Based in Banbury

Lisa Ratcliffe

It's Nice To Meet You

My name is Lisa and I would really appreciate the opportunity to become your personal Travel Counsellor.

I have 35 years’ experience working in the travel industry, most of which were spent in an independent agency and now, as a Travel Counsellor, that ethos of independence is able to continue.

I have visited many countries over the years, as a single person, in a couple, and now as a mother, so can give advice from many different perspectives. Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Singapore, Hong Kong, America, much of Europe and many more destinations feature on my list of visited countries.

As your personal Travel Counsellor I can help make your dreams come true by completing all the research and arrangements for you. A simple telephone call, Facebook message or email from you to discuss your needs is all it takes. From there I can take the reins and guide you, with my knowledge, experience and personal attention, to book the perfect destination for you.

Although the term 'Counsellor' suggests an advice service, my service stretches far beyond that. I do not *just* advise - I book everything for you and remain a constant support to you in the run up to your holiday, whilst you are away and until you are home again!

This undertaking is made easier for me by the award-winning technology offered by Travel Counsellors. I have access to some 3000 suppliers, which can be searched quickly and efficiently to provide the exact solution to your requirements, be it a tailor-made ‘round the world’ trip, a flight only, a honeymoon, a luxury hotel break or a cottage in Scotland.

Customer service is of paramount importance to me and I appreciate that not everyone may be available to discuss their plans during office hours. This is exactly why I offer the flexibility of evening and weekend accessibility at a time to suit you…and I can guarantee that it will always be me on the end of the line (my own holidays excepted!) You will not be passed from pillar to post, or left in a telephone queuing system, wasting your time!

If you would like regular updates of our current special offers then please forward your e-mail address via the contact link above or follow my Travel Counsellors facebook account for offers, information and inspiration ...
https://www.facebook.com/LisaRatcliffeTC/

The travel bug is incurable! Once it is in your blood you are addicted for life! My love of travel led to my desire to work in the industry, from where I have attempted to spread my enthusiasm to clients and to make dreams come true.


Now I would like to do the same for you!


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

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My Blog

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

Aspects of Italy

04 August 2020

At Christmas in 2018, my brother-in-law and his wife mooted the idea of a group of us going away together to celebrate their significant wedding anniversary. They would sort out the accommodation and the rest of us just had to find our way there! They had sourced the most amazing farmhouse near Sansepolcro in Tuscany where a group of 26 of us would all meet up for a week of celebrations! Well, it would have been rude not to! Gradually, the idea came together and in August of 2019 my husband, my two daughters (22 and 18) and I set off to Italy. Now, being a travel agent, I was never *just* going to go to the farmhouse – goodness me, no! I had a plan and the rest of the family were happy to let me roll with it – they are used to letting me plan everything when it comes to holidays! I have been booking rail journeys in Italy for many years, but had never actually used the Italian rail network, so this was the ideal opportunity to see how it all worked. I booked all our tickets online prior to travel to avoid queuing at ticket booths or using machines that might be complicated…this is something I would highly recommend as it took away any possible worry and stress. First of all, we flew out of Birmingham to Pisa. Three out of four of us had never seen the Leaning Tower, so we decided to stay in Pisa for a night and ‘do’ The Tower. From Pisa Airport to Pisa city centre station there is an automated ‘Pisa Mover’ shuttle, which runs about every 5-8 minutes and takes about 5 minutes. We stayed in a tiny, three bedroom B&B about 10 minutes easy walk from the station, called Audrey and Me – with an Audrey Hepburn theme! We arrived mid-afternoon, grabbed some lunch and then explored the local area. We actually all fell in love with Pisa! In the streets away from the tower, it was very quiet, giving the opportunity to stroll and get lost in the maze of pretty streets. Suddenly, we became aware of some cool jazz music floating around the streets, so followed the sound until we came to the River Arno. There, built right next to the water was a beautiful little bar with a floating restaurant. We stopped for a drink and to listen to the band playing as dusk fell – perfect! From there we strolled the streets and chose a restaurant for dinner. The next morning we were up and out early as the temperatures were set to soar into the late 30’s. We made our way, through the increasingly busy streets, to the Piazza dei Miracoli where the Leaning Tower is located, along with its amazing architectural companions… the Baptistery, Cathedral and Camposanto Monumentale. I had visited back in the 1980’s and had viewed the Tower from afar, but this time, as the crowds had not yet formed, we could get remarkably close to the incredible structure. Later that afternoon we walked back to the station to catch our train to Florence. The station was easy to navigate and we had no problem finding our platform. The train was punctual and about an hour later we arrived in Florence. Again, I had arranged a small hotel about 10 minutes walk from the station. Food was our first priority and we found a superb little Pizzeria located down a tiny side street close to our hotel. From there we went off to explore Florence by foot. Such a beautiful city with stunning architecture at every turn. It is much busier than Pisa though, so do prepare for crowds! We admired the imposing Gothic Duomo, strolled across the medieval Ponte Vecchio, spanning the Arno River and explored the Squares and the quieter back-streets away from the crowds. The following day we made another early start and caught the Hop On- Hop Off bus close to our hotel. As our time was limited, we found it an excellent way to see the sights and listen to the interesting commentary en route. The route took us to the Piazza Michelangelo, a wonderful viewpoint on a hill on the south bank of the Arno River which affords the most magnificent panoramic views of the City. Later that afternoon we made our way to the station and continued on our final part of the journey to Arezzo. Again, the train was efficient and prompt. We were met at the station by relatives and driven about 30 minutes to the farmhouse that they had rented near Sansepolcro. Villa Santarsa was located approximately 4.5km uphill (and 800 metres above sea-level) from the pretty little town of Sanspolcro. The drive up that hill was quite an experience, but once up at the Villa, the view was absolutely beautiful! The farmhouse was incredible, a typical Tuscany Villa dating back to 1500 – with 13 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms – plenty of room for all 26 of us! It had a lovely pool and surrounding patio, which took full advantage of the fantastic views, a barbeque, a huge outside dining area, several kitchens and a great old pizza oven. We spent a relaxing and quiet week there, eating, drinking, wine tasting, celebrating birthdays, dancing, swimming during the day, swimming at night fully clothed (ahem!), reading, chatting, laughing, walking and one memorable evening when we actually handmade 26 pizzas for everyone! On the last evening of our stay, we all ventured down in to the cute little town of Sansepolcro where we found lovely squares hosting live music, winding streets and great restaurants. Our journey home went like clockwork which was amazing considering we went by car to Sansepolcro, local bus to Arezzo, one train back from Arezzo to Florence, one train back from Florence to Pisa and then the PisaMover back to Pisa Airport. I was pretty impressed with my Travel Counsellor (ie. ME!) when we arrived at the airport, exactly when I had predicted, in plenty of time to check-in! We enjoyed a fabulous trip, all fell in love with Italy (again), and I, in my work capacity as a Travel Counsellor, gained masses of confidence and experience in selling multi-centres using the excellent rail system. There are umpteen different combinations of cities/destinations that you could visit throughout Italy and I would love to work on the ideal combination for you. Please contact me if this is something that interests you.

