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Reviews 823
Customer
Jun 05,2023Splendours of Jordan This is a good trip, there is plenty to see , especially the Roman site of Jerash, Shobak crusader castle, Petra and the Dead Sea. The driver Nasser and the guide Hassen were excellent. The Intercontinental Hotel in Amman is lovely as is the Movenpick at Petra. The Jordanian people are nice and the food good for all tastes. The only drawback is the flight from Heathrow at 5 pm. It means you arrive in Amman at midnight, then have to get your visa, although a rep helps with that, a 35 minute drive to the hotel and check in. Most of us didn't get to bed before 2-3 am the next day. This means you may start the trip feeling tired when off to Jerash.
MAV
May 31,2023An historic and contemporary cultural delight! Jordan surpassed our expectations offering incredible landscapes (many used as film backdrops), vast vistas, friendly people and delightful tour guests. Great local food too including vegetarians and vegans. We were extremely well supported by our tour guide 'Ouse'. Thank you.
Kathryn Morris
May 30,2023Dear Cox and Kings We regret that our feedback for our recently completed ‘Uzbekistan: Heart of Central Asia’ is not positive, as we had been looking forward to this trip very much. However, it did not meet expectations (a view we are sure is consistent with that of other participants). First, a few positives. Group size was good, participants were nice, buses and high speed train provided good safe transport, hotel locations in Khiva and Bukhara were good. The negatives. Damir was the worst guide/tour manager we have ever experienced in 40 years of travel. He was late on no less than six mornings including the first two days. He was unresponsive and inflexible to group suggestions, his time management (and consciousness of time) was appalling - we arrived for lunches hours past specified times, refreshment breaks were totally neglected, mobility needs of participants unrecognised or acknowledged (on the second day, travelling by bus to Khiva, he blithely informed people ‘meet me at the top of the hill’ when many of the group were totally unable to climb the steep hill). Damir paid no attention to the people side of the trip, content to drone on endlessly about history without taking account of our needs or interests. Everyone in the group were mature and successful travelers and we were treated like children. Because of time management there was no ‘free time’ as specified in the itinerary - just a relentless grind from sight to sight! Tipping management was appalling - on several occasions we found ourselves standing in hot car parks sorting out tips for porterage - when it should either have been collected on the bus as part of a total tipping kitty for drivers and porterage) or included in the price. The hotel in Samarkand was dreadful - variously described by people in our group as ‘seedy’, ‘tawdry’ and ‘resembles a brothel’. Did we really need mirrors on the ceilings of our rooms? Terrible location - we could walk to attractions but it was a long hot trudge, with so many hotels in better locations. Bad choice by C&K. Drop the star rating and get close to attractions. Timing. Who thought visiting a big city on the weekend was a good idea. Samarkand attractions were overrun with people, making it unattractive and at times unviable to actually see things. More bad planning by C&K. Optional meals. We detected an undercurrent of expectation between Damir and local providers - for meals that we paid for, we were still ‘guided’ by Damir to specific locations/restaurants and then earned his ire if we chose an alternative - this was an unsavoury outcome. Although this was our first C&K experience, many participants had traveled with you before and as a result of this experience there were several comments about ‘never using Cox and Kings again’. Transfer. We were not sure about airport transfers, so requested whether you could arrange one for us in Tashkent. You quoted us 60 pounds. Outrageous. We organised it ourselves and it was $10US. very disappointed you would seek to gouge your clients like this. Reflects poorly on you. Documentation. Not provided by you in a timely fashion. We had to request it be sent. Disappointing. Overall. As a subsidiary of A&K (and given C&K’s price point compared to other providers) we had high hopes for our Uzbekistan trip - it is bitterly disappointing to think we are pleased to have reached the end of the trip (several participants commented they would now need a holiday to recover from the experience) We were totally aware of the temperatures, long distances to travel etc, but Damir and to a lesser extent C&K exacerbated the difficulties of travel here, rather than smoothing them. You should do better, but it’s too late for us to benefit if you do try to improve. We would be very happy to talk more should you wish.
Andrew Hudson
May 29,2023Cox & Kings were very efficient throughout, moving fast to make bookings at a busy time, and explaining how the trip would work. The paperwork was all done efficiently. On the ground, things worked as planned, with a very good driver. The arrangements to get us through the visa process on arrival were also very good.
Mr John Gattrell
May 26,2023The itinerary was fantastic, it struck a nice balance. The trip was well organised, everything seamless. The guide did a superb job and was very knowledgeable.
customer
May 26,2023By and large the tour was fine. We saw the highlights promised, albeit a couple of the Amman items didn't happen without explanation. Our guide was capable and good, although oddly didn't share his contact details which caused some difficulty. The only complaint as such was that despite a quarter of the group being solos, there was absolutely no attempt at early introductions, solos or couples. Over time the group, naturally friendly, got to know each other of course, but given the holiday was in part targeted at solos, with no single supplements, it was poor to find absolutely no provision made to integrate the group at the outset. Hence 4 stars rather than 5 for the experience as a whole.
Colin Higgs
May 24,2023Well organised tour with extremely helpful and knowledgeable local tour manager. Would have been five stars but for the pre-tour information issued being somewhat out of date.
