Holiday Reviews
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same trip can have different views!
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Southern India family holiday, independent reviews
 Reviewed 7 Apr 2005 by Laurie Cohen |  |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
For the kids it was the elephant ride, but for me there really wasn't a particular exciting event. Instead, it was the combination of really challenging aspects of Indian life, like the poverty in the cities, the contrast between this and the rapidly changing and growing economy which is just about visible in its effects, the incredibly beautiful, richly coloured and textured landscapes, the elegance of the people, and above all their warmth and friendliness.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
We all ate vegetarian food all the time which I guess was probably a good thing because it was delicious and we never got very sick. The main thing is that the concerns I had about incessant hassle together with possible illness seemed pretty unfounded. I could've saved myself a certain degree of anxiety if I'd ignored these stereotypes.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Well, I have to say that my husband and I felt a little uncomfortable in some of our wonderful hotels knowing that just beyond the gates life was pretty different, and that many Indians would never have a chance to stay in places like these. Having said that, so many people told us how delighted they were that we were there, since in the wake of the tsunami they'd seen their livelihoods drying up almost overnight. We were pleased to be able to spend our money in places which had been hit, and felt that it was a contribution. People were also keen for us to go back, and we very much hope that we can.
4. Any other comments?
It was really a great holiday.
| Reviewed 7 Jan 2008 by Sarah Cox | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Christmas Eve in Munnar when we went down to the town after dinner (against our guide's advice as he said there would be nothing there!) where we saw a wonderful procession up to the church on the hill for midnight mass accompanied by raga drumming Santas! Also Madurai with a different guide Radnah, who took us to 'The Putting Shiva to Bed' ceremony at the Hindu temple. Also Christmas Eve at the plantation where we had a wonderful lunch and a fantastic tour of the grounds. The host was lovely and showed us how rubber was made, and how to use turmeric root to ease the pain from mosquito bites.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Take loads of pens and stationary to give to the school children you meet.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
It benefited local people but I was very disappointed environmentally. Mineral water in individual plastic bottles was handed out and it was Aquafina a mineral water made by Pepsi! When I asked about this the guide said that the tour company insisted on this one as the only safe option. Also on our scheduled train journey (which we ended up not going on because the train times were not allowed for) the bus was going to take our bags anyway to the hotel.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Ok. I was disappointed with communication with our guide and the fact he didn't really communicate well with the children. And with the amount of travelling time on the bus (seriously underestimated in the itinerary). India itself was fantastic as was the food. I have a separate complaint about the accommodation as our family of 3 was always housed in a double room rather than a triple.
Read the operator's response here:
I was sorry to hear that you were disappointed with some aspects of your trip. I have passed your feedback to our Product and Operations teams who are following up the points raised in relation to your guide. We are usually praised on the ability of our guides to interact well with the children and I am really disappointed that you found his approach lacking in this respect. I would agree with you that bottled water is a problem in the developing world and we always recommend to buy larger bottles where possible. Whilst other options for purifying water are available we have to bear the possibility of water bourne illnesses in mind, especially where children are concerned. However, I would assure you that we do not insist on the Pepsi brand and that although the use of bottled water is suggested for safety reasons in India it is always a personal choice.I was sorry to hear that you were unable to take the train, the schedules in India do change at short notice and I regret that this happened. With the best will in the world sticking to strict schedules in India can be a challenge and we have to maintain a certain flexibility with our itineraries. We always request that families of three be accommodated in triple rooms where possible, however, these are not always available. In our brochure we explain that in some hotels these are double rooms with an extra (sometimes folding) bed squeezed into the room. Again, I regret your disappointment but am pleased that you enjoyed India overall.