Based In Hanley Swan

Neil Copeland

Available for new enquiries

It's Nice To Meet You

Making Special Memories

Everyone has a story about a fondly remembered holiday – very often more than one. These might be from childhood, a first trip to an exotic destination, or perhaps a trip to celebrate a special occasion. Whichever it is, one thing is for certain, holidays hold a special place in our hearts and minds and give us memories that we treasure.

But putting together something as simple as a city break, let alone your dream trip, can be stressful. With the world to choose from – where is the perfect destination for us? What is the best way of booking it – direct or through an agent of some sort? Will my trip be financially protected? What if something goes wrong – how do I get help when I am away?

These are all legitimate questions, and I help my clients by providing the answers.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Neil.

For the past 10 years it’s been my pleasure to help make every client’s holiday not just special, but hopefully one that they will talk about years later. I take pride in the service I deliver to achieve this, and really do care about making every trip you take as perfect as it can be.

Why place your trust in me?

Four decades of working in the travel industry, including managing a large tour operator and travelling the world to inspect hotels for over 20 years, has helped give me a unique insight into what makes the difference between a good holiday, and a truly memorable one.

I build strong relationships with clients, and am fortunate that, through years of repeat bookings, many have become friends. As a Travel Counsellor, I set out to deliver on your detailed personal requirements, not just the generic travel arrangements. This means I take time to listen and understand what’s really important to you. I want to make sure your trip is everything you want it to be - it’s important to me both professionally and personally.
I make sure I am available to discuss your requirements at any time, including in the evening and over the weekend. You can contact me by phone, email, or via social media sites. I would also be delighted to meet you at my office or in the comfort of your home.

After your booking has been made, I will provide all the vital information you need for your trip to go smoothly. Once your holiday starts, I can monitor your itinerary, and remind you about important deadlines, ensuring everything is booked as it should be, leaving you to enjoy a stress free time away.

So where will you go next?

From a trip to the Cotswolds to a round-the-world tour, I can organise your memorable trip for you. It might take you across the world to the land of down under, or to the tropical delights of South-East Asia. You might have always wanted to see the Big Apple or the Grand Canyon. Maybe a cultural tour of Europe’s great capitals is your thing. Or is something more laid back your style – strolling along a white sand beach in the Caribbean perhaps?

Whatever type of holiday you want, however large or small, I can certainly guide you. I deliver expert advice and take care of all your travel arrangements and needs; from the moment you leave home to the moment you get back.

I hope to hear from you and start to help you create your next special memories.

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My customer stories

Sent by Simon Mallalieu

Demonstrates great industry knowledge and patience with fussy clients!

Sent by Emma White

Neil provides helpful advice, with different options, and changes things to accommodate our wishes. It takes the worry away and if there’s a problem Neil always gets it sorted.

Sent by Laura Stannard

Neil was fantastic, such an easy, quick, yet personalised transaction, would highly recommend. Takes all the stress out of organising a holiday.

Sent by Peter Stevens

Excellent, knowledgeable service, personal attention and peace of mind.

Sent by Stephen Hobby

I have used Neil from Travel Counsellors on a couple of occasions now. First for a Holiday in Saint Tropez with some friends. Neil booked our flights and transport. Everything was done efficiently and in a timely fashion. Experience was excellent. As a result, I recommended Travel Counsellors to my Employers when I needed to arrange a business trip to Germany recently. Again, everything was done efficiently and despite some minor changes due to delays on my part, I cannot recommend Neil and Travel Counsellors highly enough.

Sent by Jane Lander-Taylor

Neil's attention to detail and his willingness to find the perfect holiday is exemplary. I have no hesitation in booking with Neil and recommending him to my friends. Thanks Neil.

Sent by Lucie Dyer

Excellent stress free service , would highly recommend

Sent by Kevin Fowler

Neil is always helpful and honest, if he can not help he will tell you, although not being able to help doesnt happen very often. Not only will Neil sort out the holiday, he always has great tips about the destination and holidays.

Sent by William Jenkins

I greatly appreciated Neil’s advice and expertise in booking our holiday. He made the whole process a breeze and he has the experience and knowledge of the industry to find us what we were looking for .

Sent by John Boardman

Do to the ship having to go in dry dock, our cruise has had to be shortened. Neil has worked very hard to reorganise many trips, car parking at Southampton and other items. Many thanks are due to him.

Sent by Alison James

Neil offers an impressive service, knitting together complicated itineraries and personal preferences. He also gets back to you super quick with answers to queries.

Sent by Frances Houghton

Neil was very kind and very helpful and despite the short notice, he found me a flight.

Sent by John Leith

It was a wonderful holiday which we thoroughly. enjoyed. No problems with the flights, transfers and car hire. Well chosen hotels which suited us very well. Thanks for all you did to make it all so memorable.

Sent by Gill Hutchinson

Neil is professional and knowledgeable. Great advice and suggestions from someone who listens to what you would like to do and then provides tailored solutions. All with ABTA cover and at no additional cost to you. Brilliant service

Sent by Judith Pilling

Neil always suggests options when we begin to plan a holiday. He is always helpful and able to tweak our plans to suit our needs.

Sent by Nick Appleton

As always a very quick response to a query. Resolved an issue of my own making, re-booked me onto flights that work in terms of cost, time, location and destination. Neil is a complete star - professional, courteous, efficient, ….and all the other superlatives that mark him out as that very rare thing today - someone who is honest and interested in his clients.

Sent by Chris Tarry

Neil is determined to find a solution to give you the best holiday possible, considering all options and making excellent suggestions you might not have thought of.

Sent by Caroline Crane

Hello Neil has been extremely helpful so far, he was very good at putting a trip together tailored to our specific needs, taking into account our budget and itinerary.

Sent by Martin Firman

Used Neil over many years now, never disappoints. Outstanding!

Sent by Bill Blow

I would highly recommend Neil. He spent time listening to what we wanted from a holiday and then looked at a number of options to ensure we could make the right choice.

Sent by Gary Morris

Neil was amazing he got our holiday the same price as the internet but got us better hotel and better flight times. I cant recommend him highly enough. I definitely wont go anywhere else now.

