I'm turning to the big brain collective of the sims 2 community because I have googled and tried a few things but can't seem to get the effect I am looking for and feel free to tell me if it's impossible.

I built a 'secluded' little bunk shack with an ice fishing pond in the upper mountains of Three Lakes. I have this handy item that allows the 'check-in' function without using a tent (it's cloned form a tent). My goal was to have a single sim or pair of sim friends come out and have this really secluded mountain experience, however...I can't stop tourists from showing up and crowding the place! It's become a local hang out for ice fishing fiends and hacky sackers. They are grilling food that is not welcome!

I popped open the visitor controller but was not able to find an option for banning tourists/vacationers. I tried 'ban all' for NPCs but they. kept. coming. I even used sim blender to remove all non-residents but it only works for a few seconds before another group bops on in to ruin the solace. Is there any way you have or can think of to try to put a big old metaphorical 'KEEP OUT TOURISTS' on this one-room, bunkbed-shack, hotel-zoned, lot type?

Hmm, for the VC, have you tried banning all under Sim Type, instead of NPC? Otherwise, the simplest way may be to make the lot a residential one/vacation home, instead of a campsite. Because on a campsite type lot/hotel, other sims are always called there, either to check into the other rooms or to be other campers.

You could also try changing the number of allowed lot visitors, but I don't think that makes sense just to play the one lot...

Changing the lot would work but if I wanted many different sims to experience the ice fishing lot/lodging - would I be able to trade out the deed from the original vacation home buyer or would that bork something you think? Like I wouldn't be opposed to just keeping track of who has the deed and do a crazy time share practice by the magic of simblender and yoinking out the deed from their inventory to transfer to the next vacation-er who wants a go at ice fishing. Is the x number allowed lot visitors an option on visitor controller? I searched for that option but didn't find it. I could try all sim types, I hadn't tried that one yet.

-I play a lot of different scenarios and use a lot of mods, but this is how I would handle it.

I would not use a hotel zoned lot there is far too little control there. I would build this as a community lot in a regular hood and make it owned. Then have the owner go to the lot and set is as closed. Then have the owner set up the meeting controller and enroll the sims you want to stay there. Start meeting and they will arrive controllable. The only downside is the owner will have to stay there but he or she could be the cook or cleaner for their stay. Or even lock them in their own cabin. One lot owner is easier to control than a bunch of randos.
Then at the end of the stay I would have the couple pay by the wallet token controller and then end meeting. The owner then has to say goodbye and they should leave. I did something very similar for a child's summer camp. Really didn't want randos wandering around that.

Could that be played in a vacation subhood? I was not aware owned businesses could be played in a vacation hood. I could simulate a vacation hood in a shopping district with the sleep anywhere mod or something however I don't think I want to create a whole other Three Lakes-esque place just for this one lot. However, the meeting controller, which I had never heard of until now, and looked up seems intriguing for some other uses and projects on the far horizon, including a summer camp in my main hood. So thanks for that tidbit!

I would check for a hack that generates more NPC visitors on community lots and remove it if you've got one installed to stop deserted community lots at home.I don't use any hacks like that myself because my issue was alway getting far too many visitors and Simlogical has teleporter shrubs that can allow a visitor limit to be set without using that cheat that never worked for me in UC.I'd combine that with the visitor controller to set limits because that's how my community service center is always deserted in my BACC when playables visit.

@Charmful you should be able to transfer the deed with no problems; you can also sell it back to the community and have another sim buy it. Transferring the deed might be the most interesting way, however, because it'll prevent sims from making money off of the sale. And it'll be like sims are loaning out their cabin, like some people do in real life. You could also have multiple lots to buy--2 or 3 remote ice fishing cabins, for example.

The number of allowed visitors would be changed through a mod, if you've installed one, or a cheat in your userstartup: intProp maxNumOfVisitingSims XX -replace XX with the number you want. That works for regular community lots, not sure if it works for the campground, but you can try it.

But Jo actually gave me another idea. Why don't you try making it a regular community lot? I think the reason you're getting all the visitors is because it's a campground/hotel type lot, which gets sims pushed to be there. But on a regular community lot, the VC should work to ban everyone and keep them away. You can have sims travel to a campground or a hotel, check in, and then spend all their days at the cabin community lot, returning to the campground/hotel when it's time to go home. Another thing to try before making the lot residential, at least.

And no, you can't own owned businesses in a vacation hood.

ETA: If you do trade around the deed, you could make a travel agent sim, who'd be responsible for not only selling vacation homes, but also "rent" out the deed by giving it to sims, and with mods, you can have sims pay him or her.

It originally started as a community lot, then I got the idea to just put a bunk in there and have the sim sleep over. I do have the sleep anywhere mod so the idea to just check them into Axe wood Campground and spend the rest of the time at the ice fishing place is a legit idea that could work in that respect - IF visitor controller will work for me. I already made it residential though because the trading of the house deeds intrigued me the most.

Thanks for all the hot tips Jo, Tad, and Phantom ! I think the way to go will to be to change the deed around. And having a travel agency sounds like a cool business venture to 'rent' out deeds to vacation 'getaways'

No, you can't own anything in vacation hoods thanks to EA making that impossible. (if someone cracks that one day I will be all over it) It's one of the biggest gripes made against that pack. I like making a shopping subhood into a holiday hood since sims can go there free. Lots zoned Hotel will still spawn the desk person and housekeeping. You need sleep on community lots.
Sounds like you found the meeting controller, sorry should have said Simlogical. It's similar to the school and handy in numerous situations. You also want the institution sign (plus patch, without the patch its just a sign) in case somebody should be at work.