This is from a recent post...QUOTE Another KOA living up to the KOA reputation! What does ONE KOA have to do with another??? They are operated seperately....very often owned seperately. Most join the KOA company for the positive exposure and advertising. If you feel otherwise and for whatever reason have a problem with KOA as a whole, then you should stop going to them. Most are owned by hardworking families and try there very hardest to please everyone. Don't bash them all because you had a bad experience at one.
KOA is in the same category as Wal-Mart - seems a lot of people dislike both. Although I can never seem to find a decent parking spot at Wal-Mart.
QUOTE Most join the KOA company for the positive exposure and advertising. It makes sense that, fair or not, KOA owners will also be lumped together as one group. Being part of the franchise means they will get the negative exposure, as well as, the advantages that they felt they would get with the KOA name. Of the dozens of KOA campgrounds we have been to some are wonderful campgrounds with personable and friendly owners. But, imo, most deserve the bad rap they get. They tend to be expensive. Office personnel tend to be universally lacking in customer service skills and their fee structures encourage the "keep on adding" expectations. Many of the dozens of KOA owners we have met seem to be perpetually angry with their customers. As for why we keep going back, sometimes KOA is the only choice or the lesser of bad choices in an area where we need to stay, so we lower our expectations and stay at KOA. In an area where we have never been before, the KOA web site is outstandingly easy to use to make reservations without spending a lot of time searching for a campground. Many years ago I had a job where I traveled a lot. All of us "road warriors" hated Holiday Inn motels, but we all had to stay in them a lot. I kind of feel the same way about KOA.
QUOTE(bigredoes @ Dec 13 2009, 10:38 AM) [snapback]20340[/snapback] KOA is in the same category as Wal-Mart - seems a lot of people dislike both. Although I can never seem to find a decent parking spot at Wal-Mart. suggest me something which has decent parking i'm going out with family .
"KOA is in the same category as Wal-Mart - seems a lot of people dislike both." Odd, but when people started wal-mart bashing on this site, the whole conversation is shut down and removed from the website. KOA just keeps taking lumps.
QUOTE(summerland @ Dec 13 2009, 11:04 AM) [snapback]20339[/snapback] This is from a recent post... What does ONE KOA have to do with another??? They are operated seperately....very often owned seperately. Most join the KOA company for the positive exposure and advertising. If you feel otherwise and for whatever reason have a problem with KOA as a whole, then you should stop going to them. Most are owned by hardworking families and try there very hardest to please everyone. Don't bash them all because you had a bad experience at one. I disagree! If campgrounds join KOA for the POSITIVE exposure, than they also expose themselves to the NEGATIVE exposure. If the owners do not want to be linked to the bad KOA campgrounds than they need to contact the home office and get them to be more aggressive about policing their own franchises to insure a certain quality level. The purpose of a franchise is to show some sort of "standard" for their customers. If you go to a McDonalds, or a Quiznos Sub Shop, you have a pretty good idea of exactly what to expect. That is why we search out and find those businesses that are familiar with us, even when we are thousands of miles away from home. If we pull into a KOA campground, and have certain expectations that are not met, we have just gotten a NEGATIVE impression of the entire franchise. We have found that the KOA corporation does not care enough about quality to require that their franchise owners meet certain standards. Naturally we all could stop going to ANY KOA campground, but I doubt if that would make those hardworking franchise owners, that do provide a pleasant experience for their visitors, very happy. If the NEGATIVE comments DO NOT get KOA corporate to improve things, and if the franchise owners DO NOT pressure KOA corporate to act, than they all will, and should, suffer the consequences. I think it is perfectly fair to bash all KOA campgrounds because when we see the KOA sign, we have the exact same expectations at ALL KOA campgrounds. If an owner cannot or will not provide that KOA standard, than they need to surrender their franchise and stay independent.