Sent by Nick Fowler

Neil is very competent and responds quickly and accurately

Sent by Helen Astill

I have already recommended Neil to my sister, her son, and my husband has recommended him to the company he works for. They have all used his services- and he has arranged several of our holidays - all of which have worked out really well. Neil is not just good at booking holidays and travel arrangements, but he understands what we’re looking for and advises us on suitable options to suit our budget. He provides an excellent with a high level of attention to detail. I can’t fault it!

Sent by Emma White

Neil always offers his advice to help us plan the best itinerary but always listens to what’s important to us, and is very patient in making any changes for us.

Sent by Jakki Nobbs

Our trip went really well - thank you. Lima was a bit dull (both weather & content - but it's just a large city really), but once we flew into the mountains it was stunning scenery and lovely hot weather. All the arrangements went well (one transfer dropped us at the wrong Casa Andina, but a call to the local agent had a new car to us within 10 mins to the right one) The itinerary was perfect. It was a good mixture of private guides and group tours - there weren't any other English people on the English speaking tours which surprised us - lots of Italians in Peru - but everyone's English was perfect. Finishing with Machu Picchu was perfect - the pinnacle of the tour at the end rounded it all off nicely. We were given an extra excursion which wasn't on our list - a cocktail masterclass in making Pisco Sours - I think they tried to get us drunk with the amount of neat shots of different types of Pisco (40% alcohol!) I think you must have told the hotels that it was our wedding anniversary - but the first 3 Casa Andina hotels must have lost something in translation - we were wished Happy Honeymoon in those 3 with a plate of cakes - and the third one had strewn rose petals around the bathroom & a rose on the bed. Hilarious! The 4th one wished us a happy anniversary - still with cakes though. So thank you once again for a lovely experience. Now I'm asking Steve where we can go next year!

Sent by John Leith

Perfect service as always. Very quick and efficient; provided us with exactly what we were looking for; very good selection of hotels; thoroughly professional. Impossible to rate too highly.

Sent by Tim Winstanley

Neil knows the industry inside out. Saves so much time, hassle and aggravation getting him to do the job - good value for money too.

Sent by Lucille Roughley

The efficiency and attention to detail Neil gives is so comforting and reassuring.

Sent by Dave Bird

Neil simply takes all the stress out of the holiday booking experience allowing me to savour the positive experiences to come. He was also flexible to a schedule change. Highly recommended.

Sent by Meem Bernau

Good morning Neil! We've had such a special week in Kassiopi at the Melina Bay Resort. A lovely hotel, a superb location and wonderful tavernas! Our favourite was Sousouro! Brilliant! Thank you so much for your help, and your extra help to enable us to get away. We've recommended you to several folk, who have taken your details!! With very best wishes

Sent by Julie-Ann Roberts

Neil has arranged 3 complex holidays for me and I would highly recommend him. He is personable, professional and super efficient. I will definitely be going to him again for further trips

Sent by Amanda Patel

Really impressed with speed of service and attention to detail. Great service!

Sent by Liam Hanna

Nothing too much trouble for Neil. Ultra professional and perennially courteous. Looking forward to many years of business together.

Sent by Peter Tilsley

Very helpful, efficient, responds quickly, takes excellent account of our suggestions & wishes, and very easy to contact.

Sent by Marion Munns

Neil understood our holiday preferences and suggested a destination we hadn't considered. Now booked and really excited! Prompt, friendly service.

Sent by Diane Leigh

Very helpful and friendly service. An excellent way to book a holiday without any stress.

Sent by Meem Bernau

Neil was fantastic. He listened to(and heard) our needs and requirements - ~~ we started off with various ideas of where to go to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary ~~ he suggested and led us through various options , until we made our final decision. There was no way we could have organised this for ourselves. Flights, accommodation, transfers etc all organised, booked and confirmed within 48 hours. Thank you Neil. We will always turn to you to help planning our next holiday.

Sent by Greville Cross

From our previous experience we have already recommended Neil to friends. Current experience confirms that this was correct. As before, very professional, patient and helpful. Helps us to feel confident to travel when old age is beginning to catch up.

Sent by Matthew Jackson

I have previously booked with Neil and always receive a very personal, efficient and financially comparable service. I wouldn't book elsewhere.

Sent by Caroline Peer

Neil has made every effort to accommodate our needs in putting together a great holiday. Many thanks

Sent by Helen Mole

I just wanted to send you a personal note to thank you for your support with our booking. You gave us excellent advice and - more importantly - peace of mind from start to finish. It was our first time abroad since before Covid and you made the whole process smooth and painless. We absolutely loved our holiday!

Sent by Helen Astill

Hi Neil, Just to let you know that we have now returned from our holiday and just want to thank you for arranging it. We had a lovely time (and the weather was fantastic, although I’m not sure you can take credit for that!). The hotels were great, the transfer drivers arrived to the minute specified, and the locations were excellent.

Sent by Ann Dodd

We already have recommended you . With your experience and knowledge, you were able to find travel information that we couldn’t. Prompt to reply and thorough!

Sent by Terence McGowran

Friendly, fast and efficient.

Sent by Kevin Fowler

We use Neil for our business travel so it made sense to ask him to quote for the trip I was planning personally. As always Neil was great and answered all our questions, made everything very easy and was very competitive regarding price. Would happily use again.

Sent by Nick Appleton

Morning Neil, Thank you – that was a fantastic holiday. Your hotel recommendation was fab, as was not going fully inclusive. The staff were amazing, food brilliant and loads of excursions etc. The perfect setting for the children. Jet2 were also brilliant – the journeys in and out went like clockwork. 6 mins to get checked in and through security going out of Birmingham, and only 30 mins on the way back. Flights on time (early getting back). The rep at the hotel (Lisa) very helpful organising trips for us – water city, scuba diving for Liv, boat trip, etc. We had an amazing week. Thank you again.

Sent by Helen Astill

I have already recommended Neil’s travel agency services to all my friends/ family wanting a travel agent, and have used his services myself on several occasions. Can’t fault the high level service provided and gives peace of mind that nothing has been overlooked.

Sent by Laura Breakspear

We just wanted to say thank you for arranging such a wonderful honeymoon for us. We thoroughly enjoyed every part of it! Both resorts were absolutely amazing, the staff were brilliant and the transfers were super easy.

Sent by Robbie Roberts

Neil sorted out flights and hotel for myself and 3 other members of my family very quickly and efficiently offering us different options and giving us his own recommendations. All done within a couple of days with no fuss! Thanks Neil - will definitely be booking with you again!

