Based in Beaconsfield

PJ van Zetten

It's Nice To Meet You

Are you feeling a little more positive about travel next year? A number of my clients are calling now to talk about getting away.

My passion for travel has led me to the USA many times - last count 35 states - and to Canada, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, the Middle and Far East, Australia, New Zealand and all over Europe.

Over the years of talking with my clients, I believe this love of travel is deep in our blood. During these discussions, I have shared my insights, top tips and secrets to having the holiday of a lifetime.

And here is one tip - please check your passport. Those additional months the Passport Office used to add to the new document are not acceptable to other countries. The true expiry date is now exactly 10 years from the issue date.

To feed my passion I have been doing quite a few ‘virtual educationals’ (online training given by local tourist boards) to areas I have not visited. Seeing these wonderful places, many of them, like Venice, in a better condition than for decades, has made me appreciate one benefit of this unprecedented time.

How have you been feeding your travel passion? What can I do to help you?

If you would like to have a chat or share a dream for a special holiday to celebrate life returning to something near normal, please give me a call on 01494 854160.

I might not be able to travel with you, but you will always be able to contact me when you travel with the MyTC app, on your phone.

PJ

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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.

Tempting Taos

01 June 2019

Have you ever done something so far outside your comfort zone and found it turned into a magical experience? A while ago I was booking a client on a two-centre holiday, to New Mexico and then on to Hawaii. Out of the blue, she asked "why don't you come to New Mexico?" To both our surprise, I said “OK”. Three months later we arrived in Alberquerque, the largest city in New Mexico but not the capital, which is Santa Fe. As there are no direct flights to Taos, from London, we arrived tired and after American immigration, somewhat frazzled. I advise all my US bound clients not to pick up their cars on arrival after a long flight, as they will be tired, and reactions can be slower. I did not take my own wise advice and collected the hire car. We hit the road. Fortunately, the road did not hit back and the two-and-a-half-hour journey to Taos was uneventful. I find driving in America a delight - their roads are, in the main, well sign-posted and US drivers are less aggressive, with better lane discipline, than their UK counterparts - New York and Los Angeles being notable exceptions. As a child I loved watching westerns with my Dad. One of my favourites was an old black and white movie about the frontier scout Kit Carson. I was delighted to find Taos has a museum celebrating him. For a small fee you can tour his family home, see some of the Carson family memorabilia and documents and get a sense of his place in history. For those who like their i’s dotted and t’s crossed, the whole movie can be seen on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=kit+carson+full+movie I cannot resist checking out hotels wherever I go. The Hotel La Fonda, in the centre of Taos, caught my attention. Wondering what the Jane connection was, I sauntered in, British accent at the ready. The gentleman behind the desk greeting me and I introduced myself. After some pleasantries, he asked "You ever heard of Lawrence, ya'know DH?" I admitted I had even read one of his books. "You seen his paintings?" he asked. I said I did not know he was an artist and was treated to one of the most surreal experiences of my life. The gentleman, the hotel manager, took me into a largish room with one wall swathed in fabric. He told me that DH Lawrence had lived, with his wife, on a ranch about 20 miles north of Taos. Then he swished the fabric aside and showed me DH Lawrence's 'Forbidden Art'. There were nine pictures that were slightly risqué, in today's world. Various studies of full-frontal nudity and slightly suggestive imagery. Much less than in the average girlie magazine. In Lawrence's day they were considered so obscene he had to remove them from the UK before they were seized and destroyed. If you pass through Taos, ask to see them. This is the only place in the whole world where they can be viewed. TAOS PUEBLO The proper name for this pueblo is "?alopháymup’?h?´oth?`olbo" Don't worry, I can't pronounce it either. The pueblo (which means village) and the surrounding area is still home to above 4,500 people of the Tiwa national. They are the people of the Red Willow. To offer some perspective - they were building multi-story homes of multiple occupancy around the time William the Conqueror was, well conquering us. In 1992 the village became a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a delicate balance between a museum and people's own homes. This is not so much a tourist attraction as living history. We had a delightful Native American guide who took us around and offered a fairly balanced view of their lives, past and present. Some of the not so native Americans on our tour were less than respectful, with their whispered smug and prejudiced comments. A few of the residents have opened small shops to demonstrate their ancient skills in clay, wood, leather and carving. Most of them leave the village every day to work in Taos and further afield. TAOS Taos has become a year-round destination. Further north, there is a pretty good ski area, with most of the facilities skiers would expect. It is not a Vail or an Aspen but it can offer good skiing for beginners and intermediate levels, at prices less elevated than it's more up-market cousins. There are plenty of opportunities for white water rafting on the Rio Grande river. This stretch is one of the tamer areas and a local guide told me other parts were 'much wilder'. I will stick to taking the photographs. Conclusions - New Mexico is a Western State, so the local people are laid back, friendly and generally helpful. Do not expect to see cowboys riding the range - for that you will need Wyoming, Colorado and Montana, among others. There is plenty to do for the active souls and plenty to see for the less active. Is it worth a visit? Most definitely! I am looking forward to my return in the near future.

