Terms & Conditions
All the information was correct at the time of publication, and is subject to change without notice.
1. Deposit Policy
1.1. The Hotel requires a deposit to secure all room bookings made via our website or telephone. A minimum of £80 deposit per room is required upon booking, with the exception of any special offers with amended conditions of sale.
2. Cancellations & Amendments
2.1. Amendments to an existing Bedroom or Spa booking are subject to availability.
2.2. Guests can cancel their bedroom or spa reservation up to 7 days prior to arrival and their deposit will be returned in full.
2.3. Guests cancelling their bedroom or spa reservation between 7 – 3 days of arrival will lose their deposits.
2.4. Guests cancelling their bedroom or spa reservation with less than 3 days prior to arrival will lose their deposit and will be charged the first night stay of accommodation booked and their spa reservation in full.
2.5. If a stay is shortened for any reason up to 3 days prior to arrival or during your stay, the full accommodation costs will be charged without exception.
2.6. Any guests that fail to arrive will be subject to the full accommodation and/or spa cost being charged to the credit or debit card that the initial booking was guaranteed with.
2.7. Should the Hotel be compelled to cease trading due to new Government legislation, all reservations for stays during the period of closure will be subject to an amended deposit policy. There will be no cash, credit, debit, PayPal or any other payment method refunds. The Hotel will hold your deposit until we receive new dates of stay from the guest. This deposit can be used for a new accommodation reservation or as part payment for any other service offered by the Hotel including treatments at The New Forest Spa and Wellness Centre. The new dates of stay will be charged at the published online rates for your chosen period of stay.
2.8. The hotel reserves the right to refuse or cancel a booking at its sole discretion. This may occur if a guest displays inappropriate, aggressive, or disrespectful behaviour in any form of communication prior to arrival, including but not limited to phone calls, emails, or online messaging. Examples include rude or hostile conduct, abusive or threatening language toward staff or the business, or attempts to coerce the hotel through threats of negative reviews or reputational harm on platforms such as Google, TripAdvisor, or third-party booking sites like Expedia or Booking.com.
2.9. In such cases, the hotel may cancel the booking at any time. If a booking is cancelled under these circumstances, a full refund will be provided.
3. Payment
3.1. All guests will be required to settle the full accommodation costs of their stay upon arrival at the Hotel. This includes reservations made where multiple rooms have been booked.
3.2. All other charges credited to a guest’s bill during their stay are required to be settled in full on the day of the guest’s departure.
3.3. The Hotel reserves the right to place a pre-authorised amount on a credit or debit card at their discretion during the course of a guests stay.
4. VAT
4.1. VAT will be charged at the prevailing rate applicable on your arrival date at the Hotel.
4.2. Hotel room rates are not adjusted to reflect any changes to VAT.
5. Group Bookings Cancellations & Amendments
5.1. We define a group booking as 15 or more total bed nights booked in two or more rooms. This includes reservations arranged, managed and paid by an individual or where a group of individuals have booked separate rooms with the intention of attending an organized holiday or private event.
5.2. Group bookings will be subject to our group bookings cancellations and amendments policy.
5.3. Cancellations made 15 – 28 days prior to the date of arrival will be subject to 50% charge of that individual room value.
5.4. Cancellations made 0 – 14 days prior to the date of arrival will be subject to the full cost of the booking.
5.5. All amendments are subject to availability. Any minor amendments made to individual rooms 0 – 28 days prior to the date of arrival may be subject to charges at the Hotel Management’s discretion.
5.6. It is at the Hotel’s discretion whether any larger amendments made will be subject to the cancellation policy.
6. Room Allocations
6.1. The hotel undertakes to supply the guest a room within a specific category, should this not be available a similar or superior standard of room will be supplied.
6.2. A specific room number can be guaranteed with a £30 deposit which will be charged to your room account after check-in. Should this room become unavailable due to circumstances not in the hotel’s control, a similar or superior room will be provided and the £30 will not be charged.
6.3. Complimentary upgrades are entirely at the hotel’s discretion, strictly subject to availability and only confirmed upon the guest’s arrival at the Hotel.
7. Dinner Allowances
7.1. It must be noted that ALL dinner, bed & breakfast rates provide dinner FOOD allowance for each adult guest. This allowance is NOT permitted to be used on our Pizza menu.
