An Exceptional England Adventure - Thanks to Kateryna!
England | Jun 5 - Jun 13, 2025

Julie
Julie H.
Minneapolis, MN | Reviewed on Jun 30, 2025

I'm thrilled to share our incredible 9-day family trip to England, which exceeded our expectations in every way. I would rate our overall experience a 9/10, and I cannot recommend both England as a destination AND our amazing travel agent Kateryna highly enough!

What made this trip truly special was having everything seamlessly handled for us. Kateryna arranged all our accommodations, transportation (including private drivers and train tickets), and event tickets. The peace of mind that came with having every detail professionally managed allowed us to simply enjoy our vacation. Her expertise really showed in the quality of experiences she curated for us. And any time we had a question while on the trip, she was extremely quick to respond.

We explored London, York, Oxford, and the charming Cotswolds villages. Our itinerary was perfectly balanced, including iconic sites like Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace, cultural experiences at the British Museum and Harry Potter Studio, and unique adventures like our Secret Food Tour in Soho.

The private drivers and guides were a game-changer - traveling on our own timetable with just our family was luxurious and efficient. The trains ran smoothly with easy-to-navigate stations. Special shout-out to Eddie from Good Vibes Tours, who made our day absolutely memorable!

The Grand in York was phenomenal - spacious rooms, perfect location, and their afternoon tea was the epitome of a proper English experience. The Academy in London had great atmosphere in its Georgian townhomes setting, though some service issues arose. The Malmaison in Oxford served its purpose with a good location.

Early June was ideal - beautiful weather with minimal rain, and manageable crowds since schools weren't out yet. The food scene was excellent, especially our food tour with Tom King and that unforgettable afternoon tea at The Grand.

Bottom line - Kateryna created a trip that perfectly balanced must-see attractions with unique experiences, all while handling every logistical detail. For anyone considering England, I highly recommend both the destination and Kateryna's professional services. She made our family vacation absolutely magical!

Hotel Reviews
The Academy London

The location of the hotel was great -- close to tube stations and great restaurants. Our room was large; however, the bathroom was small. My biggest complaints resolved around service. Our room safe wasn't working when we arrived. I reported it multiple times and was assured that maintenance would look at it. Even though we were there four nights, it was never fixed. I requested extra blankets twice -- they never arrived. I also requested a room that didn't face the street and was assured the room didn't. However, when we checked in, it did.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The Grand, York
North Yorkshire

The Grand was amazing. The hotel itself is beautiful. The location was fantastic - close to the train station but also close to local attractions. Our room was extremely large and well appointed. The bathroom was amazing. And the food was great. We ate in the bar as well as having afternoon tea in the restaurant. Both were delicious. And the afternoon tea was everything a proper English tea should be.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Malmaison Oxford
Oxford

The location of the hotel was fantastic. Close to the train station while also being close to the local attractions. It's a renovated prison which gave it an interesting character. My biggest complaints were that the rooms were very small, only one elevator worked, and the restaurant was overpriced.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
The hotel was clean. It was the size of the rooms that made it not very comfortable.
Activity Reviews
Discover London in a Private Black Cab
Discover London in a Private Black Cab
London

Our black cab tour was awesome. Our driver was so friendly and knowledgeable. Despite having a grumpy teenage girl with us, he was excellent at making her laugh and enjoy the experience. We really enjoyed the tour and learned a lot!

Tower of London Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels
Tower of London Beefeater Welcome & Crown Jewels
London

The Tower of London was pretty much everything I expected. It was an enjoyable experience and full of history.

Thames Cruise with Dinner
Thames Cruise with Dinner
London

The Thames Cruise with Dinner was really enjoyable. The food exceeded my expectations, which were initially low due to it being a cruise. My only subtle complaint, unrelated to the tour itself, is that it was summer, so it didn't get dark until towards the end of the cruise, but the skyline was gorgeous once it did.

Stonehenge & Jurassic Coast Private Tour
Stonehenge & Jurassic Coast Private Tour
London

Our driver, Eddie, suggested a substitute tour for the planned Stonehenge & Jurassic Coast tour due to weather, and it ended up being awesome! We visited a couple of castles, Canterbury Cathedral, the White Cliffs of Dover, and an old pub from 1610. It was a day full of surprises and great experiences.

The Royal London Tour: Changing of the Guard and More
The Royal London Tour: Changing of the Guard and More
London

The Changing of the Guard tour was fun, although our tour guide wasn't as engaging with kids compared to others we had on the trip. She mostly talked to me and my husband, which was fine, but it could have been better tailored for my daughter.

British Museum, self-guided tour
British Museum, self-guided tour
London

The British Museum was good and offered a large collection of exhibits. We enjoyed our self-guided tour there.

London Secret Food Tour
London Secret Food Tour
London

The London Secret Food Tour with Tom was so much fun! He engaged with different couples throughout the evening, making it personal and enjoyable for everyone. We had a great time tasting various foods in a small group setting.

Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
London

Westminster Abbey was wonderful, although I preferred York Minster as it was so much less crowded. Regardless, the history and architecture were stunning.

Amazing Tour of Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio with Private Transfer
Amazing Tour of Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio with Private Transfer
London

The Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio tour was fantastic, definitely a highlight of the trip for my daughter. Our driver was flexible and even got us there early, allowing extra time to enjoy all the magical details.

Iconic Oxford  Private Walking Tour
Iconic Oxford Private Walking Tour
Oxford

The Iconic Oxford Private Walking Tour was a great experience, led by a charming Oxford student. Unfortunately, it did fall during their school finals though so we weren't able to view all of the rooms of the Bodleian Library which I had been looking forward to.

Cotswolds Tour, Oxford to Bath
Cotswolds Tour, Oxford to Bath
Oxford

The Cotswolds Tour from Oxford to Bath was a wonderful experience, greatly enhanced by Christopher, our driver who engaged well with my daughter.

Local specialist: Kateryna Garkavenko
Kateryna
Kateryna Garkavenko
Local specialist in London | Replied on Jul 07, 2025
Hi Julie, Thank you so much for the amazing review! I'm absolutely over the moon to hear that your family trip to England was such a success and that it exceeded your expectations. It was truly my pleasure to help create a journey that allowed you to relax and enjoy the special moments without worrying about the details! I’m so glad that the private tours—especially the Black Cab and the Secret Food Tour—were such big hits with everyone. It sounds like you had a wonderful time, and I’m... Read more

Hi Julie,

Thank you so much for the amazing review! I'm absolutely over the moon to hear that your family trip to England was such a success and that it exceeded your expectations. It was truly my pleasure to help create a journey that allowed you to relax and enjoy the special moments without worrying about the details!

I’m so glad that the private tours—especially the Black Cab and the Secret Food Tour—were such big hits with everyone. It sounds like you had a wonderful time, and I’m thrilled to hear that your daughter was able to enjoy the experience too! 😊 I have a teenage boy myself, so I completely understand how rewarding it is when they get into something and really enjoy it! 😁

And I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the mix of iconic sights and unique experiences, like the castles, pubs, and of course, the Harry Potter studio tour!

Thank you for your thoughtful comments on the hotels and tours. I’ll keep your feedback in mind to make sure I’m always tailoring the best possible experiences.
And yes, I absolutely agree—Cotswolds, Oxford, and Canterbury are all stunning, and it was so lovely to hear your daughter enjoyed the journey as much as you did.

Your kind words really made my day!

Wishing you all the very best,
Kateryna ❤️