Elizabeth
May 23,2023Everything went smoothly, from booking onwards. Uzbekistan was fascinating and the tour exceeded all expectations. The hotels were very good, food much better than expected, our guide excellent and small group was lovely. If I was to make any criticism, it would only be that it was very full on and a bit rushed at times. That was partly the group's fault by being distracted by shopping opportunities, leaving less time at sites. Our guide ensured we did get everywhere we were supposed to, and we had a very full experience of local culture as well as the magnificent sites, with great patience and good humour. The coaches and drivers were very good too, the country was modern, friendly, spotlessly clean, safe and an absolute delight. I highly recommend this tour, but get there soon before tourism spoils it! I would have liked final details from Cox&Kings a little earlier than a week before travel, and some of the information needs updating. Nevertheless, it was a terrific experience which I will remember forever.
Judith Popple
May 23,2023The guide Alisher was excellent and went out of his way to help and offer suggestions. However Cox & Kings must review and update the info sent out. The food was excellent, ATMs were readily available, American Express and Visa were not readily accepted unlike Mastercard which was the opposite of the info given, £Stirling wasn’t really wanted, accommodation was far better than suggested.
Ian Wyatt
May 22,2023Very helpful and diligent travel adviser Marianela who tailored our trip Splendours of South America to suit our requirements
G Windas
May 22,2023A really well organised small group tour including very good hotels, a very friendly tour guide whose historical knowledge was excellent. The group blended together very well and the whole trip ran very smoothly.
Mr Stoker
May 22,2023From the planning stage to the holiday, our recent trip to Turkey was first class.Bianca was very helpful with suggestions for our itinery and Begona ensured all the reservations and ticketing went without any problems. Would definatly recommend!!
Malcolm Snook
May 22,2023Neil Davis new his stuff and made it easy and pleasant to arrange.
Len Sullivan
May 18,2023Our travel expert Vasu put together a fantastic itinerary tailored to our requirements. His knowledge and experience was key. Vasu was very quick to respond to questions and helpful giving good advice. The Cox and Kings admin centre were also very helpful and quick to respond. Overall sn excellent experience.
Kevin Johnson
May 18,2023First timers with C&K and chose them for the tour agenda. Prior to departure we thought there was nothing to distinguish them from other providers. That changed when our airport transfer arrived which was a nice extra touch, and more so when we arrived in Amman, Jordan as we were guided through immigration etc at the airport speedily by the friendly C&K agent and straight on to the waiting touch. Hotels for the tour were great, rooms were lovely too (except perhaps our final one in the Dead Sea Resort where the rustic nature just made it look tired and unkempt) but our guide made the holiday. Hugely enjoyable with friendly like minded people.
Lloyd
May 17,2023Wonderful holiday. The holiday was very well organised, the guide was knowledgeable and friendly. I have travelled with Cox and Kings before and will do so in future. Two things for consideration. We arrived late on Sunday evening and the Monday was a full day of sightseeing, possibly reduce the activity on this day. The Movenpick in Petra was very well positioned and the rooms were good. However the service in the bar and restaurant was poor. Despite the bar being quite empty, drinks took about 20 minutes to arrive after prompting. The restaurant was well staffed but seemed haphazard as was the service. Two minor gripes but otherwise a fabulous holiday.
Rosemary Grist
May 16,2023Marianela was extremely knowledgeable about the Galapagos and do very helpful. She never complained about the constant changes I was forced to make. She booked the holiday and the flights for me in a most efficient and helpful way.
Ju
May 11,2023We booked a tailor made tour to India which cost the price of a car… the guides we had were excellent except for the one in Mumbai who couldn’t be bothered. In the main the hotels were good except for the first one which was not the ‘5 Star’ we had paid for. There are two main issues which have significantly reduced my rating. 1. There was no one to meet us in Delhi when we first landed to assist with our onward flight and we had not been given the proper tickets to get us through to the domestic flight area. By luck there was an Abercrombie & Kent rep there meeting someone else and he helped. If it had not been for this coincidence we would really have struggled and despite my complaining about this it happened again on another internal flight. Very poor planning, communication and service and bad hotel in Amritsar as mentioned above. 2. We had booked the Palace on Wheels and of the 25 people on the train, 17 became ill including me, my concern about this which in the UK would have been declared an outbreak has been met with indifference by Cox & King. I am advised it is still being investigated. The train journey was in March, this is now May. I feel that Cox & King are after your money and once they have this they don’t want to know. I am advised my complaint has been passed on but I have had no contact from them and my emails to the person I dealt with on booking go unanswered. They might be ok for group bookings but I would not recommend this company for booking a tailor made tour they don’t seem to have the foresight to plan it properly and don’t care if you enjoy it or not.
Suzanne Stolberg
May 11,2023Dire contact which is why we’ve booked with another company. Wanted to book a 5 week high end holiday for myself and my husband which will be around £20k spend. Called twice - each time was told that the person was busy but would call me back - they never did. Then sent an email - again no reply. How could I be confident that they would be there if there was a problem whilst away? Have now booked with Trailfinders - they at least value my business.
AJM
Jun 07,2023I arrived for my first ever holiday on my own, being recently widowed. There was no-one there to greet me (as the instructions had said). I waited for an hour and a half in the main airport at Cairo before seeing someone wandering past with three people (I knew I was one of four) with a clipboard down by his side. Oh yes, he said, he wondered what had happened to me. He would quite clearly have left me there. I had looked at every sign - I’d guess he was late and he’d not got there before I left the plane. Then at the next airport, there was a sign with the names of the rest of my party, but not mine. It was irritating that time, rather than frightening, which it really was the first time. I then emailed C&K twice about this. Not least as I wouldn’t want to travel with them again if they couldn’t reassure me that this wouldn’t happen again. No reply.