TESTIMONIALS

Reviewed: January, 2022

I can’t praise Travelong enough. I never used this agency. I didn’t know them and they didn’t know me.

I needed travel plans for an immediate trip to Florida for my brother’s funeral. Marlene answered the phone right at closing time. She was backing up her computer to shut down for the day. She had the patience to help us get the job done. An angel in my journey. Everything she did from flight tickets to a hotel reservation was spot on! I have found our new travel agent.

Jo Ann S.

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Reviewed: April 22, 2021

Hi Julie,

We want you to know how much we enjoyed the Travelong Summit Virtual Showcase last Thursday, April 22, and especially your presentation on the Belmond properties. We also want to thank you for your generous prize of two nights at Cap Juluca! We are not experienced “zoomers”, but I was hoping you could see us and our excited reactions during the presentation when you called our name!

Anguilla is on our “dream trip” list, and you’ve now helped make that dream come true. We are looking forward to the relaxation opportunities and beautiful amenities this property has to offer…we can certainly use some time in a peaceful, beautiful location after being locked down for so long. Our travel agent is Terry Youngelson of Travelong Summit. She has taken care of every detail and arranged for many pleasant surprises for us in our past travels! We are excited to plan this special trip with her!

Again, Julie, thank you for transporting us to Anguilla virtually and for awarding us this most generous and appreciated gift!

Warm regards,
Pat and Bob

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Reviewed: May 8th, 2020

Marlene – Always good to speak with!  I thank you for working on this and getting it done so quickly, we appreciate  your partnership especially during this crazy time.

Stay well!
Stacy M.

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Reviewed: March 14th, 2020

Marlene – Again, I want to thank you so much for taking care and looking out for me. Knowing that you are there provides a certain piece of mind and sense of security. My mother has remarked on many occasions, especially this time, on your the kindness towards me. By the way you are famous on the 8th floor of the Winterthur hospital. The flight was fabulous and customs was a breeze.

Best, Brigitte

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Reviewed: March 13th, 2020

Hi Marlene – Thank you for returning my call so quickly and for cancelling our reservation tonight. Sorry I didn’t let you know sooner, but everything changed so fast. I am so thankful that we have you for our travel agent and for the top notch service you give us.Will call you next week to discuss the CA trip. Lets meet for dinner soon…our treat.

John & Anita

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Reviewed: Jan. 2020
By: Steven & Lacey

Lisa – was kind enough to plan me and my wife’s honeymoon in New Zealand.  I honestly could not imagine going through this process without her. Her kindness and professionalism helped make our dream trip a reality! Thank you Lisa! You are the best!!!

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Reviewed: Dec. 2019
By: Michele

Lisa – Thank you Lisa for planning our perfect vacation to Turks and Caicos! This trip was exactly what we were looking for–Seven Stars resort was fantastic…outstanding service, clean and spacious rooms, and a beautiful resort with a spectacular beach. The island is lovely with great restaurants and shopping. We can’t wait to visit again!!!

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Reviewed: Nov. 2019
By: Karen

Marlene – Hawaii was amazing!! We are looking forward to going again. Everyone had the best time ever. Every day we had something to do. Honua Kai Resort & Spa in Maui was great. Having the kitchen, living room/dining room made it so nice to gather together. We would definitely stay there again. We really didn’t sit too much on the beach. We were out fishing, climbing mountains, snorkeling, shopping, etc. I can’t thank you again for all your help. You made the trip so much smoother by organizing everything for us. We have so many pictures and wonderful memories. Thanks!!

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Uniworld
By: Mercedes
Reviewed on October 7, 2019

Terry – Just a note to express our most deepest gratitude to the wonderful Terry! Terry put together a fabulous trip for us in less than 10 days. We took the cruise with Uniworld from Budapest to Passau, everything went just perfect! It was our first experience on a river cruise in Europe and now we want to do another one.
Thanks to Terry’s attention to detail, the whole trip was so relaxing and care-free. She took care of everything even to let the airline (Lufthansa) and cruise know about our dietary restrictions. We couldn’t be more pleased with our travel experience, Uniworld was also superb, the crew, excursions, food and drinks second to none.
Cant wait to book our next trip with Terry.

