Kampgrounds Of America [KOA]
Reviews and Complaints

We recently stayed at the KOA in Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain. It seemed as though everytime we turned around, someone was giving a notice on how to "behave". My friend went inside to use the bathroom, told his wife to look out to see the fire and it was already extinguished! He should have peed outside! We left our dog in the camper while we went to the top of Whiteface and got a card for leaving him unattended. Shouldnt all places be dog friendly if thats the case? We wouldve gotten a card for leaving our dog in a vehicle! NEVER AGAIN will I camp at a KOA. After $42 a night! and the sites were way too close, I will be more than happy to stay in a state park.

Yeah they are one of the rudest KOA owners in the system. It's a known fact via word of mouth from both campers and work kampers. They should have their franchise revoked as they are an embarassment to the brand.

So, you were early. And you did not want to pay the early check in fee. And you decided to park in the registration area for an hour while you walked around the campground. And you hassled the staff until they asked you to leave. And THEY were rude? Get a grip.

I lived in Seattle for many years and heard stories about this place, especially the owners. Last summer I worked with a woman and her son who had worked there and they said the same thing. Other campers who have stayed there also have complained as they would arrive in other KOAs wher I have worked since 2006.
Also, when you look at job postings available on a KOA web site they always have openings because they obviously cannot keep employees due to their rudeness.

Yes they were rude but check in time is 12. Were they refusing to let you pay the early check in fee?

i agree totally i stayed in the one in phoenix az. althoughi hao say theiing conditions was better than the management .where do they find thsepeople?

I made a reservation and cancelled it within 20 minutes. They lied and said they didn't receive my call about the cancellation and when I called back because I hadn't gotten a confirmation of cancellation, they said a voicemail message was adequate cancellation...furthermore they hadn't received the message anyway. She was rude and hateful and I have NEVER had that kind of experience with a KOA before. It was AWFUL!

My husband and I have stayed in many KOS's and have always enjoyed our stay. Until we stayed in the KOA in Cherokee, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mts. We saw the video on the net and thought it looked amazing. I do not know where the pictures were taken that they show you on the net. but let me just say it was the BIGGEST let down of our vacation. It was the dirtiest and the the staff was almost never seen. The pools were GREEN, one staff member said that he has been after the manager to do something about it for along time. He said "I would not let a duck swim in it". We had plans to stay for 4 nights but checked out 2 days early. We were refunded our monies but it sure was a let down and we had to make other plans for the rest of our stay. They had caution tape on the cabin next to us where the embankment had fallen and it was unsafe. They had very young KIDS taking care of the cleaning and other jobs around the camp. They seemed to like riding a round in the golf carts more than doing what they were there for and that was to work. I would not go back or tell any one to go there. IT WAS GROSS !

I know how you feel about KOA . I had problems with the Headquarters... I paid for a membership . They have no record of my membership. Even after showing when & where I paid for it. I recommend not staying at any of their kampgrounds.. I have membership in Camp Club USA and have never had a problem.

I have been informed that at the Costanoa site i have been charge 5 dollars conservation charge fir 1 night stay. They have already taken the money from my card without permission. I want the money back.
You should ask permission or inform people prior to booking that the charge is there. WHAT A RIP OFF

I overheard a KOA employee named Krista who works at the Wytheville VA campground tell another individual that she sells crystal meth at the campground and that her employer does not drug test the employees at this location

It is truly sad to see the campground now after knowing how nice it was in the past.

June 1 and 2, 2016, we stayed at the KOA in Flagstaff AZ. We had a brand spanking new Forest River R-Pod and the first time we connected to the electricity (30 AMP) it burned out our plug and ruined the connecting cord. Our first night of camping and second etc, was done without benefit of electricity. FYI the elderly couple in the campsite next to us in and brand new Winnebago Bus also had electrical problems. And the elderly couple in the next site in a new Jayco fifth wheel also had electrical problems. Now I see a pattern here and I think it's an issue with the with amperage which can cause a fire and burn a camper up. The cost to me will be considerable.

Fifty-five years ago I was a young secretary for the attorneys in Billings, Montana, who started the incorporation of KOA. I have stayed in many KOAs over the years and the one in Flagstaff is a disgrace. It really has to be seen to believe how bad it is. I know this is not the standard for KOA.

I have pictures on my i-phone I could send to an email address or to an iPhone number.

