Wonderful Holidays UK

Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback and for choosing us for your recent adventure. We value your perspective as a seasoned traveler and are sincerely sorry that parts of your experience fell short of expectations. Your booking was made on April 1st for an arrival on April 8th, which coincided with Thai New Year (Songkran)—a significant national holiday where transportation services, businesses, and tours often operate on limited availability. Additionally, earthquake activity around that time added to operational disruptions. From the outset, we informed you that the ATV tour would not be available due to these factors, and an alternative activity would be organized. Nonetheless, when you strongly expressed your desire for the ATV tour, we went beyond our standard protocol to secure a last-minute option through a third-party vendor, fully disclosing that transfers would not be included. While this made us feel more like a “broker” than a curated operator in that instance, we still reimbursed you in full, including additional gratuities and holiday-related surcharges you were asked to pay locally, to ensure you were not inconvenienced financially. We do not see a mention of that in your review at all which is a bit disheartening. Regarding your comments about the Vietnam leg, we were quite confused as our prior communication includes this message from you: “What day would the elephant tour be? When would I need to book my flight to leave? I don't plan to include a trip to Vietnam.” Based on this, Vietnam was excluded from your itinerary, and it’s unclear why your review states you were denied the option. If you could give more context to this it will help us understand this better. Regarding the transportation from Bangkok to Surat Thani, we’d like to clarify that when we informed you that the “first-class train” with air-conditioning was sold out, we offered an “air-conditioned coach” option as an alternative. The intention was never to mislead; the term “coach” was used to refer to a VIP bus, which is a common alternative in such scenarios. However, we understand how the wording may have been interpreted as a different class of train coach, and we apologize for the miscommunication. To ensure flexibility, we had also issued second-class train tickets, which still allowed you the option of choosing the train over the coach. Our goal was to offer a backup plan that would ensure your journey remained uninterrupted, particularly given the limited availability during the busy Thai New Year. We do appreciate you highlighting the activities were enjoyable, and we’re genuinely thankful that the local Thai hospitality made your ATV day memorable. We're especially pleased to note that although the overall review for the tour was 2 stars, you rated our accommodation 4 stars and our guides 5 stars—something we’re very proud of and grateful you acknowledged. Still, we recognize that the pre-trip communication and clarity We take this seriously and are already working with our team to improve our responsiveness and the accuracy of our pre-travel details—especially for last-minute bookings and holiday periods. Thank you again for highlighting areas we can improve upon. Despite the setbacks, we hope there were still meaningful moments during your time in Thailand—and we sincerely hope you’ll consider giving us the opportunity to serve you better in the future.

Hello Carol, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re truly pleased to hear that you had a memorable experience with our exceptional tour guides, Fawaaz Domingo and Nthato Mitsubishi. Their professionalism and dedication continue to leave a lasting impression on our guests. Regarding your stay at Garden Court Victoria Junction in Cape Town, we would like to provide some important context. This hotel is a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award winner for 2023, 2024, and 2025, honored three years in a row for consistently ranking among the top 10% of properties on TripAdvisor. It maintains a strong reputation with consistent 5-star reviews from travelers, including 8 five-star ratings and 2 four-star ratings among its last 10 reviews, even as of today. That said, we fully understand that experiences can vary, and we take every concern seriously. As soon as your concerns about the hotel were raised, our team offered a hotel change and simply requested a short written note documenting the issue, so we could formally escalate it. You indicated via instant chat that you had submitted a review, but unfortunately, it never became visible. When we asked for a screenshot or confirmation of the posted review, none was provided. Nevertheless, our team remained on standby for two full days, ready to assist further. Additionally, the General Manager of Garden Court Victoria Junction met with you personally, apologized, arranged a room change, and offered a complimentary gift as a goodwill gesture. However, at no point was it communicated to him—or to us—that you still wished to change hotel. We were also surprised by the question posed on the final day: “Why do I have to write a review to get a hotel changed?”—especially since multiple solutions, including a hotel switch, had already been made available. We do understand and as you said, the entire trip was curated with care and attention—from first-class guides, well-maintained vehicles, and thoughtfully selected accommodations. We’re glad much of your journey went smoothly and was delivered to a high standard. We hate to receive anything less than a 5-star review, and while we are proud of the overall quality of the tour as our priority has always been your comfort and satisfaction, and we regret that despite genuine efforts, this last part of hotel experience did not meet your expectations. Your feedback is important to us and will continue to guide how we serve our guests moving forward. Regards Erica Davies Customer Relation Manager Wonderful Holidays UK

