The arrangements all went very smoothly with the car transportation... and the hotels were lovely. Hola! We had a wonderful time in Costa Rica! The arrangements all went very smoothly with the car transportation... and the hotels were lovely. The Arenal Springs Spa hotel needs some work since they are relatively new and haven't worked out all the practical problems but the staff is lovely and accommodating. I would say that the Tamarindo area was my least favorite but that was just because of the sandflies which somehow didn't care that we had all kinds of bug repellent on us. We made all our land arrangements with the hotel concierge and they were great. We zip lined twice and kayaked once. The weather was raining during the afternoons so we planned most all our excursions during the morning. I was just delighted with the flora and the fauna and the animals that roamed freely around our hotel at Capitan Suizo. We had a resident baby raccoon, a few monkeys that were very people friendly, iguanas and many birds. The Panorama driver/guides were very pleasant and stopped in various places for us. I'm happy to talk to you some more about the trip if you wish. My photos are on a disc and if I can figure out how to put them online I will send them to you. Thanks a whole lot for all your help in making this a very memorable trip for Stacie and me. Best regards, Client of Tami Hodges ...nothing but rave reports ... Everyone was so great and helpful. Bill, I just wanted to let you know that my client Mr. Richard Knight had nothing but rave reports on his trip to Peru. The tour guide in Lima "Segundo" was great , as was Sophia in Lima. Richard in Machu Picchu was "the best". Also said to mention "Pascuel" too. Everyone was so great and helpful. We have looked at his many pictures and they are just wonderful… Hope to do business with you soon. Thanks, Sharon Shaw, Travel Consultant They were really happy with all their hotels and activities in the itinerary. Hi Cindy, Kind Regards, Your patience and professionalism made my work so much easier. Hello to you both (Elizabeth & Bill):
I just heard from Dianne Finkelstein and she was so happy and excited about her trip with you. Thank you so much and I hope to work with you in the future. Your patience and professionalism made my work so much easier.
All the best,
Janet Najarian ...thrilled to know that you are doing the itin for us! Hi Alma, I took your GREAT advice and
called Delta. The air contract I got was just as you said - Q and all
other taxes included in fare quote - making the deal work. Out of LAX
it actually was better for group than SNA. Amazing!!! ... So, I called
the office to tell Sandy to watch for the contract, mentioning I had
taken up your entire day with Waldorf. She had so many nice things to
say about your presentation awhile ago - and was thrilled to know that
you are doing the itin for us! Will read what you sent and we will be
in touch tomorrow. The group mother who is my contact was of course
really blown away when I told her about the SIX HOUR bus ride fortunately
avoided. Sandy said "we need some days like this when we actually
get to be travel agents - not just searching a screen for the cheapest
fare to Phoenix." I would like to pass on our commendations to Setours, the travel agency used by EcoAdventures in Peru, whose service was truly excellent. To Whom It May Concern, ...had a great time in CR. The hotels, tours and transportation all worked out well. Hi Tracy, Just wanted to let you know that Julie and I had a great time in CR. The hotels, tours and transportation all worked out well. Please let EcoAdventures know too. Thanks!
