written by McElroydj248 on 22/08/2018
booked with archers who then transferred us to croisi Europe a French company only ten brits out 160 passengers.Every thing was French food was all French total disaster. We should get refund holiday was a washout
written by Pserenity on 08/12/2017
I have been travelling with Archers/cosmos since 1973 and have noticed the gradual decline of the quality of their holidays despite the price increase. I went on their Mayan trail holiday last week and during the booking process I filled in a form to inform them about my dietary needs and was assured by staff that they will inform the airlines and hotels about it. 2days before my outbound flight I rang Archers to ask if the airline has been informed of my dietary needs as it was a 10 hour flight. I was assured that as I have filled in the form the airline would have been informed. Alas, during the flight I was informed by the airline stewardess that no special diet had been ordered for me and therefore did not have anything suitable for me. As a diabetic I needed to eat to maintain a steady blood sugar level and fortunately I was carrying some fruits and crisps which I smacked on the 10 hour flight. If not for these snacks, my health would have been at risk due to Archers incompetence. Apart from that the restaurant staff did not understand what a dairy free diet meant and could not explain to them as many did not speak English. I also found that the hotel room allocation was not a fair process as the rooms in Merida and Chichen itza were not fit for habitation and should be condemned.
written by MrsBPShah on 30/08/2017
My husband and I went on an Archers / Cosmos trip to Finland and Norway. The trip itself was good, our tour director and driver were great. Our issue was with the accommodation on the tours. Most of our fellow travel companions would agree with what I have to say. All the hotels we were booked in had awful bathrooms,the placement of the bathroom features were ludicrous. Toilets jammed up against the wall, showers that were actually mini wet rooms leaking all over the floor. No bath mats, tiny spaces, I could go on but feel someone should go and stay at these various hotels both as a couple and single travellers and then book their customers in such sub standard accommodation. The beds were uncomfortable with mattress toppers that slid off the bed, no double beds only single beds which moved at the slightest touch. Lighting was also not good. The other issue was food, I am a vegetarian and in every meal I ended up eating steamed broccoli ,rice and potatoes, since there were gluten free and dairy free options provided for I expected some variety in the buffet meals that were available for a vegetarian, even the fried eggs had bacon on them!!!!
written by aroamer on 20/09/2016
If you are thinking of going on the Sicilian Adventure tour DO NOT. We went on the tour 7 -14th September 2016. Archers/Cosmos failed to pass on dietary information to the tour director and hotel though the travel agent had confirmed the details with them three times in my presence. The first hotel Borgo Don Chisciotte was in an isolated location and the catering was totally dysfunctional. Breakfast were not even of 2* quality: the only cereal was corn flakes or choco rolls, the 'hot' food comprised of undercooked bacon, frankfurters and had boiled eggs brought to the breakfast room on ceramic dishes and so was at best tepid. The only bread was small round slices of white bread cut off a french baguette. The evening meal was totally repetitive for three nights with dry overcooked small portions of sword fish and pork loin. The vegetable servings were meagre one night comprising of two small tempura balls (small piece of cauliflower floret in one and a piece of artichoke in the other) and on the third night a desert spoonful of spinach. The food was served one item at a time so by the time the course was assembled everything was cold. the tour group was 51 people far too big to manage in busy streets and in churches and cathedrals were the guides had to talk quietly. the Should have been provision throughout the tour of a 'Whisper@ type of microphone for the guide and ear phones for the tourists. The exceptional historic site of Piazza Amerina was completely omitted from the tour. This tour was a disappointment
written by on 24/07/2016
Have been with Archers many times before, but never again.1st hotel was isolated, poorly cooked and presented food, usually cold and small portions. 2nd hotel comfortable, welcoming, good service and great food. 3rd hotel was poor again, dirty , rusted bathroom, dangerous looking balconies, iffy electrics. The food was at least luke warm and the staff tried but were overwhelmed with 47 in the group. Being a large group it was often difficult to hear the individual guides. The tour manager was only interested in a quiet life.
