Lisa our travel expert was wonderful. Everything worked like clock work and she checked on us daily and reminded us of our schedule and guide for the next day. When our flight to return home was 52 hours delayed from Shanghai she was in constant contact with us extending our stay at our hotel, planning a tour for our extra unplanned day and even having the guide buy snacks and drinks for us to have at the hotel.
Japan and China were beautiful places to visit. They were both very clean, people were friendly and there were lots to historical places and natural beauty to see.
All our guides and drivers were excellent.
Jason our driver to Hakone was just suppose to be our driver, but he helped us with all the tickets and told us where to go. He was more like a guide and spoke excellent English. He was very helpful and considerate.
Ken our guide in Tokyo was very good, knowledgeable and helpful, and his English was good. He was always early for our meeting times and took pictures for us.
Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.
Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.
Johnson our guide in Xian had excellent English, was always early and was very helpful to my husband who is 82 to make sure he had places to rest when he was tired.
Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.
Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.
Autumn our guide in Shanghai had good English, was on time, brought us bananas and Chinese knot souvenirs and helped us take pictures.
Vivian was our guide when our flight was delayed. She spent lots of time on the phone with the airlines and at the airport trying to get us on an earlier flight but unfortunately was unsuccessful. She was very friendly and had very good English. She was early when we met.
Hotel Reviews
The Knot Tokyo Shinjuku
Tokyo
The desk staff were friendly enough. The rooms were small but very clean. The restaurant staff were very friendly. The location was good.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Room was small but everything was very clean.
Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo
Kyoto
Desk staff was alright. Had to wait 10 minutes in line to get into breakfast. Clean and nice hotel.
Hotel Forza Osaka Kitahama
Osaka
Desk staff not very friendly or helpful. Paid for breakfast but then ended up with an early flight. We had to leave 30 minutes before breakfast started and asked for a couple of croissants to take with us but were told no. Had a kettle in the room but no tea or coffee.
Location
Could walk to the Osaka Castle.
Staff
Not friendly or helpful.
Staff didn't even acknowledge me, only talked to the guide when we checked in. I assume they couldn't speak English. Elevators were very slow and always very crowded. Internet never worked while we were there.
Xi'an Eastern House Boutique Hotel
Welcoming Staff and Cleaning Staff very friendly and Front desk staff alright. They had tea in the afternoon and goodnight soup in the evening. Gave us lots of water and had cold water. They let us in early for breakfast. Beds very hard and internet never worked.
Location
Very close to walk to sights to see.
Jolie Vue Boutique Hotel
Guilin
Beautiful view from the breakfast area and great location to walk around. Staff was friendly enough but bed was very hard. Internet never worked. Room was nice with free soft drinks and juice in the refrigerator.
Location
Good places to walk around.
MinShan Lhasa Grand Hotel
Chengdu
Cleaning staff were very friendly and helpful. The front desk was alright. Bed was very hard and the internet never worked. The carpet in the room was stained and the bathroom sink was all cracked up, but everything looked clean.
Very nice hotel with good location. Staff helpful when needed.
Staff
Helpful when we needed anything.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Had cold water in the refrigerator and also had sugar and creamer for tea and coffee. Room was comfortable and nice.
Activity Reviews
Half Day Sagano Bamboo Grove and Tenryuji Temple Tour
Kyoto
Enjoyed the Bamboo Grove.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.
Transport
Driver was good.
Half Day Nara Park & Todai-Ji Temple
China
Really enjoyed seeing the deer and being able to touch and feed them.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.
Transport
Driver was good.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.
Transport
Driver was very good. Always made sure we had plenty of water.
Full Day the Leshan Giant Buddha
Chengdu
Long drive from Chengdu but Giant Buddha was amazing.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.
Transport
Driver was good.
Hakone Exploration with Boiling Valley
China
Nice day trip from Tokyo. Enjoyed the boat ride on Lake Ashi.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Jason our driver to Hakone was just supposed to be our driver, but he helped us with all the tickets and told us where to go. He was more like a guide and spoke excellent English. He was very helpful and considerate.
Visit Huaqing Hot Springs
Xi'an
Beautiful place but it was raining so really couldn't enjoy very well.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Johnson our guide in Xian had excellent English, was always early and was very helpful to my husband who is 82 to make sure he had places to rest when he was tired.
