How do some parks get their 5 star status?

[Steve L]

Having toured extensively throughout the UK, I do wonder what the criteria is for caravan parks to get 5 star status?
I have stopped on 3 star parks where they recycle waste on site, collect rain water for watering flowers, promote wildlife by leaving verges un-mown, have a shop selling organic local produce, have an excellent toilet block recently built. etc etc.

Then you find 5 star parks that don't recycle on site, don't have a shop, use weed killer like it's going out of fashion and mow the living day lights out of the grass.

So it does leave me thinking that it must be down to membership price of "the tuffty club"!!
Is there a uniform criteria that sites have to uphold to get the red rose, or the silver/gold Belamey awards?
If so are they monitored without prior appointments being made?
I haven't seen or been asked about any site and it's performance. As a member of the caravanning community I would of thought the customer oppinion would figure quite highly in any accolade of proffessionalism.

Regards, Steve L.

 

[Steve L]

Forgot to add.
I realise we can review parks our selves, but what I would like to know is how parks get rated by tourist industry regulators.

 

[joeby]

probabley down to who talks the talk , and how many freebies the regulators get for them and there families , and the old pals act might come to play as well .

 

[Soozeeg]

You could always try asking the people who actually know......i.e. the ones who set the ratings.

 

[Dustydog]

There's a 5* site near Saltcoats Ayrshire , with the railway between the site and the beach. The adverts etc are superb but you have to see this place to believe it. We got sucked in 4 years ago and couldn't wait to leave the next day. It was £26.00 a night. You wouldn't put Mary Bale in it.
So how did it get 5 stars?. Must be all the statics and all day /night drinking bar and fast food outlets.
I only trust the two clubs in so far as you know what the expected standard should be.
Best of British Parks is also another group of independent sites we use. Anything else no matter how many stars, I'd have take counsel from uk campsites web.

The stars thing also seems to vary from one organisation , county to another with Wales and Scotland doing their own thing.
I do know Steve that Ord House Site , Berwick Upon Tweed got 5 stars for many years from the Northumberland Tourist Board. Amongst many things this site had the best toilet and shower blocks I have ever used. They the "Best Badge " to prove it.

 

[Easyvanner]

I'm bewildered as to why what a site does with the rubbish and how it trims its verges
has to with site ratings, it should only be down to directly what is on offer to the client.
Trundling miles upon mile to a site at x mpg and heating an awning with a fan heater or running a microwave in the van to thaw the frozen mince for the bolognese is not green

We just can't tow a van and pretend to go along with all the green lobby gobbledy ****. Its made us laugh to see a site with some green award and then 3500kg artic sized outfit with every electric/recharge battery power gadget and media gizmo wired up

 

[Zafiral]

Dustydog, I am with you & after a couple of bad experiences at sites run by a large company more known for their Static Holidays (not Haven by the way), we have over the last couple of years exclusively stuck to sites from the two Clubs or Best of British.

We are considering Switzerland next year and looking to go to the Caravan Channel's favourite site Camping Aaregg at Brienz. They has been to a fair few sites over the last 4 years or so, so that must be a fair recommendation!!

Perhaps we are limiting ourselves, but there are a fair few sites to get through!!!

 

[Dustydog]

Zafiral
I've just checked "Caravan sitefinder" and was astonished to see that dog of site is listed!

I guess we need someone from our "friend " to explain.
Sounds like you have an excellent trip coming up. Good luck.

 

[James3]

Visit Britain who grade the sites in England have their web site which gives some information on criteria used.
See extract below from the web site:-

"Our ratings made easy: Holiday Parks (1-5 stars)
Includes the categories Holiday Park, Touring Park, Camping Park.
Parks are assessed on the standard they provide to visitors in all aspects: facilities, cleanliness, service, pitches, groundsmanship, play areas and leisure facilities where provided.
1 star: Simple, practical, no frills.
2 star: Well presented and well run.
3 star: Good level of quality and comfort.
4 star: Excellent standard throughout.
5 star: Exceptional with a degree of luxury.

The Enjoy England Quality Rose reassures you before you check into your holiday accommodation that it will be just what you want, because it’s been checked out by independent assessors. Enjoy England assessors work all year round, ensuring that the standards you find are what you would expect. And since we’ve done all the work, you can relax!"

 

[Steve L]

Well there we go. The site I'm on is rated 5 star english rose, but to be quite honest as it doesn't offer any facilities other than basic toilet and shower facilities. there is one washing machine to supply 85 static and 50 tourer pitches. So according to the rose awards it is mroe 2 star than 5.