The Ratcliffe's Thai Adventure

10 August 2018

Last November, I was 50 and, on the same day, my eldest daughter was 21 - cause for big celebration! So, it was decided that we would do a ‘BIG’ family holiday this year. After working through several ideas and itineraries, we finally settled on Thailand and so it was then down to me to create the perfect itinerary! (No pressure then!) Over the past couple of years, I have been very much aware of a fantastic place called Elephant Hills and have always fancied visiting, so that was inevitably built into our trip. The final itinerary was decided as Bangkok, Elephant Hills – Elephant Camp, Elephant Hills – Rainforest Lake Camp and then Khao Lak as our beach resort. Because of the time of year that we had to travel (dictated by Graduations, A levels, driving tests etc), I was very much aware that we would be travelling in low season – Green Season (AKA Wet Season!). Initially, I was a little worried about this, but after speaking to numerous seasoned Thailand visitors, then I was reassured that the rain would not spoil anything we did. I duly arranged and booked the itinerary, including private transfers at every point for us and, on 01 July, we set off on our adventure – very much out or our comfort zone, but looking forward to exploring a new continent! We arrived in Bangkok to a raging storm and rain like I had never seen before! After leaving the dry, heatwave in the UK, I was beginning to question if I had made the right decision! Luckily, by the time we had cleared security and were met by our driver, then the worst was over, and it was dry by the time we arrived at our hotel. Bangkok is a mad mix of heat, traffic congestion, heat, modern architecture, heat, temples, heat, ancient architecture, heat, modern shopping malls with great A/C, heat, great food, heat, lovely, cool parks, mopeds... and we loved it! Three nights there was long enough to get a taste of this vibrant city! Oh - did I mention the heat?! We visited temples, The Floating Market, a peaceful park, a fantastic shopping mall – Terminal 21, and did lots of walking around the busy streets, just soaking up the atmosphere! We stayed at the Rembrandt Hotel which was in a great location just moments from the main road and Skyrail station. After the initial storm that we arrived in, we were very lucky and had perfect weather for the rest of our stay. Our next two nights at Elephant Hills were the complete antithesis of Bangkok. We flew down to Phuket and were then transported through the most lush, green landscape to the Elephant camp where, after being kayaked down the Sok River, we experienced the highlight of our trip, watching and interacting with the elephants. Watching them bathe, preparing their food, feeding them and then showering and cleaning them - such a surreal and emotional experience - and VERY wet! Our accommodation, in the tents, was so much fun. This was definitely glamping! Although you are under canvas, you still have all the comforts of a proper loo and shower, comfy bed, electricity etc. Such an experience sleeping with the sounds of the rainforest literally right outside your door! (Thanks to the cicadas who kept me awake!) The second of the two nights, in the floating tents was one of the most peaceful and serene places that I have ever been. The tents were virtually identical to the previous camp but were floating on a pontoon in the beautiful Cheow Larn Lake. They can only be reached by boat and we took the hour's journey in a traditional long-tailed boat - fabulous! Just sitting on the deck listening to the monkeys, gibbons, birds, and cicadas was so amazingly tranquil. Swimming in the emerald green lake in the middle of ancient rainforest - again, a 'pinch yourself' moment. Switching off all phones and devices because there was no Wi-Fi, was so refreshing and served to literally connect you with nature again. There were activities to keep everyone happy, which my girls took part in, but we were content just staring at and absorbing the incredible view and reading on our deck! Another change of scenery for our final week, when we travelled to Khao Lak on the Andaman Sea coast. Infamously, decimated during the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, Khao Lak is now a flourishing small town with great bars and restaurants, and many fantastic beach-front resort hotels. We spent our week at the lovely Moracea by Khao Lak Resort which was directly on the gorgeous beach and was beautifully landscaped, with many pools scattered throughout the grounds. Our stay there was all about the relaxation, but punctuated with visits to the turtle sanctuary, Tsunami Museum and Memorial, a Thai Cookery lesson on my husband’s birthday and even some fun towel folding for a laugh! I am pleased to say that every single element of the itinerary that I had planned went like clockwork and it was great for me to experience, first hand, the service that all my clients get. Yes, it did rain in the Rainforest (which it will do any time of year!) and we did have one full day of rain in Khao Lak (we still went out to visit the Turtle Sanctuary that day), along with a mix of overcast days (still hot!) and sunny days, so the weather was , as I had been reassured, not a worry and I would 100% visit at the same time of year again. Thailand is the most beautiful and fascinating country and the Thai people are the kindest, most thoughtful, patient, efficient and smiley people that you could ever meet. It is a huge country, offering a huge range of itinerary combinations, so if you are interested in Thailand as the destination for your next holiday, then please do contact me and I can talk through all the options with you and tell you even more about our amazing trip! NB:- I am really limited with the amount of photos that I can post here, but if you would like to see more of our (several hundred!) images, then please contact me and I will provide links to more for you to browse through.

Marina di Ragusa - Sicily

28 September 2017

Back in August, my family and I travelled to Sicily, to stay in the south-east area of Marina di Ragusa. Sicily was chosen because we had never been and my daughters (17 and 20) wanted to experience an Italian holiday! We flew from Birmingham to Comiso, which was such an easy trip. Birmingham only being 45 mins up the road from here and the transfer from the airport to the hotel being the same length of time. We were in reception of the hotel by 10am, enjoying a Bucks Fizz! The hotel we chose was the Sentido Acacia Marina and we had booked rooms with sea view. The view was gorgeous to wake up to every day and well worth the little extra money. The rooms were beautifully decorated and immaculately clean. It is an all inclusive property which is quite unusual for Sicily, but we were very much aware of the dreadful exchange rate and how expensive it can be to eat out in Sicily, so we thought we would choose all inclusive so that we would know that meals and drinks were taken care of. Now - I say that it was an all inclusive, but it was not your run of the mill, 'keep the Brits happy' kind of food! It was amazing, freshly prepared Sicilian food - most of it locally sourced and was fantastic. There was always lots of seafood and fish - in fact, more fish choices than meat choices which was great for me, as a pescetarian! The local wine, beer and Procescco were available at both lunch and dinner, which was very much appreciated! All meals were buffet style, but the restaurant was never busy and you could sit wherever you chose. There is one bar that served the all inclusive drinks until 11pm in the evening. There were just 2 cocktails on the all inclusive list, but I was more than happy with that! The hotel was very quiet and relaxed (indicative of the Sentido brand), with very few children. There were a couple of toddlers and then a few young teens, but they could be counted on one hand. The pool was always quiet and I never saw more than a dozen people in it at one time. It has a couple of slides, but they were barely used. Around the pool are plenty of sunbeds and not once did we have trouble getting a good position. Saving the beds is simply not tolerated and so, nobody does it - such a revelation! At the poolside there are 3 huge hot-tubs, which were lovely to sit and wallow in for a while. The only thing lacking at the hotel is evening entertainment, although that didn't worry us as we always walked into the village - a very pleasant, flat 15 minute walk along the seafront.There was a singer in the hotel for a couple of evenings, but, with the greatest of respect, he really wasn't our cup of tea at all! The village was literally buzzing with life in the evenings and so lovely to stroll there to have drink or to people watch. The weekend evenings there were professionally organised shows in the main square which were fantastic and attended by all the locals. The beach was literally a 3 minute walk from the hotel. Being all inclusive entitled you to a table and two umbrellas on the beach at no charge. It was a lovely beach and the bath-water temperature sea was shallow for quite some way, making it ideal for children. There are watersports available on the beach, but we did not indulge! We took a trip to Ragusa Ibla (which you will see in my photos) - the most amazing UNESCO protected town, set into the hillside. It was an evening trip because, when lit up, the whole area is absolutely stunning! We were there long enough to have a meal - which was actually very reasonably priced - and to have a meander around the gorgeous little cobbled streets, admiring the amazing architecture. We did walk to the local market in Marina di Ragusa. It was not massive, but the fruit and veg stalls were a sight to behold. We bought some enormous nectarines to enjoy by the pool and some Sicilian lemons to bring home, which certainly lived up to their reputation! The other thing we did was to hire bikes. This could be done through reception and was 12 euros per person for a whole day. We decided that it was far too hot to cycle during the day, so we hired ours for half a day to cycle along the coast to Punta Secca where the sunset was said to be incredible. We set out along the cycle path that runs to the edge of Marina di Ragusa, but were then cycling along roads; it was not busy so it was not a concern. We had a very pleasant ride to Punta Secca where we saw the famous sunset. We had to start back immediately because, as soon as the sun sets, it goes dark very quickly. Unfortunately, in the failing light we managed to get lost! What followed was a bit traumatic and something we don't ever want to repeat, involving ending up on big roads in total darkness, negotiating roundabouts, cycling round half of Sicily (it seemed!!) and one daughter having a panic-attack! We did make it back safely in the end, and we can laugh about it now!! We thoroughly enjoyed Sicily and the Acacia Marina. I would probably say that one week was enough there or you would get bored. It is an ideal hotel/area to include as part of a tour of Sicily, perhaps. If you do have any questions about this area or hotel, then I would be happy to talk to you in more detail.

