Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews page 12
- 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
- ★★★★★ kiki1970
Venice to Trieste and Istria
The overall experience on this bike trip was good. The rain that occurred on 4 of the 7 days of the trip was unexpected. The locals informed us that it hadn't rained in 2 months so it caught up to us. The accommodations and food were excellent. The real problems were the maps that were provided. They need to be more tour specific. When arriving in the destination city, specific directions should be included in finding that hotel. We spent too much time looking for our hotel for the evening. Also the written instructions are a translation from the German guide. In some cases the instructions didn't match what we saw on the ground or what the sign posts indicated. In general, the people that we dealt with in the States and Italy were great. I only wish that we would have taken a day break some where in the middle(Trieste?) to refresh and recuperate. We didn't know we could do it. I highly recommend this before heading into Croatia.
- ★★★★★ M And D
So enjoyable!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
We had such a good time going from Passau to Vienna. The bikes were great and the signage along the route made it so easy to stay on course. Sometimes making it through a larger town &/or making it into Vienna proved to be an adventure because of the "traffic"
and quick choices to make at those times, but that's part of the charm! Accommodation was different in amenities from day to day but all lovely. Staff were wonderful at every spot. Would definitely recommend it and looking forward to trying another.
Day- What was the date of your tour?
- September 23,2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- One
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
- ★★★★★ Pablito
Great Trip
Best of Catalonia Cycle Touring
We had a large group (16!) with varying levels of ability. All aspects of the tour were great. Logistics worked well: pick up and fitting of bikes went without a hitch. The rides were very scenic and covered a range of terrain, from mountains to the flats. All hotels were very nice and Creative Catalonia booked a couple of very fine meals in Olot and Llafranc at truly world-class restaurants. Scenery on the rides was fantastic, and the routes had little traffic and were often off the roads altogether.
The only hiccup of the trip was that only 4 map packages were provided to our group. Would have expected that each rider would get a full pack of maps.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 9-16
- 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Susan
Wild Atlantic Way - Late August 2016
Wild Atlantic Way Cycling
Varied scenery with the ocean, so many lakes and mountain views, we did not expect. The people were all so friendly and helpful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 26 - September 2
- How many tours have you completed?
- Three
- 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
- ★★★★★ Mattman
Wonderful Cycling Vacation
Medieval Villages of Catalonia
This trip was exactly what we we're hoping for. Casual cycling along the coast and villages. The bikes we're fantastic and comfortable. All the hotels were first class and the food and ambiance in the hotels and small restaurants throughout the trip were delightful. GPS was adequate, but be sure you can read a map! The tour briefing was helpful beforehand and be sure you understand how to change a tire before you embark. There is some incredibly beautiful country on this ride, and since it is 6 days long, I think if we we're to do it again we might have skipped a day of riding in Calella de Palafrugel in favor of a hike along the coastline. There are some lovely hiking trails that were begging to be explored. Also, by traveling in early October we missed the european vacationers and essentially had all the beaches and villages to ourselves. Never a worry with busy roads or vehicle traffic. Looking forward to our next adventure.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Spain
- ★★★★★ Lilia
The time of my life.
UNESCO Sites of Albania
It was my first bike tour. And this is the perfect way to explore the country. I am really impressed. Wonderful country, breathtaking views, warm friendly people and really helpful professional guides. I am absolutely happy that I chose Albania. And of course will continue bike tours to other places as well.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 11 -20 October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Albania
- ★★★★★ Casual Cruisers
Pedaling in the Polders
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
Peter of Tulip Cycling met us on the morning of our first cycling day. He was on time, the bikes were well prepared and Peter, a very personable host, was very patient and thorough in explaining everything to us.
Cycling was as described: flat, mostly trails or roads that see very little if any vehicle traffic.
Hotels were mostly fine. The Mastrichter Dom in Gouda was a disappointment: the room was clean and the attendant friendly enough but the room was small, awkward and noisy. Peter explained later that there have not been any appealing in-town hotels in Gouda but that the situation was being remedied with the opening of a new hotel presently.
The Hotel de Plataan in Delft was charmingly decorated and nicely equipped but the elevator didn’t go to the top floor (You’ve heard if such things?) and our rooms were on the top floor. Emergency egress wasn’t up to US standards but we otherwise enjoyed the stay.
The use of GPS for route tracking was nearly a winner. Peter has carefully prepared the GPS routes with many waypoints so that it’s generally very easy to know where to go. A couple practical limitations with the GPS displays caused some consternation: the displays are small and not bright enough for the brightest daylight conditions. We often had trouble discriminating between the colored line for the travelled route and those for streets in general. This necessitated frequent stops to peer at the display while shading it or stooping to get close to it.
As a route tracking strategy I think it is a great innovation (I have done half a dozen trips following the map and narrative system). With a better display this would be an obvious choice.
