Based in Birmingham

Michelle Waters

It's Nice To Meet You

I'm Michelle,

I believe that travel has the most meaning when its created around you and your individual interests.

I aim to inspire and guide you to travel the world safely, protecting every penny you have spent with Travel Counsellors UK, providing exceptional service, care and attention to detail.

I aim to travel the extra mile to make sure you have the best holiday experience possible, making the most amazing memories by doing all the hard work for you. No longer will you need to trawl through brochures, or ponder the best option with only minimal information offered. I will take the time to listen to your requirements, offer new ideas and impartial advice, all tailored to suit your budget.

in 2019, I gained GOLD Travel Counsellor status, which essentially means to you, I plan lots more holidays and customers are delighted with them. For me, it was one of the proudest moments of my life, plus the award was presented to me in the beautiful Indian Ocean destination of Mauritius as part of a reward trip.

Qualified travel professional in Travel & Tourism and over 20 years of experience, working for Thomson, Co-Op Travel and travelling to countless destinations including; USA, Africa, India, Caribbean, Mexico, Dubai, Cruising, Switzerland and the Italian Lakes, France, numerous European cities and beaches - my world knowledge of destinations is vast, so I can guide you to which location would be best for you, your family and friends.

Most common question - what do you charge?

No booking fees. Care, attention and planning for you to have the best trip is FREE to everyone and unlimited. I get paid direct from the suppliers when you travel. I am competitive with high street retail travel, and pride myself on creating extra value on having a huge range of suppliers at my fingertips, looking at the best room options and upgrades, booking at the right time of year for flight prices etc.., although I do not discount, so if your priority is the lowest price possible above exceptional service, then we're probably not a good match for each other.

Everything you book with me is 100% financially protected against supplier failure by either ATOL and the Travel Counsellors Trust, giving you peace of mind. It is the best financial protection in the industry - every penny you spend with me is safe, plus all our accommodation is vetted, and then again looked at by an extremely fussy Michelle.

All you need to do is pick up the phone or send me an e-mail from the comfort of your own home or office, and we can chat about your next trip, whether it be planned or a surprise trip for a Long Weekend City Break, Winter Sun or Snow, Family Summer Holiday, Safari Experience, Tailored Long-Haul Trip, or Sailing on the Ocean Waves. I will be very happy to help you.

The world is your oyster, so lets go on this journey together.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Michelle

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Contact Me

Whatever your holiday needs I'm here to help you, so simply give me a call or send me an email with your contact details on and I can get things started for you:

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My Blog

I absolutely live and breathe travel and I love to write about my experiences! Please take a look through my posts - you might find your own holiday inspiration.

Done Disney Now Its Time For Universal

28 June 2018

For all those thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies out there, Universal Orlando is the place for you. There are three amazing parks to choose from - Universal Studios, Universal Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay waterpark. Universal Studios Harry Potter fans will love Diagon Alley, , Escape from Gringotts ride and Hogwarts express - the fabulous train ride that takes you over to Islands of Adventure. They have lots of little amazing shops where you can buy wands, Harry Potter costumes and souvenirs. Kids and adults will love it. You can buy Butterbeer and all the weird and wonderful sweets featured in the movies. There are other rides to try including TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D (I really enjoyed this one, the special effects are amazing. Boys love it), Shrek 4-D, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit™ (make sure you choose your music and then watch your video when you get off the ride. It's even better in the dark too), Despicable Me Minion Mayhem™ Revenge of the Mummy™ (fast and furious and very scary), Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon™, Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl, The Simpsons Ride™, MEN IN BLACK™ Alien Attack™ and Fast & Furious – Supercharged™ which is now open. And for the little thrill seekers there’s Animal Actors On Location!™, E.T. Adventure™, A Day in the Park with Barney™, Curious George Goes to Town, Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster™ and Fievel's Playground™. Islands of Adventure Here you have even more Harry Potter - the fabulous ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Most people say this is their favourite ride in the park. There’s Skull Island: Reign of Kong™, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man®, The Incredible Hulk Coaster®, Doctor Doom's Fearfall®, Storm Force Accelatron® (ride with Storm as she faces Magneto) and meet the Marvel Super Heroes! Prepare to get wet! The following water rides are brilliant fun, but you will get very wet so make sure you take some spare dry clothes with you. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls®. Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges® and Jurassic Park River Adventure™. And for the little thrill seekers there’s Dr Suess Landing, The Cat in the Hat™, Caro-Seuss-el™, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish™, If I Ran The Zoo™ and The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!™ If you are visiting in October, then make sure you go to Halloween Horror nights. It's one of the best things, hilarious and very scary. I would recommend staying in one of the Universal on-site hotels. I have booked clients to the Cabana Bay, Portofino and the Hard Rock. Cabana Bay is fabulous for families, the pools are amazing, and it's got a real friendly atmosphere. It's right next door to Volcano Bay too. Portofino is very Italian in style, luxurious and stylish. Hard Rock is great for everyone. Rock music theme, cool and trendy vibe. Fabulous clubs for kids and pool area. Benefits of staying at Hard Rock, Portofino and Royal Pacific mean you get unlimited Xpress passes so you can skip the line on most of the rides. This is definitely a bonus and well worth it. Whichever hotel you choose or even if you stay in another Orlando hotel then you will have an amazing holiday.