Gran Canaria - Puerto de Mogan...Cordial Mogan Playa Hotel

19 September 2016

My husband, our two teenage daughters (15 and 19) and I stayed at the Cordial Mogan Playa for seven nights at the beginning of July. Over my years working in travel, I have sent many clients to this hotel (some more than once) and always liked the look of it, so this year we decided that we deserved some sunshine and to treat ourselves! We booked the half board plus option which gave us breakfast and evening meal – including our drinks. This worked out better value than paying a drinks bill at the end of the week. On arrival at the hotel we were rendered speechless at the stunning entrance/reception/atrium which was incredibly beautiful and cool, with a pianist playing (some evenings this was a guitarist or a saxophonist). We arrived late at about 9.30pm, but the very considerate receptionist took our passports, said he would take care of the paperwork and sent us off to the dining room immediately before it closed at 10pm. When we went back everything was ready for us, including a chilled glass of cava or orange juice! We were shown to our room by a bell-boy, who took our luggage ahead of us on a trolley. Our room was just lovely and directly overlooking one of the two huge pools – just beautiful! The room had everything you needed and even an excellent hairdryer, which is often not the case! There was a small fridge which was ideal for cooling the bottles of water and few beers we bought from the supermarket, which was literally about a three minute walk away. There was also a kettle and some mugs, but you would have to snaffle a few teabags from breakfast as those weren’t provided. The air-conditioning was great, once we had realised that the balcony door had to be closed for it to work! The pool nearest to our room was the ‘quiet pool’ where it was mostly adults – chilling, reading and snoozing under the many umbrellas and in the shade of the palm trees. There was no shortage of sun loungers – all with really comfy mattresses. The second pool was where the Animation Team based themselves and where we found ourselves spending most of the week! Both pools also had hot-tubs which were great for relaxing in! My daughters and I took part in the aqua aerobics every day, followed by watching the highly amusing water polo and then, in the afternoon there were cocktail making classes which were a huge amount of fun. There really was something for everyone if you wanted to take part. The hotel grounds can only be described as utterly stunning. They covered a large area which made for a lovely evening stroll, with every inch beautifully maintained. It was like wandering through a botanical garden with many different types of plant and trees. There was even a cactus garden which was fascinating, along with streams, wooden bridges and waterfalls! The hotel itself also has its own archaeological site, just a short walk uphill from the hotel. This walk is made all the more fun by a bar and fantastic view from the top, right across Puerto de Mogan. For lunch, we would wander along the promenade to the little village and harbour – probably about a 10 minute leisurely stroll away along a flat and attractive promenade - and have our meal overlooking the pretty beach. The village was made up of the restaurant-lined promenade along the beach, a pretty area of little lanes and tiny shops and then the harbour area where you could pick up boat trips along the coast, or the Yellow Submarine trip that we took. It is an up-market resort and you are not troubled by time-share hawkers like we were when we went to Puerto Rico for a morning. One of the main delights of this hotel for us was the food! It was simply amazing! Breakfast consisted of every breakfast food imaginable and then some! You could have something different every day and still not have worked your way through all the choices! The buffet evening meal was equally amazing – again with something for everyone. One of my favourites was the station where they cooked fresh fish to order for you. There was also a meat station, which my husband said was excellent too. There was actually too much to list and, again, you could have something different every night. Our evenings were mostly spent in the hotel. There was nightly entertainment in the main bar area if you wanted to watch that or there we many other lovely areas to sit around with one of their fabulous cocktails! We did wander down into the village for a drink occasionally. It was very quiet and the entertainment was mainly restaurant based, with the odd bar for a quiet drink. All in all, we had such a wonderful time that we didn’t want to come home. We genuinely wished that we had booked for two weeks instead of just one. The hotel seemed to cast a spell of relaxation over you and it was the ideal place to rest and enjoy the incredible surroundings. I honestly cannot recommend this hotel highly enough! I now know why people go back time and time again and I know that we will certainly be going back in the near future!

Family holiday to Kaprun - Austria

05 October 2014

My husband, daughters of 17 and 14 and I travelled with Inghams to Kaprun in August and, after a horrendous flight delay, we arrived at the chalet, late in the evening, about 9 hours after our expected arrival time. We were greeted by the happy, smiling, welcoming faces of Dolores and Ebony who had been waiting for us. They whisked our cases away and ushered us straight into the dining room for our wonderful 3 course meal. From that first impression - we knew that we were going to enjoy staying in the Chalet! The girls - Dolores, Ebony, Molly and Natasha - were the most fantastic hosts and each meal time was full of fun and smiles. And singing! The meals were nothing short of superb! Canapes were served in the little lounge prior to us being called through to the dining room where a 3 course meal of excellent proportions greeted us. Wine flowed throughout the whole meal and was also of a good quality. Breakfast was a buffet with a good choice of meats, breads, cereals plus freshly cooked boiled eggs and porridge if you wished. The staff had one day off during the week which was a great chance to eat out. The rooms were clean and modern, with comfy beds and great pillows! It was lovely to have the balcony that ran along outside all the rooms and we would often sit there with a drink and a book. The fact that the chalet only has 9 rooms means that you really get to chat to and get to know the other guests. We had a lovely crowd staying at the same time as us and we always had a good chat and laugh in the evenings. The chalet is perfectly located about a 5 minute stroll from the village centre and there is lots to see and do - both in the immediate area and on the excursions. We did the walk with Dolores to the Sigmund Thun gorge located just outside the village centre. This was an easy walk to and up through the Gorge and then around the beautiful lake at the top. It was easy to catch the bus into Zell am See, which we did to eat out and look round the midweek festival (summer only). The buses do not run back very late, but taxis are very easy to find by the railway station. Zell was lovely but obviously very busy because of the festival. We walked half way around the lake - which took longer than we thought! If you do decide to do this and want to catch one of the ferries back across, then allow plenty of time to get between ferry pick up points. We came very close to missing the last ferry of the day! We also took the excursion to Grossglockner along the High Alpine Road. We were so lucky with the weather as it was clear and sunny and the views were spectacular. It was an amazing day out and thoroughly recommended. Sadly, the weather for our trip to Salzburg was not so kind and it poured down ALL day! We chose NOT to have a city guide and, with hindsight, realised that this was a mistake and would advise anyone taking the trip to definitely invest in the extra money to have someone show you round. We don't feel that we made the most of the day because of that - but we did have an excellent lunch that day! We also went on the trip to Krimml Falls that was included by Inghams. This is also a trip well worth taking. The Falls are spectacular! You do have to be very fit for the climb though and it is very busy - but definitely worth persevering! We love Austria and have visited different resorts in the past, but we would definitely look at doing the Chalet option again as it was so friendly, informal and fun.

