K&M Resorts

[oyarsa]

I tried doing a search on here with little luck, but I'm not the best at searching forums so I apologize if this has been asked a million times.

We recently bought an RV with lots of help from this forum. The dealer we bought it from gave us a booklet from K&M Resorts which includes 2 nights (she wrote in a 3rd) free at a Washington K&M resort. It also appears to include a membership. I called to reserve the nights we want and it sounds like a timeshare type situation. We have to go to one of the places first to learn about them.

Anyone have experience with them? I googled and found some discouraging info, but maybe if we just don't agree to anything beyond what was included...

[GrandpaKip]

The only time I did one of those time share deals, I took along my 6 month old, 3year old and 5 year old. The 5 year old asked him more questions than I did. Tour didn’t take 30 minutes and he didn’t try very hard to talk us into it. We had a nice 3 day break at the beach.

[myredracer]

Good to hear you chose wisely! 🙂

If that's the sort of camping you'd like to do, perhaps take a look at Thousand Trails. They have a CG next to the ocean just down the street from the KM CG in Ocean Shores. Some of their CGs are pretty nice, some have lots of activities for kids, many/most have large sites. Their CG in Birch Bay is one of the tidiest, well kept and best managed of any CG we've been to anywhere so far and has super friendly staff. Some can have outdated electrical, water or sewer but has never bothered us much. T/T has more CGs that you can travel around to in WA & OR than KM, plus across the US and one in BC. We've been to quite a few T/T now from BC down to Gilroy and over to Vegas.

Don't buy a new membership, look for a pre-owned one. We got ours on Craigslist for $800 but prices can vary. Older memberships can have better features and benefits too such as frozen dues for life and being able to move from park to park and stay in the system continually. Contract details vary a lot and you need to get the memb. no. from the seller and contact head office to verify all contract details. You can buy one from anyone in the US. We got ours from someone in AZ. No problem selling a memb. providing you follow the particular contract's terms & conditions (for ex. like selling to a family member only). There's one or two websites that explain in detail what to look for in pre-owned T/T memberships. It's a very inexpensive way to RV and to visit lots of different places. You could go spend a weekend at a few of them at retail pricing to see what they're like. Now is a good time to buy one before the season starts up. We wouldn't get rid ours for anything...

[oyarsa]

Thanks for all the replies. This, along with my Dad's advice, have convinced me to skip it. I feel very confident in my desire and ability to say no, but it just doesn't sound worth it even for the 3 nights.

My dad told me a story of an experience they had. Said the guy drove them to the place to give them the tour. When they refused to sign, he refused to drive them back to their car. Before hearing that story I figured the worst that could happen was a wasted drive and a wasted hour listening to a pitch, but it sounds like that might not be the worst...

[BadgerMcAdams]

I read these posts and all I can think of is the South Park Cartoon episode where the parents of all the kids are getting the Major Hard Sell to buy a time share in a ski resort. No matter what they do, they keep getting sucked back into the room with the salesmen.

Years ago, (1982) I filled out a chance at a 1 month membership for a gym. Of course, "I won"...Once we got there, it was a gym in a strip mall. Very few machines, no "lap Pool" as described in the ad (to be added at a later date)...When we finally got the sales pitch, They wanted $899 a year for one member and only $450 a year for the additional member...I had just graduated from HS not 6 months prior. Needless to say, We got up and walked out of the office, with the lady trailing behind offering all kind of promises.

As probably stated in the other posts, if the offer looks too good to be true, it is.

[Passin_Thru]

I stay away from any Resort, K&M, Wyndham etc. You can never get out of it and the maint fees and taxes aren't worth the cost IMHO. We just got done with a Wyndham presentation. They promised no high pressure (2 hrs of HP) after the short 1 hr presentation. They bring in a pusher and go back and refer to a pit boss if they think you're getting away.

[Fritz_H]

My late wife and I bought a basic membership about nine years ago, while in our early 40s, and upgraded it five years ago. She was a sucker for a slick sales pitch.

We used Ocean Mist quite a bit, and I still do. Great park, and other than 4th of July or clamming weekends, I've never had a problem getting a beach loop site.

Ocean Breeze is like a **** car with a new Maaco paint job. It looks great 'til you get in. Stayed there before KM bought it, I hope they've fixed it up, but don't know. Diamond Point is nice, but seemed to have many full-timers who owned lots before KM bought the park. Its club house looked like the private craft room of a couple of the women there. Ponderosa is great, IMHO. Loved it a few years back. My "home park" is in Elma - drove through once, don't know why anyone would stay there. Haven't visited the others yet.

It's a mixed bag. For us, Ocean Mist sealed the deal. I can get there in a little under 2 hours. I've gone with the whole family, solo now that I'm widowed, and with a date. Good beach access, close enough to Ocean Shores or Seabrook for dinner, and I've always liked the hosts. I don't know if they still do pancake breakfasts or homemade cinnamon rolls. We really enjoyed that social aspect of the park.

[Ron3rd]

If you're interested in this type of camping, check out Thousand Trails, they're one of the better known types of membership campgrounds. Not our cup of tea but you can frequently fine memberships for sale on the secondary market for a fraction of the original cost. Though I've read good and bad about them here they are one of the better established companies.