Is My Holiday Fully Financially Protected?

11 June 2018

Booking a holiday and then counting down the days until you can set that ‘out of office’ on your work email account is one of the most exciting times of the year, isn’t it? We look forward to making those memories for so long. But how protected are you? And how much do you really know about it? Having the peace of mind that no matter what, your holiday is safe is priceless and it’s not something you can find everywhere. But the minefield of financial protection is not easily negotiated so we’re trying to make it clearer to help preserve your precious holiday funds. Why do I need to worry about financially protecting my holiday? In short, if you don’t and something happens to one of the companies involved in your trip, you could lose out. If you’ve booked a package holiday, your holiday is financially protected. If you’ve booked your flight and accommodation separately and one of the companies fails, you could end up in a situation where you’re having to pay for an alternative flight or accommodation. Even if you book accommodation with a travel agent, if they fail, you could end up losing your money and be left without your hotel room. Your holiday insurance isn’t fail-safe either, as it isn’t guaranteed to cover a travel company going bust. Read on to understand more about the financial protection available for your holiday… What are the different types of financial protection? ATOL ABTA Section 75 Insurance Independent protection What is ATOL? The Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) regime is a financial protection scheme for holidaymakers regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). In the UK, all travel companies selling package holidays with flights must hold an ATOL. If the company isn’t registered in the UK, they aren’t legally required to hold an ATOL and you might find you aren’t as covered as you thought. And unfortunately, by that stage, it’s probably too late. If a travel company with an ATOL stops trading, the ATOL scheme protects all customers who had booked with that company. If the company goes into administration before you travel, your money is protected, and you’ll be able to apply for a full refund. If you’re on holiday when the travel company goes bust, the ATOL scheme guarantees you’ll be able to finish your holiday and return home. When you book a protected holiday, you’ll receive an ATOL certificate as soon as you pay for your trip. The certificate explains how you’re protected and what to do in the event of a company collapsing. If the company is a registered member, you’ll spot the ATOL logo and a four or five-digit number on their website and in brochures and adverts. (You can also check that the company is an accredited member of ATOL on the Civil Aviation Authority’s website) My travel agent is an ABTA Agent. What is ABTA? If you’ve booked a package holiday from an ABTA agent, your money is protected. However, you might not be financially protected if you haven’t booked a package holiday. You will need to speak with your travel agent if you are relying on this level of protection. I paid for my holiday using my credit card. If the travel company goes bust can I claim through my credit card provider? (Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974) If you’ve booked your trip and have paid on your credit card, you might be able to make a claim against your credit card company. This claim is under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, so you might hear people talk about “section 75”. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 applies to goods and services paid for with your credit card and includes online bookings. If you’ve paid for your travels using your credit card, it means that you can claim against the creditor, which in this case is the credit card company. To make a claim against your credit card provider, the amount you’re claiming for must be between £100 and £30,000. However, you may still be able to make a claim if the amount on your credit card is less (a deposit, for example) as the claim against the credit card provider is directed at the total cost of your trip. One Travel Counsellor helped a group of 25 when the travel company they booked their holiday with went into administration: “They thought all was lost as they had planned a Christmas in the sun and after my advice they have instigated section 75 on their credit cards.” If you paid using a debit card, you may be able to use chargeback to claim some or all the money back. You will need to contact your card provider and speak to them about your claim. Doesn’t my travel insurance cover me if the company I’ve booked with goes into administration? Not every travel insurance policy will cover you if a company goes bust, so it’s best to read the small print and check with your travel insurance provider. It’s also worth checking whether the provider will cover you for the whole holiday if you’ve booked your flights, accommodation and car hire separately. As an example, you might find that your travel insurance will cover you if the airline goes into administration but that you can’t claim for a refund on your accommodation or car hire. If you’ve booked through Travel Counsellors, your holiday is 100% financially protected so your money is safe. In the event of an issue, your personal Travel Counsellor will contact you to discuss the options available, such as travelling to a different destination or changing your flights to another airline carrier. In many cases, our customers don’t even need to know when a company has gone bust – we just do the necessary work behind the scenes. Is my money 100% safe when booking with Travel Counsellors? Yes. And it’s the highest level of protection you could wish for because it’s fully independent. Set up in 2004, it sits alongside our ATOL cover and financially protects every part of every trip, whether it be the whole holiday, a flight, hotel stay, car hire or even airport parking. It’s completely robust meaning no matter what happens, your money is safe.

