Home >> Commendation >> Exclusive Rajasthan Tour
Exclusive Rajasthan Tour
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 11:42 PM
janetejohnston@yahoo.co.uk
Dear Shweta,
Thank you for all your help in making my trip to India happen. It was fantastic. Attached should be two separate feedback forms. Jane and I both wrote one. They are long :-) We felt it was important to let you have details.
Thanks again
Janet Johnston
PS, forgot to put it in the feedback...the present of the pashmina at the end was very thoughtful and unexpected, it almost made up for the fact we had to go back to the metro hotel!!!!!
JANET’S FEEDBACK:
Feedback information
April 2008 trip 05.04.08 – 17.04.08
Janet Johnston
Overall:
Overall the trip was fantastic and my feedback is mostly positive
Booking and pre tour info:
The communication between Compass India and me was excellent. Any questions I had were answered, any requests were passed on and I felt very confident when I set out to the airport that everything would run smoothly
Representatives:
The representatives who met us in each city were organised, friendly and efficient. The fact they followed up on how things were during our visit and at the end of our stay in their respective cities was very impressive.
On the few occasions we had a problem, which was usually to do with air con J or query these were dealt with immediately and their communication with the hotel meant that we were looked after very well.
The requests we had made in regards to the city we were in were listened to and the representatives were responsive to any schedule changes we wanted to make.
Driver:
I would recommend our driver Radjesh to anyone and hope that Compass travel continue to recognise his full worth as an employee.
He was always punctual, reliable, pleasant and informative; he was good company throughout the trip and formed the foundation of our trip, the one common element for the entire stay.
Radjesh was professional, unassuming and unobtrusive during the entire trip, as well as being informative and accommodating. He went out of his way to find some of the sights we wanted to see as well as pointing out others as we drove between cities. He answered our questions and told us much about the sights and culture we were experiencing.
Radjesh was more than willing to drive us around in the evening and some of our best meals out were during this time, when we had the chance to visit and eat in restaurants that we had researched and decided we wanted to try.
Guides:
The guides were a mixed bunch, predominantly good but with one being very disinterested in really meeting our needs during the day we were with him.
Delhi –
He was knowledgeable and efficient and very personable as a guide.
Two issues arose during this part of our trip
1) The day we had with him was a day the red fort was shut, thankfully Compass travel were able to accommodate our desire to see this on our return to Delhi at the end. It would be useful to tailor itineraries according to the days people will be in the cities, rather than saying day one, day two etc, this would mean that any opening times and closed days could be factored in. Had we missed the red fort we would have been very disappointed as it was a highlight.
2) We requested lunching in a particular restaurant and this was not positively received. We explained why we wanted to go where we had chosen and various reasons were given back to us as to why we should not go there and go to the ‘usual’ place. We gave in and the restaurant we were taken to was smoking, I have asthma and not strictly vegetarian, which was another issue. In future the price should be made a little higher and include lunch stops, then there is no issue as to why you can not go where you want.
Agra-
There was a balance of time to listen and talk together as well as time to go off and explore on our own at the sights. He had a good knowledge of the sights we visited and was flexible to change the programme to fit our needs to allow us more time at the taj Mahal.
Ranthambhore-
The guides on safaris were mixed; two seemed very focused and looked as if they were working hard to spot pugmarks and other things to help us on our search for a tiger. The second guide was more interested in using his own camera and binoculars and talking to the driver…it was me that spotted the leopard….. walking passed the guides jeep door!!!!! A big highlight!!! As was the tiger sighting on our third safari
Jaipur-
Our guide had information to impart but did not seem very interested in sharing it with us. He came across as disinterested and rushed us through the sights. By the end Jane had to ask for him to allow time for us to look around. I was feeling unwell at this point in the trip and may not have been as engaged as I could have been, but this should not then be seen as permission for the guide to disengage as well and do less than expected of him. I would not recommend using him again.
