Bike & Hotel Tour Reviews page 38
- 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
-
★★★★★ Miles
Exceeded our expectations!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
With perfect weather, my wife and I had a great ride. The first three days, about 44 miles each, was tiring but the last couple of days were just about right. Be warned that about 15-20% of the bike paths/roads next to the Danube were shared with cars and no designated bike lanes. They were more like side access roads to properties on the Danube but cars don’t slow down for bikes.
The rental bikes looked like they were new and performed flawlessly. We used one regular bike and one e-bike and charging the e-bike at each night at the hotels wasn't an issue. Although the entire ride was essentially flat, there were a couple of hotels (Maria Talferl and Hotel Steigenberger in Krems) which required quite a bit of effort to get to because they were up on a hill.
Each of the selected hotels were an added special experience as they were surprisingly high quality and provided a great breakfast.
Of special note on the hotels, the Schloss castle in Aschach was quite an experience with 15 foot tall ceilings and a main residence floor which was a museum. The hotel in Maria Talferl, which is up on a hill, had spectacular views of the Danube and the valley below.
We took our first bike trip with Biketours.com last year down the Neckar river where we ate and slept on a boat each night as we rode our bikes down the river. Although this time we were on our own when it came to lunch and dinner, we preferred this type of trip over the boat as you get to sleep in a nice, comfortable hotel at night and eat where you want in each town. Looking at Yelp reviews, we were able to find great restaurants in each destination town and that really added to the experience of getting to know the local environment.
Overall, this was a memorable and very enjoyable trip and one which we would highly recommend.- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug. 25-31 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2 including this one
- 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
-
★★★★★ Sandy89
Tour Great/Less scenic than others
Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Loved the company, the equipment, and the guides! This is our third bike trip in Europe and we were on a very specific timetable. That being said, the itinerary was the only one available for our dates, and wasn't as scenic as other tours we have taken. A lot of the river paths were alongside industrial areas (as many river paths are), so some of the scenery wasn't ideal. That being said, the hotels and the meals were amazing, and the sites that we visited were interesting!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- 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?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Murphycreek
Can't think of a better way to see Holland
Best of Holland South: Canals, Windmills & Historic Towns
We did this tour in late August, 2018. We are reasonably fit early 70 year olds from California. Neither of us had been on a bicycle in years. We loved it. Some observations:
-Probably the best, unique thing was the route. We were given a little GPS thing that told us where to go, turn by turn. It didn't just go from A to B. It took us through charming town centers, on farm roads through the polders, along rivers and canals, by windmills, through North Sea dunes, through tiny villages and suburbs. Even through an industrial park (think bulb and flower industries).
-The hotels ranged from very charming to just fine, and all were within a stroll of the heart of town.
-The bicycles were top notch, like new, lovingly maintained.
-The distances were just right. At the end of each day, we felt exercised but hardly exhausted, and deeply appreciated a cold beer.
-The weather was good. Pleasantly warm, some sun and some overcast. It started to rain just once, and around the next bend was an appealing hotel with a good lunch.
-We liked Peter-the-bike-guy very much. He has a stringy tour de France look, speaks excellent Euro-English, gave us clear, concise instruction on how to do things, and was amusing. Also, he was quite gracious when we told him about the bike falling into the canal.
-If we were doing the trip again (or knew beforehand what we know now), we would have made one change. We would have arranged to stay two nights in Gouda and Delft, and would have arrived a day earlier in Utrecht (we did stay an extra day in Leiden). This would have allowed us to spend time with the museums and other charms of these wonderful cities.
-Finally, we loved being immersed in Dutch bike culture. Everybody bikes, bikes are everywhere, isolated bike lanes go most places, cars respect bike rights, and oh-by-the-way people looked conspicuously leaner than in the rest of Europe, let alone in America.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 19
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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?
- Holland
-
★★★★★ Dan1
With the Dolomites as your splendid background, ride through ancient towns until you reach the unique watery world of Venice.
Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Highly recommend getting to Bolzano early so you have time to spend a day visiting the Italian Alps. The Dolomite Highway is awe-inspiring.
The bike trails were great. Mostly paved, and when they weren't, the majority were well packed. The tour route goes through picturesque countryside. The daily destinations are beautiful and historical.
The tour includes a 5+ hour ferry ride on Lake Garda. It is a gorgeous ride with the ferry zigzagging down the 35 mile length of the lake. Feels like you are in a National Geographic special. A couple of other recommended "must do's" - visit the Scrovegni Chapel in Padova and take in an opera at the Roman Arena in Verona.
Girolibero was our tour company. They provide great tour book of entire area and towns on route. However, they give it to you (along with bikes) the morning that the tour starts which allows little or no time to really utilize the great information. It would be much better if they provided a month earlier so you have time to research in advance. Should also provide bikes the prior evening so you can get up and leave earlier in the morning.
Some of the directions along the route could have been marked better. We followed other tour companies' markers more often because Girolibero's were fewer and far between. The bikes were excellent. In great shape and mechanically solid with smooth shifting.
