True Cost of using Sites

[Barry Chuckle]

I appreciate this post may set hares racing but I’d be really interested to see what the general consensus is of the costs of camping today. I have touched on this subject in other threads but I’ve given some thought to the true cost of running a camper for several years. I’m relatively new to camping only getting into it in the last 4 years and I have to say I’m really bought into the experience. Therefore I’m coming at this issue as a convert to camping over other stays such as AirBnB’s or hotels.

Next weekend we're booked to stay at a campsite we like in West Yorkshire, it’s in pretty countryside and has a lake. I’d say it was pretty middle of the road, it has a toilet block of an average standard. It’s not basic but it’s not 5* camping in terms of facilities. We’ve booked a grass pitch without EHU at £28pn for 2 people it's essentially a space on a field & it's peak prices due to the summer holidays. I looked at other nearby campsites and they were pretty comparable in price, some CL a little lower at around £20pn but others with EHU are £10 to £15 more a night. For comparison I’ve looked at a nearby Travelodge for the same nights and that is priced at £29pn admittedly that in an undesirable location next to a motorway but others in better locations are £40pn.

So my point is a hotel (albeit pretty basic) can be had for a couple of pounds more per night. And whilst I don’t have any desire to stay in a soulless Alan Partridge type motel it seems to offer a lot more for the cost. For the camp site they have to provide a space in a field, and access to a shower and toilet block, bins and waste disposal. Whereas the hotel has to provide seemingly a lot more such as fresh laundry, electricity basic, aircon, toiletries & tea & coffee facilities etc.
If I work on the basis that new & nearly new campers will depreciate typically £6,000/yr in the current market and say £1,500/yr for the running costs unless you’re using campsites for over 100 nights a year it appears to be a more expensive way to take breaks. I’m wondering if this will affect the popularity of camping if these prices remain or increase? I also find it interesting that the new T7 may have been designed more for days out or short breaks interspersed with hotel stays so are VW mindful of this issue?

As I mentioned I love camping and understand the many advantages over hotels but I sometimes think hotels have much more in the way of overheads so sites should be significantly cheaper than they are. I appreciate that there a many variables such as the depreciation on an older van would be much less, it’s more cost effective if you’re a family over a couple or cheaper if you’re prepared to wild camp more. Am I being overly harsh to sites, do they have costs near to what a hotel offers, or those who have been camping for decades - has the price differential always been the same or is it disproportionately higher today?

 

[Perfectos]

your question is a good one

Can you show me a hotel in a similar area at a similar cost at this time of year ?

Camping is a different experience to Hotel.
IMO you won’t find a hotel at a reasonable rate in summer Hols.

Campsites do have yearly overheads and a finite appeal as far as northern hemisphere

 

[CamperFam]

It's worth keeping in mind things such as campsite infrastructure, utilities, insurance etc.

For hotels and chains, they have incredibly purchasing power. For a campsite, it's Jon and Martha who happen to have some land, spent many thousands installing power and water, as well as a toilet and shower block and are looking to recoup the costs, in contrast with other sites as a benchmark. They dont have loyalty schemes, vouchers, or a bar to sell inflated alcohol/room service. And when considering the sites are only available certain times of the year (if not hardstanding etc), then it's a real struggle for them to make an income, when insurance is 365 days a year, and so on.

I agree on it being too much at times - and we always do battle with it in our own minds. That's why we always look for what the site is offering - those that have playgrounds, pools, shops etc will always win for us versus 'just a field' so we get value for money.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

I appreciate your question.it’s a good one

Can you show me a hotel in a similar area at a similar cost at this time of year ?

Camping is a different experience to Hotel.
IMO you won’t find a hotel at a reasonable rate in summer Hols.

Campsites do have yearly overheads and a finite appeal as far as northern hemisphere

These are the Travelodges for the same dates, between £29pn & £40pn appreciate they're not like for like as Travelodges tend not to be in rural areas. But my point was around cost and what they have to provide, and interestingly Central Leeds should be much more costly than somewhere on the outskirts.

 

[Perfectos]

It's worth keeping in mind things such as campsite infrastructure, utilities, insurance etc.

For hotels and chains, they have incredibly purchasing power. For a campsite, it's Jon and Martha who happen to have some land, spent many thousands installing power and water, as well as a toilet and shower block and are looking to recoup the costs, in contrast with other sites as a benchmark. They dont have loyalty schemes, vouchers, or a bar to sell inflated alcohol/room service. And when considering the sites are only available certain times of the year (if not hardstanding etc), then it's a real struggle for them to make an income, when insurance is 365 days a year, and so on.

I agree on it being too much at times - and we always do battle with it in our own minds. That's why we always look for what the site is offering - those that have playgrounds, pools, shops etc will always win for us versus 'just a field' so we get value for money.