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Reviewed on: June 19, 2019

Marlene – The trip was wonderful. It was all we wanted it to be and could ask for. There wasn’t a single glitch, everything went smoothly. Thank you for all your help.

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Park Hyatt St. Kitts
By: Alyson
Reviewed on: May 3, 2019

Theresa – Our family has been booking vacations with Theresa since 2006. Theresa is extremely knowledgeable in all categories including Europe, the Caribbean and domestic travel. Theresa is a true veteran in the industry with attention to detail and luxury properties. Theresa knows your taste and preferences and makes sure every detail of the trip is in order and goes the extra mile to make sure everything is perfect for us. If your looking for an agent who actually has been to properties all over the world and can give you her recommendations from personal experience then Theresa is the agent who should be booking your travel plans.
Travel end date: 27 Apr 2019

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By: Kat. W
Reviewed on: April 14, 2019

Theresa – We have been working with Theresa for many years now and she makes our travel planning a breeze. She is extremely knowledgeable about destinations and properties, but beyond that she is fabulous at understanding our travel needs and requirements. I highly recommend her!

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By Patterson
Reviewed on: March 14, 2019

Theresa – Amazing as always…She knows our family and does all that she can to help us (even with all of our last minute needs). And she is always a pleasure to work with. Theresa is awesome and pays attention to every detail which my family and I so appreciate!!

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By: Jim & Molly
Reviewed on:  Feb. 23, 2019

Theresa – We have worked with Theresa Bartsch for 15 years. She has been an excellent travel agent. She has set up many trips for us, including a family event for our wedding anniversary in Jamaica. We have visited Europe, Asia, South America, Canada, and places in the US including Hawaii via land tours, river tours, small ship tours, rail, and planes. With Theresa everything goes seamlessly.

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By: Kristine

Ellen – Thanks again for following up with me this morning, you are on top of your game over there! These are the reasons we love working with Travelong, it makes doing business a pleasure when you work with hard-working people like yourself! Have a great day, thanks again.

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Sandpiper

By: Christine

Marlene – Thank you so much for suggesting the Sandpiper Club Med in Port St Lucie for my family. We all had the best time! The rooms were so nice and clean, the food was great – something different every day, and the entertainment was the best. My children and my grandchildren had so much fun, they had so much for the kids and adults to do. The weather was perfect the staff was so friendly, I would definitely go back again. I must say this was one of my best vacations with my family. Thanks again, great job!

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Hawaii

By: Scott

Marlene – We just got back from Hawaii. I wanted to tell you we had a wonderful time and are most grateful for your sage advice and planning. We certainly would not have been able to do it ourselves, even with the internet. Thanks again.

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Bermuda

By: Lauren & Joe

Theresa – First off, we want to thank you for the lovely gift of Prosecco and chocolate covered strawberries you had sent to our room! It was so thoughtful and very much appreciated!

Joe and I had a wonderful time in Bermuda. The weather was simply perfect and the Hamilton Princess was an outstanding choice. The staff couldn’t have been nicer and the arrangement with the Gold Lounge is a real added bonus. The infinity pool was great as was the beach club ( it’s a bit of a ride, but well worth it because it is so quiet and relaxing. Plus they have call buttons to bring over a server to order drinks and food, so you never have to leave your lounge chair!). The beach club is also setup with free paddle boards, pool floats, and hammocks, so we were truly able to unplug.

We enjoyed the food at Marcus’ for brunch and the special beach bbq night the most). We also had dinner at Barracuda Grill and the Rosewood. We liked the look of the Rosewood property, the view is quite something, but felt we made the right choice with Hamilton. We liked the convenience of being downtown and thought the Rosewood was a little more remote. Thank you for helping us plan such a wonderful anniversary trip! We hope to go back to Bermuda one day.

