Based in Stoke on Trent

Andy Tooth

Available for new enquiries

It's Nice To Meet You

Hi,

I’m Andy, your very own personal Travel Counsellor based in Stoke on Trent. I have been passionate about travel for 30 years and have run my own Travel Counsellors franchise since 2008. I treat every enquiry as if it’s my own holiday and guarantee you the best service possible.

I am independent and offer honest impartial advice with the emphasis on providing top quality customer service. If the unexpected was to happen, you know I will be on hand to assist you. I am always available including evenings and weekends

I have travelled quite a bit over the years and have personally experienced Barbados, Australia, Dubai, Thailand, Mauritius, Hawaii, Florida, Cuba, Bali, Goa, Egypt, The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Spain, Cyprus, Cruises, and Mexico where I got married.

Because I got married abroad I really enjoy being able to help other couples arrange their dream wedding. Some of the most popular places I have arranged weddings are Mauritius, Cyprus, Italy, Antigua and Florida. As part of my training I completed a week in Cyprus visiting over 40 hotels in six resorts specifically for weddings. I am also a member of the Staffordshire Wedding Circle.

I offer the best selection of holidays, short breaks and cruises from over 400 approved suppliers. Whether you are looking for a last minute getaway or a luxury honeymoon I can help.

Besides the level of service I provide, every holiday is 100% financially protected against supplier failure and covered either by ATOL or the unique Travel Counsellors Trust, giving you total peace of mind. Put simply, every single penny you spend with me is safe.

I have completed specialist training and gained qualifications in the following areas: Cruise (all major cruise lines), Ski, Florida, Mauritius, Costa Brava, Weddings and Honeymoons, Australia, Italy, Caribbean and Dubai.

Most of my business comes from recommendations and referrals, therefore I guarantee to give my clients the best advice and customer service I can. I am very pleased to say that 100% of my customers have said they would recommend me to a friend or family member.

So if outstanding customer service and the personal touch appeals to you, please feel free to either call or email me and together we can turn your dreams into reality.

Andy

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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.

Lanzarote

02 November 2014

This year we decide to take our family holiday to Lanzarote in the Canaries. I had already been to Tenerife and Gran Canaria and so was interested to see how Lanzarote compared. We stayed in the resort of Playa de Los Pocillos which is on the outskirts of the main tourist area of Puerto del Carmen. It is only a 10 minute transfer from the airport which makes this resort even more desirable. I must point out that whilst you can see aeroplanes coming in, they are in no way intrusive. We stayed at the 4 star Los Jameos Playa which offered superb food and accommodation in lovely surroundings. Playa de Los Pocillos is a lovely more relaxed area with its own selection of shops, bars and restaurants and once you venture a little further into Puerto del Carmen then there is a huge choice from gift shops to designer stores. There is also a casino and nightclubs for late night entertainment in Puerto del Carmen. I was pleasantly surprised with Lanzarote as it was a lot cleaner and tidier than I expected. It was very hot because it was August, but there was always a nice breeze and although it was over 30 degrees everyday it was never uncomfortable. Lanzarote is a volcanic island and is very desolate inland, with hundreds of volcanoes scattered throughout the island. The beaches are clean and the sand looks lovely, but because it is a volcanic island you do look like you are covered in mud once you step out of the sea. The resorts are geared up for cycling and it’s easy to hire bicycles. We hired a tandem and managed to cycle beyond Puerto del Carmen and up to the airport in the opposite direction. Because the area is mostly flat we also hired Segway’s and did a Segway Safari. This was great fun and if you have teenagers with you they will love it. On Sundays they hold a local market in Teguise. We purchased bus tickets for just 4 Euros each and they collected us around 9.30 and brought us back around 1.30. The market is quite big and has lots of local suppliers offering a whole host of things. If you have smaller children there is a water park in Costa Teguise. It was ok, but not the best water park I have been too. It's ok for a few hours of fun and smaller children will appreciate it but older children will soon get bored. Another excursion we chose to do was a day trip to Fuerteventura. Having never been, I was eager to see what the beaches were like as they are supposed to be the best in the Canaries. We went over by catamaran. The trip was not too bad going but it was very choppy on the return which I believe is normal. The boat docks in Corralejo which I felt was a little tacky and didn’t have the same feel as Lanzarote. The beaches however were amazing with beautiful white sand and blue waters. In summary Lanzarote turned out to be my favourite Canary Island. I liked how clean and tidy the island was, the cooling breeze, the choice of shops, bars and restaurants, the flexibility to visit other islands and the entertainment for all ages. Add to this that there is no time difference and short transfers, then it’s great for young families. It also offers some of the best value for money in Europe.

Beautiful Barbados

23 July 2013

In June 2013 I was lucky enough to be selected to take part in the Barbados Megafam, which meant I got to visit the island of Barbados for 5 nights along with 100 other travel agents. The journey was very straight forward and comfortable. Ours was a direct flight from Gatwick which took around 8 hours. On arrival we transferred to Turtle Beach on the South West of the island for our all-inclusive stay. The South West of the island is really stunning with its white sand beaches and turquoise waters. The views are simply spectacular. The popular St Lawrence Gap is only around 5 minutes away on foot and this is where a lot of the night time entertainment takes place. Just 10 minutes by car in the opposite direction will get you to a place called Oistins. This is popular for its Friday night fish market which I had the opportunity to experience – it is well worth a visit. I was surprised to see so many locals out enjoying a regular Friday night. They were so friendly and allowed us to join in and mix with them. They make you feel really welcome and don’t bother you or treat you like tourists. Besides visiting a whole range of hotels across the island we also had the opportunity to do an afternoon catamaran cruise and swim with turtles. As soon as I jumped into the sea and put my face in the water there were 2 enormous turtles swimming alongside me. Being able to get so close to these creatures in the wild is absolutely amazing and a once in a lifetime experience. I would highly recommend doing this trip whist in Barbados. One of the many carnivals took place whilst we were there and we had the opportunity to join in and follow the procession through the St Lawrence Gap. A great time was had by all, in a fun party atmosphere, with calypso music beating out and street entertainers keeping everyone in the party mood. Another exciting day was spent taking part in a funfari. This is a jeep safari and a treasure hunt all rolled into one. In Barbados they drive on left like in the UK, which makes it easy. The island is quite small and you can get around quite effortlessly. The contrast between East and West is quite diverse with the Atlantic Ocean beating the rugged East coast and the calm Caribbean Sea caressing the West. The countryside inland reminded me of England and the names of the towns and parishes all sound familiar. It’s like a small piece of England in the Caribbean. If you are interested in aeroplanes then the Concorde Experience is a must. One of the decommissioned Concords is on show in a hanger next to the airport. Here you not only see one of the iconic aircraft that carried the rich and famous to Barbados, but you can also go inside the plane to view it. Barbados is not just about sun and sea, but is a complete destination for everyone to enjoy. It’s perfect for couples, honeymooners and family holidays alike. It is not the cheapest place to go in the Caribbean and this helps to give Barbados a certain ambiance. It is not affected as much with hurricanes as other places in the Caribbean and is the closest Caribbean island to us. I saw a whole range of hotels from 3 star to 5 star so if you are thinking of going and want to discuss options give me a call – I’d love to hear from you.

Cancun and the Riviera Maya

31 October 2012

In September 2012 I visited Mexico for my fourth time. I got engaged and married in Mexico so enjoy a special bond with the country. It is 14 years since I had last been to Cancun and, when driving through; little had changed apart from the quantity of hotels and a lovely new shopping area called La Isla Shopping Mall. The beaches are still amazing and rank as my favourite beaches in the world. Cancun is very commercialised and geared towards the American market. There are plenty of things to do such as swimming with dolphins, shopping, water parks, snorkelling, scuba diving and site seeing at historical places like Tulum and Chichen Itza. There are plenty of restaurants, bars and nightclubs as well. On this trip I stayed on the Riviera Maya, whereas previously I had stayed in the main hotel zone in Cancun. It is very different in the Riviera Maya and a completely different holiday experience to that in Cancun. It is more laid back, yet you are only around 30 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Cancun. Most of the hotels are low-rise, as opposed to Cancun’s high-rise, concrete buildings. The beaches are beautiful but I don’t feel the sea is as clear on the Riviera Maya as it is in Cancun. The hotels are nearly always all-inclusive and they can be quite isolated so you may need to take a taxi into Playa del Carmen or Cancun if you want any shops, bars or entertainment. I stayed for four nights at the Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa which is a lovely five star family hotel. I then stayed for three nights at the five star, adult only hotel Secrets Maroma Beach which is set in an amazing location and perfect for weddings and honeymoons. While in Mexico, we also had the opportunity to visit the ruins at Tulum. Xcaret is also a great place to visit, especially for families. As well as having the opportunity to see some Mexican culture, you can see dolphins and turtles and can swim in an underground river! It was also Mexican Independence day whilst we were there and we watched dozens of children trying to break the record for the world’s biggest tortilla. For anyone going to Mexico around 20th March or 21st September, a trip to Chichen Itza is a must. This is because on these dates every year, the sun casts a shadow in the shape of a serpent on the steps of the Pyramid. This is another one of the mysteries surrounding this area and something not to be missed. As a word of warning, between June and October, Mexico sometimes experiences hurricanes and it gets very hot. Mexico offers two very different holiday experiences. If you want everything at your disposal then the hotel zone in Cancun is for you, but if you want something a little more laid back, with a much more tropical feel, then head to the Riviera Maya.

Cayo Coco Cuba

03 August 2012

In June 2012 we went to Cayo Coco in Cuba for our family holiday. This was our 3rd time to Cuba and also the 3rd time to the Hotel Sol Cayo Coco on the Island of Cayo Coco. We keep returning to this hotel because it suits our needs and Cuba offers excellent value for money. June is the start of the hurricane season and we were a bit concerned about the weather and we did have an occasional shower but thankfully no hurricanes. What we didn’t plan for were the mosquitoes. Having been before without any problems it wasn’t something on our mind, but because it was the rainy season, the mosquitoes were quite a problem. Please take a good mosquito repellent if travelling between June and November. We go as a family with our daughter who is now a teenager. We first went when she was just 4 years old. She loves it just as much now at 13, as she did then. The people, the location, the entertainment are all great. The animation team work tirelessly to entertain you with dance classes in the day, kids club, beach volleyball and beach parties at night. Every evening they entertain the kids with a disco before the nightly show starts in the outside theatre. The hotel is rated 4 stars and the location is wonderful. It is a safe haven for kids as there is nothing to worry about outside the hotel. There is virtually no traffic on the Island, no locals live on the Island, no hawkers, and the lagoon beach is so shallow it’s perfect for kids. We had a typical family holiday spending quality time together, playing, swimming, relaxing, eating and sunbathing and we also went swimming with dolphins at the Islands new Dolphinarium. They now have an open top double decker bus that runs between Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo and you can hop on and off throughout the day for just a few pounds. We used the bus to go to the Dolphinarium and again one day to go to Pilar Beach at the far end of Cayo Guillermo, (this is an absolutely stunning beach). Afterwards we hopped off at the sister hotel the Sol Cayo Guillermo where you can use their facilities. You can also take trips to Havana from Cayo Coco if you want to see the real Cuba. These generally mean an overnight stay in Havana. I’m sure this is not the last time we will go to Cayo Coco as it is such a stress free holiday and if my daughter could choose she would go every year. All in all if you want somewhere that is very reasonably priced, with beautiful beaches, genuine people and very child friendly then Cuba ticks the boxes.

Glorious Goa

21 December 2011

In November I was lucky enough to be chosen to take part in an educational visit to Goa. There is quite a bit of preparation to do before your holiday begins. This entails applying for a tourist visa (which is not the most straightforward application I have come across) and arranging with your GP to make sure you are up to date with your vaccinations. Once this is all done you can look forward to your holiday. After a 10 hour flight we arrived in Goa and stayed for the first four nights in Candolim in North Goa. We stayed at the 4 star Fortune Select Regina. On first impressions it did not reach the expected standard, but after visiting other hotels in the area I can see why it is rated 4 stars in Goa. The roads were the thing that surprised me the most. I have been to many countries where you think the drivers are chaotic, but in Goa it really is a free for all. There doesn’t seem to be any rules and bikes, cars, buses and cows just go aimlessly on their way. There are very few footpaths as well, so this means walking on the roads to get about. You really do have to have your wits about you. Due to the infrastructure I would not recommend it for families (especially if you have a pushchair) or anyone in a wheelchair, as it would be impossible to get about. Cows are everywhere and are sacred in India and are allowed to roam freely, so much so, that they wonder up and down the beaches without a care in the world. When we were at the Wednesday market in Anjuna, we even had a cow walk through the middle of a cafe where we were having a cold drink. The beaches in Goa go on for miles and have any array of beach shacks up and down the coast. The best beaches are in South Goa where the sand is whiter. Hawkers do approach you to sell their wares but a polite “no thank you” and they leave you alone. The people are very friendly but not too pushy. The Goans are ingenious when it comes to making a pound or two and I watched in amazement as a young girl built a makeshift tightrope on the beach out a few poles of wood and performed in front of us. She then dismantled it moved 50 yards further down the beach and did it all over again. At night the beach shacks play music and beach parties take place under the stars. North Goa is more geared towards the younger crowd with many bars restaurants and nightclubs in the resort of Baga. Tito’s nightclub is known all over Goa and Mambos is where we danced until 4am one morning. Drinks are really cheap as is everything in Goa and your money does go a long way. Whilst in the north we did the Jungle Book tour which is centred round elephants. We drove for a couple of hours to Shanti Hamlet where we rode the elephants through the forest and up a river before watching a show where the elephants were the stars. After lunch we were taken to a lagoon to swim and cool down before the elephants arrived and went for a swim in the lagoon with us. We had the opportunity to wash the elephants using coconut husk and then took turns to sit on the back of the elephant whilst it sprayed a powerful jet of water over us. The original power shower!!! For the final three nights we ventured to South Goa stopping on the way at Panjim (the capital of Goa) for a bit of sightseeing. There is a great Portuguese influence here with many churches dotted around. There is also a big shopping centre with lots of branded stores selling originals at bargain prices. On arrival in South Goa we stayed at the Hotel Dona Sylvia in Cavelossim. It is much less hectic down in the south and the hotels are more spread out and of a better standard. South Goa is better suited to couples who just want to relax and enjoy the wall to wall sunshine over the winter months. The roads are much less busy here so I felt calmer. They still have the beach shacks and the souvenir stalls so you still get the same atmosphere just at a slower pace. All in all if you want some guaranteed winter sunshine at value for money prices then Goa fits the bill. The people are lovely and if you want to party head north but if you want to relax head south. I would recommend the north to groups of singles and younger people and the south to couples and retired people. I think doing a two centre holiday staying near to Panjim first would be ideal. This gives you the opportunity to do the sites of the capital with all that shopping on your doorstep before moving either north or south for the beaches.

Disneyland Paris Resort

27 May 2011

In May 2011 I was fortunate enough to experience Disneyland Paris Resort. May is a good time of the year to go as the weather is pleasant, without being too hot and the parks are not as busy as in the summer months. I arrived by Eurostar from St Pancras station in London after a journey that took around 2 hours 45 minutes. This was my first time through the channel tunnel and my first time on Eurostar. I really enjoyed the experience and believe that if you are not too far away from London then this is definitely the way to go. It is far more relaxed than flying, with fewer restrictions on luggage and more comfortable seating; if you are taking small children then this is definitely the best option in my opinion. The train arrives at Marne la Vallee - Chessy Station right outside the park gates and your luggage can be left at the station and delivered straight to your Disney Hotel room leaving you time to go and play straight way. Likewise, at the end of your break your luggage can be delivered straight to the station for you to collect on your way home. I was in the park on the last day until 6.15pm and the train left at 7.30pm, allowing me to squeeze every last minute of Disney time into my break. I stayed at Disney’s Newport Bay Club, which is a three star hotel about a 10 minute walk to the park gates. The hotel is good and is worthy of its three stars but it’s not luxurious and serves as a good base at a reasonable price. I was able to visit some of the other Disney Hotels whilst I was there to see how they compared. The two star Hotel Santa Fe and Hotel Cheyenne are the best value hotels and personally I preferred The Cheyenne from these two. If you would like a little more luxury and to be nearer to the park then the four star Hotel New York would suit. But if money is not a problem and you really want the wow factor then you must stay at the Disneyland Hotel. This is right at the entrance to the Park. The Disneyland Paris complex is divided into three main areas, Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios, and The Disney Village. The Disneyland Park is where the magic happens and the dreams come true. From Sleeping Beauty’s’ Castle to Space Mountain there is something for everyone, with shows and parades going on throughout the day and into the evening. Based along the lines of Disneyworld in Florida, but on a smaller scale, the park has enough to keep children of all ages entertained. The studios next door are also similar to Disneyworld Florida but again on a smaller scale. All the usual favourites are there such as the Tower of Terror, the Rock and Roller Coaster and the Studio Tram Tour! If you are interested in Finding Nemo, then Crushes Coaster will appeal to you. It’s a family roller coaster ride in the dark! When you are ready for a change of pace then the Disney Village is the place to go. Here you can shop and dine and even go to the cinema. If you are feeling hungry then why not eat at Annette’s Diner where the staff are on roller skates, or watch a Wild West Show at Buffalo Bill’s with Mickey and Friends! I have to say that I did see the characters more often in the Paris parks than when I was in Florida - probably because it is not as big. If this is important to you and you have small children you won’t be disappointed. All in all, a trip to Disneyland Paris would be well worth it for anyone, but especially for families with young children. I stayed for 2 nights but in all honesty I think that 3 nights are needed to see everything properly. Paris itself is easily accessible from here so if you wanted to see some of the sights of the city then perhaps extend your break to a 4/5 night and soak up some of what else Paris has to offer one day.

