morning all just a slight moan ive booked a site which I haven't been before in dorset paid deposit then paid in full a few weeks ago now on paying I asked the question ( what time can we arrive ) the response was not before 3pm :-( 3pm ffs on a Saturday now I know the kick off time is 10am so their telling me they need five hours before anyone else can pitch ???? does anyone think this is a bit extreme ??? also we ar going with another family member now bearing in mind we are both coming from different parts of the country so will arrive at different times I asked the site can u pitch us next to each other please their response was we don't book pitches you are allotted on arrival ?? ive never had this before we ve always asked the site and have always said yep no problem.. my worry now is if sis in law gets there an hour before me we probably wont get pitched together do you think this is a bit over kill firstly on the arrival time and secondly on not putting a note on booking forms to at least pitch us together or is this the norm now as ive personally never come across it
The site does not seem to be very customer friendly. Most sites usually have 12 Noon as arrival & departure times. Lacking a bit of a personal touch if they can't line up two adjacent pitches. Keep us posted, I hope you have a great time.
Les
Deposits and balance paid weeks in advance?
Late check in/early check out?
Pitches on arrival, and not even a hint of "We'll try to pitch you together, but can't guarantee"!
Sounds to me like you have booked on a Holiday Park. Quite possibly just one in a whole series of them, overseen by some enthroned Governess sitting high on the 71st floor of HQ Towers, 2000 miles away!
Not a farm, nor family run camp site to be seen for miles around! The only warmth in the welcome may well come from the frisking, as you enter the secure reception area!
It may not be as bad as it sounds, of course. They may be able to override the computers that will be screaming "NO" and use human input to somehow get you pitched close to each other?
You may also get away with arriving at 10 to 3, and departing at 10 past 10, but of course, nothing is guaranteed, so be prepared to be frog-marched off site at 10:01 on the morning of departure, tent-less, and still in your pj's! They do have the rules and T&C's on their side, of course... which are no doubt emblazoned across their website (along with the links to all their other sister Parks!)... and no doubt have the site security forces to back them up!
...Other than that, it sounds great! Have a good 'un!
If you turn up early most sites will allow you to use the facilities, pools etc but provided your pitch has been vacated then I fail to see why they would not let you pitch up early. Not allowing choice of pitch would put me off. Even if I turn up at a site without booking which usually one can do outside peak periods I won't be allotted a pitch without seeing it. I'm not pitching up by bins or toilets.
Could you and your companions arrange to meet up somewhere nearby beforehand so that you all arrive together bang on 3? That way, you may be able to pick 2 pitches together. We've done that at C&CC sites, where they can't promise adjacent pitches, and it's always worked well.
Alternatively arrive together at 2, make sure the kids are tired and sticky, let them run around the reception area for a few minutes before you approach the corporate hospitality expert (receptionist).
Chances are you'll be shown your pitches straight away! If not, leave the cars there and go for an explore for an hour
A farm with a few tent spaces will work from the farmhouse, knock anytime and be welcome to come or go.
A campsite with enough sites to need an office but not enough to run a shop, café or bar will restrict office hours to their convenience by having the office open for as short a time as possible.
A larger campsite will combine the office with the shop, bar or café which will be open all day but perhaps not at lunch time. I have actually heard of a café that closed for lunch.
A mega campsite will have an open all day office and be run as a business.
Leaving after chuck-out time should not result in an extra nights fees, you've paid your money and unless someone is waiting for the site you are not doing any harm.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: why so late