Stunning Sorrento, Ravishing Ravello, Amazing Amalfi & beyond

22 October 2017

Last year I decided to go to Italy for my early autumn holiday. I had not decided which region to visit, when a networking client gave me a referral for his 2017 holiday, to Italy! The family wanted to go to an area I knew only by reputation and other peoples’ holidays. Why not go there, I said to myself? Two birds, one stone! So off I went, flew to Naples, hired a car and drove to Sorrento, to explore the Amalfi Coast. Sorrento Named after the ancient Greek word for ‘Siren’, Sorrento would surely have provided a beguiling coastal allure to Ulysses on his odyssey! The town was colonised by the ancient Greeks and their town plan still survives: east to west for the sunlight, and north to south for the prevailing winds. Note to the wise – if your nerves are not in first class working order, I would not suggest you drive the Amalfi Coast. Narrow, windy roads, stunning drops, assertive Italian drivers and large oncoming coaches can test the strongest of nerves. Sorrento is a great place both to enjoy for itself and to use as a base to explore the area. Let the local buses take the strain! The SITA local bus service will take you from Sorrento to Positano and Amalfi, both visually pretty and attractive towns. For anyone with mobility issues, Sorrento is a bit flatter – the upper town and the marina. These coastal towns get pretty crowded in high summer, so going, as I did in September, worked really well. Enough people to make it interesting but nowhere was too full, and I could always get a table at my favourite people-watching restaurant, right in the central square of Sorrento, Fauno Bar. Across the main square, Piazza Tasso, is the little Dotto train that trundles around Sorrento. Ravello Also well worth a visit is Ravello, inland and high up, served by a one track road, controlled by traffic lights. When the lights turned green, I went only to meet a truck coming down. Gulp! Fortunately, he knew the driveway to squeeze into so I could pass. As I drove past he yelled, “Signora bella e folle!” at the top of his voice. When I asked at a shop in Ravello what this meant, the owner laughed and said, “Oh you met Giovanni. He says that to all the women drivers. It means beautiful, crazy lady.” There is a bus from Amalfi up to Ravello, if you prefer not to be ‘crazy’. The views from Ravello are stunning and it has an interesting history, dating back to the Romans. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site. It has had many famous visitors including Humphrey Bogart, who was filming Beat the Devil. He and John Huston, the director, and others drank and played cards there so often, they named the room after him. If you want a week away from everything, maybe with that special man, the Hotel Rufolo is the ideal romantic getaway, superb views, a pool overlooking the bay and scrumptious food – the menu is posted at the gate if you fancy a lunch there. It is not cheap, about €100 for two but worth it for the views and the ambience. Pompeii and Herculaneum I spent one heavenly week exploring the area – delightful locals, delicious food and stunning views round every bend. The amazing Herculaneum for my historical and cultural fix (if wanting to visit Pompeii as well, always do this before Herculaneum – doing it the other way can lead to disappointment). If you are not taking a private tour of the ancient sites, the next best way is to take the Circumvesuviana Train, the Sorrento-Napoli line. Not the most elegant of trains – think London Underground in the 70’s – it is cheap, convenient and it stops at Pompeii and Herculaneum. You can get off, do Pompeii, and get back on again for Herculaneum. You can also visit Naples, the opposite end of the line from Sorrento. Another word to the wise – pickpockets are rampant on the trains, especially out of Naples. Only take exactly what you need and keep it close! I found Herculaneum one of the most moving places I have ever been. I took the audio guide and walking round, listening to the commentary. I could get a real sense of what it must have been like for the inhabitants, literally having nowhere to go and waiting for the end of the world. A humbling experience that made me very grateful for all my blessings. Capri On the day before my departure, I planned my trip to the magical island of Capri, as the cherry on my Amalfi cake. It is certainly beautiful and the scenery is breath taking. It is billed as one of the most romantic places in Europe. You can decide. Many locations in Sorrento offer a day tour to Capri. Well worth booking of one these, as a boat trip around Capri is also included. They take you to the Blue Grotto, where swimming is banned. If you hire your own boat, the choice is yours. As a lone female traveller, I never felt uncomfortable or threatened. The locals are friendly and have a good sense of fun. They are delighted to talk to you, and of course sell you something if they can, and learning a few words of Italian will go a very long way towards aiding communication.

TC Ted Goes to Downton Abbey

27 July 2017

I was talking to a client who is a passionate Egyptologist. We share a love of Egypt, as I have been there over 30 times. She said she was sad that her husband is no longer well enough to go on day trips. She said she had wanted to visit Highclere Castle, used in the TV series Downton Abbey. When I asked why, she told me that the Carnarvon family, guardians of Highclere, has strong connections with Howard Carter and Pharoah Tutankhamen. They have a superb exhibition of Egyptian artifacts and history related to the finding of the tomb. I had a quick chat with TC Ted and he suggested we take half a day off and proposed the Highclere adventure to my client. She was delighted to accept and a great time was had by all. A very happy client and Ted enjoyed posing by one of the two dozen plus vintage Austen Healey sports cars. They were there as the owner's club were having a day out at Highclere.

When 'Bad' mean Good!

