Great RV Escapes For Real or Scam?

[Tom Hoffman]

Jim,  Welcome,

Yes, this site is a font of helpful knowledge most of it learned the the knowledge the hard and expensive way.

Nothing beats a phone call to a potential campground.  If you are frugal, there are sometimes CG that don't advertise much at all.  It takes work to find them.  Some are hidden gems and some are hidden land fill sites.

Cheers,

Tom...

 

[Office Manager]

I know this is an old post but I felt I needed to respond because apparently this company is still having issues with it's members and park affiliations.

I'm the office mgr. for a South Alabama RV Park. About a month ago we got a call from someone wanting to reserve an overnight site using the  Great RV Escapes membership. We've been open 8 years and had never heard of this club before, but as a good will gesture, we offered the caller a discounted rate. A couple weeks later, we got a second call from a new GRE member. Again we told the caller we'd never heard of Great RV Escapes but we would accommodate him. When he came in he gave me a copy of his welcome letter and of our ad in the GRE directory. (The ad looked to me to be from an old directory belonging to a reputable company with which we do business.) He also told me he'd called 5 parks and no one had heard of GRE, that  he'd attempted to contact GRE but hadn't heard back from them. As luck would have it, they called while he was in my office and when he told them he'd called 5 parks and no one had heard of them, they immediately offered to cancel his membership.

As for my end, I have attempted to contact Walter Thompson the Chairman (according to the Web site and Welcome letter) multiple times to inform him we have no desire to be affiliated with his company and to remove our listing from the directory but have not been able to reach him, nor received a response to my phone calls or emails. I do know Great RV Escapes has a Facebook page and will try that route if he does not reply within the next few days.

Good Luck

Jan

 

[Kevin Means]

Interesting Office Manager. It was very courteous of you to offer those RVers discounts. You certainly weren't obligated to. Out of curiosity, I went to the Great RV Escapes website and looked for campgrounds near us that they claim to be affiliated with. I picked one at random (Lake Morena RV Park) and called them. The lady who answered the phone said the only organization they're affiliated with is Passport America. When I specifically asked her about Great RV Escapes, she said she'd never heard of them. Buyer beware I guess.

Kev

 

[Pathfinder358]

No doubt, Great RV Escapes is a total SCAM.  I have been calling RV parks from the offered guide, and not one has told me they honor the discount.  Stay away from this one.

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Personally I not much for joining any membership base RV clubs at all. Being majority of my time is boondocking and without hook ups its really hard to find a club for boondockers. Like I mention most of the time I live with a gap of 500 feet on both sides of me. Why would I want to park some where with people close to me?  : I say learn how to boondock and go without hookups it much much more enjoyable.

 

[bswartz]

Started receiving emails from this outfit after purchasing new motor home.  Little research at BBB in Huntington Beach, CA, address listed in emails shows they are not a member, have a "F" rating with two unresolved complaints.

Smells like a scam to me.

 

[Rich W.]

Concerning Great RV escapes. It looks like they are trying something new. I was looking for campgrounds in Maryland on the web and their ad jumped up and told me I had to join immediately or I would not be able to join in the future. If that is not a scam I don't know what is. Rich W.

 

[happycamper54]

Purchased this directory to save $ on travel expenses. Before making a few trips, we decided to google map the area using satellite technology. Boy am I glad we did. That and a few other resources. Some of the campgrounds appeared to be built in the 50's with no upgrades. Some appeared to be extended stay campgrounds that had basically junk vehicles parked around the perimeter. And one in Idaho, it sits right next to the Clearwater river to the west and 150' to the east, the railroad yard sits. No, some if not most of these campgrounds are not family friendly. Lessoned well learned for me. It appears the old saying, "you get just what you paid for" is pretty evident here. Its too bad that people don't do some leg work before they promote something. There are those who do but for those that don't, they blemish the good ones. 

 

[Martyzee]

:-[
Spent $97 for 4 years. Started checking it out. Then found you. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[DearMissMermaid]

Believe me the Great RV Escapes is NOT my site, business, & I have no interest in it,
other than my lifetime member card, and lots of GOOD choices, which are in my budget !
One thing about me, I will ONLY post the truth and never attempt to color anything that I post on here.
No problem with the 1st post you made, I am not angry.

I am a very up front person, tell it like it is, and sometimes offend others, but bluntness
is definitely one of my personality traits. I would like to change it at times, but then
my life would be so boring !

Where, when and which campgrounds did you use this discount?
Any dates, amounts and links?

 

[tapiper]

Just Google  great escapes rv reviews and check the BBB link,  This is a scam outfit, no question.  Good Sam, Escapees, Passport America - all good.

 

[Tom Hoffman]

Discounts: 

Many campgrounds offer some (10%) for AAA or Service Clubs Elks etc.  We have found that Military Discounts can be especially helpful.  (15-20%)  and most of these CGs are really nice ones.

 

[EdMiller]

I am a campground owner who is listed on this site without my permission.  I do not participate in their discounts and do not want to be listed on their sites.  Since they are not responsive about removing my listing I have to conclude that it may not be a worthwhile investment for campers looking for valid discounts.  Sites such as Passport America and Good Sam allow campground owners to update their sites and choose how to offer discounts. I would stick with them. Edward Miller, Owner. Rush No More RV Resort, Sturgis, SD.

 

[Mecoman]

As a newbie to RVing, I'm a latecomer to this discussion but find it very enlightening. I just bought my first RV, an older 34' Damon class A and wont have it in my possession until Sept or Oct. My wife doesn't know about it yet (SSSSHH) but that's another story. I had been contacted by Great RV Escapes a few years ago when I was considering an RV and was badgered by them for months before I finally got thru to them that I was not (yet) in possession of an RV and would look them up when I was ready. Now that I'm finally retired I am ready, but figured I'd do some research before contacting them. I'm very glad I did.

I think the one thing that bothers me the most about the huge "discounts" their members get is a simple claim they make out of the other side of their mouth that only one other poster here mentioned:

"Unlike any other discount/referral network, we promote your park's full price rate first and foremost and only use the discount rate to fill any sites that may have otherwise gone vacant."

Thank you to all (except maybe Stefanib, who does sound very much like a representative of them).
That may sound good to the RV parks, but it doesn't sound good to me.

 

[terontale]

Just ran a Google search and did not find any "Great RV Escapes"
Did find Great Escapes RV, it's not registered with the Better Business Bureau and seems to be a Rental Company.

Tnaks for this advice! sorry for bumping)

 

[Ghostman]

I would have ran when I heard they were out of Chicago.