Douglas Childs AIA ACHA Fun trip to BA, Mendoza and Rio - The hotel locations could not have been better ... Our tour guides were excellent and added local flavor to our visit. We, three couples, recently completed a fun trip to Buenos Aires, Mendoza, and Rio de Janeiro. The weather was great and the experience was memorable. Not enough time but, we did see enough to thoroughly enjoy ourselves. The hotel locations could not have been better and the Hyatt in Mendoza was outstanding. Our hotel in Rio was not the best but, not much time was spent in the room. Our tour guides were excellent and added local flavor to our visit. All connections were on time and the guides were very helpful at the airports. Thank you Your presentation was excellent and we both learned many interesting things about Latin America and Costa Rica. Hello Alma, Thank you for all your great help! Good Morning Bill, The Flahertys
and the Starbirds returned from their trip to Guatemala and had a wonderful
time. I have not heard a detailed report but did receive a call telling
me what a great trip it was. Just wanted you to know and thank you for
all your great help! Joanne Wilhelmsen Bill B. had a great time in Guatemala and said what a great job EcoAdventures did. Hi Bill, EcoAdventures and Setours did an outstanding job in arranging this trip. Hi Magda (& Cindy), Thank you, Albert R. Lobo Well, we have to say Guatemala exceeds expectations. No hitches, no glitches! Well, we have to say Guatemala exceeds expectations. No hitches, no glitches! Perfect weather, beautiful country, magnificent Mayan antiquities! My little bit of Spanish gets us by and is appreciated by natives for the effort if nothing else! Michele R. Campbell, Ph.D. One of the most memorable, care-free, and perfectly individualized trips I have ever been on. Hi Elizabeth, I have already contracted Rebecca, my mother's travel agent ... about scheduling my next CR vacation with you in spring of 2010 ... I can't wait to return. Again, thank - you for everything.
It was a perfect solo adventure with a company that respects the land,
animals, and people of Costa Rica. My clients returned
-- had a fabulous time -- all arrangements went very well. My best, I take the good work of organizations like yours for granted until something happens! Hi Alma, Marti Sealander I'm gaining a tremendous amount of knowledge just by speaking with you! Bill, I highly recommend EcoAdventures for your discerning clients. To All Leisure, I thought I would like to share with all of you my experience with EcoAdventures. Through what I observed at the EcoAdventures seminar which was held at Sorrento a couple of months ago, I was very impressed and decided to touch base with Alma (the President) to do a proposal for a group of 7 couples who endeavors a trip of their lifetime to South America with a very special request, strict vegetarian meals throughout their trip. Alma paid attention to every little detail in tailoring a proposal for my group PROMPTLY. I was very impressed with her very well thought-out suggestions for a very demanding group. She was very quick in addressing to every of my clients’ multiple queries and concerns. She exudes compassion, expertise, professionalism and teamwork. I almost wanted to experience EcoAdventures’ product myself! Though the trip will not be consummated until November 2008, most of my clients already committed to the deposit required. I had total confidence that my clients will no doubt receive the best itinerary to South America and the best times ever for their 2008 destination they chose. I believe with EcoAdventures in the wings, they cannot go wrong. I highly recommend EcoAdventures for your discerning clients. Yen Flynn He raved about the way your plan went down and how well they were looked after. Hi Alma, I had a call from a client by the
name of Tom Kennedy. His wife is Dorothy. Tom has been on 15 trips with
us over the years. He called to say thanks for all the good times AND
ALSO TO PRAISE ECOADVENTURES FOR THE TRIP OUR AGENT CATHIE WORKED WITH
YOU ON TO SEND THEM SOMEPLACES IN SOUTH AMERICA. HE RAVED ABOUT THE
WAY YOUR PLAN WENT DOWN AND HOW WELL THEY WERE LOOKED AFTER. Your arrangements went off without a hitch. Dear Alma, Wonderful time in Peru!!!! Hi
Bill, We will be using your company again very soon. Bill, We will be using your company again very soon for our return trip and other clients who are interested in a CR experience. Thank you, The
Chavez's are home and they loved the trip! The Chavez's
are home and they loved the trip. They had high praise for your company
and Argentina! Gilbert is a very apprehensive traveller and he didnt even have a clue, (no matter how much I tried to tell him) how well they were going to be taken care of. Thank you! Leilani
Burns I hope to be able to send more clients your way. Alma, Just to let you know the Galapagos cruise was wonderful. Even though I am not in good shape I did keep up on all the hikes and climbing in and out of the dingy. I met some wonderful people and we are exchanging pictures of Galapagos and Machu Picchu. The Friendship Group thought everything went really great. The hotels were great. Everyone loved the Pakaritampu Hotel. They called it the garden hotel. Some wished that we went back there after a day in Machu Picchu since it was only one hour's train ride. I want to thank you for the time and effort you put into putting the package together. Also, Charles Switzer had a wonderful time on the individual itinerary you put together for him. I hope to be able to send more clients your way. Mary K. Cloward They loved the hotels and the wonderful guides they had. Dear Alma,
My client came by Sunday night to show me their 3 albums of pictures from Peru with EcoAdventures. What a great time they had. They loved the hotels and the wonderful guides they had. In Cuzco they went to see the Inca Museum which to their eyes is the best Inca Museum they have seen. They also enjoyed Caesar and Betsy in the rainforest lodge (Posada Amazonas & Tambopata Research Center). They were so knowledgeable!
