Applewood Countryside Park
Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Applewood Countryside Park
Full view
View all photos(90)90
Room & Suite (31)
Family and Play Areas (6)
View prices for your travel dates
Contact accommodation for availability.
There are similar hotels available.
View allDid you already book this hotel?
About
4.5
#1 of 1 campsite in BanhamLocation
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Applewood Countryside Park is located in the beautiful area of South Norfolk and offers some great facilities to make for a relaxing break in the countryside. The park is adjacent to one of the country's most exciting wildlife attractions, Banham Zoo with over 2,000 animals from around the world, and is ideally situated to explore the many attractions and picturesque landscapes of Norfolk and Suffolk. A quiet, family-friendly caravan park and campsite we cater for touring caravans, motor homes, tents and offer six cosy glamping pods and five luxury Shepherd's Cabins. Our facilities include a Park Reception, spacious pitches, electrical hook-ups and exclusive disabled hook-up points, free WiFi, modern high standard shower and toilet facilities, together with laundry and washing-up facilities. Dogs are also welcome!
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Pets Allowed ( Dog / Pet Friendly )
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Picnic area
Self-serve laundry
Public wifi
Room features
Microwave
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Budget
Location
Kenninghall Road, Banham NR16 2HE England
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 40 out of 100
40
47 Restaurants
within 5 miles
119Reviews6Q+A16Room tips
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.
We perform checks on reviews.
Traveller rating
- 80
- 21
- 7
- 4
- 7
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Detailed Reviews
Stayed at this site for 4 nights and was not disappointed, there were 2 couples in our party and each had a dog and we stayed in a tent. Pitch sizes are brilliant, facilities were spotless, 2 minute walk to a one stop or butchers if you need some extra food or some lovely cakes! Felt very welcomed by Karen when we arrived who told us all about the site. Shower cubicles are separate from the toilets and you get a code and have access to a pod, absolutely spotless and good temperature. Great location for some walks and literally on the doorstop of the zoo. Would highly recommend for couples, families and groups of friends. Will definitely return, thank you :)
Read more
Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karen Johnson, General Manager at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 3 Aug 2021
Hi Stacey Many thanks for taking the time to write us a lovely 5* review. We are really glad to hear that you have enjoyed your stay there at Applewood Countryside Park. The Park is a small family run business and we all try hard to make sure that everybody is welcomed when they arrive and that the Park is maintained to a high standard. I look forward to welcoming you back soon. Karen
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Following our recent 4 day stay at Applewood Countryside Park felt the least we could do was to review our wonderful, memorable stay, this was our first camping experience with my Sons family including our grandson, the site was impeccable, grounds kept clean, tidy & maintained. Maria-and her team were amazing keeping all the facilities clean and tidy, well done Maria and thank you,
Also adjacent to the site is a local grocery shop selling everything you may require last minute, a bar called “The Barrel” with a lovely open fire to warm you bones after a long day, a butchers for your bar-b-que requirements including charcoal.
The site in general is located next to the best zoo we have ever been to, simply brilliant, also good facilities for lunch.
We are all looking forward to our next visit to Applewood countryside park very soon, the only disappoint was we only stayed four days,
Highly recommended for safety, privacy, comfort and facilities, the pods and lodges are also worth a visit,
Regards Mark, Anne, and all the Family
Also adjacent to the site is a local grocery shop selling everything you may require last minute, a bar called “The Barrel” with a lovely open fire to warm you bones after a long day, a butchers for your bar-b-que requirements including charcoal.
The site in general is located next to the best zoo we have ever been to, simply brilliant, also good facilities for lunch.
We are all looking forward to our next visit to Applewood countryside park very soon, the only disappoint was we only stayed four days,
Highly recommended for safety, privacy, comfort and facilities, the pods and lodges are also worth a visit,
Regards Mark, Anne, and all the Family
Read more
Date of stay: September 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: All pitches are in secluded areas, safe and maintained with power supply
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karen Johnson, General Manager at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 28 Sept 2021
Thank you for taking the time to write a nice 5* review. I will pass on your lovely comments to our Cleaning and House-keeping team. Look forward to seeing you again soon.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We visited Applewood for five nights as a cheap and local getaway for us. We stayed on the Laurel field. Very good size pitches. Stay towards the middle if you want the sun all day as some can be under trees or shady. Level pitches plenty of hardstanding too.
Smooth check in process pretty much drive straight to pitch. Plenty of room to park your car next to the pitch too.
Showers were ok, however the new showers on the main field were great. Adjustable temperature (hurrah) somewhere to store your toiletries and underfloor heating for the winter too.
Shop, butchers and takeaway just outside the main entrance.
