For campsites, caravan parks and holiday parks, reliable laundry facilities become especially critical during peak season, when high demand leaves little room for downtime. A single machine failure at the wrong time can quickly lead to queues, guest complaints, and increased pressure on site staff.
At JTM Service, we work closely with campsites, caravan parks and holiday parks across the UK to help them provide dependable and efficient on-site laundry facilities for both guests and staff. In this article, our Business Development Manager, Ben Donaghy, shares practical insight into the equipment, features, payment systems, and service considerations that can help sites manage demand, control costs, and maintain a positive guest experience.
Introduction
I am Ben Donaghy, Business Development Manager at JTM Service, covering the North West. I work with campsite, caravan park and holiday park operators to identify the most suitable commercial laundry solutions, ensuring machines are robust, cost-effective, and supported by reliable service and maintenance.
What type of laundry equipment does a campsite, caravan park or holiday park need?
Campsites, caravan and holiday parks require heavy-duty, commercial-grade washers and dryers designed for continuous use. Usage levels in these environments are significantly higher than in domestic settings, particularly during busy holiday periods.
Machines with load capacities of around 9–12 kg are typically well suited, as they can comfortably handle bedding, towels, and larger guest laundry loads. Energy-efficient models are also important, helping sites manage long-term running costs while still delivering consistent performance.
Who uses the laundry equipment on campsites and caravan parks?
The laundry facilities are used by a wide range of people. Guests rely on them for washing personal clothing, towels, and bedding during their stay, while housekeeping teams use the machines to launder linens for lodges, cabins, and other on-site accommodation.
Site management and maintenance teams also interact with the equipment regularly, overseeing day-to-day operation, payment systems, and service requirements. This makes ease of use, reliability, and clear visibility over machine performance particularly important.
What are the main laundry challenges for campsites and caravan parks?
One of the biggest challenges is coping with high demand during peak periods, when machines may need to operate almost continuously. Equipment must be robust enough to withstand this pressure without frequent breakdowns.
Energy and water consumption are also key concerns, as are reliability issues and long repair waiting times. We regularly see situations where unexpected downtime leads to guest frustration, longer queues, and operational difficulties for site teams.
Having the right equipment, supported by a responsive and reliable service provider, helps minimise downtime and ensures laundry facilities remain available when they are needed most. During peak season, proactive servicing and fast response times can make a critical difference to both guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.
What features and benefits should sites look for in laundry equipment?
When selecting laundry equipment, campsites and caravan parks should prioritise commercial-grade machines built for continuous use. Large load capacities improve efficiency when washing bulky items such as bedding and towels, while energy-efficient operation helps control ongoing costs.
Fast cycle times, simple and intuitive controls, and flexible payment options all enhance the guest experience. Features such as remote diagnostics and automated maintenance alerts can also support more effective servicing, helping potential issues to be identified before they result in machine downtime.
Which manufacturers are best suited to campsites and caravan parks?
As an approved partner, we often recommend Miele Professional machines for campsites and caravan parks. Their commercial ranges are designed for heavy, continuous use and tested to extremely high operating hours, making them well suited to demanding seasonal environments. We also work with a range of other leading commercial laundry manufacturers, including Electrolux Professional, Girbau, and Alliance, allowing us to recommend the most appropriate solution for each site.
These manufacturers build machines with high spin speeds which remove more moisture during washing, reducing drying times and energy consumption. Strong build quality and efficient use of water also help lower long-term operating costs.
More advanced commercial laundry machines can connect to a digital platform, such as Miele Professional’s digital platform, MOVE, allowing machine performance and status to be monitored remotely. Both site staff and the JTM Service support team can receive alerts if an issue develops, often before it leads to a breakdown.
For campsites and caravan parks, connecting equipment to a digital platform supports preventative maintenance, helps optimise machine usage during busy periods, and reduces disruption for guests by keeping laundry facilities available.
What payment systems are available for guest laundry machines?
JTM Service offers modern cashless payment solutions, including Airwallet and Nayax.
Airwallet is specifically designed for communal and commercial laundry environments and is often well suited to campsites and holiday parks. Guests can pay using a mobile app or card terminal, check machine availability, and book time slots in advance.
For operators, Airwallet provides a clear dashboard to track machine usage and revenue, typically operating on a fixed monthly fee with no transaction costs.
Nayax is another widely used cashless payment solution, offering contactless card and mobile payments alongside remote management and reporting tools. It is well suited to larger or more complex sites where flexible pricing, detailed reporting, and integration with other systems are required.
What are the differences between coin-operated and cashless payment systems?
Coin-operated machines require guests to have the correct change and create additional work for staff, who must regularly collect and manage coins. There is also a higher risk of coin jams, theft, and limited visibility over machine usage and income.
Cashless systems offer faster and more convenient payment options for guests, while providing operators with real-time monitoring of usage and revenue. Although initial costs can be higher, cashless systems often reduce long-term operational costs and improve reliability and control.
What payment options are available when purchasing new equipment?
JTM Service offers flexible purchasing options to suit individual site requirements, including outright purchase, rental, and lease purchase. ComfortCare extended warranty packages can be included across all options, helping provide predictable servicing and maintenance costs.
How can JTM Service help?
Choosing the right commercial laundry equipment and installing it correctly is critical, particularly for campsites, caravan parks and holiday parks where demand can increase significantly during peak season. Getting the specification, layout, and installation right from the outset helps ensure machines operate efficiently, safely, and reliably when they are needed most.
JTM Service supports campsites, caravan parks and holiday parks throughout the full lifecycle of their laundry facilities. We advise on equipment selection based on usage levels, available space, utilities, and guest requirements, carry out detailed site surveys, and manage professional installation to ensure new machines are commissioned correctly and perform as intended from day one.
Alongside supply and installation, we also advise on and implement appropriate cashless payment solutions, ensuring laundry facilities are easy for guests to use and simple for operators to manage. In addition, we provide a proactive approach to service and maintenance, helping prevent issues before they lead to disruption. Our engineers specialise in commercial laundry equipment and understand the operational pressures faced by holiday and leisure parks. Where available, remote monitoring and diagnostics allow potential issues to be identified early, enabling faster intervention and minimising machine downtime.
Whether upgrading existing laundry facilities or planning a new installation, JTM Service works in partnership with campsite, caravan park and holiday park operators to deliver complete commercial laundry solutions, covering equipment supply, installation, servicing, and ongoing maintenance, all tailored to the specific demands of each site.
By Ben Donaghy, Business Development Manager, JTM Service
