ACSI card, is it worth buying?

Carpmart

Carpmart

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Just a tad..
Back off to the mainland in September and musing over if a ACSI card is a good investment?

On the face of it it seems great, but do you end up on suboptimal sites if you have a card, rather than the best sites in any given area? Kind of chasing the discounts as opposed to booking the nicest site?

Take Ile de Re as a working example. We’ve been meaning to visit the island for ages. We will go for maybe 10 days in Mid Sept. Are there a number of ACSI sites on the island? … do you get a genuine discount from their advertised rates? Are the nicer sites not ACSI and would be better to stay at?

You can repeat the same questions for Biaritz, for northern Spain for west coast Portugal sites etc…

I know it’s a low cost investment but wondering if there are genuine real world benefits?

Appreciate everyone’s thoughts.
 
We get it. It doesn't cost much and you only need to use it a few times to "get your money back". Also you get to access a different set of site reviews than Campercontact, SFS, etc etc.
 
Certainly in Italy and Croatia I found the ACSI rates were allocated to less desirable pitches.
I didn't find that happened in France to the same extent. Not sure about Spain, not been there in Moho.
On balance, it's probably worth getting for France, as stated you don't need to use it much to get your moneys worth
 
You can check out which campsites on the Ile de Rey are included on the scheme and their prices here: https://www.campingcard.co.uk/campsite/search/q/region-geographical:122/

Yes you genuinely get the advertised rate (usually plus the local tourist tax). Some campsites only allow ACSI on some pitches, others let you pitch anywhere you like. We've been members for a few years now and always save more than the cost of membership. We try to use ACSI sites as much as possible (because they're cheaper) but if we prefer the look of a different site in the area then we'll go to that one instead. Likewise on the campsites that only allow ACSI on certain category pitch...we sometimes pay the extra for a nicer pitch instead of the ACSI one, sometimes we just stick with the ACSI one.

According the inspector we were chatting to in Venice back in May, next year they're going fully digital and you'll be able to get your membership card on the app instead of having to buy the books (y)
 
Our only 'disappointment' was at Kiko Park in Spain where they tried to tell us, unconvincingly,
that they had no ACSI pitches left and we should pay the full rate. Both me and the German lady
who was next, walked out.
 
Emmit said:
Our only 'disappointment' was at Kiko Park in Spain where they tried to tell us, unconvincingly,
that they had no ACSI pitches left and we should pay the full rate. Both me and the German lady
who was next, walked out.
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Oh that's disappointing to hear....I've bookmarked that site for a potential 5 night stay in September (we need somewhere we can work from for a few days). I may have to look for an alternative.
 
One site in Interlaken displaying the ACSI sign wouldn't offer a discount saying it's not worth it (to him), the place, nor the owner and his mates playing cards all day, hadn't changed since we were there twenty years earlier. The site we did go to allocated a short section for the discount which was quite handy opposite the loo block.
 
It;s definitely worth having. On our recent trip to Spain, you got EHU included in the ACSI price on some sites (y)

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Used in Spain without any problems so far. I fear that as the market fills up, the need to offload sites out of season will be on the decline.
 
DangerMousy said:
Oh that's disappointing to hear....I've bookmarked that site for a potential 5 night stay in September (we need somewhere we can work from for a few days). I may have to look for an alternative.
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Don't turn up on 'spec like we did. Contact them and see what they say.
 
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If you stay in sites on the shoulder season I think it is good value. The killer for all sites is the creeping additional taxes which ACSI can do nothing about. Environmental tax is the latest in Germany as well as tourist tax.

The cost of sites is still well below equivalent sites in the UK.
 
Coastal Cruiser. said:
Paid £16 for mine at the NEC, booked into the site at Lake Titisee for a few nights and saved €20 so that’s that paid for.
Just on a site in Switzerland for 4 night that take ACSI but I forgot all about it when paying :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:
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Eee! Stayed there with the Scouts in 1962.

Nailed to a tree was a sign in German saying ''No Camping' but that's where they put us, much to the amusement of the locals.
 
We used it in Spain & France lat month for 10 or so nights. Could pick any pitch we wanted on the sites we were on.

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We have had it in the past and have it for this year as one site we plan to stay on in Spain for two weeks will save us 112 euros alone. Allows any pitch though they are all good. In the past have saved the cost of ACSI several times over on a one night stay on an expensive site.
 
We've been in Northern Spain & Portugal for eight weeks and only one site did not give us a free choice of pitch. Even that site gave us 10% off the rack rate for their superior pitches. We also noticed this year in Spain & Portugal at least, the validity period seemed longer, invariably until the end of June and frequently until mid - July.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Seems a unanimous yes it’s worth it… 👍🏻

We are usually aires users or long stay, but can see a few sites being used this autumn.

What dates are usually applicable for the card to work? I realise July and August will be excluded, is that it? Will mid Sept through to Dec be discounted? I’m guessing based on the copious demand in SE Spain in the peak winter period, that’s also excluded now too?
 