25 September 2011

I went to the Hesse region of Germany, with a small group of travel agents to check out the local spas. In German “Bad” means bath and/or spa. Our first stop was the Hotel an der Therme, in Bad Orb, famed for the 'gradient construction' - a blackthorn wall used to filter and concentrate the mineral salts from thermal waters. Walking beside it was like breathing ozone. After walking the medieval town, complete with picture-postcard houses, cobbled streets and an old city wall, we spent the evening luxuriating in the hotel's spa. Their jacuzzis are a gift from the gods. Indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpools, a liquid sauna and we were ready for the best night’s sleep. After breakfast, we departed for Bad Soden/Salmünster and toured the Bad Soden thermal spa and the surrounding parkland spending 15 minutes in the 'Dead Sea Salt’ grotto, breathing the vapours said to be beneficial for the lungs. After a short walking tour around the town of Salmünster, we drove to the local championship golf course. Nestled in the Spessart Mountains with views of the Taunus Mountains, it is one of the highest courses in Germany – amazing scenery and 18 challenging holes. Anyone remember Elvis Presley and “Wooden Heart”? He lived in our next stop, Bad Nauheim, for two years when he was in the army. The town still honours its 'favourite son'. We checked into the Hotel Dolce and after another walking tour, we dined at an excellent restaurant called Polsters. This was followed a bizarre night-time walk, escorted by a medieval night-watchman, armed with lantern and scary looking, and fortunately fake, pikestaff. As he boomed out interesting snippets, locals and visitors alike gave us funny looks. Next stop Wiesbaden to visit the famous Schwartzer Bok Hotel and Spa and meet a gracious lady who gave us an interesting tour of the town, including another opportunity to ‘take the waters’. Some of the group were disappointed as we had no opportunity to ‘take the wine’ in the festival in the main square. After lunch we were off to Schlangenbad in the mountains. This smaller spa is nestled in a picturesque valley. The word schlange is German for snake and a small harmless one called an Eskulap is named for the one that is part of symbol for medicine. The surrounding area has some lovely and quite steep walks. Some trees are so old they are considered local treasures and noted in a tree register. There is spa-pool, open for day visitors and locals alike. Back on the bus, winding down through the mountains we arrived at Bad Homburg where we checked into the luxurious Steigenberger hotel. After a quick refresh we visited the elegant Kur Royal Spa, the beautiful park and the city, including a quick trip to the old Schloss or castle. Every two years, Bad Homburg hosts a large open-air exhibition of sculptures from around the world. For our final evening we dressed up and headed to the Casino for an excellent meal in their open air conservatory restaurant and the chance to gamble. No-one in our group was brave enough or rich enough to do this, but plenty were hazarding their luck … and yes, mostly ‘the house’ did win. After a substantial breakfast, we drove up to the Falkenstein Grand Kempinski and Villa Rothschild in Konigsberg (also operated by the Kempinski group). Once again we were treated to a marvellous lunch. In the UK travel agents are not always valued, in Falkenstein the mayor paid us the honour of lunching with us. On a clear day you can see Frankfurt or Main-hatten – a word play on the River Main and a passing similarity to the Manhattan skyline in New York. Hesse is a beautiful region of Germany, offering gorgeous scenery, friendly locals, great food – from simple and delicious to haute cuisine – please do not believe anyone who says German food is just sauerkraut and würst, and accommodations ranging from comfortable to outright luxurious. Hesse is a great place for a long relaxing weekend - the idea of indulging in all that lovely food and then undoing the damage in those lovely spas – small ones, large ones, city ones, country ones - has much appeal. It is also a fantastic area for golfing, hiking, history and culture – all in all a surprising variety of activities, and only an hour’s flight away. It was 7 different kinds of ‘Bad’ and all were very very good!

Homestays in Kerala

13 November 2009

On a whistle-stop tour of southern Kerala, we tried as many forms of transportation as possible. My favourite was a 38 year old female with a gentle gleam in her eye. It is well worth getting up really early to visit the Elephant Training Camp to watch the youngsters getting their daily bath. For people looking for a different experience homestays are a wonderful way to get to know the people and the culture of the local area. Keralans are warm and friendly and willing to share their time and their knowledge. Cochin or Kochi (meaning from China) is the main shopping area of Kerala and one of its main claims to fame is as the first burial place of the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama. His family subsequently reclaimed his body and returned it to Portugal. Munnar is a well-known hill station in the tea growing area close to the Tamil Nadu state border. Its cooler temperatures can be a welcome break from the hotter coastal areas. Munnar is also famous for spices - pepper, vanilla, nutmeg and mace, cardamom, ginger, star anise and many others. Alleppey or Alappuzha is on one of the largest lakes in Asia. We took a leisurely lunchtime houseboat cruise around the lake - quiet and peaceful and a great way to stay relaxed after an ayurvedic massage. It is possible to take an overnight cruise as well, with a captain and cook to take care of you.

My customer stories

Sent by M& D E

Thank you, it was excellent and if you want to give me a call sometime I will tell you all about it. I was just about to e mail you to say thank you again for organising everything for us. You were brilliant as usual.

Sent by Philippa L

The most efficient, helpful and delightful Company to work with. Highly recommend.

Sent by Mary F

We are awful at writing after a holiday to tell you how successful it was - thank you so much for our break in January this year to Sal, Cape Verde. It was a fabulous break, The timing worked out perfectly as it was 25d in Cape Verde, and very cold and wet in Gerrards Cross! Thank you for the recommendation of the hotel - which was excellent - and your caring for our travel plans. We are actually looking ahead...! and yes, we could book directly with Tui - but we appreciate the service and wisdom we get from you, it really makes the difference.