7.2. The value of the allowance is subject to change when an offer is sold in conjunction with a third-party partner.
8. Hotel Leisure Facilities and Services
8.1. Reservations for accommodation are completed on a contractual basis and are, where appropriate, inclusive of the board terms, e.g. inclusive of breakfast and or dinner if paid and booked.
8.2. No other aspect of the hotel is contractually offered. All ancillary services and or products (e.g. leisure centre or restaurant outlets) are i) Provided entirely at the hotel managements discretion ii) Subject to availability and iii) Can be closed at any time. Decisions to close an area of the hotel or remove a service are not undertaken lightly and will always be made with the guests’ best interest in mind.
9. Offers
9.1. Our 3 for 2 offer provides guests with one free night when booking a two-night stay. Please note that this offer is not valid from Thursday to Sunday. The offer can only be applied for stays between Monday and Wednesday. Additionally, this offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other promotions or discounts.
10. Blue Light Card
10.1. 15% discount available with a valid Blue Light Card.
10.2. Pre-booking for Spa, Room Stays, Events and Weddings are essential. Your individual Blue Light Card number must be supplied at the time of booking and cannot be applied retrospectively.
10.3. A valid Blue Light Card must be presented on arrival for any food and beverage services.
10.4. The Blue Light Card holder must be staying, dining or using the service and be present during the booking.
10.5. The discount applies to the cardholder's own booking only and is not valid for group bookings, events or bookings made on behalf of others.
10.6. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, promotion or discounted rate.
10.7. No cash alternative is available.
10.8. Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa reserves the right to amend or withdraw this offer at any time
11. 3rd Party Bookings
11.1. The hotel accepts limited liability for all reservations made through any website or agent not directly managed by the Hotel. Guests are reminded that their contract of stay is with the 3rd party provider, and any issues resulting from a reservation error must be addressed directly with the booking agent. The hotel always advises its guests to book directly to enjoy the best rates and customer service.
12. Children
12.1. Children under the age of 12 may stay in their parent’s room, subject to a suitable room having been booked at the time of the reservation.
12.2. A charge of £30 per child aged 4-12 years will be made, this is inclusive of an extra bed and breakfast, unless it is booked on a designated family room rate.
12.3. Under 4’s may enjoy a complimentary breakfast, but a linen charge of £15 per bed or cot will be applied.
12.4. It is solely at the hotels discretion to allow teenagers under the age of 16 years old to occupy a room without an adult.
12.5. There are no circumstances where children under the age of 12 may occupy a room without an adult occupying a room with them.
12.6. We do not include children within our dinner inclusive rates and packages, all meal costs for children excluding breakfast are charged as taken.
13. Damage to Hotel Rooms or Furnishings
13.1. The Guest shall be responsible for any and all damage caused to the allocated rooms or the furnishings, utensils, equipment and to any other property of The Hotel and pay on demand the amount required to make good or remedy the damage.
13.2. In the case of sickness or soiling a minimum charge of £100.00 will be made and if this does not cover the cost of specialist cleaning or replacement the full costs of specialist cleaning and/or replacement will be charged to The Guest.
13.3. The Guest will also be responsible to pay for any loss of earnings if we are unable to sell the room. This will be charged at the online rate.
14. Pets
14.1. Dogs are allowed to stay strictly at the discretion of the Hotels Management, and an additional charge per dog per day. The charge is £30.00 per dog per day.
14.2. We allow a maximum of 2 dogs per room.
14.3. The Hotel has designated a limited number of rooms as being dog friendly.
14.4. We welcome well behaved dogs and request that dogs are not allowed on beds, chairs or sofas.
14.5. It is important to note that the guest accepts liability for any damage to bed linen and any other fitting by a pet.
14.6. We do not allow pets in Beresfords Restaurant or the indoor Leisure facilities.
14.7. We are mindful of animal welfare, and we recommend that pets are not left alone in guest bedrooms at any time. In the event this is unavoidable, please make the Reception Team aware of these circumstances and supply a contact number.
14.8. Please note that no member of staff will enter your room, under any circumstances, if a dog is left unattended in a room.
14.9. Dogs are required to be on a lead at all times in the public areas of the Hotel including the corridors and grounds.
14.10. We insist that consideration must be given to all other guests when the dog is accompanying you in the public areas of the Hotel. The sound of a dog barking echoes throughout the Hotel and negatively affects all other guests.
14.11. We advise our guests that should this continue after our intervention, it may result in the immediate cancellation of your stay at the Hotel.