Located on the site of Banham zoo also worth a visit and you get money off your ticket with your booking. Also good location for Thetford forest and Norwich too.
Great value site, could do with a few more washing up facilities, but we would return again for sure.
Smooth check in process pretty much drive straight to pitch. Plenty of room to park your car next to the pitch too.
Showers were ok, however the new showers on the main field were great. Adjustable temperature (hurrah) somewhere to store your toiletries and underfloor heating for the winter too.
Shop, butchers and takeaway just outside the main entrance.
Located on the site of Banham zoo also worth a visit and you get money off your ticket with your booking. Also good location for Thetford forest and Norwich too.
Great value site, could do with a few more washing up facilities, but we would return again for sure.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kiera Goymour, Owner at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 24 Aug 2020
Thank you for leaving us a review. It's great to hear your thoughts, particularly regarding check-in as we're tried to make this as streamlined as possible whilst still giving you all the relevant (and necessary COVID) information! We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Upon arrival to the site at 5:30pm I went to the reception desk and I was told the office was closed by the park manager, she continued to talk down to me for the rest of the conversation. I wasn't even welcomed with a hello, the first words she spoke to me was "is that your van?"... Great start to the evening after travelling 6 hours to the campsite. Before hand I had checked the website and the terms and conditions to make sure that vans would be allowed. The terms and conditions state "one vehicle per pitch", no where states the length or type of vehicle and because of this we didn't think it would be an issue due to the size of the park. We were told if the van does not fit on the pitch then we couldn't keep it there and it had to be parked elsewhere. We had 2 motorbikes on the back and a lot of equipment which is worth a small fortune, I would have thought the park manager would have understood our situation in wanting the van beside us. We were offered storage for the bikes however this wasn't good enough as we were no where near and it could have easily been broken into without us knowing. I stated that we would like a refund and that we would stay elsewhere however the manager stated that we should have told her about the size of the vehicle and we couldn't have a refund due to this. There were other guests with vehicles bigger than ours and parked all over the place. We were told that if the van could not fit on the pitch then we couldn't stay there, the van fit and there was no problem. All of that confrontation for nothing... We were also told they had to come and inspect the pitch before putting the legs down on the caravan. The level of respect at this campsite is disgraceful. Toilets and showers were also very dirty, photo attached of the toilet brush. In 30C heat, it absolutely reaked. Obviously they're not checked regularly. The park warden was the only positive about the trip, she was lovely. We will not be returning at all.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kiera Goymour, Owner at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 26 Aug 2020
Thank you for taking time to feedback on your recent stay. To come back to you on your point with regards to on-pitch parking, we have a duty of care to ensure that social distancing is adhered to between pitches, which does mean that larger vehicles may be asked to park in our car park which is covered by CCTV or in our gated/ locked storage area if greater security is required. I appreciate this could have been explained in a more appropriate manner when you arrived, however I'm glad your vehicle did fit on your pitch in the end so you could be insight of your equipment throughout your stay. Staycations have proved incredibly popular this summer and we like many other campsites and holiday parks are doing the best we can to adapt to both COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines and increased demand within a short space of time. We do have a stringent COVID cleaning protocol in place with 2 cleans + 2 anit-bac cleans per day with a dedicated team who work extremely hard. We have since implemented additional refuse/ glass waste collections (now 3 per week) as well as adding an extra evening cleaning check at 9pm to ensure our usual high standards are on track.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This is a friendly, relaxed campsite which is suitable for caravans, motor homes, tents and glampers (they have pods and shepherd huts). The layout is clever with bays of six pitches laid out like spokes of a wheel round a central area where the main toilets and showers are. With hedges between the bays, you don’t get that “car park” feel as in some other sites. The main draw for families is that you’re 2 mins walk from Banham Zoo (discount on entry) but there’s also a playground, outdoor games room and ball games field on site. Just across the road is a pub, chip shop and well stocked convenience store. There are also plenty of paths for walking or running and the roads are quiet so good for cycling.
The reception staff are friendly and helpful, although the reception closes at 5pm (2pm at the weekends) so you need to see the Wardens in their caravans to check in at other times.
There’s a nice relaxing feel to this campsite and we are regular visitors.
The reception staff are friendly and helpful, although the reception closes at 5pm (2pm at the weekends) so you need to see the Wardens in their caravans to check in at other times.
There’s a nice relaxing feel to this campsite and we are regular visitors.
Read more
Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We decided to book 2 nights at Applewood, our first family camping trip as a family of five (and our first camping trip in about 8 years!) it’s close to home for us, only about 40 mins away.
On arrival, we were happily greeted and found our pitch easily, the pitches are very spacious and the layout of the site is great.
