Hipcamp Web Availability Notifier

WHAT IT DOES

Hipcamp Web Availability Notifier automatically scans Hipcamp campsite and property listing pages to extract comprehensive availability data including available dates, booking windows, minimum stay requirements, and campsite amenities. The tool displays a floating panel that shows a calendar grid of available dates color-coded by availability status—green for available, yellow for limited, red for unavailable—making it easy to see at a glance when you can book. The earliest available date and properties with the most consecutive available nights are highlighted to help you plan your trip. You can set a preferred date range and minimum stay duration, and the tool notifies you when matching sites are found with a desktop notification. Your search parameters are saved automatically across sessions, so you don't have to re-enter your preferences each time. The availability view updates when you change search criteria, providing real-time feedback on matching options.

WHERE IT RUNS

This extension operates exclusively on hipcamp.com domain pages that contain campsite or property listing content—specifically pages with "/properties/", "/campsites/", or "/land/" in the URL path, or pages that display availability calendars and property details. It works alongside the free BotGentz companion extension, which provides the necessary DOM access and page interaction capabilities. The availability notifier runs entirely within your local browser instance and does not communicate with any external servers or APIs. All availability data extraction, date filtering, and preference storage occurs on your machine, ensuring your search activity and camping preferences remain private. It supports all modern Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera) and Firefox when paired with the BotGentz bridge.

HOW TO USE

After installing both BotGentz and this availability notifier, navigate to any Hipcamp campsite or property listing page. Within 1-2 seconds, a panel appears in the bottom-right corner displaying the property name and summary statistics including number of available dates, minimum stay requirements, and booking window. The "Available Dates" section lists all extracted dates in a scrollable list. The "Amenities" section shows available campsite amenities as tags. The "Search Filters" section lets you enter a preferred date range (MM/DD format) and minimum stay duration—click "Check Availability" to find matching dates, and the results are displayed with a notification when matches are found. Your filter preferences are saved automatically and persist across sessions. Use the "Clear Filters" button to reset all search criteria and start fresh.

AVAILABILITY DATA EXTRACTION AND DATE FILTERING

The availability notifier uses a multi-strategy extraction system to locate and parse availability data from Hipcamp listing pages. It first attempts to find structured availability elements using selectors based on the site's typical class naming patterns, including availability calendars and date pickers. When these selectors fail due to site updates, the tool falls back to text-based parsing, scanning the page for date patterns using regular expressions that match common date formats (Month Day, Year; MM/DD/YYYY; and Month Day). The tool extracts minimum stay requirements through pattern matching for "minimum stay" or "min stay" labels, and booking window duration through pattern matching for "booking window" or "available for" labels. Amenities are extracted from amenity list elements or through keyword detection for common camping amenities like toilet, shower, water, electric, fire pit, and table. The date filtering system uses text-based matching to filter dates based on user-provided start and end dates, with basic range checking to identify matching availability. When matching dates are found, a desktop notification is triggered through GM_notification to alert the user.

THE PANEL

The availability notifier panel is a compact, functional overlay that integrates into the Hipcamp listing page. It can be dragged by clicking and holding the title bar, positioning the panel anywhere on the screen for optimal visibility while you browse camping options. The panel includes a built-in snap feature that automatically aligns to the nearest screen edge when released within 48 pixels, keeping your workspace organized. Click the collapse arrow in the top-right corner to minimize the panel to a small icon bubble showing a gear emoji, preserving screen space while keeping the tool accessible. The panel is not resizable in this version, maintaining a consistent compact size that works on all screen resolutions. Press the Escape key to instantly hide the panel; press Escape again to restore it. All position, collapse state, date range preferences, minimum stay preferences, and notification preferences are saved locally using GM_setValue and persist across browsing sessions.

PLEASE NOTE

This extension requires the free BotGentz extension to function—the availability notifier does not work standalone. Hipcamp occasionally updates its page layouts and availability presentation formats, which may temporarily affect data extraction accuracy. The tool extracts availability data from the visible page content; if availability information is loaded dynamically after page load, you may need to wait a moment or refresh the page for the panel to populate. Date filtering uses text-based matching and may not support all date formats. The availability calendar display is a visual representation for quick reference—always verify actual availability on the official Hipcamp listing before booking. The tool does not store or transmit any data; all availability data extraction, date filtering, preferences, and settings are processed and saved entirely within your browser. This tool is designed for personal trip planning assistance and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Hipcamp or its parent company. Availability is subject to change; always confirm current availability on the official Hipcamp platform before making reservations.