Hipcamp
Verified50 reviews
I had a very disappointing experience with Hipcamp’s support and dispute handling. I booked a site for an RV stay related to my daughter’s wedding. When the RV rental turned out to be non-operational, the trip became impossible. I reached out to Hipcamp multiple times on Thursday and Friday before the stay, using email from my phone, and received… Read more
no response. Because there was no assistance or guidance from Hipcamp prior to the trip date, no alternative arrangements could be made.
As a result, I had to drive two hours each way to attend wedding events that required lodging, incurring unnecessary stress and expense. Only after disputing the charge with my bank did Hipcamp respond—at which point they focused on policy explanations rather than addressing the lack of timely support.
This was not a simple cancellation or change of plans. The accommodation was never used due to circumstances outside my control, and Hipcamp’s failure to respond in a timely manner directly contributed to the dispute. The lack of accountability and customer support was extremely frustrating.
Based on this experience, I would caution others that if something goes wrong close to your trip date, you may not receive the support you need when it matters most.I wil not use this service ever again.
First time using hipcamp and wont be using them again. Booked a weekend getaway at a beautiful location, photos looked stunning, on a creek in a paddock with cows... absolutely amazing. Turned up to the hipcamp and there was no host to meet us, noone home. Drive down the road a bit to the camp and it was NOTHING like the pictures :( the grass… Read more
was higher than my bonnet on my dmax and extremely boggy. Had to use 4WD to reverse away from the gate it was that bad, and we would never have got into the site or out for that matter. Very disappointing, hipcamp need to take responsibility for the camps they advertise. They take money off the host, they need to regularly check the camps are safe and inhabital. Host gave me a refund, but hipcamp will only credit the fees for future bookings!! As said I will NEVER use this app again!
Cancelled my campsite booking which had been paid upfront and now advertising the campsite for almost twice the price for the same dates. This is at the time of Byron Bay Blues Festival /Easter when campsites are hard to find with only 1 week from the event. Shame on u [Name Removed]
Reviews with attachments
Terrible support! – Terrible AI support. Had a bad experience with a camp booking and can't even get a response or post a review. Then tried contacting hipcamp to escalate and the AI failed and would not escalate to human assistance. The concept is good. The delivery is terrible
Wrecked holiday – The host has cancelled within 24hrs of our arrival for no reason, now our refund is 14 days away and we have nowhere to stay for our holiday. Absolutely 0 stars Show details
Be aware Hipcamp can put you in a dangerous site – We booked through Hipcamp and got a site that flooded. We had 3 caravans swept away & 1 car lost. It appears that Hipcamp takes no steps to ensure that what you book and where they put you is safe, and then of course, they take no responsibility whatsoever and of course will not communicate with you after the event. Their insurance is not worth… Read more
the paper it is written. The host was told by Hipcamp that she had to use (and pay for) Hipcamp insurance to cover her and then when it came to the claim she was told by Hipcamp to use her own insurance. We had various future bookings with Hipcamp that we had to cancel as a result of losing our caravan, Hipcamp refunded the hosts portion of our payment but kept their money. They are disgraceful. It appears that they do nothing to assist or protect the host or the guests, or at least I've found that despite asking they have not been able to give any information as to the enquiries that they make to ensure that the site that they put us on was safe, or at least had evacuation plans. Be very careful when dealing with or using anything to do with Hipcamp.
ALGAE IN SHOWER TANKS & CABIN NEEDS AN UPGRADE – HIPCAMP...Cabin on CRYSTAL CREEK RANCH NSW. *Honest bad reviews are removed from the HipCamp Support Group whoever they are? *2 Stars are for the actual property area *We paid $175 AUD per night! *Other Australian Companies offer much cheaper camping grounds in New South Wales with beautiful mountains, national parks and wildlife and are also Pet… Read more
Friendly. *Cabin photos on these hipcamp website are old! *No information was given to us upon booking about bringing your own towels, blankets, sheets & pillows or soap. *We arrived there without linen & towels & it was cold (we slept in clothes)! *Shower was from two plastic tanks filled with toxic Algae & mould (not clean water at all); photos taken! this could cause allergic reactions to the skin or if it gets into your mouth, you could get sick! *We washed in cold water from the creek which had little running water *Toilet had to be pumped many times to release your pee & faeces *It was very hard to find the reception as it was actually a private house on a private property. We found the property owners house after driving around in circles! There were no signage. They were actually the hosts operating through HipCamp *No mobile phone reception, so if you get lost...too bad! *There was a Gas leak from the BBQ provided so we couldn't use it to cook! *The cabin doors & windows are made of a wood frame with mesh..so it gets very cold. Not a solid door..and they don't shut fully or lock! *Mesh had small holes so you will get mozzies coming inside. *Lighting was very poor (dim yellow light); you would need a lantern or torch. *Small Tiny Fridge provided does not keep food cold but your own esky with lots of ice & ice packs would work better for a couple of days. *BYO paper towels and cups, cutlery & plates, food, body soap & toiletries, oil for cooking, coffee, tea, food & drinking water! (the utensils provided were greasy & not cleaned well)..and don't forget towels, bed linen, blankets etc The only good thing about that 'glamping' in those cabins was a shelter (besides having a tent), the property area was nice & the ability to burn firewood and have fresh air. *But...it was Very Expensive for one night considering all the facilities were not as described online! *Camp site for a tent may be cheaper?