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Theresa – Working with you is always a wonderful experience. You do a great job of providing various alternatives and then come through with an amazing room and great amenities. You are simply the best! ~ JKD

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Marlene – Good morning… and Thank you! I wanted to let you know, you truly have a great team.  Elena, Ellen and Bob are true professionals! I am grateful to have you as our travel partner. Have a Great Day!!! ~ Milena

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Theresa – An outstanding travel agent/expert. We have worked with Theresa on a number of our trips including Africa, European and Alaskan cruises. She is very knowledgeable and extremely helpful and accessible. Theresa gives us excellent advice and is always looking to put together an outstanding vacation experience while saving us as much money as she can. We highly recommend Theresa Bartsch. ~ Jim

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Theresa – My family has used Theresa for several years now for our travel needs, and rely heavily on her expertise! My husband is always amazed at how well she has come to know what we like and expect during our travels. She is genuinely invested in your families’ experience! ~ Kat

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Marlene – Everything at the Sagamore was exceptional! Their venue, food and service was outstanding. Thank you for your assistance with this meeting.

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Theresa has worked with us for years and always provides great ideas and service within our budget. I had all but given up on going away this holiday when she called us and told she found us a great trip at our price point. She always follows up to see how things are going and makes sure we get little extras from the hotels where we are staying. We have recommended Theresa to friends and I would never work with anyone else. ~ Eric

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Terry – There is one word our family has been using to describe our trip to South Africa, and that is “beyond”. They just keep talking and posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram of all they saw and experienced. Now we know why the company owners of our safari camps are called “&Beyond,” as I am sure you have heard from many clients. From our arrival in Cape Town and the excitement of our harbor hotel, the Table Bay (so perfectly set in that most beautiful of cities), to the restaurants arranged for us by the extraordinary and most helpful Joan Frost, of Redfoot Safaris, we were all delighted. Our guides and pickups were wonderful and the tours arranged, from beautiful drives, to penguins, to botanical gardens were terrific. Little did the family know what was coming on safari. I think they thought they would see lions and elephants way off in the distance through strong binoculars. The thrill of animals right next to your vehicle is truly one of life’s great moments, and the pictures taken by our family photographer, son Mark, prove  it. You were so right to tell us to go to two different safari camps. There is a new experience to be had at each camp and both Kirkman’s and Ngala were great. We especially loved the water hole at Ngala so we could see families of elephants and smaller animals right there as we looked from the veranda. Superb. Kudos go to the young rangers we encountered at each place. They are so enthusiastic and intent on making sure you see what is out there in their world and they try hard to find the animals that we had not yet seen. One of our granddaughters fell in love again with each ranger she encountered.  So funny. Terry, we know how hard you worked on this celebratory trip for our two life events and you should feel very satisfied on a job well done. More than well done. It was perfect in every way and we are grateful for the effort and blood, sweat and tears you put into all the planning and followup. We thank you for planning a true trip of a lifetime for all 17 of us. ~ Barbara & Charlie (see Tips for Planning a Vacation in South Africa)

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Theresa is an excellent advisor. She created a great itinerary from France to Spain. Air travel was well thought out and both hotels were perfect for us. ~ Lewis

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Berry – it was an awesome trip to South Africa and the Victoria Falls, thanks for all you did for us.  1. Manna Bay Boutique hotel in Cape Town was absolutely perfect!!  2. The tour guide Julie, the best!!  3. Londolozi Game Reserve – Where do I start? It was the most amazing experience! The drives were spectacular, the tracker Chadrick and ranger Jessie were wonderful, so knowledgeable and most personable. The property is spectacular. The meals and service perfect.  4. Johannesburg – The Residence Hotel – over the top!! Was just perfect all around..  Our guide for the tour was great.   5. Vic Falls Safari lodge was very nice.  We did an elephant back ride at 6am before we got on our plane to start the journey home. ~ Joan and Rex

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Vicky helped us identify the perfect resort for our family. Beyond that, she positioned us in some of the best suites near the ocean. The activities of the resort were appropriate for our inter-generational family trip. Vicky clearly knew the resort and had the relationships to assure that we were given excellent service and support. Our grandson summed it all up with–it was awesome!