Sent by Rachel Entwisle

I've already recommended Neil to friends and family: his advice is helpful and clear, and he is thoughtful about any provisions I might throw at him. He's a very responsive agent!

Sent by Alison James

It’s brilliant, coming up with a series of ideas, then handing them to someone else to sort out - someone with a lot of knowledge and experience. With a major trip planned, with many flights and stopovers, Neil's help has been invaluable.

Sent by Alice Fox

Neil has been so helpful throughout our holiday booking. He listened carefully to all of our wants & wishes and has managed to find the perfect villa which ticks all the boxes for our three families - including 3 x cars and all below our budget! All the admin has been taken care of too! Thanks so much Neil, we'll definitely be using your services again!

Sent by Gerry McCurry

This is the first time I have dealt with Neil and found him to be very knowledgeable and willing to advise on alternatives to meet our requirements. I would happily use him again for future holidays.

Sent by Adrian White

A friendly, reliable service. Very knowledgeable about the local areas we want to visit and listens to our comments and makes amendments to suit us. It's why we keep coming back. Takes all the stress and hassle away.

Sent by Ian Seymour

Neil is extremely knowledgeable, making suggestions for our honeymoon (e.g. re accommodation and itinerary) that demonstrate that he knows his stuff! He also went above and beyond to get it booked swiftly for us, and to honour quotes provided even when the cost of accomodation options had gone up. Highly recommended.

Sent by Sam Sinclair-Day

Neil has been fantastic at arranging our holidays for us, understanding our needs and paying strength to detail. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him

Sent by Janey Cotton

10 out of 10! Why isn’t there an 11? ?? I knew Neil would help us sort out a very big headache. Thank you Neil. Peace of mind for my son (and me!) who is travelling around Australia for a year, knowing that he can contact Neil whenever he needs to change his flight home.

Sent by Clare Malloy

Takes all the effort out of looking for, checking ratings, sorting transfers or cars etc. Everything all in one place - can't recommend enough esp if you are someone like me, time-poor...

Sent by Tony Beech

Neil at Travel Counsellors did a wonderful job booking our trip, putting up with our changes of mind, and delivering a first class service.

Sent by Mia Green

Hi Neil, Sorry it’s been a few days late us saying a big thank you - we’ve been none stop since we’ve been back. We had such a great time away and it went so smoothly thanks to you. We did open-top buses in Barcelona. Spent all day chilling at the beaches in amalfi, after travelling to amalfi via buses on the cliff edge which was a little scary! We then enjoyed rome in the pouring rain. Afterwards we had a great time in Florence and racked up 28,000steps in one day! Venice was lovely considering it rained the whole time but we still went on a gondola. The lakes were our favourite place in Italy and we rented out a boat and spent the day on the water. Milan was lovely and we had great food even the best €3.50 pizzas! Budapest was our favourite place on the whole trip, we did a river cruise, went to a zoo cafe and also went to ruin bars which we really liked in there and want to return. Prague was good we saw many stag doos and had some cheap drinks. And Croatia was such a relaxing stop before going home and we loved the apartment villa. The train, transfers and planes were seamless so thank you very much for arranging them and also our accommodation. This is definitely not the last of our travels so be prepared for us to most likely be in contact again! Again thank you for everything you did :)

Sent by Eoin McQuone

Neil was really helpful and “got” exactly what we were looking for. Nailed it first time!

Sent by Simon Hodgetts

Neil provides a fantastic personal service and takes the headache out of researching travel plans and booking hotels. He has listened to our wants list and put together a fabulous bespoke package that is within our budget and has given us exactly what we hoped for. We are really looking forward to the special holiday he has arranged for us.

Sent by Shaun Ede

Neil provided a great personal service and organised a very last minute break. I have never used a travel counsellor before, I will be using Neil's services going forward, following my experience and would be very happy to recommend him.

Sent by Kat Carlyle

Exceptional customer service and everything that was explained that would happen did. Already recommended Neil to friends and family. Thanks Neil

Sent by Justine Clarke

Neil has quickly grasped what it is we look for in a holiday, and provides such a friendly and efficient service to ensure we're happy with our experience. I'll be using him for years to come!

Sent by Adrian Whaite

Neil always responds quickly, before & during trips, and comes up with fantastic hotels.

Sent by Nicholas Appleton

As always, a first-class service. Can't fault - just wish I could travel more and use Neil more often! Cannot recommend highly enough.

Sent by Mia Green

Neil’s service was excellent, we would happily recommend him to anyone looking to go away.

Sent by Jason French

Neil has always provided the very best service and most pragmatic and valuable advice - even at his own expense. Highly recommended!

Sent by Vivien Nelson

Neil was extremely efficient and produced a lovely itinerary in a few hours saving us time and stress. His suggested places to stay were spot on and he got us the perfect flight.. We have already recommended him to our friends and siad that we wished we had used him years ago!

Sent by Michael Green

Neil got my brief sorted to a T!. Great advice on the destination , personal experience of the locality and the insider do's and don'ts you really need to know when you are on holiday! Alround fantastic experience. Thank you Neil!

Sent by Adrian McCracken

Dear Neil, Just a quick note to say a very big thankyou for all your help with our flights. Also, for all your advice and help with the 3 week trip. All went well and we had a great time. We will certainly be seeking your help with future holidays and will be recommending you to our friends. Best wishes and thankyou again.

Sent by Ajmail Bains

Neil is the best. All my holiday bookings go through him. He looks after you every step of the way!

Sent by Glenda Quirk

Excellent service, thank you kindly.

Sent by Justine Clarke

On both occasions where I've contacted Neil about arranging a holiday for us, he's always come up with some great options, quickly understanding what it is we're looking for and amending the options as needed. He's always able to quickly and fully answer any questions and give the latest information on Covid-19 with regards to travel.

Sent by John Boardman

Great personal service

Sent by Sam Sinclair-Day

Neil is brilliant - he listens to what we want and then delivers beyond! I can’t recommend him highly enough

Sent by Liz Deacon

Neil found us exactly what we were looking for, plus extra! All Within budget. Answered every question. Added insight and ideas. Hope to use him for many more holidays.

