As I start making reservations for future RV trips, I remember my pet peeves when dealing with RV park websites.
I’ve listed them below in no particular order:
- No contact form: This is when the only contact method is via a phone call. Wrong or right, I often associate this with a mom and pop operation that is operating on a shoestring margin and can’t be bothered to update their website or deal with email.
- Contact form asks for too much information: This is when the contact form to provide availability requires too much information. I understand asking for RV length, any tow vehicles, and how many slideouts. I shouldn’t have to provide make, model, and license plate numbers when asking for site availability. That information is useful after the park has confirmed availability, and not before.
- Rates are separated from the park map: There are often multiple site types, but the park map showing site locations and legends is on a different page. I understand having the park map as its own tab on the website, but please embed the park map where the rates are for easy viewing.
- No availability calendar: I hate dealing with calling people just to see if there is availability. This is more important for daily and weekly reservations than it is for monthly stays. If I’m making reservations for a trip that involves multiple stops, I want to identify fairly quickly if a particular RV park is going to work.
- Hiding the pet policies and RV park guidelines: We travel with a cat, so we’re always looking to make sure that the pet policy isn’t too onerous. While most pet policies specifically address dogs, some do include cats, so we always check. We also want to make sure that we’re allowed to use our brand new washer at an RV park. This information is usually available, but it is often buried on RV park websites. Instead of being on their own tab, some RV parks put a link down at the bottom of a long page of rates and notes, assuming you will scroll all the way down.
I have run into all of these pet peeves in the last week as I’ve been making reservations. I wish there was a way, other than comments or reviews, to get RV park operators to understand that these pet peeves could keep someone from booking a reservation at their RV park.
