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Reviews of The Hollybush Inn And Campsite
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PERMANENTLY CLOSED
The Hollybush Inn And Campsite
Old Brecon Road
Hay On Wye
Herefordshire (Browse area)
   
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Pitches:
Rating: 
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 No Tents |
 No Caravans |
 No Motorhomes |
 No Campervans |
 No Glamping Units |
 No Statics for Hire |
 No Statics for Sale |
 No Seasonal Pitches |
 No Electric Hookups |
 No Hardstandings |
 No Fully Serviced Pitches |
 Show Full Facilities |
| Who's it for |
 Families Welcome |
 Not Members Only |
 No Rallies |
 Not Naturist Site |
 Dogs Welcome |
 No Dogs Allowed |
 Groups Welcome |
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| Facilities |
 No Toilets |
 No Showers |
 No Washing Up Area |
 No Bathroom |
 No Baby Changing |
 No Laundry |
 No Drinking Water |
 Disabled Friendly |
 No Chemical Disposal |
 No Battery Charging |
 No Gas Exchange |
 No Recycling Facilities |
 No Kitchen Facilities |
 No Freezer / Fridge |
 No Motorhome Point |
 No Wifi Access |
 No Shop |
 No Bar |
 No Restaurant |
| Activities |
 No Playground |
 No TV Room |
 No Games Room |
 No Evening Ents |
 No Fishing |
 No Wild Swimming |
 No Indoor Pool |
 No Outdoor Pool |
 No Horse Riding |
 No Cycle Hire |
 No Golf |
 No Tennis |
 No Beach |
 No Watersports |
 No Boat Launch |
| Other Features |
 No Sea Views |
 Not Working Farm |
 No Campfires Allowed |
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 No Waterside Pitches |
 Public Transport |
 No Dog Walk |
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Reviews:
68 in total, now showing 11 to 20
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| Date of Visit: May 2011 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Unhappycamper19 |
1 review from this member |
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 We spent one night at the Hollybush in May 2011 as a group of 7. Not seasoned campers, but we've seen enough sites to know what to expect.
Firstly the good points:
Hollybush is extremely well located on the banks of the River Wye
There is a shop on-site and a pub, although the former did seem to specialise in lager or bacon sandwiches, as opposed to organic or fresh produce
Now the negatives:
In theory a peacock strutting around beautifully kept grounds is serene. In practice however the peacock is a neighbour from hell. During the mating season (Apri-September) a peacock will often emit a very loud high pitched cry. Unless you can turn hearing aids off, this will wake you up. Second, the peacock seems to like pecking away and scratching cars. My suggestion - unless guests are allowed to hunt the peacocks (in lieu of any fresh produce in your shop), keep them far far away from guests
Grounds - When we arrived we were informed that there was a stag party in one side of the woods, and a music festival on the other side. The latter turned out to be more like a Woodstock revival). No problem we thought, given that we'd been told there were 7 acres of space to choose from. However, we were then strongly advised to set up on the 'lawn' (about the size of a tennis court) by the toilet block (not working). Keen to get away from the Stag and the hippies, many others set up home on the lawn, hardly making for a relaxing stay. My suggestion - think about your customers. If you are going to have stag parties and music festivals, let other guests know prior to arrival
Showers/Toilets - Toilets were horrible and in desperate need or a refurb. When we arrived we were informed that the showers were not working, and the only option was a 'portashower'. No thanks.
Canoe hire - Having canoes on site is great. However, perhaps asking participants if they've been before prior to embarking on the longest safety briefing/lesson on how to paddle I've ever had to listen to. My personal highlight was my brother being instructed to demonstrate to the group what to do if you steer into trees. I realise that safety is paramount, but there must be a way of condensing the idiot's guide to canoeing into 5 minutes. Also on canoe hire, the pick-up service from Hay on Wye was a total shambles. We ended up waiting around for about 2 hours for a lift. I realise that Hay on Wye is not London, and the pace of life is slightly different, but paying guests should always be right. My sense is the Hollybush has its priorities wrong. 
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| Date of Visit: May 2011 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Gingerbob1980 |
2 reviews from this member |
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My second time at this site - visited about the same time in 2010. Both visits were with a group of about 10 people. The woodland part of the site is great for what I would have to describe as mildly anti-social group camping in the sense that late night noise is tolerated (within reason!) and they allow open fires - £5 a bag of firewood sold on-site.
The woodland areas of the site are unusual for a campsite, but there is enough room to position tents - even quite big ones - in amongst the trees.
The on-site pub had good food the first time we visited, but I had a report from one of the group that it may have gone downhill since. Great live music though and the place has a wonderful quirky (hate that word!) feel.
Hay-on-Wye is not far down the road should you need supplies.
Site management is, well, relaxed to say the least. See other reviews. Toilet block was working when we there but could have been better maintained.
