Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews page 95
- Argentina
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★★★★★ Russ Gibfried
Great trip!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
Fantastic experience overall. The trail is well-marked and easy to follow. The route follows the river so relatively downhill with scenic views, nice towns, and plenty of places to stop. Hotels were comfortable and well-located, making them easy to find after a day of cycling. One tip: if you’re particular about comfort, bring your own bike clips, water bottle cage and an ergonomic bike seat—those upgrades can make a big difference on multi-day rides.
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★★★★★ Cycletourer
Go when it is Sunny!
Piedmont Region: The Italian Garden of Eden
The sunny moments were heavenly, the hotels, food, wine all excellent. We went too late in the season (Oct 8-18) and the weather was mostly cool and rainy. Our few sunny breaks were heavenly, and if you go in September, you will do fine.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 8-15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Robert Hamilton
Nice quiet roads, very good hotels
Northern Spain: Cantabrian & Asturian Coasts
Many of the roads were through farm country and there were a lot more cows than cars, which was lovely.
The hotels were all very nice in all ways, and overall this was a very good cycle tour.
3 times during the week we stayed in a hotel for 2 nights instead of moving every day, which was nice.
I would recommend this tour to others. (this was my 8th one week cycle tour in Europe)- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Ray1
great trip, though not for everyone
Berlin – Copenhagen
A "self guided" trip, it's not for everyone, even with guide book you will get lost in the almost 400 miles, and unless traveling with a companion might be alone for long stretches. It was August, among hottest in many years in Germany and Denmark, no hotels with AC. First night my room was a converted attic with spiral stair case like a light house (not easy with luggage) and quite hot. For most part hotels were fine, food good. I enjoyed the ever changing scenery, small villages, friendly people.
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★★★★★ Rebecca Hengemuhle
Such an adventurous way to explore Austria
Danube Family Tour 7 Nights
We loved this bike tour and it was a great adventure for our family to explore Austria. Biketours was easy to work with and the local operator was helpful. We loved the hospitality at our hotels (except one). Our first night in Linz was wonderful and the museum electronica was amazing. The stay on the farm/ cideria Hotel Moser was such a highlight and was super family friendly. Our boys loved the soccer pitch and food. Maria Taferl was absolutely stunning but an epic ascent that most kids / adults without an e-bike won’t be able to do. There is a bike shuttle option up though. Durnstein was great and we enjoyed a day off to explore the town/ ruins/ pool. The ferry provided a different view of the Danube but probably wasn’t necessary as it didn’t save us too many kms. Tulln was okay with our half board dinner at a separate Greek restaurant (which was delicious) and in a different hotel from where we checked in and had breakfast. The staff at the Hotel Austria were incredibly helpful and helped us come up with a good itinerary and travel plans through Vienna. The Danube cycle path isn’t always on a separate bike road which made it a little more nerve wracking with kids but our kids soon learned good road etiquette and safety. The app/ guide book was good but we still needed our own gps to get to our hotels. I would recommend the half board option and extra night in Vienna. We all really loved this adventure. The scenery, food and hospitality through Austria was incredible.
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★★★★★ Rhonda Barton
Beautiful views!
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
The trip was beautiful! The views through the Dolomites and Julian Alps are constantly awe provoking. The hotels were also wonderful, our favorite being Alta Post in Feistritz an der Gail!
Bikes: We paid for the upgrade but it didnt feel as though we were upgraded. The bikes we received were not well maintained. We had a bike brake on the first day of our tour and the replacement bike had a loose peddle the rest of our tour. A few of our bikes were not tuned well and gears were either difficult to shift or couldn't be geared all the way up or down. In general, we would have appreciated better maintained bikes for a 230 mile tour, it would make the days much more enjoyable. We also had to swing by the rental place for a bike pump that had the correct valve for pumping up tires. The bikes were equipped with presta valves, but the pumps were schrader valves. We also recommend placing an allen key in the repair kit. We had several items that we had to adjust, angles of the header, tightness of the bells, etc. Having an allen key would have made these adjustments easier to make.
Bike Accessories: we think you should provide or tell the riders to bring a cell phone mount for the trip. The app was nice to have but we had to constantly get the phone out of our pockets to follow along. This can get quite dangerous on certain parts of the tour.
App: the phone app was a great perk to the trip although our main complaint is that every tour participant should have access to the app. It is challenging to have only one person with the app and it doesnt seem to make much sense to limit access. Give everyone who paid for the tour access please.