written by stamphaven on 22/09/2015
8 day Rhine/Moselle cruise Sept 2015. Usual Archer mess up with tickets, and interminable waits on phone calls. Promised call backs and emails not received. No compliment slips or apologies received when correct tickets eventually received. Poor show. Accommodation best described as 'snug'. Other guests on this trip also had appalling cabin fiascos which were not resolved. Food very average, but chef did provide one good meal on the last evening, which proved it could be done. We had lunch ashore on three occasions,obviously at our own expense, but well worth it. Great play made of 'complimentary' tea or coffee - morning and afternoon - big deal. Don't dare ask for a second cup though!! Good scenery and some interesting stop off places. Can't blame Archers for the inclement weather, but suffice to say we will NEVER travel with Archers or Cosmos (the parent company)again. Very poor value for money in one of the supposedly top cabins. M & J
written by Mathew373 on 17/07/2015
firstly the flight was changed with Easyjet and I was nt informed , cancelled flight and sent to another airport on the other side of Rome after a 2 hr search with the desk people at midnight , finally they found the flight I was meant to be on , new boarding pass given , arrived at 9.20 a m no Archers coach or courier to collect to help me , I rang the hotel and was told he was out on a job , get a taxi to the hotel cost € 50 asked for a receipt and he got in the taxi and drove off ...hotel nice , clean but no one on arrival but 6 pm meeting with tour director as they call themselves these days . 1 night stay then off to Tuscany , Aquamarine hotel spand spa , in the middle of no where , stunning views , swimming pool , open air dining room , 4 day stay , the food was disgusting every meal had either huge handfuls of Rocket or bitter lettuce dumped on hot plates , complaints by the whole coach , Al a carte service to others staying a priority before us , 2 1/2 meal for 3 courses , disgusting choices , dreadful breakfasts of stale food , cold scrambled egg out of a fridge , raw bacon , stale cakes ....could nt wait to leave ....this hotel needs removing from Archers stay . Visiting churches can be very boring if you are not interested in them , extra meals optional were disappointing , pasta , pizza and some salads , very unsatisfactory wines as an extra , rushed return to Rome can't understand why we were hurried to see so much .... I would nt recommend this if you want a relaxed holiday , an inspiration of Italian food , leisure and plenty of free time ...it's not cheap anyway but your made to feel as though you are expected to go on the extras otherwise you miss out , when really your not ....Andre Truelove
written by Geraniumpam on 03/11/2014
I chose this tour as I was travelling with my disabled son and it appeared that we would be met and supported throughout. Arriving at JFK New York there was no one to meet us, which was quite upsetting. On our tour we were not the only travellers not to be collected from the airport. When arriving at the Excelsior Hotel in New York, having advised Cosmos we were mother and son, I discover we have accommodation consisting of just one bed. This happened more than once. Flying from Dullus, Washington to LA we had to pay for our luggage as an extra. When arriving in LA not only did we not have a bed we did not have a room. The cost of the optional trips is very expensive. I paid for a helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon (wonderful). All the payments have to be made to Cosmos I later discovered that if I had booked directly with Papilon I would have saved a considerable amount of money. On one day we spent in excess of 12 hours on the tour bus, other days we spent several hours travelling. Any vegetarian travellers the choice of lunches can be limited especially if you don't like eggs as many of the fast food places we stopped at had little consideration for non meat eaters. I wrote twice to the company complaining however they chose not to reply. I would not travel with them again.
Written on: 16/08/2015
Almost the same happened to me and my sister. Arrival at New York was OK, and we had to pay extra for luggage at Dullas as well. Hotel in Saguaro took out the price of hotel on my credit card. No-one to meet us at Los Angeles or Hawaii (extended the tour) and no booking when checking into hotel. Hotel receptionist found which hotel we should be in. Rep never showed up in Hawaii. I did get a £400 cheque and £400 off my next holiday, which I used to book Peru this September and was advised on Wednesday that this has been cancelled! And I'd paid the full outstanding balance.
written by pcrayth on 16/07/2014
I booked a trip to Sicily & Sorrento in February 2014 to travel on 25th July 2104 for 2 weeks. Despite being told at the time of booking that we would be transferred from Naples airport straight to our overnight hotel in Sorrento without having to wait around for other UK flights to arrive I have received travel documentation to the contrary. In addition, our seats on our return flights have been reserved but not on our outward journey which is disgusting as we could find ourselves scrambling around with other passengers trying to find seats that are together. The organisation even before I have holidayed with this company does not impress me.
