Amazing setting but terrible accommodation and canvas/tohapi reps

7. August 2018 um 12:03:15
Our family of five stayed here in a static caravan for a week. It is set in a beautiful location, in an interesting part of France. We loved swimming in the lake, and walking around it. The kids loved the covered pool. However this site is very tired. The beach part of the lake is covered in weeds,... and we observed a dog poo which was left on the beach the entire week of our stay. This site has so much potential but we noticed a substantial number of caravans empty which I think is a reflection on what has become of this site.
We were happy to be the only English people on this site, however we were not happy with how the canvas/tohapi rep treated us. On arrival (after a long and tiring journey with travel sick children) we were not welcomed in the usual manner. We have stayed in a number of sites in France and have never been treated so badly as at this camp. One of they reps waved a piece of paper at me and demanded €60 cash as a deposit. She refused a credit card and said basically if you don't clean the caravan you don't get money back. Canvas did not tell us about this charge and I was really annoyed they didn't take a credit card as most places would. This cash was for our budget for ice creams and drinks! Then she asked me to pay the tourist tax in cash again. Sorry but I have never been asked to pay this with other companys such as eurocamp, it's always included in the price. The other rep then handed me a tourist guide and said that'll be 2 euro's please!! He made out he was joking but I honestly don't think he liked us British people! On showing us to the caravan we were hugely disappointed. We had booked a partially covered awning but this caravan was completely covered. The caravan was the size of a matchbox. I know it was called a 'cosy' caravan but honestly you could barely move and we are not a tall family! Then the rep handed me a list and said I had to check the inventory and hand it back to him. We wasted our holiday time doing this. Being English we were desperate for a cup of tea, but there was NO KETTLE!! Apparently not supplied in this caravan. Also not supplied was a toaster/wine glasses/oven/bbq. We would have had more luxury in a tent! The caravan was very hot and all the accommodation was very close together. Security gates have been removed. One evening we observed our neighbour having a bbq which she had hired for 6 euros a day. The gas bbq suddenly burst into huge flames and it appeared she did not know what to do. It carried on burning for a while and we were extremely worried it would suddenly explode. It wasn't until a kind and brave person took the fire extinguisher from the tree and put it out. No official camp person came to take it away until the next day! Again a reflection of how little this camp is cared for.
We are so disappointed with canvas/tohapi and not sure we would use them again and we would not return to this site which is a shame as it could be amazing!
The staff in the restaurant and shop were nice and work very hard. We enjoyed having drinks on the terrace in the evening. One evening there was a great band and everyone had a good dance!
Finally on our departure the rep came round to 'check' our caravan. I had spent 2 hours cleaning so didn't think he could find any fault. It was cleaner than on our arrival. But no, he lifted up one of the beds and referred to a tiny bit of dust and made us sweep it up in front of him saying 'no good'. Then he wouldn't give back our deposit until I handed him the hand written receipt the other rep had given me on the day of our arrival. Never have I felt so degraded on a holiday.
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