Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat

View prices & book 9 58 reviews
Lovely sunny day
Lovely sunny day
Shepherd's hut
Kubi, one of the site's animals
Close-up of lotty
Toffy the goat
Goats on site
View of the camping field
Shared kitchen facilities
1/66
Shepherd's hut
Kubi, one of the site's animals
Close-up of lotty

  • Family-run and dog-friendly sustainable retreat in the Kent Downs
  • A 15-minute drive from Folkestone and 25 minutes from Canterbury
  • Hand-feed alpacas, goats and other animals; pub and shop nearby
Time to channel that adventurous side in the Kent Downs – Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat is a family-run, sustainable retreat set in a splendid countryside landscape. Adventurers staying here will have the company of an array of animals including alpacas, goats, pigs and chickens, all of which can be met at hand-feeding sessions. Simple, friendly entertainment is this site’s tune. The family – Dan, Stacey and Eva - very much look forward to meeting their guests (dogs included) and making their stay a splendid time from start to finish. When you’re not relaxing on site, you’ll have plenty of choices for adventures elsewhere too, like trying out watersports or witnessing Dover’s white cliffs (25 minutes’ drive away). This rural retreat isn’t without a place to sink your teeth into a tasty dinner either. There’s a village shop 25 minutes’ walk away, so it should be easy to source all the bits for a barbecue of your own. Just along from the shop is a traditional 18th-century pub too. Down the coast from Dover is the seaside town of Folkestone (15 minutes’ drive), part of a North Downs valley with a harbour, creative quarter, beach and mile-long promenade. Inland is historic Canterbury, 25 minutes’ drive away. And if you're planning onward journeys across the Channel, the Eurotunnel and Dover ferry port are a short drive away.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 1
Rent a tent 2
Tent pitches 15
Open now
Opens 11 April
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Swimming in the lake is not allowed.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, 11 Apr to

No availability here for your search criteria

Pitch types & availability

Accommodation

Tent pitchesTouring caravan pitchesMotorhome pitchesLodges, cabins, pods or hutsCaravans for hireRent a tent
Choose your dates
2 adults
0 children

Reviews

9

Overall rating from 58 Pitchup.com customers

  • 62%
    10
  • 3%
    9
  • 25%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 5%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 1%
    4
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    3
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    2
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    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 7
Peaceful

93% would recommend this site to a friend

86% would stay here again

What customers say

This is a highly-rated campsite praised for its friendly, welcoming owners and relaxed atmosphere. Families particularly enjoy the abundance of well-cared-for animals, secure play areas, and fresh pizzas. While the site is largely eco-friendly, some guests found the compost toilets and open showers a challenge, though others appreciated the facilities. Its convenient location and the owners' dedication to guest comfort are frequently highlighted. A secure environment and opportunities for children to play freely are consistent themes.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews

Reviews page 1 of 6
Arrival date (latest first)

This place was an absolute gem of a find, loved everything about it.

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Jo W.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Absolutely loved this place, super easy to book, easy to find. A really friendly welcome with everything we could have asked for. We had the best time seeing the animals and stargazing late into the night.

Disliked Not a dislike at all, just some feedback - we couldn't find any information about firepits at the time of booking, they have firepits available to rent.
We were unsure what was available, if we weren't so last minute I could have called to check so it's not a big deal, but maybe this could be made a little bit more clear on here.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Nous avons pas aimé mais cela pourra plaire aux amoureux du rustique .

Overall

3 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 5
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 2
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 3
Wifi
 No rating
Jean-François L.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Très pratique pour aller prendre le tunnel.
Des animaux sympas pour les enfants.
Très bon marché.
Herbe bien verte.
Sort de l ordinaire.
Propriétaires très accueillant
Sympa pour les enfants.

Disliked Il s agit plus d un terrain de camping que d un camping. Sanitaires très sommaire et sale le jour où nous sommes venus ( je passe les détails. (Les toilettes sèches c est très bien mais propre ce serait encore mieux). On attend aussi pas mal les véhicules passant sur la route. C est dommage car le concept est très sympa et les propriétaires vraiment très accueillant.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the animals, the greenery, and found us welcoming and affordable.

We are very sorry, however, that your experience was not as positive as it should have been. Clean and well-kept facilities are important to us, and we regret that on the day of your visit the standards were not as they should be. We have since made improvements to ensure our eco-friendly toilets are properly maintained at all times.

We also understand that being close to the road can sometimes mean traffic noise, though it does make access to the Channel Tunnel and local attractions much easier. We are continuing to explore ways to reduce any disruption for guests.

Your comments are taken seriously, and we truly hope you’ll notice the improvements if you choose to visit us again.

The Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat Team

Excellent site friendly owners and great pizzas,

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 10
Martin B.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Animals
Pitch’s
Owners
Great security

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fantastic site!! We throughly enjoyed our…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Chris B.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Fantastic site!! We throughly enjoyed our stay. The owners are brilliant people and go above and beyond to make you feel welcome. Great for kids, and lots of happy animals to welcome you!
We’ll definitely be back, don’t miss this amazing place!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Loved it! Would totally go back here!