My customer stories

Sent by Matthew Chapman

Michelle Waters a Gold Travel Counsellor from Travel Counsellors recently joined our business group. She has quickly built relations within the group and her services are in high demand from helping companies with business travel through to personal trips which we all know are more difficult to organise during these times. After meeting with Michelle it was clear she knew her stuff and had bags of advice to help with all manner of travel needs. My colleague contacted her with a list of holiday requirements, within days she responded with some great options and the holiday has been booked. I can thoroughly recommend Michelle to businesses and individuals looking to book trips home and abroad. Thanks very much Matthew Chapman, Director of Vocal Group

Sent by Sarah Michell

Michelle is professional and helpful and very patient when dealing with my questions and queries.

Sent by Anna Lynall

Michelle is superb, we have booked with her for several holidays and keep coming back as its a sure guarantee that we will have a fabulous break without the worry!

Sent by Caroline Evans

Highly recommend Michelle to family and friends, just makes booking a holiday so much easier. No stress, no wasted hours spent on your iPad searching for the ideal holiday! It’s all done for you and more....amazing! I will never book a holiday myself again. Thank you.

Sent by James Gregory

Fantastic knowledge communication and efficiency, nothing left out the most pleasurable experience when booking a holiday I have ever had.

Sent by Sandra Collins

Friendly and efficient and answered our brief to the letter at a great price.

Sent by Sean Byrne

Thank you so much for all your help with Kilimanjaro. I will be using you again :-)

Sent by Dionne Walton-Ryder

Travelling as a single parent family I have felt incredibly looked after and so excited about our future holiday.

Sent by Carrie Coote

Michelle is always enthusiastic and more than willing to assist with any travel request. I cannot rate her highly enough, in fact she came well recommended

Sent by Fay Couch

Michelle is very friendly and really takes the time to get to know you and your family. This means she knows exactly what you are looking for in a holiday!

Sent by Barbara Dingley

10 of course. Michelle is great. She listens and finds the best options for our holidays. Michelle really went ‘the extra mile’ to find this holiday because I left it to the last minute. Michelle is always lovely when we talk, friendly and caring.

Sent by Katherine Glover

Michelle is awesome, patient, thorough and attentive. Thank you :-)

Sent by Veronica Spokes

Definitely recommend Michelle - she's great at asking the right questions to make sure the holiday is right for you - and she's been very patience with us when we wanted to make changes to quotes.

Sent by Kate Birchall

Extremely friendly and helpful service. Thank you

Sent by Geoffrey Toghill

I have been most impressed with the personal service we get from Michelle, we have booked 4 holidays now through her and have been extremely happy with all aspects of her knowledge and efficiency, she is a credit to the company.

