Campground Review

Grandview Campresort and Cottages

89 North Moodus Rd. Moodus, CT

Campground Entrance

As new full-time RVers who have recently sold the homestead we were in a desperate search for a comfortable place that we could park the RV and live until we began our trek south in late October. The options are limited in our area. Most of the campgrounds that are suitable are closed by October 15^th.  We were very fortunate that Grandview does not officially close until the end of October.

Grandview is reasonably new campground with a classic feel due to its history. It is picturesque , hence the name, nestled on an ascending hilltop overlooking the owners property across the road. The view affords a panorama of the Moodus hills which is stunning any time of year.

The property has a rich history of hospitality and outdoor fun. In the mid-40s it was a resort that featured the Grand View Hotel. It was an oasis for urban dwellers looking for some fresh air, outdoor fun and a beautiful view. Some thirty years later there were other options available including the burgeoning RV movement. People stopped coming.

The next iteration of the property was a Jewish learning center called the Torah Institute. Sometime later it functioned as a youth basketball camp.

Don and Valerie Bergeron have lived on the property across the road for 50 years raising their children, running their various business and tending to their horses. When they saw the property falling into disrepair some five years ago they decided that it was too important to let go. Camping and RV enthusiasts themselves for many years, they decided to buy the property and try to build a campground that they would like to frequent. They understood better than anyone the history and the value of the property. Although building and rebuilding necessitated the dismantling of the hotel, they have tried to save and restore as many of the structures as possible and repurpose materials that help tell and preserve the story of Grandview.

The campground has approximately 40 sites many of which have full hook-ups or electric and water. The pull-throughs are spacious. There are also approximately 15 cabins available as well. The resort is also a site for weddings with the original entrance to the hotel preserved and utilized as a grotto. A large hall is available for receptions or other gatherings.

There are tent sites available and bathroom and shower facilities as well. There is a small playscape and a new pool for the enjoyment of all. An arcade sits by the pool. There are pool tables, video games and even a piano for anyone who feels like entertaining.

Although the area is mostly rural, the campground is very close to East Hampton and Colchester both towns large enough to find with whatever you are looking for. There is a great barbecue place very close by called Hilltop Barbecue (I know – great barbecue in Connecticut? Those of you from the South and Southwest are snickering. Go right ahead. We understand. We laugh when others elsewhere talk about great pizza!)

 

There is internet access but no cable tv access. I only include it as a matter of intertest and to illustrate why Grandview is a special place. The internet has not been working consistently since two days after we arrived. Poor Don has been working tirelessly to rectify that. He has spent money and time working toward a solution. I am sure that he will not rest until it is resolved. In the meantime, thank God for mobile hot spots and unlimited data. (sort of – I will save that one for a rant).

Again, I only share this because it is an example of why we like this place and plan to stay here when we return to the area to spend time with friends and family. It is run by a family. Almost all of the workers are family. When you stay here you feel like family. Not too many days go by that Don does not ride by in his cart and stop to shoot the breeze. That might be a little different in the busy season, but it still happens. One gets the feeling that when you stay here you are not just someone who paid for a site. You are truly their guest. Maybe it is the spirit of the hotel that permeates the property or maybe that is just who they are.

If you are looking for a reasonably quiet, well-kept campground with several great views and close to other amenities, Grandview is your place. (Wait a minute. Why am I writing such a good review. I kind of like it when it’s quite around here!)