Thank you for such a great team work! Sincerely, Pascale LeJeune, CSS, CTS, NCS Wow, what a trip! We had a great time! Yes, we love Costa Rica. The tour guides/drivers they sent us were really good. The couple that met us at the airport and took us down to the coast in Quepos were husband and wife. She spoke English very well and he was learning, they were really nice (Maria and Alex). The driver that picked us up in Quepos understood English but didn't speak too much, he and Charlie took lessons from each other. He was also very nice. The driver that picked us up after our cruise spoke pretty good English (Mario) and he and Maria were teamed up to take us to the volcano the next morning. WOW, you have to go and stay at Xandari if you have not done so! That is so so nice! The people bent over backwards to accomodate us. The grounds are gourgeous! We walked down the 266 steps to the waterfalls on the grounds (either I miss counted or both but it is a lot more than 266 steps). We were awed by the falls and the surroundings, but let me tell ya, there were not kidding when they said it was steep! We did it and are glad for it, but next time we will hopefully be in better shape! The cruise was really nice. Yes, you were right when you said we would love it. No lines to speak of the crew was nice and yes, they all knew us and us them before it was over all too soon. Our only suggestion to them was to skip Nicaragua and maybe go to Panama instead. The stops were good, not a whole lot to see but very beautiful. Thanks for steering us in the right
direction once again. We can't wait to go back! I look forward to hearing
about your trip while we were gone, hope it was all you could ask for.
I have attached a picture of us at Lancanster Gardens. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and here's to wishing you a Happy New Year! Melanie & Charlie THANK YOU FOR MAKING ME LOOK
WONDERFUL AGAIN!!!! Thanks
for . . . making their vacation so memorable! Wonderful job on difficult booking! Bill - KUDOS!!!! to EcoAdventures... I was just talking to the (clients) who just arrived home last evening from Costa Rica. KUDOS!!!! to EcoAdventures....they are a very, very fussy couple and not shy about telling me criticism. Well, they have nothing but positive things to say about CR and EcoAdventures. They thought the driver/car was perfect and Peace Lodge outstanding as well as Guanacaste resort (can't think right now of the name)....(Paradisus Playa Conchal 6 nights) all inclusive....perfect for them....didn't tire of the food....thought the staff was friendly and warm, and told me they didn't want to come home. That is the ultimate compliment. They are very hard to please and we pleased them!!! Belize clients are very excited and can't wait to begin their 2nd honeymoon!!! Thanks again and thanks again to Bill... Marian Finkelstein No reason to use anyone else when you do such an excellent job! I want to thank the staff at EcoAdventures, Inc. for putting together a fabulous vacation to Costa Rica for my family this year. You did a great job on our itinerary…everyone in the family enjoyed themselves. All the hotels were "top notch" and just what we were looking for. Your guide, Carlos, was one of the best I've ever experienced. We actually tried to trip him up a couple of times with some tough requests but to no avail, we asked and he delivered! His knowledge on flora and fauna was amazing and made our trip throughout the countryside special! For our next trip to Latin or South America we will be certain to ask the staff at EcoAdventures to put it together. No reason to use anyone else when you do such an excellent job. Thanks again EcoAdventures! Sincerely, Tyler Peak South American adventure - exceedingly pleased . . . and were thankful for your expertise Hi Alma, Argentina /BA/San Martin de Los Andes/Bariloche/Iguazu . . . they absolutely loved it I know you'll want to know this . .