15. Threatening behavior and abuse of staff
15.1. The Hotel has a zero-tolerance policy of any member of staff being verbally or physically threatened by any persons visiting the Hotel.
15.2. The Hotels Management retain the right to consider each incident on an individual basis and to request any visitor to leave the premises at any time, and to call for assistance from the appropriate authorities.
16. Service charges
16.1. A discretionary 13% service charge is applied to bills in Beresfords Restaurant.
16.2. No other service charges are applied as we believe this should always be at the guest’s discretion.
16.3. Please note that the Hotel does not retain any service charges, all monies are paid directly to the staff.
17. Vacating Bedrooms
17.1. Guests are required to vacate their rooms by 10.30am on the day of departure.
17.2. A late checkout can be requested prior to the morning of your departure, and is subject to availability.
17.3. Late checkouts will be charged at £10 per hour to a maximum of 2pm, any departures after 2pm will be charged at the full additional night’s rate.
18. Arrival Time
18.1. All rooms are normally available for occupation from 3.30pm.
18.2. It is entirely at the Hotel’s Management discretion whether rooms can be occupied prior to the advertised arrival time.
18.3. Whilst every effort is made to make rooms available for function and wedding guests before 3.30pm, operational requirements regularly do not allow the early occupation of rooms during busy periods.
18.4. If you are anticipating a very early arrival, to guarantee your room will be available for immediate occupation we strongly advise booking the night prior to your date of arrival.
18.5. Our check out time is 10.30am
19. Damage and Mistreatment of Property
19.1. The customer shall be responsible for any and all damages caused to the allocated rooms or the furnishings, utensils, equipment and to any other property of the Hotel and/or its grounds – by an act, default or neglect of the customer.
19.2. The guest accepts they shall pay the hotel on demand the amount required to make good or remedy the damage.
19.3. The Hotel strictly enforces Government no smoking legislation. It is an offence to smoke anywhere within the Hotel building. Guests will also be charged directly for any subsequent fines to the business due to failure to comply with legislation.
19.4. A further charge, of up to and including a full night’s stay will also be charged to the guest.
20. Method of Payment
20.1. As of June 1st 2026, we do not accept any cash payments.
20.2. We accept all major credit cards and in accordance with current government legislation, we do not levy any additional fees.
20.3. We regret that cheque payments do need to be cleared by our bank prior to them being accepted as payment for hotel accounts.
21. Refurbishment and maintenance work
21.1. The Hotel is continually looking to upgrade and improve all of its facilities. This may result in certain facilities and amenities not being available.
21.2. The Hotel reserves the right to carry out maintenance work without prior notice and without compensation for the temporary closure of any facility.
22. Force Majeure
22.1. If the Hotel is prevented or hindered from carrying out its obligations here under by circumstances beyond its reasonable control including (without prejudice to the generality or foregoing) government intervention, strikes, labour disputes, accidents, Acts of God, national or local disasters or war, then the Hotel’s liability to the Client shall be no greater than the amount paid to the Hotel by the Client in respect of the accommodation and this will be returned to the guests in the form of a credit note with one year’s validity from the time of their dates of stay.
22.2. If for any reasons beyond the Hotel’s reasonable control the accommodation reserved cannot be made available to the Client the Hotel reserves the right to substitute similar or comparable accommodation and such a substitution shall be accepted by the Clients as satisfactory performance by the Hotel of its obligations hereunder to provide the accommodation reserved.
22.3. Note – at peak times it may not be possible to book suitable alternative accommodation, under these circumstances the Hotel’s liability will be strictly limited to the return of the deposit or pre-payment made.
The New Forest Spa & Wellness Centre
1. Age Restriction
The spa facilities are exclusively available to guests aged 16 years and over. Access will be denied to anyone under this age, including for treatments, use of thermal suites, poolside relaxation areas and any other spa amenities.
2. Proof of Age
Guests may be asked to provide valid identification to verify their age prior to using the spa facilities. Failure to provide acceptable identification upon request may result in denial of access without refund.
3. Supervision Policy
Children and minors under the age of 16 are not permitted in any part of the spa, even if accompanied by an adult.
4. Booking Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the person making the booking to ensure that all members of their party meet the minimum age requirement for spa use. No exceptions will be made.
5. Right to Refuse Entry
The Hotel reserves the right to refuse access to the spa to anyone who does not comply with the age policy or is found to be in breach of these terms and conditions.