We paid for the upgraded hotels. However, a few of them were in sketchy areas; like near train stations.
I don't mean to sound negative. Overall, it was a great trip and very glad we did it. Only offering suggestions to make the tour even better for future riders.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 26-31
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- 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
-
★★★★★ Vistoso
Perfect weather, Awesome scenery!
Lake Constance Bicycle Path
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/7/18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- 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, Switzerland
-
★★★★★ John49
Great trip around Lake Konstanz
Lake Constance Bicycle Path
This was an easy 5 day bike ride around a beautiful lake with lots to see and do along the way. We used the rental bikes and they looked so heavy that I thought I'd never be able to ride it, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was very easy to pedal and well suited to all terrains we subjected them to. I can't think of a single suggestion for improvement.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 5 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Many, but usually self guided.
- 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?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
-
★★★★★ Smedley
This is the reason that we bike!
Innsbruck to Salzburg: Through the Alps Along River Cycle Trails
Wonderful trip, but that doesn't tell you what you really want to know. So here goes a day-by-day review and a few overall impressions.
Innsbruck - arrive a day or two early to experience the city and mountains. Purchase the 'Innsbruck Card' and save on many of the city's attractions and transportation. Hotel Cafe Central - nice facility close to the 'Old Town'. Ask for the recently renovated rooms.
Zillertal - good first day ride. Take time to stop at the Swarovski museum complex. Gasthof Hotel Post - nice facility, great menu. Ask for a room away from the dairy farm next door.
Krimml - short ride, no hurry to arrive at the pickup point for the van ride across the pass. The falls at Krimml are amazing. Prepare yourself for a good hike to see them up close. The Gastehaus Waltl was comfortable. Plenty of dining options in the town.
Zell am See - Scenic ride. Use the extra rest day to explore the mountains. Weather permitting go to the glacier, ride around the lake and hike the hills. Great dining options. Lebzelter Hotel - in the heart of town, comfortable inn.
Lofer - best riding day, mountains close on both sides of the narrow valley. Gorges and cave are must visits. Nice lunch at the golf course at the midway point. St Hubertus Hotel was inviting.
Salzburg - last day of riding was the most challenging. Hills and gravel paths dominated the day. Navigating through Salzburg requires a good map and/or GPS. The Goldenes Theater Hotel was the only accommodation below the standard set by all of the other hotels. Spend an extra day or two in the city.
General impressions: one of the most scenic rides in Austria with great stops along the way to explore. The booked hotels were excellent with the exception of Salzburg. The route map/directions need to be updated. GPS really helped out especially in the larger towns. Bikes were in great shape but they should be equipped with odometers since the route map is based on distance traveled turn points. You won't be disappointed boking this trip!- What was the date of your tour?
- August/September 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 9
- 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
-
★★★★★ bobe
Chilling in Italy
Florence to Rome
Awesome time riding through the Tuscan and Umbrian countryside from Florence to Rome. Was all we expected and more with the added knowledge of having the 'Eurobike' crew on hand if we needed them (not that we did). Well organised, great equipment and excellent signage to ensure we didn't end up in France. Can't wait to do it all again farther down South.
Rob, Elano, Maggie and Dave x- What was the date of your tour?
- 25/08/2018
- 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?
- Italy
-
★★★★★ pmcmanamon
Tour instructions were outdated, and hard to follow
Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
The cities we visited were great, and so were the hotels. I was warm, so air conditions would have been nice, but not a big deal. The tour instructions consisted of a generic book with instructions, and a generic set of maps. The maps were not that detailed. When the maps disagreed with the instructions the maps were right. The signage along the routes changed since they made the instructions . We were told to look for a large E along European bike paths, but it appears to have been replaced by a circle with 15 inside it, i guess for the # of countries in the EU. The bikes were great. The luggage was always delivered on time. I downloaded a Eurobike app to help with the directions, but it did not work well. In order to update my positions I had to quit the app, and restart it. The Biketours people did suggest a new app, RidewithGPS, that worked much better. Because they did not have cues the pass could not tell me ahead of a turn, but it did tell me if we go off course.
I think the local tour company, Eurobike, needs to update their instructions. I also would appreciate if they made unique instructions for each tour. The instructions start and end at a city center. When we got close I would use google maps to find the hotel directly, rather than going to the city center and then to the hotel. My ideal would be a unique set of instructions for a tour, with small maps above or below each instruction. We have had that with other tours, but different providers. On this tour I could not mount my instructions and maps so I could see both while riding, I picked the instructions. In some cases they recommend stopping at a certain place for lunch, but you cannot see if from the tour route, and there is no map to locate it.
-
★★★★★ 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
-
★★★★★ karnhaus
It was an adventure!