Sent by Lindsay Wood

We were recommended to contact Neil by a friend who had a great experience using Neil to arrange their family holiday. Neil came to us and he talked through what we were wanting from our trip to India. He gave us several itineraries to review which were great as there is so much to do and see in India. Neil was clear that he could make any amendments to our choice which we did, so we got to do exactly what we wanted!! The quality of the service from Neil was brilliant which all makes for a relaxed and enjoyable holiday. Contacted Neil with a query whilst we were away which was quickly responded to. The itinerary was perfect, busier days balanced with less busy days, the hotels, guides, drivers and organised trips were all great and worked really well. We highly recommend Neil and we can’t wait to book out next holiday with him.

Sent by Sue Shackleton

Neil always plans the best trips for me! He's really good at selecting the best flights, in terms of speed, cost & convenience, and I have always loved staying in the hotels he has selected for me. It's worth every penny to have someone sort out all the details for you in a quick and effortless way. Thank you Neil, much appreciated.

Sent by Lauren Bath

I have known Neil for about a year and he was the first person I thought of when the idea of travelling to China came up. So far he has worked with me on the trip and I am pleased we have been able to go ahead with the trip. I am very much looking forward to getting out to China and getting to see the country in all its forms. If the planning is anything to go by then I know the trip will be amazing and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Sent by Helen Child

Tailored to our desires, quick and competitive.

Sent by Joy Madden

Neil found me exactly the holiday I wanted!

Sent by Lindsay Wood

Listening to what we were wanting in a holiday to suit our specific requirements, stress free, professional advice..

Sent by Catherine Gardner

I wanted to say a massive thank you for arranging our holiday to Santorini and Naxos, you took our wish list - which was sometimes a little bit conflicting and tailored a package to meet our exact requirements. The first hotel in Santorini was great with a very quirky bedroom which we loved. The boat to Naxos was great, Naxos was quiet, with basic accommodation, but the beach was perfect. The last hotel in Fira was top notch, the location for a last night on holiday was breathtaking. I can highly recommend it. Fira beats all the other resorts on the island. All our transfers were in place, you answered our queries immediately, we are very fortunate that you did the donkey work for us. Can’t wait for your help with our next adventure....

Sent by Stephen Sellers

Quick, efficient, prompt service. Prices as good as the internet, with a better flight plan and time. Good local recommendations for hotels and locations!

Sent by Rachel Entwisle

Neil is always there to make our travel dreams come true. He always looks for the best options and is there at the end of a phone or email when we need him.

Sent by Sandy Hastilow

The apartment was lovely and perfect for our holiday. Thank you so much for the bottle of Prosecco on arrival - a really thoughtful touch. We have had an amazing time.

Sent by Nick Appleton

Contacted Neil based on a recommendation. Absolutely perfect service. I too will recommend to anyone.

Sent by Sarah-Ann Bradford

You have been very helpful Neil and I do hope we shall be able to use your services again soon.

Sent by David Ferson

Neil helped with a tricky trip at short notice and also had to facilitate a change of flights for the return leg. This was done smoothly and efficiently so saving me a lot of hassle. Many thanks Neil.

Sent by Mike Andrews

Neil - you were so so supportive - wish I'd used you before!

Sent by Jennifer Roma

Thank you, Neil ’s been so lovely to speak with you and talk about our epic trip to India – Sarah and I are so happy with the arrangements, and how brilliantly you have captured where we want to go and how! You’ve kept us informed all the way, have been patient, supportive and charming – such a lovely experience from the start. Thank you again.

Sent by Sue Adeney

Attention to detail and a desire to get to know a client’s interests to match the perfect holiday, accommodation and activities is second to none.

Sent by Sascha McDonald

We just wanted to email you a big thanks for our lovely holiday. We have had a fantastic time; Kassiopi was a great town, the apartment was very central and very well taken care of (a cleaner came in nearly every day to change towels, or bedding, or clean or make beds). Your service was fantastic all the way through, it was lovely not to have to do it all ourselves. Thanks also for confirming our flight back and sending us the boarding cards. Much appreciated. And would you mind thanking your client who gave us the tip of where to eat for James’ birthday? It turned out to be a very special and posh restaurant, we had a table on the beach overlooking the beautiful bay and the food was delicious! And the speedboat to get there was a great success with all my boys. I managed to keep it a surprise until the birthday itself. So thank you very much!

Sent by Emma White

Neil has an extensive knowledge based on personal experience and has arranged our last 4 holidays. It certainly takes the stress and guess work out of it, and we have been very happy with our last holidays to Kenya and Nothern Spain. Morocco this year!

Sent by Angela Godwin

Nothing short of excellent!

Sent by Glenn Powell

Absolutely brilliant. I have passed Neil's card to multiple people already. Some of which have already called him.

Sent by Sean Powell

Neil arranged a great holiday for us on a Norway cruise. We had a fantastic time and loved every bit of it. Thank you.

Sent by Sean Powell

Will always recommend Neil. Superb service from the time we book, all through our holidays and until we arrive home.

Sent by Anne Carless

It was booked with quickness and where we wanted and the time of year. Thank you

Sent by Alexandra Thornton-Hopwood

Neil was very helpful in researching and booking our 3 week holiday to Bali. We had a long list of 'wants' with 4 different locations to book. Neil was very patient in assisting us to find the perfect spots and booking us the best hotels and room choices for our budget. Neil also helped ensure the trip was as relaxing as possible, advising on the order of the locations to ensure travel between was not too arduous and booking private transfers etc. I was particularly impressed with the booking of the flights and reserving our preferred seats 8 months in advance of our flight! Thank you!!

Sent by Nick Davis

Exceptional service from Neil, organised flights for a recent trip to Tenerife and made the whole process seamless, professional service coupled with a customer centric attitude, loved the welcome home gift of tea, coffee and biscuits. I look forward to our fully packaged holiday through you in July to Venice even more now after listening to your advice on holiday destinations. Competitive prices, unrivaled service!

Sent by Sarah Rushforth

Thank you very much for the 'welcome home' hamper - it was a really thoughtful gesture. We had a fantastic holiday and wanted to stay longer. The views in Tuscany are just like in the pictures, if not better - the accommodation was beautiful and we made use of the lovely, clean swimming pool. We stayed within about an hours drive radius but managed to visit the piazza del campo, a castle (Castello di Brolio) and do a wine tasting tour in the Chianti region with a delicious home-cooked lunch. Thank you once again and I hope to use your services again in the near future.

Sent by Clare Cross

Thanks once again for organising a fantastic trip to Fiskardo. Everything was perfect, you literally took our wish list and made it come true.