My Dubai

11 July 2010

I, my wife and 11 year old daughter took our family holiday to Dubai in May 2010. What an amazing place! We arrived from Birmingham, and were transferred to our hotel, The Hilton Jumeriah Beach. The hotel is exactly what you expect from a Hilton, clean, friendly, comfortable and unpretentious. It has a good pool set beside pleasant gardens in a fantastic location. The beach in front of the hotel is lovely – white sand and clear blue sea reminiscent of the Caribbean and a sea temperature in May of 35C. From the beach you can see the Atlantis the Palm Hotel in the distance and The Burj al Arab. When you step outside the front of the hotel you are instantly on a new area known as The Walk. Here you will find a multitude of restaurants, fast food outlets, shops and a supermarket. There isn’t anything else quite like this in Dubai at the moment. If you go back a block you come to the Dubai Marina. Here you will find Marina Mall with dozens of shops and a food court as well as the boats moored on the Marina. This diverse mix is what makes the location so good – the beach, The Walk and the Marina. On day two we visited Wild Wadi Waterpark. It’s not a huge park but has everything you need for a fun filled day. Most of the flumes are interconnected which means that you never have to get out of your tube and queue, you simply float from ride to ride. They have a great kid’s area for smaller children and a wave pool. For the brave try Sceirah it’s worth it just for the views. The next day we took a 25 minute cab ride to town (approx £5.00). Our destination was the Dubai Mall – the world’s biggest shopping mall. We weren’t there for the shops though. We were there because we were going up the Burj Khalifa. The world’s tallest building with 160 floors reaching almost a kilometre into the sky. We took the lift to floor 124 where they have the ‘At the Top’ experience. I can’t put into words the view; you’ll have to try it yourself. Above us were another 36 floors, equivalent to a skyscraper and we were already 124 floors up – incomprehensible. One hour later and back down to earth we were in the Dubai Mall. Here you will find over 1200 shops, a huge food court, amusements and even an Olympic sized ice rink. We shopped until 6pm then made our way outside and stood under the Burj Khalifa next to a massive lake area. Here they put on a show from the world biggest water fountain. Set to music it takes place every 30 minutes throughout the evening. The next day we just chilled. Daytime temperatures were reaching 50C but a faint breeze coming from the sea made it bearable. The following day we hit the Mall of the Emirates. Although smaller than the Dubai Mall it still has 400 shops. In the Mall is an amusement area with funfair rides, bowling, arcades etc and from here you can see Ski Dubai; a full size indoor ski dome complete with real snow and ski lifts. Our next stop was the Burj al Arab; the world’s only 7 star hotel. I had arranged a viewing of the hotel to see for myself what it was like. Breath taking, elaborate, over the top luxury. Apparently the Eiffel Tower will fit inside the lobby. All the rooms are suites set over 2 floors and if it looks gold, it probably is. The room we viewed had a spiral staircase leading from the lounge area to the bedroom. The views are stunning. We could see ‘The Palm’ and the Burj Khalifa from here. No visit to Dubai would be complete without seeing The Palm and the Atlantis. The sheer size and scale of what has been created is unimaginable. We took a tour of the hotel and on arrival the lobby just blows you away. A huge glass centrepiece and highly polished marble floors, it definitely has the wow factor and I understand why it was used for filming during the X factor. The hotel is a resort within itself and has its own aquariums and the Lost Chambers as well as waterpark and dolphin swim. We spent a day in the waterpark and had a fantastic time. It’s a bigger park and has an extensive lazy river with torrents, waterfalls and rapids incorporated in it and make’s a wonderful family day out. We never got time to do all the other amazing things available so another trip is a must. I wonder what will have changed when we go back, as Dubai’s skyline and facilities are continually evolving.

Ayres Rock Australia

07 November 2010

The flight to Alice Springs from Melbourne takes about 3 1/2 hours. From the air I had seen one of the road trains that they use for transporting goods in Australia, they are huge. Tonight I was staying at the Crown Plaza Alice Springs. This hotel is home to Hanuman Thai Restaurant where I had the most delicious Thai meal in lovely surroundings. It’s very popular and gets busy so reservations are recommended. Alice Springs itself is set between the Macdonnell Ranges and is well equipped for a town in the middle of nowhere. It is home to the Royal Flying Doctors and the School of the Air. Both organisations have been set up to help people who live in the outback. At the Royal Flying Doctors you can see how they go about helping sick and injured people in the most inaccessible places and at the School of the Air I sat in on a lesson that was being conducted over the airwaves (and today with webcams) to a number of children living in the remote Australian outback. The town has a few hotels, a pleasant shopping precinct, a conference centre, a casino, a small zoo as well as a number of bars and restaurants. It did feel more Australian and less touristy with the locals going about their day to day business. In the evenings in some of the bars I did feel a little uncomfortable and unwelcome. The River Todd runs through Alice Springs and is usually dry, but once a year they have the annual boat race called Henley on Todd. The difference is, they run down the river carrying the boat! Whilst in Alice Springs I was fortunate enough to take a helicopter flight up and over the town and the Ranges and from here you fully appreciate the remoteness of the town. There is nothing but desert and few Kangaroo’s as far as the eye can see. The next morning I checked out and joined a guided tour heading for Kings Canyon. We drove through the desert and only passed 2 other vehicles in 3 hours. We eventually reached Kings Canyon where we did a rim walk. It takes about 2-3 hours to complete the walk and apart from the original climb to the top of the rim it’s fairly easy. The views and the rock formations make it worth the effort. I stayed overnight at the Kings Canyon Resort and this was the first time I had ever seen a night sky without any light pollution. I even saw a shooting star. Back on the road and through the desert we headed next to Ayres Rock. Not a car or a bend in sight, just a straight track going on forever in the distance. On route we saw what we thought was Ayres Rock in the distance, but this turned out to be Mt Connor. As we got ever closer I was on lookout for the famous rock. Then there it was in all its glory. At this point we were still about 50 miles away! That just goes to show how huge Ayres Rock is. When we finally arrived at Ayres Rock we went straight to our hotel, Voyages Sails in the Desert. The hotel is beautiful, and Ayres Rock can be seen from the roof terrace. After unpacking we wasted no time and began the sightseeing. First we headed to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) for the Valley of the Winds Walk. Please be prepared for flies. According to the locals there were hardly any about but I found them to be quite annoying and I was constantly removing them from my face. I would advise wearing a fly net. Later that evening we watched the sun set over the Olgas and Ayres Rock before having a barbeque in the desert. The sky was clear and again we marvelled as a million stars sparkled above us in a perfectly clear sky. It was so good that I could easily see the Milky Way with the naked eye. The next morning we had a very early start. Today we are about to see the sun rise over Ayres Rock. We drove into the national park and took our places on the viewing gallery. As the sun began to rise the rock changed colour. There was perfect silence and an eerie, mystical feeling as everyone watched. After taking more photos than I can count we had breakfast in the desert with Ayres Rock in the background. We then drove to the base of the rock and did a walking tour around it. On closer inspection it was not what I expected. Hidden in the rock is a semi permanent watercourse. I never imagined I would see water actually nestled inside the rock. The guides told us the history of the rock and pointed out the rock art which is still significant in Aboriginal teaching. You can climb the rock but it has a very severe gradient and is not encouraged. That night we experienced the Sounds of Silence dinner. A gourmet dinner set under the stars with a lone didgeridoo filling the air. Before we sat down to eat we watched the sun set over Ayres Rock. Again every hair stood on end as the rock changed colour. After a delicious meal we did some star gazing and had a talk from an astronomer who pointed out the stars in the sky. He even set up telescopes so we can get a closer look. He pointed out Saturn with the naked eye and then showed it to me through a telescope. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was so clear; I could see every ring around the planet. After a very long day we made our way back to the hotel to get some sleep as the next morning we were making the 6 hour journey back to Alice Springs for our flight to Darwin.

Melbourne Australia

07 November 2010

In May I was lucky enough to visit Australia with 300 other travel agents from all over Europe as part of the Aussie Specialist Programme. I took a flight from Heathrow to Singapore and then connected on to Melbourne. The flight was much more comfortable than I anticipated and time passed by much faster than I expected. If you have ever considered going to Australia and the length of the flight has stopped you - please reconsider. I arrived in Melbourne and was transferred to my hotel. I was staying at the brand new Crown Metropol which is part of the Crown Entertainment complex. It's a very contempory 5 star hotel in a perfect location for making the most of Melbourne. After unpacking we hit the streets of Melbourne. The Yarra River runs through the heart of Melbourne and on the south side it feels more modern, high-rise and business like, and on the other side it’s more traditional with shops, bars, theatres and street cafes. It felt like America and London all in one city. We started touring the city and eventually arrived at the Eureka Tower. This is the tallest building in the southern hemisphere. We took the lift to the 88th floor where you have amazing views all over Melbourne. I went one step further and took ‘the edge’ challenge where you step inside a glass lift that protrudes out of the side of the building 88 floors up. Wow – what a fantastic experience but not for the fainthearted. Afterwards, we crossed over the river and checked out the street cafes in the lanes of Melbourne, a complete contrast to the other side of the city and very European feeling. Later using our Melbourne Metcard we took a tram to St Kilda which is the beach side area of Melbourne. It has quite a British feel to it, with a funfair and tourist shops. St Kilda is also famous for its cake shops which display their delicious mouth-watering temptations in their windows. A short tram ride back to the city and we were outside Federation Square in the centre of Melbourne. This is the cultural heart of Melbourne with street entertainers, shops, museums and visitor centre. In the evenings we were treated to various events. The Long Room a popular meeting place on Collins Street, Flemington Racecourse – home to the Melbourne Cup and a race that stops a nation and Melbourne Park – home to the Australian Open. Over the next 3 days we had a number of business sessions to attend and met more than 100 Australian suppliers to gain as much knowledge as possible. The funniest part of the trip had to be a trip to Ramsey Street and the set of Neighbours. We toured the set walked the street and even met a member of the cast. On our final day in Melbourne we took a trip along the Great Ocean Road. It reminded me very much of Wales or Cornwall as we zigzagged our way along the coast and through the coastal towns of Lorne and Apollo Bay. We passed through forests of Eucalyptus trees with koala sleeping in them and stopped at a pub for Fish and Chips. Our ultimate destination was the iconic twelve apostles: a collection of limestone stacks over 10 million years old standing in the Southern Ocean. On the way back to Melbourne we stopped at the Otway Fly where you can take a tree top walk and lastly called in at one of the local brewery’s to sample the local beer. The perfect end to a very enjoyable day. The next morning we checked out and made our way to Melbourne Airport for our flight to Alice Springs and the red centre.

Cyprus Weddings

03 November 2009

When someone approaches me to discuss their wedding arrangements it fills me with great pride. To know that they are prepared to put their trust in me for their special day is very endearing. So when the opportunity arose to experience how one of my wedding suppliers (Planet Holidays) works in Cyprus I jumped at it. I was escorted by the Managing Director of the company Mathilde and her husband Harry. I have to say that from the very first moment we met, I had complete trust in them. They are professional and take things very seriously. They have more connections in Cyprus than anyone else (Harry is Cypriot) which means that they can and will make anything happen. They are respected all over the Island from Paphos to Protaras with hoteliers bending over backwards to assist them. This often means that hotels that generally perform more than one wedding a day will guarantee that our wedding will be the only one. This is extremely important for the Bride and Groom as the last thing they want is to see another wedding taking place on their special day. The wedding coordinators, Louise and Sally, are absolutely fabulous at what they do. They are so experienced that they know where every member of the wedding party needs to be at any time of the day. They take care of everything from flowers, to photographer; cake, to canapés. They can arrange virtually anything, which means that when someone wants Calla Lilies in Cadbury Purple they will get it. They can suggest wedding venues and also places to eat afterwards, whether it’s a restaurant in the hotel or a Taverna down the road. They will assist in getting all the legalities done and help with any transport issues to coordinate getting all the guests (often staying in different hotels) to the wedding on time. I know after meeting them that any clients of mine that choose to marry in Cyprus will have a perfect day. The stresses and strains will be taken away by the organisation of Louise and Sally and the pleasures of the day will shine through. The type and standards of the hotels I visited varied from the three star Kefalos Village where you can have a budget wedding, ideal for families, in a beautiful beachfront setting, to the five star luxury of Columbia Resort in Pissouri. This is a very high end hotel but comfortable and friendly. The rooms are fantastic and the hotel was built using reclaimed materials to help it blend with its surroundings. The wedding venue here is in the gardens but quite close to the beach. It is very calm, relaxing and beautiful. If total privacy is the order of the day then the Royal wedding at the Athena Beach Hotel in Paphos is a must. Here you get upgraded to a first floor suite on the day of the wedding and this is where the ceremony takes place - on your own terrace. Being elevated means total privacy and unobstructed views of the sea in the background. Cocktails are served after the wedding on one of the adjacent terraces and the wedding breakfast takes place on another. If you want beautiful lush gardens to wander through on your wedding day, then Nissi Beach Hotel is ideal. Once you have walked up the aisle, the crystal blue waters of Nissi Bay frame the background. Even all inclusive hotels are in on the act. The five star St Raphael in Limassol is family run and very friendly. Again you could marry by the beach or in their chapel, but to round off the day, the hotel has a fantastic restaurant set beside the Marina. Also in Limassol is the Elias Beach Hotel where you can marry on their own pier for uninterrupted views out to sea. Further around the coast I came to Protaras and Fig Tree bay. Here I stayed at The Capo Bay Hotel. The manager of this hotel is very passionate about what he does and very proud of what he has achieved, and rightly so. The wedding set up here is super. A raised decked area, overlooking Fig Tree Bay for the ceremony, followed by a meal situated in an area surrounded by Koi Carp. The food and the hospitality at this hotel are excellent. I also visited Ayia Napa, Larnaca and Aphrodite Hills. If you are thinking of marrying abroad please contact me as I have a huge library of information.

Mediterranean Cruise

17 June 2008

In May I was lucky enough to go on my first ever cruise. I had an idea of what to expect from what I had read and what I had been told from other people, but it never prepared me for what was in store. I flew to Barcelona where I was transferred to the ship. This was the first time I had seen a ship of this size up close. I couldn’t believe the enormity of the vessel. To say she was massive was an understatement. I checked in and was shown to my cabin and told that my cases would follow shortly. A few hours later we set sail to Nice in France. I expected to feel the ship move as she pulled away or at least hear the roar of the engines or feel some vibration, but nothing. She moved away gracefully without me even knowing. I spent the next four days cruising around the Mediterranean, visiting Nice and Ibiza and living the light fantastic. On board the ship were a number of restaurants from waiter service to buffet style. Room service was also available for the less energetic and the obligatory midnight buffet took place on deck with the band playing and the stars sparkling in the night sky. There was no shortage of entertainment either. A typical evening would start with an incredible Ice Dance Show, followed by drinks in one of the many bars, before sitting down to a meal in one of the restaurants. After dinner I would go to watch a show in the theatre, then maybe to the pub on the Royal Promenade. Later I would hit the nightclub and dance until the early hours and then if I had the energy I would round the night off in the casino. Daytimes are just as busy with bingo, golf, swimming or the gym. If you want to relax, why not be pampered in the Spa, or just sunbath on deck. During the day you can also take one of the many excursions available. From Nice I had the chance to visit Monaco, home of the famous Grand Prix and Café de Paris. Ibiza was an overnight stay so that you had the chance to sample the famous nightlife there. All ages are catered for, with various kids clubs for children of different ages. To say that a ship is like a floating hotel is an understatement. It’s a floating resort. I understand now why people cruise again and again. The service on board, facilities, and attention to detail rank with the best of hotels and the scenery changes every day. It’s hard to get off the ship each time you dock because there is so much to do, but what a way of seeing so many different places. After all the worlds a big place, but a cruise makes it seem a little smaller.

