Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews page 112
- Albania
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and H…
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Holland
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United States
- Vietnam
-
-
★★★★★ Gary61
Great trip with lots of positive experiences
Sparta and the Mediterranean Coast
This was a great way to see part of Greece. Because of the marathon from Athens to Sparta we had to stay in Misttriss which I thought was more romantic and authentic. Sparta had great Restuarants and the old ruins Sparta are a must to see.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10 or more
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
-
★★★★★ Ellen Hatfield
Great trip!
Loire Valley Châteaux & Gardens Tour
This trip was a great way to explore the Chateaus of the Loire Valley. The trip was over nice roads and was very scenic. We were a returning group with experienced riders, so we had a lot of fun and traveled at a good pace. Our guide, Sam Taylor, really made the trip. He was fun, engaged with us, knew his stuff and can change a tire at a remarkable pace. He is a fantastic guide.
The only thing I would recommend is having the chateau tours included in the tour price. It was a real hassle having to get tickets for a large group at the site. I guess I thought the tickets were included in the tour. We had someone from our group pay for the tickets, but then we had to do a money exchange everyday which was a pain.
I also thought some wine was included but we could get more if we wanted. We paid for- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 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?
- France
-
★★★★★ Bubbles
Good bike tour, great scenery, with caveats and NOT a level 2 difficulty
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
This tour benefits from some spectacularly gorgeous scenery, two unique and fascinating cities, and the excellent bike support staff (they were prompt in communicating and resolving equipment problems). Cyclists need to be aware of some of the drawbacks, too. The difficulty rating for this trip is misleading. It is NOT a level 2; it is definitely at least a level 3. I did a level 2 ride the week before, and a level 4 ride the week after, and this ride was closer to the 4 than the 2. The elevation maps provided appear to be inaccurate (day 2 was at least as hilly as day 1). Cycling expectations, and therefore preparations, matter. The on-route directional sign postings are usually present (kudos), but quite small and easy to overlook. Then, unfortunately, there were some things that detracted from the experience that cannot be fixed by the tour operator: inconsiderate auto drivers, very rough pavement in many places (patches upon patches and big, deep potholes), and a truly remarkable amount of litter (garbage, discarded washing machines and refrigerators, cans, bottles) that mars large swaths of the route in otherwise very scenic countryside. We cycled in the shoulder season, and some coastal in the far south towns were nearly closed down, but the traffic was also nearly absent. All things considered, it was a positive experience and worthwhile, but it doesn’t compare favorably to other equally beautiful trips.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 6, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
-
★★★★★ Ellen Ruth Johnson
Great cycling, good people!
Founder's Tour: Turkey and Greece E-Bike & Boat tour
Everything about the trip was excellent with the exception of the cabins on the “Love Boat.” Please see my previous review.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October2923
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
-
★★★★★ Elizabeth Denniston
Spectacular
Cycling the West Balkan Triangle
An amazing way to see the most stunning scenery. I had no idea what each day would bring, and the trip unfolded as one magical day after another.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 14
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina
-
★★★★★ Ptowntraveller
Great Tour!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Wonderful easy first time bike tour. Flat scenic route with lots to explore along the way. Hotels were all good and very different, only downside was that it was REALLY hot when we were there and there was no air conditioning and some rooms had no cross ventilation.
-
★★★★★ Emily Hyde
Fun trip but bikes too heavy
Swiss Lakes by E-bike: Lake Geneva to Lake Lucerne
All aspects of the trip were very well organized. The packet we were given was great. We had a problem with one of our bikes, and had a new one the next day! The tour company did a good job with helping when needed. Each hotel we stayed at knew we were coming. Check in was always smooth. Even though we arrived early each day, the hotels were very accommodating and our room was always ready. They all were prepared for our bike storage as well.
We wished we would have covered more mileage each day. Other than scenery, there wasn't much to do in some of the towns, so we would have liked to have covered more mileage. The last day was only a twelve mile ride, which was disappointing. That distance is covered in no time at all on an e-bike. We checked in to our hotel by 1 pm each day. Unfortunately for us it rained everyday except the last, so we didn't meander around as we hoped, we made it as fast as we could to each location. It took us about 3 1/2 hours each day to cover the distance we were supposed to ride. We probably would have stopped along the way had the weather been better.
Hotels:
Again, ALL were accommodating. Staff at every location welcomed us warmly!