. they absolutely loved it. There was not one complaint that came to
me . . . In Iguazu most of them were sorry they didn't sign up for the
Andes extension, they had so much fun. Keith Tucker Chile . . . It was totally awesome Just wanted to send you a quick email
to say THANKS!!!!! for setting up such a wonderful trip. It was totally
awesome — all of the connections, arrangements, etc. went off without
a hitch, all of the adventures were Think it was probably our favorite trip ever, so thanks so much for all of your hard work to make it happen. The horseback ride, in particular, was phenomenal — everything was great. Anyway, thanks again. Trip was fabulous! Just wanted to tell you Bill's trip was fabulous! The guides were great. He was very pleased with our hotel choices. One flight was cancelled/delayed but obviously that was not our fault. So, thanks for all your hard work. Had a fabulous time! Hello Alma, Colleen Your trip to Costa Rica was superb! Just wanted
to let you know that your trip to Costa Rica was superb. Both my husband
and I who had been to Costa Rica, and our friends who were first time
visitors, enjoyed our stay immensely. Accommodations were very good
and ending at Makanda was a wonderful finish. The trip went perfectly! Just wanted to say that the trip went perfectly. All details, arrangements, transfers, etc. were absolutely seamless. The Radisson was great, with free happy hour (!) every evening; and employees who were very helpful in giving us directions, advice, and instructions to taxi drivers. They were also helpful in regards to that whole 3rd person in the room problem, which they helped us to solve quite nicely. Metropolitan Touring was impressive. They were friendly, timely; informative re: flight schedule changes, etc., and our Cotapaxi Tour and Otovalo day were both wonderful, and far beyond my expectations. Our guide Cecelia and driver David for the tours were absolutely awesome with information, skill, and flexibility re: our requests (they actually picked us up @ 6:00 A.M. so that we could visit the livestock market @ Otovalo prior to the regular market). Galapagos and the Flamingo and it's crew; our guides there and all of our experiences were wonderful. Food was excellent; service excellent; and the schedule allowed us to see as much as possible. Galapagos is amazing, and I was very pleased to have such a satisfying experience. Sacha Lodge was also excellent - food, lodging, guides - all were top-notch. The jungle was fascinating, and I was really happy that we added that trip on as an extension. Wildlife was incredible, and I couldn't get enough. Some were not as thrilled as I was - anacondas and tarantulas and agouti - oh my! Our group
did well together, and by the way, your friend Robin is a great gal
- I enjoyed getting to know her. Argentina /Buenos Aires/Montevideo . . .excellent plans you made for us We are back home and want to tell you how much we appreciated the excellent plans you made for us. All the travel guides who met us and took us around were excellent and full of information. We were especially glad someone met us on the Argentina /Buenos Aires/Montevideo portion of the trip. Even tho' Terry speaks Spanish fluently, the airport protocols were very confusing and we were glad to have the help from someone who was taking care of us. We said when we get "old" and can't travel alone, we can have you make the arrangements for us and we will be able to manage okay! Thanks for arranging everything so well.