[drsteve]

DW and I went to one of these things years ago, I don't remember what company it was. The park was nothing special, and the high pressure sales pitch was the most obnoxious I've even been subjected to. I'd rather stay in state parks and forest areas anyway, don't need a pool or a gameroom.

[GrandpaKip]

oyarsa wrote:
I just hate driving so far to hear their spiel in order to get the three days...

Go with that and find a nice state park to stay in.

[Gdetrailer]

oyarsa wrote:
I tried doing a search on here with little luck, but I'm not the best at searching forums so I apologize if this has been asked a million times.

We recently bought an RV with lots of help from this forum. The dealer we bought it from gave us a booklet from K&M Resorts which includes 2 nights (she wrote in a 3rd) free at a Washington K&M resort. It also appears to include a membership. I called to reserve the nights we want and it sounds like a timeshare type situation. We have to go to one of the places first to learn about them.

Anyone have experience with them? I googled and found some discouraging info, but maybe if we just don't agree to anything beyond what was included...

...I just hate driving so far to hear their spiel in order to get the three days...

There is no such thing as "free".

You WILL "work" at any such "giveaway" scam as this.

This is no different than those high pressure "timeshare" deals that offer a few days free stay at on of their "resorts".

By accepting the free stay you WILL be required to sit in at least one if not more high pressure sales pitch meetings.

They WILL beat you down with all types of hard sell pitches with extremely confusing numbers and supposed "benefits".

Under no circumstances sign ANYTHING without reading and understanding the entire document or having a lawyer review the documents.

Once signed you ARE "in" and under a legal contract with pretty much no hopes of getting out or your money back.

It IS A OLD FASHION SALES SCAM to get you in the door.

Some folks are fine with these scams and feel they get their monies worth but in reality you will pay at least market value (going rate) or higher to stay at their "resorts".

If you want locked in to their resorts and are fine with paying their fees then go ahead and take them up on the deal.

But down the road you might find that you don't use them much or can't use them due to "overbooking" or it costs more than what they lead on..

Me, personally, I would skip this mess, not worth wasting my time or money.

[myredracer]

One three letter word will easily sum it up. Run!

We used to be members for a few years. Eventually couldn't take it any more and sold our membership. Took forever to sell and only got a fraction of what we paid for it. We got one of their "free" memberships at an RV show when we got our first TT and got sucked into it. The "free" membership was next to useless after looking at the restrictions and limitations. Went to a sales pitch and was like being at the worst used car dealership on the planet. Memberships are way oversold and it can be next to impossible to get into some of their CGs in the summer. They don't enforce their rules. The don't spend money on maintenance or upgrades. A co-worker of DW got his family jewels chomped by an off-leash bulldog and ended up in hospital and they did nothing. They do not have standard memberships and no two are alike - contract details in each are what you can successfully negotiate into it. I could go on for pages and pages of our experiences...

We've been to all of their "resorts" (haha). Some are nice and tidy like Diamond Point and Maple Grove and some are dives like Chinook and Newport. We bought a premium pre-owned Thousand Trails membership for under $1K and can stay at any of their CGs in the US. Much, much better and couldn't be happier.

They have two CGs in Ocean Shores - "Ocean Mist" and "Ocean Breeze". One is near the ocean and about 1/4 mile to the water. The other is on the inland side of the main road. Ocean Mist is "okay" and Ocean Breeze has a nice setting but has the worst electrical I've ever come across anywhere and the photo is what all the pedestals were like (I'm an EE but you sure don't need to be one to judge the photo). Had to use a stick to prop up the shore power cord's plug to keep it from falling out.

Do yourself a favor and fuggedaboutit.

[drsteve]

Camping resort memberships may make sense for some, but for many others, it turns out to be a bad deal. Unless you're retired, you probably won't be able to use it enough to make it worthwhile economically.

Secondhand memberships can be purchased for pennies on the dollar for a reason.

[jerseyjim]

Quite a few years ago. the "membership" cg company...long story short, wanted $5000 (FIVE THOUSAND Dollars) for "membership". Guaranteed all kinds of things. Went home to think it over...(good move for me) and just then, all these claims about "can't get out of membership"..."can't transfer membership" "place booked solid..cannot get in even tho I am a member" and even, if I recall correctly, some kind of legal fraud being perpetrated by some of these companies.

In short....I came to realize....who needs them? For 5 grand I can do alot of camping...and there are plenty and available non-membership campgrounds AND resorts around.

So...maybe good for some...not for me. FWIW. Get yourself a copy for (2018) Trailer Life Directory (from Camping World..store or website), and perhaps join the KOA program. 10% discount....pays for itself after 2 or 3 weekends. And their directory. Good stuff. Almost all campgrounds are listed and rated. Lotta non-membership stuff out there........

[campknitter]

My mom and I jointly did this, splitting the cost. Me, I wouldn't have initially done it because I prefer SP's & NP. But mom being elderly, she feels safer and enjoys the social aspect.

Our experiences: I have not had any problem getting a spot at the Ocean City (Ocean side) cg in the years we have used it even in the summer. We have stayed at 5 of the cg's - all the restrooms have been well maintained and the staff cheerful and helpful.

Would I do it again. Nope.

One other postive, our yearly maintenance fee is very minimal now, we had a clause in our contract that reduced it drastically after 5 years of membership.