Sent by Sharon C

Our holiday in Malta was just lovely. But for me it wasn't the destination that made the holiday perfect it was the service you provided throughout the process. You listened to and understood the holiday brief. Nailed it. No endless hours of trawling the internet to try and find perfect for us! You provided all the travel docs, tags and a sweet gift of a guide to Malta. You checked us in on both flights, so we didn't have to break a moment from the sunbed to think of this. You kept in touch, and helped with a small aircon problem at the hotel, which then got sorted. We didn't care if there might have been a problem with the flights because we knew you would be on the case and have it sorted before we even found out. You gave us 100% peace of mind, which meant a holiday without a care in the world, a perfect switch off. In a world of 10's YOU are an 11.

Sent by Claire F

I can't recommend PJ Van Zetten, Travel Counsellor highly enough. We knew we wanted some winter sun and had some specific requests when it came to the sort of holiday we wanted but weren't sure where we wanted to go. PJ truly listened to our wish list and worked her magic to find us the perfect holiday in Mauritius. From the flight times to the resort and facilities, everything was spot on and we truly have had the holiday of a lifetime. Thank you so much PJ, you're wonderful!

Sent by Sarah H

PJ has arranged several holidays for us and for friends and has always gone above and beyond in terms of knowledge and service. And knowing that should something go wrong she is at the end of the phone is better than any insurance policy!

Sent by Mike & Pat W

Over the years we have used TC, the service has been first class. The personal touch has been especially good and we cannot praise the 2 counsellors Sue & PJ too much.

Sent by Christopher J

I posted on LinkedIn that what I offer is not just all about the money and a recent client responded thus:- "I couldn't agree more. Trust is very important and your help in planning our trip, your dedication and more importantly, the patience you showed, proved invaluable. Thank you."

Sent by Helen S

PJ is just wonderful - best service ever. I have already recommended her and will do time and time again.

Sent by Cecily L

Ambassador Cruise, Noway Fjordland. It was a lovely 7 days away, with glorious scenery, sights and company and the weather was just fine. A big thank you to PJ van Zetten of #travelcounsellors for the recommendation, advice and help that made it smooth sailing.

Sent by Daniel F

PJ has been wonderful and I have already recommended her to 2 friends!

Sent by John B

HI PJ Without a doubt I would score you a maximum 0f 10 points Regards’ John B

Sent by Sasha L

Hi, I have just realised I never thanked you for organising such a wonderful trip to Croatia. Your attention to detail was wonderful and we felt very looked after which was reassuring. The fact you printed out my friend's boarding pass and arranged for it to be given to her at the hotel was such good customer service. The hotel was superb and we would definitely go back. Thank you very much - Sasha

Sent by John B

I must thank you for all your help in getting me booked for my flight to Madeira with the fair Kari come next January. It all worked out in the end and I must admit that hiccup was all my fault. My problem is vision as I have Glaucoma and some smaller characters are a bit difficult to see. In this case it was the similarity between the 5 and 6. My eldest son and his family are regular travellers abroad and I will certainly Mention Traveller Counsellors to them. Once again my grateful thanks for your help and patience

Sent by Nina L

We asked PJ to book our holiday in Lanzarote for us. She was able to get a good combination of flights and hotel for us. She was pleasant and helpful to deal with, and gave us lots of useful information and tips for navigating the admin needed! We had a lovely break, and will definitely be in touch with her again for future holidays.

Sent by David & Karen M

Dear PJ. Thank you for being my Travel Counsellor. With your help and support, we can create amazing adventures and holidays together. With much gratitude and thank you for your help and expertise.

Sent by Denise P

As ever PJ you have delivered the most amazing service in your super-efficient way. We are always happy to recommend you to our friends and family.

Sent by Ali G-C

PJ most definitely goes above and beyond when it comes to tailoring your holiday wish list...your holiday is in really good hands and I would recommend her to everyone!!

Sent by Andy H

I just wanted to thank you for organising our fantastic trip to Canada. We had a wonderful time and the itinerary, which we were worried was tight, proved to be spot on, moving from one highlight to another but giving us sufficient time to appreciate everything we did. The Rocky Mountaineer is an absolute gem. We’ve dubbed it ‘the Orient Express of Canada’ - the level of detail, customer service, culinary excellence & more was incredible. We’d thoroughly recommend this train journey to anyone travelling in these parts. Similarly the Chateau Lake Louise Hotel is breathtaking - a combination of location & sheer scale make it unforgettable. Our transfers were seamless & even when we wanted to change our ferry times coming back from Victoria to Vancouver that was completed with the minimum of fuss. Canadians are so customer focused & friendly. Thanks once again for all your efforts, they were very much appreciated.

Sent by Mary F

PJ is always ready to provide excellent suggestions for our travel requests and is VERY prompt and reliable with her replies. We have always been very satisfied with our bookings with PJ. She goes the extra mile on delivery.

Sent by Karen M

The first time I approached PJ I wanted to explore how she would respond to recreating a similar Thailand holiday itinerary I had previously organised. PJ is always open to suggestions, responds immediately to changes in the itinerary. Once final details had been reviewed and agreed, PJ took over, booking us onto our flights etc. We also met up with her DMC contact when we arrived on Koh Samui. Working with PJ with a large travel organisation behind her we felt special, personally hosted through our trip using our TCApp (brilliant)! Also PJ supported us when one venue missed some finer detail, We were surprised and delighted. For my initial Greece enquiry, PJ supplied me with information above and beyond to a high standard to help me make my next step decision for a more complicated travel destination. PJ understands the standards we look for, and delivers a quality service. Yes I would highly recommend PJ for the level of service required to help me save time, Her flexibility to also support my requests has been a key reason working with her too! Many thanks PJ!