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★★★★★ lifejazz
Amazing Sights in Provence
Provence Getaway: The Secrets of Southern France (4 nights)
We enjoyed our bike tour through Provence. Our first time to use e-bikes, which given the winds and the hills, seemed like the thing to do. Really enjoyed the e-bikes for their ease of use and making the windy or hilly sections enjoyable. The orientation was very thorough and the combination of the gps and the paper charts made navigation very easy. The two hotels were, not to understate it, wonderful. Excellent accommodations, lovely people, great food. We even got attached to a French Bulldog, Cinquante, belonging the owners of the hotel in Collias. Quite the character! On the whole the ride was through vineyards and side roads. The only unpleasant bit was from Collias to Tarascon. We spend too much time on heavily trafficked shoulder-less roads with trucks and cars whizzing by at 50 miles an hour a couple of feet from us. We've been riding for several decades and as a practice, I would never ride on that kind of road. So that bit needs some adjustment (which is why this is a four star instead of a five star review). But other than that, the rest of the ride was a delight.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/16-20
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Richard Riddell
A great time in Alentejo
Castles and Wines of Portugal
A great self guided tour in Alentejo region of Portugal.
Great e-bikes, accommodation in the pousadas and excellent restaurant recommendations from our guides, and were brilliant making reservations in the restaurants we chose. The staff were on the whole very friendly and helpful and accommodated our extraordinary request on the last day - thank you.
The only reason they didn’t receive 5 stars for us was we thought the farmhouse stay for 2 nights was not necessary, and the owner of the business perhaps shouldn’t front the customers/clients. A tad too direct in her manner which made us feel we were doing her a favour by being there!
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
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★★★★★ Richie
Diverse cycling through three countries
Dolomites to Trieste via Lake Bled at the Foot of the Julian Alps
Diversity is the theme of this tour. From the Dolomites, to the Julian Alps, to the dreamy Lake Bled, to the Friuli Italian wine country, to the Adriatic Coast, this tour has it all. Riding in three countries in one day is an awesome experience as well.
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★★★★★ oktobeerfest
Wonderful way to truly experience Austria
Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
The maps and suggestions of places to see along the way were very informative. So many beautiful hamlets to visit. There just wasn't enough time to see everything! The route suggestions were very helpful and the upscale lodging was mostly superb. Breakfast accommodations exceeded our expectations! We would highly recommend this trip to anyone, even non-bikers.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 14 - 21, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Joseph Braun
Scenic journey but you better know how to read a map
Royal Zealand and Copenhagen
The bikes were excellent and the company representative was helpful, knowledgeable and more than willing make sure we had a good trip. The hotel in Copenhagen was an average room but noisy and poor ventilation. Other hotel rooms were mostly average. Breakfast was excellent at all the hotels. Directions were average but confusing. It would be helpful to include city maps with the information so tourists can find street names instead of following the directions. Also, be warned that several routes are on gravel paths, not paved.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Denmark
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★★★★★ Rick1
A nice blend of mountain valleys and river cycling
Tauern Bike Path (Krimml-Passau)
The first 3 days from Krimml to Lofer were terrific; the scenery spectacular and the hotels great, the directions and signage generally good. The signage into Salzburg was deficient with at least 1 key turn ("Morzg") not signed at all. The Hotel was a significant step down from the first 3.The directions to the Glockhofer in Burghausen and the signage was also totally deficient....it would have been better if the hotel was in the main square, rather than in an industrial/commercial part of town. The hotel was a business hotel which was totally out of character with everything else we saw and a real disappointment (though the staff in the hotel were great). Happily, the next stop in Obernburg, the Gasthof zur post was wonderful. Passau hotel was ok.
Over all, we felt that the trip could easily have been done in 1 fewer day and would recommend that the written instructions be tailored to the exact Hotel being used.
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★★★★★ Rob Luken
Beautiful Capitals of the Baltic States
Baltic Capitals: Historic Cities of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn
The Capitals of the Baltic States are beautiful, with plenty of interesting history and worth to visit. However, with the distances so large between the capitals, please note that there is a lot of transfer by mini-bus and ferry to get to the next interesting place to cycle.
The cycling directions provided were insufficient and it would be good to provide the option of a GPS device attached to the steering wheel with pre-loaded maps and directions for those that can't download the route files on their own mobile phone devices. We got lost several times, on the first and last day, which meant cycling along roads with heavy traffic and thereby creating an unsafe and unpleasant experience.
Though this was an interesting trip, my inclination is to not book any cycling vacation in the future that includes so much transfer by mini-bus and ferries, and to have a true cycling trip along well-indicated dedicated bicycle paths, in the absence of clear cycling directions. Our previous experience with cycling the west coast of Sweden is more indicative of the type of cycling trip we would prefer.
