Hart Ranch is a beautiful, 5 star, resort park located in southern Rapid City, which is very close to most of the attractions. It is a membership resort/country club that is also affiliated with RPI, (Resort Parks International). We made reservations with RPI, their accepted method, on 23 May 08, to make sure we had a place to stay over the 4th of July. Received a confirmation number over the phone and a follow up e-mail. Reservations were from 30 Jun to 6 Jul.
We arrived at Hart Ranch to be told that our reservation had been cancelled. When asked by whom and what method, the res clerk could not tell us. She did turn to her coworker and said, "I thought all the RPI's had been cancelled" her coworker said "I thought they had been".
We were told that there were no sights available in the FHU area and was offered a sight in the meadows. We informed the lady that we wanted our FHU sight that we had a confirmation number for. She again said they were cancelled and did not have a sight available.
There was no manager on site for this very busy resort, which I thought was strange. We were given a temp sight just for the night and were told to see the manager or Reservation supervisor the next morning. Not knowing the area we took the sight and partially set up. In the meantime we went to Ellsworth AFB and they had plenty of sights available and once in would not have to move again. We decided to leave Hart Ranch and park at the base.
We went back to Hart Ranch to retrieve our home and stopped in the office to see if a sight had opened up. This new clerk, pm shift, would not even check the computer and said we would have to see the manager tomorrow. She also stated that "Our members have first priority over sites". I asked her if that is why the RPI's were being cancelled at the last minute? To this she said, rather curtly, "We don't do that!". I told her we would not be staying and she refunded our one night fee.
As this was a Sunday, we could not get ahold of anyone at RPI, so I called them early Monday morning and they said no one had cancelled our reservations from RPI. I then called and talked to the manager at Hart Ranch and she said she would check into this and wondered why her clerks had not called her on Sunday. She said she could probably get us a sight but we would have to move once or twice while there. I told her that was not acceptable and she said their members do that all the time, (What a deal). She also promised a call back on Tuesday when the reservations supervisor returned. It is now Wednesday and I have not heard anything yet.
We were really looking forward to staying there as you don't often get into a 5 star resort for $12.00 a night. I guess it was too good to be true.
If you have reservations at this park, please be sure to verify before arriving. I can understand their members having priority, especially over the long holiday weekend, but to accept a reservation and then cancelling them at the last minute, without contacting the person, is not a good thing!!!!!!