Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews page 68
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and H…
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
- ★★★★★ Bev Langsch
Lots of ups and downs, super on Ebike
Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Our group of three ebikers, average age 75, enjoyed zooming up the long, steep hills and then drifting down again. The route was on paved roads, with very little traffic. Wind and clouds in mid-September were with us, but rain came in late afternoon, and by then, we were resting in our new hotel. Scenery with mountains, very small towns and old churches was interesting. Hotels were varied, from very simple near Frias to renovated mill to luxurious in LaGuardia. The GPS routes were very helpful, but we usually read and reread the written information. The written notes would be more helpful if the actual number of the road was included. We had a bit of trouble adapting to Spanish meal times, but loved the tapas served in bars (only until 3 or 4 pm) and waited anxiously for dinner after 8.30. Three other bikers were doing the same route and joined us at mealtimes. The six of us had a wonderful time together.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 11, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Mary Partheymuller
Wonderful way to bike through this Lake country of France from Geneva.
Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
Loved the choices of sport versus moderate rides on several days, which satisfied all participants. As a single participant, the last hotel was disappointing, but satisfactory . Most accommodations were quite nice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
- ★★★★★ Christopher Blair
Strasbourg - Mainz
Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
It was okay.
First day, bags were not picked up. Had to call. Delivered after dinner time. Expected some explanation or perhaps an apology. Nothing.
- ★★★★★ Robin Jones
Breathtaking scenery and flawless trip
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This was an incredible trip and the perfect way to see Austria! Cycling through the back farm lands was incredible and we were amazed at how absolutely green it was! The hotels were nice (some quite noisy)depending on where your room is located. Our bikes were top notch and we couldn't have asked for more. They were easy to handle, comfortable and worked perfectly for the duration of the trip. We didn't use the provided guide book but used google maps instead. This allowed us to take a few "off route" trails. It's amazing how accessible Austria makes it for people to be outdoors and enjoy nature, and the maintenance of the trails are perfect. We were concerned when the travel company did not provide us with luggage tags for our luggage transfers but they arrived daily without a problem. I would HIGHLY recommend this trip!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Cheryl Jaskot
Coastal Dream
Algarve Coastal Route
WE were a group of six with our group ages from 67-43. The local bike company was very communicative and accommodating. We all rode traditional bikes and trained on fairly flat surfaces. The course was fairly flat the first three days along gravel roads and boardwalks. The longest day was 35 miles and a lot of hills. The last two days were also hilly and along gravel roads. We had to walk some of the hills. The accommodations were great and food was easily accessible. Lots of amazing seafood was everywhere. There were also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. We had a great time and would highly recommend this tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
- ★★★★★ Sunil Savara
Time of my life with my family!
Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
Everything was great, except for the documentation and organisation around that. Three changes you should make, and I will share this with Carla and Thomas as well:
1. Please provide an English map and booklet. In fact, when booking the tour, you can ask preferences for languages, and ensure that its followed through by the appropriate documentation.
2. When booking the tour, check if this is a first tour and/or use of the e-bikes, and if it is, offer the option of someone spending an hour to rope the persons in... there can be a small charge for it..
3. Share information on online maps, aside of Google Maps. I downloaded on the 3rd day an application that was very helpful, and which made it easier for me to figure things out.- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-7 Sep 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Scott Eckhoff
Three countries with great scenery and variety.
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
We experienced a true feel for three countries as we biked through this amazing area. There is much variety with this trip. We experienced small quaint villages, ski towns, beautiful mountain scenery, quiet forests, beautiful lakes and rivers, great restaurants, nice accommodations, mostly safe biking on trails and quiet roads. We took the slightly longer route through the hinterland into Trieste which gave us a peaceful ride until the city of Trieste. The App which was provided gave us peace of mind that we were always on the correct route. There were no worries about getting lost. We would advise having a phone holder that fits on your handle bar. We highly recommend this trip and would recommend Ebikes. There are many up and down slopes on a few days.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy, Slovenia, Austria
- ★★★★★ Stu Davidson
Time to enjoy Ireland!
Treasures of the Donegal Coast
We opted for a customer 12 day option, with an extra day (well, a 13 day option?). The extra day was special for 2022 - with stories of airlines canceling flights. We wanted to be sure we arrived in time for our tour!
