Echo Island has a beautiful property and some genuinely wonderful people working there, but our stay was a bit of a mixed bag.
Check-in got off to a rough start. After telling the front desk I booked through Hipcamp, I was immediately told, “Don’t ever book through a third party.” I was also told I probably still owed another $135, even though I’d already paid $261.50 for our two-night stay. It was eventually sorted out, but no one ever explained what happened, leaving us wondering if we’d have more issues.
The glamping tent desperately needs better cooling. Our site had no shade, two tiny desk fans weren’t enough, and by midday the tent was basically an Easy-Bake Oven. We even had seven cans of Coke explode from the heat. We ended up driving into Evanston just to cool off with our senior dogs because the campsite was too hot to enjoy.
The Wi-Fi was unreliable, freeway noise was surprisingly loud all night, and we were never told where to find potable water. A few extra costs also caught us off guard, including required firewood and fishing fees.
The bright spots were Rick and Ed, who were incredibly kind and welcoming.
Echo Island has a beautiful property and lots of potential, but for the price I expected better communication and a more comfortable glamping experience. A couple of larger fans or some shade cloth would make a huge difference.