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DangerMousy said:
....

According the inspector we were chatting to in Venice back in May, next year they're going fully digital and you'll be able to get your membership card on the app instead of having to buy the books (y)
Click to expand...

That would be a massive benefit! I paid for the books, which were sent in German (I don't speak German) but, even so, the print is SO tiny I couldn't have read it anyway. They said I could send them back for a refund at my cost. I ended up putting the books in the bin. Being able to look at sites and info online, plus photos uploaded by people who've stayed there, would be hugely beneficial to the current, outdated system :)
 
Stayed on a site in Spain for a few days in April ACSI rate €23, standard rate £21.50, if you want EHU ACSI would have been €3.50 cheaper but we don't need EHU.
 
Used it last week for first time. Camping Barcelona two nights £72 oh i forgot i have my Acsi card ! came in at £46. prices there or there abouts many sangria ago now.
 
HKF said:
That would be a massive benefit! I paid for the books, which were sent in German (I don't speak German) but, even so, the print is SO tiny I couldn't have read it anyway. They said I could send them back for a refund at my cost. I ended up putting the books in the bin. Being able to look at sites and info online, plus photos uploaded by people who've stayed there, would be hugely beneficial to the current, outdated system :)
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The dates are shown in the handbook which differ from site to site.
 
Emmit said:
Our only 'disappointment' was at Kiko Park in Spain where they tried to tell us, unconvincingly,
that they had no ACSI pitches left and we should pay the full rate. Both me and the German lady
who was next, walked out.
Click to expand...
I think they only take ACSI on their “aire” pitches - outside the main site, and there are only 10-15 (?) of them.

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HKF said:
That would be a massive benefit! I paid for the books, which were sent in German (I don't speak German) but, even so, the print is SO tiny I couldn't have read it anyway. They said I could send them back for a refund at my cost. I ended up putting the books in the bin. Being able to look at sites and info online, plus photos uploaded by people who've stayed there, would be hugely beneficial to the current, outdated system :)
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We never look at the books, just use the excellent’Cc’ app which has all the info you need including reviews and photos etc of all the sites that accept the card. I think it is an extra 3 euros or something using the code on your card.
1686845265814.png
 
I visited some sites on the Ile de Re a few years ago and was definitely restricted to the "poor" pitches unless I paid extra. Generally though I am a fan of ACSI. What would be a poor pitch for a caravan with awning and car can be quite ok for a MH.
 
Carpmart said:
Back off to the mainland in September and musing over if a ACSI card is a good investment?

On the face of it it seems great, but do you end up on suboptimal sites if you have a card, rather than the best sites in any given area? Kind of chasing the discounts as opposed to booking the nicest site?

Take Ile de Re as a working example. We’ve been meaning to visit the island for ages. We will go for maybe 10 days in Mid Sept. Are there a number of ACSI sites on the island? … do you get a genuine discount from their advertised rates? Are the nicer sites not ACSI and would be better to stay at?

You can repeat the same questions for Biaritz, for northern Spain for west coast Portugal sites etc…

I know it’s a low cost investment but wondering if there are genuine real world benefits?

Appreciate everyone’s thoughts.
Click to expand...
Worth it without question if you use sites. For example La flotte en re Camping Bel Air 800 m from centre, decent site 19 euros & they will let you reserve a pitch. Been many times, good place to network from. Currently on Camping Rodas in Roses immaculate site well run & it’s pretty full of ACSI campers 23euros & worth it. Been out since 18th May & paid for itself many times.
 
Lenny HB said:
Stayed on a site in Spain for a few days in April ACSI rate €23, standard rate £21.50, if you want EHU ACSI would have been €3.50 cheaper but we don't need EHU.
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We have never been charged separately for EHU in the years we’ve had the card. I understand some of the sites that people winter at do charge.
 
Carpmart said:
Back off to the mainland in September and musing over if a ACSI card is a good investment?

On the face of it it seems great, but do you end up on suboptimal sites if you have a card, rather than the best sites in any given area? Kind of chasing the discounts as opposed to booking the nicest site?

Take Ile de Re as a working example. We’ve been meaning to visit the island for ages. We will go for maybe 10 days in Mid Sept. Are there a number of ACSI sites on the island? … do you get a genuine discount from their advertised rates? Are the nicer sites not ACSI and would be better to stay at?

You can repeat the same questions for Biaritz, for northern Spain for west coast Portugal sites etc…

I know it’s a low cost investment but wondering if there are genuine real world benefits?

Appreciate everyone’s thoughts.
Click to expand...
There are 14 ACSI sites on Ile de Re. You will get a reasonable pitch on all of them in September as the darling children will be back in their Ecoles.
We've been ACSI members for many years, sometimes you get a smaller pitch but generally well worth the discounted, fixed price. Remember to say you are booking under the ACSI scheme when you book in. We're off to Re (again) on Sunday - hooray(y):cool:
 

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