Just camped here for the first time. This is a great place to camp, especially if you have kids. The lake was great. It's separated into 3 sections by buoys...one shallow end for small kids, a deeper end for bigger kids, and a fishing area. Both swimming areas had lake toys for the kids to climb on, including 2 trampolines with slides and bounce pillow, log roll, a giant iceberg, and some other things. There are smaller lake toys in the kiddie area. The lake had no algae or fish smell like other reviews noted, so they must have solved that problem. There is plenty of lounge chairs and picnic tables around the lake area for parents. The pool was nice too, but the kids liked the lake the best. They also had activities during the day: bingo, a glow stick dance party at night, and a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt doubled as free campground cleanup for them because they had things like bottle caps, juice box straw wrappers, and cigarette butts on them! Please take the cigarette butts off that list!!! Nobody wants their kids picking those up!!! They had bean bag games, pedal cars, horse shoes, basketball and volleyball courts. The grounds were clean and well maintained. The sites are typical for a place like this...fairly close together but there were huge trees everywhere so we had shade and gave it a little more wooded feel (I hate camping in a big grass field). Cost: We paid $45 a night for water and electric (no sewer) which I think is reasonable because you're paying for all the facilities as well, not just the camping. They do nickle and dime you a bit...you gotta pay to use the pool, carts, and some activities. As long as you're OK just using the lake it's not too bad. Checkout time is non-negotiable. We wanted to stay an extra hour or 2 after checkout time so we had to pay for a whole extra night. Most places don't mind if you stay a little longer if the campground is emptied out. The kids really wanted a little extra time so I ended up paying for the extra night and we stayed until dusk so I could get my money's worth. One last note...the owner has a lot of rules and he enforces them. They are mostly to keep the kids safe and keep the camp family friendly. He was out multiple times during the day making sure the kids in the lake had their life jackets on and had parents watching them. If you're planning on partying loudly until 2 am, don't bother coming. He will kick you out if he has to. This has led to some bad reviews from scorned folks, but it's nice to see a campground enforce their rules for a change. Since I was there to enjoy family time it worked out well for us. read more

Hi-Tide Recreation - Panoramic of the lake. - Campgrounds Near Me - Leland, Illinois

We came here for a day visit with our kids, but we left incredibly disappointed by how we were treated. When we arrived, the front desk was completely empty, and no one was there to assist or check us in.Because no one was working the desk, we headed into the campground to set up our things, fully intending to walk right back up and purchase our activity wristbands. My kids were excited and jumped into the water while we were settling in.Before we could even go back to pay, a man on a four-wheeler (who seemed to be the manager or owner) approached us. Instead of asking us politely if we had checked in, he immediately started yelling at my children. He automatically assumed we were trying to sneak in without paying.Even after we calmly explained the empty front desk and our plan to buy bracelets, he refused to listen and kicked our family out. The lack of staff at the entrance is their mistake, but taking it out on paying guests and yelling at children is completely unacceptable. We will not be coming back." read more

I would not even rate this a 1. This was the worst place I have ever visited. The water was filthy and dark, a terrible smell filled the entire area, and the staff treated us with open hostility and racism. I strongly advise everyone to stay far away from this awful location. read more

Great for family's. Lots to do. Halloween was best... Camp site are two small. Shower needs some help too read more

We have been frequenting Hi-tide for years with friends and family. It has become our end of the summer/last vacation spots. It has also been our little's choice of where to celebrate his birthday for the 4 years. We have hosted multiple birthday parties here, & helped our niece & brother from another experience camping for the first time together. This year will be 3 years of them camping with us; so glad we started a tradition like this. I love being able to wake up with the sun, cook breakfast over a camp fire & camp stove & let the kids just be kids. The water slide & other equipment make them knock out at a reasonable hour. I cannot say enough about how fantastic the staff is here. Prices are reasonable, the bathrooms & showers are well kept, they always have things going on if you get bored & need something to do. Looking forward to this year's trip(s) read more

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People were so rude and charged more than $11 for two ice cream sandwiches! They also did not have a variety of floats to go on.