Happy 40th Birthday from Mickey Mouse

17 June 2008

In October 2007 I had a special birthday to celebrate. I was about to turn 40. What did I want for my 40th birthday my wife asked? My reply, have dinner with Mickey Mouse. After all I was still a big kid at heart. I also have an 8 year old daughter and I had planned to take her to Disney once she was big enough to go on the rides with her dad. So it was agreed, and I booked a party of 8 people to go to Florida for 3 weeks. Before going we sat down and planned where we go each day. I believe this is a very important part of the holiday, as one, it gets you all excited, and two, it helps to make sure you see as much as possible. We arrived in Orlando Saturday evening, and had planned that Sunday would be a day of rest. We checked out the hotel and surrounding area, and had a day of relaxation before hitting the parks on Monday. The first place to visit had to be The Magic Kingdom. I can still remember the feeling as I walked up Main Street. The castle was in front of us and Mickey and Minnie were singing and dancing outside of it. Every hair stood up on my neck as I held my daughter in my arms so that she could get a better view. Afterwards we toured the park, played on the rides, watched the shows and had a magical first day. Over the course of the next week we visited Blizzard Beach, where I dared to go down Summit Plummet - a 120 foot almost vertical water slide. Next stop was Epcot, home to Nemo and his friend Crush and also where they hold a nightly fireworks and laser show. We went to Tampa to visit Busch Gardens, which houses some of the biggest white knuckle rides in Florida, and went back to the movies at Universal Studios. Also at Universal is City Walk which is their night time entertainment area. It has a real buzz as the sun goes down, with many different bars, restaurants, and shows to see. By now my birthday was fast approaching. Today I was 40. Today’s the day we have dinner at Chef Mickey’s in The Magic Kingdom. We spent another day in the park doing all the things we hadn’t had time to do previously, then, at around 6pm we made our way to The Contemporary Resort, where the restaurant is situated. What can I say, the best birthday ever . We all had a fantastic meal, but to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and Pluto was the best thing ever. The kids’ faces lit up as one by one each character came to our table for photo’s and autographs. For two hours we had the pleasure of these characters at my birthday celebrations. A hard act to follow, but day after day we had the time of our lives. We watched the night time parade in the Magic Kingdom followed by the firework display, visited the Animal Kingdom where we went on safari and climbed Mount Everest in search of the Yeti. I went back in time at Disney Studios, at the Hollywood Tower of Terror, a fantastic ride, and finished the day off by watching Fantasmic. I stood trembling in The Bomb, a capsule that drops you at random, vertically down a water slide at Wet and Wild. This was the scariest moment of my holiday. Back on dry land we went to Universal Islands of Adventure, home to Duelling Dragons, a twin track rollercoaster where you race each other. You have to be in the front seat of this ride to experience it properly. Next it was off to Seaworld to see Shamu, the famous killer whale in his show, Believe. Yet another great day with dolphins, seals, and more rides to keep the heart racing. Back in the water again and it’s off to Typoon Lagoon, home to Crush and Gusher, a water rollercoaster where you are blasted around whilst sitting in a tube, great fun for all the family. All in all it was 3 weeks of pure fun. Everyone had a great time and I believe everyone should experience it at least once in their lifetime. I’ve been twice now and my daughter says she wants to go again. I know I’m not going to stop her, as long as I get to go as well.

Mauritius

14 September 2008

I went to Mauritus with my family and some friends. We flew out from Heathrow via the Seychelles so that I could experience Air Seychelles and came back direct using Air Mauritius. I have to say that it would be hard to choose between the two airlines as they were both very good. We stayed at the North of the island in a resort called Anse la Rai at the Marina Resort Hotel. A very good hotel with high standards and this is typical of Mauritius. We stayed on an all inclusive basis as we thought this would be more cost effective with children. Although we got good value for money, food, drinks, and excursions outside of the hotel were not expensive. We got out and about most days, whether this was jumping on a local bus to Grand Baie - a few minutes away, or doing a full island tour. We went to the waterpark down on the East coast of the island at Bella Mare and had a great day out with the children. We hired a minivan and a driver for the day and he took us to all the places on the island that we wanted to see. Once you get inland it is very lush with treeclad mountains and waterfalls around the Black River Gorges. We saw wild monkeys and looked down into a volcano at Grand Bassin which is home to a natural lake. He took us to a small zoo and a beautiful beach. We criss crossed the island from North to South and all in a day. On the West coast we visited Chamarel where 7 different colours of earth occur naturally, and is home to some giant tortoises. The best excursion for me though had to be Ile aux Cerfs. This is a lagoon on the East coast and it is like paradise. Here we did a full day excursion and at lunch time we were taken by speed boat to see a waterfall where locals were jumping into the sea, before been whisked away for lunch on the beach. Back at Ile aux Cerfs the beach is amazing. I took the opportunity to take my 6 year old daughter parasailing. The views of the lagoon from the air are stunning and her first experience of parasailing will stay with her forever. The backdrop of the mountains and the beach coupled with the azure blue water of the Indian Ocean make this location 'Paradise on Earth.' Back at the hotel, the benefit of being all inclusive meant that watersports were included in the price. I took the opportunity to try waterskiing and found it to be much more difficult than expected. Even though I managed to get upright I didn't stay that way for long, but I had great fun trying. We also joined in the sailing, canoeing, glass bottom boat ride and took out the pedalos with the kids. As far as children are concerned Mauritius caters very well for them. Our hotel had all the usual kid's clubs and disco's at night for them and wherever we went the children were always made a fuss of. Although Mauritius is aimed more towards couples and honeymoons it is certainly a place worth visiting for everyone. It's a small island which only takes about an hour to travel from North to South, but has a massive array of things to see and do. It is also very diverse in it's natural beauty from white sand beaches to blue lagoons and it's lush green interior. Well worth the 12 hour flight and an excellent choice for a 2 centre holiday.

Thailand

10 August 2008

I have been to Thailand on three separate occasions and to three different resorts, Phuket, Pattaya and Ko Samui. Even though each destination is different you can just tell that you are in Thailand. The Thai people have to be the friendliest people I have met, they are the most gracious and treat tourists with great respect. Nothing is too much trouble for them and even though they don’t have any of the luxuries that we take for granted they are not begrudging people. When we were in Phuket, we hired a taxi to take us to a different beach for the day. The driver took us and waited all day in his car until we were ready to go back to our hotel. When we arrived at our hotel later that afternoon he couldn’t change the note I had given him so he asked me to bring him the money the next day. This shows how trusting they are and how warm they can be to tourists. In Thailand, new rubs shoulders with old. You may see a shanty town one minute and then the most modern up to date hotel or shopping centre the next. The Palaces and Temples of Bangkok have to be seen to be believed and the reclining Buddha is enormous. You can stop over in Bangkok before moving on to a beach location, or like me visit the capital for the day to see the most popular sights. One of my favourite reasons for going is their cuisine. I love to try different dishes and even sample food from street vendors. The food on offer is very international right down to all the regular fast food outlets that we are familiar with. The beaches vary from resort to resort, with the best I have seen being in Ko Samui, soft white sand and clear blue water. Of course you can take excursions to places like Phi Phi, which we did when we visited Phuket and here the beaches are to die for. The film 'The Beach' was filmed here and I took the opportunity to go snorkelling in the blue/green waters there. The backdrop of the limestone cliffs is amazing. Another thing that I like to see in Thailand is the elephant. Sometimes you will see them freely walking down the road in amongst all the traffic. There are numerous day trips that will take you to an elephant farm, park or zoo where you get the chance to ride one and watch them perform in arenas. In the past we have been through the jungle on these beautiful creatures. We were even sitting in a bar one night when a young elephant popped his trunk on the table looking for bananas. If shopping is your pleasure then you can buy just about anything in Thailand and probably at a fraction of the cost back home. They even have Tesco. There are lots of markets and small shops where you have to barter to get the best price. I love this and have great fun with the Thai people who all seem to have a very cheeky smile. My wife and I also like to get clothes made to measure. I take time to find a reputable tailor by asking around and I have never been disappointed yet. My last purchase was a silk lined cashmere suit for £45 made to measure in 24 hours. Jewellery is another good buy in Thailand and many gem factories will give you a guided tour to show how the jewellery is cut and made. Nightlife in Thailand covers all extremes from the most upmarket restaurants to some very colourful bars and nightclubs where anything goes. Don’t let this put you off. We took our daughter to Thailand when she was 2 and again when she was 6. The more risqué parts can be avoided. It caters for everyone. Lots of bars will have a Thai boxing ring in them as well, where you can watch a fight live. If you are looking for somewhere with culture, friendly people, easy on the pocket, modern hotels, super beaches, great cuisine and a friendly smile, then Thailand is the place. It is also a great twin centre option with places like Hong Kong, Bali, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur or Sri Lanka. If this has wet your appetite and you would like more information then please contact me with any questions.

Egypt

02 September 2008

In February 2006 my family and I visited Egypt for some winter sunshine. We stayed at The Concorde El Salam in Sharm el Sheikh. February is their coolest month, but even then, daytime temperatures are in the low 70's which is very pleasant. Evenings tend to be cool, so a light jacket is needed. As Sharm el Sheikh backs onto the desert, the area is quite barren. The hotels are spread over quite a long distance, on either side of the main tourist area Naama Bay. Naama Bay is a compact resort, partly pedestrianised, and caters for everyone. Here we found lots of bars, many types of restaurants, a few casinos, gift shops and a small shopping centre. Most people sit outside with their drinks and watch the world go by. The main reason a lot of people come to Sharm is for the scuba diving. It is said to be one of the best places in the world. The sea is very clear and has a huge assortment of marine life and coral. You don’t even need to go into the water to see it. Just stand on one of the jetty’s that lead into the sea and you will see many different species of coral and fish. If you are not into scuba diving, then snorkelling is a great alternative. We took a glass bottom boat trip from the hotel and half way through the excursion, the boat stopped and allowed us to get off and snorkel in the warm clear waters. It’s amazing what you can see with just a snorkel mask on. Back on dry land we went quad biking through the desert. This was brilliant and so much fun, and made even funnier with the helmets and scarves that we had to wear to protect ourselves. We also went ice skating. Our hotel had its own ice rink where my young daughter took her first tentative steps onto the ice. She loved it so much we couldn't’t keep her off it. No trip to Egypt would be complete without seeing the Pyramids. There are various excursions that will take you there, but we chose to do the overnight trip and I would advise everyone to do the same. We left Sharm at around 1am and travelled through the night by coach and arrived in Cairo at about 8.30am. The first stop was the Egyptian museum. We had an excellent guide who spoke perfect English and was very knowledgeable. We toured the museum and the highlight had to be the treasures of Tutankhamun. We had lunch overlooking the Nile and were then taken to our hotel. I couldn't’t believe my eyes when I entered the bedroom and could see the Pyramids. This was jaw dropping; I just stood on the balcony looking in amazement. WOW. Later we were taken to the Pyramids for the night time extravaganza. This is a light and laser show where the Sphinx is brought back to life with a voice over from Omar Shariff and the Pyramids are illuminated in the night sky. The next day we went out of Cairo to see the first Pyramid ever built – the stepped pyramid of Sakkara. After lunch we returned to Cairo to see the Pyramids of Giza again. This time we were able to go right up to them and we even went inside one. It’s unbelievable to think how they built these huge structures 5,000 years ago. Later we saw the Sphinx which is carved out of just one piece of stone. It's so interesting that even my daughter who was only 6 years old at the time was soaking up the information with great enthusiasm. We also visited a perfume factory and a papyrus factory before finishing the day off with some free time to visit the markets in Cairo, before returning to Sharm in time for bed. This is the most amazing trip and should not be missed by anyone. Egypt is a fascinating country with something to suit everyone. Once you begin to explore the history around the Pyramids and the Pharaohs you just want to know more and more; it’s so enticing. Next time I visit Egypt, I hope to do a Nile Cruise and learn more about the ancient Kings and Queens.

Family friendly Cuba

05 October 2008

With so many places to go to in the world, I like to go somewhere different for my annual holiday. So for me to go back to somewhere I had already been, meant that it had to be somewhere very special! The place is Cayo Coco in Cuba. The hotel where I stayed was the Sol Cayo Coco. The hotel is rated as 4 star and I think this is a fair rating. It’s not elaborate, but it’s very clean, friendly, comfortable, well planned out, with good food and excellent staff. It’s not just the hotel that makes this place so special, it’s the location, the value for money, the family friendly beaches, the people, and the facilities. The hotel sits on a headland which means it has two fantastic beaches to choose from. The main hotel beach is typical of the Caribbean, white sand, blue water, and palm trees with all the hotel facilities there. As it’s an all inclusive hotel things like pedalos, kayaks, catamarans, and snorkelling are all included. The other beach has to be the most child friendly beach anywhere. It is so shallow that even the sand is raised out of the sea in places, forming small islands where you can pull up your sunbed and be completely surrounded by water. You can paddle out with small children in the warm water forever as it’s so shallow with hardly a ripple in sight. The next thing that makes it so good for families is the animation team. They work tirelessly all day long entertaining adults and children alike. They have a kids club which is set beside the beach which means you can see your children whilst you do your own thing. They even do trips out from the hotel for the children. Parents can go as well; we took the trip to El Baga to see the animals and the natural beauty of this island. At night they do the usual kids disco but also once a fortnight they do a full Disney production on the open-air stage. My daughter was lucky enough to be chosen for the part of the cub in the Lion King. A very proud and memorable moment. They love children and go out of their way to keep them entertained which in turn means happy parents. Other evenings, more adult type shows take place like Broadway style musicals, magic shows, cultural dancing and comedy shows sometimes with audience participation. They have a sister hotel on the neighbouring island of Cayo Guillermo. For a small fee a bus will take you across to this hotel where you can use their facilities. This makes a pleasant change and the beaches there are just as good. One day we went horse riding along the beach and even into the sea, a great experience. Another day we did the jungle safari where you get to steer your own speedboat through the mangroves, zigzagging through like something out of a ‘James Bond’ movie. We took a day trip to swim with the dolphins and had to fly to the south coast of Cuba, to the City of Cienfuegos. First we toured the city, photographed the architecture, saw the old cars and funny little yellow taxis and watched the locals going about their business, before moving on to the dolphinarium. What a fantastic experience. Two dolphins pushed at the soles of my feet and lifted me out of the water. My four year old daughter was pulled around the pool holding onto the fins of her dolphins. This is not to be missed and excellent value for money. Another day we hired a minibus and driver and he took us over to the mainland to the nearest town of Moran. It reminded me of the village square in the movie 'Back to the Future'. Time seems to have stood still in Cuba and this adds to the charm of this country. The Cubans are quite poor by our standards but are very happy and contented. Because Cayo Coco is not commercialised and most things take place in the hotel you certainly feel very relaxed after a couple of weeks there. I think this is due to the fact that everything is more or less hotel based, no crossing busy roads, choosing which restaurant to eat in, you don’t have to get dressed up if you don’t feel like it, no worrying about how much things cost. For a family holiday Cayo Coco is hard to beat.

Bali

04 November 2008

We visited Bali in 2002. Having been to the Far East on a number of occasions we had a good idea of what it would be like. We flew via Singapore with Singapore Airlines and they were excellent. On arrival in Bali we were taken to our hotel, The Grand Bali Beach in the resort of Sanur. Sanur is the original resort in Bali where tourism began. It is quite a busy place with lots of traffic on the main roads. But once you get into your hotel, Sanurs secret unfolds. Our hotel like many others was beachfront. Along the edge of the beach is a path. This path passes by all the other beachfront hotels, and delivers you straight to the local shops, bars, restaurants, and market stalls. This makes it particularly good for families, as it is safe. Here you can buy just about anything, have a drink, a meal or get your clothes laundered. This for me is what makes Sanur special. You don’t get to see or hear the traffic unless you go out of the front of the hotel. The beach itself is a lovely broad expanse of golden sand. The sea contains lots of coral which makes it tricky when entering the water. The locals are very happy to serve you and always carry a smile. Our hotel had a sister property in the resort of Nusa Dua . This is a purpose built resort and although the beaches here were far nicer, the resort didn’t have the same traditional feel as we got in Sanur. It is a more modern resort, more upmarket and would appeal to couples. We also visited the resort of Kuta. Kuta sits on the western side of the island and this is where the young free and single head for. The beach here is full of surfers, many from Australia as Bali is only about 4 hours away. This area is much more commercialised and has shopping centres and department stores. Kuta is also home to the islands waterpark. This is the most tropical waterpark we have ever been too with the slides hard to see between the trees. Out and about in Bali we were able to visit temples, rice fields or other islands and things are very reasonably priced. We took a two day trip to the island of Lembongon. We stayed in a round villa with a thatched roof set in the hillside overlooking the sea. If you want to be alone, then you will be happy here. We took the opportunity to snorkel in the clear waters of Lembongon. In comparison to other places in the Far East, Bali has retained much of its character without becoming too commercialised. Although it does have areas of neon lights and discos it is still more laid back than Thailand for instance. It also takes about 16 hours to get there, so a stopover is a good idea, making 2 centre options very appealing. If you are interested in Bali or the Far East and have any questions please call or email me. I will be happy to help.

