Grandview Campground & RV Park — Hotel in Hardin

Last summer, on July 23, 2022, I drove 520 miles from Chamberlain SD to Little Bighorn Battlefield arriving just before it closed. Not knowing the area, I'd assumed there'd be camping around the corner but one of the rangers said the nearest camping was in Hardin, 17 miles to the northwest. First I went to KOA because it had more reviews than the other camping area, but the office was closed at 7pm and no one answered the phone. The process to get a site afterhours was confusing. So I decided to drive around the camping area and when I reached the tent part, everybody was on top of each other, completely unappealing. To myself I said, Let me check Grandview Campground & RV Park, 1.8 miles back down the road, across I-90.

In the office there was a woman with short silver hair named Joanne. She was helpful and said she'd get the lady who does the bookings, Lori. We went back outside--the gorgeous blue sky still alight-- where Joanne pointed out Lori who was in a golfcart helping some customers. When Lori was done I asked if I could see the tent campsite. "Jump in," she said. Between us was a black poodle, whose name Lori told me was Mr Puddles. Lori was very friendly and folksy, easy with conversation, which I loved. She had to make a quick stop to check on something and not only did Mr Puddles remain next to me but he put his front paw on my thigh.

At that moment I knew I was staying at this campground, no matter what the campsite looked like, no matter the price because I felt safe and welcomed here. To experience customer service like this in this day and age--I live in NYC--to me was extraordinary. Where KOA had little lots with tents nearly touching each other, the camping area that Lori showed me was a huge grass lawn with a little stream at the far edge and only had one tent on it. Oh yes! And the price was less than KOA. We rode back to the office, I used my credit card, pitched my tent, then asked about a place to eat. Joanne said if I hurried I could get to the 3 Brothers Bistro on Main Street, which also turned out to be a wonderful experience--great wine, pasta, pizza, service--I dined at the bar.

Back at camp I went to sleep easily and slept well then got up at the crack of dawn to return to Little Bighorn. The shower/bathrooms couldn't have been cleaner. The water was hot and the area was spacious and smelled good. Lori adds little touches--2 armchairs, magazines--to make the place more homey. There were washers and dryers next door and everybody in the camp seemed to enjoy the atmosphere as much as I did. Today is January 21, 2023 and I'm writing this only now because I never forgot Lori's graciousness and kindness to me, after I'd been driving 11 hours and was just recovering from Covid. So if you want authentic hospitality and a pleasant stay, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Grandview...

I read a few reviews before visiting and was very surprised and when I arrived it wasn't at all like the reviews stated Yes the owner was very friendly and kind. I'm not trying to ruin her business either she was a very nice lady but I think people need to know they are staying right next to a rough Indiana reservation, I'm sorry the camp grounds were not well maintained, I wasn't even sure if this was a campground our or trail park, the camp office /store was under construction it was a mess. Our campsite the grass needed to be mowed and it had junk piled up, the picnic table was broken it looked like the the wood on the bench was replaced but it was just a board setting on top, it was not screwed down and when my daughter tried to sit on it, well it popped up and fell off. It did not have a fire pit to have a camp fire. We were told we could walk down and use the one in another camp site as long as none else was camping there , which in our case when we wanted to use it that night it had campers using it which I understand but it is a campground and each site needs a fire pit Yes the bathrooms were clean but the showers were poorly designed the were all connected and divided with pink shower curtains if you were in shower # 4 you had to walk through #3,#2,#1 . The first time I went to shower someone was in shower #1 so I wasn't about to walk in on her to get to the open shower. I have teenage daughters and they prefer a little more privacy than a plastic curtain on the bathroom doors and showers, which it would be very easy to put up doors on the bathroom side. I am animal lover and I love dogs but at a campground the dogs need to be leashed. When we were packing up we had a dog come into our site and pee on my husband's backpack, we were loading /orginzing our truck and probably shouldn't of had our stuff on the ground but we didn't expect dogs to be running free. The town was very rough and sort of scary at times we stop at a gas station to get some water and to used the restrooms and while in the bathroom the place was robbed. I know these things happen but it was still scary and unexpected. The camp ground was right next to railroad tracks and had trains blowing horns all night and that's not the owners fault but I feel like its important for people to know. We booked 3 nights which was a mistake very due to its location and only stayed 2, we would of only stayed one but be couldn't get our money back after the second night we packed up early and got...

VERY LONG BUT PLEASE READ BEFORE WASTING YOUR MONEY HERE!!!!!!

I am never one to leave a review on anything, but this will be my first. My boyfriend and I travel for work, we are constantly staying in RV parks as we have a 5th wheel we live in. I have never seen a worse camp ground, I knew as soon as we pulled in it wouldn’t be good but I gave it the benefit of the doubt. It was very last minute as we needed to leave Denver and have somewhere to stay on the same day so we were out of time and needed somewhere to go, I called and got asked a lot of questions, where I work, what will I be doing and for how long, where do I live and where am I currently at, I thought it was odd but didn’t try to think much of it. I was told we were receiving a luxury spot. Definitely was not. There were vehicles driving around, did not look like they had good intentions looking at peoples things, we work a lot and I do not feel comfortable leaving my belongings here. It does not feel safe, horrible part of town, the entire camp ground looks run down and trashy. The lady in the office is rude and not professional at all, not to mention the office smells of cat urine. We went in and told her somewhere else had come up that would be better for us and she instantly got mad and told us there was a $350 cancellation fee. We told her we would be out in the morning. We had to pay $350 for one night to stay somewhere that doesn’t even feel safe to stay at. She tried to tell us it was on the website. It is not, I have been through the whole website and that is nowhere in it, not to mention she told us monthly rent was $650 but we pay electric, the websites says it’s included. This lady makes up whatever she wants to do, we have talked to multiple other people around here and they all have different crazy stories from this woman. I definitely do not recommend to stay here, the website pictures look nothing like this campground, if you have to keep driving, do so! If you have to stop, loves travel gas station has a campground site in this town. Do not waste your money here!! Or even the lovely KOA down the road, it is beautiful and wonderfully taken care of by a very nice woman who will help you out if you need it! Do not get stuck in this horrible place! There’s so much more I could say but please save yourself the money and headache, avoid Grandview Campground...