Sent by Sue Phipps

Neil just makes it so easy to contact and book a holiday, I would definitely recommend that you always choose to book with him.

Sent by oonagh Humphrey

We are back safe and sound – had a lovely time. Excellent hotel and location – thank you so much for recommending Crete. Many thanks too for the goodie bag – much appreciated. Just getting used to the cold here! We had some lovely weather along with the odd thunder storm and torrential rain. A great week and a much needed break.

Sent by Ann Coombes

Just to let you know that bar a short delay on the return flight everything went very smoothly and to plan. Thank you for our welcome home package - just had tea and toast for breakfast. That was a kind thought and an unexpected treat. Your service and the app have been extremely helpful and l have recommended you to my friends. I'll be in touch when I plan my next trip.

Sent by Clare Malloy

I have already recommended Neil to friends. When you have such busy lives like my husband and I, it is such a luxury to be able to pass over the stress of organising a family holiday to an expert and really well priced too.

Sent by Oonagh Humphrey

Neil sorted out an excellent holiday for us to Portugal and Madeira in 2016, so we had no hesitation in contacting him to arrange a much needed week's break this Easter. We are very much looking forward to our holiday in Crete at the beginning of April. What impressed me most was how quickly Neil came up with possible suggestions following our initial discussion which we then narrowed down to our final choice of destination and hotel - all over the space of a weekend! Superb service and real commitment! Thank you! I have already passed on Neil's details to members of my family.

Sent by Sue Appleby

Thank you so much for the very thoughtful and truly welcome “Welcome home” gift. An amazing surprise - we were speechless! Thanks also for all your support on our behalf in the background. Never have I known such painless and smooth travel.

Sent by David Kitcat

Neil has assisted me and my family on four holidays in the past three years. He has been knowledgable, helpful and reliable. He responded immediately when we had a problem and resolved it for us. Some people might see travel agents as outdated and more expensive, but you get what you pay for and Neil's service is well worth it.

Sent by Pauline Cross

Neil is friendly, patient, thouough, very knowledgable, and has proved an enormous help in preparing our holiday.

Sent by Stephanie Leibbrandt

Neil offers a comprehensive effective and fast service. He listens to what you want and endeavours to meet your requirements as closely as possible. Will definitely use him again.

Sent by Dannii Campbell

Lovely personal service and quick to make the many changes we made with no quibble.

Sent by Victoria Allen

Superb service - I would definitely recommend Neil to all

Sent by Emma White

Neil takes the time to listen to your preferences and comes back with great suggestions based on your thoughts. It is great to talk through suggestions with an experienced traveller who can add so much value and who always helps us to get a great final holiday itinerary. Neil has helped plan our holidays for the last 3 years and we feel safe in his hands.

Sent by Tony Brook

Raetihi Lodge is total paradise believe me! l recall it was a second choice to stay at, but with 14 rooms it's just perfect and we simply cannot tell you how pleased and happy we are.

Sent by June Firkins

Thank you so much for the parcel of goodies I found on the step when I arrived home yesterday. It was a great help and I was very touched at your kind thought. The trip was great and the flights very good. The airport assistance was such a help so again my thanks for all you did. Hope for another trip later!

Sent by Stephen Forse

Neil was happy to help and kept exploring options when our first choice appeared not to be available. He kept us fully informed throughout until the booking was secured.

Sent by Anita Edwards

Neil has produced the perfect holiday for us. We told him when, where and what we wanted to see and how much we were willing to spend and somehow he managed to produce the holiday of a lifetime. Cant wait til February. India here we come. Thank you so much.

Sent by Sue Adeney

Dear Neil, Thankyou so much for all your attention to detail which made for a memorable holiday for Chris and I . From your prepared travel wallet with everything in it and all we needed to know to your message on arrival in the hotel, and then finally the welcome pack at the end....so welcome! Thanks so much. We had a great time. The hotel was brilliantly located in the capital next to the Prime Ministers office, and 5 mins from the bus station which we used to get around the island. We loved the historical side of the island and the architecture which is part of the same. Chris feasted on the harbours and boats from the little gondola like local boats to the super yachts which we could have chartered for 1/2 million per week. He also enjoyed the craft beers. I could not get enough of just walking about the streets, enjoying the cafes and restaurants and we even enjoyed a concert in the Anglican cathedral as well as attending the Sunday service there. Other highlights included the earthquake (!yes!) and the police raid in a nearby suburb for Maltese mafia who had assassinated a journalist a few weeks ago. Never a dull moment! But thanks Neil. It was splendid and made so much easier by your facilitating so much. See you soon Sue

Sent by Paul Edwards

Very helpful and made it feel personal which made the difference. Thank you.

Sent by Sue Phipps

Hi Neil, Just a note to thank you so much for organising the holiday to Malta for us, we had an amazing time. The hotel Canifor was fine - a bit dated but perfectly clean - and the flights were brilliant too. It all went so smoothly including the car hire. Also many thanks for the "food package" waiting for us when we got home that was so kind and much appreciated.

Sent by Mike Rayer

Neil was extremely helpful and went beyond expectations when he contacted us whilst we were in Tenerife and our return flight was scheduled to be with Monarch Airlines (who had gone bust). Although not booked through Neil, he contacted me and forwarded on to me all the necessary details to ensure that we were well informed of what we needed to do, and where to look for the Government CAA flights home. This enabled us to enjoy the rest of our holiday, without having to worry about our return to the UK Neil certainly went, beyond expectations.

Sent by Derek Purchase

Excellent service, highly recommended.

Sent by Ann Coombes

Very speedy and helpful. Have already recommended and passed on Neil's details to my friends. Will definitely use Neil for any future travel plans.

Sent by Michael Perks

Neil was extremely helpful in guiding us through various alternative holiday destinations and in helping us appreciate what was important to us about a holiday.

Sent by Helen Astill

Thanks for arranging our holiday. It all went like clockwork and we had a really good time. Thanks also for the “Welcome Home” pack – that was most welcome, particularly as we were wondering how we were going to sort out food for breakfast the next morning.

Sent by Martin Pocock

Excellent service from a knowledgeable and helpful Travel Counsellor

Sent by Win Balgarnie

Neil is always helpful and pleasant. I will always use his service in the future.