We enjoyed ourselves the whole trip, thanks to your excellent planning. Back from Costa Rica
. . . We had a fantastic time! . . . We had a fantastic time in Costa Rica (as suspected) . . . We didn't have any problems; everything was perfect and hassle free. Even our flights with Continental were on time and they had our special meals. We loved the country and the people. . . The hot springs were fabulous. I think we went 3 times in 2 days. Monteverde was perhaps the highlight of my trip (although I could have permanently taken up residence at the hot springs). The area was magical. We enjoyed the skywalk and we went on a guided tour of the Monteverde Reserve, which was awesome. From Monteverde we went to Manuel Antonio. . . . The beaches are beautiful and the park was gorgeous. . . All of our hotel accommodations were great. We liked all the properties. They upgraded us from a junior suite at El Establo to a full suite. It was like living in a Swiss chalet. We had two floors all to ourselves with a great view of the mountains in the distance. We woke up each morning to a beautiful rainbow. At Si Como No they upgraded us from a deluxe room to a deluxe suite. So once again we hit the jackpot. The room was fabulous. It was a first class property. . . We loved the food everywhere we went in Costa Rica. We never did get our fill of beans and rice. . . I just wish I had brought back some guarro. Ann Edwards Costa Rica - Everything was well laid out . . . we were free to enjoy the beauty around us. My husband and I recently took a trip to Costa Rica and had booked everything through you and you contracted with Central American Tours. Central American Tour Company and EcoAdventures are two outstanding companies. Everyone we came into contact with was courteous, helpful and very friendly. We were particularly pleased with Francis from CAT. Francis helped us whenever we had a question or concern. We had contacted him on a number of different occasions and he was always willing to help us with our varied requests. To be specific, he arranged for a change of hotels when we were unhappy with one of our accommodations. Also he rearranged flight plans for us when our flight from Quepos to Palma del Sur was cancelled. Francis really eased our minds and helped make our trip all the more memorable. You have a great company. We have told everyone that if they ever want to go to Costa Rica, that they should book through your company. Everything was well laid out with the vouchers and drivers so we were free to enjoy the beauty around us. All of the employees we encountered were fabulous. Thank you for making our trip one that we will never forget. Sincerely, Peru & Bolivia - All went well with our trip . . . a great value for the money! . . . Quick note to let you know that all went well with our trip. We had a good time. The hotels were all good and with very friendly staff. They were unique too. Antara in Lima was fantastic. All transportation was good. The drivers were safe. The guides were par excellence! I could not believe the caliber. The guide in Lima was unbelievable and kept interest of all 4 teenagers — which is a HUGE compliment. Of course Machu Picchu was the highlight and we had sufficient time to do some hiking and bask in the wonder of the place. Lake Titicaca was fantastic. Met all our expectations! All in all — there were no significant hitches and was a memorable trip. I will not hesitate to recommend EcoAdventures to my friends. It is a great value for the money! Thanks for all your help! Sincerely, Buenos Aires & Uruguay - Thank You! My husband and I were in Buenos Aires recently (Jan. 27-30, 2003) and wish to commend to you the guide who picked us up at the airport and transfered us to our hotel and finally on to the Buquebus to Colonia. His name is Ignacio Frydman. He provided us with valuable information about the city, spoke excellent English, had a marvelous sense of humor and checked up on us to see that we were happy and comfortable. He made our introduction to Buenos Aires a memorable one and we wish to make certain an employee of such calibre is recognized by the company in which he works. Should we return to Buenos Aires someday or have friends who will be visiting, we will recommend your services and most definitely Ignacio Frydman. Please thank him again for us. Sincerely, Ushuaia - They had a wonderful time! Explora was an interesting experience for Scottie....all the others staying there were gung-ho, macho outdoor jocks. She wanted to sit outside, looking at the gorgeous scenery, reading a book. Not only don't they have an outside area, but they wouldn't hear of someone not "doing" and "going". Scottie is a strong woman.....went out with the group and came back with a guide when she'd had enough. Their favorite part was Terra Luna (which they said was absolutely gorgeous.....no justice done by the Website) and their drive around the lake to Chile Chico. She said that the whole southern part of that lake is breathtaking. The first part of the journey from Balmaceda to Terra Luna, is a paved highway. They stayed a second night at Terra Luna, cuz they loved it so much. They then went to Chile Chico and went to the Hostal Patagonia that they'd cancelled the night before. She said that Chile Chico itself isn't even a town, and that the Hostal Patagonia looked like a rundown old hacienda. They almost turned around and fled, but opted to check it out. She said it was surprising when they entered.....it was perfectly acceptable inside. They found places out of Ushuaia that were to die for. They followed the families on New Year's Day.....everyone heading out for family picnics. They drove on the high road on the hills/mountains surrounding the Beagle Channel....said it was breathtaking and really memorable. Every family they met invited them to join them. It was pristine and clear when we sailed out of Ushuaia through the Beagle Channel last year, so I can imagine what their vistas were. She called and "dumped"
for 2 hours last week. Her only real surprise was their drive on the
Carreterra Austral, with high fences on both sides of the narrow road.
