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Subject Topic: Miffed about booking in advance! Post Reply Post New Topic
20/5/2024 at 4:21pm
 Location: Devizes Wiltshire
 Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC
View dk168's Profile View Profile   Reply to dk168 Reply   Quote dk168 Quote  
Joined: 19/6/2009

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Site Reviews 2022: 8  
Site Reviews 2021: 9  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
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Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 45
Site Nights 2023: 47
Site Nights 2022: 46
Site Nights 2021: 34
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

I like to plan my itinerary ahead and always book campsites and tunnel crossings well in advance.

The site where I am now insisted a 7-night stay when I tried to book online in late September 2023, citing my stay would be during the Whitsun holiday on Sunday 19 and Monday 20 May 2024.

I had to change my itinerary and cut down on the number of nights at other campsites in order to fit that in, good job it was the first site I tried to book for this 2-week trip!

To my annoyance, I witnessed other units staying for less than 7 nights; some just overnight during the weekend!!!

So I challenged them about it, and the response was that, they would like longer stays as much as possible when they opened the booking for 2024, especially over public holidays.

If pitches were still available nearer the time later in the year, the booking system would allow shorter durations.

This is what I had expected as their response, however, I am still rather miffed about it though, as I wanted to stay at another site in NL near my friends for longer so that I could go out and about with them to explore where they live.

Just cutting down by 1 night and stayed for 6 nights would have been great, hey ho!

Not sure if anyone else have experienced something similar.

DK     

-------------
* Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *


Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!


20/5/2024 at 5:30pm
 Location: London
 Outfit: Lunar Cosmos 524
View Monty15's Profile View Profile   Reply to Monty15 Reply   Quote Monty15 Quote  
Joined: 17/9/2015

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Forum Posts:   2328

Site Reviews Total: 1
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Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 6
Site Nights 2018: 0

It's 'dynamic booking', the same as 'dynamic pricing' but kind of in reverse! The closer you get to the date, the more flexible they become to sell as many places rather than have them empty! - it's a bit of a bummer if you like to plan in advance by didn't want the minimum stay or more!

Yes, I have come across it before, they didn't get my booking in the first place, and didn't get my booking when being more accommodating as I'd already made arrangements elsewhere! Double edged sword, doesn't always work in their favour if people are planers and need certainty well in advance!


20/5/2024 at 6:20pm
 Location: Wessex
 Outfit: Dethleffs Trend T675
View MrWez's Profile View Profile   Reply to MrWez Reply   Quote MrWez Quote  
Joined: 11/7/2015

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Forum Posts:   396

Site Reviews Total: 16
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Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 1  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 2
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 2
Site Nights 2018: 0

We usually go outside of the main season, we don't tend to book, we make a great deal of use of ACSI sites but not exclusively so. We stay 3 nights tops.

It's a bit different if you definitely want to be somewhere, you want to be sure of getting in. It does sound like you could've booked for less time.

We have found though that ACSI was very popular last year and we did struggle to get into some places.


via mobile 20/5/2024 at 9:08pm
 Location: Cumbria
 Outfit: Coachman VIP 520
View bofs's Profile View Profile   Reply to bofs Reply   Quote bofs Quote  
Joined: 10/1/2008

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Forum Posts:   2672

Site Reviews Total: 102
Site Reviews 2024: 5  
Site Reviews 2023: 4  
Site Reviews 2022: 11 
Site Reviews 2021: 6  
Site Reviews 2020: 9  
Site Reviews 2019: 10 
Site Reviews 2018: 8  
Site Nights 2024: 22
Site Nights 2023: 25
Site Nights 2022: 54
Site Nights 2021: 24
Site Nights 2020: 36
Site Nights 2019: 55
Site Nights 2018: 47

We're on our 4th campsite in France - the first (British owned 6 pitch site near our storage) was pretty much full for our 3 night stay, the next 3 sites (all bigger, up to 60 pitches) have had only a handful of pitches occupied, even over a Bank
Holiday weekend!
Very few caravans in evidence, by the way, mostly campervans/motorhomes.


Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!


21/5/2024 at 5:41am
 Location: West - North Yorkshire
 Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate
View Val A's Profile View Profile   Reply to Val A Reply   Quote Val A Quote  
Joined: 19/10/2004

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Forum Posts:   18741

Site Reviews Total: 30
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 1  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 4
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

In forty odd years of caravanning we've only booked twice. Last year we wanted to spend time with our families, on one site, with two adjacent pitches, and we booked. In 1997 when my son was 17 he wanted to join us with several of his friends, so again we booked. That's it. We've NEVER (and that includes July and August) failed to get a pitch. We have had to wait outside one night at Camping L'Ardechois at Vallon (a very poopular site) but were found a pitch the following morning.

Although it obviously isn't or everyone we've never had a problem, and if a site didn't have pitches then we'd be happy to look elsewhere. It does give us complete flexibility to move on if the weather is bad (the usual reason and many times over the years), if the site doesn't meet expectations (once), if we have very noisy neighbours (twice or more) or if we just want a change. We have turned up expecting to stay for a week and not liked the site so driven off without even booking in, and found somewhere else. We have stayed for three weeks on a site intended for just an overnight stop!