Sent by Richard Austen

We have returned safely and we had a fantastic time :) Many thanks for all of your help and the generous welcome home goodie bag! That was a very kind gesture, and a big help towards feeding us before we headed out for this evening's theatre commitment. We'll be in touch shortly re plans for our next trip. Cheers

Sent by John Harris

I would like to formally thank Neil Copeland for his excellent support and professional service in dealing with my business travel requirements. Having used many methods to secure international travel, transfers, and accommodation over the past 5 years, when Neil joined our BNI Chapter I was keen to see what Travel Counsellors could offer in terms of customer service and value for money. For a key contract we hold with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport International, I wanted to give Neil the opportunity to look at my travel needs and patterns and come up with package solutions that would take away all the hassle, time wasting and stress in booking my own travel, but also to be competitive in the market place. Because of an excellent service in securing a business trip to South Africa in September 2017, I will now be using Travel Counsellors for all my international business travel needs, with further trips planned in 2017 and 2018. Neil provides and excellent, personable, and bespoke service which really does put the customer first and I am delighted. I will now be looking at what Neil can offer for other CILT International team members and assessors, for domestic travel and for personal holidays - now I have experienced first-hand the benefits of going with Travel Counsellors. In my view, the key is in the name, as from the start to finish you are counselled and advised on the options and choices open to you, with no pressure and with nothing too much trouble to alter and adjust. Neil is not a travel agent, Neil is a first-class travel advisor with a wealth of international knowledge and top tips to make your travel seamless, accessible, and easy. A first-class job and thank you Jon

Sent by Anita Bevan

Hi Neil . Wow, thank you so much for the welcome home gift, what a lovely surprise and end to a fantastic holiday! It really was the best holiday we've had. Thank you!

Sent by Helen Astill

Hi Neil, I just wanted to thank you for arranging our holiday. Everything went like clockwork and it was a great holiday – topped and taiiled by your very kind welcome to our first hotel with the fruit and water; and your welcome home gift. We got back quite late last night so it was great to be able to have a cup of tea and a bite to eat before we collapsed in bed! Thanks again, it was a really good holiday.

Sent by Martin Firman

I have just returned from a trip to Prague arranged by Neil and have to say that the service and attention to detail delivered by him was exceptional throughout. Thank you, Neil, for the gesture awaiting us in our room and selecting such a wonderful hotel of the desired quality and location to perfectly suit our needs. Your support whilst we were away was also greatly appreciated, as was the package on our doorstep when we returned. Looking forward to our next trip that you have organised for us later in the year. Will continue to recommend your great services.

Sent by Phil Hawley

Dear Neil, One of the key areas I focus on in my business is the quality of the product and the customer service I provide. Having used Travel Counsellors in the past I was confident you could help me out with some travel arrangements to Ireland this week. The booking process was smooth, saving me time and energy researching all the various options I had for flight, car hire and hotel. When I got to the hotel, the attention to detail provided by Neil really shone through. I arrived to find the hotel had put me in a suite with a personal note from Neil in the room. It turns out Neil had called the hotel personally to confirm the booking and requested a better room and they obliged by putting me in a huge suite! The level of detail in your service, and the personal touches provided by you will ensure I sing your praises to all my contacts. Yours sincerely, Phil Hawley.

Sent by Peter Goodyear

Just to say that I have submitted reviews for the 3 hotels, all highly recommended. Thank you very much for arranging it all and for your kind thought in leaving bread and milk for us.

Sent by Janey Cotton

Hi Neil. We’ve arrived back from theeeeee most amazing trip to New York. Thank you so much for your patience over the last 9+ months during all the preparations. Our hotel was top notch, friendly staff, lovely clean rooms and perfectly situated (far enough away from the hustle and bustle but not too far to walk when we wanted it!). As you know I was a little concerned that there were ten ladies going and was worried about losing passports etc or even worse, losing each other!!!! I needn’t have worried because all went well and EVERYONE had the time of their lives. I could not have organised such a large party without YOU, especially when our BA flights from Birmingham to New York were cancelled without warning back in November. If I had had to sort that out then I would have gone into panic mode (the beauty of having your very own Travel Counsellor!). Your calmness and professionalism shone through. Booking with you gives me complete peace of mind. Thank you.

Sent by John Boardman

Neil does more than just book a holiday, he carefully selects the right hotel for your requirements, arranges private cars to transport you from say, airport or railway station to your hotel. Neil also produced a letter and documentation to support a claim against the airline which, in my case, was late taking off by 5 hours, to secure compensation. With Neil, it really is personal service.

Sent by Win Balgarnie

Dear Neil, All the arrangements for my recent holiday in Madrid worked splendidly. Thank you for organising these so well. Originally I had thought that the hotel was situated further away from the centre than I would have wished but in fact it worked very well. The hotel was next to a metro station and lots of buses ran past. My granddaughter and I did not use these because apart from doing the two sight-seeing bus tours we walked everywhere. The hotel was quiet, comfortable and functional and the staff in reception were particularly helpful. There was a good selection of cafes and bars nearby. The café were we had breakfast each day was only a few yards away. Many thanks for planning it so well. Win Balgarnie

Sent by Sue Shackleton

I have recently had the pleasure of going on two separate business / leisure trips organised by Neil, both of which were quite complicated, and both turned out perfectly. The first was a business trip to Nuremberg in Germany, which involved separate travel arrangements for 3 people including hire car, Channel Tunnel, hotels en route, flight back & airport taxi. The arrangements were great, very easy to follow and the choices of hotel were just what we needed. The whole trip went without a hitch and was as easy and enjoyable as an arduous work trip could possibly be! The second trip was a mixture of business and holiday in the USA. We had a week in Las Vegas working at a trade show, then 2 weeks on a road trip through California, ending up in San Francisco and flying back from there. Neil helped us organise everything – taxis to and from the airport, flights, a great selection of hotels for the road trip and a lovely big hire car that easily accommodated us and all our stuff. We had quite a lot of discussion about the itinerary before we went, and changed our minds a few times about where we wanted to go, but Neil patiently guided us through the organising and it turned out great! Really good selection of hotels and not over-priced, so we have returned tired and happy. I will definitely be using Neil to organise my trips in future – soooo much easier than trying to do it yourself and really good service – including a very thoughtful bag of groceries at the house waiting for us when we returned home! Thanks Neil.

Sent by Julie Bott

Really helpful and knowledgeable. Understood exactly what I needed. Thank you, Neil.