Transport
Driver was good.
Half Day Imperial Palace East Gardens and Senso-ji Tour
Tokyo
Enjoyed but there was lots of walking involved.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ken our guide in Tokyo was very good, knowledgeable and helpful, and his English was good. He was always early for our meeting times and took pictures for us.
Transport
Driver was good.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Tokyo
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Ken our guide in Tokyo was very good, knowledgeable and helpful, and his English was good. He was always early for our meeting times and took pictures for us.
Transport
Driver was good.
Full Day Kyoto City Tour (Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nijo Castle and Fushimi-Inari Taisha)
Kyoto
Enjoyed the Golden Pavilion and Fushimi-Inari Taisha.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Victor our guide in Kyoto and our trip to Osaka was great. He took us to extra places not on our itinerary and he paid for the entrance fees. He bought us drinks because the days were really hot. He took us to a place where we could buy souvenirs at cheap prices. He was very helpful, friendly, always early and spoke excellent Engish. Took pictures for us so we could be in them.
Transport
Driver was good.
Experience Chengdu's Leisurely Lifestyle: Visit Wenshu Monastery and People's Park
Chengdu
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.
Transport
Driver was nice.
Hiking along the Majestic Great Wall, Summer Palace
Beijing
Always wanted to see the Great Wall and walk on it. One for the bucket list.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.
Transport
Driver was good but this was the only place we had a car instead of a van or SUV so it was not as comfortable.
Elephant Trunk Hill
Guilin
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.
Transport
Driver was good.
A Glimpse into China's Imperial Past: the Fobidden City
Beijing
Always wanted to see the Forbidden City but we had to wait over and hour to get through security.
Quality of Experience
Had to wait over an hour to get through security.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.
Transport
Driver was good.
Day Trip to Zhujiajiao Old Town
Shanghai
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Autumn our guide in Shanghai had good English, was on time, brought us bananas and Chinese knot souvenirs and helped us take pictures.
Transport
Driver was good.
Explore the Temple of Heaven
Beijing
Another for the bucket list.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.
Transport
Driver was good.
Lama Temple — Biggest Tibetan Buddhist Lamasery in Beijing
Beijing
Interesting but you can't take pictures inside.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Duke our guide in Beijing was always early, very helpful in telling us the best place to take pictures and took the pictures for us so we could both be in them. He spoke good English.
Transport
Driver was good.
See the Terracotta Army
Xi'an
Always wanted to see but it was very crowded so couldn't get pictures with us in them.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Johnson our guide in Xian had excellent English, was always early and was very helpful to my husband who is 82 to make sure he had places to rest when he was tired.
Transport
Driver was good.
Panda Encounter in Chengdu
Chengdu
Enjoyed seeing the Pandas.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Lilli our guide in Chengdu had excellent English, was very friendly and helpful when I needed to buy some souvenirs. She bought us some snacks and was careful that my husband had places to rest when he needed. Always early for our meetings and helpful to take pictures for us.
Transport
Driver was good.
Marvel at the Li River: China's Most Picturesque River
Guilin
Beautiful boat ride. Not to be missed.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.
Hike along the Picturesque Yulong River
Yangshuo
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.
Transport
Driver was good.
Longsheng Full-Day Tour
Guilin
Quality of Experience
Long drive from Guilin.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Alice our guide in Guilin was friendly, had good English, helped me when I needed to exchange money, took pictures for us and was helpful to my husband even buying him milk tea. Was on time for our meetings.
Visit the Highlights in Shanghai
Shanghai
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Autumn our guide in Shanghai had good English, was on time, brought us bananas and Chinese knot souvenirs and helped us take pictures.
One-Day Shanghai Cultural Tour
Shanghai
We didn't really see much this day because the guide was trying to help us get an earlier flight out after our flight was 52 hours delayed.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Vivian was our guide when our flight was delayed. She spent lots of time on the phone with the airlines and at the airport trying to get us on an earlier flight but unfortunately was unsuccessful. She was very friendly and had very good English. She was early when we met.
Transport
Driver was good.
Local specialist: Lisa Sun