QUOTE(rgatijnet @ Dec 14 2009, 10:40 AM) [snapback]20357[/snapback] I disagree! If campgrounds join KOA for the POSITIVE exposure, than they also expose themselves to the NEGATIVE exposure. If the owners do not want to be linked to the bad KOA campgrounds than they need to contact the home office and get them to be more aggressive about policing their own franchises to insure a certain quality level. The purpose of a franchise is to show some sort of "standard" for their customers. If you go to a McDonalds, or a Quiznos Sub Shop, you have a pretty good idea of exactly what to expect. That is why we search out and find those businesses that are familiar with us, even when we are thousands of miles away from home. If we pull into a KOA campground, and have certain expectations that are not met, we have just gotten a NEGATIVE impression of the entire franchise. We have found that the KOA corporation does not care enough about quality to require that their franchise owners meet certain standards. Naturally we all could stop going to ANY KOA campground, but I doubt if that would make those hardworking franchise owners, that do provide a pleasant experience for their visitors, very happy. If the NEGATIVE comments DO NOT get KOA corporate to improve things, and if the franchise owners DO NOT pressure KOA corporate to act, than they all will, and should, suffer the consequences. I think it is perfectly fair to bash all KOA campgrounds because when we see the KOA sign, we have the exact same expectations at ALL KOA campgrounds. If an owner cannot or will not provide that KOA standard, than they need to surrender their franchise and stay independent.
Hello all My husband and I own a small KOA. We have won high honors from KOA and receive wonderful reviews from you all on this site. Again, I want to thank you for this website, I have learned so much. I don't like when we keep getting labeled as all KOA's are "keep on adding" We have one price per site, that includes cable wi fi 50am or 30amp. I don't think the "keep on adding" applies to that many KOA's anymore. Yes, our prices are high, but our guests know we are here 365 days a year, we are here everynight to register and escort our folks in. We greet them with a smile and always make them feel welcome. There are sam's parks out there that I wouldn't let my dog out, much less myself. We work very hard to have a safe, clean, friendly campground. Thank you all again.
QUOTE(nicki @ Dec 14 2009, 05:31 AM) [snapback]20353[/snapback] Odd, but when people started wal-mart bashing on this site, the whole conversation is shut down and removed from the website. KOA just keeps taking lumps. FYI the reason the admins shut down the Wal-Mart thread was because members had started bashing each other. It had nothing to do with the topic itself.
QUOTE(bigredoes @ Dec 14 2009, 11:22 AM) [snapback]20360[/snapback] Well then what is "the KOA standard"? Is there some place to read what that 'standard' is? If you go to KOA.com you can find out what is expected at a KOA campground. I'm sure that someone who has a KOA campground franchise can enlighten us as to the corporate "standards." As the one owner mentioned here, they have gotten great reviews from their users which I'm sure they have worked hard to earn. We are not that picky and usually stay only a day or so, but on two occasions, we have driven out of our way to go to a KOA only to turn around and drive to another campground. I DO NOT write a review for a park that I have not actually stayed at so the KOA's that I refused to stay at did not get a review.
QUOTE(rgatijnet @ Dec 14 2009, 12:50 PM) [snapback]20363[/snapback] I DO NOT write a review for a park that I have not actually stayed at so the KOA's that I refused to stay at did not get a review. FYI, if you write a review of a park without staying at the park it won't be approved for posting to the database anyway.
I have stayed at quite a few KOA's and have never felt any were worth the price. The owner of one told me that KOA no longer allowed bus conversions in them. I contacted corporate and found that it was the individual owners that made that decision. I don't have a problem with that but I don't like being lied to. This owner didn't seem to care that the camper next to us had been in place so long the tires had literally dry rotted off the rims as long as it wasn't a bus. I feel that the price charged is way more than the sites are worth. If I felt I got good service and had a good spot at one I wouldn't mind the price but when you go to one where the bath house is not clean, the sites are not clean and the office staff is not friendly I feel I have been ripped off. I would love to stay in one that is run by someone like the person that just posted here.
QUOTE(Denali @ Dec 14 2009, 02:08 PM) [snapback]20364[/snapback] FYI, if you write a review of a park without staying at the park it won't be approved for posting to the database anyway. Unless I violated a rule, or the rules have changed, your statement isn't necessarily correct. I did a review two years ago of a place that I didn't stay in, but I was specific in saying that I hadn't. It had not been reviewed in some time and I was in the area, so I did a drive through and interviewed the hosts/managers and told them why I was there. If I was wrong to do so, I hope one of the staff will tell me so I won't repeat that mistake. FWIW, I gave the place a decent rating.
abbygolden, What Dave said is now true. Sometime back reviews were posting on line but over time more and more reviews were no more than a slam on the campground. People do this for a number of reasons and it is hard for the admins to pick out who was right and who was wrong. So like the golden egg, we killed the hen. If you did not stay in a park no point in writing a review. The only thing that would be posted is information like campground closed, burn down, sold for houses, condo park only, or some information that we can check and make the changes. We try to keep the information as correct as possible.
