# Netherlands a word of warning



## 88974 (May 11, 2005)

Hi,

Not sure whether this goes for all the campsites in the Netherlands but my parents just had a bad experience whilst holidaying there this week. Before we left Ireland I phoned a particular campsite which looked good on the internet and verbally booked my parents with my two children to stay there for 12 days. When they arrived they were requested for 550 euro (the price for their entire stay) in cash they did not accept visa. My parents said that they did not have cash and would get some the next day so passports had to be handed over as collateral. The next day they paid over 200 euro and said they would come back in a couple of days. They were not happy about the campsite they were in as the facilities did not match that on the internet also they were given a very small pitch which made it difficult to move their van so they had to remain put. They decided that as my mother (who is in her seventies) was not feeling great that they would move back to france and nearer to home after 5 days. My parents went to reception last saturday and said that they would be leaving the next day. They were informed that they would only get back their passports when they paid for the full week which they had originally booked. At no time were we told that if you book for a number of days you must pay for them, I have often stayed at a site and decided to leave early and only paid for the number of days spent there. My parents were very stressed out about this and naturally phoned me in a state of panic. I contacted the site but was informed that in order for them to be allowed leave they must pay for another 7 days. They told me that this was standard practise in most of campsites in the Netherlands ( is this case, I was not sure). Eventually I bargained them down for them to pay for 4 nights ( which meant they would be at a loss of 3 nights), I found that they were very unreasonable on the phone, surely if someone ederly says they are not feeling well you do not put extra stress on them by forcing them to pay for something they did not get. I would understand if the pitch they were booked on could not be let out for the rest of their duration but the campsite was full and chances were someone would turn up looking for a pitch.

Is this the norm for campsites in the Netherlands, if you book you must pay, I was not requested for a deposit and at no time was I informed that i must pay for the site upon arrival with cash. Would put me off going to the Netherlands in the future.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I may have lost the plot somewhere but I always thought you are always liable for the days you booked; only gettting a refund for days not used at the site owners discretion. I would imagine this is because having booked say 7 days, and then leaving in 3, the site owner has lost 4 days which he could have possibly booked had you booked just three days in the first place.

I would also imagine that if the site was described untruthfully and not suitable for what you had envisaged, then I think you have to simply drive off having told them why and then not giving them any money.


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## aido (May 17, 2005)

*post subject*

your parents must have found a very bad site.we stayed in a few sites in the netherlands this year and found them very good and friendly.....aido


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## 88974 (May 11, 2005)

They couldn't move off as the campsite had their passports. With regard to moving on before you intend to move I would reckon this happens quite a bit. This year I had intended to stay in a site in Slovenia for 10 days but as the weather was not good and the forecast was not much better we decided to move elsewhere after 7 days having done what we could in the area there was no hassle whats so ever with reception when booking out. A campsite pitch is not like a house which you have to book for definite period, you move on and someone else moves into your pitch. How many people just turn up at a site without booking - quite a lot I should think. I have never had any problems in leaving a site in any other part of Europe before I had intended to do so. What I am saying is if in Holland and this policy exists only book a couple of days in advance and extend your visit if necessary. There is always cases where you cannot stay for as long as intended in my parents case it was because one of them was not feeling well, two days previously one of the member of the staff had even suggested after looking at an injury on her arm that she should attend a hospital. Perhaps I am a little bit naive in thinking that one should be able to change their mind , however I often hear people saying we were meant to stay there for a number of nights but (for a variety of reasons) we decided to move on. I have never been asked to pay for nights that I have not used, I have never heard of anyone been asked to pay for nights that they did not intend to use, perhaps I am the one been stupid here and should have expected to pay for the whole week but it is the first time that I have come across this policy.


