London and Paris Explorer (Summer, 9 Days)

Customer Reviews

• 

  Michael

  · April 8th, 2024
  Great experience, better than expected. Will be using them (Trafalgar) again in the future.
  

  Trafalgar commented on this review

  We are grateful for your positive rating of our tour and service. It is heartening to know that you had a wonderful experience during the tour and that we took good care of you. Hosting you was our pleasure, and we thank you for being our guest.
  Trip date: March 2024
• JV

  Jay

  · July 6th, 2023
  I was disappointed with my Trafalgar experience. For the price (and due to the established reputation of the company) I was expecting far better. We would have been better off going to London and Paris by ourselves. In fact, most of the aspects of our vacation we enjoyed had nothing to do with Trafalgar, and most of the aspects of the trip that DID involve Trafalgar amounted to stressful ordeals. 1. The tour bus was hot and cramped. It was like flying coach on a crowded airplane, only hotter, and Trafalgar for some reason did NOT ever offer their travelers on the coach water or a small snack, even though we were on the bus sometimes for 3 hours or more at a time. It is basic hospitality to offer guests on a long journey some sort of sustenance, especially if the tour is expensive and the company providing it prides itself in organizing high-end, memorable experiences. In addition, the overhead speakers on the bus were unreasonably loud, to the point that it felt as though we were being shouted at by the tour director. I bought earplugs at a rest stop and the speakers were still uncomfortably loud while using the earplugs. Imagine spending many hours (over 6 hours, on one day of the trip) in this environment as a member of a captive audience with no means of escape. There was some improvement to the loudness of the speakers after I mentioned it to the tour director, but overall I dreaded getting on the coach. There was absolutely nothing luxurious or even comfortable about it. 2. The punctuality of the coach was seemingly random. We knew it was crucial to be on time when meeting at the coach, or else we might get left behind. On our first day in London, we went to the Tower of London on our own before the welcome dinner. We kept track of the time and were so worried about being late that we rushed out of the Tower and did not see everything there. We arrived early at the hotel to greet the tour director only to leave with the group aboard the coach for the welcome dinner over an hour late. If we had known we were going to be so late leaving for dinner, we definitely would have spent more time at the Tower of London and would not have gotten in an argument over rushing out of there. The coach was also late leaving for Bath the next morning. We were thus taught that the bus was in fact NOT especially punctual. So, as we were leaving Stone Henge, we arrived at the bus at exactly 3:45, as opposed to being at least 10 minutes early as we had been. This happened to be the ONLY time the bus was punctual. We were standing literally next to the bus at 3:45 (a few feet from it), so we weren’t late except if being on time means physically being in your seat on the bus at the prescribed time. The bus started moving and almost left us behind in the middle of nowhere. I had to run to the front of the bus and wave at the driver for him to stop. The tour director seemed surprised when we got on, as though no one even noticed we weren’t there. The bus was never “on time” again after that. When we went to Windsor Castle, for example, someone got lost and contacted the tour director to ask the coach to wait for her. The tour director and the other Trafalgar guests happily obliged, and when she boarded the bus 20 minutes late, she received a warm round of applause. This is quite unlike our own experience at Stone Henge, during which we were standing next to the bus at exactly the departure time and were unceremoniously forgotten before I stood waving in front of the driver. 3. Only breakfast and three dinners were included (on an 8-night trip). Given the price of the tour and reputation of the company, I would encourage Trafalgar to provide more included food and drink. Again, no complimentary snacks or even drinking water were offered at any time. Exactly what were we spending all that money for? To be shouted at on the cramped, hot coach? 4. Note to Americans: Popular restaurants in London and Paris are often hot and crowded during the summer. The restaurants we visited with Trafalgar for our included meals were no exception. I understand that Americans might have different expectations than Europeans regarding air conditioning and personal space, but arriving at a hot, crowded restaurant after spending time on the hot, crowded coach was hardly a relaxing way to end a day. We were so miserable at the second included meal (we were sweating, it was very loud, and it was so crowded we could barely move) that we opted not to attend the Farewell Dinner. 6. At each included dinner, there was only one “choice” for vegetarians (but offering only one item that vegetarians could eat is not really offering a “choice”, is it?). The non-vegetarian guests got to *actually* choose between several items. Naturally, I ordered the only vegetarian option at the welcome dinner, only to discover that the meal was richly infused with cilantro, which I detest. There were no other options for vegetarians. When I noticed that the other included meals also offered only one item vegetarians could eat (as if to say, “Take it or leave it!”), I spoke with the tour director and she helped arrange more options at the next meal. This was helpful, but Trafalgar should know better than to offer only one item at each dinner that is vegetarian-friendly in the first place. It would be of no inconvenience to the restaurants we visited for Trafalgar/the associated restaurant to offer vegetarian guests a choice between a hearty salad and cooked veggie combo and the more elaborate (but less popular) dishes that were actually offered. 7. The tour guide was unhelpful. I have medicine (insulin) that should be refrigerated, and I soon realized that the London hotel had no ice machine or small refrigerators in the guest rooms. When I told the tour guide about this, she told me to ask the hotel for assistance and did not help at all. I found out from the hotel that I would need to ask people working at the adjacent restaurant or bar for ice. After these closed, and I needed new ice for the following morning to last through the day, I needed to call room service three times to finally have ice delivered. Again, considering the cost of the trip, I believe the tour guide could have and should have assisted in this process, as finding ice at inconvenient times proved stressful throughout the London stay.
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  Trafalgar commented on this review