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Rachel G.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked I loved this place so much. The animals, the atmosphere, the safety and security, I loved that we could rent a fire pit and I loved the outdoor showers!! Loads of space, swings etc for kids. On the Saturday night they put a Disney film on for the kids. There’s a pizza van on site to get pizzas/ chips from in the evening. We had such a wonderful weekend here. The hosts are so helpful and lovely! Thanks for a great stay!

Disliked I didn’t love the compost toilets but that’s mainly because other people were using them incorrectly at the time we were there. They were really clean and toilet paper was regularly restocked and someone was often in there checking them over.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great place to stay. We will return.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 9
Customer service
 9
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 8
Wifi
 No rating
Siobhan G.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked There really isn’t much to not like at this site, this was our 3rd return so I think that tells you a lot. The animals make the stay lots of fun for the kids and adults too. The open topped showers are a firm favourite with my family. There is washing up facilities with both hot and cold running water which can be a rarity with camping, great location with lots of local attractions and lovely beaches close by.

Disliked Not really a dislike as it’s really another bonus to the stay when you have children but the swing frame could definitely do with some TLC just for safety purposes.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very friendly and helpful always ready with a smile

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 10
Clifford B.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked The simplicity of finding a spot. The play area for the kids. The animals and duck pond

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fab eco family site.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 9
Accommodation
 9
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 5
Dave D.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Wonderfully chilled site. Owners were great and super friendly. Great for families with loads of animals to see and secure fields for the kids to play. Fresh pizzas are amazing and fire pits are great to hang out in the evening.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Great spot- no vans . Great…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 3
Sebastian S.

Non-electric grass tent pitch

Liked Great spot- no vans . Great to have all the animals and birds.
Excellent recycling facilities

Recommend to friends Visit again

5 stars…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 10
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Bell tent (four person)

Liked 5 stars

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Pop-up campsite

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby

Type

Farm Pop-up campsite Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Cycling nearby

Location

Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat

Hoad Meadow

Hoad Road

Dover

Kent

England

CT15 7HS

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.14511°N
1.16437°E

Nearest transport

Coach
4.6 mi Bus Station
5 mi War Memorial
5 mi War Memorial
Rail
4.1 mi Shepherds Well Rail Station
4.2 mi Folkestone West Rail Station
4.3 mi Folkestone Central Rail Station
Ferry
3.9 mi Folkestone Eurotunnel Terminal
6.8 mi Dover Western Docks Ferry Terminal
7.2 mi Dover Eastern Docks Ferry Terminal
Airport
16.3 mi Kent International Airport
16.6 mi Lydd London Ashford Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Creative, historic, attractive… There are many adjectives that can be given to the city of Canterbury (25 minutes’ drive). Its historic highlights include the grand Canterbury Cathedral, Roman walls and timber houses, and its creative side can be tracked down in the theatres and galleries (and you'll pick up attractiveness just by taking a walk…) Dover (20 minutes) isn’t just about the white cliffs and castle. There are World War II tunnels beneath the castle and gorgeous coastal walks at Samphire Hoe. In Hythe (20 minutes), things are just as historical in the way of attractions, with the resort being home to the largest collection of human skulls and bones in the whole of Britain. What a way to split your day, between bone collections and the splendid beachfront. When you’re not busying yourself with all the different watersports that take place in Folkestone (15 minutes), take time to visit Folkestone East Cliff and Warren Country Park (10 minutes). On these easterly cliffs, there are sandy beaches and a nature reserve to investigate.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name Distance Type 2020201920182017
Folkestone 4.5 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Sandgate 5.5 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Hythe 6.6 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
St Margaret`S Bay 9.6 mi Sea N/AExcellentExcellentExcellent
Dymchurch 11.1 mi Sea N/AGoodGoodGood

Data source: European Environment Agency

Must see

Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway 6.5 mi

Roman Painted House 6.5 mi

Dover Castle 6.8 mi

White Cliffs of Dover 7.6 mi

Howletts Wild Animal Park 8.5 mi

National Trust

The White Cliffs of Dover 7.6 mi

South Foreland Lighthouse 9 mi

Smallhythe Place 21.5 mi

Lamb House 23.1 mi

Sissinghurst Castle Garden 25.7 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Cheriton Hill 3.2 mi

BROOME PARK 3.3 mi

Kearsney Court 4.5 mi

WALDERSHARE PARK 5.4 mi

SANDLING PARK 6.2 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Want to know more about camping in Kent?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat? Creative, historic, attractive… There are many adjectives that can be given to the city of Canterbury (25 minutes’ drive). Its historic highlights include the grand Canterbury Cathedral, Roman walls and timber houses, … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  12 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  11 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Hoad Meadow Alpaca Retreat? From £25 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.