Ireland by Bike (the tour operator) delivered our bikes a day earlier, effectively extending our tour, and provided an extra route! I thought that was a very thoughtful surprise. We found that Ireland has lots or wonderful, thoughtful, friendly people, which made our tour enjoyable and low stress.
I rode a hybrid bike and certainly noticed the tour routes were not flat; my wife had an ebike and climbed hills faster than I did. We both loved the varied terrain. Doing the tour self-guided let us set our own pace with no pressure.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Ireland
- ★★★★★ Jessica Phelan
Beautiful Scenery!
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
This trip was absolutely stunning. The views were beyond beautiful form everywhere. For the most part you are riding along the river and the ride is very relaxing. Most days are fairly flat with a few small hills and many downhills. The trails are well marked and the map by the guide company is pretty easy to follow. Our group did the trip with hybrid bikes, but if I were to do it again, I would definitely get an e-bike. There is one day with some really big climbs and an e-bike would have made the whole a thing a bit more leisurely. We also did not pack helmets since they wouldn't fit in our suitcases and the bike shop ran out of rentals. I would advise bringing one with you.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Jeffrey Kuhl
second tour
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Day 1 - 3 were fantastic.
Day 4 was too long partly because of route, a few mistakes and a long detour to local bike repair shop. Broken seat was replaced quickly, but caused 3 or 4 stops to attempt to tighten seat with tools that didn't fix the problem. I could only ride a short distance before stopping to flatten seat. The issue was a broken ratchet that had to be replaced. Local tour company worked to find repair and notify them I would be there. I arrived right before closing.
Day 5 I just wanted it to be over.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
- ★★★★★ Sharon Roberts
Beautiful Spain!
Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Best curated trip I’ve been on so far. Hotels were pretty and comfortable and had wonderful staff. Bikes were in great shape and loved the electronic gps devices provided. The creative Catalonia folks were over the top helpful. Great mix of beaches, medieval villages and scenic views of the mountains and the med. Highly recommend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Sara Ching
Beautiful scenario in the Bavarian alps
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
The route is breathtaking. From Innsbruck to salzburg, we opted for the rest day in zell am see (100% recommmended) where we got a day off to take the gondolas up to see the mountains, go to the glacier lakes in kaprun and swim in zell am see lake. The hotels and breakfasts were great! The bike company they use to source the bike was a bit disorganized, the bikes were ok though seats were the hard racer types. Bike company also an out of bags and locks. They didn’t give us enough baggage tags and when they split our groups across two hotels, the baggages were often at the wrong hotel. There weren’t a lot of recommendations on optional things to do and places to eat so you definitely have to do a lot of your own research. Overall I would recommend the tour because the itinerary and accommodations were very nice but the agency that ran the tour itself could be better organized.
Also note the second day of biking (day 3) has a lot more uphills and downhills than it seems. And it rained really hard the last three days of our tours so definitely make sure you have good rain gear if you go in September.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
- ★★★★★ Terry Connolly
Very Smooth Arrangements
Vienna to Budapest 5-nights (Active)
This worked pretty seamlessly. Bike rentals were in excellent shape, well equipped for storage and travel. Paper maps they gave us were good, but seems like should advise traveler to download Komoot or similar for detail of route map and GPS. All hotels were very nice. Bags got there ahead of us every day. Gyor to Esztergom is a long ride, on busy roads and non-paved surfaces. But overall a positive using BikeTours.
- ★★★★★ Jacqueline Day
Rugged/Adventurous/wonderful sites
Danube River and Black Sea
This trip was full of everything, fine wine tastings to, rustic countryside sites, ancient ruins, sunflower fields, kayaking down the Danube to biking along the Black Sea. Our guides were great, caring and made it special for us.