No refund for expired booking and no host reply – I recently booked a site through hipcamp and the host never replied or accepted the booking so it expired. Apparently hipcamp hold onto the funds they take from your account in full for up to 7 days after the booking expires.... however I have still not been refunded from almost a month ago that the booking expired, I have submitted 2 tickets in… Read more
relation to this with hipcamp with 1 reply email stating they hold the money for only 7 days and then it's automatically refunded back to your card, but I have checked my account twice and even contacted the bank and they have not refunded a cent! I doubt I will use the service again and advise anyone else to use at your own risk if u have money to loose! Next step will be consumer affairs. Customer service is 0.5 /5
Recent reviews
If you're a host - DON'T SIGN UP WITH HIPCAMP. I signed up as a host several months ago and I've had nothing but headaches. I've used other hosting platforms as well for the past 7 years, and this is by far the worst. The website is clunky, the 'help' responses are slow and I have been trying add an additional listing for weeks with no success.… Read more
They clearly spend no money on maintaining their platform functionality. I'm in the process of transitioning out of it now.
Booked 2 sites on the 01.04.25 for a total $675 for December 25, due to other family commitments I had to cancel this booking on the 03.04.25 and I was charged $114 in fees...I only read about fees at the time of cancellation. I think it is ridiculous for them to make $ 114 for my 3 day booking and will never use this sites again. Beware if using. Show details
HORRIBLE – The Host didn't update their posting and once i booked, i was informed by Host that the place was no longer available for a long time. I requested the refund and the refund wasn't full amount too (Hipcamp service fee nonrefundable !) PLEASE avoid at all cost hipcamp ! Show details
Cancel booking – “I booked a campsite through their app and canceled it immediately, but they still haven’t refunded my money. Very disappointing experience. Not trustworthy at
Horrible Service – If I could give 0 star review I would, these guys are terrible, I had to cancel a booking due to illness 1 week in advance, I messaged host and got no reply even though they say there’s a 48 hour period where they will reply. I paid almost $100 for one night and haven’t been responded to any of my emails where I have politely asked for a refund.… Read more
Ridiculous customer service. DO NOT BOOK with this company they are time wasters and a waste of money.
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Ok with caveats – Have used Hipcamp a number of times for our 7.4m motorhome and have found the following: -Typically costs as much or more than a caravan park, but we avoid Parks like the plague and are prepared to pay more to stay at a property that has only one or two sites for privacy and quiet. Lack of water and power no issue for us. -Beware of properties… Read more
that advertise huge acreage, and when you arrive your on 1 or 2 acres only. -Many properties don't outline problematic issues that may affect your stay such as barking dogs on the property or next door, it being right next to a main road, other site only 50 metres away etc etc. Ask the property owner as many questions before booking as you need to. -Read the booking conditions and understand the cancellation policy. Lots of negative reviews here are from those who didn't review the conditions and dates before committing. -Ask about site access. Our Motorhome has a long rear overhang and is low to the ground so always ask about access for your rig, particularly if it's wet.
Another great Hipcamp stay – I’ve used Hipcamp many times for my family camping trips. Always have an amazing experience. Stayed in a cabin at Adaminaby this time to visit the snow. Suited our needs. Close to snowfields. Hipcamp is my go-to and I’ve never had anything but great experiences. That said, I’m a sensible camper and take responsibility for my own actions.
Beware of 3rd party bookings – After a recent bad experience with hipcamps I have decided to never try and use their service again. I had received a hipcamps certificate for my birthday last November from my son and looked forward to using it at the next opportunity. We mainly stay in caravan parks or national parks but this time I decided to try hipcamps. We selected a site… Read more
that seemed OK despite the lack of facilities and proceeded to book on line. Filled in the details and with the pricing displayed proceeded to the checkout. The code for the gift card was filled in and the booking was rejected because I hadn't filled in my credit card details. Although the gift card had a value of $150 and the cost was $96.44 the system still wanted my credit card details for the booking fee +GST. I am reluctant to give my card details when I clearly had enough funds on my gift card. I then decided that a cash payment to the host would be better all round.