Sent by Emma Chambers

Michelle has the patience of a saint and coupled with her extensive knowledge she is invaluable when planning a holiday. I would thoroughly recommend her to take the stress out of booking a holiday.

Sent by Matthew Comerford

Great service and help in booking our holiday

Sent by Sarah Shirley

Michelle you amazing at what you do! You understood everything me and my partner were looking for. I can not wait will New York :)

Sent by Cheryl Clarence

Michelle was efficient, friendly and easy to chat to.

Sent by Alexandra Dentith

Exceptional service...so impressed, Michelle works so hard to help create the perfect holiday

Sent by David Marston

An unrivalled service that now my wife and I have experienced we are reluctant to try anything else. Michelle’s advice and enthusiasm is refreshing and welcome in our hectic lives. Encouraging us to push our comfort zones and experience new adventures safe in the knowledge that Michelle is a phone call away.

Sent by Emma Whigham

Michelle has been absolutely brilliant, after helping us plan an amazing trip to Sri Lanka very quickly helped us change to Borneo due to the attacks. She made, what could have been very stressful, fun. Thank you

Sent by Marie Lee-Hopps

Michelle makes my travelling so much easier. It’s great to know that everything is taken care of and if I have any problems Michelle is at the end of the phone. Peace of mind and excellent service! Thank you Michelle

Sent by Elliott Nash

Michelle provides an excellent service with a real personal touch, really getting to know us in order to fully appreciate what we want from a holiday. This has made booking holidays easy.

Sent by Carrie Hughes

Michelle came highly recommended. I can see why, she has been fabulous.

Sent by Nicole Smith

Listened to what we wanted and worked hard to find us the cruise the whole family will enjoy - thank you

Sent by David Maisey

Michelle was absolutely fantastic. Nothing was too much trouble

Sent by Leanne Gwilliam

Michelle gave me several options that I know would all have been fabulous. Michelle is knowledgeable and I trust her suggestions

Sent by Nicole Smith

Listened to what we wanted and worked hard to find us the cruise the whole family will enjoy - thank you

Sent by Maggy Long

Michelle has been amazing from the start and has helped to book an incredible holiday

Sent by Julia Gaunt

Michelle has done everything I have asked and more, she's always on the phone when I need to ask a mad question.

Sent by Rachiel Villamonte

Michelle was just great - I spoke to her briefly about the kind of holiday I wanted and she instantly just got it. She understood what I needed and within days she was straight to work and found us our holiday for this year! And I didn't even have to lift a single finger. The process was super easy and the app makes the paying a doddle. Would highly recommended Michelle to all my friends and family!

Sent by Jacqueline Nash

Michelle is very friendly, knowledgeable and helps you find the perfect holiday to meet your requirements. Makes he whole process really easy.

Sent by Sian Kenkre

Wonderful efficient friendly service

Sent by Sophie Toor

Michelle is just brilliant!

Sent by Sarah Harvey

Absolutely fantastic service by Michelle! Thank you for all your hard work and attention to detail to really tailor make my dream holiday!

Sent by Teresa Scott

We are really impressed with the service Michelle offers. She is so thoughtful and will go out of her way to make sure your every need is catered for. Thanks Michelle for all your help.

Sent by Elisabeth Price

I would highly recommend Michelle - in fact, I already have done and she has had a number of referrals from me book with her

Sent by Lindsay Pemberton

Great service, very informative and lovely lady

Sent by Anne Downing

This is the fourth holiday that Michelle has booked for us. We are always delighted with the service. Her knowledge of holiday destinations is unparalleled and deserves our highest recommendation.

Sent by Neil Plevey

Excellent service, with added bonus of an additional evening for little money!

Sent by Barbara Dingley

Michelle is great, very professional and friendly. She listens and finds the best options for me to consider. Thanks Michelle.

Sent by Linda Rae

Michelle took all the hassle out of finding the right package for our first cruise. Superb service!

Sent by Sarah Michell

Michelle is very professional and helpful and is a lovely person to have to help you find the perfect holiday.