I did not use the shower block - actually a porta-shower unit - but I was told it was fine by others in the group that did.
So, a bit of a rustic site, possibly not suitable for the average family camping trip. Has a great location and if you can manage to put up with the dodgy facilities it's a very unique site worth a go if only for one night to see if you like it.
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| Date of Visit: August 2010 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Andystevo |
4 reviews from this member |
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Had a lovely stay at the Hollybush Campsite this Aug Bank Holiday weekend. Overall it's a lovely eclectic site with much charm.
The Pros:
• Lovely surrounds, 5 mins from the River Wye and the warden opened-up an extra field are for campers over the weekend.
• Amazing Hay on Wye a 5 min car ride away.
• Good pub at the top of the site [great live music from Malvern's 'The Pewke Band' when we were there - top marks].
• Excellent for those who want to canoe the Wye with abundant canoes and kit a stagger from their own launch spot/river beach.
• If you opt to camp in the woods as opposed to the field[s] then you can build campfires too. Lovely to do this but watch out at a weekend - there tends to be some fairly longlived and 'animated' campfire groups. Firewood £5 a bag or barrow-load.
The Cons
• The toilet and shower facilities really do need a lot of renovation. Fine if you like your facilities 'rustic' but [all of] these were dirty and very, very utilitarian. I'd suggest these were given some attention by the owner as a matter of urgency.
• Without the space in the field opened specially for the bank holiday weekend I don't think there's much space for tents bar what seemed to be a small patch of grass [the old pub lawn maybe?]. Tents were very tightly packed in to this area - certainly 'cosy' and you do get to know your neighbours well [warts and all]. Suggest the field area becomes a more permanent addition to give people flexibility.
• TeePees. We didn't stay in them but we did take a look around an empty one. It was roomy but we couldn't ignore the soaking wet and muddy carpet in there. One couple we met who were in one said how damp it was [they're in the woods] and how they'd thought about setting their own tent up within one to make it more homely/warm etc.
Overall Opinion
Lovely, eclectic campsite with a unique charm. In one way I don't want it to change as it might lose it's uniqueness against many of today's 'McCampsites'. In another there were some areas that could really do with some extra TLC. If you go there - just be prepared to 'rough it' - with that in mind you'll probably have a great experience there.
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| Date of Visit: August 2010 |
Unit: Touring Caravan |
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| Reviewer: Ask66 |
14 reviews from this member |
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On entering it became clear that the site is a bit more laid-back and informal than we are used to - the only others staying were a large group that were in the process of packing up to leave - they had Radio 1 playing very loudly, kids running around etc. Anyway, they were soon gone so everything was quiet again.
The toilets/showers were dirty and unpleasant and there was evidence of vandalism in the gents, apparently the ladies was slightly better.
The electric hook-ups seemed to consist of lots of extension leads plugged into each other and trailing around the site. At the back of the site, there are some very old caravans, some of which seem to be inhabited and some of which look derelict.
We didn't really feel the site was our 'cup of tea', so left after one night and found another site nearby.
I do feel that sites like this should make it clear in their advertising what they are (and are not) offering, so potential visitors can make an informed choice.
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| Date of Visit: July 2010 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Stooch33 |
2 reviews from this member |
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This was my second visit to the Hollybush Inn campsite and was thoroughly enjoyable. Here are a few salient points, pros and cons and the like:
- The campsite is in a beautiful spot right next to the Wye and only a short distance fron Hay.
- If you are used to efficient and regimented National Trust sites then the Hollybush is not for you. The toilets are very basic, and the showers might be working if you're lucky.
- However, if you are used to a rougher style of camping this shouldn't put you off. These rougher campers will also appreciate the ability to have ground-fires in the lower camping area right next to the river. Wood is available from the owners when / if you can track them down. Also available from a farm just down the road.
- Kayaks and Canadian canoes are available for hire for half or whole days. The tuition is simple yet effective and the journey itself is a joy, the owner will then pick you up and return you to the camp.
- The pub itself is quirky and often has live entertainment (blues and folk and alternative). However on our last visit the beers and lagers were terrible and the new chef didn't seem to understand the concept of a 'full English breakfast', £6.50 for 1 sausage, 1 rasher of bacon, half a mushroom and a spoon of beans is not good. The vegetarian breakfast is the above without meat and 1 veggie sausage ^^.
- Many reviewers have commented on the large groups of boozy people playing music until the early hours, well we were one of such groups and had a great time. If you are a family group or just want to avoid this I recommend phoning and asking if any large groups are booked in.
So to conclude, the site is ramshackle, with long standing caravans and a relatively small but beautiful camping area in the woods. Facilities are weak if you are used to posh camping but they are improving all the time. The addition of a 'stumpery' and plans for new shower blocks and wash areas are all positive moves. I love this site but as you have read many don't, but hey would we want all campsites to just be bland and similar?