A Pre-Christmas Break in Chester

02 October 2013

In December 2012 we decided to treat ourselves to a weekend break in Chester before the onslaught of Christmas! We stayed on a Friday and Saturday night at a hotel just outside the city centre called The Grosvenor Pulford Hotel and Spa. It was ideally located just a few minutes’ drive from the park and ride car park for the buses into the city centre. We were greeted by some of the friendliest staff and directed to our room. On opening the door we were amazed by what awaited us! An enormous, super-king size bed was located in one area of the suite with a wardrobe and dressing area, plus a bathroom of huge proportions - with two washbasins, a standalone rainfall shower (big enough for two) and the largest, deepest bath I have ever seen! You could even watch TV from the bath on a screen within the mirror! That evening, tired after the journey, we decided to eat in the hotel and had a superb meal in their public bar. The hotel was beautifully decorated in readiness for Christmas and the attention to details was incredible. Breakfast the following morning was wonderful! If you fancied it - it was there! From at least five different types of muesli through to a full English - all were perfectly cooked. Well fuelled after breakfast, we spent the whole day in Chester. We walked around the city walls which is an easy stroll taking in the sights of the River Dee, the Roman ruins, the racecourse, the castle, the cathedral and the beautiful black and white historical buildings. After the obligatory afternoon tea in one of the many tea shops, we visited the remarkable cathedral which boasts the most amazing organ! We spent a lovely time wandering around and had the additional bonus of the choir practising for their Christmas services...such a beautiful sound! As the winter evening got darker, we made our way to the Christmas market which twinkled prettily next to the Town Hall - another impressive building! The Victorian Christmas Market housed in wooden, chalet-style stalls, offers the opportunity to buy unusual Christmas gifts, clothing, food and drink. By this time our feet were aching and so we made our way back to the hotel for a relaxing bath before dinner. The next day, after a very leisurely breakfast, we checked out the rest of the gorgeous hotel, finding an award-winning spa, Indoor pool, Jacuzzi, gym, steam room, sauna and the most beautiful and peaceful oriental spa garden where you are encouraged to relax and spend quiet time sitting undisturbed on comfortable outside sofas. Eventually we had to drag ourselves away and start our homeward journey, but we felt refreshed and ready to take on Christmas with renewed vigour! If you would like to find out more about this beautiful city and fantastic hotel, then please do not hesitate to contact me..

Cabanas de Tavira - The Algarve

18 September 2012

In my many years of travelling I had never been to Portugal, but after many recommendations from fiends, we decided to try it out. We purposely chose the quieter, less developed, resort of Cabanas de Tavira which has fewer tourists. The resort is only a 40 minute drive from Faro airport, located on the Ria Formosa Natural Reserve. Due to its location, development is not allowed which means that the area is open and free from high rise buildings. Cabanas does not sit directly on a beach, but a fun, two minute boat ride takes you to the most wonderful 7km white sand island beach. Once on the beach, all you can see are the dunes and the water – it really is beautiful! The (very small) town itself has a cobbled road lined with cafes and restaurants. During the day the town is quiet, but in the evening it becomes a vibrant centre with people eating out in the cafes and restaurants. There is also a wooden boardwalk that stretches along the front...a lovely place for a gentle stroll. From here you can catch little boat trips that will take you for tours around the Nature Reserve. We did this one day and were lucky enough to see a flock of flamingos flying overhead which was amazing! You can also take pleasant walks along the coast and past the 17th century fort of São João da Barra, to discover lots of interesting flora and fauna – interesting for children and adults alike. We stayed in the Pedras da Rainha complex, which is a large ‘village’ of apartments and villas, set in beautifully landscaped gardens. There is large pool, pool bar, restaurant and small supermarket on the complex, with plenty of grassy areas to sunbathe or find shade. We were allocated a fantastic villa with two large bedrooms, bathroom, lounge/diner and fully equipped kitchen (all with air conditions which I would definitely recommend!) There was also a big terrace area with outside barbeque and an enormous roof terrace with shower and fabulous views across the grounds! We stayed on a half board basis but most of the other residents were self-catering and so the restaurant was often very quiet. Due to the small number of guests eating, the choice of food at the buffet was minimal, but there was enough to suit us all and the food was well cooked. Breakfast was basic with no hot food. If you are a food lover then I would recommend staying on a self-catering basis and taking advantage of the wonderful restaurants in the town! One day we chose to take a taxi into nearby Tavira. This is a very traditional, Algarvian town and we had a lovely time strolling around the little streets and along the river, stopping once or twice for a drink and some lunch in the pavement cafes. There is a very picturesque Roman bridge and at least 20 churches to explore – perfect for anyone looking for a bit of culture. From Cabanas, it is also easy to reach one of the many Waterparks that the Algarve offers. We visited 'Slide and Splash' which was a brilliant, full day out with enough slides and pools to keep everyone happy! Perfect if you are taking children with you! We fully enjoyed our visit to the Eastern Algarve and would certainly recommend it to other families. There is enough to do to keep children entertained but, by staying in the quieter and more remote town, it is also perfect for couples who like a quieter type of holiday.

Educational Study Trip to Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

18 October 2011

In September, I was lucky enough to be invited to take part in an educational visit to Germany, courtesy of the German National Tourist Office. This was to be a taste of wine, culture and nature in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. The trip was a mere 4 days duration, but it was so well organised and executed, and covered so much in such a short time, that it felt as if we had been there a week! We travelled at the time of the beautiful Indian summer, which extended from the UK into Europe, and this only served to enhance the entire experience even more. The group I was in was very small...just 6 of us and the accompanying GNTO representative. This was an ideal size and we all got on so well together! An early start from Birmingham meant that the first day was still able to be a full day. After meeting the rest of the group we were transferred to Mainz where we were given a tour of the city, followed by a wonderful lunch. We checked in at our hotel and conducted a hotel inspection before changing ready to attend the Red Wine Festival in Ingelheim. Here we tasted 8 locally produced wines, new for the season, and were again treated to wonderful food! The following day we travelled to a family-run vineyard in Alzey-Dautenheim. There the lovely elderly vinter took time away from his harvesting to give us a tour of his amazing vineyard on the back of a tractor-pulled covered wagon. We then stopped to sample his exceptional wine on the side of the hill, in glorious sunshine. It was an incredible experience! We then went on to a 4 course lunch, accompanied by 6 more wines to taste! The following visit to Hambacher Castle was interesting, but after the big lunch and wine, it was a struggle to walk up the steep hill to the castle! A short drive from there took us to the Town of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, which was a beautiful little town, introduced to us by a fascinating guide. Surprisingly, the tour was finished by yet another glass of wine! We were then transferred to our hotel in Schifferstadt, which was an interesting combination of traditional on the outside and very contemporary inside. A hotel inspection was followed by the second four course meal of the day! The next day we travelled to Bad Durkheim where we had to earn our lunch by first of all taking a 5km hike! This was made easy by the fact that the woods were so beautiful and tinged by autumn colours. The views down across the town were magnificent. When we finally got down to the town, lunch was provided at the World's Biggest Wine Barrell, which was amazing! We then had a tour of the town, taking in the incredibly pretty Kurpark and the unique Salines...a colossal wooden structure, used, years ago to extract salt from the underground water, but today used as a medicinal attraction to help with breathing problems. A walk around the gargantuan blackthorn twig 'filters' proved bracing and really did clear the lungs! The evening was spent at a winery for an entertaining and educational tasting of another 8 wines, followed by another wonderful dinner at the local brassiere! The last day we travelled to Bingen on the banks of the awesome river Rhine, where we were escorted around a lovely museum to learn a little history of the area. From there we travelled to nearby Oberwesel, still on the banks of the Rhine where lunch was, again followed by wine and a tour of the pretty little town. Sadly, after this, we had to make our way back to Frankfurt airport in readiness for the flights home. The whole experience was fantastic from start to finish and a perfect way to be introduced to the area. It is an area that is often over-looked by people as a holiday destination, but I have really had my eyes opened and now appreciate all the area has to offer. If you are even in the slightest bit interested in visiting this area of Europe, then please give me a call for a chat. I made many valuable and helpful contacts on my trip, all exceptionally right proud of the area in which they live, who will be happy to assist me in making any visit of yours just as special as mine was!

