We took our last trip of the year this past weekend to Cherokee and just wanted to give my review of the KOA in Cherokee. On a scale of 1-10 i'd have to say i would give it a 6. Overall the place is really clean and nice. We had a beautiful riverfront site where i was able to fish right behind the camper. I really enjoyed that it was fishable unlike when we stayed at Jellystone where i had the impression that it was gonna be a nice river and ended up being just a small creek. But anyway that's another story. Back to Koa. We arrived on Nov. 1 to check in around 2 pm and the lady in the the office was very friendly but that is where the helpfulness stopped. They have a snack bar that was supposedly open from 2-8 pm so after we set up we took a walk up there to get a hotdog and it was like trying to get someone to donate a kidney. My wife had the same problem the next day when she went back up there at around noon and they were supposed to be open. She stood there for 10 minutes and nobody was around. So she went into the office and asked if they were open and was told that they should be and they would get someone right over. Well, another 20 minutes went by and finally someone came over to take the order and was told that the staff was at lunch!!!! So now it takes a "staff" to make a microwaved corndog i guess.
Our first night i bought some firewood from the KOA store to build a campfire. I bought 2 bundles for 3.50 each and was told to take them off of the trailer that was sitting up front. When i pulled them out i swear i thought they were kindling and not the actual logs. An employee told me that they were the logs so i took my 2 pathetic little bundles and went back to the camper. They lasted all of about 2 hours at the most. So the next day i'm out riding around and i find a house that's selling real firewood so i buy 4 bundles of beautiful size logs for 2.50 a bundle.
I get back that night and start cooking and light my campfire when Smokey the bear of KOA comes by on his golfcart and informs me that if i dont put it out it's a $5000 fine cause there is a burn ban in effect. I told him the lady in the campstore just sold me wood last night. He informs me that it went in effect in the morning and the sign is posted on the door of the campstore. Well, excuse me for not checking the door on a daily basis for your daily announcements!!! So i put it out and have 4 bundles of wasted firewood that i cant do anything with now.
I'm gonna assume the reason why the staff was so rude and unhelpful is that it is basically the end of their season and they probably dont really want to work anyway, but come on, if your open at least be nice.
Other problems.... I had a full hookup site and the sewer connection was really far back on the site so they had put an extension tube on it to bring it up about 12 feet. The problem was is was running downhill and they had it supported with a rock. Also, there was no threaded end on it so everyone that had used it had put duct tape around the top of it to make a seal. I didnt have any with me, but luckily the site next to me had a rubber donut in their extension so i took it and jammed my hose into it and then put it in the sewer.
Water Connections.... If you go ,bring at least 25 feet of hose unless your water hookup on your camper is to the back of your unit. Luckily i had enough, but i watched 3 other people have to go to the campstore to buy hoses to be able to reach the water hookups around the sites that I had.
This is one of the most expensive campgrounds down there in Cherokee and like i said overall the place is beautiful. Surrounded by mountains, clean, quiet. And even with the complaints i had , i would consider going back if i go back to cherokee but the staff needs some guest relations classes to really make it a really great place. Perhaps the owners of Jellystone in townsend could give them some pointers. Those people were the nicest i've ever met.
Our first night i bought some firewood from the KOA store to build a campfire. I bought 2 bundles for 3.50 each and was told to take them off of the trailer that was sitting up front. When i pulled them out i swear i thought they were kindling and not the actual logs. An employee told me that they were the logs so i took my 2 pathetic little bundles and went back to the camper. They lasted all of about 2 hours at the most. So the next day i'm out riding around and i find a house that's selling real firewood so i buy 4 bundles of beautiful size logs for 2.50 a bundle.
I get back that night and start cooking and light my campfire when Smokey the bear of KOA comes by on his golfcart and informs me that if i dont put it out it's a $5000 fine cause there is a burn ban in effect. I told him the lady in the campstore just sold me wood last night. He informs me that it went in effect in the morning and the sign is posted on the door of the campstore. Well, excuse me for not checking the door on a daily basis for your daily announcements!!! So i put it out and have 4 bundles of wasted firewood that i cant do anything with now.
I'm gonna assume the reason why the staff was so rude and unhelpful is that it is basically the end of their season and they probably dont really want to work anyway, but come on, if your open at least be nice.
Other problems.... I had a full hookup site and the sewer connection was really far back on the site so they had put an extension tube on it to bring it up about 12 feet. The problem was is was running downhill and they had it supported with a rock. Also, there was no threaded end on it so everyone that had used it had put duct tape around the top of it to make a seal. I didnt have any with me, but luckily the site next to me had a rubber donut in their extension so i took it and jammed my hose into it and then put it in the sewer.
Water Connections.... If you go ,bring at least 25 feet of hose unless your water hookup on your camper is to the back of your unit. Luckily i had enough, but i watched 3 other people have to go to the campstore to buy hoses to be able to reach the water hookups around the sites that I had.
This is one of the most expensive campgrounds down there in Cherokee and like i said overall the place is beautiful. Surrounded by mountains, clean, quiet. And even with the complaints i had , i would consider going back if i go back to cherokee but the staff needs some guest relations classes to really make it a really great place. Perhaps the owners of Jellystone in townsend could give them some pointers. Those people were the nicest i've ever met.