Sent by Julie Donkin

I have already recommended Neil and would not hesitate to again, as he is truly professional whilst also has the ability to adopt a personal approach to ensure you have the best experience.

Sent by Sharon Kidson

Thank you – the transfers were brilliant – both on time, courteous and solid drivers. Whilst in Warsaw we made the mistake of getting a taxi back to our hotel after a day out and the driver tried to charge us £60 for a 10 minute journey. This bad experience reinforced how good it was to have a reputable company dealing with our transfers. I really appreciate your work and support over what I know for you is very small beer. You have treated me as if I had booked a £10,000 holiday with you and for that I am really grateful.

Sent by Rachel Entwisle

Hi Neil, I cannot thank you enough for helping me create and enjoy such a fantastic solo holiday to Thailand and Vietnam. Everyone kept telling me how brave I was to do it, but you were my secret weapon and support. Without you, it would have been an anxious and worrying experience. From the original brief to the final itinerary, you were the calm voice of reason and inspiration, helping me to think practically and inventively about what I wanted to enjoy and achieve. You came in under budget, with no hidden extras. You suggested excellent tours and excursions that were fabulous value, and even amended a few with grace and excellent results. You walked me through every point in the itinerary and confirmed every point well in advance. I never missed a connection, and every excursion or transfer was either early or right on time, and right where you'd said they'd be. You checked me in online for every one of my eight flights, leaving me free to fully enjoy my holiday, and you responded promptly to my emails requesting confirmations or tweakings of timings. I felt I could truly trust your response. You even went a step beyond, helping me with a return snafu that were not responsible for, and sending me a super welcome home bag of groceries upon my return to my home. I've already sung your praises to anyone who'll listen and on Facebook. I'd be happy to recommend your services and support to anyone. Best wishes,

Sent by Barney Reynolds

A fantastic, professional and friendly service from start to finish. It has taken away all the hassle of booking such a complicated trip ourselves and we couldn't recommend highly enough.

Sent by Tim Cross

We chose Travel Counsellors to give us a custom-built two week holiday to Sri Lanka and our TC rep Neil did an excellent job. Our requested mix of culture and relaxation was expertly judged by Neil and we came away feeling we had experienced a tantalising taste of this fascinating nation. A short stay in the capital Colombo was followed by a whistle stop, four day tour taking in the majority of the islands famous historic landmarks including The Temple of the Tooth, Sigiriya Lion Rock, tea plantations and Yala National Park. We finished off our holiday with six days of relaxation at the beach resort at Bentota and couldn't have asked for more from Travel Counsellors and always felt supported by Neil. His little personal touches and surprises made our experience all the better.

Sent by Martin Pocock

Just got back from an amazing trip. Everything went like clockwork and the venues were fantastic. We went up to Kandy and around the lagoon both which were excellent. That once in a lifetime trip has become “when can we go again”. Anyway many thanks for all your help and thanks indeed for the provisions. Thanks Martin & Sarah.

Sent by Cath Luce

My second year of using Neil Copeland at Travel Counsellors, and I would never use anybody else. Neil offers a very professional and individual experience. I would always recommend him to anyone thinking of booking a holiday.

Sent by Sandy Hastilow

Excellent service and customer care from Neil. He truly understood the needs and requests and meet these perfectly.

Sent by Maureen Roach

We have just retuned from our holiday to India and wanted to say thank you for all your help in selecting and booking the right holiday for us. Thank you also for your after care right up to our departure and during our time away. We found the Southern Explorer tour by Transindus was at just the right pace for us to cope with. We found it very varied with something new to enjoy every day. The hotels were all of a very high standard, some with the most beautiful grounds and gardens. Thank you once again for all your help, Maureen.

Sent by Diane Bullman

Neil dealt with our booking with immense patience, showing his depth of knowledge when we changed our initial plans, resulting in a tailor made holiday that we can't wait to experience. Neil makes everything so easy, he keeps in touch with you to help you make decisions and choose the best itinerary to suit your needs. We would thoroughly recommend using Neil's expertise, friendly and professional service.

Sent by Jon Thomas

Very happy with the service provided. Quick, efficient and detailed responses provided. Choice of options given. All very helpful. Would recommend to others. Thank you.

Sent by Martin Firman

Neil impressed me from the outset, his experience and expertise are beyond doubt but also accompanied by a professional enthusiastic and caring approach which in many ways is more important when deciding who to engage to arrange things for you. Quite frankly he is a pleasure to work with. Thanks Neil.

Sent by John Boardman

Neil is most willing to select a holiday to your exact requirements and gives attention to every detail. In the event that you wish to make slight changes, he again is most willing to accommodate your requirements.

Sent by Jon Senior

6 out of 6 for accommodations. At the Azamare now and it's stunning! Happy to write you a recommendation when we get back. It has been an absolutely fantastic trip planned to perfection!

Sent by Dawn Long

Neil is brilliant. We have used him twice now and would not hesitate in recommending him.

Sent by Peter Heath

Many thanks for the ‘welcome home’ pack which was awaiting us on our return from Malta. A lovely idea; much appreciated. We had a very good time and the flights worked well despite the early start on the outward flight. Plane full both ways. We look forward to our next holiday (in 2017) and will use you again if we may.

Sent by Sean Powell

We had a lovely time in Corfu. The weather, hotel and experience were all great and thank you for the provisions!

Sent by Emma White

Excellent knowledge. Happy to amend itinerary depending on our preferences and excellent advice along the way to enable us to do this. Very client centred service in a timely way.

Sent by Martin Pocock

Outstanding support, fantastic in-depth knowledge about the destination and prepared to go the extra mile to get the right holiday.

Sent by Dawn Gibbons

Neil was brilliant. He answered all my questions/queries promptly. It was our first time using a travel consultant and I would definitely use Neil again.

Sent by Helen Astill

Neil, was great in helping design our Spanish touring holiday. It was so simple and took the hassle away of trying to wrestle with internet searches. I'd tried to arrange something similar last year and gave up because it had become so difficult. The holiday Neil arranged for me was also surprisingly good value for money. I would definitely use his services again.

Sent by Cath Luce

Thank you so much for my grocery package it was a lovely surprise, what would I do without you?? My week away was fantastic and you made it so problem and worry free it was a relaxing time knowing that you had thought of everything, I will never use anyone else again and I have been singing your praises to all hoping to get you some well earned clients.