Sent by Philippa L

I love booking through you - you give me safety, space and calm so I can get on with other things, so I’m enormously grateful to receive your wonderful service.

Sent by K D

Such a good experience having my holiday arranged just for me. Every detail that I asked for was taken care of in a friendly and caring manner. Well done.

Sent by Ron H

It was a pleasure not having to worry about any aspect of my trip as PJ did all the legwork for me. I'll be definitely be recommending Travel Counsellors to family and friends.

Sent by Sally H

Just a quick note to say a huge thank you for arranging our weekend break to Amsterdam. It was everything we had hoped for and you even had a word with him upstairs so we had glorious weather … thank you!

Sent by Philippa L

Thank you so much. Oh such a luxury to have you - it’s been hectic here and I’ve not had to worry about all this!

Sent by Ash T

PJ is amazing! She just understands what you're after in a holiday and works so hard to deliver it. Last year PJ arranged a trip to Sorrento for the Myself, Josie and Kay and it was simply the best family holiday we've ever had together. PJ will listen, make suggestions and most of be honest about whether your requirements will fit your budget. PJ is all about making sure you have the best experience possible and bends over backwards to make that happen. Thank you PJ!

Sent by Sally H

PJ has arranged several holidays for us and for friends and has always gone above and beyond in terms of knowledge and service. And knowing that should something go wrong that she is at the end of the phone is better than any insurance policy!

Sent by Marilyn M

I'd sum up PJ's holiday organising as excellent. She's highly efficient, effective and a great communicator. She gets it right because she not only takes the time to listen, but to understand exactly what you want. The result is complete contentment and relaxation even before you set off, because you know you're in the best of hands.

Sent by Vanessa M

Jodi and I had a wonderful time. The weather was a little chilly at times and only one day was no swimmable. The hotel was charming and lovely and spacious which felt nice. Our room was big too. The place was well equipped with water sports and diving even though we only snorkelled. We played a lot of billiards too which was fun! Thank you so much for organising this for us, it was a precious time spent together!

Sent by Patrick H

Love the personal service and care.

Sent by Richard W

An immediate response, a good selection of hotels for our selection, very friendly courteous manner. Just the guidance we required. Thank you.

Sent by Philippa L

Your service is really amazing - thank you for making this so easy for me and continuing to check me in when I’m away. It’s truly Rolls Royce!

Sent by Chris J

I was trying to organise a Paris trip for my wife and I to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary and I was trying to do this myself, but was getting nowhere fast as I was clueless. I decided to approach PJ who is part of our networking group. She gave me plenty of ideas, things to do and also what the cost was likely to be. She organised everything for the trip including pick up from the station, the hotel, restaurant reservations, tickets for the Big Bus and pick up from the Hotel back to the station. The packet we received from PJ had all the documents in it and it was in the correct order of use. The Hotel was great and we had a wonderful time mostly because all the hassle factors were taken out and everything went very smoothly. I would highly recommend PJ to anyone wanting a lovely hassle free holiday.

Sent by Andy C

Andy and I wanted to say a big thank you for, yet again, a fantastic trip that you have lined up for us, PJ! Every single detail of the trip is always taken care of! We had a wonderful time in Valencia, the success of which was predominantly down to your impeccable research and recommendations, including the fabulous hotel and our hotel room, which included a delicious surprise of cake and champagne for our very special wedding anniversary! Thank you so much for your constantly sterling service!

Sent by Vanessa M

This is one special lady - PJ Van Zetten. She's organised our holidays for years now and this is the kind of service she provides. Always goes the extra mile. If you love being treated like you are worth a million dollars then please contact PJ and allow her to create your dream holiday for you. She's worth more than her weight in gold. A true gem.

Sent by Romilla R

PJ thinks outside the box and works to fit travel arrangements to my needs. She is my number 1 go to person for travel advise and bookings.

Sent by Janet B

A professional service tailored to individual needs carried out with efficiency, courtesy and quickly. An excellent service that I will recommend to friends and use again. Thank you.

Sent by Matt T

Grerat service and advice from PJ, made it all very easy.

Sent by Elaine S

I am still coming back down to Earth after my fabulous holiday which was everything I could have wished for, and more. Knowing that all of the transfers were arranged, and that you were there if we needed support, made the holiday infinitely more relaxing. It all worked so seamlessly!! Thank you for all of your hard work in a arranging my my dream holiday! With much love,

Sent by David M

PJ has never let me down and everything she has done has run like clockwork.

Sent by Rhona A

Excellent personal service thanks to PJ!

Sent by David M

PJ has never let me down and everything she has arranged has run like clockwork.

Sent by Graeme S

A personal service. Prompt and informative responses. Couldn't ask for more. And a genuinely lovely person, thank you PJ .