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| Date of Visit: June 2010 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Primroselill |
1 review from this member |
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Just returned from a 2 night stay at Hollybush Old Brecon Road camp-site. We wont be going ever again. There might be lovely views and plenty of horses in the next field but the facilities were filthy and full of insects and the toilets were disgusting.
The place is full of rubbish and and there was a digger in the car park and potholes everywhere. We had to wait ages to get served in the inn for a much needed pint after a long journey.
The shop never opened and the on site bar is a shed full of canoeing stuff. We didn't see any electric hookups and as for the bath we never found that. Not that I wanted to. We don't mind loud music but not all night.
There are dirty run down caravans which seem to have been there since 1967 with old washing machines dotted around its like Steptoe's yard! The owners seem allergic to cleaning and they are so laid back they barely function. Such a shame as it has the potential to be a great camp-site if properly maintained and offering those services that they advertise!
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| Date of Visit: August 2009 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Abssorb |
4 reviews from this member |
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I've been going to the Hollybush for years and it's been quirky all that time. Unfortunately now it's gone downhill, perhaps since Ian is no longer there. Apart from one exception of an over-worked site manager last year, the help hired seems to be lacking.
Since my last review in 2006, the beers and ales weren't as well kept as we remembered, the excellent chef from then has gone and the cooking was being done by other staff. Still good food, but not the gourmet fare we enjoyed in previous years. Although the condition of the site has always been a little poor, over the last 4 years of visits it seems lack of maintenance has led to decline.
I could forgive all of that. But unfortunately the feel has gone. Maybe the site's reputation for being a party venue with no rules has extended beyond enlightened fringe people who blend and add to the atmosphere, to lagered-up chavs who exploit it and get hammered and very rowdy. We might have been un-lucky that this is how it was on our last two visits.
On the plus side, Barbara is a lovely lady and always friendly, genuine and very welcoming. The canoe days out are fun, safe, and efficiently run. I think if only the site helpers could share Barbara's vision for the place it could get back to its better days.
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| Date of Visit: August 2009 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: Glos 22 |
1 review from this member |
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Lovely views over the Wye & surrounding countryside, close to Hay on Wye, Hay Bluff & Black mountains. The caravans that were on the hard standing area looked liked they had been there for years& were not a good advert for the site.
I have to say we were very disappointed by the facilities, the toilets were disgusting & didn't notice that they were cleaned while we were there (4 days!). My Daughter said she would rather use the hedge than use the toilets! The only shower that I would consider using is the one in the brick built building (on your right as you go into the site).
We did not feel brave enough to try the Pub for drinks or food, the Pub garden needed some TLC. The site could be an excellent campsite with the addition of permanent well maintained toilets, showers, drinking water points & washing up areas.
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| Date of Visit: August 2009 |
Unit: Other |
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| Reviewer: Suemc |
1 review from this member |
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We've just spent the Bank Holiday in a 4-man teepee at the Hollybush. Teepee was really great, it was lovely to be able to have an open fire to sit by and to cook on - we only used the chiminea in the teepee once (but it was great to have).
Very laid back campsite, which looks pretty ramshackle but does the job - camping facilities wise we managed to have a hot shower on Saturday but they were stone cold on Sunday and Monday (we think they were out of gas) but braced ourselves and went for it nonetheless!
No sign of the shop opening at any time. We arrived about 8 on Friday night and were warned of a 2 hour wait for food (so we didn't) and they ran out of any nice beer in the bar on Sunday night.
Other facilities - the Canadian Canoe hire is a fab way to spend a day - and being able to launch 50 yards from the teepee was so cool! Local area is great for walking and hill running and Hay is very close - boasting lots of book shops and breakfast in the Granary is a must!
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| Date of Visit: August 2009 |
Unit: Tent |
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| Reviewer: OliverK |
1 review from this member |
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We came to the Hollybush for the weekend with another young family because our preferred choices were booked up! Had we had a look at the reviews on this site beforehand, we would have realised it wasn't the place for us and looked further afield. Had I come here 15 years ago with a group of friends, I'm sure it would have been perfectly adequate. However, with a baby and a 3 year old, it was simply unsuitable.
The toilets, showers, washing up, etc, facilities were appalling; camping in the woods meant everything and everyone was filthy; the play area was poorly maintained; and all night partying made it difficult to settle the children. The morning after the first night, we decided to cut our losses and go home.
We asked the owners for a refund for the 2nd night, but (not surprisingly, though disappointingly) were turned down. I don't want to come across as too harsh, because the Hollybush is clearly right up some people's street. Nevertheless, I would like to impress upon anyone with young children that you need to approach this place with a great deal of caution.
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