- ★★★★★ Charles Honaker
Outstanding bike tour
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
My daughter and I repeated this upscale bike tour taken a few years ago. It was a wonderful 10 day experience with comfortable daily rides to the next town where the hotels were always upscale and sometimes 5 star. We enjoyed extended breakfast buffets daily, set our suitcases and travel carry ons in the lobby , and got back on the bike path about 10 or 11 am, and leisurely headed to the next town. I’m not a bike enthusiast but enjoy riding on bike paths and stopping frequently at small patio restaurants catering to bikers, and sites along the way. We certainly enjoyed the local towns and also large cities like Linz and Vienna I was last on a bicycle 3 years ago and am over 70- - the tour was truly rejuvenating. We did not use E bikes but I think they were an option. My daughter also loved the trip and wants to go again next year. Taylor was our agent from BikeTours and extremely helpful in arranging all details. She promptly answered all emails and was in constant contact with the European operators. ( We had booked last year and the previous year, but rescheduled this August due to COVID concerns). When contacted this spring, she immediately pulled up our previous itinerary and applied the deposit to this years trip. I’m sure I emailed her a dozen times about itinerary modifications and changes and she always responded in less than 24 hours I cannot overstate the professionalism of this company and the enthusiasm and helpfulness of Taylor Thank you Taylor and Bike Tours! Maybe we can do it again next year! Charles Honaker and Lindsay
- ★★★★★ Fabio Freire de Carvalho Matos
One of the best journey in my live
Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrim’s Route From Astorga to Santiago
The bike was not so good, but de experience was great. Galícia is a wonderfull place and its people are so kind and happy. I love the organization, all the hostel and hotels, the food, and the maps is very importants for de tourists.
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Leena Dallasheh
Dedicated guides that will make your trip
Danube River and Black Sea
The best thing about this trip were the guides. They were so nice, and they tried to accommodate all our needs. They listened and adapted when needed. And they did it all with a great demeanor. They really made sure we enjoyed!
The trip had a lot of activities. In addition to cycling 20-70 km a day, with a lot of hills, the guides took us on hikes to show us beautiful sites, and we kayaked down the Danube.
Bulgaria is apparently an unusual choice for cycling. But it clearly has a slowly growing cycling niche. It is challenging, with a lot of hills, and having to off-road at times, so don't be ashamed to opt for an e-bike (I didn't, but there were times I wished I did). But as I struggled, the guides were amazing, they supported, they slowed down to my pace, made sure I always had someone with me, and they pulled when the wind was hard! Absolutely wonderful!
The trip went off the beaten path, but the company chose nice locations, the hotels and B&Bs were always clean, and they checked with us to make sure things were ok. - ★★★★★ Colleen Mcintyre
Ride is awesome! Assistance could use some assistance
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
The ride is one of the most amazing experiences I have had. Having the bags transferred is priceless and went very well. The hotels - both quality and location - also excellent. I got an e-bike and so happy I did because two days had a lot of dirt, gravel, and mud that bike helped power through.
The maps?!?! A book that has copied step by step from a bike app. This is great for walking, but if you never stop or detour, or in the city where there are multiple turns rapidly, it doesn’t function. The other book has pictures - excellent - except where there are multiple rapid turns or irregular intersections. They also don’t indicate the charge for necessary ferries on the map. They company needs to have someone who has never ridden it, use the book, and make indicators, or tips in it. Going between the books is nearly impossible. I reviewed both books, google maps, and a bike app (I don’t have a subscription) the night before. That with the signs that are not always available helped a lot.
Last, upon my early arrival in Budapest, my bags were not there yet. I checked in to shower and change into my spare outfit. When I returned, the bike was gone. No notification …I assumed the company. I would have assumed I had the bike, like the hotel room, through the end of the tour.
- ★★★★★ Christopher Mauriello
Great paced trip
Sweden’s West Coast: Helsingborg to Gothenburg
This trip meets all expectations.
The trip features a good mix of Swedish shoreline, farms and great towns.
The Kathegattleden trail is well marked and mostly paved but made much easier to navigate with the GPS app.
Very little road riding but where it exists is very little traffic. Totally recommend a night or two on Copenhagen at the end of the trip which is also a great place to bike.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Sweden
- ★★★★★ Bernice Thill
First Trip with BikeTours.com A+
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
This was our first trip using Biketours.com. We were so impressed. The planning was easy and the company provided many maps and additional information to help navigate each area. The bikes were in great shape, well-suited to the type of riding we were doing along the Danube River. They were comfortable to ride and the addition of saddle and handle bar bags gave us enough room to carry extra clothes/rain gear and lunches/water. The logistics worked smoothly--our luggage arrived on time and usually before we reached each of our hotels each night. We loved this trip so much, we'll be looking into other trips Biketours.com offers. Loved everything about this adventure!
