Review of Tamworth Campground - 306 Depot Road, NH…read more
I don't usually write reviews, but after our recent experience at Tamworth Campground, I feel compelled to speak up. We are a Latino family and had been planning a meaningful family reunion for months--celebrating my sister's 46th birthday and honoring life after recent personal challenges. What was supposed to be a joyful and healing weekend turned into a deeply disappointing and uncomfortable experience due to the staff's poor treatment, lack of professionalism, and what we strongly feel was targeted and unfair behavior.
We reserved three campsites at nearly $80 each (which is not a problem). My sister--an experienced camper, teacher, social worker, and holistic healer--put her heart into organizing this event. Some family members flew in from out of state; the rest of us drove hours from different parts of New England to come together. I myself am a city advocate for Boston and was genuinely looking forward to a rare, peaceful break with loved ones. Unfortunately, our experience was anything but peaceful.
From the start, our group was singled out. Staff repeatedly visited our site with noise complaints--despite several other campsites nearby hosting loud parties, including one that went on until 3 a.m. We were surrounded by louder groups but appeared to be the only ones policed. Our children--mostly under 10--were simply enjoying family time outdoors. I even walked around to apologize to other guests; all of whom assured me they weren't disturbed. One neighboring group admitted to having over 10 people on their site and said no staff had approached them once.
On Saturday, my brother arrived after driving five hours with his son to join us. The staff immediately claimed we were over capacity. According to their "six heartbeats per campsite" rule, we were technically over by just two--with 20 total people spread across three sites: 8 adults, 4 teens, and 8 children between the ages of 2 and 10. Rather than work with us, the staff refused to hear us out. My sister, trying to deescalate the situation, agreed to pay for a fourth campsite--even though it was unnecessary. Ironically, that fourth site remained empty, and I ended up joining it just to stay within their arbitrary enforcement.
One staff member in the front office was particularly rude, unprofessional, and dismissive. She repeatedly talked over my sister, showed no empathy, and used sarcasm instead of solutions. My sister remained calm and respectful throughout, simply trying to find a way to comply. The staff member continued to cut her off, reciting policies and refusing to acknowledge it was our first time at the campground. She kept repeating that "a heartbeat is a heartbeat" regardless of age, as if we weren't already trying to follow the rules in good faith.
On top of that, the Wi-Fi only worked near the front office--not a major issue for us, but worth noting for those who rely on it. What really mattered was the repeated feeling of being watched, targeted, and made to feel unwelcome.
My pre-teen nieces were even stopped by staff while walking to the bathroom and asked if they were "with the Garcia group." After saying yes, the staff looked at each other and drove away. It made the kids feel singled out and uncomfortable. On Sunday, a staff member began circling my sister's campsite around 9 a.m.--two hours before checkout--pressuring her to leave. While she did run an hour late (and paid the fee), the constant hovering felt excessive.
We left the campsites cleaner than we found them. We followed rules. We remained respectful--even while feeling judged, unwelcome, and unfairly monitored. And while I hate to play the race card, it's impossible to ignore how differently we were treated from other groups around us. We were a Latino family--and we were targeted from day one, well before any noise complaints or policy issues came up.
With the exception of two kind and professional staff members (a young woman with curly hair at the register and another woman with short hair on a golf cart), the tone and treatment we received were unacceptable. Rules can be enforced professionally--without sarcasm, without assumptions, and without making guests feel like a burden.
We will not be returning. I had even considered hosting a retreat here for a group of 90 active older adult campers--but after this experience, I could never recommend this place.
The natural surroundings were beautiful. The human experience was not. Tamworth Campground has a lot of work to do when it comes to hospitality, inclusion, and basic customer service.
