valhalla360 wrote:
It's not necessarily a scam but you misunderstand their purpose.
They are not intended to provide sites for you to stay a week in the wilderness. The idea is a winery/brewer/golf course/etc... offers to let you spend the night (typically without utilities) in a field or back lot with the expectation you patronize the business.
That is EXACTLY how HH markets to host properties and the intent of the program. It's to bring retail business to the host properties. The properties aren't RV parks nor do they have RV sites, but are perhaps situated that an RV could reach them and fit in a cleared area of the property so that boondocking is do-able.
HH recommends you spend a similar amount to a site fee at a campground when you stay at a host property. That's also part of their marketing to the host property - camper X would normally pay $30 for a campground, but they will spend that $30 at your gift shop instead if you allow boondocking overnight and then leave.
HH sites are not RV parks, and if one wants a multi-day stay, one is better served by looking for a campground/RV park.
