Smithwoods RV Park — Attraction in Scotts Valley

So I have camped here with my family for the past four years, mostly for the atmosphere and scenery, not so much for the amenities and service. This past week and today, confirmed for me that it was never for the service. We were just there for our annual family camping trip and while there we scheduled our stay for next year. Our entire group (4) of us booked our 4 spaces for next year and we’re looking forward to our trip. A week later, while at home, got a call from Smithwoods rep (I won’t name the person) who told me that THEY made a mistake and should not have booed us because it was beyond the year mark and a violation of their policy (not seen on their site or in the office). She continued to tell me that our reservation was cancelled and given to a group who was currently there. I explained how this was not fair and why did THEIR mistake affect me? She told me it was what it was and there was nothing that could be done. I asked her how the system would even let us book if it was a violation. She said it was her mistake and she wanted to try and fix it by moving us. I asked to talk to the owner who called me today. Sadly, the issues of poor customer service continued, but I couldn’t believe how much worse it got. Today I talked to the owner who identified himself as Rick. The short of it is Rick told me there was nothing that could be done and ir was their policy. When I explained to him how it wasn’t fair for us as the customer(s) he told me, “if you don’t like it, you can leave and go to another campground.” When I continued to express my frustration of how the issue was customer service, he continued to say it was the policy and then asked what we wanted him to do. My wife told him she just wanted him to understand how it wasn’t fair and they should have recognized that and how it impacted us. He then said, “it’s our policy and what do you want me to do, I am not going to comp you guys or anything like that, I am not going to give you a free space.” I then told him we were not looking for that and just wanted him to recognize that us as the customer is important and he should see the issue through our shoes and not just as the owner of the business. He then cut me off and said, “ok, you are now being hostile with me and this conversation is over.” I told him I was not being hostile and just trying to explain my position and asked him to see it from the customers viewpoint. He then told me, “that’s it, this conversation is over and I am cancelling your reservation.” I asked him, you are cancelling me and he told me that is you are cancelled and all your reservations are cancelled. He then hung up. I was never hostile, vulgar or rude with him. Rick didn’t care what we had to say. He made it clear that he was the one that was important and me the customer didn’t matter. I felt that he and Smithwoods feel as if we the customers need them more than they need us and if it is not us renting a space it will be someone else. In my 50+ years I have never been treated like this by anyone and have never treated anyone like this. This was the most unprofessional level of service and representation of a company I have ever experienced. If you choose to spend your money here, understand you are supporting a rude, obnoxious, uncaring and unprofessional individual and business. The scenery of this park is amazing and we have enjoyed it, but the park is dated and rundown. The men’s bathroom has been in the same state of repair for the past 4 years and now I know how bad the service is. This was not our first experience of unprofessional customer service and rudeness, but today confirmed what they are all about, Themselves! Rick, you really missed the mark here and...

Was on vacation and borrowed a trailer from a close friend of mine. Called around to a couple local places here and everywhere was booked. Called Smithwoods and thought to myself I got lucky because someone had called and canceled their reservation boy was I ever wrong. We arrived after about a 3 hour drive and were greeted by the front office staff who was very welcoming. Then we were guided to our camp site by two gentlemen. The guide who was supposed to back us in safely directed us and caused us to hit a tree damaging our trailer. What is the point of having someone direct you if they obviously do not know what they are doing. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE GUIDE. The guide then told the driver of the trailer there was no damage and he didn’t hit anything. I decided to go check for myself because I heard a loud bang. Low and behold there was a dent to our trailer and matching damage to the tree in the same spot. I went to the office thinking someone would do something about it and they took my information down. As I was walking back to my camp site I noticed the guide was there and he was now arguing with the driver of the vehicle raising his voice telling us we were lying and he didn’t back us into the tree. I was trying not to get upset and did not want to waste my breath because he was obviously lying. I asked him to leave our camp site and he refused saying he did not have to leave and he can stay if he wants. He then went on to threaten to make us leave. I finally had enough and went to the front office to ask them to have the guide leave. I then returned and the guide was gone. I began setting up the trailer and un packing. While doing this I realized because of the damage to the trailer my drain hook ups were stuck and I could not get them out. I wen to the office again and let them know obviously the guide caused us to hit the tree and if they didn’t believe the damage to the trailer or the matching damage to the tree they had to believe the fact I was not able to get my hookups out of the bumper. The lady in the office told me she was sorry for the trouble and gave me a loaner drain hookups to use for our stay. Then the office lady told me she was sorry for the incident but there was conflicting statements about what happened. So how do you explain the damage to the tree the damage to my trailer and the fact I can not get the drain hookups out of my bumper which I just put in before leaving the house. Keep in mind this was all in the first 30 minutes or less of arriving at the park. As a result our stay was ruined by these unfortunate events. I say unfortunate because the park was beautiful and our camp site was great. I just could not believe what had transpired with the guide backing us into a tree and then lying about it and making us feel like we did something wrong. I just hope someone reads this review and decides to back them selfs in and not listen to the guide. I wish I had read the reviews prior to coming because this is not the first time this has happened according to...

Beware of the ownership and poor customer service here! We booked a year and a week in advance (they allowed us to, and their policy is not posted on their website or office that we could find). Then we were called a week later and told the spots we had booked were rebooked by another party because we were booked over a year in advance (by 1week) We were not called to see if we still wanted to book the spots or told when we booked that we needed to call back at the 365 day point. We asked to speak to the owner to express our disappointment. The owner, Rich or Rick I believe called us today and told us it was their policy and even though it was their fault, he didn’t care! He only cared about his “policy”, even though his system allowed the booking. Rick only saw his point and didn’t care about our plans or how it affected us at the customer. He told us if we didn’t like it we could cancel and go to another park and that there were 2 other camp grounds next to him and we could stay there. He didn’t care one bit about us as the customer. He said if we didn’t like it, we could choose another campground. As my husband was trying to explain to him that us as the customer should come first and he should see things from the customers perspective and not the owners and see how their error impacted us, he cut my husband off and said, “you are being hostile toward me and therefore I am cutting you off and cancelling all of your reservations.” At no time was my husband hostile toward him and was only explaining facts. He didn’t want to hear that either and cut my husband off again and said, “nope, we are done and all your reservations are cancelled in the system.” WHAT!? You don’t like the truth and your response is to cancel our reservations. Completely unacceptable! Don’t stay here! It is a nice place to camp because of the scenery, but the place is run down and the bathrooms have been in the same state of repair for 4 years. We have over looked that because of the location and scenery, but now you see why it is the way it is because of poor ownership and leadership. The owner is resting on the fact that no matter what the customer needs them / him more than he needs the customer. Very disappointing experience today for sure. Never expected that. Sad! Stay clear. I would not honor a business that truly doesn’t honor people and...