Sent by Emma S

Never in my life did I think I would use a Travel Counsellor! I love researching holidays. I am also a control freak and I want to know everything has been done properly. So you can imagine it took a huge leap of faith engaging PJ to research and book our holiday for us. However, what I have now learned is that I will never book my own holiday again and I will only ever use PJ. I gave her our varying requirements from three generations of the family. Not only did PJ find us a great villa in Spain meeting all of our requirements, she went several steps further by hand delivering travel brochures, writing our luggage labels, delivering our tickets, booking us in online, and made endless enquiries. She even provided clear plastic bags for our carry-on liquids! Its not just the time it has saved me, its also the sleepless nights worrying what have I forgotten and remembering to check in on time and book the taxi. We all enjoyed a fabulous family holiday, a very special one with lasting memories. Thank you PJ .

Sent by Mary F

I have complete confidence when booking with PJ - and this provides a stress-free holiday including the run-up to it. What more could I ask? Have been very pleased with the holidays booked through PJ, and this is from someone who would normally do our own booking on the internet. Am converted! Wholly recommend PJ van Zetten.

Sent by Richard O'Hagan

PJ is so good that I use her over a close family member who works for another company.

Sent by P Hollingsworth

Thank you so much - we have just returned from the Eiffel Tower where we had the perfect table. It has been a truly memorable day. Thank you for the major part you have played.

Sent by B Youdan

PJ has helped us with our holiday arrangements many times now and she is always exceptional. We often leave things til the last minute and change our minds about what we want and PJ is amenable, helpful and an absolute joy to deal with. She is entirely unflustered and always fun. We appreciate her enormously

Sent by R Shearing

She listened to our requirements, made a few additional suggestions and came up trumps!

Sent by P Hollingsworth

PJ is always responsive, extremely helpful and 'goes the extra mile'.

Sent by P Lubbock

More than likely! Would definitely recommend Travel Counsellors to clients and friends.

Sent by E Seddon

PJ has an amazing ability to understand her clients' requirements immediately! We wanted a holiday location and villa to suit the needs of three generations - the first one she showed us met all our requirements and more! PJ made the whole process seem effortless. I will not book my holiday with anyone else!

Sent by J Kaye

With PJ you know you are in safe hands. She is an expert in her field who has years of experience of all things travel. She is totally committed to ensuring her clients’ experience is flawless and her attention to detail means that every last little thing will have been thought of. As well as some lovely little extras!

Sent by F Bowers

PJ's attention to detail and knowledge of her clients is second to none. I will be using her services and recommending her for many years to come.

Sent by AR O'Hagan

PJ is brilliant, I wouldn't dream of booking my holidays and business trips with anyone else

Sent by D Mills

PJ goes that extra 100 miles, she's great.

Sent by Eddie G

PJ was great. She helped me understand the ins and outs of the cruise that I selected and made sure that I was happy with all the intinerary. She searched out the most appropriate route to arrive at and depart from the ship. Saved me time and money.

Sent by Timothy R

I must write as I ashamedly had preconceived opinions of holiday agents. I thought 'why pay someone to do a job that you can do?' We arrived at Gatwick to find we really had very little to do as you'd already checked us in online, you'd printed out our boarding passes. You'd even hand-delivered our tickets to my lady's front door!! ;) On arrival, the driver was helpful with our luggage, which was labelled-up with your hand-written luggage labels (Thank you!) she was warm and polite and knew the roads very well. At the other end we landed outside the Bay Palace reception, and again the driver decanted our luggage and disappeared with a wave and a wide Greek smile. The hotel complex was beautiful, all of the staff could not do enough for us, the room was spacious, accompanied by a balcony looking down over the most breath-taking view of the sea between Kefalonia and Ithaca, the blues of the sea I have ever seen. On arriving home, we received an email asking how our holiday went and thanking us for using 'Travel Counsellors' My silly knee-jerk opinions on agents have not only silenced but well-and-truly dissolved!!!

Sent by D P

PJ is a real delight - she is able to answer my most obvious questions with authority and her experience and passion for providing the very best service shine through. She is fantastically efficient and I have no hesitation in recommending her.

Sent by Andrew Haines

PJ has been helping us choose and plan our holidays for many years now and her breadth of experience and sound advice means that she is our 'go to' default person on all holiday matters. First class!

Sent by Alison Phillips

As usual PJ has provided a first class service. She finds what we want with minimal input from us and always comes up trumps with a holiday that is exactly what we were looking for. We can't wait to go! Thanks again to PJ for her wonderful recommendations & service. We would (& do) definitely recommend her to others and will use her for our holidays in the future.

Sent by Ross Marvin

Dear PJ, Thank you for all your efforts in organising our holiday. We had a fantastic time and everything went to plan. Here's to the next trip. Thanks once again. Ross, Jessica, Holly & Maggie

Sent by Lesley Beattie

Fantastic service! PJ made everything SO easy and really listened to what we wanted in our holiday.I would be very happy to recommend her services to anybody and everybody. Thank you PJ.

Sent by Fiona Bowers

PJ really looks after her customers and goes the extra mile. I have already recommended her and will continue to and will continue to book through her.

Sent by Katie Waistell

I can't thank you enough for organising such a fabulous holiday. Every thing on my list of must haves was achieved. The travel to and from was totally without a hitch, the ski hire and passes were all sorted out so very swift to get up the mountain on our first day and the hotel was just what we wanted. I hadn't expected such good food so this was an additional bonus. We managed to do 5 days skiing which is brilliant for a 4 night stay (not to mention only 2 days off work!) and this was achieved by you taking such care in meeting my criteria. Thank you thank you thank you.