Kranjska Gora - Slovenia (ex-Yugoslavia)

28 September 2011

For this year’s family holiday we were looking for something along the lines of our Austrian holiday a few years ago. We all love beautiful scenery, mountains, rivers, wildlife and being able to get out and about. After much deliberation we settled on Kranjska Gora in Slovenia. It’s not a very well known destination, but somewhere that looked like it could offer all we wanted. We left Stansted in very unseasonable August temperatures of 13.5 degrees and torrential rain and arrived, just a short 1hr 45 min flight later, into glorious sunshine, blue skies and a rather amazing 30 degrees! Our transfer by minibus was incredibly scenic and took about fifty minutes, door to door. Our chosen hotel, The Grand Prisank could not have been any more centrally located in the middle of the village, with a supermarket opposite, several café bars within a two minute walk, the Tourist Information Office next door-but-one and two cycle hire places a minute away. We decided to hire bicycles one day and planned our route over the border into Italy. The cycle paths are well signed and maintained. The route was an easy one, although all on a slightly uphill gradient coming back! About 2km into Italy we discovered a tiny restaurant in the middle of nowhere that, in fact, looked as if you were going into someone’s front room to eat! There were no menus and very little English spoken, but the waitress did manage to explain to us what was being cooked that day. We experienced one of the most wonderful pasta dishes I have ever tasted! The great thing was that we didn’t need to worry about a change of currency either. There are many other cycle ways, all keeping you well away from any main roads and you can even cycle all the way to bleed if you have that kind of energy/stamina! From Kranjska Gora it was very easy to take a local bus to Lake Bled…a pleasant 50 minute drive away. Bled is a beautiful small town on the lake. We walked around the lake which took us about 2 hours with LOTS of stopping for photos and to feed the ducks and swans! Whilst we were there, it was also the World Rowing Championships, which was something we hadn't expected at all and were very exciting to watch! Whilst there we also took a pony and trap ride around the town which was huge fun! Because Kranjska Gora is a ski resort in the winter, it has many ski lifts to enable you to reach the higher walking trails if you wish, but there are many easier mapped walks if you are not into serious hiking! There is even a road walk of just 20 minutes to the most stunning Lake Jasna, just outside the village. The scenery here is to die for and picture-postcard perfect! You are also able to walk along the dry river bed and paddle in the crystal clear water (if you don’t mind chilly water!) In KG, there was also a summer toboggan run! You take the chair lift up to the first station and then get in a toboggan and whizz back down the side of the mountain on a metal rail. My husband and eldest daughter found it challenging to see who could zip down the fastest without braking! I, needless to say, was much more cautious! From KG, you can also take a trip into the Julian Alps. The engaging journey takes you up 24 hairpin bends and down 26 hairpin bends, but it offers stunning views and many interesting stops en route! It is a whole day trip but so worth it! I would recommend KG and this area of Slovenia to anyone looking for a change from a beach holiday, people who like quieter destinations and those who like to be a bit active on their holiday. If you think KG may be the place for you, then please do not hesitate to ring me for a chat about the destination.

Early Summer Family holiday to Croatia

13 June 2010

We arrived into Dubrovnik airport at 8pm after a short flight delay, but found a taxi easily and after a 10 minute journey we arrived at the hotel Epidaurus, which is located a very pleasant 20 minute stroll from the village of Cavtat. The check-in was efficient and we were shown to our room on the ground floor. The room itself was incredible with a lounge area with flat-screen TV, an enormous kingsize bed, a second room with twin beds for my daughters and then a huge bathroom with a great shower big enough for two! The decor was modern and fresh with laminate floors. Outside was a terrace with the most amazing view across a small shaded garden area directly to the beach. The hotel was spotlessly clean, with pretty pastel coloured buildings and spacious grounds with trees, flowers, fountains and a park for youngsters. The Epidaurus is located directly on a small pebble beach, with some of the clearest, cleanest water you could ever wish to see! Ideal for snorkelling! The beach was raked every morning to keep it clean and clear of any seaweed.There were plenty of plastic sunloungers that you could locate on the beach or on the paths around the beach which were shaded. Further along the beach was the pool. This wasn't huge which might be an issue in the height of the season, but whilst we were there, it was easy to find space. Next to the pool is a beach bar and restaurant where the all inclusive drinks were available from 11am until 6pm. This was the most wonderful setting, looking out over the sea. The all inclusive food was exceptional! A massive choice awaited you at each meal....something for everyone, show-cooking in the evenings, and everything piping hot. The kitchen was on full display through windows and was so clean it actually looked unused! All inclusive drinks were available at self-service machines all day and from 3pm home made cakes were served in two of the bars. The dining room was big and airy, but we chose to eat out on the terrace with the wonderful views across the sea and in the evenings we experienced the most stunning sunsets. The staff of the Epidaurus were just lovely! They were helpful, attentive, funny, friendly and could all speak perfect English. The animation team were great fun and would try and encourage you to join in with their fun and games around the pool, but were not pushy if you preferred to sit undisturbed and read a book. The evening entertainment was normally a small show, singing, dancing etc...which was fun and produced with enthusiasm and enjoyment by the animation team! Just outside the hotel was a small one-way road with very little traffic. This road runs all the way to the village of Cavtat, past the sister hotel the Iberostar Albatros and past a few bars/restaurants. There are also many boat trips that you can pick up along the seafront here. We chose to go on a glassbottom boat around the smaller offshore islands. The seabed was interesting, but eventually the movement of the boat and watching the seabed conspired to make three out of four of us feel a little iffy! We preferred to spend our time on the top of the boat taking in the stunning scenery! You could also pick up a boat here to Dubrovnik...about 30-40 minutes away. We did this one day and spent a lovely morning walking around the walls of the Old Town and admiring fantastic views. Dubrovnik is a beautiful city and offers much in the way of historical interest, great cafes and restaurants and the biggest ice-creams I have ever seen! If you continue the walk around to the village of Cavtat, you will find a pretty little village and harbour. Perfect for sitting having a drink and people-watching. There are a few souvenir shops but it is, in the main, uncommercialised. You can take a short-cut into the village or continue around the peninsular discovering crystal clear rock pools en route. I would recommend both Cavtat and The Epidaurus to anyone....families, couples, older travellers.The area has something to appeal to everyone (except those who like a full on nightlife!). It is relaxing and breath-taking in it's beauty and has a fascinating history. If you would like to know anything else about our holiday to Croatia, then please give me a call!

Travel Counsellors Annual Conference in Marbella

01 December 2008

Having just completed my first full year at Travel Counsellors, I was given the opportunity to attend the annual Conference which, this year, took place in the swish, up-market resort of Marbella. My husband and I stayed at the 5 star NH Alanda Hotel which is located half way between the resorts of Marbella and Puerto Banus. This relatively new hotel is beautifully clean and efficient and benefits from and indoor and an outdoor swimming pool, spa facilities and a sports area. The bedroom was beautifully decorated and has solid wood floors, which were lovely...until your neighbours, either above or next door to you came home from a night out in their heels! The bathrooms were luxurious with a separate area for the bath, toilet and bidet. Breakfast was taken in another building where the reception area was and was an excellent selection of cereals, cakes, hams, cheeses, fruit juices etc. The chefs would even prepare individual omelettes for you whilst you waited. Being located between these two resorts means that it is possible to visit both easily. We could either walk, but it is a fair step to each of about 40 minutes, or there is a bus that runs up and down the main road outside the hotel. There is a distinct lack of local bars, cafes and restaurants though. My husband and I looked for somewhere to have lunch locally and after walking around for quite some time, we finally found a small delicatessen/cafe....which was full because everyone else was there! The hotel is not located on the beach. We had to cross a busy main road and walk through another hotels grounds (about 8 minutes) to reach the beach. Once there, the beach is clean and well maintained with several chiringuitos (beach bars) (all closed at the time of our visit). You could have a very pleasant stroll along the beach to Marbella, which would be better than the roadside. As well as the beach, the surrounding area offers the stunning scenery of the Sierra Blanca mountain range, dotted with many white-washed villages such as Mijas; and many fantastically located , world-class Golf Courses. Marbella Old Town is worthy of a visit with its narrow streets, parks and pretty squares. Puerto Banus gave us a brief glimpse into how 'the other half' live, with its stunning array of luxurious yachts and speedboats. On occasion, you may see the rich and famous wandering around...some of my colleagues were lucky enough to see Hugh Grant whilst they were there! We had a wonderful time in this lovely part of the Costa Del Sol and it will continue to be a place that we visit regularly. It is only a short flight away and yet, it really is another world! The weather itself was a million miles from the snow and ice we left behind in the UK. We had marvellous temperatures of between 19 and 21 degrees and vivid blue sky for the whole duration..........fabulous for a short break in November!