Tuscany and Umbria: Cycling in the Heart of Italy
Beautiful trip through Umbria and Tuscany; although the elevation on some days was more than we expected. The views were spectacular, and all of the accommodations were excellent. Loved the B&B in Castiglione del Lago - it was our favorite. Could have used more tips of places to see along the way, such as wineries, local farms, etc. Ecologico Tours did a great job organizing the trip, the bikes were top notch, and they were very accommodating in helping us switch out our pedals, provide carriers, etc.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 9/6 - 9/14
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
-
★★★★★ Marc and Lin
Beautiful green scenery and rolling hills
Northern Spain: Cantabrian & Asturian Coasts
Great discovery of northern Spain. With 2-night layovers in 3 cities, we could ride everyday or take off up to 3 days during the week. Excellent support when needed.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 8 - 15
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8 in Europe
- 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?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ jhnyc
Fantastic!
Cycling the Altmühl Valley - Round trip from Regensburg
My 10 year old nephew and I had a wonderful ride through the Altmuehl Valley. The riding was safe (almost entirely on bike paths) and very doable for a 10 year old. Beautiful scenery every day and plenty of fun things to explore along the way. The hotels were quaint and lovely - all offered great breakfasts to get us started each day. The bikes were nice and maps generally very helpful. I would definitely book another trip.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was the first
- 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?
- Germany
-
★★★★★ Kscbythesea
Lots of riding, gorgeous scenery, simpatico group
Dordogne Valley: Between the Dordogne and Lot Rivers
My husband and I both very much enjoyed this tour. He especially appreciated the riding and the food; I especially delighted in the charming villages and French countryside. We both loved our guide, Mike, who was a lot of fun. We also liked the other 8 cyclists in the group. Of the 10 cyclists in the group, 8 were in good shape and we all enjoyed the riding. The two that were not expecting the riding to be challenging did not enjoy the hilly days. BikeTours got it right: you can manage without being fit, but you won’t enjoy the hills very much. The hotels were charming. The food was amazing! Gourmet multi-couse dinners were included every night, and breakfasts were very good - the croissants always fresh. We will definitely look into taking another Chain Gang tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 8 September 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1 other
- 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?
- France
-
★★★★★ East coaster
Back in the saddle
Basque Country: Bilbao to San Sebastián via Olite
This was my first bike tour in 15 years. I've toured many countries by bicycle in the past but I was not in good cycling shape when I went on this trip. Fortunately it was completely enjoyable and a great way to start bike touring again. The routes are fabulous, including some dirt roads, and there was almost no traffic. The scenery is varied and the rides along the coast are beautiful. I used a regular bike but most other riders were on e-bikes. Most of the other folks in the group were retired and went on a lot of bicycling tours, including with the same tour operator, Rotalis. There was not much of a range in age. The group stays together so no one is left behind which means that you travel at the pace of the slowest person. The meals were wonderful but lengthy. All in all a very relaxing and interesting tour.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 25-Sept 1, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- 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?
- Spain
-
★★★★★ Anne52
Gorgeous Salzburg Lakes Tour!
Salzburg Lakes Tour: Around the Lakes within the Foothills of the Alps
We had an outstanding week biking around five lakes in the Salzkammergut. We were so lucky with the weather, which was sunny every day except Friday, with highs in the 70's. The views on this trip are superb. We found the instructions to be very good, the hotels were all comfortable and had unbelievable breakfasts. The service at all the hotels was great. We are working on our 5th bike tour in Europe and this is one of our favorites. We were able to swim in four of the lakes and what a refreshing and awesome experience that was, too! One wish was that it would have been nice to have a paper map of Austria, or at least the Salzkammergut so that we could get an overall idea of where we were. All in all we would highly recommend this trip. Thanks to Stefan and everyone who made it possible!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 9 - 15, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Three previous ones.
- 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
-
★★★★★ atlantacyclist72
Beautiful part of Italy
Umbria’s Green Valleys From the Pilgrimage Town of Assisi
The scenery is lovely and the accommodations were very nice. The upper church at the basilica in Assisi is spectacular--don't miss it. Just remember that European air conditioning is not the same as US air conditioning if you go during warm months.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 10-17
- How many tours have you completed?
- more than a dozen
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
-
★★★★★ Mia0620
Easy and relaxing
Burgundy Wine Trails: Beaune to Macon on the “Voie Verte”
We loved the pace and the voies vertes were fabulous. This is biking without stress. The company people are terrific and helpful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 11 - 17
- How many tours have you completed?
- More than 15
- 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?
- France
-
★★★★★ Danube
Bucket list complete!
Danube Bike Path 7 Nights (Classic)
A great way to tour the Danube, beautiful scenery and an amazing vacation. There are some uphills and busy sections, and a few more signs in some areas would be really helpful.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 10 -16, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- none
- 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
-
★★★★★ Jim Brewer
Mainz to Cologne
Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
The Rhine Valley was beautiful. The hybird bikes were very good. Maps and directions for the tour were very poor at best. Extremely difficult to find Hotels and the key sights mentioned by the tour. We experienced extremely high temperatures but had A/C most nights. The night without A/C resulted in very little sleep and NO biking the next day. The night that they shut off the A/C in the middle of the night resulted into a lot of lost sleep. Bottom line even with average high temperatures you need A/C every night and all night long.
Others on the same tour with the same maps etc also had difficulties finding the Hotels each evening.- What was the date of your tour?
- 22 Jul 18--28 Jul 18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
