levelgroundstandard.org

On Level Ground

Campground Hospitality and Software Standard

Version 0.1 Working Draft  ·  19 October 2026

Abstract

Promises for campgrounds and the software companies behind their bookings. It's voluntary, and anyone can check against it.

There are 25 rules. Rules 1–11 bind both the campground and its software company. Rules 12–25 bind the software company alone. Each rule gives an example, the reason for it, and how it's checked.

Status

This is a working draft. No campground or software company has adopted it. Some figures are still open and are marked in the text. Expect changes before version 1.0.

Versions

This version
levelgroundstandard.org/0.1/
Latest version
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Previous version
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Feedback
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The rules

Part 1

Rules for everyone who takes a booking

The campground and its software company share these.

  1. Rule 1 The site you pick is the site you keep
  2. Rule 2 Site details are true
  3. Rule 3 Eligibility rules are shown before you pay
  4. Rule 4 The first price is the full price
  5. Rule 5 Every fee says who gets it
  6. Rule 6 Your price doesn't depend on who you are
  7. Rule 7 Changes come in writing, with a way out
  8. Rule 8 If you booked online, you can cancel online
  9. Rule 9 Fees are refunded along with the stay
  10. Rule 10 A set remedy when a reservation isn't honored
  11. Rule 11 Booking works for everyone; accessible sites are protected

Part 2

Rules for software companies

Promises a software company makes to the campgrounds it serves.

  1. Rule 12 No software fee to guarantee a site
  2. Rule 13 One calendar, no double-selling
  3. Rule 14 Pricing tools use only the campground's own data
  4. Rule 15 A campground's guests belong to the campground
  5. Rule 16 Download everything, any time, free
  6. Rule 17 Leaving actually works
  7. Rule 18 No surprise changes mid-contract or mid-season
  8. Rule 19 One public price list, and you can talk about it
  9. Rule 20 Marketplace listing and use of your name only with your yes
  10. Rule 21 Payment terms are written down
  11. Rule 22 Support and uptime with a remedy that means something
  12. Rule 23 These promises survive a sale
  13. Rule 24 Sister businesses can't see client data
  14. Rule 25 The software company pays for failures it causes