An Austrian Summer Experience

28 July 2008

Austria! Not the first place that comes to mind when you think of a family summer holiday! If you are not a beach person or if you are someone who prefers an active holiday then I can highly recommend Austria. Myself and my family went for a week to the resort of Soll in the Tyrol. This is traditionally a ski resort, but has so much to offer in the summer too. The beautiful chocolate-box scenery is just waiting to be discovered and the walks around are open to any ability. Passing through woods, along streams, open fields, alpine meadows, mountain paths....whatever your preference, it is all there for the taking. We also hired bicycles, taking routes that were suitable for our untrained legs! The bike hire staff were so helpful in planning a good route for us, providing correct equipment, maps etc and being generally lovely! Cycling is a pleasure in Austria, with many dedicated cycle paths that keep you away from the busy roads. Our highlight though, was when we took a rafting trip down the river! This was something my husband and I had done on a previous trip to Austria and we wanted our children to experience it. You get all equipped in wet suits, helmets, life jackets etc and launch the dinghy yourselves. We were accompanied by an instructor who guided us down the most beautiful river, through gorges and spectacular, peaceful countryside. We stopped en route for a delicious barbeque and drinks which was a lot of fun. The journey continued down over the border into German and then we were met at the river bank and coached back to our resort. My children (aged 11 and 7) absolutely loved the whole day............highly recommended!! The Village of Soll lies in a valley and is a tiny little village with a gorgeous ornate church and pristine graveyard (this sounds bizarre, but the graveyard really is worth a look around it is so beautifully kept!). We took the Welcome Walk with Crystal Holidays and they told us all about interesting traditions and tales. On a Tuesday evening, a brass band plays in the bandstand of the village...not maybe to everyones taste, but it was great to see real village life! We stayed at a small hotel of only 22 rooms. The staff couldn't have been friendlier and since we have been home, I have emailed the landlady and she wanted my girls to go over and stay with her for the summer! (Now , there's a tempting offer!!). The other guests were equally friendly with most of them on repeat visits of 3/4/5...even one lady spending her 15th (!!) year there! We were on half board basis and although we had only expected basic food, we were treated to 4 courses of ample helpings of delicious home-cooked food! Not good for the waistline, sadly! Along the same Valley lie several other villages, some bigger and some even smaller than Soll. There is a free bus which runs up and down the Valley (the ski bus in winter). You can just jump on and off this bus as you like and go and explore a different village each day if you wish. The bus driver was an experience in himself...never before have I been so entertained by a bus driver, singing songs, cracking jokes etc, for the whole journey! Soll also has a swimming pool which looked lovely. We didn't actually have time to get there though! There is easy access to all the gondola lifts taking you high into the mountains to experience the most stunning views ever. Whilst we were there, the weather was perfect (if a little too warm for much walking on some days). We also experienced some spectacular evening storms, clearing the air for another perfect day to dawn! Austria is one of my favourite countries. If you would like to know anything further about summer holidays there, then please do not hesitate to contact me!

Discovering Jersey

10 May 2008

Throughout my 20 years in travel I had never given Jersey a second thought! My mind was always wandering much further afield! Being in my first 6 months as a Travel Counsellor, the idea of leaving my fledgling business for more than a few days was unthinkable, but I was under pressure from my young daughters to ‘go somewhere on a plane’! We live approx 45 minutes from Coventry Airport... a tiny, but efficient, airport used mainly by Thomsonfly. I researched where we could fly to from Coventry and decided Jersey would be ideal for a short break. I booked myself, my husband and two daughters (11 and 7) into The Metropole Hotel, St Helier for 3 nights. The flight to Jersey is only 39 minutes…ideal for a first flight, or for nervous flyers. On arrival we took a taxi into St Helier. The 20 minute journey was made very entertaining by a chatty taxi driver. He was an example of how friendly everybody was going to be! Check in was quick and we were shown to a lovely big room with twin beds and bunk beds for the girls. That afternoon we wondered round St Helier. It was like going back to how mainland UK used to be some 30-40 years ago...a traditional shopping area with old-fashioned department stores and a fantastic indoor market. We made our way to St Aubin’s Bay, about a 15 minute walk from our hotel. What a gorgeous beach! We were very lucky with the weather and within seconds my daughters were up to their knees in the clear (but cold!) sea! We had chosen half board at the hotel and were presented, that evening, with 4 superb courses. The standard of the food was fantastic and it was all friendly waiter service. The evenings in the hotel consisted of cabaret and bingo, but we preferred to go for a pleasant evening stroll. The next day we made our way to Liberation Station where a helpful assistant advised us the best way to get to Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. After an interesting journey through the narrow, hedge-lined lanes, we reached Durrell. There we spent a terrific day in the wonderful environment created by Gerald Durrell to protect endangered species. It is a beautiful area, with lots of green areas for picnicking. The gorillas were our particular favourites, along with the Orang Utangs. There are informative talks at designated times to educate you about the animals. The next day we took the bus again (so easy and reasonably priced) to The Jersey War Tunnels. This attraction tells the true story of the occupation of Jersey during the Second World War. It may not seem to be the kind of attraction that would appeal to children, but it is done in such a way, using interactives etc, that it even interested my 7 year old! Slightly off-shore at St Helier, lies Elizabeth Castle. Although located in the sea….when the tide goes out, you can walk across a causeway to reach it! This seemed amazing, both to me, and my girls and we had a enjoyable walk out to the castle. If you don’t want to make the 20-25 minute walk, or if you get caught out by the high tide, then you can use an amphibious vehicle instead. We had wanted to rent bicycles and go exploring the Green lanes, where the speed limit for vehicles is only 15 miles an hour. We decided not to do it when we saw that, to get out of St Helier, you had to negotiate a few busy roads…not ideal with two youngsters! We would certainly do it when our children are older. We would like to drift around at our own pace, stopping off at the many idyllic beaches to paddle and picnic. There is so much to do in Jersey, that to be there for only 3 nights, simply wasn’t enough! With so many different resorts to stay in and so much to see and do, you could easily fill a week. I know we can’t wait to go again….it could just become a favourite!

Kracking Krakow!