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Ginger – The gorilla trekking was absolutely over the top for each of us. That we could get so close and be completely ignored (I think that there were about 11 of us) was spectacular. Cameras were clicking. After our treks, and with lovely accommodations in each place we stayed, we’d arranged for a flight to Ethiopia, to visit the single mom of the student we are supporting through our local private university…. Thank you SO much for making the trip possible. It was just perfect in every regard–even the hotels were spectacular. But the best part was actually being with the gorillas, who seemed to contentedly pretend that we weren’t even there! The babies were adorable! ~ Diane and Ted (read full account of the trip here: Africa – A Magical Journey)

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Joan and Berry – Peter and I want to thank you both for planning the most amazing trip we have ever had. Every thing was simply perfect. We meet some wonderful people along the way and the animal sightings are forever etched in our memories. While I knew we would see animals, nothing could have prepared me for the drama of those sightings. Tracking two lions who had been separated from their pride – watching them as they took down a bush back – and then seeing them reunited with their pride was nothing short of magical. Berry, I remember when we were planning this vacation and I told you I really wanted to do this right since this would probably be our only trip to Africa. You laughed and told me that once we got that African dirt into our feet we would be back. You were right! We are already thinking about where we’ll go in 2017. Again, thank you for something very special. ~ Laura (see more about trips our clients have take to Africa here and here)

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Whitney – Wanted you to know Liz and I returned this afternoon. The trip was fantastic. The tour company that you worked with provided such interesting,and genuine guides for Liz and I. Both trips to Sienna and the Vatican were educational and interesting experiences not to be forgotten. The hotels we stayed in were all excellent and well recommended. The trains ran promptly, so travel that we made between stays, was a breeze. American Airlines flights were great. Can’t say enough about everything! Thanks so much for suggestions and recommendations. It was a great trip! ~ Doug

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Beverly – I want to tell you what a wonderful time we had in Turks & Caicos. The Seven Stars was the perfect resort for us. Wonderful service, extremely accommodating and ideal for people with (or without) children who want a luxury property that still has plenty for adults. We never felt uncomfortable having our three-year-old with us as there were other families with children but also plenty of couples without children. The property was small enough that it was manageable but also large enough that it was never crowded at the pool, water sports center, or the restaurants. Thank you for taking good care of us and for really listening and working to arrange a perfect trip for us. It was just what we needed and the best part is that you were able to please EVERYONE–there was something for each of us and we all left happy! Looking forward to working with you again. ~ Regards, Maria

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Marylyn went above and beyond the call of duty in arranging my family vacations. She is incredibly responsive (any time of the day) and is well-versed regarding locations in both in the US and abroad. Every detail was accounted for and she gave us several options in every area. Marylyn made it very easy to make decisions because she laid it all out after thorough research. The last two times I used her I did so without much advance notice and she did a phenomenal job, not only in booking the trips, but keeping the costs reasonable. I would never plan another trip without her…..she is the best!!!

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Berry – Overall terrific trip along the Danube after three days in Prague. The AMA Sonata is new, sleek and comfortable; the crew were very polite, very efficient. Rooms were small but quite well planned and water pressure in showers always good. The tours were informative in positively beautiful sites, with equally beautiful cathedrals. Some tours were in very crowded popular spots e.g. Schonbrunn Palace. I preferred the less crowded ones. Tour guides ranged from good to excellent. Some highlights were: Vienna concert, local classic trio (La Strada) and on-board entertainer on keyboard, Tamas. Meals on boat were uniformly good but wine only so-so. Free time was barely adequate, but that may have been our fault for not taking more. We found great restaurants in Prague on our own, and other interesting events when we had the chance. Met very nice people on board. I took 400 plus photos. ~ Mel

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Sharon – Just a quick, long overdue note to thank you for planning our trip to LA last month. We did have a great time and took in all the “sights” time permitted. The hotel was great too. Hope to be able to call you in the future to work out another getaway. Our big THANK YOU for your help. ~ Elaine and Katie