One of the first things I noticed, is that there is a really safe/happy vibe about this place, happy kids being kids running around playing games, the smell of BBQs and sounds of distant music and people laughing, really felt like a holiday!
There is a very handy shop just across the road, a takeaway and a butcher (excellent bacon rolls for breakfast!) plus a pub, and of course the zoo.
Our tent was located very close to the zoo, and my children found it super exciting to hear the animals late at night! Noise from campers was minimal at night.
We had a lovely day at the zoo, followed by excellent food for dinner from one of the visiting food vans (I believe there are different vendors each weekend during summer).
It felt really luxurious to have a nice hot shower in the morning, there are superb and very clean facilities on site. Park warden Linda is very nice and clearly takes huge pride in the campsite.
There is a play ground, a games den, a huge open playing field at the back, there honestly wasn’t anything else we could have needed.
We will 100% be coming back, for more than 2 nights next time!
On arrival, we were happily greeted and found our pitch easily, the pitches are very spacious and the layout of the site is great.
One of the first things I noticed, is that there is a really safe/happy vibe about this place, happy kids being kids running around playing games, the smell of BBQs and sounds of distant music and people laughing, really felt like a holiday!
There is a very handy shop just across the road, a takeaway and a butcher (excellent bacon rolls for breakfast!) plus a pub, and of course the zoo.
Our tent was located very close to the zoo, and my children found it super exciting to hear the animals late at night! Noise from campers was minimal at night.
We had a lovely day at the zoo, followed by excellent food for dinner from one of the visiting food vans (I believe there are different vendors each weekend during summer).
It felt really luxurious to have a nice hot shower in the morning, there are superb and very clean facilities on site. Park warden Linda is very nice and clearly takes huge pride in the campsite.
There is a play ground, a games den, a huge open playing field at the back, there honestly wasn’t anything else we could have needed.
We will 100% be coming back, for more than 2 nights next time!
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karen Johnson, General Manager at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 13 Aug 2022
Hi Hannah Many thanks for the 5* review and lovely comments. I was so pleased to hear that you and your family enjoyed your stay and will 100% be returning. We offer food vans on bank holiday weekends, half terms and various nights through the summer holidays so that guests can have a break from cooking and enjoy relaxing with lots of yummy treats. This clearly worked for you and your family. Sleeping next to the Zoo is an amazing experience for children and so much fun, so it was great to hear that your children found this super exciting. My staff and I also love the butchers bacon baps and visit regularly (well it would be rude not too seen as they are so close) so you are not alone there. Feel free to check out our Facebook page and you will see more information on dates for the food vans and our upcoming events. We look forward to seeing you again soon. Karen
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We've just returned from our 2 night tent stay, the site is very clean and tidy, pitches were busy but didn't feel it, showers are amazing and brand new! toilets clean and well kept, the children's park on site was really aimed at older children. One night there was a burger van and milk shake van the next night a coffee and hot chocolate van which was nice, the zoo was so much fun we went in twice in one day my children loved it the pizza restaurantwas so good we took some back to our tent, its a shame some attractions were closed but enough for an all day visit...I wouldn't recommend the chip shop near by they pre cooked most if it and stacked it so was all soggy and chewy....my only cons on the site were I wish there was a quiet curfew on the site from like 10pm as was quite noisy with people still running about, and a minimum drive limit around the site as some cars were driving quite fast and thus stopped my children riding their scooters on the pathways as I was worried cars wouldn't see them. All in all a lovely stay with close amenities and the zoo being a 1 minute walk from our tent definitely reccomend.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karen Johnson, General Manager at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 26 Aug 2021
We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us. Our guests are all emailed our site code when they book which asks for guests to keep noise to a minimum from 10pm until 9am. Our Park Warden also goes round and has a little chat with any guests that are a little bit loud to try and make sure that this is adhered so I am really sorry if you had noisy neighbours, We do have 5mph signs on the Park so we would like to think that our guests would be considerate and drive careful when they are on the Park. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed on site in a motorhome for 3 nights. On arrival had to call for the warden as they were on their rounds and was greated with a smile. Our pitch was what we expected. The shower/toilet facilities are excellent recently refurbished so all very new and is maintained to a high standard. The site is located next to Banham Zoo and well worth a visit, small garden centre, The Barrel pub that serves local beers and gins, a take away next door serving pizza, fish n chips and kebabs which you can eat in the pub whilst enjoying a drink. All venues were covid compliant and felt very safe, we were made to feel very welcome by all.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I booked a couple of nights last March prior to the first lockdown. I asked for a refund and was refused, and told I’d get an extension for dates. Before we’d really got over lockdown, here we are again and still a refusal to refund and another extension.
