Adventure Balloons Ltd - Hook

Adventure Balloons Ltd: Your Gateway to Soaring Skies

Adventure Balloons Ltd stands as a prominent entity in the United Kingdom's recreational aviation sector, specializing in the provision of hot air balloon rides. Operating from their base at London Road, Hartley Wintney, near the coastal town of Hook-on-Sea in Hampshire, this company offers unique aerial experiences that promise unforgettable memories for participants. Their core business revolves around organizing and facilitating balloon flight excursions, positioning them as a key player in the local tourism economy of the south coast region.

Core Business and Services

Balloon Ride Experiences

The primary offering from Adventure Balloons Ltd is the hot air balloon ride. This is typically a one-hour flight, allowing passengers to ascend hundreds of feet into the sky, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. The company prides itself on providing a safe, professional, and memorable experience, catering to both first-time flyers and seasoned enthusiasts. Flights are usually scheduled in the early morning or late afternoon to capitalize on more stable weather conditions, a crucial factor for successful balloon operations.

Booking and Agency Function

Adventure Balloons Ltd functions not only as a flight provider but also as a balloon ride tour agency. This involves managing the entire booking process, from initial inquiries to confirming flight details and handling payment. Their role as an agency simplifies the experience for customers seeking a hot air balloon flight, taking care of logistics and ensuring a smooth journey from planning to take-off. They likely handle various aspects including insurance, safety briefings, and post-flight photography services.

Location and Accessibility

Hartley Wintney Base

Strategically located at London Road, Hartley Wintney, the company benefits from a base that provides excellent access to diverse terrain suitable for balloon launches. The surrounding area offers a beautiful blend of countryside, coastal views, and proximity to towns, making for varied and scenic flight paths. The specific postcode, RG27 8HY, places the operation within easy reach of Southampton Airport to the east and London to the southwest via rail connections. This location is ideal for attracting customers from across southern England and beyond who seek a hot air balloon adventure.

Customer Experience and Reputation

Google My Business Presence

Adventure Balloons Ltd actively maintains its online presence through a listing on Google My Business, a platform crucial for local visibility and customer reviews. They have accumulated a significant number of reviews, totaling 80, which indicates a steady volume of customers and ongoing engagement with their clientele. These reviews serve as valuable social proof and feedback for potential customers seeking information on the company's reliability, customer service, and flight success rates.

Review Insights

The average rating of 2.9 out of 5 suggests an area for improvement, though it's important to consider the volume and nature of the feedback. Some reviews highlight positive aspects such as smooth flights, good weather luck, beautiful views, and excellent customer service from specific pilots like Richard. For instance, one customer mentions receiving tickets for their birthday, emphasizing a memorable gift experience. Another review underscores the importance of favorable weather, noting that while flights can be affected by unpredictable conditions, the end result is often worth multiple attempts.

These reviews implicitly suggest that Adventure Balloons Ltd likely emphasizes booking flexibility and clear communication regarding weather-dependent cancellations or rescheduling. The mention of 'Richard' points towards potentially distinct experiences offered by different pilots, which could be a factor for customers looking for specific flight characteristics or pilot expertise. The overall sentiment, despite the average score, indicates a customer base that values successful, weather-permitted flights and memorable aerial adventures.

Practical Considerations for Potential Customers

Contact and Booking Information

Prospective customers interested in experiencing a flight with Adventure Balloons Ltd can reach them directly via telephone at 1252844222. Alternatively, they can explore the company's presence online through their website, accessible at adventureballoons.co.uk. The provided contact details offer multiple avenues for inquiries, booking confirmation, and checking flight availability, ensuring accessibility for customers planning their visit. The booking process is streamlined, with the company handling the complexities of scheduling and logistics.

Booking Recommendations

When considering a booking with Adventure Balloons Ltd, potential customers should keep a few key factors in mind. Firstly, the success of a balloon flight is highly dependent on weather conditions. It's advisable to inquire about the company's cancellation policy in case of unfavorable weather on the scheduled flight day. Secondly, due to the specialized nature of hot air balloon operations, booking in advance is generally recommended, especially during peak travel seasons or weekends. Customers should also be prepared for a comprehensive safety briefing before the flight. While the average rating suggests room for improvement in customer service or experience consistency, the positive reviews from satisfied customers indicate that successful bookings can yield truly exceptional experiences.

Conclusion

Adventure Balloons Ltd in Hartley Wintney provides a unique opportunity to experience the world from a bird's-eye perspective through hot air balloon rides. While customer reviews suggest an average experience with some variability, the core service of a safe and potentially stunning aerial journey remains their primary draw. For individuals seeking a memorable gift or adventure activity, particularly those interested in scenic views of the south coast area, Adventure Balloons Ltd represents a viable option. By contacting them via phone or their website, customers can secure their place for a journey into the clouds, subject to the whims of the weather, which is an inherent part of the magic of hot air ballooning.

