New KOA CEO

[bobsallyh]

Saw this in the Billings, MT. newspaper this AM.

http://billingsgazette.com/business/features/koa-s-top-boss-guiding-company-through-new-challenges-in/article_4ff7fc32-9583-5c0e-bc45-e80709fb7892.html

[Kirk W]

They are getting away from the old campground concepts, more motel like.

 

KOA is also trying to improve its cabins to meet growing demand, he added. About 20 percent of KOA guests stay in the cabins, which now often include grills, linen service and other amenities.

[richfaa]

We have always liked KOA and they are our choice when traveling down the road for overnight or two or three day stays. They are sort of like wall marts as they are pretty much the same and you know what to expect. We look for a PA first if it is not to far out of our way then the KOA. We have seen a few bad KOA's but not many.

[sandsys]

I don't like KOA because they are family oriented and we no longer are. Having the guy with the loudspeaker touring the park in a golf cart announcing upcoming activities does not lend itself to our relaxation. I like KOA because families go there leaving the quieter places for us.

 

Linda Sand

[mkc]

They are getting away from the old campground concepts, more motel like.

 

With all the value KOA places on amenities for kids and families, like playgrounds, game rooms, activities, cafes, disc golf, etc. it reminds me more of the family resort destinations of old, like the Poconos, but with cabins instead of motel rooms, or some of the places my family stayed at on Cape Cod when I was a little tyke.

[Shadow Catcher]

KOA's are the McDonald's of camping. Our experience three years back was that some of them were good but most had a number of problems. One with a swimming pool that was green and growing science experiment with filthy bathrooms, another with visible mold, and one in Montana where the Wifi would not work when the wind blew (when does it not).

My hope is more oversight and adherence to standard.

[MeanderMan]

When we first started RVing in the late 70s we almost always stayed at KOAs. Like a good hotel chain, you could expect a certain standard. Today, that consistency has disappeared; there are as many poor ratings on KOAs as any other park. The only consistency is the high price of a stay, geared for a family with children. As such, they have no appeal for us, and we only stay when no other option is available.

[champ_49]

KOA's is the last chance for us. Way over priced with way to small of lots. I like to put my awning out and way to many times that is not possible!

[billr]

We have used KOAs for many years. Always find a nice safe, friendly, and clean camp. Meets our expectations and a lot of times more. They all have a different feel to them. But we have always been able to get a site that fits our big rig. Not all are full on for kids. They do have a positive atmosphere for pets, we travel with 3. We always have been able to put put the awning too! We can not say the same thing about PA and GS parks we hit. There are some very outstanding parks, but we find a larger percentage not what we enjoy. One thing for sure there is a park and price for everyone.

[pugsly]

We boondock a lot, but find KOA to be a decent choice for a night or two when we want to do laundry, be close to shops, etc.

[Jack Mayer]

KOA is not our first choice...it is probably our last choice. But we do use them when they are the obvious place to stay for us.

 

As far as lot size - I don't see them as any different form other campgrounds - some are tight and some have spaces that fit us....same as elsewhere.

 

Cost, I have to say, is the primary reason we stay away from them. They are ALWAYS far more expensive than other campgrounds in the area. And usually no nicer - at least in our experience.

 

The other reason we avoid them is kids. They tend to have a lot of families and since many kids are feral now, it does not make for a nice visit for us.

[Kirk W]

KOA is not our first choice...it is probably our last choice. But we do use them when they are the obvious place to stay for us.

 

......................

Cost, I have to say, is the primary reason we stay away from them. They are ALWAYS far more expensive than other campgrounds in the area.

That is pretty much where we are also. It seems to me that KOA is especially bad about showing a daily rate in directories that always has a bunch of add-on fees so what you actually pay seems to always be significantly more than you were expecting. You pay extra if you use an electric heater, extra for a/c, extra for a pet, extra for 50A, extra for full hookups, and so on. A good friend says that the letters KOA actually stand for "Keep On Adding."

