5 Cls Vs Club Sites Whats The Difference

[stevepgarten]

Hi there, as a 5 CL site owner I would like to hear your comments on the advantages or disadvantages of staying on a 5CL site against a Caravan Club Site, Caravan & Camping Site or commercial site. I hear differing opinions from caravanners that stay with us. However, it would be nice to have some forum members opinions.

 

www. thegrangecl. co. uk

 

 

[Guest jks]

The big advantage of staying on a CC site is the fact that you can book on line and find out immediately if there is a pitch available. We use both but tend to look first on club sites. As we only ever use our own facilities, whether or not they are available on site, we don't mind Cl's.

What we do require is EHU and don't entertain any that don't have them.

We also try to find adult only Cl's if we can (bad experiences!). Also find that others on Cl's are more friendly. Usually takes a week for your neighbours to speak to you on club sites and then it is when you are leaving!

CL's give more space per pitch and are not usually set up in rows like many club sites. Of course the big pro for Cl's is that they are nearly all cheaper than all singing, all dancing club sites!

Personal comments and I am sure others will find other reasons.

[bigbilly]

We tend to use CLs & CS's a lot but base our decision mainly on location and what we want to do when we get there. e. g. attending a motor/motorcycling event, fishing, photography, walking etc etc.

 

To us all we require is good access and a reasonably level and well drained site.

 

Not fussed at all about EHU's, Showers or toilets as use all our own facilities but feel that we may be in the minority these days.

[Davidc]

We tend to use CL's & CS's the majority of the time. They are mostly cheaper although sometimes if I am alone there is little in it due to the pricing structure per capita of the CC. However we like the smaller more intimate sites and the owners are so friendly and helpful [i am not saying wardens aren't - the vast majority are] Also one tends to meet other regulars at the 5 van sites. I regularly share a beer in the summer with one of our regular local CS owners as we sit and watch the sun disappear from the horizon! We always use our own facilities even though many CL/CS have them as well and as ralliers we can cope without ehu so even that is not vital for a weekend as I carry solar panel spare battery and generator if necessary.

We don't feel quite so regimented in the lines of club/commercial sites. We can usually find a CL/CS near or in town if that is what we feel like, a pub garden if that is what we feel like or a quiet rural retreat if that is our preference. Also if visiting friends or family there is always a 5 vanner somewhere close.

So I suppose the real reason is the location and the fact that we are returning to visit new friends again - as that is what the CL owner becomes! Facilities don't really matter and in fact an awful lot of CL/CS sites provide the same facilities as a club site, with one exception in our experience. If we are away on a main holiday we do tend to visit a club site for a couple of days at some point as they have the washing machines!!!!

 

Hope this helps. As others have said a personal view of the way we caravan

[scarsdale037]

What we look for in a CL is Location, Access and an EHU. We don't bother with or look for showers/toilets etc as we use the ones in the van. We often find that if facilities are provided on CLs they are often hard to maintain to a high standard. Not a criticism of the CL owners, but it must be difficult for them to monitor/clean on a daily basis as the CL is often not their main occupation as on Club sites. Because they don't have the overheads of a club site we find them cheaper. We reckon £10 p/n with awning is a good figure. Perhaps £11 p/n in winter to cover extra electric use. We get a negative vibe with ones that charge for each item (large awning, porch awning, per dog, per car). Smacks a bit of Ryanair, and if you are paying for each item you use, shouldn't you not pay for items you don't use, such as the shower/toilet block. If a CL offers specialist facilities, fishing or riding or a course in something, then that's fine as an extra. Just keep it simple. A web site with photos and things in the area are also helpful as is a pic of the owners so you recognize them on arrival.

Having looked at your web site I can see where you are coming from. Go a CL/CS or 'upsize' . The clientele will be different if you go commercial of course as will your potential income. A small affiliated site might seem a better option. Use your high standard facilities yet be able to charge for them and build up an independent reputation.

Edited May 23, 2011 by scarsdale037

[Bill Lord]

Hi there, as a 5 CL site owner I would like to hear your comments on the advantages or disadvantages of staying on a 5CL site against a Caravan Club Site, Caravan & Camping Site or commercial site. I hear differing opinions from caravanners that stay with us. However, it would be nice to have some forum members opinions.