12 June 2008

Krakow is not the first place that we would have thought about for a city break, but we were encouraged to visit by a friend of ours who lives in Poland. We found it to be the perfect destination for a short city break and very reminiscent of how Prague used to be before it found favour with the stag parties. It is ideal for couples looking for a romantic break! The Main Square (Rynek Glowny) is one of the biggest squares in Europe, bordered by many small cafes, restaurants and a wonderful Church. In the centre of the Square is a 16th Century building known as Cloth Hall. This houses many little 'kiosks' selling anything from amber, to chess sets, to dolls houses. Radiating out from the Square are several cobbled streets, all worth exploring! You never know if you are going to come across a fantastic cake shop or a shop selling thousands of teddy bears! The Old Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz) is another interesting area and is home to the Museum of Judaism....giving a fascinating insight into the lives of some of the Jews during the Occupation. To lighten the mood again after a visit to the Museum, there are a myriad of unusual bars where you can sample the many vodkas on offer. My particular favourite is Zubrowka, served with apple juice....lovely, but extremely potent! In another area of the city you will find Wawel Royal Castle and Wawel Cathedral. These two hold enough history going back at least 1,000 years to satisfy the most particular historian! We also took a visit to Auschwitz. Now this is a place that I felt I HAD to visit, others may feel they would rather not.We took the local bus, taking just over an hour, (which was quite an adventure!), but there are organised trips that can easily be found. It is not a pleasant afternoon out, but it does open one's eyes and educate one to the atrocities that took place there. There are two areas, both sympathetically preserved.... Auschwitz One, with the infamous gateway 'Arbeit Macht Frei' and Birkenau which is a 10 minute bus ride away. Yes, it is harrowing, but we had the choice to leave. (It is recommended that children under the age of 14 do not visit) An important part of any city break, to me, is the food! In Krakow there are hundreds of different places to eat to suit all tastes and pockets! You can choose to eat in rustic eateries, sitting on wooden benches and being served hearty soups and stews. You can go up-market and choose restaurants in converted cellars, or even to be served in a (stationary) horse-drawn carriage! The food and drink were of excellent quality where ever we ate and even as a vegetarian, I never had a problem finding meals to suit me. There are many terrific bars to try too! You can either sit and sip a beer whilst watching the world go by in the Main Square in the afternoon (which we did on several occasions!), or in the evenings, you can disappear into dingy looking doorways, only to find yourself in somewhere that looks like your great-aunts dusty bedroom! There was one particular bar in the Jewish Quarter like this. It even had a wardrobe in it, that you walked through (a la Narnia!) to reach another room! We stayed in a guest house which was located one road back from the Main Square, but, again, there is accommodation to appeal to anyone from basic bed and breakfasts to 4 star luxury. All the people we came across were very friendly, helpful and English is widely spoken. If you think Krakow would appeal to you, then please feel free to give me a call and I will be happy to tell you all about the wonderful time I had there! We WILL be going back!!

My customer stories

Sent by Nicola Tysoe

We have been using Lisa Ratcliffe as our travel agent for a few years now, and she is nothing short of amazing!! With just a budget, dates and a list of 'wants' from our holiday, she comes back with the greatest list of options for us, and every time the one we go with is utterly perfect! Not only this, but Lisa takes all the worry away at every step of the process - even down to checking us in for our flights! This year I had some ill health leading up to our holiday, and Lisa booked assistance for me at the airport, which made what could have been a stressful journey into such an easy, smooth experience. Also knowing that Lisa is just at the end of an email if we have any issues while away gives incredible peace of mind. Lisa is worth her weight in gold!!

Sent by Patrica ODonnell

After deciding to book a holiday to Vietnam and Cambodia, we emailed Lisa with a ‘wish list’ of places we wanted to see and dates we were looking to travel. She came back to us within 24 hours with an itinerary including all flights, transfers, tours and hotels, all within our budget starting in north Vietnam finishing in Cambodia. The holiday was more than we had hoped for, all the hotels were excellent, local guides were brilliant and the tours great. We did have some difficulty with online check in for one of our internal flights, which was quickly resolved with an email to Lisa. Communication throughout was excellent and we would not hesitate in recommending Lisa for your holiday arrangements - in fact, we are putting another list together ready for when normal service resumes!!

Sent by Grace P-H

Lisa is a wonderfully considerate and proactive travel counsellor who we trust to book all our holidays! Lisa consistently finds the best flight and hotel deals (we've tried to match these deals ourselves through Google but Lisa always beats us!). She is very diligent with making sure every aspect of the holiday is looked after from researching activities, checking in our flights and making sure we're having a great time where we're away! She's also excellent at following up after the trip to make sure it's all gone smoothly. Nothing is too much trouble. We have recommended Lisa to all our friends and family and can't thank her enough for helping us create personalised experiences for our couple holidays.

Sent by Terry Deane

Would just like to send out a message in appreciation for Lisa Ratcliffe an Independent Personal Travel Expert at Travel Counsellors. Below is our experience of the holiday that Lisa arranged for us end to end. Lisa handled flights, hotels, excursions, transfers, everything. We would whole heartedly recommend Lisa to anyone booking a holiday with several parts and needing advice and help. Thanks Terry All three of us have agreed it is one of the best holidays we have had. 1) Flights and checking in - faultless 2) Transfers - fantastic. Had great comms and both were early and in constant contact leading upto the pick ups. 3) Excursions - amazing, both exceeded expectations. 4) Hotel - fabulous. Faultless. Everything. Room, staff, food, switching lunch to dinner and dinner to lunch to suit our days. Only fault with hotel was 50% of lifts were given over to refurbishment which means queues and waiting in Ground floor. 5) Attractions, shopping - off the scale 6) Burj Khalif - fantastic. Again limited lifts. Dubai seem to underestimated no of lifts 7) The People - very friendly. Everywhere felt safe even late at night 8) The metro - all we used apart from one taxi ride.

Sent by George Keith

Yet another far east holiday Lisa has arranged for us, everything was perfect, the flights, airport assistance for my wife even, our choice of hotel room We highly recommend Lisa when it comes to organising that special holiday. She is readily available if you do have any questions regarding your holiday. Thanks again for everything. George & Betty Keith

Sent by Anna McCollin-Moore

It was an absolute pleasure organising our holiday using Lisa’s expertise, friendliness and professionalism. She made the whole experience a delight; from listening to our requirements, researching locations and making many changes(patiently) until we were ready to book. Once our holiday was upon us, Lisa took control of everything and the flight/transfer/holiday went like clockwork. I would thoroughly recommend Lisa and her personable and professional approach. Thank you Lisa!

Sent by M&F McIntosh

We have now asked Lisa to help us organise holidays for over 10 years. She has proved time and time again that having a specialist who will work with you to devise exactly the holiday you are looking for is without doubt the best decision. Nothing is too much trouble for her. We have recommended her to many family, friends and colleagues over the years. You will not regret using her!

Sent by Malcolm Isbister

Lisa organised a weekend in Berlin earlier this year for my wife and I and two friends. We were booked on BA and we stayed at the Henri Hotel. Cost for both was very reasonable. The Henri was excellent and full of character as well as being near the centre. The weekend could have ended badly when we received an email from BA telling us that our return flight on Sunday evening was cancelled and the earliest flight available was Monday evening. As much as we would have liked to spend more time in Berlin, business commitments prevented it. Fortunately Lisa came to the rescue and got us on another flight back to Heathrow. If you want a good and stress free travel experience I would certainly recommend Travel Counsellors.

Sent by mark rooksby

I got in touch with Lisa to see if she could arrange a surprise holiday for my wife's 50th birthday. All I had to do was give a budget to work to and a choice of venues. In a very short space of time Lisa came back with various locations to choose from. Once I had picked the venue and informed Lisa what holiday was required, I just sat back whilst she arranged absolutely everything, flights, transfers and accommodation. At all times Lisa kept me updated with how things were going and any other extras that were included. The holiday was a once in a lifetime experience and with Lisa doing all the work it was stress free for me. I would and will definitely use Lisa again. First class service and very professional from start to finish and would highly recommend this service

Sent by Katherine Brown

We had left our holiday to the last minute and because we lead busy lives, approached Lisa to help us sort out a last minute holiday. Lisa came up with various suggestions to different destinations with different price tags. Nothing was too much trouble. Lisa was helpful, efficient and a pleasure to work with. Once we had decided, Lisa booked everything up for us and we enjoyed a lovely holiday in Sicily in 2018. It was everything she said it would be and aside from that, she was not happy until she knew that we had a great holiday. We would have no hesitation in recommending Lisa to others and plan to use her next year!

