Toilet facilities?

[Buckman]

Would you book a site if you knew you could not use the toiler facilities on the site? If the facilities were open, would you prefer to use your own facilities or the site facilities?

As we have a decent szie bathroom in our caravan we would use the facilities in the caravan like we have being doing for the past 10 or more years especially at this time.

 

[Hutch]

Yes I would book, we tend to use our caravans facilities, 90% of the time.. nearly never use site showers.

 

[Raywood]

We make very little use of the toilet facilities on sites. Far easier to use those on the caravan with no mess left by thoughtless others. In the current situation the caravan is far safer to me. In the toilet block you simply do not know if the place could be contaminated.

 

[otherclive]

Would you book a site if you knew you could not use the toiler facilities on the site? If the facilities were open, would you prefer to use your own facilities or the site facilities?

As we have a decent szie bathroom in our caravan we would use the facilities in the caravan like we have being doing for the past 10 or more years especially at this time.

We have no choice for our booking before 17 May as the site facilities will be closed till then along with indoor dining and drinks. Prefer to use site facilities as we tend to shower early evening after our day out. But tend to always use sink and toilet in van whatever.

 

[Jcloughie]

Always use our own facilities. It fascinates me just how many site reviews seem to be focused on the toilet block.

However, because of such reviews I examined the block at The Old Oakes. And it really is good. But we would rather pay a bit less for the location.

John

 

[RogerL]

Would you book a site if you knew you could not use the toiler facilities on the site? If the facilities were open, would you prefer to use your own facilities or the site facilities?

As we have a decent szie bathroom in our caravan we would use the facilities in the caravan like we have being doing for the past 10 or more years especially at this time.

We ignore a site's toilet/shower facilities as we prefer to use our own - so we select sites from a wider selection including basic CLs.

The lockdown relaxation allowing campsites to open for "self-contained" units from 12th April in England and 17th May in Scotland suits us - those who need, or choose, to use site facilities will have to wait.

 

[Parksy]

A condition of our weeks booking for the first week in May is that we agree to use our onboard facilities.
The toilet and shower blocks are not open.

 

[audiorob]

It was good to see, in the main evening news over the weekend, caravans rolling into sites in Wales, although I think, like rentable accommodation, it is 'self contained' only and toilet block facilities will not be open until later. Presumably though only open for residents of Wales as 'crossing the border' is discouraged! I think it was Bargoed Farm that was featured as the sign was shown briefly during the interview with the owner.

 

[otherclive]

It was good to see, in the main evening news over the weekend, caravans rolling into sites in Wales, although I think, like rentable accommodation, it is 'self contained' only and toilet block facilities will not be open until later. Presumably though only open for residents of Wales as 'crossing the border' is discouraged! I think it was Bargoed Farm that was featured as the sign was shown briefly during the interview with the owner.

Yes crossing the border for other than stipulated reasons isn’t allowed.
Our son lives in South Wales and on Saturday took advantage of the relaxation by going for a days walk over Margam Mountain a relatively short tramp from their house.

 

[Thingy]

Back to the OP. We would only ever book sites with a toilet block and only ever use the vans facilities in an emergency. We have had eleven caravans now, and have NEVER used the caravans own shower. TBH, caravans with a bathroom are a waste of space to us.

 

[Dustydog]

Always use own shower and toilet. So much easier.

 

[Trevormc]

Have always used our own facilities in the 40+ years of caravaning. Use mainly C/L's .

Trevor

 

[Beehpee]

We started using vans facilities last year and we will never use the on-site regardless of how good or otherwise as I don’t think you can beat having your own shower and loo and know exactly who has used it previously.

BP

 

[CustardAvenger]

Since getting a caravan with a shower, I have always used the shower block, whilst my wife used the caravan, even when we visited Concierge Camping with it's award winning facilities. (they are probably the best I've ever used at a campsite, Kettleby Lakes was a close 2nd. But, they are still a campsite showerblock, not a luxury hotel).

In our sole 2020 inter-lockdown trip, I used the caravan shower to avoid mixing. We had a fully serviced pitch, but I still had multiple cold showers as 2 consecutive showers is not possible without running out the hot water.

 

[otherclive]

Since getting a caravan with a shower, I have always used the shower block, whilst my wife used the caravan, even when we visited Concierge Camping with it's award winning facilities. (they are probably the best I've ever used at a campsite, Kettleby Lakes was a close 2nd. But, they are still a campsite showerblock, not a luxury hotel).

In our sole 2020 inter-lockdown trip, I used the caravan shower to avoid mixing. We had a fully serviced pitch, but I still had multiple cold showers as 2 consecutive showers is not possible without running out the hot water.

That’s why we have always preferred site showers even on CLs as it’s probably a left over from when we did a lot of hill walking. A nice shower late afternoon or early evening in the site showers sets us up for a
“ fragrant” trip to the pub.

 

[bertieboy1]

Would you book a site if you knew you could not use the toiler facilities on the site? If the facilities were open, would you prefer to use your own facilities or the site facilities?