On speaking to Karen on the phone I found her tone uncaring which is what I’ve come to expect from her by her emails.
I’ve read other reviews about staff attitude here and I’m not surprised. Clearly they are only in it for greed and care very little about paying customers.
There is no way I can recommend this place. I belong to a few campervan Facebook pages and the vast majority of campers got refunds at lockdown. These people are just money grabbers in my opinion and I’d beg you not to book here because you’ll never get a refund if you can’t go.
On speaking to Karen on the phone I found her tone uncaring which is what I’ve come to expect from her by her emails.
I’ve read other reviews about staff attitude here and I’m not surprised. Clearly they are only in it for greed and care very little about paying customers.
There is no way I can recommend this place. I belong to a few campervan Facebook pages and the vast majority of campers got refunds at lockdown. These people are just money grabbers in my opinion and I’d beg you not to book here because you’ll never get a refund if you can’t go.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2020Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Kiera Goymour, Owner at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 4 Nov 2020
Andy - to respond to your view, your original booking was for 3 nights from 19.03.20. At this point our standard T&Cs applied as we were not in lockdown at that time and although we were not obliged to offer a refund or rearrangement as you cancelled on the day of your arrival, we offered you the opportunity to rearrange your stay before 31.12.20 as a gesture of goodwill. Today, we agreed to extend your rearrangement for a full 12 months from your original booking date in consideration of the second lockdown period we are now experiencing. At no point during this call did you request a refund and were happy with the solution offered. I am disappointed to read your review as we have tried to be accommodating at every turn. Should you wish to discuss your booking further, please call me directly on 01953 715336.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We’ve been to this site numerous times over the years - We brought a new Caravan & Awning it seemed like the ideal place to go for the Easter weekend.
Toilets & showers very clean and of a better standard than most touring sites, literally a few paces from the site is a well stocked village store a butchers (The sausage roles are awesome) a takeaway and a great pub with indoor and outdoor seating. Adjacent to Banham zoo which is a wonderful day out (Discounted tickets if you’re on the site) feeding the giraffes is a must but book early.
Nothing to moan about a genuine jewel in the Norfolk county side.
Toilets & showers very clean and of a better standard than most touring sites, literally a few paces from the site is a well stocked village store a butchers (The sausage roles are awesome) a takeaway and a great pub with indoor and outdoor seating. Adjacent to Banham zoo which is a wonderful day out (Discounted tickets if you’re on the site) feeding the giraffes is a must but book early.
Nothing to moan about a genuine jewel in the Norfolk county side.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karen Johnson, General Manager at Applewood Countryside Park
Responded 14 May 2022
Many thanks for taking the time to write us a fabulous 5* review. As a small family run business we try hard to reinvest every year to ensure that our guests have good quality facilities. We are also very lucky to have an amazing team of staff who keep on top of the cleaning and maintenance of them. We also love the butchers and often nip over for lunch. As you found out his sausage rolls awesome but so are his bacon, brie and cranberry sauce baps and his wife's homemade cakes. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We would recommend pitches 8D, 8E, 8F, 9D, 9E, 9F on the main campsite and pitches M44-M49 in Laurel Meadow as these are south facing.
Yes indeed - the Banham Barrel, Trawlers Catch Takeaway, One Stop Shop, Butchers are all open as normal.
Hi
The pods and cabins do not have fire pits or BBQ's however you are welcome to bring them as long as it is raised off the ground to avoid damaging the grass.
Please do not hesitate to call me on 01953 715318 should you have any other queries or require any further information.
Thanks
Karen Johnson
Park Manager
You can email the site and I am sure they will send you some extra pictures. We found the staff very helpful when we stopped
"Parking was available in plenty and would pose no problem if using public transport be aware that many of the bus stops are not labelled"Read full review
"Thought I was going into Banham Zoo but you do take the same entrance fir the campsite "Read full review
"I would say if you are arriving late ensure you get directions beforehand so you know exactly where you are."Read full review
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandEast AngliaNorfolkBanham
NUMBER OF ROOMS
11
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your ListingAPPLEWOOD COUNTRYSIDE PARK - Updated 2024 Reviews & Photos
Frequently Asked Questions about Applewood Countryside Park
What are some of the property amenities at Applewood Countryside Park?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and a banquet room.
Is parking available at Applewood Countryside Park?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
Are pets allowed at Applewood Countryside Park?
Yes, pets are typically allowed, but it's always best to call ahead to confirm.
Does Applewood Countryside Park offer any business services?
Yes, guests have access to a banquet room and conference facilities during their stay.
Is Applewood Countryside Park accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.