Aloha Hawaii

16 November 2008

We visited Hawaii back in 2000. It was a long journey with a flight time of about 17 hours. It is a good idea to do a stopover on route if possible, as this helps to break up the journey and also allows you to visit somewhere else. We flew via San Francisco outbound and Los Angeles on return. We were staying on the Island of Oahu - probably the most well known of the Islands that make up Hawaii. Oahu’s capital is Honolulu and the famous resort of Waikiki is only 10 minutes away. This is where we stayed. On arrival at Honolulu airport they placed the obligatory garland of flowers around my neck and welcomed me with Aloha. We set off on the short trip to Waikiki and I could see the hotels that make up this resort in the distance. I was a little disappointed as I had imagined it to be very lush with palm trees swaying in the breeze. The reality is a tourist resort with huge hotels reaching for the sky. Waikiki caters for the masses. Everything is on hand from large shopping centres to the International Market place and a convenience store is on every street corner. When we visited it was only a few weeks off Christmas and outside the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Centre they had a huge Christmas tree decorated with seashells alongside Santa’s sleigh been pulled by dolphin. There is zoo in Waikiki too, this will keep the children entertained for the day if you have small children with you. The beach is where I spent most days either watching the surfers, chilling out, playing in the water with my daughter or looking for dolphins from one of the many boats that tourists can sail on. The Island also has its own Seaworld Centre where you can watch dolphins, sea lions and whales performing. Along the back of the resort is a canal. Nothing like the canals in England, much wider and set against a backdrop of mountains. Here we were able to see the Hawaiians practising in their outrigger canoes most evenings. There are lots of Japanese tourists and lots of Japanese weddings taking place in the hotels. Stretch limousines are everywhere and people like to flash their cash. After a couple of days I embraced the resort and everything around me. I couldn't’t change what it was like so I had to accept it. The rest of the Island is tropical and once you get out and about you see this. A favourite place of mine was Hanauma Bay. It is easy to find and has a true Hawaiian setting. The bay is protected and smoking on the beach is not allowed. It is home to Hawaii’s first Marine Nature Reserve. Oahu is also home to Diamond Head Crater, an extinct volcano just outside Waikiki rising more than 700 feet. Pearl Harbor is another very famous tourist attraction and is only minutes away from Honolulu. There is a very calm and eerie feeling here, but a place that lots of people like to visit. The people are very friendly and although Hawaii is the 50th State of the USA it still retains a Polynesian feel. Lots of the night time entertainment revolves around their culture with singing and dancing displays taking place somewhere every night. If you want low rise and low key then go to one of the other Islands like Maui. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Waikiki and would certainly go back again; it’s just a case of accepting that it is geared towards tourists, and not as lush as you would probably think.

Wedding in Cancun Mexico

21 July 2008

I’ve visited Cancun three times now as it’s my favourite destination. When you consider that the first time I went I experienced a hurricane, then perhaps you can appreciate how nice this place must be for me to keep going back. Well I did go back the following year, and that was to get married. This was back in 1996 and the reason I chose Cancun was because it has the best beaches I have ever seen and the sea is so blue you can’t describe it. My wife and I flew out there by ourselves as none of our families were able to come. We did however, have two friends who were already going to Cancun for their annual holiday, and would be in resort at the same time, so we asked them if they would like to attend and witness the ceremony for us. We arranged a stopover in an airport hotel the night before we departed in order to make the journey more relaxing. When we arrived in Cancun the next day, we found out that another couple from Scotland were also there to get married. They too were by themselves. As it turned out we each needed four witnesses for our weddings, so I asked this couple if they would like to be our other witnesses. They agreed and asked us if we would return the favour and witness their wedding for them. We stayed at The Fiesta Americana Condesa and the wedding co-ordinator took care of all the arrangements for us. We had a meeting with her to decide on the location of the ceremony, the bride’s bouquet, the buttonholes, the cake, the photos and video, the music, and the wedding meal. We chose what we wanted and she took care of everything for us. On the day of the wedding we had breakfast served in bed and ordered everything on the menu. Later we went for a romantic stroll along the beach, before sipping cocktails at the pool bar. This was OUR day and it was so much more relaxing than it would have been had we been getting married at home. The wedding was scheduled for 5pm, so at around 3pm we went our separate ways to prepare for our big day. The hotel had given me another room in which to change so that I didn’t see my bride in her dress before the wedding. A surprise bouquet of flowers was delivered to our room, sent from our families back home wishing us good luck and best wishes. We had decided to get married in the gardens of the hotel, so I made my way outside at about 4.45pm. Fifteen minutes later the music played and my gorgeous wife made her way towards me for the ceremony. It was perfect. An early evening wedding is ideal as the heat of the day has subsided and the light is perfect for the photographs. We exchanged our vows, cut the cake and popped a bottle of Champagne, before making our way through the hotel and onto the beach for the photographs. Afterwards we ate in one of the hotels speciality restaurants before taking to the floor for the first dance. The next day we did it all again but this time we were the witnesses. We still had 10 days left in Cancun but this was now our honeymoon. The resort itself had everything we could want and more. There are at least 3 different shopping malls as well as local markets, and enough bars and restaurants to eat somewhere different everyday of the year. The main hotel strip has a range of nightclubs and entertainment venues as well as every type of water sport going (especially snorkelling in the crystal clear waters). Sightseeing trips are also available to other Islands as well as to the ancient Mayan ruins. Cancun has something to suit everyone and remains my favourite destination, as well as being that little bit extra special to me. I don’t know when I will get the chance to go again, but I know I will. I just hope I don't have to wait too long.

My customer stories

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I just state a location and Andy does everything, leaving us to sit back and look forward to the holiday. Having used him on several occasions, he knows our requirements and finds the perfect break.

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Again Andy came up trumps with another great holiday. I give Andy the day and dates and he always comes up with at least 5 holidays to choose from. 5 stars again Andy! Malc and Shirl

Sent by Gary Haslegrave

We have always received great personal and professional service from Andy and would gladly recommend him to everyone

Sent by David Shepherd

Prompt, patient and efficient as ever

Sent by Paul Roberts

I had an exceptional experience with Travel Counsellors, especially with Andy Tooth. His professionalism and courtesy stood out, and he consistently went above and beyond to ensure each holiday was unforgettable. Highly recommend his services for a personalized and enjoyable travel planning process.

Sent by Sheila Warden

As this was my very first time in booking a cruise and also using a Travel counsellors. Andy Tooth made the whole experience very easy , advising and helping me through the process. He comes across as a lovely man

Sent by Clare Emery

We would highly recommend Andy for his knowledge, reliability and friendliness and has made our booking experience very easy. Thank you will definitely be coming back to him !

Sent by Raymond Eccleston

Andy is always more than helpful and dedicated to ensuring we get the best experience possible.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my Travel Counsellor for 10 plus years now and I have never had a bad experience with him. I have made numerous recommendations to friends and family members and they all have the same view of Andy - The Best!! If I want to book a holiday it has become the norm for me to contact Andy - I wouldn’t even dream of going anywhere else!! Andy is an absolute credit to Travel Counsellors ????

Sent by Pauline Spendelow

He's very friendly and very helpful , nothing is to much trouble . and available anytime of the day.

Sent by Chris Worthy

Excellent personal advice.

Sent by Veronica Tunnicliff

Every time I book with Travel Counsellors they offer exceptional service and a good positive feeling that everything will be just right.

Sent by Stephen Thompson

Friendly and approachable . Everything explained clearly for you. Definitely use this service again

Sent by Janet Sidaway

Andy is such a lovely man and worked so hard to customise our trip to South Africa to our needs. Well done Andy.

Sent by John Beech

Brilliant service , taking care of all our needs. Andy is not just an agent but is a friend too.

Sent by Ian Drury

Excellent service

Sent by Ian Brown

Used andy at travel counsellors for my last 4 holidays abroad and wouldnt use anybody else, always easy to talk to and always thorough , would recommend

Sent by Brenda Dobson

Very efficient and friendly.

Sent by Carol Evans

Andy is always helpful every time I have booked a holiday with him. I wouldn't put my trust in anyone else. He is highly knowledgeable, always patient and very thorough.

Sent by Sharon Martin

I wish I could give Andy 11 out of 10, as he is the most fantastic Travel Consultant I have ever used. I certainly will not be using anyone else from now on. Andy has a very professional and approachable manner and I feel he has become a friend. Thank you Andy for going above and beyond to make our holidays memorable.

Sent by Susan Leese

Andy is really helpful, accommodating and without doubt, passionate about what he does. We will definitely use Andy again as will members of our family

Sent by Lynette Bramble

I would like to write to you to express my gratitude for how excellently you have managed our holiday booking. From start to finish you have walked us through the process of finding the perfect location, flights and hotel bookings. I have had complete peace of mind. You always go above and beyond our expectations and put in the extra effort and attention to detail. Thank you also for checking in with us before and after the holiday to make sure everything was ok. We look forward to arranging our next vacation through you really soon. With our warmest regards, Lynette and family

Sent by Jane Edwards

Always a very professional service … always get responses to questions within a very reasonable time frame … nothing appears to be a problem whenever we deal with Travel Counsellors Andy Tooth

Sent by Lee Need

Excellent service and communication

Sent by Julie Pugh

Super service, second to none

Sent by Alison Alcock

Andy is so efficient when booking, with a friendly nature and you can always contact him for help when needed

Sent by Kate Johnson

We have booked a few holidays now with Andy ,, his service has been exceptional , nothing has ever been too much trouble , he is professional and friendly and has made our experiences of booking holidays with great ease . He is a true credit to your company ,, Thank you Andy

Sent by Alan Bailey

Very obliging, thorough, & Efficient,

Sent by Lee Tinsley

I’ve used Andy Tooth on several occasions & he has always gone above & beyond to get me the holiday I’m after, can’t recommend him enough.

Sent by Malcolm Heath

always above and beyond helping us to choose the best holiday great 5 star in travel thanks Andy

Sent by Dave Wootton

Andy was recommended by friends of ours and we are very happy with the service he offers. He’s on the ball and always friendly and professional.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my Travel Counsellor for years now and I do not book my holidays with anyone else. Andy knows exactly what I like for my holidays and is able to provide excellent advice so I can book the right one for my family. If I encounter a problem before, during or after a holiday, I know he will be there to assist, without any issue and try to resolve the problem. I have referred friends and family to Andy and they all say the same about the level of service he provides to his customers. Andy goes above and beyond and has real pride about the service he provides for his customers

Sent by Raymond Eccleston

Andy never fails to provide an excellent caring level of service.

Sent by Julie Salt

I found Andy to be most helpful in our search for ideal holiday

Sent by Janice Bevans

A definite 10. Cannot fault you Andy. So helpful and friendly and always go the extra mile. Recommended you to lots of people. Wouldn’t travel without you. Xx It’s nice to know you are always at the end of the phone.

Sent by Leanne Bladen

Andy is always super helpful with booking a holiday, he listens to exactly what type of holiday you are looking for and then matches it perfectly. We're really looking forward to our summer holiday because I 100% know that Andy will have helped us to choose a holiday that's perfect for our family, I couldn't recommend Andy enough.

Sent by Jane Duffy

Had valuable insight on cruises, done his research which helped me make my choices as this is the most I’ve spent on any holiday.

Sent by Melanie Giles

Andy came back to me promptly and took all of the details he needed to find our perfect trip. Andy provided a range of options for us to choose from, and talked us through them. Once we had made our choice booking and payment was easy, all of the documents arrived by email and post.

Sent by John Beech

Andy is always available to give help and advice with all our planning….always professional in his work

Sent by Shirley Heath

Great service, nothing is too much trouble for Andy. His knowledge means we wouldn't get this level of service from elsewhere. Always happy to help despite multiple questions, this is why we always book our holidays with Andy.

Sent by Anne Beech

Andy our Travel Counsellor goes out of his way to help you, nothing is too much trouble.

Sent by Sharon Martin

Absolutely love Andy as our Travel Consultant, wouldn’t use anybody else.

Sent by David Palmer

Andy always goes the extra mile, and gives first class service not only when booking a holiday but during and after. I regularly recommend him to friends, family and acquaintances.

Sent by Lynette Bramble

Andy is superb in absolutely every way! He comprehensively walked me through the search and booking process for our summer holiday. His advice and support continues post booking too. I can't thank him more for all he has done on this and previous bookings!

Sent by Diane Till

Absolutely excellent, professional service and very helpful , certainly couldn't of organised our upcoming trip without Andy's help ,thankyou

Sent by Alex Brownfield

Very good service. Will definitely recommend

Sent by Julie Pugh

Great bespoke service that is hard to beat

Sent by Neil Harrison

An absolute gentleman. I personally recommend him to everyone who is looking to book a holiday

Sent by G Sivakumar

Brilliant service for a perfect holiday!!

Sent by P O,Neill

A totally enjoyable, easy and professional experience when booking the holiday and knowing that any queries /issues will be sorted out for us by Andy.

Sent by Janice Boughen

Andy was very friendly and helpful, nothing was to much trouble

Sent by Denise Fawcett

Accessible, professional and willing to support special circumstances and requirements

Sent by Lisa Reid

Andy is always incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about hotels and holiday destinations. He goes above and beyond to find the ideal holiday and because we have used Andy for a while now, he knows what we like and want from our valuable holiday time, taking all the stress out of booking. Thanks Andy.

Sent by Paul Roberts

Andy always goes above and beyond with his wealth of knowledge of brands and standards we like to have on holidays. Thank you again Andy

Sent by Sharon Martin

Cannot recommend Andy Tooth enough.

Sent by Kath Bryan

Andy goes above and beyond ,always happy to help with any queries or problems and does his best to solve them .

Sent by Connie St Louis

Andy is brilliant. Nothing was to hard for him and he persevered until he delivered just what we were looking for. I can't recommend him highly enough!

Sent by Kate Johnson

We have always received excellent service with Andy .. He helps in every way ,, very professional and extremely helpful . I would highly recommend him .. Thank you Andy

Sent by Alan Bailey

Very obliging and always contacts you back. Very Reliable, would Recommend to Any of my friends

Sent by PAULA GOODGAME

Andy has been my Travel Counsellor for a number of years now and I have recommended him to family and friends, who in turn have commented on the quality of the service he provides. There has never been a negative experience noted by myself or any of the people who I have recommended with the service Andy provides????

Sent by Veronica Tunnicliff

The service Andy gives is first class i would not use any other travel service.

Sent by John Beech

Excellent service as usual

Sent by Robert Gibbons

100% personnel service for bespoke holidays.

Sent by Rebecca Gwynn

I would always recommend Andy he makes booking a holiday fun and enjoyable.

Sent by Andrew Turner

Andy is absolutely amazing, extremely knowledgeable and very helpful.

Sent by Ian Brown

Have already recommended to work colleagues. I wouldn’t use any other company

Sent by Lisa Reid

Andy is always so helpful! We had a very complicated holiday booking with lots of changes being made but Andy handled everything calmly and efficiently. His positive and reassuring approach is what makes us book through him year after year.

Sent by Raymond Eccleston

Andy is so committed to customer service, for the 3rd year we’ve had to cancel a booked trip. Andy’s reaction is tremendous, reschedules everything and arranged something fresh in a couple of days. Excellent service as always. Thank you Andy.

Sent by Janice Bevans

Andy is the perfect Travel Counsellor. He is very helpful, hard working to get you exactly what you want and always goes the extra mile for you. Nothing is too much trouble and is very sympathetic with personal situations. Well done Andy.

Sent by Steve Abene

Another great service from Andy Tooth, cannot recommended this guy enough, nothing is to much trouble, On this occasion Andy booked us flight only as we had the accommodation but he managed to get us great flights at a reasonable price. Thank you Andy.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my Travel Counsellor for a number of years and I’ve recommended lots of friends and family to him who in turn have recommended Andy to others. We like the way Andy interacts with us and literally takes away the stresses of working and trying to organise our holidays, especially during the Pandemic, with the never ending updates and rule changes. All this has been done with Andy’s usual demeanour, professionalism and promptness. Have no concerns around the advice Andy gives and feel safe with my bookings

Sent by Gary Kirkland

We have used Andy Tooth for many years, and always been very happy with the service he offers ..We have recommended him to many of our friends and family...

Sent by Steve Abene

Absolutely top class hassle free holiday booked with Andy Tooth and Travel Counsellors, we have booked a cruise that goes in August. Andy got us the best deal and sent us all the relevant information to us. He even personally wrote our hand luggage labels. This will always be my go to travel agent in future. Thank you Andy.

Sent by Christopher Bevans

Andy offers a service that is second to none. Nothing is ever to much trouble. I will always use him and have recommended him to anyone who will listen.

Sent by Julia Grooms

Excellent service, really helpful and took the time to explain everything.

Sent by Dean Lowe

Excellent service and professional at all times Highly recommended

Sent by Jack Hornby

He is just the nicest guy ever! We think we can be a pain when making a decision on location, time, airport, airline company etc etc….but Andy is always very easy going and doesn’t mind going that extra mile! Thank you! We have used Andy for years now…and he is just amazing! The last trip we went on before COVID, Andy really really helped me! Got me in contact with hotel managers to sort out flowers and champagne in the room when we got there as I had just proposed to my fiancé! He is amazing!

