maintenance was able to come and install one.

We also discovered that the fridge door was not functioning properly. Unfortunately, we only realised the extent of the issue the following morning when the fridge was not sufficiently cold despite being full of food. This left us uncertain about the safety of the food we had brought with us, including expressed breast milk which, regrettably, we had to dispose of. As you can imagine, this was extremely upsetting for my wife. After some effort we managed to get the door to close temporarily, and maintenance later attended and repaired it.

Additionally, the dishwasher would not work despite us carefully following the printed instructions provided in the cabin. It took several attempts to get it to run properly, including trying to wash dishes that had been left inside from the previous occupants. Again, maintenance had to attend to resolve the issue.

One of the highlights we had planned for the week was a full day of cycling with our toddler. We intentionally chose the day with the best forecasted weather. However, upon arriving to hire bikes, we were informed that only trailers were available. Both the website and signage at the bike shed indicated that child seats could be hired, which is why we had planned the activity in the first place. Our toddler refuses to sit in trailers, so unfortunately the activity was not possible and we had to abandon what had been a carefully planned day.

Finally, we also noticed several damaged skirting boards in the cabin. While this might not normally be a major issue, with a curious toddler exploring the space we were constantly trying to prevent her from touching exposed or sharp edges.

Overall, we left feeling quite disappointed with the standard of the accommodation during this stay, particularly given how exceptional our first experience with Forest Holidays had been. It has unfortunately changed our perception compared with our previous visit.

We stayed in Lodge 10 and had a lovely experience. The owner was around when we arrived and was so helpful in recommending this around the Coleford area and made the effort to get to know us.

The lodge was clean, the site was quiet and the staff was so friendly. Whoever we came across was more than willing to help, including the guy who came to test the hot tub, he took the time to explain to my 3 year old niece what he was doing which was so lovely.

We have already booked to return and can’t wait! Not sure why the reviews aren’t reflective on this but the lodge and site was clean and tidy, well maintained and welcoming.

We can’t wait for our next trip! Thank you so much!

Forest Holidays used to be a certified B Corp, an indication of high social and environmental values. Forest Holidays 'decertified' as a B Corp in early May. Despite this Forest Holidays is still listed as a member of the 'Travel by B Corp' coalition. This is misleading the travelling public and unfair to companies that are still certified.