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that certain aspects of your experience didn’t meet your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to address them constructively. First and foremost, we're glad to know that you ultimately enjoyed your tour and found the places you visited lovely. We’re also happy to hear that our team on the ground responded promptly and effectively—especially during your family emergency—and that you were able to continue your trip stress free. We also see from our instant chat group that your self booked train from Lisbon onwards was missed and didn't connect well with the flight coming back from Azores to Lisbon, We would always give it a bit more than an hour & a half after the landing time, given it can take time for luggage to arrive and getting a taxi from Lisbon airport (which is a busy airport) to the station can at times be tricky if not pre-booked (Like in this case). Regarding your other concerns, we would like to clarify a few important points: Itinerary and Group vs. Private Tour: The itinerary you experienced was exactly the same as the one listed on our website at the time of your booking, with no changes made. We’re unsure what other itinerary was expected, but we’re happy to review this further with you. Regarding the group vs. private setup, at times when minimum group size isn't met, we proceed with the tour as a private experience rather than cancel—often seen as an upgrade, though it costs us significantly more but we understand guests having booked flights and time off work cancelling can bring about a big disappointment, we also understand you were hoping for a more social group environment which is beyond any company's control. Pre-tour Information and Communication: Our response time to any queries stays less than 5 hours, but we regret that you found it difficult to get definite answers ahead of your trip. We strive to provide clear and timely communication, and we're sorry to hear this wasn't your experience. We will review our internal processes to improve responsiveness and clarity, especially in the lead-up to departure. Booking Details & Flight Baggage: We sincerely apologize for the confusion regarding your nationality and baggage allowance. This appears to have been an unfortunate oversight in communication, and we are working with our team to ensure such errors are minimized in the future. That said, we would like to clarify that travelers often carry different sizes and quantities of luggage, and our team provides clear information on what is included and what may incur additional charges. In your case, we had upgraded your seats on the internal flights, which included complimentary baggage allowance. This benefit was reflected in the travel documentation provided, and there would have been no reason for our team to withhold that information. We will take this opportunity to reinforce clarity in such communication moving forward, so there is no room for misinterpretation. Fatima Tour Miscommunication: We regret the mix-up with the Fatima visit and truly appreciate your patience. We're glad our team acted swiftly to arrange the correct tour for you that same day privately, although we fully understand your disappointment about the time lost. Regarding your stay in the Azores, you were booked at Pestana Bahia Praia, a highly regarded property and a 2025 Travellers' Choice Winner on TripAdvisor, with recent reviews consistently rated 5 stars. In fact, you were also provided with a complimentary Deluxe Sea View upgrade to enhance your experience. This feedback about the hotel being “dated” and “isolated” is a bit surprising to us, given its strong reputation and guest satisfaction. That said, we did follow up with the hotel, and their team confirmed that taxis can be pre-arranged easily through reception if guests would like to explore the island—we’re sorry if this wasn't made clear to you at the time. We will certainly work on better highlighting such local logistics to avoid similar inconvenience for future travelers. We act promptly to any complaints that are made about the hotel which is reflected in our other guest's reviews too. But in this case having scanned all the communication, no complaints were raised at all. As for the additional days before and after the tour including that arrangements like trains, since those were not booked through us / not in consultation with us, we didn’t have visibility or control over them. Had they been coordinated with our team, we would have gladly assisted in optimizing those connections for convenience and comfort. We take your feedback seriously, and we hate losing stars—but we value even more the opportunity to learn and grow from experiences like yours. Thank you again for trusting us with your travels, and we hope we have the opportunity to serve you better on a future journey. Kind regards Team Wonderful Holidays UK

Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a memorable journey through South Africa, despite the travel delays. Joydeen, Weevil, and Robin will be so pleased to know they made such a positive impact on your trip. We’re especially happy to hear that you were able to see all of the Big Five so early in the day, really lucky we have to say — what an unforgettable safari experience! It's also wonderful to know that our office team was able to support you through the travel hiccups and ensure your adventure remained smooth and enjoyable. It was a pleasure to be part of your journey, and we hope to welcome you on another adventure soon! Team Wonderful Holidays UK

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and generous review! We're delighted to hear that your experience with Wonderfulholidays lived up to its name from start to finish. It's great to know that our team was able to accommodate your requests promptly and that Sam’s recommendation for the hotel upgrade added such special value to your stay—ocean views for six nights at that rate truly is a steal! We’re also glad that Barbara and Penny were able to keep things running smoothly throughout your trip and that our emergency support gave you added peace of mind. Your kind words are a wonderful recognition of the care, attention, and teamwork we put into every journey. We’re so happy to have helped create a stress-free and memorable holiday for you, and we’d love the opportunity to plan your next adventure! Team Wonderful Holidays, London

Thank you for your kind words! We're so pleased to hear that the range and quality of experiences matched your expectations perfectly. It’s also wonderful to know that our online support team was able to assist you throughout your journey. Your feedback means a lot to us, and we hope to have the pleasure of planning another great experience for you in the future! Regards Team Wonderful Holidays, London

our Italy experience. We're delighted to hear that the itinerary captured the highlights you were looking for and that Venice and Florence stood out as favorites. It’s always a pleasure to know when our travelers connect deeply with the places they visit—and Tiziana will be thrilled to hear your kind words! She truly has a gift for bringing history, art, and culture to life, and we agree—she should have a podcast! We also appreciate your honest feedback regarding the Amalfi Coast portion of the trip. While the slower pace and scenic drives offer a contrast to the energy of the northern cities, we completely understand that the time spent in transit can feel lengthy compared to the more compact urban experiences. Your insight is valuable and helps us continue fine-tuning our itineraries to better match different travel styles. Thank you as well for noting the quality of the hotels and private tours—we’re so glad they met your expectations. And your note about communication logistics is a helpful tip for future travelers; we’ll explore ways to improve shared access where possible. It was a pleasure planning your journey, and we hope to welcome you on another unforgettable adventure soon! Warm regards Team Wonderful Holidays London