👍 Reviews of Adventure Balloons Ltd

Claire W.

5/5

Received tickets for my birthday - We flew with Richard on Monday 11th October, we got very lucky with the weather and had a lovely smooth flight over West Sussex. Was so lovely to look down and spot wildlife and wave to people below! Couldn’t fault our experience at all.

We were fortunate that we got a flight our first booking just bare in mind that the weather can be unpredictable - a few on our flight had tried to fly 3/4 times ☺️ So worth it in the long run.

Emily S.

5/5

We had an amazing experience yesterday flying with Justin and his crew, from Tring to Stone. It was both our first time in a hot air balloon (and even though I'm not always the best with heights) we enjoyed every minute of it. I couldn't have wished for a better experience. My partner bought this for my birthday over 2 years ago and it was delayed due to covid. Even though the voucher was only for a year, the company were very helpful and extended the voucher to allow for flights to reopen again and make sure it gave us enough time to book during the flying months when everything reopened. Communication by email was good and we had no problems with this. We felt safe and looked after on the flight, and kept well informed of what to do etc. I've seen on here some reviews about many cancelled bookings but that's the nature of this experience, and people should understand that when booking, you have to be flexible. We only had 1 cancelled flight and the next flight we booked in the same month, May 2022, went ahead.

Haydn U.

5/5

Warning: not for anyone who requires a firm fixed schedule. We had an awesome flight on the summer solstice with Justin and team, first time in a hot air balloon and it was just amazing. Being at the mercy of the wind meant we were flying for 90 minutes or so, which we all loved. The views over Buckinghamshire were stunning and worth the wait – we had 2 prior cancellations, I am sure anyone who is flexible and rebooks immediately after each cancellation will get to have a great flight.

David K.

5/5

Had a really enjoyable flight over East Sussex. This was our 3rd attempt so pleased it happened. Professional crew, informative, fun, a hands on experience. Cant fault it. Thanks for our experience 21st August.

Barbara F.

1/5

Extravagant & lovely gift from my brother 5 years ago for a special birthday. Still not managed to get a flight. Every booking cancelled. Some days the weather has been glorious & still appently not good enough to fly. I am sure they cancel if the flight is not full.
If you give a flight as a gift be aware that it is quite hard work to achieve. The small print is hard to comply with & they keep wanting more money to extend the voucher or upgrade. I can't help wondering if the upgraded vouchers are more successful? Very disappointing & certainly not what the gift giver expects or intends.

Hannah A.

1/5

Terrible experience using this company. I tried to book multiple times for flights and even though the weather was perfect for flying they were always cancelled with no warning. I have seen other reviews of people with a similar experience so this is a recurring problem. They are so unhelpful when trying to rebook and even with difficulties regarding covid they would not allow me to extend my voucher without paying an additional 40 pound per person on an already very expensive experience. They said that you can extend the voucher if you book 5 times and all are cancelled but I was not made aware of this. Also, the months that they allow you to book are very limited making it almost impossible to book 5 times within the year allowed. Family members have also tried to use this company with no success. Do not waste your money or time on this company as you will be left disappointed.

Vik

1/5

Complete waste of money. Spent circa £200 on a flight for two with champagne. Two years on, we cannot book a flight either due not having availability or bad weather. Voucher expires in a few days and was told that we have to pay another £80 to extend it, even though we've tried using it three times but the flights were cancelled. Please avoid and stick with somebody decent like Virgin. Their website is a disaster too (see screenshot below). You end up either calling or emailing as it doesn't work well. How on earth are you still in business?

Update August 2021: Four years on, numerous bookings and weather cancellations. We are still waiting to fly.

Tasha C.

1/5

I had this voucher as gift for Christmas 2021. Here's my gripe with this company. You have to have booked 5 times in order to have your voucher extended. They will not refund your money for the experience you've never had. They will offer half back. I don't see how the company can say it is valid for a year when the season of flying is from April to October. The vouchers should be 2 seasons worth in that case that way you get a year of flying season time.

The expectation of having your customers book five times is ridiculous in order to have the voucher extended free of charge. You don't take into consideration that some of your customers work full time and have to book time off of work. Nor do you take into account your customers that have children and have to arrange childcare and pay the cost. Nor do you take into consideration that due to times, days and locations it isn't possible for some of your customers to meet your expectations.

Offering half the money back for the experience we never had is a slap in the face. If a customer hasn't received the goods then you should refund the full amount or extend it until that customer gets the experience that they paid for.

It feels to me your customers don't hold much value to you. Which doesn't make sense considering happy customers recommend the service to friends and family, colleagues, on social media platforms & to neighbours.
Disappointed customers will share the bad experience you have given them and end up leaving negative reviews which isn't a good look for a business.
I feel your customers should be your number one priority but sadly this just isn't the case.