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

Just had 8 weeks in the Nederlands and didnt come across this anywhere
They all gave us a suitable pitch and told us to pay when we left (or rather the day before we left)

Only had one bad site that was at De Hooge Bischel which we booked via the CC as it was a holiday period

We arived before the holiday 

The Chemical emptying point had not been cleaned for weeks - It di dget cleaned up for the holiday - and the advertised modern facilities were over 1/2 mile away at a surf school

if we hadnt paid up front fro this site we would have left after one night

Written complaints have been filed with the CC| and also with the Nederlands tourist bard who have them on their extensive list of sites - which is worth getting if you are intending a holiday there


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## 88724 (May 9, 2005)

Hi

Its standard practice anywhere that if you book up 10 days you pay for 10 days, otherwise people would book up all over the place and move on willy nilly.

Over here you have to pay deposit and balance at least a week before arriving and no refund or minimal refund if you let them know in plenty of time.

Looking at it from a sound business point of veiw the campsite have just had a bad experience.

They were happy about the site till they wanted to leave, thats how it seems to read.

With a booked pitch I think they were well within their rights, touring pitch I would go with pussers view look round dont like leave (straight away), complaining only when you want to leave early does seem like just an excuse.

Nan getting ill should cost them money why ? sorry if this sounds a bit harsh but do think of it from a business point of view.

If it were my business I would want the full amount and then if the pitch was fllled by someone else, I would send back a partial refund as a goodwill gesture.

If you are touring its a different ball game, turn up say can I stay x number of days pay and stay, but even then you could not say 10 days please and then leave after 3 for free. because they could have had an attempted booking they have turnedaway because you said you were staying.


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## patr (May 9, 2005)

We have had a wonderful holidays in the Netherlands over many years without any problems at all and have been met with the utmost courtesy and friendship. We believe that if you book for 10 days then the owners have every right to charge you for 10 days. I remember a similar warning about Norfolk Lines a while back in which Ladybird complained at the single fare and I said it then and I say it now, methinks the Lady doth complain too much. Go to Holland folks and have a smashing time with some of the nicest and most genuine people you could wish to meet. Good Night!

Pat and Sue

And for our Dutch friends in Den Haag and Delft who do look at this site and had the patience to teach me Dutch over a case or three of Heineken and Jonge Jenever:

Wij hebben prachtige vakantie in Nederland over vele jaren zonder enige problemen bij allen gehad en de uiterste hoffelijkheid en de vriendschap ontmoet. Wij geloven dat als u 10 dagen toen boekt de eigenaars elk recht hebben u 10 dagen te laden. Ik herinner een gelijkaardige waarschuwing over de Lijnen van Norfolk een tijdje waarterug in het Onzelieveheersbeestje aan de prijs van één enkele vervoerprijs klaagde en ik het toen zei en ik het nu zeg, methinks teveel klaagt de Dame doth. Ga naar de mensen van Holland en hebben een het breken tijd met enkele aardigste en echtste mensen u kon wensen om samen te komen. Goede Nacht

Pat and Sue


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## 88724 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Pat 

Thats the Dutch and Belgium's then, all the Dutch and Belgium people I have encountered have been warm welcoming and friendly.


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## Bazbro (May 9, 2005)

What's Dutch for "Pat and Sue"??? :wink:

I think the lesson here is only book on a very good recommendation (not just sales blurb), and if touring, look around the site first before paying and handing over documents as security. It's good practice to introduce yourself at Reception and ask to look round the site - I've never been given a hard time having first done that. It's also given me the opportunity to post Sue on guard at a favoured pitch to stop someone else grabbing it while I'm booking in!


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## 88974 (May 11, 2005)

Pat and Sue,

I have just read your reply, I did not intend to insult anyone what soever and if you think that then I apologise. I was just telling trying to highlight a problem which arose, it is a policy that I have not come across before. In relation to Norfolk Lines yes I did complain because if you look at my post, when I went to buy a single ticket they charged me 50% more than a return ticket and refused to sell me a return ticket because I had asked for a single first. I did feel hard done by them, would you not. I could not see why I should have to pay much more for a single ticket when i could have bought a return ticket for less and just used one part of the ticket.


AGAIN I DO NOT INTEND TO INSULT ANYONE I DO NOT INTENTIONALLY TRY TO IHURT ANYONES FEELINGS , I THINK THAT PEOPLE FROM THE NETHERLANDS ARE WONDERFUL AND DID NOT SET OUT TO INSULT THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. I DONT SET TO TARGET ANYONE AND IF I HAVE DONE SO I APOLOGISE.