Bad neighbour – Our neighbour runs a hipcamp and has no respect for our privacy.all we ask is for the camp sites to be moved further away so they don't impact on our enjoyment of our property. Apparently that doesn't mean anything to them. He quoted/ its my property I can do what I want. Show details
Terrible experience with host no help from Hipcamp – I’ll never use hipcamps again. Bad experience with the host not providing what was advertised and hipcamps provided no support in resolving at all. Lost all our money. Not to mention it’s terribly over priced! Caravan parks and national parks are way better for some price as most of the hosts Show details
Don't trust the reviews - Hipcamp failure – Stayed at a site and provided a negative post and this mob didn't publish it. Nothing intrusive or inappropriate. No wonder it continues to have a 5 star rating if negative reviews are not allowed. Show details
Hi Paul! Happy to clarify things here. Hipcamp has a 14… Read more
My trip was great – Stayed at a Hipcamp in Narooma NSW on the weekend, Glenbrooke River Camp. Had the best time. Can't believe we got access to such amazing river frontage. I was turned off making a booking based on reviews in his forum so I wanted to share that I had a great experience and will book again. Show details
Why pay Hip Camp fees when WikiCamps is free? – Have attempted to use hipcamp and it's not hip. It's a ruse. Cancelled a booking within the time period specified and they charged a $40 cancellation fee on a booking of $49. Will never use again as the best spots are always on WikiCamps and They don't charge a fee. Have found that dealing directly with the hosts is absolutely the best way to go. Don't be ripped off like I was. Use WikiCamps and get the best of both worlds for free Show details
Hi Satellite Sally! Please contact our Support team via external link with… Read more (+2 replies)
Appalling service and communication – I made a booking in good faith through Hipcamp and subsequently had positive communication with the glamping provider. Without any explanation Hipcamp cancelled my booking and refunded my money. I sent them two messages through their app asking why this had occurred and received no reply. In future I will only ever deal directly with the provider. Show details
Hi Marg, thanks so much for sharing your experience with… Read more
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What a disgrace – Wouldn't even rate one star, made a booking, cancelled 27 hours prior due to weather conditions & they are saying I cancelled 23 hrs & 55 mins prior, emailed them the email which shows the time at 11.36am I cancelled, they are a joke. Show details
Hosting – So, after hosting on Hipcamp for around 12 months now at $25 for two people per night, children under 12 free and pet friendly, we have marketed on many different platforms, we have had only one guest for one night. The property is only camping, camper trailers and motor home type rv's, it is 330 acres of wildlife sanctuary with 10 various sites,… Read more
2.5 kms of river running straight though, sites have fire pits, no amenities, campers are to be self sufficient, water is available from one of many taps. I would have to say that the experience of hosting has been quite disappointing indeed, terrible so far. we are only 2.5 hrs from the snowy mountains, 1.5 hours from canberra, 5hrs from sydney and 1/2 and hour from Bega NSW.
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Totally a scam – I booked a campsite two weeks ago in the long weekend. I called the host [Name Removed] and told her will arrive at 6:30. she said she wont check us in because its dark already. She was very rude and impatient and said it mentioned very clear on the website that she wont check people in after dark. And the sunset time was 5:58 so 6:30 is too late.… Read more
I thought i really didnt look enough, I was also panicked coz I urgently need to find a campsite to stay. I said can i cancel it and get refund she yes and hung me up. But when I cancelled it, the website said you can only get a refund three days before the check in date. I called her again and she clearly didnt care. When I finally came back from my camping trip, i looked it up the website again, it actually said checknin time is before 8pm!!! I complained to hipcamp.com they said they cant do anything coz the host refused to refund me. I couldnt find the host and the campsite details online didnt even have their ABN number coz i wanted to complain to fair trading because this is a scam. Hipcamp only said they can give $25 credit for compensation. I would never use this website again so i wont be able to get the money anyway. Because they don’t actually monitor the hosts, i paid before i’ve known anything about the campsite (didnt show address before you paid) because i trusted the website. They didnt try to investigate as well. Just said the host can decide if they want to refund or not. Super dodgy. Never again.
Hi, Thanks for taking the time to share your experience… Read more (+2 replies)
Worst – I would use hipcamp to search for camping sites, but don't book through them. I used them last September for a 9 day trip and had to cancel three bookings due to not being able to access camping ground. Height restriction, weather and being to steep ect. Each host was lovely and told me they offered a full refund (it was over $150 for the three… Read more
campsites) and I never received said refunds from hipcamp. Tried chasing them up with no response. Decided to review now because I'm planning a holiday for this year, but sure as he'll won't be through these guys.