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Vicky – I’ve been intending to write ever since we returned from Prague and Vienna to tell you what a spectacular trip we had. On the planning side, everything unfolded so smoothly – flights, connections, the train to Vienna from Prague. And the hotels were exceptional – both The Aria and Sans Souci were the best combination of luxurious and comfortable, with a special kudos the staff at each hotel (especially The Aria).  I’ll be cc’ing you on a note to Context Tours about our guide in the Jewish Quarter in Prague. You had forwarded to me Context’s request for feedback, but it was our intention to write unsolicited. As an aside, we also took a day tour north of Prague to Terezin. We had heard about and requested a guide – a 93-year-old holocaust survivor named Pavel Stransky who had been through Terezin himself. It is rather unclear how much longer he’ll be able to remain a guide, but he is like a spry energizer bunny, who can make the visit immediate and especially compelling. He can be booked through Wittman Tours. The entire trip was great – thanks for everything you did and for taking such good care of us. ~ Best, Grant

Note to Context Tours – On October 6 of this year my wife and I toured the Jewish Quarter in Prague with one of your guides, Dr. Katerina Prušová. We have been intending to write to tell you how extraordinary that morning was. Dr. Prušová’s enthusiasm for and knowledge of the Quarter and its history was terrific; she made each stop come alive. What resonated the most, however, was her genuine interest in my wife’s family story, culminating in her helping us look for and find her grandparents’ names on the wall of the Jewish Museum. She does your firm great credit. ~ Grant

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Vicky – To everyone at Greaves who provided Barbara and me with such a wonderful trip to Dubai and India, we thank you so very much. Starting with Shal and going from there to all who we talked to and met along the way, you all did a fantastic job. You should be proud of your firm and the constant professionalism it displays at every turn. There was not a thing more that we could have asked for. I apologize for any trouble we might have caused along the way. We did our best to follow your suggested itinerary, but there were a couple of days where we just thought that lying by the pool for part of the day might just be the right thing to do. One piece of advice we did not take was to stay in the hotel during Holi. We decided to venture out and thanks to our guide, Deshpal, we had a marvelous time—got totally colored and soaking wet but it was great fun and gave us a great feel of how this wonderful holiday is celebrated. One thing we might recommend for future Greaves’ guests who are in Udaipur during Holi is that they attend the dinner and ceremony at the City Palace the night before where the Maharaja and his family are present and presiding. It is open to the public and I believe the cost is only about USD 75 and apparently it is a wonderful event to see and be part of. All of the guides were wonderful and gave us exactly what we wanted, while maintaining some flexibility so that we could feel totally relaxed. Again we thank you, and if you want to use us a references for you, we would be happy to talk to any of your potential clients and to sing your praises. ~ Page

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Sue Lappin has orchestrated our travel adventures for more than 5 years, and we cannot imagine planning a trip without her expert and cheerful guidance. Previously, we had booked our own trips or occasionally used other agencies, but Sue has always managed to find us the perfect accommodations, routes, and guided tours at better prices and upgrades than we could ourselves. We are the fortunate beneficiaries of her first-hand knowledge of destinations and careful research, and we have referred appreciative family members and friends to her services. From the spectacular hotel overlooking the Mediterranean in Amalfi, to the charming lunch in Honfleurs, to the picturesque cabin on the Big Island in Hawaii, to the Danube riverboat trip (on the only line that offered biking excursions!), her recommendations have always been totally in sync with our interests and preferences. It is such a pleasure to work with Sue!