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

There is good and bad everywhere, even closer to home.
Some friends of mine had an almost identical experience at a site in Bala North Wales on the lakeside.
Best course of action, learn from your experience, if possible inspect the pitch esp. if a demand for money up front is requested and if also register your complaint with local tourist office and the relevant clubs, if it is in their sites guides.


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Good morning all,

If you have a Camping Card International most sites will except this instead of a passport, in fact a lot of sites prefer or insist on the CCI. 

We would never leave our passports at a campsite reception. We allow them to take details but always wait while the task is completed. If they are not happy we go elsewhere.

We appreciate that it might be difficult to adopt this policy in the high season.

Don


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## patr (May 9, 2005)

Barry and Sue

the Dutch for Pat and Sue  is almost like the Dutch for Barry and Sue!  

Tot ziens!!!


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## SidT (May 9, 2005)

George and Pusser. I am afraid I sympathise with Ladybird, in all the years we have camped on the continent we have always found we could leave early for any reason without having to pay. "Sound business sense" I think not, Ladybird won't go back and I am in Holland during September and I certainly won't go there if Ladybird gives me the name of the site. As its in the holiday season that site owner has probably had the site taken up by someone else so will have made 100% profit, a rip off.
Cheers Sid.


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## Wanderwagon3 (May 27, 2005)

*As Topic..namely leaving ID*

Hi All

I think we've only left our passports once in 37 years of continental touring.

If required leave the CCI card...or one of our photocopies of our passports(in glorious Epson colour) . we carry 3 copies each...only one at a time in wallets!

Safe roads to all.

Ken.......with Wanderwagon3

Have used about 8/10 NL sites over the years .All adequate to excellent.Only one rather scruffy.

.


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## 88724 (May 9, 2005)

Hi SidT

That sounds like touring pitches, ie turn up and hope for the best.

When block booking I cannot see any reason why the site should left them off paying for their order. They booked for 10 days.

This is why some sites will not take weekends only, they can fill up with "week lets" over and over, if what you and LadyT said was allowed then people would book the week then leave after the weekend, not on at all.

I do sympathise with LadyT over the ferry ticket, but in this case the business has been ripped off. 

Try booking a week anywhere and see, they will want a deposit only partially refundable if you cancel way ahead, most will insist on balance before arrival or at latest on arrival.

Yet you can drive up to most foreign campsites and get a touring space, try that in UK at peak (mind you the sites are getting greedy now and cramming) So holiday season or not they have probably lost revenue, basically because they (the campers) decided to try somewhere different


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## rod_vw (May 10, 2005)

Can't agree more, if you book it, you've bought it! I know that the holiday areas of Holland often have a very short season so unused pitches cost them a heavily.

I have been to Holland many times, never book anything and 99% of the time get a good plot by just turning up. The folks are always very helpful and friendly and above all most speak our language.

My son's partner has just been to Camping Groede http://www.campinggroede.nl with her mother and our two grand children. Called in on spec. was told that they only had two days available otherwise full. But, come back to the office and ask when the two days were up. There was a plot found for them to enjoy the remainder of their fortnight by the sea. A Dutch campsite operator doing their best for English tourists!

By the way, I was wrong about the English language, the above website is only in Dutch or German but English is spoken on the site.


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## 88726 (May 9, 2005)

hi guys

we allways pay on arrival after a quick look around , the sites we stay on allways expect this as weve agreed to ocupy the pitch for the stated time and they have guaranteed it will be there for us . we have left early a few times but never had the bottle to ask for a refund as weve never felt we deserved it .

i do sympathise with somebody becoming ill on holiday its a shame that happened , i would only hope for a partial refund if the pitch was re-let so no loss of revenue to the site . at least you didnt have to pay the full amount due so they did give in a little didn't they !