Great family camping trip! Our kids are 11 and 8 and there were plenty of activities for them. From the floating iceberg and trampolines in the lake to the adventuresome creek full of critters to the awesome clean swimming pool. Not too far away from Chicago also. We will definitely be back! read more

Upon arrival we checked in and were told that we had to pay extra for 2 of the 4 adults staying in our camper. I don't mind paying this but when you call to make the reservation they should tell you how many people are included and how many pay extra. The campsites are so small that once you park your vehicle next to your camper(no room to leave it in front of it) you have barely any room left on your site. When you are trying to back into your spot you better hope the people camping across from you are at their site to move their vehicles otherwise you're not getting into it. The "Lake" is a stagnant pond, the water feels thick and doesn't look clean. The beach has garbage on it and there are chunks of glass, the garbage cans that are provided were overflowing by noon and trash was on the ground. The Bath house has 4 showers that require quarters and it's shared with the general public so good luck getting a shower. The bathroom and shower stalls are also hogged by the public to change in so you have to wait forever. The fire rings provided at the campsites are so rotted they are falling apart in pieces. Quiet time is 11pm, but even at midnight people have their music going and kids are running around screaming and playing. We arrived Friday evening and by Saturday at noon the dumpster in the campground was overflowing with trash on the ground and the smell was horrific. The pool had a safety handrail to grab when entering the water but it's broken so badly that it provides zero support, which would be a huge deal if the stairs weren't slimy and slippery. The water was cloudy and didn't seem to be from the chemicals because you couldn't smell any. The dump station is located at the exit making it difficult for anyone with a large camper to pull out when someone else is using the station. The only positive was the way they do Bingo is fun for kids and adults alike. Our group made the best of it and had some fun, but out of 7 adults and 2 kids each person rated it a 2/10, would not return or recommend. read more

Packing 15 lbs of campers into a 5 lbs camp ground. Sites are too small and not enough room to navigate, you are on top of your neighbors. Also very tight quarters while trying to get to your site. Dump station is right at exit so you will be blocked in if someone needs to dump on the way out. The "lake" Is not a lake and a very bacteria filled pond that is very green. Gambling machines are on site but close at 6PM!!! Poor grammar on the rules sheets, so it's unclear what is allowed and not allowed. No online reservation system, took 3 calls to get a response to book a site. Will not stay here again, not worth the money. read more

The campgrounds septic tank was overflowing and bubbling up in to "the circle" campsites. We received no notice prior to check in, at check in and only told us they knew about it when we let them know there was water bubbling up out of the ground. We had a couple people leave earlier than planned because of the smell and fly infestation. It was absolutely disgusting and they didn't seem to care when we told them none of us were coming back. They do have inflatables in the swimming pond and that's a lot of fun, however, they don't keep up with keeping the inflatables inflated. read more

This a great family oriented campground or day-pass swimming hole. The large inflatables are a huge hit with the older kids. Younger kids can venture out with a life jacket and adult supervision but they can be difficult to climb up. The kids beach area has a waterslide for tube's and plenty of sand to build castles. It get busy during the summer but it's not that big of place so it's never too crowded. The creek has small mouth bass and crawdads throughout with catfish, carp and other options where it opens up. Most campsites offer consistant shade while all of them have at least some periodic shade, helpful on hot summer days. The game room is dated but the store has essentials and decent food. When the sun goes down, the dance party begins. Great for kids, beginners and those who just love to dance. We've been going here for 10+ years and I expect we'll continue for years to come. read more

Would NEVER come back to this place. Campsites super close, and very hard to pull into. Kids running thru your campsite all day and night. Other campers were inconsiderate of your space. My dogs are super well behaved but that's not the case with every other dog in this place. Most were barking non stop and owners did nothing to stop it. read more

I've been here a few times over the years. It's a great campground and a little pricey. There is a lot to do here...especially for the kids. I just have a hard time going back to places that nickel and dime you throughout your stay. There's a point where it gets to be too much. read more

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Hi Tide is a hidden gem! Hi tide is so much fun for the whole family. Today we visited the beach. They have added a new slide and log runner toy since the last time we visited and it was a huge hit with our kids. They have quite a few blow up inflatable water toys to enjoy as well. The beach has plenty of shade and picnic tables to enjoy while you visit. You can also use the pool if you choose for $1 extra. The beach area is clean as well as the facilities. We have not had a chance to camp here yet so we can not speak about the campsites. We as a family really enjoy spending the day here and can't wait to come back . read more