The cycling is not strenuous. The paths, roads and terrain were friendly. By the fourth day we had seen enough of the polders! They are charming and scenic enough but a bit repetitive after a while! The towns and cities were very interesting. We wished we had had more time to spend exploring those.
Our last day did not go according to plan as Tulip Cycling required the return of the bikes at 4:00 PM. We asked for an extension but it was not allowed. We could not complete the route in the available time so we hopped on a train for the last several miles. This was not a major disappointment for us but it certainly might be for some travelers. This detail should be clear at booking time.- What was the date of your tour?
- late Sept. 2016
- 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?
- Holland
- ★★★★★ 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- What was the date of your tour?
- 2 - 8 Sep 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- 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, Hungary
BikeTours.com staff reply from Lindsay Nash
Dear Wayne,
Thanks very much for your feedback and your 4-star rating of this popular tour. We're so glad to hear, overall, your tour was terrific!
It's a typical practice that tour operators in Europe provide one route map and details per room (2 people). However, in the future, we can work with you to make special requests about this on future tours.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience, and for helping us spread the joy of bicycle tourism!
- ★★★★★ Marc
Very pleasant trip in Italy
Bolzano – Verona – Venice
I had a very great time in this tour, done in solo, in october. The scenery is fabulous, the mountains are wonderful, the roads and paths quiet and well paved. This is an almost always flat itinerary and the two days with an uphill section, there is an alternate route. I'm not used to slope, but I choose the hilly route and there were my favorite days of the trip. The effort was very worth it. Verye great trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- october 8, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- 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?
- Italy
- ★★★★★ beyeKur
Downsized tour, questionable difficulty rating.
Castles and Wines of Portugal
Overall we are all glad we did this tour, but we agreed that an honest review was required. Our group of 4, downsized the tour to 3 days of unguided cycling in the 4 star hotel option. Two of our group had, one month previous to this tour, completed a 7 day bike tour in France that was rated as a 1-2 in difficulty. So, expectations were to have a comparable tour since the difficulty rating was the same. This was not our experience however. Our contact person for the Alentejo tour was really great during the first day orientation, answered all our questions, checked us out on the bikes and gear and left us with her personal phone number in case of problems. Terrific! Our group range in age from 66-76, all fit (2 active bikers one runner) and ready for the challenge. The first 6 miles or so were on the main highway to Lisbon (fast drivers and trucks closely along side the shoulder used for biking). Then when we turned off to the quiet roads as in the suggested option, the dirt roads were not in the 1 or 2 difficulty category rating as outlined in the tour. These unpaved roads were more like 4-5 difficulty as they were often like mountain bike roads for at least 1/4 of the days' 35 mile route. Steep upgrades, deep ruts from recent rain, many rocky and sandy roads impeded travel. It rained much of this, the first day. Even though our tour operators could not control the rain, they should have reassessed the level of difficulty and road conditions and report honestly about current road conditions status of deteriorated due to recent rains. Two of our group opted out for day 2 due to exhaustion and lack of faith in level of tour difficulty, but the two who continued enjoyed the quieter country roads which were less harrowing than the dirt roads, but more trafficked and still above level 1-2. Day three was great, though still there were several long, lowest-gear slopes more of a 3-4 rating and still on medium trafficked roadways. This days' outlined tour was also changed--we walked the 3 miles each way to the top of the hill town, as the 'road' very steep and all jarringly cobbled (in the level 9-10 difficulty range). Safety concerns: due to roads with traffic, tour company should supply high viability vests and warning lights. Hotels were great, maps good. The personnel we dealt with was great!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 11-15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Portugal
BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson
We're sorry for the misleading ratings and characterization of the terrain. We've increased the difficulty level to 3. For clients who are interested in this tour and would like to see detailed elevation profiles for each day, please contact our tour advisor team at info@biketours.com.
This is a great tour operated by a top-notch Portuguese bike tour company.
- ★★★★★ Nancy N
Very Educational and Interesting
Castles and Wines of Portugal
We started this tour as "self-guided" but had difficulty with the maps. The tour company was able to provide a guide for us and what a difference that made. Not only did we not get lost, but we learned so much more than we would have on our own. Our guide was very knowledgeable and having someone translate for us was a big help. Plus we no longer had to waste time looking at maps.
We upgraded to the "charm hotels" which was amazing. Everyplace we stayed was just indescribably beautiful and serene. I highly recommend the upgrade and a guide.
We learned so much about the cork, olive, and wine harvests. We particularly enjoyed the leather and pottery factories.
Portugal is a great country with an incredible old world charm.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 18, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4 international, many U.S.
- 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
- ★★★★★ hapberly
Awesome tour of the West Coast!
Connemara Lazy Days Cycling
This bike trip was a great way to see the beautiful country in western Ireland. The route was easy to follow and there was a lot to see. I would highly recommend it.