Sent by Gillian Wilson

Refreshing to be able to talk to a knowledgeable straight speaking person to actually move forward and sort things out.

Sent by Siva Kumar

Excellent advice and service! Very personalised Highly recommended

Sent by Andrew Pheasey

Excellent service as always

Sent by Jill Porter

Andy is very thorough when explaining your Holiday

Sent by Susan Hailstones

Working with Travel Counsellor Andy Tooth is, and always has been, a wonderful experience , very efficient, customer focused , nothing is too much trouble . I have always felt listened to and valued making my travel experience positive . Any questions or concerns I have are always answered . Thank you Andy for a excellent service

Sent by Phil Turner

Very professional and helpful. Would not consider any alternatives

Sent by Ray Eccleston

Andy is always there for us, before, During & after every holiday we book with him.

Sent by Barbara Haslegrave

Andy Tooth was very professional, thorough and patient in explaining all details relating to the holiday, he was available for any queries or concerns we had in relation to the booking. We would not hesitate to ring Andy again if we ever considered any future cruise holidays.

Sent by Greg Challinor

Excellent communication, very friendly and supportive in finding the right holiday for us. No pressure in booking and allowing us to make an informed decision. Super helpful and full of knowledge especially about the current situation and guidance about travelling abroad. Thank you so much!

Sent by P Goodgame

Andy always and continues to provide an excellent service, especially in the current situation around travel, in general. Andy always goes the extra mile for his customers, ensuring they have a fabulous holiday experience from booking, the actual holiday and return home. His service doesn’t stop once he’s made your booking, it’s there every step of the way, which is something you don’t receive from High Street travel agencies or online. Andy makes sure you feel important whether you’re booking a weekend away or a luxurious holiday - there’s no difference in how he treats you

Sent by Paul Roberts

Andy is always available and professional, he is knowledgeable with locations. This makes booking with Andy a total pleasure. Thanks Andy

Sent by Veronica Tunnicliff

I always get first class service and know that all the hard work is being done for me.

Sent by Neil Harrison

All my holidays, cruises will be booked via Andy, and I recommend him to anyone who I know is interested in similar holidays.

Sent by Alan Bailey

Always willing to help you and consciousness. I have already recommended four friends to Andy my TC. Cheers

Sent by Ian Brown

Easy to talk too , very informative and helpful

Sent by Dan Machin

Andy not only offers good holidays at a fair price but I trust his opinion completely on all important travel subjects. On numerous occasions Andy has prioritised my wellbeing over 'getting a sale' and in the current climate that is something I appreciate immensely. I will be booking with Andy wherever possible for family holidays in the future

Sent by Colleen Ball

Brilliant service! I pick a holiday and go .That is it. Simple secure. No hassle even better when things get tough ie 2020 things were sorted . Thank you .

Sent by Jeffrey Smith

Andy is omnipresent, always there when you need an answer or support.

Sent by Shirley Heath

Always responsive and a personal service to meet our travel needs. Having the local specialist knowledge is invaluable

Sent by Ian Drury

Have used Andy on a previous occasion following a recommendation from a friend, so had no hesitation using his services again. Excellent advice and very prompt responses to any questions. Takes all the stress out of organising your next holiday.

Sent by Nigel Grund

Andy was polite, friendly and professional at all times and always did what he said he was going to do. We always use Andy and have recommended him to many people.

Sent by Julie Bladen

We used Andy’s service in the collapse of Thomas Cook, we urgently needed a honey moon booking within 24 hrs. Andy came up trumps within our budget. He was dedicated & caring in finding us a holiday & kept us informed at all time’s. By printing the documents & sending them to us, was just one of the extras he does as part of the service. I will be using Andy for my holiday bookings for now on. Thank you

Sent by Ray Eccleston

Andy is always there for us before, during & after a holiday. He diligently works to ensure every aspect of our holidays are perfect.

Sent by Janet Monks

Andy was recommended to me by a friend and I have also passed his information on to other. The booking of holidays with Andy is less stressful and allows you to look forward to the planning.

Sent by Pauline Jones

100 percent every time

Sent by Alex Brownfield

Great holiday booked! Thanks Andy!

Sent by Neil Harrison

Andy is an asset for TC and nothing is too much trouble.

Sent by Andrew Briggs

Andy really goes the extra mile!

Sent by P Goodgame

Continuing to provide excellent service after 10 years of booking holidays with him and it’s still the same quality now as it was for my first time. Friends and family who have used him say the same. Can’t praise him enough

Sent by Colleen Ball

Good service with the personal touch which makes you feel comfortable and worry free whilst taking your journey

Sent by Mark Tooth

Very helpful, was able to match the price we had seen and also worked in the evenings allowing us to look after work and get in touch whenever.

Sent by Carol Evans

Wouldn't think of booking a holiday other than with Andy...... Gets it spot on every time!!

Sent by Diane Till

I've already passed your details on to two close friends

Sent by Peter Hendry

Andy Tooth was very friendly and feedback was very professional. He was able to answer all my queries. I will definitely use Andy as a Travel Counsellor. Full marks.

Sent by Chris Salt

Andy has once again taken a very vague brief of what we wanted from a holiday and found the perfect holiday for us!

Sent by Zalena Vandrewala

Andy guided us through our plans which needed to be mindful of health issues and requirements. He put us both at such ease and showed concern throughout. The confidence that gave us to continue was impeccable

Sent by Margaret Cornes

Felt like I was Andys only customer

Sent by Kath Bryan

Andy goes above and beyond to help.his customers I would score him 11 if I could he's fantastic

Sent by Cheryl Jackson

Excellent service I have a son with disabilities Andy has gone above and beyond to help us secure all that is needed

Sent by David Palmer

We have been using Andy for a number of years now and have always been extremely satisfied with the service he has give, nothing is too much trouble for him and he always goes the extra mile. Excellent service all round.

Sent by CATHRYN HAYES

Andy always gets exactly what you want and is very helpful

Sent by Rosemary Barlow

Andy is very easy to talk to - that puts you at ease straight away. He’s very thorough at his job and takes all your needs into consideration..

Sent by Cheryl Wade

I have already recommended Andy’s services to 2 people and passed on contact details. Andy was of great help and listened to exactly what I was looking for.

Sent by Paul Roberts

Andy is always thinking of how to create the best holiday experience for us, it’s appreciated. Thank you Andy!

Sent by Tracey Whitehouse

Andy has a lovely personality and lots of patience and very helpful with information.

Sent by Julia Warren

Andy provided us with great support, helpful advice and much better options when booking our holiday.

Sent by Julie Brooks

Andy takes all the stress and pressure out of arranging holidays. He seems to know intuitively what I need. I have booked with him several times and will continue to do so ??

Sent by Denise Tooth

Andy always ensures that if there are any queries regarding the accommodation that any questions are answered promptly and he will do everything that he can to ensure that the holiday booking meets the needs of his customers . Andy is friendly, professional and does a great job. Andy has facilitated several holidays over the past 4 years and is always professional, friendly and able to support any requests that I have. Booking through Travel Counsellors makes the process of finding a holiday that suits your needs so easy and Andy is only a phone call away.

Sent by Heather Moore

Professional, friendly and excellent service.

Sent by Denise Tooth

Andy always ensures that if there are any queries regarding the accommodation that any questions are answered promptly and he will do everything that he can to ensure that the holiday booking meets the needs of his customers Andy is friendly, professional and does a great job

Sent by Jillian Porter

Andy takes any pressure off booking yourself. He knows what we like and he's very knowledgeable.

Sent by Matthew Davies

Very good service, particularly useful for multicentre trips where there is more planning required!

Sent by Emily Mellor

Andy is really good and always gets us the price we want for a nice place.. wouldn't use anyone now!

Sent by Elliot Glover

Always amazing service, nothing is ever too much trouble. Have recommended Andy to all my friends and family and they have all had a fantastic experience. 10/10

Sent by Shirley Heath

We always receive a good service from Andy which is tailored to our needs. Friendly and efficient.

Sent by Louise Kirtley

Fabulous service efficient and friendly

Sent by Debbie Williams

Andy is just brilliant! I tell him exactly what I want for a holiday and he's delivered every time. I wouldn't book my holiday with any other company. He is really conscientious for any needs we ask for and his friendliness, patience and vast knowledge make you feel you are in good hands. I have recently become engaged to my partner and Andy emailed the hotel to let them know. We arrived at the beautiful spa hotel Labranda Marieta in Gran Canaria to a room upgrade, petals on the bed, champagne, chocolates and a spa day for me and my partner. It made a wonderful holiday even more special, we will be going back to this hotel and Andy will be booking it!

Sent by Malcolm Heath

Andy is always there for us never to much trouble. Only use Andy for all our holidays, thanks

Sent by Jane Edwards

Once more an excellent service provided by Andy. Whether it’s a simple booking for a cruise with a UK departure or a more complex trip to Australia he always puts 100% effort into all aspects of our travel and his attention to detail even after booking is first class.

Sent by Katie Ward

Thank you so much for sorting holiday out again. It takes all the hassle out of it for me as you are so organised and efficient! Many thanks

Sent by Susan Boden

Very helpful and would definitely use again especially for a group booking

Sent by David James

We could not have asked for more. Andy went out of his way to help with our queries. An infinitely superior service to that provided by traditional travel agents.

Sent by Judith Thorpe

Always helpful whatever time of day we contact Andy Can really trust him to do what he says, excellent

Sent by Chris Bevans

I have used Andy for all my holiday bookings for the last 10 years and I could not be happier with the 1st class service that he provides. The highest of recommendations.

Sent by Sarah Thirlwall

Dealing with Travel Counsellors, and Andy Tooth specifically, gives you that personal touch you can't sometimes get with travel agents in store. He is also very knowledgeable and can put you in touch with others who have been to the same destination if he does not know things himself. Very friendly and quick to respond.

Sent by Annette Bastock

Fantastic service, already recommended to several friends!

Sent by Susan Pointon

Ive already recommended Travel Counsellors to people I know and some have used them and are very happy. Thank you.

Sent by Ian Brown

Found Andy very easy to communicate with, was nice to know I had someone with experience dealing with my holiday booking.

Sent by Linda Healey

Absolutely brilliant, very approachable and very knowledgeable. Will definitely contact Andy again and will be handing his cards out to friends

Sent by Alan Porter

Andy always goes the extra mile to help us. we have confidence in his knowledge of resorts, accommodation and ships... over the years he knows our likes and dislikes. We wouldn't be happy using anyone else or doing it ourselves.

Sent by Julian Hilditch

Brilliant service. Every detail taken care of.

Sent by Dean Gent

Andy goes the extra mile to ensure satisfaction.

Sent by Kirstie Barlow

We always use Andy to book our holidays now, he’s always finds something to suit our needs with no hassle for us. It’s brill.

Sent by Gary Kirkland

Andy strikes again.We decided at the last minute to have a summer holiday. One simple call to Andy to share our plan and before you know it there were 5 holidays ebooked to me. All fantastic destinations but there was one that ticked the box for us. Cost, flight times, destination and the personal touch sold it. Andy even hand delivered the tickets 2 days after booking. Bring on Ibiza 7th July.

Sent by Kath Bryan

I would not hesitate in recommending his services the service he gives is second to none always at the end of the phone with any issues.

Sent by Susan Boden

Would not use anyone else now. Andy Tooth has always sorted out great accommodation and flights, would trust him to do all my travel needs in future.

Sent by Toni Traynor

Absolutely excellent. Will recommend to all my friends and will never book a holiday directly without the help of Andy

Sent by Scott Cadman

Andy is always helpful and easy to talk to. He will go to any length to make our holiday exactly how we want it.

Sent by Dionne Jones

Excellent service so far! We would 100% recommend Andy and I don’t think we will be walking into a travel agents again, Andy is now our go to person... Fantastic 5*

Sent by Christopher Salt

Great knowledge, really helpful advice and quick responses.

Sent by Elizabeth Gwynn

Excellent helpful service as usual from Andy Tooth. Attention to detail brilliant

Sent by Suzanne Davy

Andy is extremely helpful and supportive throughout the whole process. I have and will continue to recommend his services.

Sent by Emile James

Always a pleasure to book with Andy.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

As per usual, Andy continues to provide excellent service which is borne out by the fact I’ve recommended him to friends and family, who also book holiday’s with him. Will continue to use Andy and recommend him to others!

Sent by Marvin Dukes

Andy has the patience of a saint! If I had to deal with my partner and myself as customers I wouldn't be able to do it. I'd change my number or occupation. Thanks Andy, you are a top guy

Sent by Sarah Tinsley

As usual Andy has gone above and beyond to help us put together our perfect holiday...much appreciated

Sent by David Palmer

Andy always goes the extra mile to provide great service right from the first enquiry, through the actual booking and also through the holiday its self to assist you with any problems that may arise. Great service from start to finish.

Sent by Aaron Burns

Andy Tooth has made the whole holiday booking enjoyable and stress free. It has been great to use Andy Tooth again as he was so so helpful last time and is really helpful and knowledgeable again this time I have already recommended him to many friends and colleagues.

Sent by Susan Pointon

Andy was very helpful and friendly. Used him before i know i can book my holiday with no worries as Andy is always on the other end of the phone if we have any queries or problems. But so far no problems. My daughter has used him for a few years now and will not go anywhere else.

Sent by Julie Markham

Andy's service was exemplary!

Sent by Sue Hailstones

Always professional, nothing is to much trouble for Andy to find your perfect holiday destination. Thank you Sue

Sent by Mike Smith

Andy Tooth is not only very helpful, he is very polite and accommodating, he is also very astute at getting the right holiday, complete with all your requirements and extras. At a price that beats the normal travel agents. We would definitely use Andy all the time and would love to recommend his services.

Sent by Jacqueline Harnett

Personal, informative and friendly.

Sent by Neil Harrison

I would recommend Andy Tooth to anyone. He's superb.

Sent by Lisa Reid

Excellent service as always. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Andy. He always goes the extra mile to ensure we get the perfect holiday.

Sent by Carl Smith

Excellent service Andy. Well Done.

Sent by Karen Lowe

Andy makes life so much easier, there is no point working so hard and then not having the time to go away and enjoy the down time. The thought of trawling through brochures and sites made any holiday plans something to dread, using Andy was a perfect solution for me.

Sent by Susan Hailstones

Andy has always provided a excellent service, we have wonderful memories of some fabulous hotels, resorts. Excellent personalised holiday service that we would highly recommend to family and friends. Thank you Andy

Sent by Ray Eccleston

Andy always gives 100% to our requirements, it's why we keep booking with him.

Sent by Sarah Thirlwall

Andy provides an amazing service and I feel safe when I'm on holiday knowing if anything happens, he will always do his best to help out

Sent by Dawn Degg

Really helpful, nothing too much trouble, even when I changed my mind about holiday details, would definitely recommend Andy when booking a special holiday.

Sent by Matthew Williams

We would 100% recommend Andy to anyone and everyone, in fact we already have and know people now using Andy for their travel!

Sent by Debra Ward

Andy does his upmost to make sure your holiday is the best it can possibly be. Nothing's too much trouble and he treats you like friends. I recommend him to everyone. I wouldn't go anywhere else now.

Sent by Sandra Court

Can put your complete trust in Andy and that is a real comfort zone when booking a holiday. Thank you Andy

Sent by Jillian Porter

We have used Andy on a few occasions, started of as an advisor for our holidays and is now a good friend.

Sent by Rosemary Barlow

Andy is very efficient and good at his job. He is easy to talk to and makes you feel like you've known him for years. I would highly recommend him to my friends and family.

Sent by Carol Holyoake

Andy makes everything simple and explains the whole experiance to you making sure you understand. He always seems to get the best price and quality break.

Sent by Carol Evans

Andy is fantastic, we've used him for many years and wouldn't book a holiday without him!

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my Travel Counsellor for a number of years and the service I receive today is just as excellent as it was when I first started to use him. Over the years, I've recommended Andy to friends, family and colleagues and they have all continued to use Andy for all their holiday bookings. I know there is a chance I could pay less for my holidays via the internet. However, I love the support after booking which Andy provides if there are any queries and his overall service- you can't beat the personal service which Andy provides. I feel very honoured to have someone like Andy dealing with my travel arrangements- Andy gives the impression that it's not just a job - it's a vocation and realises how important holidays are to people and consistently strives to make your holiday experience from booking to post holiday- memorable.

Sent by Kath Bryan

Andy is brilliant at his job always giving his honest opinion to any questions I may have ,and very helpful as well x

Sent by Colleen Ball

As a new traveller I was delighted when Andy handled everything for me.

Sent by Amanda Allen

Andy saved our family from not having a summer holiday after being let down by another holiday company. Holiday now booked within budget and time scale, stress-free .