The Hotel Ermitage in Schonreid was truly exceptional in each and every aspect. Will be going back one day! Wish we could have had our rest day there! The Gruyere Hotel staff went above and beyond. They welcomed us with hot cocoa when they saw how wet and cold we were. One of our group twisted their ankle, they helped with what we needed. They contacted the bike company for us with picking up one of the bikes that wasn't working. We also sent our bikes instead of riding because of the rain and they helped us arrange that.
We were very disappointed in the Seegarten Marina Hotel in Spiez. It was definitely not up to the quality of our other hotels. The room was incredibly small, as was the bathroom. We should have been given the option of two rooms in that hotel. We had three people with us on this trip, and it was the only time it was really uncomfortable. The third person slept on an actual cot. Unfortunately, it was also our "rest day," so we had two nights at that hotel. We were given the hotel list about two weeks prior to our trip. Perhaps a list of hotels ahead of time would be nice. It would have give us the option of making plans for things to do at each location, especially on the rest day.Bikes: Although we wondered before our trip about the mileage we would be covering, that, we found, was of no concern on an e-bike.
Didn't need to train, or get ready to sit for a long time on the seat each day. Those ended up not being an issue at all. The BIG issue was the weight of the bike. All three of us felt we would probably never do one of these tours again-completely because of the bike. We had rented e-bikes in the states before we came. Totally different. Your bikes were very, very heavy. We felt off-balance on the bike--ie--couldn't look back on the bike for fear of falling. Two of us did fall(just lots of bruising.). We all thought that should be mentioned somewhere in your literature. SHOW MOREA couple other items:
The funicular station in Vevey said "no bikes". So, we started riding them. Big mistake. We rode--well, walked, our bikes up one of the steepest sections of the trip. Send your bikes whenever it says to do so. Makes a big difference in your day!The timing of the chocolate factory wasn't great. Although it probably was the last timed ticket for the day, we missed the bus, which only came hourly, and had to take a $50 cab ride to make it there on time. This was the only day we got into town late (didn't use the funicular! and got lost)
The directions were good on the open road. Not as great in the city. Was usually hard to navigate from the hotel out of the city.
Rest day would be good in a different city. Not much to do in Spiez.
Would probably have been a wonderful trip if we saw the Alps, and the bikes were lighter!
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Switzerland
-
★★★★★ Emily Magnavita
Great trip
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Trip was great, however, there was lack of communication with the company as far as planning logistics. Directions were unclear and sometimes incorrect, got lost on the route multiple times due to lack of information and description in the directions.
-
★★★★★ Emmanuel
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
Excellent trip around the Danube, with plenty of sights and lovely lodging. Sadly tainted by really bad weather (4 days of storm and heavy rain) at the end of May.
-
-
★★★★★ From Canada
Great trip.
Majorca: A Loop Tour of the Beautiful Balearic Island
This was our first self guided tour. Almost everything was perfect. There are a couple of suggestions that may make the trip even better. Even though this was a self guided tour there were other people who were doing the tour at the same time. We saw them here and there but did not get to meet them and talk to them until 5th day at the luncheon. It would have been nice to have that lunch earlier so we could meet and interact sooner. We missed out on potential good friendship and interaction with others.
The WiFi service was poor in most places. I use it regularly to stay in touch with family back home. The last place we stayed gave us individual wifi codes and it worked great.
We would have loved to stay two nights at the Port de Soller instead of Can Picafort. That was the most beautiful area and we just did not have enough time to explore the area.
The food was hit and miss but OK overall.
I would suggest finding small restaurants with daily special menu for lunches. We had our best food on our trip in a little town in a very small restaurant.
We will definitely do this kind of trips again.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sep 29th
- How many tours have you completed?
- two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Skippy
Loved the Scenery!
Dolomites to Venice Along the Old Dolomites Railway Track
Enjoyed each day! Length was good, even including the king day!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 8-15, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
-
★★★★★ Ed & Jill Nyland
Trip Was As Expected
Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
The trip was enjoyable, the bikes were top notch, the trails were mostly well maintained except for a couple of remote and rough areas. The hotels were pleasant except for a very horrendous experience in Heidelberg. We were told that they were overbooked and they “stuck us” in a 7 story walk up hotel across the street., no elevator and no lobby. The hotel was dirty and not secure. We had to carry our two large bags and all of our bike gear up and down. The comment was “you look like you’re in good shape”. There was no real apology or accountability for their mistake. We were extremely angry and disappointed because we were looking forward to Heidelberg.