Sent by Paul & Amy Rodger

Dear PJ, Amy & I would like to thank you for your expertise in arranging our honeymoon. You recommended several options to suit our budget and then humoured us when we weren't sure about the options. You provided us with a number of other options and didn't bat an eyelid when we decided to go with the place your recommended in the first place. Your suggestion of a couple of nights in a spa resort at the end of the two weeks was an excellent one that we enjoyed thoroughly. Knowing that you were at the other end of the line if there had been any problems, was a great comfort. Having said that, there was no need to contact you, as everything went beautifully well. The thoughtful little touches like the guide book and the card in our itinerary pack and the flowers on our return just adds to the excellent service and sets you way about the average and far from the travel agency experiences we have had in the part. I would not hesitate in recommending you, and I look forward to booking our next jolly.

Sent by Raj & Meenal Chaggar

Thank you so much for helping us organise a wonderful honeymoon in Thailand. The hotels were amazing & your services took all the stress away! Particularly the flight check ins and transfers. We look forward to using your service again.

Sent by Michael & Rosemary Markham

She is the best travel agent/Counsellor we could possibly have - wonderfully amusing when needed, efficient all the time, honest when we have made a silly decision and SO helpful that it makes our holidays the best things we have ever done.

Sent by David Mills

PJ always goes the extra 10 miles.

Sent by Christine Wilson

PJ was great in listening to the type of holiday we want to take and for managing to fit in something lovely within our pretty meagre budget. We found her to be helpful, knowledgeable and able to guide us about things that we wouldn't have considered ourselves. Thanks to PJ we are now looking forward to a wonderful holiday in June.

Sent by Clive & Tracy Reader

I've known PJ through a networking group for a couple of years now and have long wanted to book a holiday with her (but sadly have been unable to travel since first meeting her) so I was delighted to be able to book my first holiday in a long time with PJ. Having now experienced how she works first hand - she really does go the extra mile for her clients, as even though she found a holiday that we were fairly happy with, she continued to offer further suggestions until we got one that ticked ALL the boxes AND remained comfortably within our budget. I just can't wait to go now - and report back properly on the whole experience. :-) We both had a great time thanks. My chalet was excellent and we were lucky enough to have lots of snow on the first day, and then sun for the rest of the week. No injuries! Tracie and I also had a fabulous week's skiing, so thank you so much for finding us the ideal location!

Sent by Rajinder Chaggar

PJ really does go that one step (or more!) further!

Sent by Alison Phillips

We have used PJ for a number of holidays now and we would not hesitate to recommend her. She is always very responsive, very knowledgable and makes the whole process of choosing and booking a holiday stressfree and enjoyable - she's an asset to your team!

Sent by Sarah Cassidy

Great advice, very patient and will put all future travel arrangements to PJ and have already recommended PJ. Thank you.

Sent by Michael Markham

PJ van Zetten has arranged holidays for us for a long time. She is always courteous, extremely helpful, patient in the extreme and as important as all these attributes are, she is fun to talk to and her knowledge bank is superb. She has also made holiday arrangements for various members of our family, some of which may well have been quite complicated, but she always does her best to accommodate any requests.

Sent by Catherine Stoker

PJ is amazing. I am only sad it has taken me this long to find her. Her service is friendly, efficient and she certainly went the extra mile to sort out our requests. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone I know who is looking to book a holiday.

Sent by Colin Peel

I just wanted to thank you for sorting out our holiday. It was PERFECT. Resort great, hotel fab, sun, beach, great food, lovely local town and hassle free flights and transfers. You provided a flawless service again! Will definitely be recommending you to my clients and booking again. Much love and thanks.

Sent by Colin & Kate Peel

I just wanted to say thank you so much for sorting out our holiday. We arrived smoothly and got upgraded to a sea view top floor suite as it’s our (2nd) honeymoon! The hotel was fab and the local town, location, etc was just perfect. Thank you for your amazing service. Everything was perfect again.

Sent by Colin Peel

Just wanted to say thank you SOOO much for sorting out our honeymoon. It’s absolutely perfect and we will definitely be using you for all our travel henceforth!

Sent by Claire Holliman

PJ has been brilliant on all bookings especially this last one as due to an accident we had to reschedule and she made it all happen with no stress for us - thank you PJ

Sent by Trevor & Anne Hatton

If you can't have the world at your fingertips, why not know someone who does? PJ is a fantastic Travel Counsellor, combining the wealth of knowledge from a large organisation with the personal touch of an individual travel agent who is working for you with no vested interests. Organising a month long Australian adventure for my husband and me, I had no idea where and how to start. I felt completely overwhelmed by the enormous decisions that needed to be made: where to go, where to stay, how to get from one place to another and most importantly, how to maximise our time to see the highlights of such an enormous country (never having been there.) I needn't have worried; I gave the entire project to PJ to coordinate... and what a triumph it was. Of particular note is her attention to detail - from the initial brief to the follow-up on our return. Putting up with clients unable to make decisions and changed plans, she exudes patience with a positive attitude. She is hugely professional, helpful with suggestions and super efficient. She shines at any task: putting together a complicated itinerary to making a simple travel booking. Having used PJ several times now I can commend her as a true travel expert.