6. Changes to Terms
These terms and conditions are subject to change without prior notice, where permitted by law. Guests are encouraged to review the spa policy before making a booking or using the facilities.
General Competition Terms & Conditions
These terms and conditions apply to all competitions organised by Balmer Lawn Hotel (“the Promoter”), unless otherwise stated in the specific competition details published on the relevant competition page or entry form.
By entering a competition, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
1. The Promoter
All competitions are organised by Balmer Lawn Hotel, of Balmer Lawn Hotel, Lyndhurst Road, SO42 7ZB (“the Promoter”).
The Promoter's contact details are available on our website.
2. Eligibility
2.1. Unless otherwise stated on the relevant competition page, competitions are open to UK residents aged 18 years or over.
2.2. Employees of the Promoter, their immediate family members and anyone professionally connected with the organisation or administration of the competition may be excluded from entering.
2.3. Any additional eligibility requirements or restrictions will be stated on the relevant competition page.
2.4. The Promoter reserves the right to request proof of age, identity or eligibility and to disqualify any entrant who does not meet the applicable requirements.
3. Competition Details and Entry
3.1. The specific details of each competition, including the prize, entry method, opening and closing dates, and winner selection and announcement arrangements, will be published on the relevant competition page or entry form.
3.2. Entrants must follow the stated entry instructions and provide any information reasonably required to enter the competition.
3.3. Unless otherwise stated, no purchase is necessary to enter a competition.
3.4. Any entry limits or additional entry requirements will be specified on the relevant competition page.
3.5. Entries must be received before the advertised closing date and time. Late, incomplete or invalid entries will not be accepted.
3.6. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed, incorrectly submitted or not received for technical or other reasons beyond its reasonable control.
3.7. The Promoter reserves the right to disqualify any entrant who breaches these terms and conditions, provides misleading information or attempts to manipulate the competition.
4. Competition Period
4.1. Each competition will have its own opening and closing dates, which will be displayed on the relevant competition page or entry form.
4.2. Entries received after the stated closing date and time will not be included in the competition.
4.3. The Promoter reserves the right to amend, suspend or cancel a competition where circumstances beyond its reasonable control make this necessary, subject to applicable law.
5. Prizes
5.1. The prize or prizes available in each competition will be described on the relevant competition page or entry form.
5.2. Prizes are subject to any restrictions, exclusions, booking conditions, expiry dates or other requirements specified in the relevant competition details or these general terms and conditions.
5.3. Unless otherwise stated, prizes are non-transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash and cannot be resold.
5.4. Any costs not expressly included in the advertised prize, including travel, transport, additional food and beverages, personal expenses or optional extras, will be the responsibility of the winner.
5.5. Where a prize involves accommodation, dining, spa treatments, activities or other services, its use will be subject to availability and the relevant provider's applicable booking conditions, operating hours, policies and restrictions.
5.6 Unless expressly stated otherwise in the relevant competition details, any overnight stay awarded as a competition prize cannot be booked for UK bank holidays or other excluded holiday dates, including any additional dates or peak periods specified by the Promoter or the hotel. Any applicable restrictions will be communicated as part of the relevant competition details or otherwise made clear to the winner before booking.
5.7. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute a prize with an alternative of equal or greater value where circumstances beyond its reasonable control make this necessary.
5.8. The winner is responsible for ensuring that they and any guest meet the applicable requirements for using the prize.
5.9. Any specific redemption instructions, booking deadlines or restrictions will be communicated on the relevant competition page or to the winner.
6. Winner Selection
6.1. The winner or winners of each competition will be selected using the method stated on the relevant competition page or entry form.
6.2. Where a competition is based on a prize draw, the winner will be selected at random from all valid entries received before the closing date, unless otherwise stated.
6.3. Where a competition is judged against specific criteria, those criteria and the applicable selection process will be stated in the competition details.
6.4. The winner selection and announcement arrangements, including the expected timeframe, will be specified on the relevant competition page or entry form.
6.5. The Promoter's decisions regarding the administration of each competition will be final, subject to applicable law.
7. Winner Notification
7.1. The winner will be contacted using the contact details provided at the time of entry, in accordance with the arrangements stated on the relevant competition page.
7.2. The winner may be required to respond within a specified period to confirm acceptance of the prize and provide any information reasonably necessary to arrange its fulfilment.