  Thank you for leaving your review, and only through your valuable feedback can we continue improving the standards we are known for. At Trafalgar, we understand that having a comfortable coach is an essential factor in enjoying your time on the road... Show more
  Trip date: June 2023
• RC

  Regina

  · May 30th, 2023
  Tour guide was great, Local experts were great, but the only thing that was not so great was the hotels. A lot of people in our group were older, and the tubs were high. Difficult to get in and out of. Please consider this when choosing hotels.
  Trip date: May 2023
• 

  Eva

  · July 26th, 2019
  This was a wonderful trip and Rose Brown is the best director. I traveled with granddaughters aged 26 and 14, and we all had a great time and learned a lot. There were some problems with one of our rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel (no AC) but the hotel moved the girls to a satisfactory room after the first night. Breakfasts at both hotels were excellent with a full selection of food and drinks. Every dinner was special and unique. We did almost all of the optional experiences, and every one was interesting and worth the cost. We saw so much in a short time, and Trafalgar/Rose plus expert driver Dave had it perfectly organized to get us through traffic and to the front of the very long lines. Again, Rose is the very best tour director who saw to our every need. This was my second trip with Trafalgar, and I can't wait to travel with them again.
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  Trafalgar commented on this review

  Thank you for taking the time to share your review. Here at Trafalgar, we love creating fantastic experiences that truly unveil the very best of the countries that our guests explore with us. With that in mind, we are delighted to read that you enjoyed... Show more
  Trip date: July 2019
• LC

  Leonard

  · June 3rd, 2019
  A tour is only as good as the guide and Mike Willis was excellent. He gave us another perspective on what we were seeing and was quick to respond to any of our requests. I did wish we had more time at our stops due to the crowds. This was our first trip on a tour and the overall experience was excellent.
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  Trafalgar commented on this review

  It's always great to read a review from one of our happy guests after their first guided vacation with Trafalgar. We are fully aware of the important role that our Travel Directors play in the success of our trips, and as such, all of our... Show more
  Trip date: May 2019
• SH

  Susanne

  · June 3rd, 2019
  Lots of hidden gems with Mike made him a clear choice for me next time I travel.
  

  Trafalgar commented on this review

  Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Delights of London and Paris guided vacation with Trafalgar. We are delighted to know that our Optional Experiences and Hidden Gems added something special to your trip, and moreover, that Mike was able to ensure... Show more
  Trip date: May 2019
• PS

  Parvin

  · April 22nd, 2019
  Traveling from London to Paris was too long and it took one day of trip, being in bus for over 8 hours it was killing. It could be done by fast train and not only we could save some time also it wasn’t make me extremely tired.
  

  Trafalgar commented on this review

  Thanks for sharing your feedback. At times, ensuring that we take our guests to the amazing attractions outlined in our itineraries can mean lengthier periods on the road. However, we recognise that holidays are also meant for relaxing, and as such, we... Show more
  Trip date: April 2019
• MD

  Margaret

  · April 8th, 2016
  I went with my 14 year old granddaughter. She loved London. Was quick to catch on to the workings of the Tube. Really enjoyed live theatre, the London Eye and the shopping. Paris was a postcard anyway we looked. Really enjoyed the sidewalk cafes and the food in general was excellent. We even mastered the Metro.
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  Trip date: August 2015
• CB

  Cindy

  · November 23rd, 2015
  The Trafalgar people were wonderful. We were met at the London airport and taken care of every step of the way. We had enough free time and tour time. Our guides were great. I would take a Trafalgar tour every year if I could!
  Trip date: July 2013