Why I hate KOA

[Thunder_Mountai]

Again, I know why I hate KOA. We try to avoid KOA because they are overpriced. We stopped today at the KOA in Holbrook, AZ because it fit our schedule heading north.

First the positive. The work camper in the office was polite and informative. The site accommodated our 55' rig and trailer plus the truck. Site was close to level. It has a grass dog run. Easy in and out.

Now for the downside. No concrete pad. Low water pressure. Wifi was a total joke. Nothing but a gravel parking lot. For $47 it should be much better.

[DutchmenSport]

fulltimedaniel wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
... the muddy rutted road cheap campgrounds...

Actually, well ... some of the best camping we've done has been at those muddy rutted road cheap campgrounds. (But we still prefer state parks).

[fulltimedaniel]

Bumpyroad wrote:
this reminds me of years back, when the 1st KOA in Billings, MT, IIRC was being fussed at since the city fathers enacted a no overnight policy in various public lots, people were saying that the KOA was overpriced, not nice, etc. so I of course had to stay there and check it out on one trip West.
it was a very nice wooded location, quiet, etc. and I checked the price of that vs another one in town which ended up being more and was not nicer.
since then I take these "complainers" with a grain of salt.
If you are too cheap to stay in a decent RV park, go ahead and stay in the muddy rutted road cheap campgrounds.
bumpy

Sorry Bumpy but yours is a straw-man argument. It's not an either-or situation. Many times you will find a NICER park or one as nice at cheaper rates.

And just what is a "decent" RV Park. Your statement assumes that any other choice except the expensive one is by definition not "decent". That is to my mind a totally false assumption.

This is an issue of VALUE. Perceived and real. And while each persons idea of Value may vary a bit it is based on one overriding notion: That you are getting a fair or better than fair return for your dollar.

And it is ONLY the customer that decides that.

[Bumpyroad]

this reminds me of years back, when the 1st KOA in Billings, MT, IIRC was being fussed at since the city fathers enacted a no overnight policy in various public lots, people were saying that the KOA was overpriced, not nice, etc. so I of course had to stay there and check it out on one trip West.
it was a very nice wooded location, quiet, etc. and I checked the price of that vs another one in town which ended up being more and was not nicer.
since then I take these "complainers" with a grain of salt.
If you are too cheap to stay in a decent RV park, go ahead and stay in the muddy rutted road cheap campgrounds.
bumpy

[Fred_n_Jo]

Here it is eight pages of KOA bashing and no one has mentioned the fact that the op posted the size of their unit "our 55' rig and trailer plus the truck"

That size rig doesn't fit well in state and national parks usually. It is generally a private campground like KOA with long pull-through sites or Walmart. This is the very reason we have switched from a 36' 5th wheel to our current TC.

[bucky]

The site can be slanted, the staff rude, and no pool or wifi.
We don't care, that's not why we are there. We are either just passing thru, it's a destination area, or some family thing is going on.
If we plan on staying there for a while we look a little harder for rate or privacy but we are there for the camping.
We likely will never see the staff again after check in, we have leveling blocks, and I tether for internet access.
We found several stops along I10 in FL and I95 in GA this winter with pull thrus and FHUs for under $35. What's not to love?

[tatest]

Over the past 12 years I've not noticed a significant difference in cost between KOA and other RV parks with the same level of service and amenities. The franchise fee does not seem to add that much, and sets a floor for the services to be provided.

I have stayed at RV parks with lower levels of service, at lower prices, and have been happy with those for overnights. I've spent many days on parking sites in public campgrounds that have offered little or nothing more than a place to park and a power hookup. You don't have to pay RV resort prices if that is all you want.

I am almost always on a gravel pad or hardpacked turf. A concrete pad means nothing to me, it forces me to use blocks to level, when I might not have to if I can move around on a gravel pad.

[FunnyCamper]

why I hate 'koa', thread number 3,897,987. Nah not too many of these threads around 🙂

[PatrickA51]

Several years ago my wife and I were traveling in our RV on business. We had a reservation at a KOA outside of Barstow,CA. We had an inside dual blow out. Waited over 4 hours for a Tire Service Truck to show up. By the time we were back on the road it was after 9:00pm. I called the KOA that we had a reservation at (we had planned on staying there on our trip) They waited for us to get there. So I can say good things about KOA and I can say Bad about KOA. Each KOA is different and run by different people. I would recommend the KOA out side of Barstow. And I would run as fast as I could away from some other KOA's I have been in.

[1stgenfarmboy]

We have used KOA's for 20 years for the times we don't have the camper, the cabin's are cheap and consistent, the bathrooms are normally clean, we don't stay there when we are tenting because they are usually very close to the interstate or main road, we don't use them when we have the camper because we're either mile munching and stay at cracker barrel or Walmart, and when we get to the destination it's a state or federal CG.


They do what they set out to do, give a convenient, consistent, CG, for a comparable price, to camp much cheaper you probably won't have hookups or showers.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

I think the last few posts are key. You have to look at hotel rates. I've stayed in Hampton Inns for 25 years. Usually good, clean, safe, and a decent (and improving) breakfast. I've gone from $60/night to $120, more than that is a city.

I love the KOA in Queechee Pines, VT. I think in the neighborhood of $60/night in the fall. Location, location, location. I can take day tours to northern or southern Vermont to chase peak. Good local smoke house next door. Decent campstore and friendly workers.

I've stayed on concrete pads that weren't level. Most level site I've ever stayed on was limestone lots that were in an independent campground in South Dakota that was built around the annual motorcycle rally.

[buc1980]

No KOA for me they are a lot overprice ,for what?

[jplante4]

I guess that shows you all how long it's been since I rented a hotel room 🙂

[Lantley]

jplante4 wrote:
I think Bluewater Key is over the edge, so we did't go there. At $125 a night, someone better show up in the morning and change my sheets.

Now, I'm sure someone on the board who has stayed there will chime in and say it was worth the high price, and I'm sure it was for them. We just have a mental block when paying more for a site than a hotel room.

$125.00 Doesn't buy much of a hotel room these days

[JoeH]

jplante4 wrote:
I think Bluewater Key is over the edge, so we did't go there. At $125 a night, someone better show up in the morning and change my sheets.

Now, I'm sure someone on the board who has stayed there will chime in and say it was worth the high price, and I'm sure it was for them. We just have a mental block when paying more for a site than a hotel room.

Well, you'll be hard pressed to find a hotel room that is habitable for under $350 in any good section of the southern keys.

Back to the original topic, regarding KOA's , we use them frequently while on the road to our destinations. They are pretty consistent and usually near a travel route. Generally no surprises as they are well kept and well managed. That's what I'm looking for at the end of the day of driving. We don't use them as destinations. Now others will think that Wally World is the best place to stay while on the road.. good for them, just not where I'm going to stop.

[time2roll]

jplante4 wrote:
I think Bluewater Key is over the edge, so we did't go there. At $125 a night, someone better show up in the morning and change my sheets.

Now, I'm sure someone on the board who has stayed there will chime in and say it was worth the high price, and I'm sure it was for them. We just have a mental block when paying more for a site than a hotel room.

Checked hotels in Key West and to get your sheets changed it is closer to $300 to $500 for basic room.
OK there was a "fair" rating about $100, good luck on that.