written by Boltonfp293 on 29/06/2014
Last year we booked a River Cruise and being the first was looking forward to it. We arrived only to find out when we were on the boat out cabins had been downgraded to the lower deck. Despite pleas and ringing the UK we could not get it resolved and so it was a great start to the holiday at the rear of the ship with engines vibrating. Our friends who had been on a boat with Archers before said this food was well below standard with dishes like rabbit being served up. We booked this year as we had a voucher as "compensation" and all seemed well until today when we got an e mail saying due to an error our top deck cabin was not available and we were being downgraded to the lower level. How can this happen 2 years in a row? either they are becoming like airlines and over booking or its mass incompetence on behalf of the staff. I have written to them and have met a wall of silence. I will never recommend Archers again they are a complete and utter incompetent shower who treat customers like dirt. I have never written a bad review before but they deserved this one
written by Desireed166 on 09/06/2014
Our 14 day French holiday was very disappointing, not up to your usual standard.
written by MERSEYSIDEKAT on 21/08/2012
My daughter, grand daughter and myself booked the trans american adventure last october for this July/August. Firstly they kept changing the San Francisco extention hotel, they did not inform us that CO airlines had become UA it was myself that spotted it on the net. Phoning Archers to complain about this as we then had to the ESTA the snotty operator said that we did not need the airline or the flight number for the ESTA which we knew we did, and she said that they were going through the bookings and would have got to us when they had gone through the ones before us - charming. The hotel in New York was the pits. Everything was OK after that until we got to the grand canyon - north rim. This must be the worst place to see the canyon, DO NOT GO THERE. Only one rocky path to walk - no way to go down into the canyon, the cabins were primative and I felt I was crawling with creepys whilst in bed. Dozens of people got food poisoning at the lodge restaurant. Archers say on their website, see down the cayon to the colorado river, you'll be lucky lucky. if you want this go to the south rim. Before we left LA the tour manager gave us our details for our San Francisco extendtion - it was not the hotel we had been told by Archers we were staying in, they had again changed the hotel without informing us this time, also Archers had made promises, I had two correspondances from them, that we would have the shuttle to meet us at the airport and would not have to phone and wait for an hour. The tour manager said that will never happen you will have to phone the shuttle companies are too lazy to keep an eye on flight arrivals and meet the flight. On arrival at San Francisco airport for our flight home via Dulles/Washington. Upon self check in I discovered that I had no seat, only a seat on the Dulles to Manchester. Having booked this last October and not having a seat, left me in a state of sickness and shock and my Daughter and Grand Daughter crying their eyes out at the thought they would have to leave me. Archers have a lot to answer for upsetting customers like this, will NEVER NEVER EVER book with them again, and NEVER NEVER EVER book a flight with UA
written by on 26/09/2010
the hotels with the exception of best western were all 2 star hotels,(they were marked as 4star but no way were they 4star) poorly located.the meals were set meals and we were made to feel second class compared to the other people who stayed in the hotels. breakfast was very poor, every morning i had to ask for hot water for tea.i would have been prepared to pay more for better food and hotels than experience that again. not be going with this company again
written by on 18/07/2010
Book with this company if you dont mind your hotels being nowhere near the city center or any other form of life. The loction of the hotels were terribble, in the middle of nowhere, which was good for them as you then had to fork out loads of money on 'optional' extras as there was nothing else to do. And then when you did pay loads more for evening you really weren't to keen on, the food was terrible and you couldn't sit were we wanted in the dining room and had no choices like other dinners. We felt like second class dinners. We will never travel with this company again. Oh, and they give an option of full board - dont take it,as you ant even at the hotel for lunch due to the planned excursions!
written by on 01/07/2010
booked in qawra palace malta worst hotel i have ever been to the whole place was very scruffy the dinning area was no better than a cheap canteen we were put into zoned areas like cattel and had to pay extra charges for simple things like a tv remote or even a bath mat .malta its self was great once we got ourselves another hotel
written by on 11/09/2008
Accomodation was mostly good. We have been on many tours with Archers before but this was the first time that we have experienced a tour manager like this. We did however complain to Archers when we got back home. This has not put us off going with Archers again as we had since been to the Amalfi Coast which was fanstatic.
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As rated by our community of reviewers
Kookaburra717's Response to aroamer's Review
Written on: 18/04/2017
I find it almost unbelievable that Piazza Amerina was not included (although whisper microphone was absolutely essential). This was probably the highlight of our recent tour. Absolutely amazing. Advice to others is to make sure your tour includes this absolutely amazing site.