She had packed a picnic lunch....thought they'd explore off in the country
somewhere. Great trip. Thank you! Everything worked out perfectly, the hotels, the tours, EVERYTHING! Hi - We've been back from our trip for a few days now, and I haven't even emailed you to thank you for such a wonderful trip. Everything worked out perfectly, the hotels, the tours, EVERYTHING. Buenos Aires was beautiful and we didn't feel at all threatened like everyone said we should feel. The people were friendly and polite. We went to a ranch one day to watch the Gauchos work with the horses - a typical bar-be-que, which they are very big on. It's a good place if you like beef - everything was meat, meat, meat. We even went over to Uruguay for a day. That was beautiful. Iguasu was fantastic, as I knew it would be, and it was such a good idea to stay on both sides. We went under the falls, and hiked in the jungle. It was great. That hotel (Tropical Cataratas I think it was called) on the Brazil side was one of the most beautiful hotels I've ever seen. Then on to Rio, which I loved. Your friend Monica's ideas were all very helpful, and I especially like the cod fish balls. We saw all of the typical sights which were really prettier and much more spectacular than pictures. We also went out on a tropical island tour which was great for a day on a boat and on a beach. That was fun! We also went to a Tango show and wanted to go to a Samba show, but we didn't have time. We walked all over everywhere. We were careful, but we felt very safe, also. Thanks again. It was a great experience, and I would recommend EcoAdventures to anyone. They really knew what they were doing. Hope to see you soon. Your traveling pal, Belize - one of their best vacations . . . . . . the Sellers who went to Belize had such a wonderful time at the Mopan resort you recommended—they swooned about it—the fabulous food and service—they had a great time with the owners—said it was one of their best vacations—loved their room at Ramon's (Ambergris Caye) too. Thanks again, Extraordinary assistance I received . . . for my honeymoon booking As I am closing files and clearing
emails from this past year, I am reminded of the extraordinary assistance
I received from you for my . . . honeymoon booking. This couple had
a great time. They returned home happy . . . (all due to your
instruction). Thank you for sharing the wealth of knowledge that is
within EcoAdventures. Inca Trail Romance Casey Family Trip - Costa Rica - Everyone enjoyed it 100% We are back from our trip and I just wanted to let you know that everyone enjoyed it 100% We were particularly impressed with the guide and driver we had. They were both exceptional! My mom participated in everything including the zipline canopy tour and she even went across one cable without a guide to help brake. The family was very impressed with "my" planning but I assured them that everything had been carefully suggested and arranged by you. Thanks again for making things go so smoothly. Sincerely, Way Beyond Their Expectations Roz called to say they had a fabulous
time. Their trip was perfect and very special, and was way beyond their
expectations. That's what we like to hear. They were just so enthusiastic...
Thanks for the great job. I Want To Tell You That I Am Very Impressed! I want to tell you that I am very impressed! Your travel documents are complete to the point where I would use them as an example of what should be universal throughout the industry. I have been singing your praises to everyone I meet who may want to use your company for their clients. I am especially impressed by the copies for my agency as well as an extra client copy of the itinerary for her to leave with her family/friends...thank you so much and I have no doubt that the same attention will be paid to my client's travel as has been spent in the thorough compilation of her travel documents. Makes me look good...perfect!!! Heather Hintzpeter Holme, CTC, DS |