QUOTE(John Blue @ Dec 14 2009, 08:16 PM) [snapback]20372[/snapback] abbygolden, What Dave said is now true. Sometime back reviews were posting on line but over time more and more reviews were no more than a slam on the campground. People do this for a number of reasons and it is hard for the admins to pick out who was right and who was wrong. So like the golden egg, we killed the hen. If you did not stay in a park no point in writing a review. The only thing that would be posted is information like campground closed, burn down, sold for houses, condo park only, or some information that we can check and make the changes. We try to keep the information as correct as possible. Ok, noted and will comply in the future. Thanks for letting me know.
I had a KOA membership for a few years because it came with my highway assistance insurance but dont have it now since I have changed insurance companys and assistance services. But I have stayed at KOA's before I got their service and since I changed from it and having used KOA's from one end of the USA to the other, I have yet to find a KOA that was not a good park. I have talk to many rvers that complain of the costs for a KOA camp and yet they will pay two to three times that amount to stay in parks in Florida. I will never understand that. I have also had memberships in the past with Passport America and did not find a good park in the three years I used it also from coast to coast and yet many swear by them as well and cannot understand why I dont care for them. I tried CampUSA last year and found they use the same parks as PA. And we found that we could not find a good park still and yet. We only used it in three parks last year and I am not going to renew this year. So there seems to be good and bad in everything. Much like one mans junk is another mans treasure. I think it goes for rv parks as well. One is great to some and hated by others.
My wife and I have enjoyed camping for years. Growing up my family always stayed at KOA and now that my wife and I camp together, we have stayed at our share of KOA's and at other private campgrounds as well. We have found some great KOA's and some duds. Some have fantastic amenities and are well laid out. Others are in need of some attention and have seen better days. Of course, the same can be said for other private campgrounds. I think it's a little disingenuine to paint all of a single franchise with the same brush. Ultimately it is up to the campground owner to make or break the campground, the yellow sign and KOA branding are just marketing tools. Honestly, if you don't like KOA's, then don't stay there...it's kind of like the fries at McDonalds, if you don't like them, then go down the street to Burger King. That's the beauty of having the freedom to choose.
Hi all, I keep screwing up on replying back, I seem to keep hitting the wrong button and quoting everybody else. Sorry. Anyway let me explain how we KOA's are rated. KOA Inc. sents out surveys to our camping guests who have stayed recently at a certain KOA. The guest fill out the survey good or bad and send it in. Those surveys and the Quality Assurance Reports (KOA Insectors) combined totals to a certain point system. If your KOA meets a certain amount of points from both, you will receive the President Award. If your KOA reaches a higher point that is required for a Presidents Award, you receive a Founders Award. That Founder's Award is very high up in the system. That means you have done a wonderful job, based on what your campers say about you, with the Founder's Award. Now both awards are sent out each year. Our Jobs at our KOA's is to keep those coming each year. Some KOA's out there who received a President 2 years ago can still hang their sign even though they haven't received it since then. KOA Inc. wanted to display these awards in our directory, but too many people bitched about it, so that idea was out. You can see the awards on each KOA on our own websites. That is one way you can check standards. These awards are very important to each of us, they are standards that our guests and KOA inc. have set for each of us.Also this website is a wonderful way to review each of us. Also, we are blessed with Trailer Life, and Woodalls coming each year to rate us. KOA's who don't meet min. standards should be kicked out of the system. Period. Hope all this makes sense.
Campatkoa, It does make sense! As was mentioned, some people like KOAs and some don't. When we travel we do use them a lot, simply because they appear to us to be geared towards travelling campers as opposed to stationary campers. As a traveller one is not always accepted by the seasonal crowd in some campgrounds. We also find that the cleanliness and friendliness in KOAs has a minimum standard to adhere to, unlike other campgrounds that run the whole gamut from sublime to rotten awful. What we don't like is being nickeled and dimed, be it in KOAs or other campgrounds.
