Campground no shows

[dkoldman]

We had basically the exact opposite of what you guys are discussing happen to us while in Colorado the day before their big storm of the century hit Denver.

We had a 4 night reservation at a Colorado State Park. When we arrived at the park broad daylight about 3:00 PM Mountain time, there was no one at the gate. We waited a good 10 minutes, calling the numbers on the outside but no answered, so I decided to drive by our reserved site and there it was all looked well nice lake view. So we go back out still no one at the gate; so we go back into Denver to eat. Decided to spend the night boondocking in Denver because of the threat of snow that night that never came. The next morning I see an email from Colorado State Park that came the day before asking us to NOT come and if we were already there to leave because of the eminent storm coming That explained why no one was at the gate. The email had a number for us to call to cancel and they offered a full 100% refund. I spent literally 1 hour on hold only to learn they were refusing to give us our refund because they said their system showed we had checked in, of course I was livid and I would not accept their partial refund. My plan was to just deal with my credit card / bank when we got home. When we got back to Dallas the following week, we got a call, and they said they were refunding our entire amount

[GVP-The Boxcar Children]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

We booked a stay in a nice resort campground in south Texas in February. As it happened we timed it to the day for the historic cold spell. The campground couldn’t refill our propane tank because they hadn’t renewed their license, then the electricity went off for about 72 hours, then they shut off the water, then they closed the bathrooms, laundry and common areas. Of course their WiFi was down and there was only intermittent cell service. Couldn’t leave because of iced roads. Not only did they not refund or discount our stay they charged us almost $30 for the electricity we used when the power came back on. At least they didn’t fuss at us for using our generator even though it was against the rules. Quite an experience.

Wow! That's when I'd tell them "...never staying with you again, and I will tell everyone I know why."
Gary

GVP

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

We booked a stay in a nice resort campground in south Texas in February. As it happened we timed it to the day for the historic cold spell. The campground couldn’t refill our propane tank because they hadn’t renewed their license, then the electricity went off for about 72 hours, then they shut off the water, then they closed the bathrooms, laundry and common areas. Of course their WiFi was down and there was only intermittent cell service. Couldn’t leave because of iced roads. Not only did they not refund or discount our stay they charged us almost $30 for the electricity we used when the power came back on. At least they didn’t fuss at us for using our generator even though it was against the rules. Quite an experience.

You should post the name here or PM it to me so I can add it to my list of places to avoid.

[mcr1010]

Also post what you wrote on this forum at Campground Reviews. It gets a lot of views there. I post the good ones and the bad ones there and it helps campers decide.

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/

[The_Breeze]

Ditto. It's my go-to source when considering places to stay so I contribute as well as consume.

[atreis]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

I fully understand you guys wanting to stick it to the Park that doesn't refund your deposit...
But you're missing the mark, and dumping on the guy who might otherwise have been able to use that site...
There are too many RVs; and too fre campsites; to waste even one.

If it's just a deposit that isn't refunded, I would cancel. I was referring to parks that want full payment up front, not just a deposit, and then won't refund any of it.

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

I too agree with Bob. If I can’t keep my reservation I’d call and ask for a refund, if they refused I’d wish them well in “selling it” again. And I’ve done that very thing. Doesn’t bother me a bit to see a small business prosper and I’d be happy to help a fellow RVer find a last minute accommodation.

I look at it in this way, if I paid in full and the park refuses to refund anything I will refuse to cancel and prevent someone else from staying at a campground run by shoddy owners. I would be doing the other person a service.

Multiple ways of looking at everything.

[Bob Denman]

https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1619113824

[The Gritz Carlton]

You mentioned State Park in your post. Most State Parks use "Reserve America" for reservation. People will book multiple sites around the country just in case they make it there someday. The penalty is virtually nothing for not showing up. Until this changes...this problem will continue. Also, all "government" run parks are still using the "because of Covid" excuse to not do their jobs. They get paid regardless of whether anyone comes or not...and...they utilize tons of volunteers who don't care. They're camping for free and that's all that matters to them. I live blocks from the State Park in PCB. Its nothing like it used to be in the pre-Covid World. I speak from experience.

[standerson]

Here's the problem.

Most KOA, GoodSams type of camp sites are for profit. People make reservations and don't keep them, they are out the money for the rental. Then, they start charging non refundable deposits and that pisses off the campers.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

You mentioned State Park in your post. Most State Parks use "Reserve America" for reservation. People will book multiple sites around the country just in case they make it there someday. The penalty is virtually nothing for not showing up. Until this changes...this problem will continue. Also, all "government" run parks are still using the "because of Covid" excuse to not do their jobs. They get paid regardless of whether anyone comes or not...and...they utilize tons of volunteers who don't care. They're camping for free and that's all that matters to them. I live blocks from the State Park in PCB. Its nothing like it used to be in the pre-Covid World. I speak from experience.

Yes it was Reserve America

The Cancellation policy is below. I found it odd that they specifically say they will NOT give a refund for bad weather, but sent me an email to not come or leave early and get a full refund

Sounds like they only require 2 weeks notice and they only charge $6 fee. Otherwise you have to pay for the 1st night to get refund for the balance. I guess the wealthy could afford to make all sorts of reservations and not sweat it.

