Reviews of The Meadows Campsite

Management response: We thank you for your feedback, and are pleased you enjoyed many aspects of your short stay, and we are sorry you had to cut your stay short.

Firepits - we have now purchased additional firepits, as we have been surprised at the demand. However, firepits are always so much more in demand when there is a fine evening. It is not practical for us to service firepits should every pitch require one only on fine evenings, so by doing first come first served, it means campers usually get one for some nights of their stay.

We would mention that "Maddeus" did arrive quite late on the first day so all firepits were then booked out. A booking for the remaining days of her trip was then made, paid for and then fully refunded to her when they left decided to leave early.

We are sorry that their camping neighbours did not follow our camping etiquette and that this disturbed their evening. This is a small and friendly site, and it is highly unusual for their to be problems with noise.

This visit was after heavy rain and Maddeus was shown drier spots higher up the field, but the family were set on pitching in the far end of the meadow, only recommended by ourselves in very dry weather.

Management response: "Lynn and John are sorry that mark and Sarah did not enjoy their short stay with us. They arrived in torrential rain, which was the end of a forecasted weather event. However, a caravan with awning had left the pitch that morning, and would have booked for 2014 had we been taking bookings! The pitch was also picked the next day by a family with a caravan and awning, who enjoyed glorious sunshine for the week and again were very happy indeed. The pitch was an electric hook up grass pitch with "grass protecta" for hard standing. The rain was not going to drain away anywhere until it stopped, and it finally stopped the day after.

My comments about others were in the context that it was different people's expectations, when bad weather occurred. At the same time, there were lots camping in the camping field in tents, without hook up, or grass protecta and were still smiling and happy despite setting up in a torrential downpour with children and dogs. Yes our hardy campers probably did take priority with our time and assistance, that weekend, but in fact they were all prepared and enjoyed what turned out to be a lovely sunny week. It is difficult with a natural site but we find the majority are our campers take the good with the bad and come prepared.

The view I expressed was they for an advance booking that may be they had picked the wrong type of site.

As for the B&B as the weather forecast ahead was so good, I was merely expressing my admiration for the tent campers setting up in such torrential rain that was set in for the day, and that may be I would have been tempted to delay setting up until the next day.

Any camper being pulled out, was a result of not acting on our advice to stay higher up the field during the weather event, as they wanted to experience wild camping. We were indeed thanked for pulling them out at no charge, and for the assistance we gave.

We have been flexible with our campers letting them delay the start of their holiday in bad weather, and giving bad weather refunds on merit. However, on this occasion it was frustrating that we had lots of happy tent campers camping in the camping field in the torrential rain and our unhappy customer was in a caravan on a grass protecta pitch where flip flops not wellies were still adequate.

We cannot control the weather, and we are a natural site in a valley, with grass protecta on all of our electric pitches. This couple had booked in advance for a week and we had turned lots of other bookings away. A reduced amount had already been accepted on arrival, as we were informed they would have to return a day early for work commitments. We assess situations individually and it was our decision as owners that a refund was not appropriate.

As for there being not much to do in Mevagissey, I feel a different view may have been had if they had stayed and visited there, and the many other beautiful places during the sunny week our guests then enjoyed.

Finally, our motto is keep smiling and carry on camping, as a holiday is what you make of it."

The Meadows Team

Management response: Thank you very much for the positive and negative feedback, all of which we have taken on board.

It was unfortunate that your trip fell towards the end of extreme rain, and indeed there was 24 hours of torrential rain the day after you arrived.

The pitch was a large pitch, and so we tried to pitch you the best we could in the drier area. Yes, this was nearer to our camp road, than the stream, but on grass protecta, but not all tents on site stood up to the rain.

Electric lead - the lead we hire out is the 3 pin RCD lead, not extensions, which we lend out free of charge. Sorry if you misunderstood, as we know in the end you had your own 3 pin tent lead.

We feel we have to comment on the "basics". We purchased this site on 31 January of this year. It was described by Martin Dorey (campervan cookbook man) as then being no more than an illegal gypsy caravan graveyard.

For 12 weeks, we concentrated solely on the basics, of clearing the site (huge task), bringing the electrics to standard, replacing the plumbing & drainage systems, laying a road and grass protecta on all electric pitches. We delayed opening until 1 May, but then the groundwork had to stop whilst we were open for business for our customers to have an undisturbed stay. We then concentrated on the details, such as breakfast baguettes & homemade cakes, planting up, and putting some colour and personality in to the site, as we wanted our campers to have a great experience.

Hand-dryers - we change our hand towels around four times daily.

Please note that our prices have remained the level charged by the previous owner for 2013 being the price for very basic camping in this location. This is even though we have already made considerable investment in to the site, and give a very personal service, with far improved facilities.

Please be assured that when our site closes at the end of the season, we will not be rest on our laurels, and ground and other works will recommence. Keep an eye on our website to see the further changes, and we hope you will try us again in the future. Hopefully next time, you will be far luckier with the weather also.