Jodhpur-
Our guide was excellent; he was knowledgeable and also interested in our thoughts and ideas. He answered questions in detail but also gave us time to explore and look around on our own. He was conscious of our needs and looked for shady places to explain things to us, to let us rest in and also facilities we could use were necessary. This was very useful to me in particular and meant my time there was manageable.
Udaipur-
Having our guide meet us on route at the jain temple so to guide us round there and then drive us to Udaipur was fabulous.
He was aware of our requests and accommodated them. High tea was a highlight, with a view over the lake towards the palace. There was no pressure to rush or miss things out. The balance between him talking to us and us exploring was ideal.
He went out of his way to make sure we were well taken care of.
Hotels
In general very good, except for Delhi, this was disappointing
Delhi – Metro heights
It was dirty and generally in poor condition. In particular the bathrooms were very dirty.
As the first place you get to, it does not bode well for the rest of the trip and we did have reservations about the quality of the hotels on offer. As a start and finish place it means you begin and end with an unpleasant experience, which is not the best. If it were possible to have another hotel, even if the price up to go up slightly, I would recommend it. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.
Agra- Hotel Amar
This hotel was clean and spacious and a huge step up from Metro heights. We had a few issues with room service, but this did not spoil the stay
Ranthambhore- the Pugmark
Fantastic, the hotel highlight of the trip!!!! It was clean, spacious, comfortable and beautifully maintained. The food included in this part of the trip was good, there was a mix of Indian and non Indian food, which many people would find appealing. I personally loved the Indian food.
The pool was divine and an excellent place to relax in and by after a long day in a jeep!!!!
Jaipur- Madawa haveli
The building was beautiful and the rooms more than adequate. The communial rooms were great as well, with no pressure to purchase food or drink. An excellent choice.
Jodhpur – Devi Bhawan
This got a good write up in the rough guide and deserved it. Another excellent hotel with beautifully maintained gardens and pool area. There was a smell at times that was rather horrid, particularly when at the pool, but nothing that was out of the ordinary for India
Udaipur – Jagat Niwas Palace
Fabulous J
If we had had a lake view room it would have been perfect…maybe putting the price up a little to guarantee this would be an idea. Even so, our internal room as bright and spacious enough. The hotel was stunning and the highlight was the roof restaurant, which we ended up eating at twice!!! The view was sublime and the service excellent
Overall:
The service received from Compass was excellent; nothing was left to chance and at no point were we ever disappointed (other than the lunch choice issueJ.)
I would recommend Compass to my friends and family and already have!!!!
I usually travel independently and catch planes, trains and automobiles on my own….. but this was great…. and would meet the needs of any traveller.
WELL DONE
Thank you
Janet Johnston
JANE’S FEEDBACK:
At the end of our trip to India with Compass Travel we were asked for some feedback and my experience of this trip was so positive I am enclosing the following feedback.
Overall Experience:
Overall this holiday was fantastic, the organisation was very good and our care during this time was seamless.
Driver:
Our driver was excellent; his driving was safe and consistent. Radjesh was very appropriate throughout the trip and as two women travelling together around India this was really important. I have several female friends who have expressed some concerns about travelling without a male companion in India and I would have no reservations about recommending Compass Travel to them and in particular Radjesh. He was professional and accommodating, going out of his way to find some of the sights and establishments which Janet and I asked to visit in our e-mail to Compass Travel prior to our trip. He pointed out sights as we drove between cities, answering our questions about sights and culture in India. He was always punctual, pleasant and good company throughout our trip. He was unassuming and unobtrusive throughout. I have nothing negative to say about our experience of Radjesh and hope that Compass Travel will continue to recognise his full worth as an employee of the company.
Representatives:
We were met by a Compass Travel representative in each city we visited and they checked on our progress every day. Representatives were pleasant and efficient. Any minor difficulties were dealt with immediately and they were responsive to any schedule changes we wanted to make to the programme. I have nothing negative to say about the level of service we received from Compass Travel representatives and felt very confident that should any problems arise during our trip to India the care we received was so comprehensive these would have been swiftly managed. I have several older family friends who have expressed concerns around travelling to India due to health or mobility difficulties and again I would have no reservations about recommending Compass Travel to them especially in light of the careful service we received from representatives.