[richfaa]

When staying at a a KOA we ask for pull through, full hookup, 50 amps and we always get one. They are most always clean, and

well managed.

 

They are changing to meet the requirement of the average rv'er. The average RV'er is not a long timer or full timer. It is merely good business on KOA's part.

[trailertraveler]

 

It seems to me that KOA is especially bad about showing a daily rate in directories that always has a bunch of add-on fees so what you actually pay seems to always be significantly more than you were expecting. You pay extra if you use an electric heater, extra for a/c, extra for a pet, extra for 50A, extra for full hookups, and so on. A good friend says that the letters KOA actually stand for "Keep On Adding."

I haven't used a paper directory in years so cannot speak to that, but the website has always shown me the correct rate for the site with the chosen/listed ammenities.

As for extras/add ons, compared to what a tent site? Just about every campground I have ever been to including Forest Service and COE charge more for a site with electric than for one without. Most campgrounds charge more for a full hookup site than a water and electric only site. It is pretty common practice for campgrounds, even Passport America Parks to charge more for 50Amp service sites than those with 30 AMP. We have stayed at a number of KOAs in various parts of the country in the past ten years and have never encountered one that charged for pets. In fact, the only place that we have ever stayed that charged a pet fee was a Virginia State Park. Most parks charge extra for cable TV and some charge for internet while others do not. While I have encountered seeing extra fees for electric heaters/air conditioner use, I can not recall any being the KOAs we have stayed at.

KOAs generally offer choices in amenities by having a number of site types rather than the one size fits all that some parks do. I think this is where a lot of the add on critism gets started because you pay for what is at the site not just what you want to use. If the only site your rig will fit in or the only site available is more expensive than the cheapest site, then that is what you will be charged.

All that said, KOAs are not anywhere near our first choice mainly because they are almost always near the top of the price point for their local area.

[skp51443]

I'm happy enough with add-on charges for TV, water, sewer, electric - be it 50 amp surcharge or bills for electric heat and air conditioning since you can choose not to use them but it burns me to pay a mandatory extra charge for a cat or bird that never leaves the RV.

 

The second thing we hated was the amount of junk mail KOA stays generated, started giving them fake addresses to avoid that.

[docj]

 

 

The second thing we hated was the amount of junk mail KOA stays generated, started giving them fake addresses to avoid that.

 

With all due respect, the KOA junk mail is totally controllable with a few settings changes. We even have a KOA VIP (discount) card and yet we get no emails from the main office or any of the sites other than confirmations of our reservations and a single followup survey after each stay.

[docj]

They are getting away from the old campground concepts, more motel like.

 

In the text of the article it says that 70% of KOA revenue comes from RVers which means that the 20% of customers who stay in cabins are generating ~30% of the revenue. This demonstrates how clearly they are becoming a hotel chain. If cabin revenue get to >50% then RVers will become an afterthought.

[skp51443]

With all due respect, the KOA junk mail is totally controllable with a few settings changes. We even have a KOA VIP (discount) card and yet we get no emails from the main office or any of the sites other than confirmations of our reservations and a single followup survey after each stay.

 

If you are a member then making changes to your settings may well be possible, since we were not members we had no place to make settings changes.

[Chalkie]

We use KOA's when traveling as it seems they are conveniently located at a nice driving distance from each other. We always book a pull thru as it makes it easy for a one night stay. We used to stay a couple of weeks in a KOA near our daughters house but no longer will as that particular KOA has priced themselves into the "stupidly expensive" range. We have NEVER paid extra for a pet or running the a/c, or anything else. I'm not bothered with the emails from them since being a member (i.e., we have a KOA discount card) I can choose but in any event every email I have ever gotten has an unsubscribe link. All that said, I cannot imagine staying long term in a KOA although I know some do.

[Dutch_12078]

We've stayed at a number of KOA's that offered us a better rate than the daily rates posted online if we stayed for a week or more. It's worth asking...