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## Paulway (May 9, 2005)

Suppose that is an advantage of stopping on Caravan Club sites, you can leave any time you wish after booking and obtain a full refund of outstanding fee's with no questions asked. Even if you leave a continental touring site booked through the CC you can obtain a refund from them with a reasonable reson for leaving early, I suggest this may well have been.
Must say the only sites that we have had bad experiances on in nearly 40 years of carravaning have been in the Netherlands, that is why we no longer visit there.


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## 88735 (May 9, 2005)

We left a cl site a day early while in East Yorkshire and was offered a refund which we declined as we had spent all day at the site and only left early to beat the traffic .The owner also offered to pick us up from Scarborough after a night out if we missed the last bus, now thats what i call service.
For every bad one theres got to be a good one?


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi Ladybird,

"pacta sunt servanda" the Romans would have said. The Dutch version is "Afspraak is afspraak", what it all means is that when you have made a contract with someone you have to stick to it's obligations.

And, legally speaking, when you book a pitch on a camp site you _have a contract with the site owner!_ Whether you book verbally or in writing makes no difference at all. The site owner's obligations from this contract are e.g. to provide the pitch, water etc. for the booked time, your obligation (among others) is to _pay_. And - unless you have explicitly agreed otherwise in advance - you have no right to reclaim the prices for the remaining days should you leave earlier. That's the legal side. Not only in Netherlands.

The only thing you could insist on getting back would be the costs which the site owner saves by your early departure. So for not using the showers, toilets, hookup anymore.

Now of course many site owners want to be friendly to their customers and will actually refund if you leave earlier. But that is solely in their discretion. However in Netherlands there are very many camp sites, competition is strong and especially in the peak season there are very few campers really "touring", most of them have booked in advance. So there is a high probability that the abandoned pitch cannot be filled in again.

I live in Netherlands and have already seen quite some camp sites here. The vast majority is kept in a very good condition and has very reasonable prices. Of course there are some rotten apples as well, but these you will find everywhere. Only living here while still being a German citizen I cannot be suspected of too much Dutch patriotism. :wink: Nevertheless: Please do not be scared off and visit this small but beautiful country! 8)

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## DubPaul (May 10, 2005)

Hey Boff,

Did your trip to Ireland go OK?


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## ian100448 (Apr 10, 2012)

*Recommendations For Den Haag*

Hearing what wonderful people they are we are planning to visit a friend who lives there who is obviously not into MHing because he's recommended a site near him where it's €64 a night !!!!

It's our first MH trip so can anyone give us some pointers please

Thanks
Jan & Ian


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Why not start a new thread, the one you've tagged on to is 7 years old. :wink: 

tony


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## ian100448 (Apr 10, 2012)

Good idea - did say it's our first time - doh !!!


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

We have never encountered this actual problem but I have always been aware that if I book a pitch for a fixed number of nights I could be expected to pay. We use a lot of Camping Cheques and usually we pay at the end of our stay.
The Swiss Sites we have stayed at have always been very precise about what you do and don't get during stay. I always remember most Swiss adult males have a rifle sitting in the wardrobe,don't upset them.

If in doubt we book one night and extend as required.

Steve


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

I have to say I found the Dutch delightful when we were in Holland

On one occasion when asking for directions to an unbooked site

we were directed instead to a beautiful Marina with a working windmill ( the guide who took us it round said no one was allowed to the very top, but he took Albert up there anyway) and he came to visit us next day

The next small campsite took us with their family in their car to a Gala Day 

the only downside for us was the weather it rained a lot but the UNESCO windmill sight was quite magnificent in the rain and mist, and we were quite alone wandering around it

In the Lake District we met a young Dutch couple expecting their first baby- a little girl it turns out and they keep in touch

Yes I definitely like the Dutch and Holland

even though when cycling as they say"the wind is always against you"-have bought electric bikes since then on the advice of the Dutch people

Aldra


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

and a reminder that this old thread was revived today after neary 7 years, so much of what was said then is no longer relevant.... :roll: 


and we found the site we stayed on recently in NL was excellent - used camping cheques. :wink:


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Never noticed that Mike

Thanks

Aldra


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