How to Set Up Additional Unit Fees for Group Sites and Double Sites

Many campgrounds offer group sites or double sites that can accommodate multiple camping units (RVs, tents, etc.). This guide will walk you through setting up additional unit fees to charge extra for each additional unit beyond your base rate, ensuring you’re properly compensated for these larger bookings.

Overview

Additional unit fees allow you to:

• Charge extra for each camping unit beyond your base rate
• Accommodate group bookings with multiple RVs and tents
• Set minimum and maximum occupancy limits for group sites
• Apply fees on a per-night basis automatically

Step 1: Configure Your Group Site Settings

Before creating fees, you need to properly configure your group sites with the correct unit limits.

Creating or Editing a Group Site

1. Navigate to Settings in your dashboard
2. Click on Sites
3. Either create a new site or edit an existing group site
4. Enter the site name (e.g., “Group Site 1”)

Setting Unit Limits

Configure the following key settings:

Minimum Camping Units

• Set the minimum number of units required for booking
• Example: If your group site requires at least 3 units, enter “3”
• This ensures the site only appears available when customers meet the minimum

Maximum Camping Units

• Set the maximum number of units the site can accommodate
• Example: Enter “8” if the site can handle up to 8 total units
• This prevents overbooking

Allowed Unit Types

• Select which types of camping units are permitted:
  • Tents
  • RVs
  • Both tents and RVs

RV-Specific Settings

If allowing RVs, configure:

• Maximum RV Length: Set the longest RV the site can accommodate (e.g., “35 feet”)
• Available Services: Select electrical hookups and other amenities (e.g., “30 amp service”)

Additional Configuration

• Pricing Model: Choose or create a pricing model for your group sites
• Site Type: Optionally create a specific site type for all your group sites

Once configured, click Create Site to save your settings.

Step 2: Create the Additional Unit Fee

Now you’ll create the fee structure that charges for extra units beyond your base rate.

Accessing Fee Settings

1. Go to Settings in your dashboard
2. Navigate to Rules, Products and Fees
3. Click on Fees
4. Click Create Fee in the top corner

Configuring the Fee

Fee Name

• Enter a descriptive name like “Additional Unit Fee”
• This name will be visible to guests, so make it clear what they’re paying for

Fee Amount

• Enter the amount to charge per additional unit per night
• Example: “$20.00” for $20 extra per unit per night

Tax Settings

• Check “Plus Tax” if the fee should be subject to taxes

Site Application

• Choose which sites this fee applies to:
  • All Sites: Apply to every site in your campground
  • Select Sites: Choose specific group sites only
• For group sites, typically select only the relevant group sites

Fee Frequency

• Select “Nightly” to charge the fee each night of the stay

Fee Trigger

• Choose “Additional Camping Unit” as the trigger
• This tells the system to apply the fee when there are extra units

Setting the Unit Threshold

Critical Setting: Number of Camping Units Before Fee is Applied

This determines when the additional fee kicks in:

• If your base rate covers 1 unit: Enter “1”
  • Charges extra for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th unit, etc.
• If your base rate covers 2 units: Enter “2”
  • Charges extra for the 3rd, 4th, 5th unit, etc.

Example: If your standard site rate includes one camping unit, enter “1” so customers pay extra for each additional unit beyond the first.

Click Create Fee to save your configuration.

Step 3: Testing Your Setup

Creating a Test Booking

1. Navigate to Bookings
2. Click Create Booking
3. Select dates for testing
4. Add multiple camping units:
   • Add at least the minimum required units
   • Include various unit types (RVs and tents)
5. Enter guest information as needed

Verifying Fee Calculation

When you add the booking to cart and proceed to checkout, you should see:

Base Site Rate

• Your standard nightly rate for the site (e.g., “$33.00 per night”)

Additional Unit Fees

• Calculated as: (Number of additional units) × (Number of nights) × (Fee amount)
• Example: 2 additional units × 2 nights × $20 = $80 in additional fees

The booking summary will show both the base rate and additional unit fees separately for transparency.

Best Practices

Pricing Strategy

• Research competitor pricing for group sites
• Consider the additional wear and utilities used by extra units
• Price competitively while ensuring profitability

Clear Communication

• Use descriptive fee names that guests will understand
• Consider adding explanatory text in your booking policies
• Be transparent about minimum unit requirements

Site Configuration

• Regularly review and update maximum unit capacities
• Ensure RV length limits match your actual site capabilities
• Update electrical service information as infrastructure changes

Fee Management

• Monitor booking patterns to optimize pricing
• Consider seasonal adjustments for peak times
• Review fee effectiveness quarterly

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Group site not appearing in search results

• Verify minimum unit requirements are met in the booking
• Check that the site is marked as available for the selected dates
• Ensure pricing model is properly configured

Incorrect fee calculations

• Double-check the “units before fee is applied” setting
• Verify the fee is assigned to the correct sites
• Test with different unit combinations

Multiple fees appearing unexpectedly

• Check if you have multiple additional unit fees configured
• Review fee site assignments to avoid overlapping rules
• Consider consolidating similar fees

Summary

Setting up additional unit fees involves two main steps: configuring your group sites with proper unit limits, and creating fee rules that charge extra for additional units. This system allows you to accommodate larger groups while ensuring appropriate compensation for the extra space and resources they require.

The key to success is clearly defining your base rate coverage (how many units are included) and setting the fee trigger accordingly. With proper setup, your booking system will automatically calculate and apply the correct fees, making group bookings profitable and straightforward to manage.