-
BikeTours.com staff reply from bozena_kusovac
Hi Ed and Jill,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re so sorry to hear about what happened in Heidelberg - we understand how upsetting and frustrating that must have been, especially when you were looking forward to that part of the trip. Please accept our sincere apologies. We’ll be addressing this directly with our partner to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Bozena
-
-
★★★★★ Erik Coats
Great place to cycle
Lake Constance Bicycle Path (Upscale Lodging)
Lake Constance is beautiful and the cycling is great. 80% of the trip is on paved hike/bike paths, with about 10% on unpaved paths and 10% on regular roads (shared with cars). You should pay for the GPS aps on your phone to navigate as the maps and written directions are often insufficient. Most of the hotels were in lovely cities, but the spacing out was inconsistent, leading to some very short days of cycling and some very long days. Most days were short enough to give you time to explore the cities you're passing through and staying in. We had a couple issue and were able to reach the tour company for support, which is appreciated.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- 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, Germany, Switzerland
-
★★★★★ Musse Pigg
A very beautiful trip
Mosel Bike Path: Dreamy Mosel Valley from Trier to Koblenz
- What was the date of your tour?
- 17/7-2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Evelyn Savage
Adventure
Medieval Villages of Catalonia
Medieval Villages of Catalonia was an adventurous, fun and challenging bike tour. The villages were very interesting, the hotels very nice, the ebikes great and self guided directions mostly good. We had a few challenges finding some of the paths and the terrain was much more mountain biking than expected. But we found our way and enjoyed the beautiful countryside. One should be an experienced cyclist or mountain biker to enjoy the trails have some experience with directions to do self guided. Overall a very good way to experience the Baja Emporda coast and Medieval towns.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Phyllis Bressler
Bike tour in Denmark
Royal Zealand and Copenhagen
First, the positives - and there are many. The route took us through some beautiful historic towns and gorgeous countryside. We even took the ferry over to Sweden on the first night so that we could add another country to our list. The bikes were very good. Comfortable and sturdy on the somewhat bumpy gravel roads. The hotels we were booked at were all fantastic and in great locations to enable us to explore each town at night.
We do have some comments about things that might be improved:
- we arrived in Copenhagen on Thursday, 3 days ahead of the start of our bike trip, and were told our bikes would be delivered ~ 7pm on Sunday. They arrived on Thursday afternoon - with no advanced notice. It was fine, it just would have been nice to know to expect them.
- We received absolutely no orientation on the bikes, the route maps, etc. On prior trips we've had people quickly walk through the route, pointing out some recommendations, etc. Only when I asked were we given the opportunity to check the fit of the bikes before the delivery person left them. Fortunately, we've been on 6 or 7 other bike trips with biketours.com, so we were familiar w/ the operation of the bikes, and how to read the directions. We were lucky that we reviewed the daily routes before the start of our trip - otherwise we would not have known that on 3 of the 6 nights we were booked at hotels other than the ones listed in the daily directions.
- There were no 'addenda' to the bike routes to provide directions to the alternate hotels so we had to find them on our own.
- On a similar trip in Portugal we had the opportunity to use a GPS mapping system. Using that, we could immediately tell if we were, or were not on the proscribed route. On multiple occasions this trip the bike routes were overlapping. We went many kilometers without seeing the route number that was listed in the directions - never knowing for certain if we were on the correct path. On the last day, between Roskilde and Copenhagen, we somehow lost the trail just before the start of the C99 superhighway and spent ~ 2 hours trying to find that route again. Fortunately after asking several people we found an individual who knew exactly what we were looking for and put us back on the right track. Using the GPS system that one time enabled us to know in real time whether we were, or were not on track.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 7 self guided and 1 guided
- 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?
- Denmark
-
★★★★★ Fang-Ju Chang
Amazing journey between vineyard and greenways
Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
Highly recommend for wine lovers and nature! But it’s self guided tour requiring time for foreigners to pick up the familiarity on the navigation app!. After first days’ challenge, thing gets easy and handy. The design of routes is excellent for 5 rides. We could explore different perspectives of the region of Bourgogne. I will definitely come back again !
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/13-19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
-
★★★★★ Fizz
Greece: The Peloponnese Peninsula
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Greece
-
★★★★★ Faye
A very good trip
Highlights of the Highlands: Donegal by E-bike
The trip was generally great, as we were lucky with the weather. The B&B's were generally very good, particularly the one in Glenties. All of the B&B owners were helpful and friendly and the breakfasts were great. The B&B that we stayed at in Donegal was not as good- the bed was uncomfortable, the curtains didn't block out the light, and the toilet didn't flush very well.
Great to have an electric bike for those hills, and a GPS to navigate!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 15 to 22nd, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Ireland
Email
Mailing Address
Office Hours