If cost were the only consideration 24/7 365 days a year, northern hemisphere, camping would loose.
It’s not about cost it’s about experience

 

[Perfectos]

These are the Travelodges for the same dates, between £29pn & £40pn appreciate they're not like for like as Travelodges tend not to be in rural areas. But my point was around cost and what they have to provide, and interestingly Central Leeds should be much more costly than somewhere on the outskirts.

View attachment 127706

Is that for a mid week stay ?

 

[Barry Chuckle]

Is that for a mid week stay ?

Yes Sunday to Tuesday, but those are the dates we want to stay irrespective.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

If cost were the only consideration 24/7 365 days a year, northern hemisphere, camping would loose.
It’s not about cost it’s about experience

I completely agree with you 100% but my point is for that 'experience' we love it should be much cheaper than a hotel.

 

[Perfectos]

I completely agree with you 100% but my point is for that 'experience' we love it should be much cheaper than a hotel.

I do not always stay in my van, if a hotel is cheaper / weather/ location / experience/ facilities/ restaurant etc

Book it Danno

 

[Perfectos]

I do not always stay in my van, if a hotel is cheaper / weather/ location / experience/ facilities/ restaurant etc

Book it Danno

Edit ; if Mondays Temps come good , would Add :Air con to the above list !

 

[lohr500]

It's a bit of a conundrum isn't it??!!!

When we had our caravan with two young children, I concluded that after weighing up the cost of camp sites, insurance/depreciation/servicing on the cravan and the need for a hefty tow car to drag it around, we might as well book ourselves into hotels for our trips away. At the time though, we were probably only using the caravan three or four times a year.

Now there are just two of us and the Cali is my daily driver, I look on it differently.

Just a few minutes go, I booked a last minute three night stay for next week at the Norfolk Broads Caravan and Motorhome club for £123. It seems like a great location for exploring the area.

I don't think we could have found a hotel or B&B in the same area for £41 a night.

The Cali is sat there ready to go and although the MPG isn't as good as my wife's car. it won't cost us much more to drive to Norfolk in the Cali as her car.

And with a Cali vs the caravan, eating up the miles is a lot faster and less stressful

 

[Cwcltd]

Decent club site prices are still available; stayed (all hardstanding/EHU) at Rhayader recently at £27 per night, this past week in Salisbury £24.05 and end of this month in Henley at £28.70.

 

[B J G]

Hotels will also provide breakfast in the price which isn't usually factored in when doing a quick comparison.

Weekends are generally cheaper as Hotels are mainly used by business personnel during week days, campsites can be the opposite.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

It's a bit of a conundrum isn't it??!!!

When we had our caravan with two young children, I concluded that after weighing up the cost of camp sites, insurance/depreciation/servicing on the cravan and the need for a hefty tow car to drag it around, we might as well book ourselves into hotels for our trips away. At the time though, we were probably only using the caravan three or four times a year.

Now there are just two of us and the Cali is my daily driver, I look on it differently.

Just a few minutes go, I booked a last minute three night stay for next week at the Norfolk Broads Caravan and Motorhome club for £123. It seems like a great location for exploring the area.

I don't think we could have found a hotel or B&B in the same area for £41 a night.

The Cali is sat there ready to go and although the MPG isn't as good as my wife's car. it won't cost us much more to drive to Norfolk in the Cali as her car.

And with a Cali vs the caravan, eating up the miles is a lot faster and less stressful

That's a very good point I didn't initially consider, if your van is in lieu of a car you'd have to buy anyway then the costs are much lower. That said as you allude to, the van is still a compromise of sorts as a car is likely to cost much less and offer much better mpg for the times you're using it for the daily mundane tasks !

Our van is a 3rd vehicle so not going to be as cost effective, and I also expect the depreciation to be be nearer £10k pa now I've moved away from the rock solid residuals the Cali offers

 

[briwy]

Te problem is that cheap chain hotels are rarely where you want to stay ideally. You also have to factor in the cost of eating which will undoubtedly come to more than if you are self catering in the van.
Pubstops can be one answer if in a nice location. We have often just asked if we can stay in the car park if we have a bite and drink and often the answer is yes.

 

[Corradobrit]

With the invention of the black light I prefer to slum it in my Cali on an overpriced campsite than endure the alternative.

Generally speaking, when I'm away for an extended period, I plan 3-4 days wild camping, on aires, stellplatz etc and then one night on a campsite to replenish the power packs and get a proper shower.

 

[dspuk]

This pops up every so often with the OP then comparing to Premier Inns or the like which are rarely, if ever as cheap as a site. Usually goes hand in hand with a good moan about EHU costs.

I've never had an issue with the cost of a site having stayed all over the UK and France. I think it's good value given the overheads and I'd rather create memories in a Cali for the small amount of money we are actually talking.

