Pavilion RV Park, West Monroe, LA

Pavilion RV Park, West Monroe, LA is directly off I20, exit #112, and across from the FlyingJ/Pilot Travel Center (if you fuel here using the truck diesel lanes be very careful entering and exiting as the steep dip will have you bottoming out hard if you do not raise your coach up and proceed slowly).  Entrance to the park has changed so call for directions; the office is not the building that is seen as one turns from Well Rd. onto Service Road. If construction is completed, after turning onto Service Road, continue past Old Dominion Freight and turn right at Mane St.; their entrance and office is down the road on the right.

I have previously criticized their web site for disingenuous pictures (showed a nice swimming pool, restaurant, etc.). To their credit they have updated the web site and it accurately reflects facts, pictures and amenities as they exist today, Fall 2020. The web site is contemporary and intuitive to navigate. They have (most parks still have not implemented an on-line reservation system) an on-line reservation system run by roverpass.com. Unfortunately roverpass.com has received poor reviews from Google Reviews and our experience was no exception. The on-line booking is primitive, unlike the more sophisticated automated booking systems that allow the guest to actually pick and reserve a particular site. And the real surprise came when the quoted price of $34.50/night (per Pavilion’s web site) suddenly became $43.28/night when I was prompted to pay-very unethical (roverpass.com charges a fee!-why would I want to book on-line for the privilege of paying a fee?).  All readers please note this and call Pavilion directly to make a reservation so as to avoid this undisclosed and draconian fee. Pavilion RV should immediately remove this link and disassociate themselves from roverpass.com.

We have stayed here multiple times over the years as it is a convenient stop-over on the I20 corridor. Over two years ago they remodeled an empty building, added a kitchen and opened a respectable BBQ restaurant; a year later they closed it and the restaurant now sits idle. 

This is a rustic park inhabited by ‘permanent’ residents housed in their own rv or in cabins interspersed throughout the campground. The park owners evidently have attempted to improve the park in the past by the addition of the former defunct BBQ restaurant. Recently they relocated the office and clubhouse from the Service Rd. location to the Mane St. location. And the refurbished office is clean, updated with orderly and spotless laundry room, bath/shower rooms and a small clubhouse. So we appreciate the efforts, however we also sense that this operation has become too much for them. The result is the pool that no longer exists, the restaurant closed, and the sites outmoded. There is more than adequate space between sites with trees and grass. The only transient sites we identify are the pull-thru’s #40 to #47 and #22 to #28(#29,#30,#31 are short and far out of level). The FHU is standard and the 50 amp service provided continual 60 amp draw without issue. There is no WiFi (except at the office). Fortunately we did receive an Xfinity signal nearby (we are Comcast internet customers at home) that we successfully used to stream music and movies in HD. OTA (over the air antenna) did receive several local stations, some in HD. The Ouachita Parish Animal Shelter is adjacent to the park behind a fence and the barking and howling persists nearly 24/7. It is not enjoyable to write dispiriting critiques; with a little work this stop-over park could be made more hospitable. That being said we will continue to use this as our stopover as the alternatives in the area are less satisfactory.

On a more upbeat note there is the original Johnny’s Pizza on the other side of I20; do not pass up the opportunity to enjoy really good pizza. And down the road, on Cypress St., is BBQWest which will not disappoint. Also, visit ‘antique alley’ in West Monroe to find secret treasures. And while there walk across the River to Monroe, the Rivermarket and a few notable restaurants. What famous attraction in West Monroe did I not mention?

The Takeaway: Pavilion RV Park is a rustic campground populated by ‘permanent’ residents and dirt sites with working FHU and good 50 amp service. There is large green space with trees separating sites. Given the choice of campgrounds in the area this is the best stop-over park with a newly updated and clean office, clubhouse, laundry and bath/shower facilities. No WiFi (we were fortunate to access a strong Xfinity signal from nearby), and a number of local OTA channels in HD. There are good restaurants and interesting attractions in the area. We continue to use this as the best stop-over park in the area. Go to  www.rickpicks.com for other reviews, critiques and essays with links to area attractions and a more detailed review of this park as well as reviews of restaurants, etc.