We had only one day of rain, and two windy days. Those were probably the hardest days, because of the weather, not the route. Be sure to pack rain gear. We chose to stay in the bed and breakfasts, which I highly recommend. Most of the bed and breakfast were great, the hosts very friendly. It gave us a chance to get to know locals and ask lots of questions about what we were seeing.
Most of the bed and breakfasts were located near the town and pubs. The pubs had great food and friendly locals. We were not disappointed with any of the food on our trip. We saw lots of sheep, donkeys, cows, mountains, and the ocean.
The bikes provided were great, the maps and other information was also very easy to use and follow.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- 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?
- Ireland
- ★★★★★ shea214
too much is too much
Three Lakes Tour: From Geneva to Annecy
This tour is quite lovely, but not at the level we expected. This is our 8th tour so we feel we get them by now. We like the unguided aspect, but they completely outsourced the work of actual directions to a machine. It is not an adequate substitution. The machine added at least 15 miles on the first day and was most frustrating. Please, give us actual directions AND MAPS. A silly little device is certainly helpful but should not be a substitute. And the distance and hills were definitely not Medium. This was proven out the first night by the guy who biked to the hotel (he likes extreme and he thought it was tough).
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- France, Switzerland
BikeTours.com staff reply from Lindsay Nash
Hi! Thanks for your review. We're glad to hear that the tour was lovely despite the tour level not meeting your expectations. We're taking your review to our products team and to the local tour operator to re-assess the tour level. Thank you for sharing your experience and helping us to better advise other travelers in the future.
-----
I wanted to follow up once more on your review after following up with the local tour operator. They've never received complaints about the GPS before, and they did provide maps, a profile, and a large marked map in the roadbook on your tour. Also, to clarify, the client you mentioned who said it was a tough route was doing the more challenging version of the tour, not the version you went on. I'm sorry if that was confusing.
Again, we apologize the tour level did not match your expectations, but we do state clearly in the Surface and Terrain details about the daily climbing.
Thank you again for sharing your experience.
- ★★★★★ Sierralover76
Wonderful Adventure of Gorgeous Beaches, Unique History, and Amazing Food
Apulia and Basilicata: Alberobello to Lecce
Our adventure through Puglia was unforgettable! This region offers so much history, culture, and beautiful scenery. Every day of the bike tour is unique and different. It's especially nice to explore this amazing region that I imagine most Americans are not familiar with.
To begin, the staff at both Biketours.com and Girolibero (the local operator) are outstanding, super helpful, knowledgeable, and very responsive. Everything was smooth and easy.
Regarding the trip itself, Matera (day one) is just spectacular. Walking through the ancient stassi is a very special experience (we recommend hiring Nadia Garlatti for a guided tour to really get a feel for it (nadiagarlatti@tiscali.it). If you are planning on spending an extra night in either Matera or Lecce, we absolutely recommend you do so in Matera (not Lecce). The hotel is also wonderful, and it's just so special staying in the stassi of Matera.
One of the best parts about this trip is how you get to experience so much. Literally every day is very different. From the ancient stassi of Matera, to the trulli of Alberobello, the unique history of Otranto, the gorgeous beaches, lovely olive groves, vineyards and fig trees, this trip really covers a lot. Beyond the highlights, you will also visit very charming towns like Locorotondo and Gallipoli.
The biggest challenge for us was to see and do everything we wanted to do. It may not seem like much to bike 35-45 miles per day, but there is just so much to see and do. Each day was very packed so that we could enjoy the sites along the way, have a great meal in our destination, and have a stroll to explore our destination as much as we could. The nightlife in each bustling town was awesome as well.
The guidebook offered by Girolibero is very thorough and super informative. Their tips on where to stop and where to eat are spot on. All the restaurants, gelateria, beaches and other specific recommendations were great. In fact, the Pugliese cuisine was the best we had in Italy. Every meal was outstanding (and very reasonably priced). In America, "antipasto" is usually not really memorable. However, do yourself a favor and order the antipasto dishes when dining in Puglia -- for a very affordable price, you get a wonderful assortment of very tasty and unique dishes.
We could go on raving about this trip. We also need to mention the hotels were great as well (especially San Martino in Matera). And you have a complete and delicious breakfast included every morning.
Basically, from start to finish, this trip was just perfect. We have no complaints, and look forward to another bike tour in the near future. This was a wonderful way to experience an amazing region of Italy. Grazie!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Italy
- ★★★★★ Jonathan M
Beautiful ride in an interesting part of Italy
Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi
This tour of Umbria combines delicious food and wine, beautiful scenery, and wonderfully preserved medieval towns like Assisi, Spello, Spoleto, and Bevagna. The tour operators (Petra and Paolo) are very organized and personable. A highlight was the guest house (Country House Casco Dell'acqua) operated by Carla and her brother Luigi. Not to be missed!
- What was the date of your tour?
- March 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