Sent by Lisa Siembab

Fantastic service, would highly recommend to anyone looking to book any kind of trip or holiday!

Sent by Charlotte Newberry

Michelle was extremely helpful, listened to what I wanted, and steered me in the right direction. She was also very accommodating of me visiting with a toddler in tow!

Sent by Paul Davis

Michelle is so tentative, that its the best holiday booking experiences ever.

Sent by Elisabeth Gallagher

Michelle was so helpful and made booking everything so easy! Will definitely be using her again! Thankyou

Sent by Michelle Gabriel

Great honest advice with such enthusiasm backed up by photos from own holiday!

Sent by Lynette Swann

Definitely a 10+. Michelle couldn't have been more helpful. We were looking at quite a complex holiday and had no idea where to start looking. Michelle was fantastic, taking all the planning and organisation out of our hands. Fantastic service and would definitely use her again.

Sent by Dawn Theophilus

Michelle far exceeds any other travel agent experience I have had. Outstanding. Highly recommended. Personal touch, respectful, knowledgeable, efficient, keen to ensure all of our needs and requirements were met. Brilliant. Thank you!

Sent by Jane Hand

Approachable, flexible and conscientious are all qualities Michelle possesses and those, coupled with attention to detail, ensure I would highly recommend her services.

Sent by David Marston

Michelle has booked a number of trips for us now and she’s really able to cater for our needs. A first rate service that I recommend highly to my friends.

Sent by David Hughes

Michelle has been very helpful and has gone the extra mile to ensure we got exactly what we were looking for. She has been a credit to your company and service

Sent by Julie Cairns

Michelle is totally wonderful and extremely knowledgeable in many destinations. She booked a group holiday for myself and friends last year to New York everything was seamless, hence why I have asked Michelle to book my family holiday this summer, Michelle deserves praise and acknowledgement for her kind and considerate manner in which she treats her clients.

Sent by Emma Smith

Michelle was so knowledgable and so helpful. Amazing service and would recommend her to anyone.

Sent by Lisa Cowland

Michelle Helped me choose the right holiday for my family. Nothing was too much trouble. The best way to book a holiday, stress free.

Sent by Hayley Burns

Michelle is so friendly, helpfull she listens to your needs no matter how long the list of requirements is she will find everything you need.

Sent by Helen Ward

Michelle made a family ski holiday less hassle. We usually book three families flying from different locations. We think we’d save money but actually the price was very similar. Michelle’s enthusiasm was brilliant. Looking forward to seeing everything fall into place.

Sent by Lisa Barber

Michelle was great, really helpful, listened to mine & my families needs & found us a choice of holidays that met our requirements. She made it easy to book, and I have already been recommending her to my friends & family

Sent by Mark Smith

Michelle was fantastic, so quick to respond and offered advice and guidance, I would definitely use again and most certainly recommend her services.

Sent by Leah Thompson

Michelle is a wonderful kind woman who has made my experience of booking Disney land Paris a walk in the park. I am taking 3 young children on my own and was abit wary booking it but Michelle has gone above and beyond to help me every step and make me feel so relaxed doing so!! Always available night or day to answer and questions I may need to ask. Just FANTASTIC!! Will definately be getting Michelle to book all future family holidays! Thank you so much!!

Sent by Samantha Carter

Michelle is always friendly and approachable and easy to deal with, which makes booking a holiday an enjoyable one.

Sent by Anna Lynall

Michelle is a fantastic travel counsellor. Her warm and friendly disposition make the whole experience enjoyable. She is very focused and always keen to ensure top quality for her customers whilst ensuring the best deal. I have recommended her to a number of friends and now booked two holidays with her for peace of mind. It is a great way to book holidays stress free!

Sent by Rebecca Critcher

Michelle was super efficient, got me the exact dates I wanted. Attention to detail outstanding, there’s already a cake booked to be able to celebrate my daughter’s 10th birthday! Have and will continue to recommend.

Sent by Lindsay Pemberton

Very helpful and friendly, and has eased our concerns on the type of holiday we are going on as its not a normal beach holiday. Would highly recommend her to anyone.