It seems that in todays day and age, the only time people come on yelp anymore is to destroy and completely bad mouth businesses that do their job correctly. Unfortunately those people sometime succeed and make people miss out on great experiences. Me and my family just finished out Fourth of July weekend with Hi-Tide Campgrounds and all I can say is this is definitely an amazing spot to take the family. It was my sons first time camping and he was tearing up as we packed up the tent to go back home. We got lucky that there was a last minute cancellation via the 4th of july weekend and they were able to give us their last site available(Mind you the Campgrounds were completely filled up). When we first arrived all staff members including the owner were more than hospitable. We stayed with an 8 person tent on a primitive site (more than enough room) and right next to the playground and creek. Beautiful spot to stargaze and get your fill of the old outdoors. Their firepits are perfect size, not too big not too small. It was really great to have a full campground filled with people and everyone respected one another. Unfortunately, our first two days were a bit more on the cold side, so we could not enjoy the pool or the lake as much as we wanted to, irregardless they were both clean and well taken care of. Shower rooms were what you expected a shower room to be (i personally like the added touches of positive quotes around the rest rooms). It was a quarter for about 10 minutes. (Way more than enough time to wash up). I like that the owner was very hands on with whats going on in his campgrounds. He wants everyone to have a good time and expects everyone to respect one another and his grounds. I appreciate camp grounds that make rounds at quiet time to make sure everyone is following suit. Theres so much for the kids to do...my son didnt even manage to get to most of the amenities because he met so many new friends to play with on the grounds. Highly recommend to other families looking for a great spot to take the kids. We will definitely be back in the future. Thanks again Hi-Tide! read more

Hi-Tide Recreation - 8 Person tent set up on primitive site. - Campgrounds Near Me - Leland, Illinois

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My husband and I got a cabin for the weekend. The cabin leaks no refrigerator no microwave walnuts keeps falling from the trees waking u up.for the price would recommend going somewhere else. Oh and you have to pay to take a shower they have a coin machine in the shower room.there is no toilet paper at least every time i had to use the bathroom. I have camp a lot of places this place I will never ever go back to. Horrible time. read more

Great place for 1st time campers. Definitely geared toward small children and teenagers. The campsites are small. The sites along the creek are more private than the others but you neighbors are still very close. The pool was clean and surprisingly not too crowded, especially for a hot and sunny Saturday. Definitely not a place to visit if you are looking for peace and quiet. Chis is a pretty cool dude. He gave us free corn. read more

Hi-Tide Recreation - Primitive site on creek - Campgrounds Near Me - Leland, Illinois

I would leave 0 stars if I could! High tide was horrible..the owner Chris on multiple occasions made everyone stop having fun and got on a mega phone and called out parents because there kids were "breaking the rules" he then yelled at my niece for playing very nicely with other kids then after talking to him asking why she had to stop he then got on the mega phone and called me out because I asked why she had to stop playing! This place overall is horrible. Online it also said 8$ for day pass then on the voicemail said 9$ for a day pass but instead charged us 11$ a person for a day pass read more

I'm going to have to give them one star for being completely unresponsive. I tried for a week to make two sets of reservations. It is their practice not to answer the phone, and only take reservation requests via voice message. However, after a week of leaving messages, not a single one was answered. I know for a fact that they are open, so it's not a COVID-19 issue, as they have even tweaked their outgoing message a couple of times, but I don't understand how they can remain in business when they are completely unresponsive to reservations. read more

I've taken my kids here twice this week! We're going to buy a pass, neither time we've gone it was crowded or anything. The option to use the pool is awesome! Everything is super clean, and I love all the options they have! The owner and all the staff have been super nice also. I really appreciate how they enforce the rules also. They expect you to watch your children and follow the rules that you signed too which makes it great for young kids IMO. The megaphone guy is funny waking around and actually talking with people. The store inside is great with all the available options of treats and toys. The bathrooms were open to use and had showers too that you can use when you swim! Well he going back as much as possible! read more