I class these issues alongside those comparing MPG.

We use AirBNB and Premier inns a lot. Different use case for us.

 

[Barry Chuckle]

This pops up every so often with the OP then comparing to Premier Inns or the like which are rarely, if ever as cheap as a site. Usually goes hand in hand with a good moan about EHU costs.

I've never had an issue with the cost of a site having stayed all over the UK and France. I think it's good value given the overheads and I'd rather create memories in a Cali for the small amount of money we are actually talking.

I class these issues alongside those comparing MPG.

We use AirBNB and Premier inns a lot. Different use case for us.

Thank you for your comments as you can see I've included the costs of comparable Travelodges in the thread so I can evidence my point.

As I said it was an observation rather than a moan and my view is no more or less valid than yours.

 

[dspuk]

Thank you for your comments as you can see I've included the costs of comparable Travelodges in the thread so I can evidence my point.

As I said it was an observation rather than a moan and my view is no more or less valid than yours.

Never said it wasn't. My view is the reality of the average cost of Premier Inns is closer to the 60 a night mark and stopping in a Premier Inn for a holiday is a different sort of trip.

If, for this trip, a hotel suits your needs better, fill 'yr boots.

The general point was around site costs, and on that my view is they are fine.

As I said, comes up often. Varying views.

Camping prices on the increase.. profiteering?

Just booked a campsite we stay at each year in October to meet up with family and this year the price has gone up to £80 for for two nights, whereas last year it was just £58. Are campsites going to profiteer on knowing people want to camp instead of go overseas? I realise they had a bad start...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[RockinNRollin]

If cost was everything you’d stay at home. You pay to stay somewhere else because you’re getting value from what that place offers. Value is subjective; some people may genuinely enjoy a few nights in a travelodge or similar, but for me (and probably most on this forum) that’s not really value-adding, enjoyment comes from kicking back on a grass field with countryside, mountains and wildlife to enjoy. It’s difficult to replicate that experience outside of a holiday cottage in a remote location (and look at the prices of those). Take that into context and suddenly campsites become a lot better value.

 

[CamperFam]

It's a bit of a conundrum isn't it??!!!

When we had our caravan with two young children, I concluded that after weighing up the cost of camp sites, insurance/depreciation/servicing on the cravan and the need for a hefty tow car to drag it around, we might as well book ourselves into hotels for our trips away. At the time though, we were probably only using the caravan three or four times a year.

Now there are just two of us and the Cali is my daily driver, I look on it differently.

Just a few minutes go, I booked a last minute three night stay for next week at the Norfolk Broads Caravan and Motorhome club for £123. It seems like a great location for exploring the area.

I don't think we could have found a hotel or B&B in the same area for £41 a night.

The Cali is sat there ready to go and although the MPG isn't as good as my wife's car. it won't cost us much more to drive to Norfolk in the Cali as her car.

And with a Cali vs the caravan, eating up the miles is a lot faster and less stressful

That's a decent site. And the grass is always greener. We switched our Ocean for a Grand Cali, and I use it as my daily (school runs - joys of being a work from home dad). Cali MPG ist looking pretty enviable nowadays

 

[willwander]

I kinda agree, if you don’t hook up and take your own loo, £30 a night basically gets you a parking space. Also I think people are kidding themselves if they think most ‘club’ site are even a particularly attractive place to park and camp.
Tend to go for smaller places these days, farms and stuff. You still don’t get much for your money but I’d rather be in a field than a glorified car park.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Find a decent hotel in any half decent tourist destination.
Example.
St Ives Cornwall.
Family of 4 - £60 camping.
Family of 4 - £250+ hotel.

I’d say camping wins hand-down on cost.

 

[Agnes_Cali]

I was looking for places to stay this weekend and some prices were ridiculous. Empty field, no showers and £25 per night and price is for 2 people, no option to pay less for 1 person. That's one of the annoying things when price is up to 2-4-6 people and I can't pay less for 1 person.

And if I have to pay £50 per night, I would rather stay in cheap accommodation with roof over my head or go somewhere else.

I like places that charge per person, regardless of how you travel.

The reason, I go camping, is because I like to be in a nature and outside in general.

Couple of years ago, I made quick analysis of tent vs camper and decided camper is expensive to buy, would be used only from time to time, it will drink more fuel, not fun to drive and more expensive to stay on campsites. I was traveling in sporty car with tent in a boot, so had some fun on alpine roads and thought of driving the same routes in camper was discouraging.

It did not cross my mind, that I could use mini camper like Cali as a daily. Since I got it in June, I use it for almost everything and sold convertible afer a month, because I had too many cars and it wasn't used.

 

[Wannabecamperman]

As others have said, it the experience and closeness to nature that justifies the cost. Comparing to a hotel is like comparing apples and oranges.