Sent by Rob Brooks

Lisa organised an amazing two week trip to Vietnam for us this summer. To be honest, I wasn't expecting too much as we had a tight budget and very little lead time; but the holiday was amazing, and the service was seamless. I think if we had booked the holiday ourselves we would have ended up spending more and seeing less ! Do yourselves a favour, throw away that travel brochure and give Lisa a call.

Sent by Andrea Bain

We have booked two holidays with Lisa for our 50th Birthdays in the last year. I can honestly say that each holiday, one to Thailand and one to Barbados have exceeded all expectations. The booking process from the initial enquiry to the quotes and eventual booking has been seamless. Lisa is a complete professional who certainly knows her stuff and will recommend activities and things to see. She also shares her own personal travel experiences. She has a fantastic sense of customer service and I'm sure she books the holiday for you as if she were travelling herself. Both holidays were fantastic and we really felt that we were very well looked after during the whole process. I would recommend Lisa's services to anyone and everyone. She's fantastic!!!

Sent by Rich Beghin

In today's world we tend to move towards using everything online. It seems to be quicker and easier and less hassles. However, one thing that I won't do is ever try and book my flights and hotels online. Lisa has been not only been booking all our company flights for the last 8 years, but also my own personal travel. I cannot say enough on how far she goes to make the travels so hassle free. Always three quotes, thus giving me a quick hassle free choice. She assists in making sure the hotel booked is closest to my meetings, and further more ensures that I am correctly booked in and on the plane. All this gives me total confidence when I travel. It takes the stress out of the travel and allows me to focus on my business or personal travels. I cannot say enough on Lisa's attitude to customer service and wanting a successful trip every time we have used her services. Before you book next time give her a go and just see if she makes a difference to your trip.

Sent by Richard Merrell

I have been working with Lisa for a number of years both personally and professionally to arrange leisure and business travel. Lisa is friendly, knowledgable and professional so the service I receive is second to none. I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Lisa for you travel requirements.

Sent by George and Betty Keith

Having had Lisa organize our holidays on several previous occasions, we had every faith in her doing an excellent job in arranging our latest holiday to Singapore. Everything was exactly as every other occasion, planned top the smallest detail, so once again Lisa thanks a million.

Sent by George and Betty Keith

Having recently had Lisa arrange our holiday in Singapore, as she has done on past occasions, we have had the same satisfaction with her planning / arrangements. Everything was perfect yet again. Please don't be afraid to let Lisa do the same for your holiday.

Sent by Kate Gisbourne

Lisa is so helpful and friendly, she knows exactly what we need from our holiday, and thinks of things we that hadn't even crossed our minds, even choosing flight times to suit our little family. No hassle, no worries - and she always finds us an amazing deal.

Sent by Clair Robinson

Lisa really looked after us from the moment we asked her to find us the dream honeymoon we were looking for. The choice of Resort she recommended and the hotel itself were perfect. She even contacted the hotel to let them know it was our honeymoon which led to a free upgrade to a jacuzzi suite. All in all she helped us make the best two weeks of our life just that. We will definitely be booking through Lisa next year x

Sent by George Keith

In the past few years my wife and I have got Lisa to arrange our holiday. And yet again she has managed to come up trumps, everything to our satisfaction. Please give Lisa the chance to fix up your holiday/s and I can assure, she won't let you down.

Sent by George Keith

For the last few years we have had Lisa plan our long haul holiday and yet again, everything was perfect, - we could not ask for better.

Sent by Deborah Winchester

I am so impressed with the service we received from Lisa that I don't think I will ever book my own holiday again! Lisa listened carefully to exactly what we wanted in our holiday and we were thrilled with the result. We had an amazing time and any small hiccups were sorted out so quickly that we felt we were in safe hands at all times. Lisa was professional, helpful and patient and I trusted her to deliver an amazing holiday. She truly did. Thanks so much to travel counsellors and Lisa in particular. Outstanding customer service!

Sent by George Keith

Again, we had Lisa Ratcliffe organise our Far Eastern holiday and like before, her organisation was first class and we will have no hesitation letting Lisa plan our next overseas venture.We highly recommend her.

Sent by Lesley Stubbings

Always very helpful, cheerful and certainly makes me smile

Sent by terry eskriett

Obviously, getting to the Dordogne in France for our son's wedding without any hitches was of paramount importance and Lisa made it all very easy.With a great deal of communication and reassurance she did a great job.

Sent by Helen Hammans

Lisa sorted my tailor made holiday for me in 2 days! What service! Absolutely marvellous. I have and will continue to recommend her services to anyone.

Sent by George Keith

For the second time, we had Lisa arranging our holiday to the Far East. Again she had everything organised down to perfection. We will certainly be in touch with her, the next time we go on holiday. She is a pleasure to deal with. George & Betty Keith.

Sent by Jayne Petyt

We have just returned from a ski holiday arranged for us by Lisa and have also just booked our summer holiday through her. As ever, her service is second-to-none, going that extra mile for us and taking the hassle out of both choosing and booking a holiday.

Sent by John & Janet Mall

Lisa has been extremely helpful with our travel arrangements, her knowledge and experience is priceless. She stayed in touch whilst we were on holiday, which gave us a greater feeling of security. Lisa followed up on our return and we would not hesitate to use her again. Cannot praise her enough.

Sent by Ian & Paula Cardy

This was the third year we've used Lisa. With a very scant brief Lisa went away and within a couple of days came back with a list of possibilities. Despite changing our mind completely several times, Lisa stuck to the task and found us a great package to Zanzibar. What sets Lisa apart from average Travel Agents is the personal touches, a call before we left to wish us well and also when we landed.

Sent by Jayne Petyt

Lisa has arranged a number of holidays for my family and we have been absolutely delighted with the service we have received. Our latest holiday to Turkey was booked on her recommendation and it was absolutely fabulous. She provides a really personal service - nothing is too much trouble. Consequently we have recommended her to many people who now use her.

Sent by steve bishop

Lisa took great care to find what we were looking for and we were very happy with her input. We will certainly use her services in the future and will recommend her to our friends.

Sent by Melanie Cox

I had never heard of Travel Counsellors before but was recommended to use them and have found it thoroughly useful. It saved me the hours of trawling through holidays and I was sure I got the best deals available. Lisa was very attentive even when I realised I had booked dates to clash with return of school time she did her utmost to help me resolve this. Communication and the personal service was fantastic.

Sent by Peta Stanley

I have used Lisa's travel services on a number of occasions & have never been anything but impressed with the level of service Lisa provides. We have always been to a location & accommodation that has far exceeded our expectations. No job is too much for Lisa & she has always carried each request out with genuine enthusiasm & speed. I would and do recommend Lisa's services to my family/friends.

Sent by peter pounds

I contacted Lisa with vague ideas for a holiday. The dates were specific for daytime flights from Birmingham. The other requirements were more "come up with some ideas for a week in the sun". Lisa got to work straight away, lots of ideas were emailed and discussed as Lisa gradually built up a profile of what I really wanted. We have just returned from a perfect holiday- result! Great service.

Sent by Liz Start

I have found Lisa to be extremely professional, knowledgeable and helpful with all my bookings and would highly recommend her. Also, Travel Counsellors from my experience are able to find excellent deals and provide very good value for money. I really appreciate the personal service and flexibility which Lisa is able to provide.

Sent by Myles McIntosh

I have used Lisa for several years to assist with finding and planning family holidays. Throughout this time she has been highly responsive, courteous and friendly. She has approached many difficult requests to find suitable holidays with a keen eye for what really matters to my family. It's the little touches that count and we will continue to use her services in the future. Recommended.