===============

Changes and Cancellations

-- If a reservation is cancelled 14 days or more prior to the arrival date, the camping fees will be refunded less a $6 cancellation fee.

-- If a reservation is cancelled 13 days or LESS prior to the arrival date, the first night's camping fee are NON-REFUNDABLE and a $6 cancellation fee will be charged.

-- If a reservation is cancelled at any time after the arrival date, any nights used are NON-REFUNDABLE and a $6 cancellation fee will be charged.

-- Customers who wish to receive a refund outside of these rules will need to contact the park at which they have the reservation directly.

-- Refunds of nights stayed, the reservation fee, or the cancellation fee will not be considered for bugs, bad weather, campfire bans, or low water levels.

[atreis]

I don't mind non-refundable deposits, or reservations fees. I also don't mind requiring the full amount paid in advance (which is how most SPs operate). I also don't mind when the full amount paid in advance isn't refundable when it's VERY close to the reservations time (say, within 3 days). What I don't like is when the full amount paid in advance has no portion which is refundable, even when cancelled a couple weeks, or a month, before the reservation. It's rare, but it's out there, and I wouldn't cancel in that, and only that, situation.

[Bob Denman]

We normally take a look at a Park's refund policy. When booking: I always pay in full up front. I've only had to cancel two reservations. (Well in advance) the cancellation fee was less than $25 in each case; but the people I spoke to were happy to make a full refund to me with no penalty.
You just have to know how to speak nicely to people...

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

but the people I spoke to were happy to make a full refund to me with no penalty.
You just have to know how to speak nicely to people...

Let me see, if I was a RV Park attendant; and a guy comes up and gets out of a Tiffin, with New York tags and with one of those fancy smancy New Yorker accents Request a Refund. I would consider that an offer I couldn't refuse and give you all your money back plus interest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmX2VzsB25s

[Lt Keefer]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

So without a refund: you feel no guilt about keeping someone else from using the campsite?

You got it. I am not going to allow a campground owner to make twice the going rate because I had a roadside emergency and they could care less. But then again, if I did show up and use the space the other camper would still be out of luck. So what is the difference? The site is paid for and the other camper didn't get to use it.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

You got it. I am not going to allow a campground owner to make twice the going rate because I had a roadside emergency and they could care less. But then again, if I did show up and use the space the other camper would still be out of luck. So what is the difference? The site is paid for and the other camper didn't get to use it.

That’s pretty harsh!

[TurnerFam]

hmmmm, it seems to me that while we 'complain' about not 'seeing' someone in a site, and don't 'like' that it's not being 'used', when we feel like others could be, we don't consider that it's really just because we can 'see' the empty site. What about hotel and motel rooms? We can't 'see' whether someone is there or not, and don't complain about that. Because we can't 'see' whether someone is there we have no way to justify our complaints.

One can never know 'why' an rv site goes 'unused'. We don't know if the folks died in a vehicle accident on the way to the campground. We don't know if they couldn't make the trip because their RV broke down on the way, or even that their plans had to change due to something we have no way of knowing. We 'assume' that someone is trying to 'get over' on the system. Maybe we should just enjoy the extra 'quiet' while there's no other RV right next to us. Who knows, they may have been the partying type that we would then 'complain' was keeping us up all night with their loud music and nasty diesel truck smells and campfire smoke billowing over into 'our' RV site. : /

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Let me see, if I was a RV Park attendant; and a guy comes up and gets out of a Tiffin, with New York tags and with one of those fancy smancy New Yorker accents Request a Refund. I would consider that an offer I couldn't refuse and give you all your money back plus interest

I'm from Upstate, and there is no accent...

[Skyhawk85U]

Originally Posted by TurnerFam

hmmmm, it seems to me that while we 'complain' about not 'seeing' someone in a site, and don't 'like' that it's not being 'used', when we feel like others could be, we don't consider that it's really just because we can 'see' the empty site. What about hotel and motel rooms? We can't 'see' whether someone is there or not, and don't complain about that. Because we can't 'see' whether someone is there we have no way to justify our complaints.

One can never know 'why' an rv site goes 'unused'. We don't know if the folks died in a vehicle accident on the way to the campground. We don't know if they couldn't make the trip because their RV broke down on the way, or even that their plans had to change due to something we have no way of knowing. We 'assume' that someone is trying to 'get over' on the system. Maybe we should just enjoy the extra 'quiet' while there's no other RV right next to us. Who knows, they may have been the partying type that we would then 'complain' was keeping us up all night with their loud music and nasty diesel truck smells and campfire smoke billowing over into 'our' RV site. : /

We’re new to this stuff, but when bumping around FL last month in a rental RV a couple of our sites may have looked “unused” because we showed up quite late and left pretty early. But we needed a spot to hook up and sleep...

[The Gritz Carlton]

Bottom line...all the policies are clearly stated in the websites...everywhere. Make your decisions and live with them. If you don't like their policy...keep moving. Regarding the state parks...until they increase the cancellation fee nothing will happen. If I could reserve a site 6 months from now...I KNOW I have a spot. For only $6 to cancel at the last minute....well, there you have it!