Tetiana was very helpful and user friendly. There are a couple things I would have liked to do differently, but it was a wonderful trip overall. The lodging was all perfect, the trains went pretty smoothly and were very nice.
Hotel Reviews
The Academy London
London
Some people might want a bit more central location, but it was a lovely hotel, and the staff were terrific.
Nice location and great staff. The breakfast was brought to our room in a basket and hung on our door - very cute. The only reason I didn’t give it five stars was because the room smelled a bit.
I can’t say enough good things about this hotel. It was beautiful, the proprietors were wonderful, it was an easy walk to town and it was on the bus route. Check out Tilly’s restaurant - fabulous, with several gluten free options. Also, the 10 lake tour with Steve from Mountain Goat Tours was one of the highlights of our entire trip.
Authenticity & Character
Classic manor hotel.
Location
On the bus route, and a short walk to town and to the lake.
Staff
Very helpful and gracious.
Cleanliness & Comfort
We spent time in the comfortable lounge playing cards with our traveling companions.
Virgin Hotels Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Great location, wonderful staff.
Authenticity & Character
It’s a modern hotel, so not that much “character”, but I highly recommend this hotel.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Roomy, clean and modern.
Wonderful hotel and staff. Great food. Highly recommend this hotel.
Authenticity & Character
Beautiful and luxurious.
Staff
The staff were so helpful and professional, especially the concierge when we checked in. We were late and tired, and we had an issue. He dealt with it calmly and professionally. Also, some of the wait staff in the dining room were wonderful and charming.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Beautiful room - stayed in “Silk” #12.
Activity Reviews
Churchill War Rooms & WW2 Westminster Small Group Tour
London
Very interesting. A lot more walking around pre-war rooms than I realized, but we saw some interesting sights.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ultimate Full Day Scenic Tour visiting 10 Lakes
England
Quality of Experience
This tour was more than we expected. Loved seeing the stone circle and the slate mine, as well as all the lakes.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide, Steve, was wonderful. He grew up in the area, so he interspersed personal stories with local legends/stories. He took us to some special spots we didn’t know would be on the tour.
Transport
The small bus was very comfortable and clean.
Discover London in a Private Black Cab
London
Good way to start out seeing London.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide, JP, was fantastic. He was flexible when one of our party didn’t feel well. He postponed our start time a bit, and still took us to all the expected places. JP was a good bloke.
Transport
The black cab was comfy, however, someone always had to ride “backward” in the jump seats. All the black cabs in London are like this, though.
Cotswolds Experience from Bath, private tour
Bath
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our driver, Kevin, was very nice. However, it wasn’t really like having a tour, it was more like just having a driver. When I asked where we’d be stopping for lunch, he acted surprised that we’d want lunch. He did accommodate us and make a few stops in the Cotswolds so we could shop and get something to eat, but I’m not sure if that was on his agenda when we started.
Transport
A black cab for such a long tour/travel day was not the best. One or two of us always had to ride in the jump seats, so we were looking backward at those times. The jump seats are much stiffer than the regular seats, and three of the four of us have bad backs. Also, some of our luggage had to be stored on the floor or under the jump seats. Not the best.
Edinburgh Castle & Old Town Private Tour
Edinburgh
We did the castle on our own the next day, so I’m not counting it as part of this activity. The Old Town private tour was interesting. Unfortunately, it was very cold, so the length of the tour got to us eventually.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide told us some interesting stories and gave us a good overview of the Old Town and some of the New. It helped us for being on our own the next day.
Local specialist: Tetiana Smal
