Love it or hate it campgrounds

Long time users of this site know we always advise reading all the reviews to get a better idea of what a park is like. People have different preferences and tolerances. What one person hates, another likes (or at least tolerates). Going by the rating alone might cause someone to overlook a park that would meet their needs just fine.

 

I'm was guilty of relying on numbers and not reading and learned my lesson. We stayed at park in Oregon that had great numbers but was terrible. At first, I was pointing blame at the users that gave the place good marks but realized that all of the items that made that RV Park not suitable for me had been noted by those same other users. We all have different needs and tastes. I have rated a gravel parking lot high and some, that others though was the Garden of Eden, low. I rate by how the place is advertised, if they deliver their product and did I receive fair value. I try to mention positives as well as negatives and hope others will as well.

I really don't like the reviews that go into how the owner was an idiot but fail to mention any of the good or bad aspects of the park. I know that their "vent" is revenge but unless there is a trend where many other users have had the same experience, I totally over look it. Everyone has a bad day now and again.

Darrell

 

We have always tried to rate a park or campground fairly. We do read most all of the reviews for a given park if we have never used it as that gives us an idea of what the "average" positives and negatives are. As Texasrvers indicated, "people have different preferences and tolerances" and this is so true. Just because someone doesn't like the way a site is positioned or that there was a tree blocking their satellite dish, etc. doesn't mean that someone using cable only shouldn't use this park. The list is endless. We have also found one time that a reviewer took the park's host to task and really raked them over the coals about something that we thought to be a minor thing in our opinion. Either it was a very big thing to the reviewer or simply a clash of personalities going on as we meet the owners and they were superr nice folks. They went out their way to make us feel welcomed and taken care of. To us it just makes good sense to read the reviews and not just look at how many stars there are being awarded. And also as BC Wanderer did say above, "Everyone has a bad day now and again". And that is so very true................

Happy New Year To All.................BankShot

 

I think "...a bad day now and again." applies equally to the reviewers sometimes. I recently read a review on another site that caught my eye since it was for a park where we overnight fairly often while in transit. The reviewer gave it a very low rating, but in reading the review, they only complained about the onsite deli being out of some item they liked. Yep, I can see where that would just spoil your entire trip!

 

NYDutch gives a very good example of another point we try to emphasize about reviews. Just because one thing was wrong with the park (even if it is valid), this probably does not make the entire park unusable. Lower the rating some, but don't slam the park over this one thing. Also reviewers should consider if the problem is something permanent which other RVers would also encounter or if it is a temporary thing that will go away soon. Again it is OK to mention temporary annoyances that were present when you were there, but focusing on the more main permanent features will give a better idea of what the park is like, and therefore, be a more helpful review.

 

And Tex brings up another point that reiterates the need to read reviews and not just look at the ratings. I've read numerous reviews over the years that complained about parks with not enough kids activities for instance, or don't have adequate off leash dog facilities for example. While these are certainly valid complaints for families with kids or dogs, they mean little to those of us with neither. Now a deli without a good mustard and egg potato salad is different matter entirely!

 

And some reviews are just silly. Want to see? Call up Missouri on the map. Then click on
Doniphan, Missouri. See the two reviews. Look close and expand them. Check to see who did
these reviews and how many reviews this person has done. Even funnier, check the map to see their locations.

 

Oh good grief, Jack B. I see what you mean.
How did you spot these two reviews?

 

Six (going on seven) years ago, we did not really question reviews like this. Now we do, and these two would definitely send up a red flag. It could be that these are legitimate--the reviewer stayed at one place and when he did not find it to be satisfactory, he moved to the other nearby by campground which he liked, but now we would have at least checked them out before they were posted.

 

We Winter in Texas and am always "under the gun" because my wife insists on a new way to come and go from Northern Illinois. So I am bouncing around the maps looking for new roads and parks. Ran into this town during my search.

 

BC, I apologize up front for taking your posted comments out of text to validate the point I will make with my own.

That particular point is that I would prefer a review to be objective - as opposed to a rant or a holy blessing of the CG. It should not be solely based on one's own expectations. If a reviewer focuses only on their personal preferences then only like minded persons will be pleased with the CG.

If a review has comments about the quality and condition of the many facilities and amenities of the entire park, then I can make an informed decision to use it, or not.

A decent review is perhaps one that covers enough info to help those who are full timers, those who are week-end recreational campers, and anyone in between. Key word here is "help" others with their campground choice.