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Hi Whitney – Thank you for checking in. We had an amazing time!! Thank you so much for your help. Everything went smoothly, every hotel was perfect, and Trails of Indochina did an excellent job – our tour guide, Suzie, was the best. Below is some specific feedback on our hotels and services:

Palace Hotel Tokyo – Best service we’ve ever had! I would absolutely recommend this hotel. Our room was on the highest floor with a breathtaking view of the palace gardens and city skyline. The location was perfect; all the popular attractions were no more than 20 mins away by cab (and most were more like 5-10 mins away). For our first night, the concierge sent us to a great authentic Japanese restaurant for dinner in the Shibuya district since we wanted to see the famous Shibuya crossing. We had a blast in Tokyo – I would recommend it as a layover for people traveling to southeast asia. The Peninsula Bangkok – Beautiful hotel. Kind of an old-world luxury feel to it. Service was outstanding. We loved staying on the river, and the hotel had these neat boats that transport you across the river for easy access to the city (boat ride took no more than 5 mins). We definitely recommend.Trails of Indochina – As mentioned above, Trails did an excellent job putting together our itinerary. Suzie, our tour guide, was waiting for us right at the gate when we landed in Bangkok, and she and Chet, our driver, took us straight to the Peninsula to shower and change for the day (we arrived at 5am). We loved having our own private tour guide and driver, and Suzie was more than happy to take us to places not on our itinerary (such as Jim Thompsons’ for souvenirs), which meant spending more time with us than the itinerary called for. She also took us to a “train market,” where lots of local vendors set up stands along train tracks, so when the train comes (three times a day!) they all have to quickly move their stands off the tracks, then move them back on when the train passes. This was a highlight of the trip and was not on our itinerary, so we really appreciated Suzie going the extra mile. We enjoyed the temple visits, and the floating market was a lot of fun. Suzie also bought us various street foods throughout the two days, which was a very nice touch. Anantara Koh Pha Ngnan – We absolutely loved our stay at Anantara. The beachfront villa was perfect, as we had our own private pool and were steps away from the beach, which was warm and much more beautiful than any of the beaches I saw at Koh Samui. The honeymoon setup in the room was very cool (“happy honeymoon” written in flowers on the bed, bottle of champagne, etc.). The island of Koh Pha Ngan is much quieter and less developed than Koh Samui, which means all the restaurants and bars (other than those at the resort) are true local spots. We loved this, but I can see how other less adventurous travelers might prefer more options. And if you can’t stand bug bites, I might recommend traveling elsewhere. The hotel coordinated our elephant trekking and zip lining excursions at very low prices and provided us with a private driver to take us to each excursion. Anantara was exactly what we were looking for. Novotel Airport Hotel – Perfect hotel if you need to stay close to the airport. It was much bigger and more luxurious than we were expecting. The shuttles ran very frequently and the service, like everywhere else, was excellent.Please let me know if there is anything specific about the hotels or services you would like to know. Happy to provide more insight/feedback if helpful. Thanks again! ~ Chris

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Vicky – My wife and I chose to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary by scooting off to Bermuda for five days with our three children, their spouses, and our ten grands. What a wonderful adventure. Daunting in scope, but thrilling to execute. First of all, the logistics of putting this ambitious trip together was critical. You were the answer. You worked with us and mentored us through the seemingly small logistics to find a seamless way to get this tribe of 18 from various places to arrive in Bermuda at essentially one time. All went perfectly and we were on our way. Your choice of hotels could not have been better. Elbow Beach was the perfect size for us and we all were housed in charming residences near one another, but not cloyingly close. All of the grands had free run of the sizable property and felt secure and safe, while having the time of their lives. The hotel staff was “off the charts” accommodating to us. The were knowledgeable and efficient and were absolutely perfect for us. Our meals were gourmet quality, yet relaxed and comfortable. Our big dinner night was magically created and was held by their enormous pool overlooking the entire Elbow Beach complex. The net of all this is that we could not have been treated better, had better planning and execution (thank you Vicky), and look forward to our next trip to somewhere. ~ Dick & Barbara

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Theresa is a true professional and always a pleasure to work with. ~ Jeff

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Whitney – Thank you, thank you for all of your help in organizing our honeymoon to Hawaii. We had such an amazing time!!! The resorts were fantastic especially the Fairmont. And I actually thought I would like that one the least. Also, the champagne was delicious and extremely thoughtful. You’re the best, and I will definitely being giving you some rave reviews. Thanks again!! What a memorable honeymoon!! ~ Josephine

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