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via mobile 21/5/2024 at 9:16am
 Location: 
 Outfit: 
View Devonatheart's Profile View Profile   Reply to Devonatheart Reply   Quote Devonatheart Quote  
Joined: 28/8/2021

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Forum Posts:   144

Site Reviews Total: 2
Site Reviews 2024: 2  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 9
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

We have only been caravaning for 14 years, but have been to France around 30 times at a guess, top to bottom, West to East and have never ever booked a site, never, and only once, Tranche Sur Mer, on ringing a day or two before have we not got onto a site we enquired about.

For us the beauty of France and caravaning is flexibility. We were down in the foothills of the Pyrenees a couple of years ago with absolutely no plans and ended up in a lovely site in the Dordogne, then another in Brittany. Last year this time, the weather in Brittany looked good and set fair, so I rang a site we knew about, and booked a ferry, we were there 36 hours later. Incidentally, we stayed at Camping Pors Peron, the weather was absolutely amazing the whole ten days we were there, and what a fantastic time we had. The site is lovely, the owners are so friendly and the area is simply stunning. Brittany when the weather is good takes some beating.

Last year we decided on a few days on Exmoor, swapping one Moor for another, I rang a site, they had pitches available for the next day, then she asked for a deposit, I very politely refused asking that if we just turned up, did they have space, “oh yes, plenty” so we turned up the next day, they were a third full.

Never book ahead, genuinely do not see the point, as a very good Irish friend of mine says “If you make plans…….you may just have to change them”


21/5/2024 at 11:43am
 Location: nr Derby
 Outfit: Phoenix 440+
View jaiash's Profile View Profile   Reply to jaiash Reply   Quote jaiash Quote  
Joined: 09/7/2008

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Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 6  
Site Nights 2024: 6
Site Nights 2023: 6
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 34

We don't book outside of July late August. However we visited Vannes this year - Camping Conleau - where our preferred dates were 'not available' when I checked online. This included May 8th and 9th with a day each side - I changed this to arrive a day earlier and it said ONE possible pitch which I did book. When we arrived there was no choice of pitch offered and when I asked they said they were full - which indeed the next day they were BUT what really annoyed me was we saw people arrive who had clearly been given a site map with a choice of pitch available.
PS not a site I would recommend unless you really want to visit Vannes. Review to follow!
PPS the likelyhood of getting a pitch at either of our summer haunts late July up to the weekend after Aug 15th are very slim - "COMPLET" used signed at entrance!

-------------
Grahame


Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!


21/5/2024 at 4:03pm
 Location: Devizes Wiltshire
 Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC
View dk168's Profile View Profile   Reply to dk168 Reply   Quote dk168 Quote  
Joined: 19/6/2009

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Forum Posts:   9596
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Site Reviews Total: 56
Site Reviews 2024: 9  
Site Reviews 2023: 9  
Site Reviews 2022: 8  
Site Reviews 2021: 9  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 45
Site Nights 2023: 47
Site Nights 2022: 46
Site Nights 2021: 34
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0

Each to their own with regard to planning ahead.

I am writing as someone who has booked her monthly hair appointment up to February 2026, yes 2026, to fit around events I already have in my diary, no joke!

Planning and booking ahead is my way of performing due diligence and risk assessment.

It has worked for me all my life and I am not going to change the habit of a lifetime.

DK

-------------
* Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *


21/5/2024 at 5:23pm
 Location: Wessex
 Outfit: Dethleffs Trend T675
View MrWez's Profile View Profile   Reply to MrWez Reply   Quote MrWez Quote  
Joined: 11/7/2015

Gold Member
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Forum Posts:   396

Site Reviews Total: 16
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 1  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 2
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 2
Site Nights 2018: 0

Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 21/5/2024
Each to their own with regard to planning ahead...

...Planning and booking ahead is my way of performing due diligence and risk assessment.


You're right, each to their own. Whilst we don't book ahead, an awful lot of planning goes on long beforehand (that's what the long winter nights are for).

For our next trip, we know which geographical area we want to be in, I've recce'd the routes to see if they're viable via Streetview, I don't like surprises when it comes to our moho.

I've got a list of 109 potential stops (a mixture of campsites, aires and France Passion stops). What we won't know is which of them we'll be using, we certainly don't have 109 nights to fill, so there's a large element of spontaneity within reason.


Quote: It has worked for me all my life and I am not going to change the habit of a lifetime.