 

www. thegrangecl. co. uk

 

I use a mixture of Club Sites and Cl's and the first and most important requirement is Location, no matrer how nice the site if the location is not where I would like to be I am unlikely to visit. Your Cl looks fantastic and if I could find it considerably nearer to the coast I would likely be a regular visitor. I go off club sites as soon as they start to become overpriced as the season progresses and seldom stop on one in high season, I prefer a nice Cl preferably with electrics and would prefer to pay less than £10 a night including electric, on sites without electrics somewhere from £5 to £8 a night is acceptable depending on where it is. If I look for a site I am reluctant to go to one that is right on the side of a busy road and I prefer the site to be well screened from the road alongside. The main advantage that a club site has for me is that there are always people about it gives a more secure feel to the experience, I have frequently been on CL's where there have not been any other vans and it can feel a bit lonely.

[Paul_B]

I prefer Cl sites over club sites, our priority is the location of a site, we're not too bothered about the facilities, electrics are handy in the cooler month but not essential, the price matters & CL's are (usually) better value

[Noelmg]

We have always used CLs exclusively as we like the informal nature of them, facilities doesn't matter (we have a shower/toilet in the 'van, why use public ones?), and are big fans of them (my website www. 5vanmap. com might show you how passionate we are about improving access to them!).

 

However on our last break we decided to use a couple of club sites. They were really not as bad as we expected, and we met some lovely people on them. Couple that with the lovely layout of them (one was a 200 van site, but it felt like a 5 van site when you were at the pitch).

 

I also run a website for a 5 van site near to us (www. topfarm. net). The online booking facility has proved very popular for them, and gives them at least 2-3 bookings per week from all over Europe. When we look for a site to stay on, the web is the first place we look, so to have a decent website is very important in my opinion.

 

Cheers

Noel

[Lefthand Down]

I to get negative vibes when I see a price list at a site.

 

A CL that charges £10 all in including electrics will always tend to get my vote.

 

You charge less and then add on if an awnng is used. If this works for you then fine.

 

I would not want then to have to pay all the extra's you list (excluding fishing) so you don't get my vote.

 

I hate Club Sites for the same reason.

[sprite]

I'm a recent convert to the CL's and now I love them but Mrs Sprite does insist on a wc as a minimum requirement. I have to say though that with the kids in tow I think I prefer a club site as they have a bit more space usually and a play area to play on. We have taken them to a few CL's however and been fine but we tend to go out more from a CL rather than chill at the van during the day. When it's just me and the Mrs though I find them perfect - the quieter the better!

 

Noelmg - I love your 5 van site - brilliant idea to cross reference the maps and the sites with their respective club websites - well done, I can't stop browsing the sites on it now just for fun!!

Edited May 27, 2011 by sprite

[susa]

Much prefer CL's for many of the reasons previously mentioned. Do NOT like "Extras", and we too would prefer to pay a flat fee of say £10 per night regardless of whether its a pull out, porch or full awning etc etc.

EHU is essential, toilets and showers are not.

Good spacing is preferred as is a nicely landscaped site with some trees for shade.

An on-line availability/booking site would be a distinct advantage, as many CL's are on farms, and it can be difficult to contact someone to ascertain availability particularly during busy times for farmers.

[binkyhair]

We much prefer CL/CS sites and will always choose to use them first, providing the location is right. For us EHU is pretty much essential (unless we're staying for two nights or less) as we prefer not to have to worry about whether the battery/gas will last us. £8-10 is our target price however we'll go up to £12 for the perfect site in a great location. We prefer to use our own facilities so toilets etc are not needed for us, however if we do end up on a larger site we'll use them if they're clean and warm! If we can't find a CL then we look to the CC or CCC. .. however we'd actively avoid a site with a 'club' attached as we're just not into that type of thing and have usually found that prices tend to be higher on this type of site which puts us off further. One of the best things about caravanning is that there literally is a site somewhere that will suit everyone. For us, that's simple, cheap, friendly and quiet.

[Lindatows]

I often use http://www. 5van. co. uk/ to find cls/css and they show details of independent 5 van sites.

[Guest jks]

I often use http://www. 5van. co. uk/ to find cls/css and they show details of independent 5 van sites.

 

So do I very good site. Just booked one for the weekend.

[Rodders53]

Location

Location

Location

 

Don't want or need shower/toilet facilities.

EHU essential, though.

If extras are priced OTT won't use (e. g. awning) or won't book that site at all.

Hardstandings are good - especially in wet months.

 

A good website helps enormously, ideally with lots and lots of pictures. {Google satellite view can help, too.}

 

Club sites: as well as online booking/cencellation - you can leave early and get fees refunded if you have an emergency or simply don't like the site!

 

CLs: once booked you have entered a binding contract.