As we have a decent szie bathroom in our caravan we would use the facilities in the caravan like we have being doing for the past 10 or more years especially at this time.

We would never book a site where toilet facilities are closed or didn't exist.

 

[Jcloughie]

In our sole 2020 inter-lockdown trip, I used the caravan shower to avoid mixing. We had a fully serviced pitch, but I still had multiple cold showers as 2 consecutive showers is not possible without running out the hot water.

Never had a problem with two consecutive showers regardless of the heating type. It does need doing the ‘submarine’ method, and giving it a few minutes between. But perfectly good showers. My system using two aquarolls, is simply switching to the full barrel in the evening, so it’s ready to go for both showers and breakfast dishes.

Current Alde system allows for boosting the hot water, don’t think we have ever found the need.

Certainly, if the water was left running for the shower duration it would not be possible.

John

 

[Mel]

Pre Covid we used site facilities and/or van facilities depending on the sort of site and quality of the facilities. We now use van facilities even in our tiny xplore 302. However, last year we booked a site as we emerged from the first lockdown and when on site facilities were prioritised for those in tents and camper vans. We were aware of this when we booked and it was our decision to go; so I am not complaining-we were just glad to be out.
The point I am making is that the pitch price ( in this case almost £30 a night) did not alter; so we were effectively getting CL facilities but not CL prices.
You pay your money and take your choice; but it now does make us look at CLs or sites with no toilet or shower block first.
Mel

 

[DaveA1]

It's very rare that I book a big site, let alone use thire shower block.

Use CL's from off grid to ones with EHU always use vans toilet and shower.

 

[RogerL]

Pre Covid we used site facilities and/or van facilities depending on the sort of site and quality of the facilities. We now use van facilities even in our tiny xplore 302. However, last year we booked a site as we emerged from the first lockdown and when on site facilities were prioritised for those in tents and camper vans. We were aware of this when we booked and it was our decision to go; so I am not complaining-we were just glad to be out.
The point I am making is that the pitch price ( in this case almost £30 a night) did not alter; so we were effectively getting CL facilities but not CL prices.
You pay your money and take your choice; but it now does make us look at CLs or sites with no toilet or shower block first.
Mel

The value does reduce when facilities are closed but sites get little reduction in their costs - the Covid pandemic will cost us all a lot of money, in many ways - we'll just be glad to get back to caravanning even if sites increase prices to recover their losses.

 

[Mel]

I agree RL. We paid up without rancour; but it has made us look more carefully at what we actually need when caravanning.
mel

 

[Beehpee]

We go for a big commercial site for a 3 week get together with 5 family outfits and another couple of family groups that book nearby B&B bookings and we make use of the fishing, the golf course, the swimming bath, the bar with some entertainment but we tend to give the entertainment a miss and just use the bar and restaurant, they have excellent shower/loo facilities but most of us prefer our own, we have great family group evenings with all of us putting some effort in to making it a great evening, then we do smaller trips some times single outfits sometimes one or two, one thing we can guarantee is we have a good time whenever the caravan is fetched from storage and the wheels are rolling, BBQ’s and beers and good food and great company, site showers and toilets just don’t come into the mix.


BP

 

[Beehpee]

Hi jcloughie, I noticed the similarities in a post you wrote in to book or not to and mine in the site facilities and how alike your family get together was much the same as we did, it sounds like you have a big family much the same as I do, five sisters and all have children with their children and at various weddings and get together events we get referred to as the rent a crowd, it’s certainly a good way to get together when in daily life we are too spread apart, anyway just enjoy your next get together the same as I will with ours, toilet facilities are pretty much of no consequence even more so with the last years lockdowns, not just my lot and cloughies let’s all enjoy e few months of getting together to loved ones still with us and take time to recall with those we spend time with and spend long chats about the loved ones and friend we’ve all lost, few of us will have come unscathed so have a fabulous few months how ever you enjoy the thing that joins us tentatively as friends if I can use that term, still say safe people.
BP

 

[Jcloughie]

Beechpee: We should have 27 going, but. Although I had 2 brothers and 2 sisters, 1 of each have sadly gone, and another sister is in Melbourne. She would love to come as would her family. But now it is my brood which will make up 20 of the 27, with our 2 children we now have 9 grandchildren. With partners they make up the 20. My brother and his wife will be there but we can’t persuade his immediate family. Other than that will be the 2 daughters of the sister who organised the last do in the same place. Still need to ask another niece to come from Inverness. With her daughters we might get to a round 30.

The site was nice last time but is now much improved. Looking forward to it.

John

 

[Beachball]

Would you book a site if you knew you could not use the toiler facilities on the site? If the facilities were open, would you prefer to use your own facilities or the site facilities?

As we have a decent szie bathroom in our caravan we would use the facilities in the caravan like we have being doing for the past 10 or more years especially at this time.

The first lockdown we were going to the site Toilet block was going to be open but when we got there they were shut so we had know choice but to use the end washroom on our caravan