Five-star Campgrounds: Do They Really Live Up Their Ratings?

Five-star Campgrounds: Do They Really Live Up Their Ratings?

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Five-Star Campgrounds
Do they really live up their ratings?
Mardie Caldwell
MAMMOTH LAKES CAMPGROUND, CALIFORNIA-As an experienced travel writer, maintaining a credible reputation means not gushing over a hotel, airline, restaurant, or other establishment that simply doesn't meet the grade. This honesty policy also extends to campgrounds. For those of us who enjoy sleeping under the stars or, in my familys case, in our motor home with sky lights, the search for good quality campgrounds can be an adventure in itself.
That being said, recently I packed up our daughter and her little friend and headed to the beautiful area of Mammoth Lakes in Southern California. We planned to stop at any allegedly great campground, listed in the independent camping directory.
Let it be said that Mammoth in itself is wonderful. The campground listing we selected included a whole list of enticing amenities. However, it soon became apparent to us that these claims were erroneous and the amenities just plain didnt exist.

Predictably, it's unlikely I'll be back. I paid our week-long bill and shared with the customer service staff our disappointments and the negative comments from other campers we interviewed during our stay.
It would have been morally wrong not to let the staff know of our disappointments, and I did finally let them know I was there to write an article about their campground.
There are not many campgrounds to select from in the Mammoth area, and for the entire week, we were stuck with problems. However, the trip wasnt a total loss, as we did have fun once we journeyed out to see the sites.
When we first arrived at the campground, I noticed there were a number of people waiting to get into the office, and none of the staff members knew much of what was going on. They were friendly enough, but they obviously lacked quality training.
Later, we took our evening walk, checking out the other rigs and talking to other campers. During our stroll, we began to notice that there were several things wrong with the grounds.
Small gum wrappers and bottle caps littered most of the camp sites. At the far end of the camping ground, a discarded car seat sat on the side of a vacant lot. In the two laundry rooms, the majority of the dryers had hand-written signs that said, Not working.
A large, glass, light globe was discarded on the ground. We could see that it had fallen from a parking lot light, and was not only an eye-sore, but more importantly, a hazard to children and animals. Most of the outdoor lamps were in need of repairs in one way or another.
When asked if the site had a golf cart to help pick up around the campground, the staff said the battery was dead and they were ordering a replacement. This was certainly a likely story, as it looked as if the campground had been in need of attention for many weeks, if not months.
The only area that was fairly clean was the tent area, which was not as full as we would have expected for the season.
During our stay, we also noticed that the trash dumpster was never emptied, and we were there for almost a week.
When the girls came back from swimming, they mentioned how there was sand at the bottom of the pool and how dirty the indoor pool area was. The girls had also stopped at the restroom, and they mentioned to me that there was something gross on the bathroom floor. They proceeded to describe what they had found.
I couldnt take it any longer. I went to speak with the management and complained about the used sanitary pads that were over flowing from the trash can, onto the floor. This was in the womens rest room, in plain view of the little girls. This was not at all acceptable.
The staff finally agreed to send in the cleaning people. What a joke! Two women showed up, picked up only the large matter that was on the floor, fluffed around the sinks for 20 minutes and then sat on their bottoms for another 30 minutes with their cleaning supplies, laughing and talking, looking through fingerprint-smudged glass doors for their ride. They couldnt have cared less, and if they were getting paid more than minimum wage, Id say they were way over-paid. The floors were still filthy after they left. Most people have cleaner floors underneath their cars in their garages at home.
I moseyed around the campground and spoke to some of the campers. They all had similar complains. The consensus? Since the campground was the only one with full RV hook-ups, people were staying, in spite of the filth.
When I spoke to the management, I confessed I was writing an article on four and five-star campgrounds, and that they were at the bottom of the bad list. I told them I hated to write the article with this information, but the problems were so bad and intolerable in almost every area that I just couldnt lie to the public and my publication about them.
I shared with the acting manager that most of the time when I see problems, there is a reason. The reasons vary, and can include a divorce, change of ownership, absentee owner, death, health issues, or any combination of these in the management. She admitted that the daughter of the owner had taken the business over from her elderly parents (change of ownership) and that the daughter was also very pregnant (health issues). Although this did not excuse the condition of the campground, it explained a lot.
So what does this mean to the visiting camper? Here are some tips:

What to look for in a 4 or 5 star campground:
1. Do they have clean facilities? Check the rest rooms, recreational area, and laundry room. Take a look before you even register.
2. Is the campground easy to locate and are the grounds lighted at night?
3. Do they pick up the trash daily, including the debris and dead, wild animals from the campground?
4. Do you see maintenance staff around the grounds?
5. Is the campground store well stocked, with clean floors?
6. Are the food products well within the expiration date on perishable products and over-the-counter meds?
7. Are the personnel clean, friendly, and professional looking?
8. Are there clean parking areas and neat spaces with no signs of the last campers cigarette butts?
9. Is the pool and spa area clean and filled with sparkling clean water? Is the furniture and equipment well maintained? Are there safely rules posted?
10. Are trash receptacles found easily, and are they emptied often?
11. Look for dog walks that are clean and include a complimentary scoop and plastic bags, and have signs posted, indicating where to keep pets.

Will I visit this facility again? I certainly plan to return to Mammoth, but we most likely will not stay at this campground.

The next time we are in the Mammoth area, I will do a drive through, and check to see if anything has changed in the months since our trip. You can be sure I will keep you updated.

We all want to enjoy our vacations, but remember to keep your eyes open. Make sure the kids are safe and not exposed to any dangers.

I find the best campgrounds are well-known membership campgrounds, such as KOA & Good Sams. These are usually the most reliable.

Check to be sure your campground directory is current. Some campgrounds may be denied a continued listing when they have problems, like the one featured in this article.

From my family to yours, we wish you happy and safe camping!


Mardie Caldwell C.O.A.P. is a radio talk show host. She is the executive director and editor of Lifetime Adoption Magazine, and author of AdoptingOnline.com, as well as numerous articles on adoption, parenting, travel, and financing. Caldwell and her children reside in Northern California.

You may reach Caldwell at MardieCaldwell@yahoo.com for permission to reprint this and other articles.

To schedule an interview or speaking engagement, Caldwells staff can be reached at (530) 432-7373

About the Author:
Mardie has been a guest on numerous television networks, including CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, BBC, PBS and radio talk shows and is regularly interviewed by family and parenting magazines. She has authored numerous articles on adoption resources, challenges and joys of adoption and parenting. Visit LifetimeAdoption.com to learn about how you can adopt.



This article is protected by copyright. For reprint information, please email us via www.MardieCaldwell.com



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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