Koa in Gaffney South Carolina. Where to begin is a problem. My husband and I travel construction full time across the US, I have stayed at all kind of parks including other KOA's, We have stayed at the Gaffney KOA for 16 months never causing any problems, but then came the new camp workers after a change ownership I must say the new owners are very pleasant people, but if you should dare put a small bag of trash outside for pickup you will be cursed out told off harassed without any care or concern, I just cant believe he can get away with telling the people off that pay your wages Its only the one camp-worker guy that has a problem. It was my understanding that its was a courtesy to get trash pick if wanted or needed, I don't always put it out for pickup since I know what will happen with this one guy, and I think its a shame to point the finger at the park, when in reality its one man cussing out me the park owner and god knows who else, other people have had trouble with the same person being hateful. M. y blood pressure is so high because of this person making our continued stay miserable. I would not recommend a very long stay or even a short one unless you don't ask need or want anything at all, Iam actually fearing to stay alone while my husband is working. It is such a shame one person can destroy a places reputation as this one man has done.

We have had good experiences with KOA in general until this past week. We recently left Tall Timbers KOA in Dayton, OH. We called and spoke with the campground to make our reservation and they assured us that they are big rig friendly... NOT... the roads are very narrow and on each curve or turn they have fencing or boulders to "keep the children safe" as they put it. Not sure why they only feel they need them on the curves and corners to keep the children safe, not to mention you are going so slow anyway how this would have anything to do with it, in our opinion it is because of such narrow turns many were unavoidably cutting the corners and driving on the grass, evidence of tire tracks show it. The fences and "rocks" appear to be well used as we saw many scrapes on the fences and "rocks"... Well at night they are close to impossible to see and one in particular is hidden by bushes, it is a very dark campground and even during the daytime it is hard to know where to turn and how to get to the sites... and the sites... very very narrow. For big rigs with multiple slides you have to do a lot of manuvering so you can open your slides and your awnings at the same time. Pretty campground, yes, big rig friendly, absolutely not. The sites may be long, but they never thought to consider that the longer a rig, the more slides... trees, fences and slides don't mix and it doesn't make for a very comfortable stay if you can't open up. If you have a toad, forget it... you will have to detach before you even get to the office to check in. All in all, its a great place if you have a pop up or a travel trailer no longer than 20'.

I have until recently had good experiences with KOA camp grounds. That is till I got to the Louisville Metro KOA. The owners are rude and care more about money than they do about the campers. My husband started a new job in Louisville. Since wee had no home there we were forced to stay at the local KOA. Since we are long term renters (we pay about the same as you would to rent a small apartment) we are less then dirt. They treat you like you are purposely taking money from thier pocket by occupying an rv spot. Why they even allow monthly rentals if they hate it so bad I dont know. They lied to me about which was the better wattage for an RV (told me 30 was better then 50) when I told them I wanted the better one and would pay for it. When I tried to express to the owner that I was not happy with being given the incorrect information and that I would like the higher wattage sight I was told "you will go where I put you" as if I was a little child. I was talking to the owner in a calm adult voice, he however was acting aggressive and snarling at me when he spoke. the nightmare continues but until I buy a housee I have to bite my lip and take it from these people. Please spred the word, dont give your business to the Louisville Metro KOA.

We stayed in the only deluxe Kottage at the Lake Hartwell/ Anderson SC KOA in April 2008. The Kottage was infested with Bed Bugs. My family, including my two year old daughter, was eaten alive. I brought it to the attention of the management and they were neither shocked nor surprised. I was told that the Kottage was probably due for a treatment, that bed bugs don't feed every night, and that she knew more about bed bugs than she cared to. Unbelievable! I was refused a refund because I didn't give them the opportunity to correct the problem. I suppose they would have put us up in one of their other infested kabins or hold our breath after the Kottage was fumigated. I wanted to get my family the heck out of there.

My overall concern was the hospitality of the campground. I understand that they have a non-refundable deposit for cancellations. However, our family had an uncontrollable work circumstance come up and notified the campground 1 month in advance. We were so disappointed that they did not even ATTEMPT to fill our spot when we knew there was a waiting list of people wishing to take our reservation. How disappointing that hotels are more cooperative with refunding money. We ended up paying for a cabin rental we could not use. I believe this is a reflection upon the service and care of the owners. Very disappointing. In society today you just wish people could be NICE and UNDERSTANDING.

I stayed at the KOA in Forsyth GA this week (July 2008). I encountered a horrible bedbug infestation. I am covered from head to toe in horrible welts from these bloodsucking insects. I complained and was treated rudely. Trust me, I have graduate degrees in entomology, and I know what bedbugs are. They refused to refund my stay or my dry cleaning for my expensive sleeping bag. Furthermore, I know they know they have bedbugs because the girl who answered the phone indicated that pest control operators know how to find and treat bedbugs and "they know what they are looking for when they come here". Bedbugs stupid! I am so furious at the rudeness and lack of any care whatsoever for my legitimate concern and digust and also the ugly welts all over my arms, chest, back, rump, and neck. Disgusting. And they dont even care. I told Ken to sleep a night in there. I know he wont because he knows I'm right.