http://www.newstrib.com/free/woman-stabbed-at-hi-tide-campground/article_1aacb350-a988-11e8-adfa-9b8221536e27.html I'm the victim of this situation and the owners have been a nightmare to me! I was in the hospital for a while and then went home with family because I had to have around the clock care. My camping spot had been paid for the entire year since the first day we arrived which was about 2 months prior to the night of the stabbing. I talked with him about 2 weeks after and all he said to me was that he hurt his knee running to the camper because of me and I'm also causing cancellations. I actually, in tears, apologized over and over!!! I went back to get my things and was surprised to find just about everything, down to my washing detergent had been stolen. When he came to the camper he assured me nothing had been stolen, that he has it locked in his shed and will give me my things when I pay him $4,000 for the money he lost because I ruined his campgrounds reputation. So now I have to take him to court because the LaSalle county sheriff's office say it's a civil situation. THIS IS THEFT!! IM THE VICTIM AND IM BEING TREATED LIKE A CRIMINAL! STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE, THE OWNER CHRIS IS A COMPLETE SELFISH ASSHOLE! read more

Great place! We have been coming for 6 years With our teenage kids. Owner is awesome! Lake is awesome! Would definitely recommend it! read more

Pros: Clean, organized, lot's of activities for kids, Chris the owner will make his rounds to ensure people have what they need and nobody is acting like an @ss. Cons: Can't pick your sight when you book, some of the staff (teenage girls) could use some customer service training. Summary: Overall great time, will go back for sure! read more

Hi-Tide Recreation - Campgrounds Near Me - Leland, Illinois

You get what you pay for. Everything is good for $10. Fun activities for friends and family and decent size pool. I did not rate 5 stars because You have to pay to use the shower and bathrooms are unkept. read more

I like high tide and I'm just a kid I think it's fun for all ages, people complain about the money it cost but the passes aren't even to expansive if you use it good. I think the campgrounds are good enough this place isn't some 5 star hotel it's a chill area, I can agree that the campsites are a little small but that's what you paid for and you should make sure what you want and need. People even complain that they have to pay for a shower and act like they don't need to pay for a shower at there own house. read more

Wanted to like this place so much. Has really a lot of potential. The water area is cool but it is not for people that are not excellent swimmers. Our first year here we got "the circle". It is a private area for up to 7 campers very close to all the activities. It was amazing a great weekend. Reserved the same spot again the next year. This year was the absolute worst. Service was terrible. Staff seem nice but very i interested in keeping people happy. To make matters worse the area we had paid a premium for starting to smell real bad of sewage. Also started flooding. Tell the front desk and they tell me they know all about it and the SEPTIC tank was overflowing into our entire campsite. Two of our fifth wheels had to leave due to sinking in the sludge. The smell was outrageous and when I told the front office upon checkout about my dissatisfaction all I received was " we are sorry you didn't have a good time." Wow pay nearly $1500 for 3 day trip and this is the kind of service you receive. All the inflatables are not properly maintained and are constantly under inflated and very difficult to climb. I really wanted to love this place but just can't after this trip. read more

Maybe 2.5 star Spent Labor Day weekend here & have to admit I am a little sorry I did. Was it a terrible experience not really but it wasn't great either. If you're looking for peace & quite this is definitely not the place especially on a holiday weekend. They pack you in like sardines on literally every square of land available, then they nickel & dime you to death with extra fees for everything including the showers. If you have kids then it might be worth just for some of the activities. They have miniature golf, lake, pool & cool little scooter bikes that can tucker out just about any kid but you pay extra for everything but the lake. Ehhhh, Im not really sure i'd want to swim in there. They get 2 stars because for the amount of people that there was it stayed surprisingly clean. I saw them cleaning a couple times a day. The maintenance guy was very helpful in getting us parked & very cordial all weekend. Office staff was mediocre. Lastly we are totally dreading check out. They expect you to be out of here by 11am & have one exit with the dump station RIGHT AT the GATED EXIT. That means EVERY one has to wait in line whether your dumping or not. Will I be back??? Not likely, but like I said if you have kids it's doable. read more