Happy holidaying guys!
Never using their services again! – Only given half of the refund even thou I have cancelled well ahead of 30 days! Can’t seem to get a hold of anyone from hipcamp.. submitted a ticket and the consultant didn’t even answer my question! NOT HAPPY & will not use their services again
Camping in QLD at a lovely property but outrages fees from Hipcamp – Outrageous pricing by Hipcamp. But when asking owners for direct pricing it was much better pricing at $10 per person. No booking fees either of which 'Hipcamp' charged us double fees for two couples on the one booking. Looked at owners page and they gave her $142 for 4 nights for 4 people but charged us $190 Difference of $48. Double booking… Read more
fee!!!!!!! Should have been one only of $24. Will book directly through property owners from now on. Extremely dissapointing. It was supposed to be a good thing this 'Hipcamp'. Nah! no it's not. Our friends booked this for us, but they are not impressed either.
Works but cost are high – We used hipcamp for our latest break to try out. Whilst we enjoyed were we stayed, the booking dates were confusing, and I often thought that the cost quoted was for the whole stay, but was only for one night. Paying $95 per night to stay in a paddock with no toilets or water is outrageous, especially in winter. Hipcamp will price itself out of the market for most campers, and I will looking elsewhere.
Really bad app and huge admin fees – I've had a very poor experience with Hipcamp, the app is hard to navigate, pricing is all over the place and you can only ever book 1 vehicle per booking - this makes it hard to book as a group. They also take huge admin fees of up to 18% for canceled bookings. We were fed false information by one of the owners so had to cancel and rebook another… Read more
property and lost a lot of money from Hipcamp who take the fees (the owner gets nothing). Wouldn't recommend and won't be using again.
Hosting is not like it use to be – I’ve been a host for many years now and there’s little to no support. Guests can get away with everything and there is no recourse. Sadly Hipcamp has yet to learn that NO HOSTS, NO GUESTS. Very disappointing, threats from other hosts, outrageous lies in reviews from disgruntled guest. It’s not worth hosting with Hipcamp, better off finding other platforms like Riparide, Are we There Yet, AirBNB etc Show details
Good when it works. Almost 3 stars – We have a caravan and have booked 4 Hipcamp sites. 2 of these have been too steep for a van, one of them was almost impossible to access. They would be difficult to sleep on with a tent too. (see photo) We cancelled these two spots after one night for this reason. There was no refund. And because we cancelled we were unable to review the sites.… Read more
This will skew the site's ratings higher. I don't think Hipcamp give owners enough guidance for owners on what is needed. eg flat ground! Another problem is that hosts can be charming, and you form a personal relationship with them. It's difficult then to leave negative feedback. Is this hospitality, or a business transaction. The lines become blurred. This is also a problem with Airbnb. I will be reluctant to book with Hipcamp again, and if I do will ask lots of questions about the site.
Avoid it if you can – Glitches, hang ups and booking days aren't inclusive dates so if you need to correct an innocent error you'll get slugged another fee, if you book in fri sat for example then saturday is your departure date. Find the place on the site and contact the owner directly if possible Show details
Super Easy and Reliable way to travel for Cheap and Avoid Crowds – I have been both a Camper and Host for more than 2-years. Absolutely love Hipcamp as it is a great way to travel around the country, share large properties with their owners, have great privacy (not thousands of people at public campsites) and on a budget! We travelled from Sydney to North Queensland during the Christmas break and stayed at… Read more
around 6 or 7 places (Bellinger River Camp, Byron Hinterland, Crystal Creek, Cooroibah, Hervey Bay, Ormeau and Macleay). They had lots of photos and reviews that we could refer to and base our decisions off. All were awesome (except Cooroibah paperbark sanctuary - that was way too busy and muddy).
Easy to find places, usually lots of availability and prices are good. Highly recommend.
Only caution I'd say is watch out for the hosts that need to approve your booking. If they are slow or don't respond, then you can be left without a place to stay. Still love Hipcamp.
PS: This is the property that I host: https://www.hipcamp.com/en-AU/land/new-south-wales-central-coast-valley-farm-lz9hj08p?adults=1&children=0
Refund rejected - Hipcamp crooks – Refund not approved although Farmer approved 100%refund Hipcamp are crooks
Although the farmer owner approved a 100 % refund I got a email from Hipcamp saying my refund was… Read more (+6 replies)
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Well it's been 5 months now since my complaint. Does the people at hipcamp have any reply to the way they manage the hostile hosts