Sent by Lynette Bramble

Andy has been very supportive and extremely thorough in his quest to find me the best honeymoon package for my budget. Many thanks Andy!

Sent by Elliot Glover

I have recommended Andy to several of my friends and family and always give out his business cards to anyone looking to go on holiday.

Sent by Jane Selway

Very happy with the service and help from Andy. We are very much looking forward to our holiday.

Sent by Paul Roberts

Andy has been so helpful and informative, going above and beyond in my eyes to make our trip the perfect one! Taking the time to listen to our requirements and giving his own thoughts to give us something perfect! Thanks Andy.

Sent by David Palmer

A big thank you to Andy for putting together a great holiday for us and for the excellent service and attention to detail given both during the booking process and afterwards. Full marks.

Sent by Claire Kneeshaw

I just wanted to leave a personal review for our Travel Counsellor Andy Tooth. Despite us delaying our 'honeymoon' for 2 years, we are now on the cusp of travelling to Australia all organised by Andy. Throughout the process he has always been so supportive, both in helping to organise the trip, and allaying my concerns of travelling with a medical condition. I can honestly say that we would not be going had it not been for Andy's support and I cannot recommend him enough! Next stop Australia! So many thanks Andy.

Sent by Sarah Tinsley

Nothing is to much trouble.. would recommend to anyone..

Sent by Elaine Carter

Excellent service from Andy every time

Sent by Ian Lawson

Andy Tooth is fantastic at organising our holidays for us . Nothing is too much trouble and you get a very personal service . Thank you for all our holidays that you have done for us

Sent by Angela Kelsall

Andy has helped us booking a number of trips over the last couple of years. He has been brilliant with advice and suggestions and always comes up with a great trip.

Sent by Francesca Pheasey

I honestly couldn't imagine booking a holiday without Andy ! He's so wonderful !

Sent by Denise Tooth

I have found the service to be exceptional and Andy ensures that any questions asked are followed up.

Sent by Margaret Fletcher

Usual excellent care

Sent by Christopher Salt

I always recommend Andy to everyone I speak with in regards to holidays. 3 foreign holidays in 4 years, all booked through Andy!

Sent by Michael Smith

Andy was very patient with our indecisive Honeymoon destination changes, he guided us through all our choices with good advice and his own personal recommendations. Once we eventually decided on our destination, Andy not only sorted the best package available for our budget, he also gave us a discount to help us achieve our goal. I will definitely recommend Travel Counsellors to all my friends and family

Sent by Kate Johnson

Andy has always been so helpful when speaking to him. We have booked 2 holidays with him and feel very happy with his service.

Sent by Suzanne Davy

Service and advice has been great as ever.

Sent by Adrian Carter

First class service is always standard. Extremely pleased with everything Andy does for me and the family. Time and time again.

Sent by Julie Williams

Andy warrants a score of 10 for his warm but professional approach and pure attention to every detail. He makes sure all boxes are ticked and spends tireless hours ensuring everything runs smoothly. So impressed with his service, we have just got back from our Prague holiday and are now booking our next holiday through Andy for Mexico!

Sent by Carol Evans

Andy is fantastic, would and do recommend his services to anyone!

Sent by Jenny Cullen

My friend and I decided to take a trip to South Africa to include internal flights as well as the long haul flights from the UK. This was almost impossible to arrange online as matching up long haul flights with local internal airlines is not easy or always possible online. I called Andy and left a message as it was after office hours and hoped to hear back the following day. However, I received a call from Andy that evening and we discussed at length what I required and he listened and made sensible suggestions with no 'hard sell' and was totally focused on ensuring that our trip was safe and protected and above all met our needs; this was all without any confirmation that we would be using his services. Andy was able to arrange our flights (both long haul and local internal)with very little lay over between them and offered advice and provided contact details if there were any issues whilst we were in South Africa; I should note that this service was offered by Andy even though he had not booked our accommodation. I found the service provided by Andy to be professional, efficient and excellent value for money. His attention to detail, provision of information and tickets prior to our departure was a demonstration of his commitment to his clients. In addition I would add that Andy's over all professional approach in ensuring that all of his clients have the best and safest time possible on their journeys provided piece of mind and a sense of security whilst travelling. I would recommend TRAVEL COUNSELLORS to anyone who intends on travelling abroad in 2017 and will be using his services again.

Sent by Bob Gibbons

Andy has always found the perfect travel arrangements for us, we make sometimes what would seem unachievable requests but Andy always seems to find the answer. We recommend Andy as he always listens to your requests and searches to match what you ask for. Bob Gibbons

Sent by Malcolm Heath

As ever always comes up trumps cheers Andy have a great new year

Sent by Gary Kirkland

Andy is like a breath of fresh air...Just a phone call away and all done in one very personal hit....We have been booking with Andy for the last 6 years and never fails to find that special place and most important that great price

Sent by Joanne Nelson

Andy has always worked hard whilst choosing a holiday. He is a true professional and his after care support is exceptional.

Sent by Jordan Coxon

Extremely helpful and thorough.

Sent by Joanne Proudlove

Andy has done everything he can to help.

Sent by Richard Osborne

Excellent service, found us our requirements with great attention at all times, delivered confirmation by hand even filled luggage labels in, nothing is too much trouble. We will definitely be using Andy's services again. Many thanks once again and we look forward to our holiday next March.

Sent by Matthew Williams

This is our fourth holiday we have booked through Andy, and every time his customer service is just amazing.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my travel agent for a number of years now and continues to provide an excellent service. I have recommended Andy to various friends and family members who in turn become regular customers. It's comforting to know if there are issues no matter how large or small, Andy is there to provide advice, guidance and assistance - this is very comforting especially in the age of faceless web companies, providing travel services. Andy provides a personalised and professional service - at all times.

Sent by Simon Wright

Very helpful - researched a lot of details and best time to go on the dates we asked for and kept up to date all the way through the booking.

Sent by Elliot Glover

Fantastic service and would 100% recommend!

Sent by Neil Harrison

Hes a very genuine guy, with a huge knowledge base and invaluable experience/expertise. I cannot fault the service he has offered.

Sent by David Palmer

Andy always gives excellent service, nothing is too much trouble for him. I would not book through anyone else.

Sent by Clara Tooth

Andrew was amazing! I will never book with anyone else. Great service and great price! I will recommend to everyone!!!

Sent by Ray Eccleston

Andy is always a 10 guy. Always there for us and nothing is too much trouble, & our requests are rarely straight forward.

Sent by Harry Burnett

Has great knowledge of many different countries as he has experienced most first hand. Always tailors the holiday to suit your needs. Always quick to get back to you regarding your quotes and your questions.

Sent by Debbie Williams

Andy has made booking a holiday simple. I told him what i was looking for and he provided exactly that. I will always use his service in the future.

Sent by Chris Shaw

As always Andy provided a top service with lots of info about where we are going, a real personal service.

Sent by Susan Boden

great personal service, efficient and does exactly what he says he will.

Sent by Lisa Plumbe

Andy is a delight to deal with...nothing is too much bother for him. He makes the booking seem so smooth...

Sent by Dawn Bainbridge

I find using a Travel Counsellor very easy, takes the stress away from searching many sites. Andy has been great with all our travel arrangements

Sent by Dorothy Fryer

First class service, from a perfect gentleman and now a good friend. Thanks Andy for all your help and time.

Sent by Claire Gilman

I normally organise our holidays myself but this time I asked Andy to help after seeing recommendations on Facebook. He listened to our requirements and came up with a few suggestions and one of them sounded perfect for what we needed. Easy to contact and really helpful

Sent by Denise Tooth

Friendly very helpful advisor, able to support my requests 're disability and accommodation promptly and without any fuss.

Sent by Lynn Nuttall

Very good service all the time won't go anywhere else !!

Sent by Vikki Jankowski

It has been a hassle free experience booking our honeymoon through Andy, his knowledge of the area we chose is brilliant, & I have trusted his recommendations throughout

Sent by Samantha Maguire

Couldn't of asked for a better service than the one provided by Andy. He has certainly took the stress out of arranging and booking our honeymoon.

Sent by Ian Woodcock

Andy is brilliant. Taking all the stress from booking a group booking and sorted out a last minute date change in a very professional manner. Would highly recommend and can't thank him enough again for his services.

Sent by Katie Hughes

Andy Tooth was excellent! I have already passed his details onto two friends who are looking for holidays! Thank you for your time and effort in booking our honeymoon.

Sent by Andrea Gill

Very quick response and he found a holiday perfect for us on the first attempt

Sent by Barry Cartlidge

We have used Andy on several occasions for booking holidays, hotels and transport arrangements at various locations. He has always been very thorough with the bookings that we have requested and has explained everything to us in detail. We have always been extremely satisfied with the various requests that we have made and this has meant a holiday that we know we can relax at , always knowing that any problems we do ensue that we can contact him at any time. We have never had to do this as everything has been arranged properly beforehand. I am extremely confident in his abilities and will continue to use Andy in the future.

Sent by Elizabeth Jackson

Andy has been amazing, working around the hours I work and always on hand to talk and answer any questions I have

Sent by Malc Heath

Known Andy a few years now and always goes out of his way to make sure of the best possible holiday. many thanks Malc Heath

Sent by Susan Hailstones

Andy is excellent always listens, is professional and finds a great choice of holidays for us to choose from. Thank you

Sent by Gemma Turner

Andy has been brilliant with our most recent booking to Florida, offering advice and different options when we werent 100% sure what we wanted, which is down to Andys knowledge and experience. Always very helpful and will continue to use Andy for our holiday bookings in the future.

Sent by Paul Carter

Would Highly recommend, Andy to any friends or family,, Would never book with anyone else ...Andy deals with everything promptly, gives 100% customer service

Sent by Alisha Alleyne

Andy always goes, out his way to provide the best possible experience. Caters your needs and more. I never book a hoilday with anyone else.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my Travel Counsellor for a number of years, with members of my family and friends also having the pleasure of booking holidays with him without complaint. Andy is the consummate professional and provides impartial advice which allows for customers to make informed choices about their holiday. Andy is an absolute credit to the company, adhering to their ethos, whist adding his own personality and values, ensuring excellent service time after time.

Sent by Cathryn Hayes

I have used Andy's services several times over the last few years. He is not just good at finding you a holiday, accommodation and travel but also sorts out problems during the holiday. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Andy, he really cares about his clients and wants them to be happy.

Sent by William Reid

Extremely friendly and knowledgeable service where nothing appears to be too much trouble.

Sent by Justin Ryles

Great service and very professional but with the personal touch that is sometimes lost in the big corporate world. Can't speak highly enough.

Sent by Edwina Redford

As always Andy goes that extra mile to make sure our holiday experience is the best it could be. He takes time to treat us like a friend and not just another booking to sell. I would always book my holidays through Andy. I know I can truly trust him to give me what I want in a holiday. Thank you so much Andy.

Sent by James Campbell

Andy is great, amazingly helpful all the time. I have recommended Andy to friends and family and will continue to do so!

Sent by Carol Esplin

Booked many times with Travel Counsellor Andy and always get the best service ever. Recommend to everyone. Friends and family have also booked holidays, stag weeks, hen weeks and honeymoons.

Sent by Helen Sawyer-Grund

Andy has been absolutely brilliant I would not hesitate to recommend him and Travel Counsellors to others.

Sent by Chris Shaw

Andy can not do enough to help, this is our second holiday we have booked with him and I'm sure there will be many more.

Sent by Scott Cadman

Excellent customer service, we were really impressed with Andy and all that he did for us. Highly recommended.

Sent by Ray Eccleston

Andy is always there for us, when high street agents are not. It goes a long way to retaining our business.

Sent by Mandy Smith

I found Andy to be so helpful and he couldn't do enough for us , i will definately use Andy in future and will recommend him to all my clients, friends and family, thank you!

Sent by Suzanne Davy

Andy responded very quickly to our booking enquiry and helped us book the exact holiday we wanted for 2016. Great advice and we shall certainly use his services again. I will also recommend him to friends, family and colleagues without hesitation.

Sent by Emma Bryan

Andy has booked several holidays for myself and family he always looks after us and deals with everything. Any questions or queries he deals with straight away I wouldn't use anyone else.

Sent by Simon Wright

Fantastic guy very help full and will find the holiday you want if not find better hotels at a cheaper rate and give you as much advise as possible were to go what to do etc

Sent by Chris Salt

The fact that Travel Counsellors look away from the mainstream means that they offer some fantastic hotels at very good costs! As not a very confident traveler, booking through Travel Counsellors really puts our minds at rest that everything is sorted and if we have any queries they are only a phone call away,

Sent by Bob Gibbons

I use Andy simply because he finds out what we are looking for within one email or telephone call and comes up with goods with plenty of helpful hints and tips. HIGHLY recommended service.

Sent by Malcolm Heath

Andy has always looked after us everything goes like clockwork, a credit to your company Malc Heath.

Sent by Sarah Tinsley

Always helpful. Goes above and beyond. Would not use anyone else now!!!

Sent by Sarah Tinsley

Always helpful. Goes above and beyond. Would not use anyone else now!!!

Sent by Lynne Harvey

Andy Tooth is very helpful, very pleasant and does his utmost to make your holiday the best ever. He is always available to answer any questions and always supplies you with the relevant documents for your trip.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my travel agent for the last 6 years or so and I have no intention of changing. Friends who have taken up my recommendation to use Andy, all have the same view. Andy's dedication to ensuring all customers receive an excellent service is second to none. Nothing is too much trouble for Andy to ensure your holiday experience from advice on destinations, the booking process and anything else, is trouble free. Absolute star and I feel very lucky having found Andy. I genuinely believe if Andy decided to leave Travel Counsellors, I would revert to High Street travel agents, such is my respect and affection for him.

Sent by Scott Esplin

Easy hassle free booking, always a competitive price, expert advice on destinations and accommodation. All in all a pleasure to book a holiday with!

Sent by Chris Bevans

Andy is very passionate about what he does and has exceptional customer relation skills, he always goes that extra mile to make just a small change that makes your experience that little more special and the little personal touches really do set him in a diffent league to any high street travel agent! I have used Andy for all my holidays for the last 8 years and will never consider going anywhere else!

Sent by Gary Kirkland

This is the third time we have used Andy to sort our holiday. He always gives sound advice and always finds the holiday to suit the budget. Wouldn't use travel agents again, as Andy takes care of it all. It's the personal touch that counts with us.

Sent by Elizabeth Gwynn

Andy provides an outstanding service, and seems to be always working to provide the best possible buying experience ...... which is why he continues to get our business, our daughter's business and our friends' business.

Sent by Ian Hodgkinson

Thanks for all your help and patience in sorting our booking for Italy; we're now really looking forward to the holiday which we feel is tailored to our personal requirements. As always we really appreciate your advice and personal service plus the fact that its all arranged from the comfort of home at a time that suits us best. There's just no point in us going anywhere else!

Sent by David Brown

As always Andy has been very helpful and efficient in making all the arrangement for our latest holiday in the USA. He thinks of everything and has made several suggestions to us which we have been pleased to accept. Andy is always our "first port of call" when considering our holidays and we would not hesitate to recommend him to our friends and family.

Sent by Ashley Knight

Andy Tooth is the most helpful, trustworthy and passionate travel industry individual we have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. Nothing is too much trouble, his knowledge and expertise is second to none and if he doesn't know the answer he will find out for you. We've booked through him a few times, from a no frills week in Cyprus for our first family holiday to our 5* luxury honeymoon in Mexico. We've recommended him far and wide to friends and family and it's clear that we're not the only people who trust him implicitly. Thank you Andy! Keep up the good work

Sent by Gail Donkin

Telephone manner very good, listens to your needs and follows them to the end and never gives up and keeps checking up on you to see if everything is ok.

Sent by Jillian Porter

Andy knows exactly what we like, he's very knowledgable, gives the good and bad points about what we are looking at. He's never pushy at all, just honest...

Sent by Carol Evans

Andy is extremely helpful and very thorough and he provides a great after sales service as well. Would recommend his services to anyone! Top man!

Sent by Barry Cartlidge

I am very satisfied with the service which has been provided on the occasions that I have used Travel Counsellors. Andy is extremely thorough in his bookings and explains things which are required for our travel. Nothing is too much trouble even when some of the bookings I make are for several people with various requirements.

Sent by David Palmer

Andy always gives excellent service and attention to detail and is always there to help with any problems that occur. An excellent service all round.

Sent by Philip Turner

Nothing was too much trouble for Andy and I really had little to do once I had given him a rough outline of what I wanted. Would not hesitate to recommend.

Sent by Christine Abberley

Andy is always there to go the extra mile for you. Nothing is ever too much trouble and he reassures us about anything that may be worrying us about our holiday. He even came personally to our house when I realised two days before our holiday that I had mislaid our travel insurance papers. I wouldn't book through anyone else.

Sent by Ruth Downing

The service we have received from Andy has been excellent. Nothing was too much trouble and he has far exceeded our expectations in the way he has dealt with our booking.