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★★★★★ Rob T
Provence
Cycling Paradise of Provence - to and from Avignon
Best of Provence - Brilliant accommodation in St Remy. Cantosorge hotel not the best.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 4 May
- 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
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★★★★★ Robin Reams
My Solo Trip Down The Danube
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
The trip took place with a few glitches, but overall went well. It rained the first day, but was clear the rest of the week. The trail is generally in good condition, but signage is poor in some areas. The scenery is very beautiful in places and monotonous in others, which tends to be typical of all bike trails. For the most part, I was quite happy as I covered the distance from Passau to Vienna. My favorite stop was Tulln, which is of reasonable size and significant beauty, and where I stayed in a comfortable hotel and had dinner at an excellent restaurant. If I could do the trip over I would ride to Vienna and back to Tulln the last day and end the ride there.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- Not sure. Numerous over 40 years of cycling.
- 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, Germany
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★★★★★ Rob Gage
Great, but different from expectations
Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
The mapping software was essential in staying on the recommended path, as sign posting wasn't always clear. The whole trip was more variable than we had expected, both from road quality and scenery.
One suggestion is that the instructions on picking up the bikes could have been sent out ahead of time and made clearer.
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★★★★★ robbo1
Long way from home
Danube Cycle Path Passau – Budapest
A great ride overall especially the Passau to Vienna was superb. Vienna to Budapest was more of an adventure with the trail not so well developed.
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★★★★★ Ron Walker
Beautiful Ride; a Bit More Challenging Than Expected
Berlin – Copenhagen
The area between Berlin and Copenhagen is gorgeous, and this is a great way to experience it. It was a bit more challenging than the website description led me to believe; it's important to remember that this is a route, not a path. Some of the surfaces you'll ride on are not great and that impacts the fatigue factor. 50 miles on new asphalt is easier than 50 miles on patched roads, gravel paths and even some cobblestone. I'd estimate two-thirds of the trail surfaces were very good. Don't be dissuaded; just consider this when deciding if you're up for the distance. I agree with another reviewer who suggested packing a lunch each day -- it took us a few days to learn that, and it was helpful since sometimes finding lunch was inconvenient and time-consuming. The navigation factor of a self-guided tour can occasionally be tedious. This route is very well marked but not perfect. The printed materials provided by the tour operator were good; they were supplemented by GPS files that were excellent and extremely helpful. The rental bikes were high quality and a pleasure to ride. Overall the hotels exceeded expectations, but there were exceptions, and be prepared for stairs. If I could do this again, I'd bring less stuff -- this was complicated by the fact that it's a one-way trip and we were spending a week on either end. But you don't need much for riding, and I wish we'd figured a way to send some of our stuff to the final hotel.
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★★★★★ Sam Roozendaal
Great Scenery
Great Pyrenees and Costa Brava E-Bike Tour
The local partner did a fantastic job with the Ride GPS routing. The routes were all very good and minimized roads with traffic. They had lots of sightseeing and resraurant recommendations. All you had to do was click on teh link and it opwpened up Google maps to take you there. They were very easy to deal with and the bikes were as stated with zero issues. Th eHotels were mostley very good, with a few that were a little bit tired.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- 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?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Wayne
New Mexico Touring Society (NMTS) Vienna to Budapest
Vienna to Budapest (Classic)
Overall a great ride, but some issues with the tour company in Austria.
Bikes were excellent and the route for most of the trip was well marked. We were on highways a very short period of time. Traffic on the highways was not an issue. We had about 10 kilometers of non-paved bike path. Unfortunately, we rode that in the rain, but we made it without any incidents.
Our complaint about the tour company is that they cheated us on the trip materials that we were promised. Not every rider received a map of the route. Because people doubled up in the hotel rooms, they only provide one map per hotel room. The pre-ride briefing was very poor and the tour person appeared to be in a hurry to complete the briefing. The route out of Vienna can be confusing, but we had rented city bikes the day before and scouted the route ourselves. The tour company only gave us very general instructions on how to leave the city.
He did do a good job of fitting everyone to their bikes. I asked him for a floor bike pump, but he never responded to my text message requests and the tour company never returned my phone calls. The small bike air pumps that are in the bike saddle bike are not adequate to fully pump up a tire.
The bikes were excellent and perfect for the route with the variation in road surfaces and occasional gravel stretches. We had no flat tires during the trip. We were a group of 17 riders, so that is a remarkable feat.
The hotels were all excellent except for the hotel outside of Esztergom, the Hotel Bellevue. In addition to being in a remote location, it was well past its prime. The only dinner option was a buffet which ran out of food before some of our group had the opportunity to dine. The breakfast was once again a poor selection of items, most of which ran out early. The rooms were dark and poorly equipped with the usual features.
Everyone’s favorite city was Gyor. The hotel was excellent and the large city plaza with the historical buildings surrounding it was fascinating. Dining options were excellent.
The boat ride into Budapest was excellent and a nice way to finish the trip.
Overall, a terrify ride with the exceptions noted above. Not every rider having a map was an ongoing frustration that caused some confusion on the occasions when the group got separated into smaller groups.
Wayne Friesen
Albuquerque, NM
