mileshuff wrote:
Over the years I've noticed this at most RV parks. When making a reservation you make it at their current rate for the dates desired. You often make a deposit up to 100%. When arriving you find yourself having to pay a substantial increase over the booked rate. The employee says rates changed since you booked. You have no choice since their written policy does state that rates subject to change without notice.
Why do RV parks do this? Hotels do not, car rentals do not, airlines do not etc. The only way to avoid shock is to constantly check rates which often means calling...not exactly convenient. I've found this to be the policy at the majority of RV parks I've visited. Have others found the same?
While you are technically right about planes, trains and automobiles what you forget is they either will not make a reservation far in advance (usually airlines max out at around 6 months) or they charge you a very high rate. They don't roll out the good rates until you are within a shorter window of arrival so they can better anticipate costs (to some extent) and demand (which is a much greater driver of rates).
A park I stay at every year will let me reserve "my" site a year or more in advance, but they always tell me they won't be setting the next year's rate until a later date. That seems fair to me since things can change year to year. If some great big event that is sure to draw huge crowds pops up I would expect to pay the piper. If demand for the place suddenly collapsed and they got desperate to rent sites, I am sure I would be pleasantly surprised with the rate change. That being said, over the last 10 years or so prices have moved upwards, but only at an amount that could reasonably be expected. If I ever got the impression I was being taken advantage of, I would move on. But they, like most businesses, treat their customers fairly.