Sent by Romi Carr

PJ has helped us on a couple of occasions for our personal travel and I couldn't recommend her services highly enough. There is nothing that PJ wouldn't cover - aspects of your holiday you haven't thought of, up-to-date information of any destination she is working on. Overall she provides impeccable travel arrangements. There is always an extra touch/a little surprise from PJ. Thank you PJ, we shall be back for more.

Sent by Romilla Ready

I would recommend PJ wholeheartedly. I know she always does her very best for me price wise and I know she has my best interests at heart. I am so grateful for the times she's 'bumped me up' without my asking, stayed up late or woken up at some unearthly hour to get me a good seat. I accompanied a friend to a couple of high street travel shops recently and it was an awful experience. It is such a pleasure to do business with Travel Counsellors and especially PJ, with her wealth of knowledge which she shares with such generosity.

Sent by Mary Forsyth

I was introduced to PJ by a friend and used her last year to book my holiday for the first time. PJ makes it easy! She listens to what you want to get out of your trip and tailors to that 'flavour'. I am very excited about my forthcoming trip to China and am very pleased to have the guidance and backing of PJ and the Travel Counsellors network.

Sent by Marilyn & Richard Messik

The hotel was absolutely superb and in fact (and bear in mind, during my time in the travel business, we stayed in a lot of hotels!) it really was one of the best we've ever enjoyed. Perfect location, wonderful service and a good choice of restaurants both in the hotel and just nearby. The journeys to and from all went smoothly. I can't tell you how grateful we are for all your hard work and attention to detail - you are a real treasure and it was such a complicated itinerary, time-wise that I think you worked wonders. As soon as I've got my feet under the desk again and sorted myself out, let's reinstate our coffee date and a huge hug and thanks once again.

Sent by Chris Gaines

PJ is fantastic and we have already recommended her to several of our friends. They have used her services to book both holidays and honeymoons, and we cannot praise her enough.

Sent by Michael and Rosemary Markham

PJ is just about the very best travel adviser we have come across, she always 'follows through' AND we just know that our holiday plans will go very, very smoothly - we are safe in her hands.

Sent by Steven & Fiona Bowers

PJ is amazing. Nothing you ask is too much for her to deal with and she does so with a cheery nature. I can honestly say that I would not use any other agent to book holidays and already recommend her to all my friends, relatives and colleagues.

Sent by Jacqui Hogan

It isn't just that PJ can find and organize a great holiday, she also pays attention to the little details that make the difference between a good holiday and a thoroughly enjoyable and hassle free one.

Sent by Laura Clifford

PJ offered a very thoughtful, personal service and has been extremely friendly, helpful and efficient. Brilliant service! Thank you!

Sent by Tony & Bernadette McGovern

PJ is the most patient and kind person we have met. We feel very lucky to have met her and we would be pleased to recommend her to our family and friends.

Sent by Michael Markham

We cannot rate PJ's help, support, advice and abilities highly enough. She has definitely made our holidaying arrangements a breeze. I cannot imagine not going to her in the future.

Sent by Bill Ashby

We have found PJ very easy to deal with and very efficient. She has made booking our rather complicated itinerary very easy and pleasant. We would have no hesitation in recommending her.

Sent by Holly Small

PJ’s recommendations and help from the first phone call put our mind at rest when we were visiting a new country for the first time. Our flight was delayed due to a problem with the aircraft and to have PJ on hand to put our minds at rest regarding the transfers and accommodation was invaluable. You just wouldn’t get that service or peace of mind if you book on the internet! She was also brilliant to work with – highly efficient and so helpful. We will definitely be using her services again and would recommend her without hesitation.

Sent by Victoria-Fae Bosvik-Howarth

Thank you so much for planning our holiday, we could never have done it without you! Had such a fab time!

Sent by Susan Taylor

Thank you PJ for our fab holiday. There are two real benefits from having you as our Travel Counsellor. The first one is your inside knowledge of some wonderful places. We would never have chosen The Benjamin in New York, and to look downtown from our window at night was magical. True of the tour of Turkey, we asked for Istanbul and you gave us much more! The second real benefit is knowing we don't have to worry about things like check in. Made it seem like a proper holiday and that we began relaxing from the moment we booked it with you.

Sent by Simon Youdan

PJ always provides an excellent service. She is committed to the task at hand, considerate in her research and presents options in a way which makes decision time easy. I will always deal with PJ for all my travel arrangements and thoroughly reccommend her

Sent by Alison Phillips

PJ is thorough and professional. I would have no hesitation in recommending her to family friends or colleagues who wanted help with their holiday plans. She's one in a million!

Sent by Anne Hatton

I wanted to say thank you again for everything you did for the Ethiopia trip. I can never rate you highly enough, particularly as you always go out of your way to help me out. It is much appreciated – and sadly for you, means that I’ll keep coming back to you for help! (I always seem to have a special challenge for you…!) I always know you can sort things out and can’t recommend you enough to everyone I know.

Sent by Anne Hatton

PJ helped with several trips over the last year – flights, hotels & a 2-week birthday celebration in South Africa. For this experience of a lifetime she quietly arranged a celebratory surprise in each hotel. She organised a Russia trip, handling the visa bureaucracy. I cannot praise her highly enough - she is hugely professional, efficient & goes above & beyond the call of duty. She also has the patience of a saint! I can recommend her without reservation.