Dear campers, I am very interested in your opinion about the word ‘RESORT’ in RV park names. To me, a RESORT is a place with the possibility to relax during recreation. For the majority of people relaxation also includes a form of rest and quietness. And that’s something I often miss in ‘RV RESORTS’. In most cases these parks are located within 100 yards of a freeway or highway, where you can even smell the cars and trucks. But what I dislike the most is the traffic noise during the night! Reading reviews I often see people complaining about traffic noise, but that is of course highly subjective. However, nowadays almost everybody has a smartphone with the possibility to install a sound meter app. I think it would be a good idea to make ‘ambient sound during night hours’ (or whatever you like to call it) a standard review point. For example: Excellent (5 stars) for 40 dB(a) and below Very good (4 stars) for 40 - 50 dB(a) Good (3 stars) for 50 – 60 dB(a) Bad (2 stars) for 60 – 70 dB(a) Very bad (1 star ) for 70 dB(a) and above Doing so can be of great help to choose a RV park without being distracted by the name it carries. Looking forward to your reactions.
I think that people can check the websites and see for themselves that they are near a highway so they should be able to judge for themselves what the possible noise level will be. I think that adding that review point would just mean they would be asked to add all kinds of little points that would only matter to 1 or 2 people. Sorry but I see worrying about the decibel sound level a bit over the top as far as requests go.
Dalsgal is right in that there's always some additional rating factors that are important to some people and not to others. Noise is an excellent example because the noise inside an RV compared to outside varies dramatically from one RV to another. RV's with dual pane glass are far quieter than those without it. Noise from highways or nearby activities often is far less obnoxious during seasons when you have your A/C compared to how it sounds when your windows are open. There's no way one can include all possible rating attributes into the review template. Many reviewers do include comments about noise at particular parks when it is disturbing, for example, comments about nearby train tracks are frequent. And trains are an example of something that some people actually enjoy even when they're loud! It's by no means true that most people have smart phones and asking for noise readings would require a degree of sophistication that is beyond what we're expecting of our reviewers (peak dBa? average dBa over what time period? at what time of day? every day? etc)
Look, if a RV park is close to the highway ( easy to get to ) there is going to be traffic noise. Live with it. If you want quiet find a park miles from the highway ( not easy to get to ). To me resort means a pool and a hot tub at least. Maybe other activities too.
To respond to the subject title of the OP, the word "Resort" conjures up all sorts of pictures such as waving palms, beautiful pool areas, beautiful manicured grounds, level concrete pads with a nice adjacent grassy area, flowers/shrubs/plants, nice table/bench, low ambiance lighting at night, amenities galore, everything working perfectly, and located in a spectacular location. And yes there are a few RV parks that can justify using that word in their name, but as we all know there are also many parks out there that use it and don't even come close to being one. The word "Resort" automatically puts up a red flag for us. When we check out a park calling itself one, most of the time we can determine for ourselves it that park actually lives up to being one. If there are major railroad tracks running right past it, or it is located right on a major interstate, or in an area where gusting winds and blowing sand are prevalent most of the time, it is very doubtful we would stay there. To us that rules it out as being a "Resort". Perhaps to others tho it doesn't. In closing let me just add that early on we once made an unscheduled reservation at a park that called itself a "Resort", and when we got there we couldn't believe what we saw. I won't mention names here, let's just say that this "Resort" is in 29 Palms, CA and let it go at that......... Regards and Happy Travels to All.......Bankshot
With all due respect, if that's what you think "resort" means in a name, you're going to be sorely disappointed. It's become a totally meaningless word IMHO.
I like this topic because I believe there should be a difference between a campground and a resort in definition. One difference should be the cost, the amenities, and security. I believe you should get what you pay for. When I go to a RV resort, I expect more than basic. When I go to a campground and if they charge as much as a resort, I expect to get my money's worth. However, I learn it depends on the location and my preference. Electric, water, and sewer on a dirt or rocks pad is a resort when the nearby campgrounds are dry camping and/or involve noisy campers. For me, I prefer quiet, clean, safe, and scenic which can be achieve by a resort or a campground. I love reading honest reviews because it helps me to know if trains, planes, and highway noise are next door when I visit a campground or a resort.
Comes down to expectations, When the word "resort" is used... people expect a little more, at least that is my expectation. Mike
I agree, but I think this is something that will never be settled because even if a set of criteria for what constitutes a "resort" could be agreed upon, it is still up to the park owners to honor that criteria when naming their park. And I just don't see that happening. To some, "resort" sounds bigger, nicer, better than "RV park," so owners will use the term resort in order to attract business. I know the type of place I want to stay at, so I just have to be sure I do my homework so that I find those places regardless of the "label."
We can define the terms any way we want to, but the bottom line is that the property owner gets to pick the name for his/her property. I have noticed though, that at least in the east, some of the older "resorts" have degraded over the years due to a lack of upkeep or modernization, and no longer meet anyone's rational definition of the term. On the other hand, some of the "campground" named parks have improved considerably over the years, and could easily command the "resort" label if the owner's were so inclined. The "RV park" label generally seems to maintain a relatively middle ground in most cases.
Noticed this especially in my home state of CT, IMO between the environmental restrictions, permits, taxes and overall poor economy is making it awful tough on some of the campground owners to maintain or improve their facilities. Interesting story, did a drive through this summer at a campground that was a favorite of ours 12 yrs ago. We were shocked to see nothing was done to improve the campground, in addition all the playscapes that our kids use to play on were removed. Back in the day campground was almost always packed, where now we noticed many empty seasonal and transient sites, very sad. Mike
Resort is an overused term with no real meaning. In today's technological world it is easy to view the park for yourself,
Campground vs Resort comes down to a check list and not location. When Woodall's, Good Sam, Trailer Life or whoever inspects a park they have a check list. If you get as an example 15 check marks out of 20 you are a resort and if you get less then you are a campground. The check list can include anything from is swimming available to are seasonal sites free from metal sheds and wood additions, is there a store, a restaurant etc etc. Has nothing to do with noise, highways or anything. Of course if someone uses the word resort in their name they do not get a visit from the naming police. I love trains so being near a train track is not a negative for me and we have camped near the highway and it is not usually an issue. Barking dogs, people screaming at kids etc., that is what gets me sometimes or people blasting the stereo. I asked a campground owner once why they did not put in a pool and they answered it is a noise issue, screaming kids all day long and our guests like it quiet so it works for them.
Thank you all for your reactions. Looks like we have different opinions about what the name ‘Resort’ should indicate. For me, it must add some extra value that I can’t find in a ‘non-Resort’ camp ground and that extra value can never be found in a camp ground situated next to a railroad or interstate. I personally love airplanes, but that doesn’t mean I camp next to a runway during my vacation. So, when you write your review about a Resort in the future, will you please point out when in your opinion the camp ground is not worth the name, because (IMHO) many campers expect a.o. something relaxing and not annoying noise at night when they read the name ‘Resort’.
My idea of a resort doesnt encompass quietness, but instead has many amenities, not just hookups and laundry room. A resort to me should at least have a pool, and some othe activities, like minature golf, horseshoes, maybe onsite fishing, and possibly organized activities, for both adults and kids.