Sent by Lynne Lino

I would like to add that this is my first experience with using Travel Counsellors and I found the experience made especially easy by working with Michelle Waters. Michelle is patient, listens to all requirements and is a pleasure to work with. Our particular holiday had many parts to it, and Michelle managed to book all our wishes with no disappointments. She is a true asset to TC and will go far! I have already recommended Michelle to my friends. Thank you Michelle

Sent by Samantha Neary-Moore

She's a listener!! She'll listen to what you want but also, most importantly, what you need. Friendly, efficient, knowledgeable and kind xx

Sent by Jessica Williams

Michelle has been amazing, so friendly and helpful. She did her best and found us something amazing for our budget, and has stayed in touch continuing to be helpful in every step of the process. Thanks so much! Jessica & Jonathan

Sent by Joanne Carney

The service we have received from Michelle has been excellent. Professional, personal, patient! Michelle has listened to our requirements and then taken the stress out of putting together the perfect travel arrangements. Can not recommend more highly.

Sent by Marie Chalmers

Exceptional service and we can't wait to go now!

Sent by Kate Glover

Michelle is an amazing Travel Counsellor. Her attention to detail is fab, she listens and really takes time to understand her client. I cannot recommend her enough. Thank you :-)

Sent by Barbara Dingley

I have found Michelle to be friendly, professional, timely and very knowledgeable. Michelle went the extra mile to make sure the booking was exactly what we were looking for.

Sent by David Barber

Very helpful and found exactly what I was looking for right at the last minute.

Sent by Karen Stephenson

Very helpful and quick with getting information back to us. Extremely friendly and listened well to our personal needs. Many thanks!

Sent by Anne-Marie Banks

Booking my holiday through Michelle was a real eye opener. I'd already done research into what I wanted so felt quite "demanding" , but she found us exactly what we wanted at a super competitive price despite numerous adjustments we kept making! Nothing was too much trouble and she really understood what we wanted. Brilliant!!

Sent by Jaqueline Nash

Michelle is very knowledgeable and goes out of her way to meet your needs. Michelle is also very personable and I will definitely be booking with her again as she has made the process of booking a holiday or flight so much easier.

Sent by Samantha Carter

Michelle is friendly easy to deal with & gave me some great options & advice Have already recommended her to others

Sent by Erica Sabine

Michelle was really helpful and friendly, she sorted out all the little details as well as the big ones.

Sent by Caroline Bellingham

Fabulous, helpful and efficient service, delighted with the outcome!

Sent by Sarah Michell

Very professional and helpful service.

Sent by Joanna Reynolds

Absolutely first class service. Thank you for making it all so stress free and for your time, patience and help. We won't book a holiday without you now!

Sent by Joanna Odair

Using Michelle to plan our big trip has been a bit of a revelation. She has taken us through every step of the journey with great enthusiasm, nothing has been too much trouble and we have felt all along she has wanted to provide us with the best trip possible. I wouldn't hesitate to use Michelle again.

Sent by Lisa Tomlinson

Booking our holiday with Michelle was an absolute pleasure, she has so much knowledge about different travel destinations and is incredibly passionate about what she does. She took the guess work out of booking our holiday and has made the whole experience relaxing and enjoyable. If you want a personal, friendly, trustworthy and knowledgeable service then I would highly recommend booking with Michelle, a completely different level of service to a high street travel agent and none of the risk of booking through the internet. Wouldn't hesitate to book through Michelle for every holiday.

Sent by Katie Newby

I have already wholeheartedly recommended Michelle to family and friends!

Sent by Richard Jones

Michelle is an amazing travel counsellor. Loves her work and so passionate about finding people the correct holiday for them. If only all customers service was this good. Nothing seemed to much trouble for her to sort out.

Sent by Claire Richardson

Michelle has supplied a fantastic service when booking our group ski holiday. Very efficient and great clear communication. We will definitely be using her again!

Sent by Rebecca Chandler

Very Helpful, Informative

Sent by Anthony Miller

Michelle was really friendly and helpful, going the extra mile to help finding us our dream family holiday.