DK



If it works for you, then why should you?


via mobile 22/5/2024 at 6:48am
 Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
 Outfit: Tents
View Ewen c's Profile View Profile   Reply to Ewen c Reply   Quote Ewen c Quote  
Joined: 22/8/2013

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Forum Posts:   3012
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Site Reviews Total: 21
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 1  
Site Reviews 2022: 1  
Site Reviews 2021: 5  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 6  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 1
Site Nights 2022: 1
Site Nights 2021: 7
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 3
Site Nights 2018: 9

We usually book for France because we are usually on foot and don't have the luxury of driving somewhere else.
Anywhere that stipulates a minimum stay gets rejected

-------------
Hypercamp Alaska
Vango Force 10 mk3
Vango F10 Helium 1
Coleman Cobra Pro 3
Coleman Cobra 2
Naturehike Star River 2
Eureka! Solitaire
Dutch army goretex bivvy bag


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22/5/2024 at 7:47am
 Location: Liverpool
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 560
View Pixie_Hez's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pixie_Hez Reply   Quote Pixie_Hez Quote  
Joined: 05/7/2003

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Forum Posts:   1937

Site Reviews Total: 121
Site Reviews 2024: 15 
Site Reviews 2023: 15 
Site Reviews 2022: 14 
Site Reviews 2021: 11 
Site Reviews 2020: 8  
Site Reviews 2019: 17 
Site Reviews 2018: 8  
Site Nights 2024: 78
Site Nights 2023: 75
Site Nights 2022: 66
Site Nights 2021: 57
Site Nights 2020: 39
Site Nights 2019: 68
Site Nights 2018: 44

I think the idea of an initial minimum booking period is becoming more common. Our favourite site in the UK has just opened its bookings for the 2025 season but only for bookings of 7 nights or more. This is so that people who want a full week (or more) are able to book it without the weekends at either end already being booked. Around September they reduce the minimum number of nights you can book to 3 and then closer to the start of next season they will allow bookings of any number of nights to fill any gaps they have.

-------------
Pixie


Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!


via mobile 22/5/2024 at 9:17am
 Location: Ayrshire
 Outfit: Auto-Sleeper MHs
View Fiona W's Profile View Profile   Reply to Fiona W Reply   Quote Fiona W Quote  
Joined: 10/4/2007

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Forum Posts:   5144
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Site Reviews Total: 234
Site Reviews 2024: 18 
Site Reviews 2023: 8  
Site Reviews 2022: 12 
Site Reviews 2021: 10 
Site Reviews 2020: 4  
Site Reviews 2019: 9  
Site Reviews 2018: 18 
Site Nights 2024: 37
Site Nights 2023: 25
Site Nights 2022: 32
Site Nights 2021: 25
Site Nights 2020: 20
Site Nights 2019: 28
Site Nights 2018: 30

There’s a site not far from us at Loch Ken. You can only book online for 7 nights, but you can turn up for a night or three & get a pitch if one is available.
I’m cross at CCC however - 2 or even 3 nights minimum. Yet you can be there & see empty pitches that could have been filled by one-nighters.

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2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.


via mobile 22/5/2024 at 1:54pm
 Location: Cumbria
 Outfit: Coachman VIP 520
View bofs's Profile View Profile   Reply to bofs Reply   Quote bofs Quote  
Joined: 10/1/2008

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Site Reviews 2024: 5  
Site Reviews 2023: 4  
Site Reviews 2022: 11 
Site Reviews 2021: 6  
Site Reviews 2020: 9  
Site Reviews 2019: 10 
Site Reviews 2018: 8  
Site Nights 2024: 22
Site Nights 2023: 25
Site Nights 2022: 54
Site Nights 2021: 24
Site Nights 2020: 36
Site Nights 2019: 55
Site Nights 2018: 47

Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 22/5/2024
I’m cross at CCC however - 2 or even 3 nights minimum. Yet you can be there & see empty pitches that could have been filled by one-nighters.



Agreed! However we have been known to get round that by phoning the site direct. Not sure how far in advance you could do that though.


via mobile 22/5/2024 at 7:33pm
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Campervan
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Joined: 27/3/2008

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Site Reviews 2021: 16 
Site Reviews 2020: 9  
Site Reviews 2019: 59 
Site Reviews 2018: 45 
Site Nights 2024: 84
Site Nights 2023: 52
Site Nights 2022: 66
Site Nights 2021: 39
Site Nights 2020: 12
Site Nights 2019: 81
Site Nights 2018: 115

Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 22/5/2024
There’s a site not far from us at Loch Ken. You can only book online for 7 nights, but you can turn up for a night or three & get a pitch if one is available.



Loch Ken do take bookings of less than 7 days- you have to ring as you say the online is 7 days minimum.
They are happy to take advance bookings for any number of nights over phone ( I was talking to them last week )


22/5/2024 at 11:29pm
 Location: NE England
 Outfit: Citroen Dispatch Campervan plus tents
View spiritburner's Profile View Profile   Reply to spiritburner Reply   Quote spiritburner Quote  
Joined: 02/8/2004

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Forum Posts:   1625

Site Reviews Total: 21
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 1  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 2  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 2
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 2
Site Nights 2019: 6
Site Nights 2018: 0

Not one for booking ahead normally.   Just had a fortnight away in UK & didn't even get to the county we intended to be the main focus of our holiday as we found plenty to do & see before we got there!



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