Being eco friendly does gain respect and show initiative. Even as full timers we recycle tins,plastic, bottles, wood, old oil and cardboard, despite our site alledging that the skip get's sorted at the refuse site. Just two of us in a caravan can get enough recycling to fill a 80 litre wheelie bin each week.

It seems that you can't rely on roses,stars or pennants to quanify that what a park has to offer, is done so to a reasonably unilatteral standard.

I know of a little 2 AA penant site just north of Hereford on the A49, where the owner works his wotsits off to ensure his park is at it's best all year round. There you can be assured that water flows even at minus 10 and electric is always avaiable.

So who realy deserves awards.

Atb Steve L.

 

[James3]

I'm sure I have stayed on this park a fairly simple park with quite old but very clean facilities and very keen and helpful owner. C.....o C.....r well worthy of its rating and great for overnight stop.

 

[Dustydog]

Hi James
I'm speechless!!!

Visit britain reckons the country's worst site in Ayr is worth staying at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

God or whoever help us all. LOL

 

[Zafiral]

Star ratings are like MOT certificates, only really relevant on the day the test / review takes places......

 

[Olive1]

I have wondered for a long time about the star ratings. I contacted the National Caravan Council who sent me their booklet (not very up to date) but they state 5 star parks as having exceptional standards and offering extra facilities (may not be exact wording as do not have book to hand) BUT no-one can tell you what the extra facilities are I agree with others that it must be how they treat the inspectors.
Olive

 

[jondav]

Good question.I have tried but have never got an answer.Most would probably expect that a 5 star site would have the best of facilities and cleanliness,(as in 5 star hotels) but look at some of the Caravan Clubs 5 star sites,.Case in point : Cae Mawr Anglesey 5 stars,very nice and well kept,but minimal facilities,only water,waste,plug in, and C/T points,Hillhead site again 5 stars with pool,restaurant,playground etc etc.Apparently the CC used the ETB to rate their sites ,but try asking them if the number of stars gives anyone a clue as to what to expect in the way of the type and number facilities you can expect when they give 5 stars to both of these examples.Of course it's all in the handbook,but the star rating is only for the general standard of cleanliness and location and little else.
It seems the AA pennant award can be a more reliable indicator of what can be expected,rather than the ETB ratings.

 

[JohnM20]

A few years ago we booked a couple of sites in France through the Caravan Club. The first site that we went to was 3 star, according to the CC brochure, and indeed it was a very nice site with excellent facilities. The site that we were moving on to was 5 star so we expected something exceptional. And exceptional it was - it was cr*p with a capital C.
The pitches were relatively small and uncared for, the roadways were muddy tracks with lakes on them after rain, the water points were taps tied to a bit of wood and the electric points were buried in the dividing hedges. The site was said to be in the grounds of a chateau (with photo) but this turned out to be out of bounds even just to go and look at it.
I challenged the C.C. about it but they just said that they didn't award the star ratings, it was the French authorities, they merely stated in the brochure that the sites had the ratings. Because of this we never rely on any rating now, except ones that we give the sites ourselves. Word of mouth from other 'vanners is probably the best guide to an untried site.
JohnM

 

[BedfordGeorge]

As a newcomer I cannot give much on individual sites, however as part of my subscription to PC, I was given the 5 Alan Rogers books, these claim to inspect every camp they recommend, at least once a year. The only sites 3 I have visited, reported by them in their books, the CC site at Greetham in Rutland, Camping Le Vivier Auc Carpes in Serrancout and Le Chateau de L'Epervier in France I have to say the comments matched the actual sites perfectly. I have also used ukcampsite.co.uk and found it useful, with it's many honest views.

Could it be that the 'location' of a site can induce a higher marking, because those camps in desirable area's have a higher occupancy rate ? Could both clubs not introduce, using the net a simple marking system from it's members, for all camps. This would accurately reflect their members views, and it would quickly become aware of any shortcomings at a specific site.

Best regards,
George

 

[Steve L]

The site we are on has got no TV signal available from a caravan ariel, you have to have a sat kit to get even the first 5 channels, but they fail to notify potential customers either in magazine adds (in pc small adds) or notify customers as they call to book in. Furthermore, they do not provide TV hook ups by the EHU.

There is only one light required by law to identify the single fire point to serve 50 tourers.

I frequently get asked how to get a tv signal and people are dumfounded that the owner seems not to know how this park is so totally different to his other parks in the south west of england.

I often get asked where the cassette disposal point is because there is no site plan handed out.

I often get asked where the shop is and I have to direct them to the local volentary run shop and local resident's garden produce stalls, failing that they have to drive 5 miles to Leo to get a supermarket.

So having said that, I'm at a loss as to how 5 stars are allocated.

I like the site because it is so quiet but a site shop would be a goldmine here and would not need further employment as there is time in hand already existing.