Sent by David Mullington

My wife and I recently travelled to Nice as part of her birthday celebrations. Andy Tooth at Travel Counsellors was recommended to us as someone who could arrange the trip and take away the ever increasing considerations and pressure that comes with modern day travel. I can honestly say that the service provided by Andy was first class and all we had to do was enjoy ourselves. Our trip was managed to perfection and this professional and bespoke service should be considered by all. Andy goes to great lengths to reduce the hassle and increase the enjoyment. We felt like we were getting a personal holiday arrangement from the outset and even got a 'happy holiday' card from him on our arrival at the hotel! A truly high quality service that I couldn't recommend highly enough and one which we will use again and again. Thanks Andy, and keep providing the magic!

Sent by James Campbell

I have recommended Andy to friends/family before and will continue to do so, the service he provides is fantastic, the whole process from start to finish is great!!!

Sent by Lisa Plumbe

By using Travel Counsellors this took away all the stresses of internet searching for our holiday. Andy was a pleasure to deal with. He was friendly, helpful and got us an ideal holiday...we will recommend his services to all our friends and definitely use his services again...Lisa & Carl.

Sent by Francesca Pheasey

Andy Tooth makes the booking and whole holiday experience amazing. He makes it stress free, easy and is completely honest which you struggle to find elsewhere.

Sent by Sarah Fern

All of the service we have had dealing with Andy Tooth has been fantastic, I always feel reassured and confident in all parts of my holiday from booking to coming home as I know I'm in good hands. I wouldn't book with anyone else.

Sent by Mark Thirlwall

For the past few years now we have been using Andy Tooth for all our holidays. The attention to detail is fabulous. We have already recommended him to friends and family and they have started to book through him. If it was not for hissprofessional approach to his work we would not be using Travel Counsellors, he is a total credit to your group.

Sent by Janice Bevans

Always a pleasure talking to Andy. Very helpful. Nothing is too much trouble. Have already recommended him to my friends and famiy. Been on some lovely holidays that he has recommended.

Sent by David Palmer

We always receive an excellent service both when booking and should any problems arise later or whilst on holiday. The service Andy gives goes well beyond the call of duty.

Sent by Nicola Boyle

Andy has communicated with my sister and I to find us the best deal for my hen party in September this year. He is extremely helpful and knowledgeable and my sister and I have both felt that Andy has not been pushy at all but provided us with options to make our own decisions. It has been strongly felt that nothing is too difficult or too much hard work for Andy and he has been very thorough in making sure every minor detail is correct for us. Will definitely be recommending Andy to family and friends and hope to book more holidays with Andy! Thanks

Sent by Margaret Fletcher

Andy once more has secured us a holiday tailor made for our requirements. He maintains a friendly and professional manner with his main aim of ensuring our holiday is perfect for us being very apparent. He is punctual with replying to emails and phone calls, keeps us updated and I have every confidence that we are receiving a second to none service.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy has been my Travel Counsellor for the last 5 years or so and has always provided excellent service. I have recommended Andy to friends and colleagues and they too have been very pleased with the service they have received from him and book their holidays through Andy. I do not bother with High Street travel agents anymore. It is not about the price, but the quality of service Andy provides and knowing if there are any problems before, during or after the holiday a phone call or text to Andy and he will do his utmost to resolve it. I have never received that service from the traditional travel agents. I have no intention of changing the way I book holidays whilst Andy is with the company.

Sent by Angela Graham-Smith

As always Andy's service is second to none! He exudes patience, is always so friendly and professional and never fails to find exactly what we are looking for. We never have all those little worries that go with booking a holiday when it's in Andy's capable hands. Thanks again Andy!

Sent by Christine Abberley

Andy Tooth is amazing. He goes out of his way to make sure that you are getting exactly what you want. He answers all your concerns however small they seem to be. He even called at my house at ten o'clock at night to bring a copy of insurance papers that I had mislaid, because I needed them to travel the following day. Everybody should have an Andy Tooth!

Sent by Carol Esplin

Very pleased again with every aspect of booking our holiday with Andy. It only took around 10 minutes as he has all our details from booking before. Always very helpful and the finishing touches are very welcome.

Sent by Ian Lee

Andy was extremely helpful and efficient. I would gladly recommend him and have distributed his business cards to friends.

Sent by Paul Donnelly

Andy makes the most difficult part of your holiday (i.e. the booking and organising) an enjoyable experience. We just came up with ideas and Andy went away and came up with suggestions based on what we had told him. All the way through Andy kept in touch and nothing was too much trouble. I will definitely be using Andy's services again and will happily recommend him to any of my family and friends.

Sent by Martin Boulton

Andy is extremely helpful and very patient in finding an indecisive couple the perfect holiday. We would defiantly book with Andy again and recommend him to family and friends with confidence he would also find them a great holiday at the best possible price.

Sent by Paul Green

Andy provided a really friendly and courteous service. He couldn't do enough for us and left us feeling not that he was in this to make money but rather his first concern was trying to make us happy within the specification we gave him. Excellent ! Praise well earned!

Sent by Kimberly Hulme

Andy was very very helpful especially as I change my mind a lot. He is always able to help me find the perfect package. I would 100% recommend Andy to anyone. He is very helpful and nothing is too much trouble for him. Thank you Andy for your help.

Sent by pauline jones

My advisor always gets the best deals for me, and is very efficient. There’s always a thank you and welcome home card. It’s all these touches plus the great communication that makes my experience booking with Andy wonderful! Thank you very much!

Sent by J Pounder

Excellent and efficient service from Andy, any request great or small always dealt. He has a friendly and personal manner. I would have no hesitation in booking another holiday with Andy.

Sent by GEOFFREY FRYER

First class service, nothings is too much trouble. Andy is a top class gentleman.

Sent by Malc Heath

We booked a cruise with Andy for May 2013. All the paper work was done for us. He even printed the luggage labels. In general everything ran like clockwork. We’ve booked again for September. Andy is a great guy and can't do enough for you. We will use him again. Thanks Andy!

Sent by Milda Gray

I have recommended Andy to friends and family. We are always happy with our hotels, flights and holidays full stop. Thank you Andy.

Sent by Chris Salt

Not only would I highly recommend the service Andy Tooth has provided, I already have! He was very quick to build up a fantastic relationship with us and as we have not been abroad for a while his vast experience was not only extremely useful but also very comforting. It was good to know that any questions we had would be answered and that we were in safe hands. We also felt we are getting fantastic value for money from the holiday we have booked. It was through a recommendation from an existing customer that we came into contact with Andy and we shall be recommending him to everyone we know who may be looking at booking a holiday. We couldn't be happier!

Sent by Elizabeth Kennedy

Andy was extremely helpful and very polite and kind whilst booking my holiday. He asked me exactly what I wanted and tailored the dates, flights, hotels, everything for me. I will use Andy for any other future bookings and would highly recommend that everyone else should too.

Sent by Sally Woolley

Andy has been a great help in booking our holidays. He has more knowledge than the high street agent on a lot of destinations. Where he doesn’t have the knowledge he will source as much info for you to make an informed choice on booking your holiday. So we always recommend to friends / family and anyone else!!!

Sent by Mark Thirlwall

It is hard to write in 400 characters the appreciation and gratitude I can give to Andy for his professional and friendly approach to providing myself and my family with our holiday requirements. On numerous occasions he went above and beyond what you would get from high street travel agents. This personal approach he provides means I have no hesitation in recommending his services to anyone! Thanks!

Sent by Sarah Brown

Andy was very patient as I kept changing my mind on where I wanted to go on honeymoon. Nothing was too much trouble and I would definitely use him again.

Sent by Amy Thorpe

Yet again Andy was patient and helpful. On a previous trip there was a problem with the airport and Andy contacted us to make sure we were kept informed as to what was going on. This fills me with confidence, as well as the fantastic quality of service provided by Andy and I always recommend him to everyone!

Sent by Laura Wilkinson

Very pleased with the excellent service we have received so far. Andy is always available at times convenient to us and we have already recommended him to friends and family.

Sent by Julia Donaldson

Andy is professional, reliable, knowledgeable and made our booking so much easier. We would highly recommend him to friends and family and would not hesitate to contact him again in the future.

Sent by Gareth Whalley

Andy was friendly, knowledgeable and very helpful. What impressed us the most was how quickly he was able to come back to us with deals that were significantly better value than anything that we had been able to find on the internet (the location of the hotel he chose was much better too!). I'd definitely recommend you give him a call if you are thinking about booking a holiday.

Sent by Carol Evans

Andy Tooth spent a considerable amount of time and effort in sorting out our holidays. We have now booked three holidays with Andy and I would not consider booking a holiday without going through Andy. He is very knowledgable, extremely patient and helpful.

Sent by Gemma Turner

Andy was brilliant at organising our holiday to Malta, he was really helpful and knew just what we were looking for! Nothing is too much trouble and he sorted out every detail for us! Brilliant to be able to talk through your holiday with Andy rather than booking online! Thanks!

Sent by Joanne McCann

Andy is fantastic at his job and I would not hesitate to recommend him to everyone I know, he always goes the extra mile. Brilliant!

Sent by Angela Graham-Smith

Without a doubt, Andy's professionalism, dedication and patience is second to none. Nothing is too much trouble for him. I feel totally confident in the service he provides and it is the best quality you will receive from any travel agent, anywhere! Andy cares about his customers and is genuinely interested in meeting their every need to the best of his ability. Many thanks.

Sent by Hazel Palmer

I am writing to you to say what brilliant staff you have, Andy anticipated problems and acted quickly, he consistently delivered a very high standard of service on behalf of Travel Counsellors and because of this I would certainly book a holiday with your company again. I realise that some of the time you must get people contacting you to complain, but I feel that Andy has gone beyond the job to deliver an enjoyable holiday to his customer and all I can say is I wish we had more people like Andy in our everyday situations, I found him to be helpful, polite, attentive and proactive. Thank you Travel Counsellors for providing your customers with reliable trustworthy staff. I believe that it was only with Andy’s persistence and dedication that my husband and daughter got their diving equipment when they did, it’s been a pleasure to deal with your company and we will definitely be booking future holidays with you based on the outstanding customer service that your company have provided.

Sent by David Theaker

Andy thank you for your patience and understanding. You knew what we wanted before we did!

Sent by Barry Cartlidge

I recently contacted Andy in relation to accommodation in London in close proximity to the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Andy contacted me on several occasions and gave me various options in relation to price and proximity. A five star hotel was found at the right price. The facilites were excellent, it was four minutes walk from the Cenotaph and really made the weekend for myself and my wife. His consideration was first class and he clearly cares for the service and after service that he provides - First Class! I will definitely be contacting him again and would recommend him to others.

Sent by Tony Chitson White

Once again Andy has got me just what I wanted and has been in touch with me all through the booking process. He made sure all my documents have arrived to my home without any fuss. I have recommended Andy to a lot of people, some friends and some strangers on holiday, and can only say once again thanks Andy.

Sent by Gregory Challinor

I was recommended to Andy by close family members who had been very happy with his help and service. I turned to Andy to help organise my honeymoon as I wanted to make sure it was perfect. Andy was extremely helpful and provided the personal touch I needed. He was always available for me to contact even on a Saturday or Sunday! He was able to provide a wealth of knowledge and opinions of what he felt would suit our needs. He was also happy to do as many quotes as we needed for different destination. Would definitely recommend to everyone! Thanks Andy!

Sent by Lynsey Mooney

Andy, thank you for your patience and for your help in booking yet another dream holiday for myself, Craig and family. As always I highly recommend you to all my friends and family. Looking forward to Las Vegas & NYC in April. Thanks again, Lynsey Mooney, 05.11.12

Sent by DAWN WHISTON

I WAS RECOMMENDED TO ANDY BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY SATISFIED WITH HIS SERVICE. I HAVE BEEN REALLY HAPPY WITH THE TRIP WE HAVE PLANNED FOR MY PARTNERS 40TH BIRTHDAY, NOT ONLY HAS ANDY TAKEN CARE OF EVERY DETAIL FROM BOOKING TO ORGANISING THE TRIP I FELT SAFE AND SECURE AS I HAVE ONLY USED TRAVEL AGENTS IN THE HIGH STREET BEFORE! I AM HAPPY TO RECOMMEND ANDY TO ANYONE AND USE HIS BUSINESS CARDS, I WILL 100% DEFINATELY USE ANDY FOR ANY FUTURE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.

Sent by Kathryn Palmer

Andy has always gone that extra mile to make sure all eventualities are planned for and covered. I am very pleased with his service. We had the pleasure of allowing Andy to plan our honeymoon and from that point onwards we have only ever used Andy to book our holidays. Not only do we use Andy for our holidays but our friends and family too use Andy at every opportunity. I am so very pleased with Travel Counsellors and Andy's service in particular, that I have placed his cards at work (Stoke-on-Trent City Council) for others to take advantage of the great service he provides and I am happy to recommend him to anyone I speak to when discussing holiday arrangements. Andy helps make each holiday we book with him a memorable experience for all the right reasons.

Sent by Pauline Jones

Great Service and very efficent helped me find the best flight to america. Very helpful and ginuene. I will definatley use his services again.

Sent by Lynn Nuttall

I would like to say that i am very pleased of your work. The time i spoke to you when i booked my holiday you were very pleasent and you went all through the options and came up with the best one. You gave me a good price and the documents came through very quickly. If there is any problems you are just a phone call away. I would definitely recommend you to anybody.

Sent by Joanne McCann

Andy Tooth was recommended to us by a friend and how lucky for us. We have recieved nothing but exceptional outstanding service from Andy since we booked our first holiday with him a couple of years ago. Great guy brilliant at his job!!! Thanks Andy

Sent by Debbie Ward

As we have never been abroad before we found the whole idea a little daunting to say the least but Andy was great. Answering any questions I had and not making me feel stupid about the silly ones. He was always at the end of the phone and if he didn't answer your call then he would ring you back. Putting our minds at rest over most aspects of our trip. Whenever he sent us any documents by post they would arrive within two days making us feel he is very much on the ball and that us having a good holiday is important to him.

Sent by Margaret Fletcher

No sentiments needed...From that first phone call to discuss holiday requirements to Andy phoning after return from holiday, I had no concerns what so ever. Care is personal, direct and of high quality to ensure that you get the holiday you want at the price you want. I would only ever book a holiday now with Travel Counsellors.

Sent by Rachel Wheat

Andy is always very helpful and gives a fast response to any enquiries.

Sent by Wendy Raine

I have recently booked another holiday through Andy. As usual he has provided an excellent service, discussing all available options and making our holiday booking quick and easy (well it was for us, I am sure Andy put a lot of hard work into it). Andy is always reliable and honest, never forcing a sale, which is something I really appreciate. Above all he is patient and pleasant at all times. We look forward to using his services again in the near future.

Sent by Geoff Gwynn

I am not sure that 400 words would be enough to do justice to the high level of customer service Andy provides his clients. Nothing seems to be too much trouble - he does what he says he will do and lets you know he has done it - he is always pleasant and easy to work with - and he doesn't cost anymore than the other less professional travel companies! It's never a difficult decision to go back and use him again - so give him a try for your next break

Sent by Gillian Alcock

I was really impressed with the service provided by Andy. He got us a good price for the holiday I requested and promtly sent conformation and other information I feel he really enjoys his work and does his very best to satisfy his clients needs with a pleasent attitued.

Sent by Stewart & Judith Thorpe

Great chap, very professional, we are really happy to reccommend to family and friends. Gives a great service at all levels ,before during and after the holiday. Gives confidence that should anything not be 100% he would do his best to sort things out. Makes you feel on holiday even before you step out of your house. Can't wait to book again...and again :-)

Sent by Emma Atkinson

Andy has given my husband and I and my family the best memories of holidays we have ever been on travelling all over the world. Andy is very dedicated in helping you find exactly what you want out of a holiday. He will go the extra mile in finding any special requests, including my dream wedding!! Andy is always available on the end of a phone or email. I will continue to book my family holidays through Travel Counsellors as I feel the professional service I receive from Andy is the best out there always offering what I perceive as fantastic holidays at value for money.

Sent by ANDREW BOWKER

THE SERVICE THAT I RECEIVED FROM ANDY WAS FIRST CLASS. FROM MY INITIAL ENQUIRY ON A FRIDAY MORNING, I HAD ALL OF THE PAPERWORK - FLIGHTS, ACCOMODATION, RECEIPTS, IN MY POSSESSION BY THE MONDAY EVENING (DELIVERED BY HAND TO MY HOUSE!!) THE ADVICE WAS THOROUGH AND PROFESSIONAL AND INCLUDED MAKING SURE THAT I WAS AWARE OF VISA REQUIREMENTS, TRAVEL INSURANCE, ETC. ON TOP OF ALL THIS, THE DEAL THAT HE GOT FOR ME WAS SEVERAL HUNDRED POUNDS CHEAPER THAN THE SAME TRIP WITH VIRGIN HOLIDAYS - GREAT RESULT! NICE TOUCH ON THE CUSTOMER CARE SIDE - 2 DAYS AFTER RECEIVING ALL OF MY DOCUMENTATION, I RECEIVED A HAND WRITTEN CARD IN THE POST THANKING ME FOR THE BUSINESS! HAPPY TO RECOMMEND ANDY.

