1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

The National Parks are very well managed - and quite spectacular - but the best bit was the horse riding at the 'mountain ranch' - good horses, well looked after and an excellent evening ride catered for all abilities.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Bear in mind the costs of all the extras, including costs of breakfasts (and 15-20% tips expected)... though get good at ordering one dish and sharing - it's likely to be massive. Watch your credit card in a restaurant - no 'chip and pin' and ours got cloned (in Las Vegas).

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

The use of large tourist hotels (some wearing thin) for much of the tour was not in keeping with the aims of this programme, the organisers need to be more imaginative about working with local people on alternatives, (though, to be fair, the children enjoyed the small pools provided by these places). Many of the hotels used were very wasteful, with throw away everything - especially if they provided a self service poor quality breakfast. Eating options sometimes limited to fast food places - especially when travelling. This whole aspect was a big minus.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

Travelling with a small group brought extra dimensions and it was great for the children. The programme is well planned and well paced and the tour leader helpful in organising activities. Very good way to see a side of America (including the madness of Las Vegas if you want to! it has to be seen to be believed!) at the same time as enjoying the beautiful parks and Grand Canyon etc.

Read the operator's response here:

We are pleased to hear that you and your family enjoyed traveling throughout the national parks of the Southwestern USA on our Cowboys & Indians Family Discovery tour last summer. We strive to deliver the trip of a lifetime to each of our clients and our knowledgeable, local guides are key to our success.

While we understand your concern about using a “branded chain” hotel on the trip, i.e. Best Western, please be aware that the property is actually privately owned by local residents. As this tour goes off the beaten path and visits rural, small towns, we have selected the properties to maximize comfort- particularly for the children on tour. Incidentally, we are glad that your children did enjoy the swimming pools.

As for the hotel’s use of plastic cutlery at the continental breakfasts, this is something that is the preponderant system in many US hotels, and although we do not own the properties, we certainly encourage them to adapt more environmentally responsible practices. In the case of occasional fast-food stops for lunch, our tour guides generally organize picnic lunches or stops at locally owned, family restaurants when available.

We do our utmost to ensure that our clients have a wonderful, memorable experience whilst exploring the national parks, small towns and big cities along the way. Rest assured that we will continue to take client feedback to heart and take action to continue offering the best holidays throughout the Americas.