Guides:
Delhi – Our guide in Delhi was good. He was very knowledgeable and efficient. We requested to visit a restraint of our choice for lunch but this was not facilitated. I can see that due to distance and traffic that this may not have been easy but the place we were taken would not have been our choice. It may be useful to warn people in advance that lunch spots would be recommended or increase the price slightly and include lunch on the days spent sightseeing so travellers are clear that choice is not always possible. The Red Fort was not open on our day spent sight seeing in Delhi which was a great disappointment as this was one of the things I particularly wanted to see. Compass Travel did everything possible to rectify this and I was very grateful to have the opportunity to visit the fort on our return to Delhi. It may be useful to tailor itinerary according to the days travellers are in cities and the opening times of sights.
Agra – Our guide in Agra was very good. He had a good knowledge of the sights and was able to answer our questions. There was a good balance of information as well as plenty of time to enjoy the sights and spend time exploring on our own. This was a nice balance which really enhanced my enjoyment of the magnificent sights in Agra which I have wanted to visit for a long time. The guide was flexible to change the programme to allow us more time at the Taj Mahal and visit the Pink Fort the following morning.
Ranthambhore – The guides for safari were mixed, some better than others but on the whole I was very satisfied with our experiences on safari.
Jaipur – Our guide in Jaipur was knowledable and able to provide us with information and stories which were very interesting. However he presented as quite disinterested and was often rushing us through sights. Both Janet and I have busy, stressful jobs so holidays are very important to us. It is important to get a good balanced between interesting, insightful information and relaxed time to reflect and enjoy the sights we are visiting. I would not recommend this guide to others and had to specifically ask for more time in the end. Also Janet was unwell at this time and there was little thought of slowing down or ensuring that she had shade or rest when needed.
Jodhpur – Our guide in Jodhpur was excellent. He was very knowledgeable, gentle and unassuming. It was a pleasure to spend time with him and to hear so much interesting information from him. He gave us a really good balance of information and time on our own to explore. When he realised Janet was unwell he looked for shady places to explain things, rest and facilities.
Udaipur – Our guide in Udaipur was also excellent. He met us at the Jain temple and travelled with us to Udaipur. He allowed us time to enjoy High Tea, one of the highlights we had requested and did not put any pressure on us. He was very knowledgeable and interesting. He also gave a really nice balance of interesting information and time to explore. He also looked for shady places to explain information and went out of his way to ensure that we were well taken care of.
Hotels:
Delhi – I would not recommend the Metro Heights hotel to anyone visiting Delhi. It was not very clean, sheets were dirty and it was generally in quite a poor condition.
Agra – The hotel in Agra was clean and spacious. Room service was a little limited but on the whole in made a very pleasant change from the Metro Heights.
Ranthambhore – The hotel in Ranthambhore was excellent. It was clean, spacious and comfortable. The pool was ideal for relaxing and the complex was beautifully maintained, I would strongly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting India.
Jaipur – The hotel in Jaipur was also excellent. The room was spacious, cool and very comfortable. The pool was a little shaded but the building was beautiful. Room service was very good and the communal areas were comfortable and nicely maintained.
Jodhpur – The hotel in Jodhpur was also excellent. It was spacious and comfortable. The pool was nicely positioned and maintained. There was no hot water but for our visit this was not necessary. The communal areas were very pleasant and room service was good. There was a slight smell which we noticed at certain times but this was not enough to impact upon the pleasant environment of the complex.
Udaipur – The hotel in Udaipur was also excellent. Despite being an internal room it was still quite bright and spacious. It was clean and cool. The building itself was beautiful and the restaurant was outstanding, partly for the stunning views and partly for its excellent food and service.
Service:
The service we received from Compass Travel was excellent even to the point of helping to organise a Durrie to be sent from Jodhpur to Udaipur on my request. I would recommend Compass Travel to a variety of friends, family and acquaintances of different ages and needs for their excellent service and care which would universally meet the needs of many very diverse travellers.
Thanks,
Jane