Sent by Roy Raines

I first made contact with Andy when I enquired about a P & O cruise advertised in a national paper. At once I was very impressed with the way my request was handled. So much so, that I booked the cruise within a few hours. In my opinion, Andy is a very dedicated and professional in all he does. No problem is too small, as on a couple of occassions I had to call him for some clarifications, he immediately sorted them, and what he couldn't do at the time he endeavoured to find out and call me right back. I would, without any hesitation, recommend Andy to anyone looking for a holiday. It's nice to find a travel agent that treats you with the personal touch instead of just another booking.

Sent by malcolm cartlidge

i cannot thank andy to much for his kind and enthusiastic way he conducts his business nothing is to much for him.we have learned a lot from him.we would recomend him as he is second to none.thank you.

Sent by Ian Woodcock

I have just used Andy's services for the the first time. He has taken all the worry and hassel out of booking, finding and putting together the exact holiday I wanted. I have total confidence and trust in him. I can not recommend him enough and would definately use him again. Thanks again. Ian Woodcock

Sent by Pete Goodwin

Outstanding service, I was sick of searching for a decent price all in for the wife's birthday, andy got the basics and worked very hard to make the holiday, great price, booked it, packed and looking forward to it, the new teletext

Sent by Elizabeth Noble

I first heard about Andy Tooth from a friend I met on holiday who had used his services before ,she had nothing but good things to say about him. In the past I have used Travel agents and the web, so went down the same route this time , but wasn't happy with what I was getting back , availability , price flights!! So I thought I would give Andy Tooth a ring. From start to finish Andy was not only professional , but a very nice man to talk to , nothing was a problem.He even kept and keeps me informed of things personally , unheard of with other operators once payment is made. I got my holiday , cheaper , and at a local airport , something I could not manage. I would have no hesitation in contacting Andy for my next holiday, or recommending him to others, which I already have done .

Sent by PAULA GOODGAME

Andy is a fabulous travel agent! We do not book our holidays anywhere else. Andy provides a service that is second to none. Nothing is too much trouble for him and he is always available to book holidays or just give advice. He will always give you his honest opinion so that you can make an informed choice about a destination. I have passed Andy’s details onto friends and family and they all say the same - brilliant!

Sent by Margaret Rushworth

Andy was recommended to me by my friend and I am glad. Andy spoke to me in depth about what I wanted, giving me plenty of good tips, (without knowing if he would get the booking), and within 24 hours Andy came back to me with an excellent quote on the holiday and extras I had asked him for, but before he would take my booking Andy made sure that I had applied for the necessary visa's (going to America) because as he explained once the deposit is paid it is non refundable. I am very happy with the service received from Andy and will be recommending him to any one who will listen. Good luck in 2012 Andy.

Sent by Paul Mitchell

This was the first time we had used Travel Councellors and the first time we had cruised, from start to finish Andy Tooth made everything so easy and was allways there to answer any questions no matter how small. We had a wonderful holliday and it was nice to come home to a welcome home postcard and a telephone call from Andy to see if everything had gone well.We would not hesitate useing travel counsellors again and would recomend Andy to friends . Once again Andy a big thankyou. Kind regards Pam & Paul

Sent by Sue Hailstones

The service we received from Andy has always been professional and positive. No matter how many challenges I set Andy to find the holiday we were looking for, Andy has always, no matter what time of the day made every effort to find a solution or suggest some other options to make my experience of the service very enjoyable and achieve the outcome we wanted. We have booked with Andy before and will continue to book our holidays with this easy, professional and friendly service. It makes such a difference. Thank you.

Sent by Z V

I had a massive task ahead of me to try and organise a trip to the Far East with multi centre destinations and special requirements to try and make a 40th birthday really special. I contacted Andy who took care of everything and beat even the most competitive prices I had been quoted. He also arranged for two free excursions whilst we are over there. I would definitely use Andy again as nothing was too much trouble and his dedication has ensured we are now looking forward to the holiday of a lifetime!

Sent by Ashley Knight

I just wanted to thank Travel Counsellors, especially thanks Andy Tooth for the exceptional service and great deal we received for our first family holiday to Cyprus at the end of this month. Service has been impeccable, so personal and I will be recommending you to all my friends/family. Thanks again Ashley Knight & family!

Sent by Joan Pounder

Thank you Andy for an excellent service; friendly, personal with constructive and useful advice! We are looking forward to our holiday in Malta! I would certainly recommend your services to friends and family.

Sent by Dean and Sarah Pointon

Andy's dedication and attention to detail ensured that our wedding in Malcesine and honeymoon in Venice Italy was absolutely perfect. None of our many questions were too much trouble for Andy to give his undivided attention which ensured our trip and wedding went without a hitch or in the case of the wedding with a hitch!! Andy arranged not just ours but our entire wedding party’s flights and accommodation directly with each member of the family leaving us with only our wedding and trip to think about. We have used Andy's service again for a trip to Dublin - again perfect! We will never use another travel agency again. Highly recommended, thanks Andy for everything!

Sent by Beverley Sheldon-Hill

From the first conversation, when I was only exploring options for a series of breaks, to the final commitment to a holiday Andy's level of customer service was the same - informative, comprehensive and the most important aspect – patient! I really appreciated this when I repeatedly presented varying options for a New York/Vegas holiday changing length as well as combination of package/flight variations. The holiday is now booked for September to celebrate my 50th birthday and Andy is still assisting with suggestions for trips and places to visit. Finally the price is very competitive and the advantage is I'm secure in the knowledge that the holiday has the additional insurance coverage for my flight only aspect that only Andy provided as a Travel Consultant!

Sent by Malcolm Morgan

We were looking to celebrate our Golden Wedding anniversary, we had been to various high street travel agencies, but they could not give us what we were looking for. I was then talking to a relative who had another visitor and was explaining our situation, this other visitor then gave me a telephone number and said give this fellow a ring. We did just that and found out the person’s name was Andy Tooth! We explained to Andy that we were looking for a particular Hotel in Venice on a certain date. Andy said to leave it with him and he would get back to us, which he did. All within a couple of hours he had organised everything that we were looking for and at a very reasonable price. We cannot praise him high enough and if it was at all possible, we would give him 12 out of 10.

Sent by Milda Gray

For the last 3yrs we have booked our holidays with Andy. Each holiday has been brilliant - great travel and hotels. Nothing is to much trouble for him. Thank you Andy Milda & Jackie Gray

Sent by Gary & Tina Williams

We were recommended to Andy by one of our friends at work who had used Andy in the past to book his holidays and said how good he was. After contacting Andy and telling him what we were looking for, he wasted no time in finding us a holiday to suit our needs and has kept us informed about any changes or relevant info that we needed to know. We would not hesitate to use him again. Thanks Andy.

Sent by Cathryn Hayes

Andy has arranged hotels, flights and theatre tickets for me. His approach inspires confidence, from the first planning phone call and the almost immediate receipt of tickets (much quicker than a standard travel agent) to the 'Welcome Home' card at the end of the holiday. His enquiries after the holiday mean he uses past customers' experiences to influence his recommendations. Great!

Sent by Janice Bevans

I always book my holidays through Andy as he is very helpful and considerate. He is knowledgeable about the holidays and if you ask a question which he does not know the answer to, he will find out. Nothing is too much trouble for him. He is always kind and friendly.

Sent by Amy Thorpe

My Mum suggested I used Andy as I am a nightmare customer and had no idea where I wanted to go, I just knew when. Andy spent loads of time sorting out the perfect package for us - and finding us the perfect location - lets hope the holiday itself is as good as Andy's service!

Sent by Yvonne Mcvicker

The service I received from Andy has been second to none, he was very helpful. I told him the holiday we wanted and when he got back to me he had got the holiday for half the price another agent had quoted me. I was really impressed. He always tries his utmost to accommodate your needs and get you the best possible outcome. Many thanks again Andy, I hope to speak to you soon. Yvonne

Sent by susan palmer

We booked a holiday and wedding with Andy. We were looking for a very specific holiday and wanted to get married while we were there. We visited local travel agents but found that they were too busy. Andy was fantastic; he spent lots of time helping us but was never pushy and looked for the best deals. I would advise anyone who is looking to book a holiday to book with Andy, we would in an instant.

Sent by Karen Greenhalgh

I'd highly recommend Andy to anyone - efficient friendly service and you can trust he's got the knowledge and experience to sort out the right holiday for you with no hassle. I'll definitely be back to book my next holiday with him.

Sent by Claire Black

I found Andy very helpful, honest and knowledgable when booking our honeymoon.

Sent by Cath Bottomley

I wasn't convinced about using a travel counsellor as I thought it would add to the cost. I was wrong. Andy got our holiday at a cheaper price. He advised on hotels, local area attractions, private transfers & insurance. All saving me time and money. The icing on the cake has just arrived in the form of a destination guide. All in all a fabulous service by a genuinely nice man, saving me time and money!

Sent by Lois Rankin

Great service so far, and always available to help any time of the day. Andy searched all possible areas for our specific needs. Came highly recommended by family members who have used him before.

Sent by steve tooth

Excellent service, nothing too much trouble. Would recommend to anyone.

Sent by Alan Porter

I first got to know about Andy through my son Marc. He and his boss had used him and told me of the great service he gives. We had a fantastic time no problems on our holiday booked through Andy. What we like about Andy is that you get a personel service. And if you do get any problems you can just call him. I have recommended him to my freinds and work colleagues. Andy is a great Travel Counsellor

Sent by Simon Brown

Andy was very helpful from the start. He listened to what type of holiday I was after and worked within my available budget to come up with a range of excellent suggestions. I would have no reservation in recommending Andy to any of my friends or family. Many thanks again Andy for your help and I look forward to using your services again in the future. Simon.

Sent by Daniel Hooker

Andy has been brilliant in helping us find our dream honeymoon . Nothing is too much for Andy and he makes himself available at all times to look into whatever you want for your holiday requirements. Andy has a good range of travel experience which he uses to give honest and constructive advice. I would recommend Andy to anyone for booking holidays, honeymoons and all other travel experiences.

Sent by Sophie Cawdell

I have been very impressed with the recent service provided by Andy. He quickly selected a villa that suited all our requirements, took on the full reservation and travel booking process and tailored all aspects of the holiday to our requirements. Overall I would definitely recommend his service to anyone looking to book a holiday in the future.

Sent by Lynsey Wainwright

We are very pleased with the 5* service we received from Andy when choosing our honeymoon. We left our details with Andy and he did all the work to find the trip of a lifetime! Our Brother and now wife, introduced us to Andy and we are very pleased they did. Look forward to dealing with you next year for our fantastic honeymoon. Lynsey & Craig

Sent by Kathleen Elliott

If you want a great (no obligation) deal on your holiday, Andy is your man. After spending over three days with many emails and phone calls, Andy found my perfect holiday. Not only that, he also pre booked my seats with an airline that normally only allocates seats at check in, now that's service. If you book with Andy not only will you get a great holiday deal, you will also gain a friend.

Sent by Sherry Hosein

I usually trawl the internet for hours, getting frustrated and going round in circles trying to find the right holiday. Andy was recommended to me and I decided to give him a go as I needed something fast! Within 3 days, he had found me what I had requested, well under the prices I had found myself, booked it, sent me all the info I needed and more. Will definitely be using him next time.

Sent by Matt Simmonds

As a busy professional I needed a travel advisor who would be able to do the legwork for me. I had some very specific ideas for what I wanted and Andy certainly came up trumps. His courteous manner, attention to detail and dogged determination to find the perfect destination was outstanding. I really cannot praise him highly enough.

Sent by Phil & Angela Graham-Smith

Absolutely everything about the service we received from Andy was second to none. Nothing was too much trouble for him; he offered a warm, friendly & reliable service showing a genuine interest in ensuring we have the best holiday possible. Andy found competitive deals covering exactly what we wanted & was more financially favourable than any other quotes we got! You name it Andy sorts it!

Sent by Marc Porter

Used Travel Counsellor Andy twice now and I find him and his service great with no problems whatsoever. I would certainly recommend him to anyone, nothing is too much trouble.

Sent by Paula Goodgame

Andy is an absolute star! He goes the extra mile and will contact you at your convenience, evenings or weekends. We booked a cruise with Andy, even though the local travel agent matched the price, the difference was service. With Andy, he made me feel like a person and not a number. Andy sent us without warning, a guide book for the cruise. Never had this with anyone else. Cant praise him enough.

Sent by Stephen McCann

I gave Andy a ring after a glowing testimonial from a work colleague, who advised me that Andy was "a cracking bloke and an all round good guy who gives great service and will get you the best deal possible". He was bang on the money; it really was a pleasure doing business with him.

Sent by Lisa Fortune

Andy was very efficent at finding the holiday we'd been looking for. Can't wait to go!

Sent by Reshma Shah

Andy was a true professional, always there on the phone or via email, literally any time of the day. He made the whole process of booking a holiday seamless. Andy provided us with an amazing service, advice and a price to match. He tries his utmost to accommodate your needs and get you the best possible outcome. We were truly impressed with his service. We would most definitely recommend him.

Sent by Arran Leighton

After pricing up holidays with various agents I was given Andy's details by friends. He quoted a cheaper price on exactly the same deal and has been friendly and helpful throughout. I will be recommending him in the future as well. Thanks.

Sent by HELEN SHEPLEY

We booked our first holiday with Travel Counsellors last year. Andy arranged our Christmas holiday to Lanzarote and in all the years I have travelled abroad I have never experienced such an efficient, problem free holiday. We now just contact Andy with a destination and price in mind and just leave everything to him, I would recommend Andy to all my friends and family for a hassle free holiday.

Sent by George Chitson White

My daughter (Dawn Bray) suggested that I contact Andy when I was looking for two flights to Cyprus. I found him to be very professional in ensuring that he was providing me with my exact requirements, which even included holiday insurance, which at the time I couldn't get. He managed to save me just under £100 compared to the internet prices that I had already received. Andy, I will be back...

Sent by Adrian Carter

Me and my partner met Andy at a local wedding fare, he spoke to us about honeymoon arrangements as well as the hen and stag parties. Andy has quickly arranged a stag party for us and the service provided is second to none, all the hassle of booking flights and accommodation is taken care of by Andy and he's available to talk to at any time and always returns e-mails and phone calls. Recommended.

Sent by Chris Bevans

The service that I have recieved from Andy has quite simply been second to none and I will never consider going anywhere else for my travel needs, he is everything that a professional travel agent should & could be. He never fails to exceed all expectations, just when you think he has done everything possible to make you happy, he comes up with another surprise, could not recommend him enough!!!

Sent by Alison Alcock

I was referred to Andy by my brother who said that Andy was great at his job and always delivered fantastic results, I was not let down. Andy is now more like a friend who offers worldwide travel knowledge and advice, not just a price! Over the next two years I am entrusting Andy to plan my Honeymoon and my partner and I have complete confidence in Andy to deliver. Highly recommended.

Sent by Andrew Alcock

Having met Andy Tooth through a chamber of commerce event, he's the best contact I've made this year. Andy is a true professional with a genuine passion for travel and helping people get the best quality and price out of their travel arrangements. His work ethic is second to none and his dedication to the job is fantastic. He is far superior to any high street travel agent or online company.

Sent by HELEN SHEPLEY

We have just returned from a Christas family holiday in Lanzarote that Andy booked for us and we are impressed with the efficent service Andy provided. Our flights, accommodation and transfers were of a very high standard, we were sat around the pool within 1 hour of arriving at Arecife Airport. I would highly recommend booking with Travel Counsellors and will be booking our Xmas 2009 ASAP.

Sent by Dawn Bray

I booked a two night break with Andy for a "magical" trip to Lapland with my husband and 5 year old daughter in Dec 08. From passing my thoughts and ideas onto Andy, and of course my budget, I had no more work to do. My holiday was expertly and professionally booked without any fuss. Please book your next holiday with Andy, I can guarantee the service.

Sent by David Brown

Andy, many thanks for arranging our 3 week cruise aboard the QE2. Your service in making all the arrangements, including car parking, information on shore excursions, etc, was first class. We had a fantastic holiday and look forward to using your excellent service again in the not too distant future!

Sent by Josephine Grain

We have spoken to Andy on many occassions regarding our holidays. He is very efficient and very helpful - nothing is to much trouble if you have any questions about your holiday. There is always a cheerful voice at the end of the phone. He takes the stress out of going to the travel agents.

Sent by Emma Fulton

Having spoken to Andy several times, regarding various different holiday idea's, it is clear that he is passionate about travel and thoroughly enjoys helping people plan their holidays. He is extremely efficient and meticulous in his search to provide the best deal for his customers. Nothing is too much trouble for Andy and he makes booking a holiday effortless and stress free.