7.3. If the winner cannot be contacted, fails to respond within the specified period, is found to be ineligible or declines the prize, the Promoter reserves the right to select an alternative winner.
7.4. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for a winner failing to receive notification due to incorrect contact details or circumstances beyond its reasonable control.
8. Publicity
8.1. The Promoter may ask winners to participate in reasonable publicity relating to the competition.
8.2. Any use of a winner's name, image or other personal information for publicity purposes will be subject to applicable data protection and privacy requirements.
8.3. A winner will not be required to participate in promotional activity as a condition of accepting a prize unless this has been clearly stated in advance and is lawful.
9. Personal Data and Privacy
9.1. The Promoter will collect and process personal information provided by entrants for the purposes of administering competitions, verifying eligibility, contacting winners and arranging prize fulfilment.
9.2. Personal information will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and the Promoter's privacy policy, available at [insert privacy policy link].
9.3. Where necessary, relevant personal information may be shared with third parties involved in administering a competition or fulfilling a prize.
9.4. Entrants' information will not be used for unrelated direct marketing purposes without an appropriate lawful basis.
9.5. Entrants may exercise their applicable data protection rights as explained in the Promoter's privacy policy.
10. Liability
10.1. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Promoter accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, injury or disappointment suffered by an entrant arising from participation in a competition or acceptance or use of a prize, except where such liability cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
10.2. The Promoter will not be responsible for circumstances beyond its reasonable control that prevent or materially affect the operation of a competition or the provision of a prize.
10.3. Nothing in these terms and conditions excludes or limits any liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
11. Changes to Competitions
11.1. The Promoter reserves the right to amend, suspend or cancel a competition where circumstances beyond its reasonable control make this necessary.
11.2. Where reasonably practicable, any changes will be communicated through the relevant competition page or the channel through which the competition was promoted.
11.3. The Promoter will take reasonable steps to minimise any adverse impact on entrants resulting from such changes.
12. General
12.1. Entry into a competition constitutes acceptance of these general terms and conditions and any additional terms published on the relevant competition page.
12.2. Where specific competition terms differ from these general terms, the specific terms will apply to that competition to the extent of the difference, provided they are lawful.
12.3. If any provision of these terms and conditions is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect.
12.4. These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and any disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory consumer rights that apply.
12.5. Where a competition is promoted through a social media platform, it is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with that platform unless expressly stated otherwise. Entrants may be required to acknowledge any applicable platform-specific disclaimer as part of the entry process.
12.6. These general terms and conditions may be updated from time to time. The version applicable to an individual competition will be the version published or identified as applicable when that competition is entered, subject to applicable law.
Festive Terms & Conditions
These terms and conditions are in additional to our standard terms and conditions.
Sections 1, 2 & 3 of our standard Terms & Conditions are superseded by the festive terms & conditions.
1. Provisional Reservations
1.1. Provisional reservations for any Festive events will be held for up to 14 days only, deposits will be required after this time to confirm your booking. If a deposit is not received within 14 days, the reservation will be automatically released without prior notification.
2. Christmas Party Night Reservations
2.1. For Christmas party night reservations, a non-refundable deposit of 50% per person is required within 14 days of making the reservation.
3. Christmas & New Years Residential Packages
3.1. For Christmas & New Years residential packages, a non-refundable deposit of £150.00 per room is required on booking. Full payment is required by the 1st November after this time these packages are non-refundable and non-transferable.
4. Non-Residents Christmas Day Lunch
4.1. For non-residents Christmas day lunch, full payment is required upon booking. This payment is non-refundable.
5. Non-Residents Boxing Day Brunch
5.1. For non residents Boxing day Brunch, full payment is required upon booking. This payment is non-refundable.
6. Non-Residents New Years Eve Gala Dinner
6.1. For non-residents New Years Eve Gala dinner, full payment is required upon booking. This payment is non-refundable.
7. Non-Residents New Years Day Lunch
7.1. For non-residents New Years Day lunch, full payment is required upon booking. This payment is non-refundable.
8. VAT
8.1. All prices include VAT at prevailing rate.
9. Availability
9.1. Prices are subject to availability.
10. Website Information
10.1. All details on the website are correct at time of publishing, and maybe subject to alteration without notice.
11. Age Restrictions
11.1. Certain functions/events are not suitable for children under 18 years old. Please ask for details.
