This is the most absurd campground I have ever heard of. How does it stay in business?
$35 dollar a night site + $10 dollar booking fee + $10 dollar dumpstation fee + $20 extra dollars per night for 2 more people (Most families are a family of four) + $5 dollars a night for the family pet.
$80 dollars a night? For a 20 AMP site with no sewer? They better cook me breakfast, lunch and dinner, and warm me a towel for my bath.
You can get a site in the Malibu Beach RV Resort in Malibu, Ca on a cliff overlooking the water for around that rate. Malibu most likely has the highest land price in North America.
The prices are not even that high (usually not even close) at the fancy motorcoach only resorts.
2000 National RV Tropi-Cal 37 ft Double Slide Ford V-10
1994 Toyota Celica on a Master Tow Dolly (40 MPG)
moparmaga2 wrote: This is the most absurd campground I have ever heard of. How does it stay in business?
$35 dollar a night site + $10 dollar booking fee + $10 dollar dumpstation fee + $20 extra dollars per night for 2 more people (Most families are a family of four) + $5 dollars a night for the family pet.
$80 dollars a night? For a 20 AMP site with no sewer? They better cook me breakfast, lunch and dinner, and warm me a towel for my bath.
You can get a site in the Malibu Beach RV Resort in Malibu, Ca on a cliff overlooking the water for around that rate. Malibu most likely has the highest land price in North America.
The prices are not even that high (usually not even close) at the fancy motorcoach only resorts.
Your math is a bit off...children under 18 are free and you are charged only if you use the dump station. The dog, booking fee and unacceptable 20amp service are still a bit steep. Our favorite CG in Invermere BC just implemented a $10 boat launch fee...that's $10 per launch!!
We all have to be careful when reading the "rates" and "fees" of campgrounds.
This campground's fees are seem to be sort of setup so that people can pay for what they use... like "menu pricing". Tent campers don't (usually) need to use a dump station, so they don't have to pay for it.
I routinely see campgrounds charge $10-15 for use of the dump station for people who are not already paying for a campsite, this is normal. The campground in question may want to make it more clear that they charge extra for dumping, even after paying for a campsite.
I could see "bad-mouthing" a campground that "hides" its charges. As long as a campground is upfront with costs, that is the way it is.
As to the total cost of the campsites, they don't seem so high to me, coming from the Northeast. Private campgrounds around me are routinly $40+ a night these days, more than a few are over $50 per night.
_________________________________________________________
2008 F-250 CrewCab 5.4L,
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor
I didn't notice if the price quoted was US dollars or Canadian Dollars. If it is $40.00 Canadian for their full hookup site, that equates to approximately $31.50 US and doesn't sound all that bad to me. Also, I don't know what is in the area, competition-wise, but I doubt the campground would survive if it was grossly over priced (or under serviced) versus the competition. I also didn't really get a good handle on whether the "booking fee" was an extra charge or was an amount charged that was applied to the total stay when you checked in. If it was applied to your stay and only a "non refundable" fee if you do not show that sounds very acceptable to me. Also, if there are very few campsites in the area and they are in high demand, I would gladly pay $10.00 to guarantee a spot rather than take a chance that there would be no room at the inn when I get there. Again, different strokes for different folks, but I will gladly pay for the certainty of a site being there when I arrive. What I would not like is if the fees were sprung on me when I arrived, but it this instance it appears they are there for all to see and make their own decisions. I like that.
mwebber78 wrote: Reminds me of the 30amp/sewer/water site I paid nearly $60 for in Terra Haute Indiana for a one night stay. We had already pulled into the place and we were tired after driving all day. They charged me for the site, for the kids, for wifi and then taxed me.
Of course, it was a KOA so I guess that's suppose to be ok becuase they gave out 1 free cookie to each paying guest.........
This is why KOA only gets our business if we simply have no better option. I also do not set foot in the door of one until I call ahead, and we are VERY clear as to exactly how much the TOTAL will be after they have added up all their extra fees. They wrote the book on screwing the customer out of every last nickel. Show up at the door with two kids, a dog and a desire for anything better than their most basic site, and you can guarantee that the price will be twice what you would pay at the competition. IMHO, the whole chain is best avoided.
* This post was
edited 07/05/09 04:49pm by an administrator/moderator *
As a fellow Alberta camper I just want to comment that the $10 non-refundable booking fee is standard at all the Provincial Parks. It sounds like the private campgrounds are also starting to adopt this policy. I personally think it is crap, but the business seems to be moving that direction.
As far as the OP goes, the price at that campground is definitely high compared to most I have stayed at in the province. And this is the first I have EVER heard of charging to dump while you are paying to stay at the campground.
Quote: I routinely see campgrounds charge $10-15 for use of the dump station for people who are not already paying for a campsite, this is normal.
I have never paid more than $5 to dump, and that's only if I can't find a free dump station. Flying J has been good to me for free dump stations, and depending on the state you might be able to use a dump station at a rest area.
Tamri
mom to six, tot to teen
2004 1500 Chevrolet Suburban
2003 K-Z Frontier 2505
Hensley Arrow Crazy Good
Well I just read theRates & Reservationsfor this campground and no where does it indicate a "fee" to dump - that is listed on their facilities page - nor does it indicate a booking fee......I think they need to consult with a website designer and have their site updated if they are going to charge this rates.
I pay a booking fee to NYS (Reserve America) when I make reservations for our state facilities, which I gladly pay 'cause I'm only paying $18.00 per nite in the state park, and no it does not have any electric, water or electric....but that is my choice!
Leo & Kathy
Upstate, NY
in the Adirondacks
2007 Sunline T-2499
2008 - Ford F250 Super Crew 4x4 or
2003 - Ford F250 Regular Cab 4x4
CampSight wrote: Many travel centers in the U.S. have free dumping facilities, not sure about Canada though.........
I've been told that here in B.C., many Canadian Tire stores have dumping facilities and fresh water. I've noticed it at a couple of the ones in our area.
Offline