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This campground is nice enough, but the experience overall is lacking. I've stayed here a couple of times over the years (mainly when other campgrounds were not available) on holiday weekends. I understand that owning and running a campground is a business, but to nickel and dime campers at every possible opportunity is ridiculous. It actually became a running joke among our group over the weekend. The fee for the site isn't cheap, and the sites are generally small - though there is a large circle area that accommodates larger groups and has more of an open area. What does the fee get you: the grass, the water, the electric, and use of the lake (Kinda). Want to swim in the pool instead of the lake? There's a fee for that. Want to have a fire? There's a fee for that ($100 per load of wood - and no outside wood allowed!) Want to take a shower? There's a fee for that! Not kidding, you actually have to put quarters in to operate the showers. When you stay at a hotel, you pay for the room and amenities. I'm not quite sure why they would feel it necessary to charge for so many things that you would assume are part of the amenities of staying here. Random Stuff: The electric to one of our sites was fried after one night, the bugs were incredibly bad in the campground (flies and bees), the trees dump acorns down on vehicles (my truck actually got dented), there was backed up water (possibly sewage) in the grassy area near the bathrooms, and the camp is also small, it gets filled pretty quickly - so if you are trying to make reservations, call early. Overall, I would say that I will not come back unless other campgrounds are booked up. If you need a place to camp, you could find worse. However, there are many other places that I would recommend before sending you to this place. read more

We had the best time! The owners were so nice and this campground had everything from a lake with these large flotation toys to a pool, miniature golf, horse shoes, corn hole, and numerous family activities. Can't wait to go back! read more

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We camped here with friends for the first time last weekend and it was not a pleasant experience at all. I thought the overnight rates were fair and it looked like a great place online, but that seemed to be an illusion. Our camp site setup was nice because we were grouped with our friends, but we were right on top of the site next to us (like 3 inches from our tent to theirs). The "lake" that was advertised and being great and full of inflatables was disgusting and smelled like a porta potty. We decided to use the pool, that you had to pay extra for, and that wasn't much cleaner, every time we moved our hands, we had hair on our fingers, YUCK!!!! The showers were also a joke, we had to wait about half hour to shower, due to cleaning, but the shower i went into was full of lake scum, and I had to pay to take a nasty shower. Seriously, I know it is a campground and I don't expect the Ritz or anything, but a slighty cleaner shower would have been nice, and for the amount of money we gave the campground that weekend, paying for showers and the pool was rediculous!!! I also have to add the people that work and own the place are not friendly at all, I can't believe that someone can own a business and be so impolite!! While some good times were had there, this not a place I will ever return to, and based on many of the reviews I have read, I am not alone in this decision. I have learned from this experience that I will pay more attention to reviews and what people think before I make non-refundable reservations anywhere again. read more

We went camping here for the first time Memorial Day weekend. Before we went I looked at the reviews and got nervous to come because of the reviews about the owner. When we arrived I was surprised to see that it wasn't as bad as these reviews made it seem like. I only saw the owner yell once and it was for a good reason. The only thing I did not like about this place was that they have super mosquitos. They were not effected by the bug spray and would bite you anyway. So bring extremely powerful bug spray if you come here. read more

My family loves this place! It is clean, green and full of fun things for kids to do. Every year the owners add new things. The latest is a Gaga put (you will not be able to tear your kids away from this game no matter what age). I am surprised that anyone would give this place a bad review. The only people complaining must be the people who break the rules and I wouldn't want to be camping with them anyway. This is a family friendly place and the owners do a great job to keep it that way! read more

We went there today for my nephew's birthdays. Not only did the owner call 3 of kids "big boys" because of their weight but he singled out the ONLY Hispanic kids in the entire park but than knocked them for their weight in front of the entire park over a bullhorn. He told our boys to stay off the floating mat so other kids could use it and said because of their size there isn't enough room for other kids. He claimed our kids have been on it for a long time which is untrue. We literally just ate lunch, opened birthday gifts and did birthday cake. They were literally in the water for no more than 20 minutes before he called them out of the water. He is a racist and unkind. We paid just like everyone else. We will never step foot in his place again. read more

Pros: 1. Clean facilities ( bathrooms, shower house, grounds). 2. Lake with Inflatable toys is fun for kids. 3. All activities within walking distance. Cons: 1. Fees. There is a $1 fee per day to use the pool, 25 cents to use the shower, $6 for 30 min to use petal cars. If you bring in wood, they charge a $25 removal fee. They probably resell it. They charge $6 a bundle. 2. Check out at 11:00. If you stay past 11, they charge $10 per camper or a night's fee( whatever is cheaper). 3. Campsites are for 2 adults and 4 kids. I wanted to bring my parents camping and had to pay an extra $16 per night to camp ($61 for water and electric). 4 Some sites flood during a heavy rain. 5. Fire pits flood and no one empties them. If you have a fire outside a flooded ring, you get charged $25. 6. Owner stands on dock and yells at swimmers with a bullhorn. He singles out and embarrasses swimmers as he yells. We were so scared to break the rules, that camping and swimming became unenjoyable. 7. I am sure it is stressful running a campground and maintaining order and safety. There are so many rules it is hard to relax without fear of being yelled at for breaking a rule both camping and swimming. If you do break a swimming rule, you will be publicly chastised. We felt so bad for the kids he yelled at. If you break a rule camping he will find you and inform you of the broken rule. There has to be a better way of enforcing rules without humiliating people in the process. The iceberg appears to be a source of great stress for the owner. Get rid of it. It IS dangerous. Nice campground BUT fees and rules are ridiculous. There are nicer campgrounds. We will not be back. read more

Where do I start. This place likes to nickel and dime their customers whenever they get the chance. For starters, the lake was 8 dollars a person and an additional 2 dollars if you wanted to use the pool. Not a big deal until you go down to the lake and the odor of the lake was "abnormal" to say the least. I know lakes are natural but the smell was nauseating to the point that two six years olds, and an eight year old could tell that the smell wasn't normal. Once you step into the water l, the water was too warm. It was a perfect environment for bacteria to reproduce. The color of the the water was dark green which of possibly the sighting of algae blooms. My wife made a great inference, since the park is surrounded by farms, there is a high probability that fertilizer/chemicals are leaking into that water. The odor was reminiscent of someone using fertilizer on their lawn. All I'm going to say is swim at your own risk because chances are there is a bacteria/brain eating amoeba lurking in the waters. read more

The wife & I have been coming here for 3 years now. We use the full hook-up sites. Everything is always neat, orderly & clean. If you run out of camping supplies, you can get them at the general store. The campground is set up to be family oriented with playgrounds, swimming pool and swimming pond, miniature golf and pedal tractors for the kids to rent. The owners take great care of the campgrounds and are always willing to help if there is a problem. read more

Probably the worst. The owner does not know how to speak to people if he has an issue. "Quiet time" is enforced in such a manner as to degrade those at fault. Here's a tip Chris, instead of pulling up to a campsite in your little golf cart & shouting at someone in front of their children, get off your ass & pull them to the side & talk to them like a human. I've spent very good money at your cramped in sites over the years, be a little respectful. Will never come back. read more

We really enjoyed ourselves at HiTide, they have a lot to offer. The lake toys are very fun, if your kids are 6+ and like to swim, they'll love it. I gave it 3 stars because there are a few things they can improve-- first of all, the lake has a lot of green algae and is really fishy smelling. It didn't bother my kids one bit and I got past it, but it is a little bit gross! I know they are working on it, there are hundreds of goldfish in the lake (algae eaters)-- they don't bother you and are kinda fun to see up close. I don't know what else can be done, but they need to try something! Second, it's $45/night for a site with water & electric-- that's not cheap. I would expect to be able to use the pool without an extra charge for that! They charge you $1/day/person to use the pool. They say it keeps it from overcrowding, but it's a little annoying it's not inclusive! We were there in the middle of the week and the campground was EMPTY, besides people with seasonal sites, and even then, not many of them were there. It was very peaceful-- I'd be curious to see it on the weekends, the sites did seem close together had there been others there. We'd go back again since it was so enjoyable for the kids. read more

every fun place for a family vacation Me and my family have always went every year for the Fourth of July

We went out with a group of friends for a fun filled weekend (so we thought). Our camp site was probably the best attraction of anything that is located here. The lake is like a green goop of hot mess that may or may not have some kind of chemicals in it. The pool, although nice temperature wise, is disgusting and has hair and bugs floating all over it. Speakerphone Steve is one person that we could have done without him and his megaphone. The owners are rude and need some customer service training. Paying for my shower and using the pool is ridiculous. I felt like I needed a wristband to use the bathrooms since everything called for it. Yuck overall. Will not be going back. read more