Sent by Suzanne Lowe

Neil was very helpful and professional. It is very reassuring to know that you have someone you can refer to should you need further assistance, either before or during your trip. Furthermore Neil provides many useful hints and travel tips which you simply would not get if you booked a holiday on line yourself. I would not hesitate to recommend Neil.

Sent by Mark Tomlinson

Neil couldn't have been more helpful, attentive and proactive for our Orlando trip. Accommodation supplier went bust? No problem - Travel Counsellors picked up under guarantee. 8 hour flight delay - no problem, Neil sorted new connection, hotel, food vouchers and compensation. Nothing too much trouble!

Sent by Oonagh Humphrey

Dear Neil, Thank you so much for organizing our holiday. It has been superb from start to finish. Your hotel recommendations were excellent - I particularly enjoyed the rooftop pool in Madeira. Thank you too for the welcome notes and our bag of goodies yesterday! Your care and attention to detail resulted in a wonderful holiday. Many thanks!

Sent by Malcolm Tomkins

We had a fantastic holiday, can't believe we did so much in a week. The Orient Express was an awesome experience, couldn't fault it. The hotels were great, arranged transport on time, opera was amazing and what good seats! Thank you so much for all your efforts.

Sent by Janey Cotton

Well what can we say! We had a fantastic time in Ireland and were blown away by the 'little extras' that made our holiday very special. Thank you so much for the time and effort you spent in finding the best route for us from Dublin to Rosslare, and the little notes at each hotel plus the chocolates and wine. Amazing! The hotels were spot on, each one very different with their own unique wow factor. My favourite was The Pembroke in Kilkenny and my parents loved the Bayview, Ballycotton for its sea view and it's very quiet location. The weather was great! Had torrential rain in Dublin on our first night but we didn't venture far because we were so tired after a day travelling, and we didn't have any more rain after that. Perfect! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have already passed your number onto a friend. And the welcome home package too - what a lovely thought. Thank you again!

Sent by David Kitcat

Neil was very helpful and knowledgeable. He made the whole process easy and I'm sure that we are staying in a better hotel than we would have found for ourselves.

Sent by Fiona Lewis

Thanks to Neil I'm doing it! The holiday choice was made easier because Neil found out all the information and searched for the best locations. I'm very much looking forward to my dream holiday.

Sent by Jenny Crawford

I just wanted to say a big thank you for your help. We both had a fantastic time in Iceland, the weather was very good and we saw some amazing sights. Everything went smoothly and it was nice knowing you were there just in case we needed you. Thank you also for the breakfast, checking us into flights, finding the hotel etc. Unfortunately we don't have any family to recommend you to but if any friends ask I will certainly give them your details. Thank you again Jenny

Sent by Sharon Cross

Neil has provided us with a holiday of a lifetime, when we really didn't know what we wanted or where we wanted to go. We are both so excited!

Sent by Cath Luce

Thank you for your professional manner and making the whole process a stress free ordeal, I am only sorry it was only a flight this time but I will be contact for all holidays in the future and I have passed on your name and details to all friends and family. Thank you again.

Sent by Lorna Kirkland

Fantastic service. Fast, efficient and clued up to exactly what we were looking for. Brilliant.

Sent by John Carrey

Neil, Just returned from Algarve last night. All arrangements went smoothly and we had a very relaxing time at that excellent resort. The accommodation was much bigger and better than we expected. Thanks for the breakfast supplies on our doorstep. Another unexpected discovery!. Thanks again for the service. See you next time we need to make a trip I'm sure.

Sent by Scott Whittaker

Everything just worked! The advise given by Neil was also very useful.

Sent by Martin Pocock

Neil provided an excellent service. He was extremely knowledgeable and obviously has vast experience in the travel industry. We will definitely use him again.

Sent by Chrissie Webber

Neil has gone above and beyond in the level of help and service he has provided. Most of my holiday to Florida was already booked before I met him so he only organised one night's hotel and the car hire. Even so, he provided so much information and lists of tips which will be so useful during our holiday. I would definitely use him again and recommend him to my friends.

Sent by John Drinkwater

We had a fantastic time in Johnansburg, great to see the culture, the cricket was brilliant, the third days play was probably the best sporting days play I have witnessed. We managed Soweto too, and a day to Pilensburg National Park, saw some wonderful wild animals. Thanks for the loaf and milk, very nice gesture!

Sent by Paul Hunt

We are so grateful to have had Neil Copeland as our personal travel agent, attached to Travel Counsellors. He enabled us to get the best flight prices, ensured the pick up to and from the airport of destination, and found a hotel suitable to our needs and a price we could afford. We valued his assurance that he could be called anytime 24/7 if we need further assistance. His personal follow up to the holiday was also much appreciated. We fully recommend Neil (and Travel Counsellors) to any who are wanting a stress free travel and holiday experience, with their own needs always listened to and taken into account.

Sent by Nicky Thomas

Back safely – trip went extremely smoothly, and thank you Neil for your messages and excellent organisation – hotels and trains were very comfortable! Will talk more later, but I’m having a rather nice supper of bread and jam that someone left me! What a lovely touch, thank you so much. We really appreciated the individual touch and advice – our holiday was tailor made around our needs. Neil phoned ahead to check arrangements went smoothly and he sorted out the details with the hotel bookings so we didn’t have to worry. I had total confidence in Neil’s experience to find a hotel that suited our needs and we enjoyed some serious upgrades as a result!

Sent by Tina Sauntson

Just want to thank you very much for helping us book an incredible holiday. Sardinia is a lovely place to visit. We are both sad to be home. Also thanks for our unexpected gift of breakfast. Jam on crusty bread was just the ticket! Thanks again. We will be recommending you to all.

Sent by Dawn Long

Thank you so much for the welcome home pack you left for us last night. It was a lovely thing to find on the doorstep when we got back so late. The Villa was fabulous. We would thoroughly recommend. Very clean and spacious and the AC worked a treat. Thanks once again.

My Videos

Tony Walsh tribute to Travel Counsellors

13/09/2021

Wow! A lovely poem from the amazing Tony Walsh on Travel Counsellors

Book with Neil Copeland Travel Counsellor

13/09/2021

All of the reasons to book with Neil Copeland Travel Counsellor

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.

Sri Lanka revisited - A report on my trip to Sri Lanka

26 June 2024

28 March 2023 On arrival the Columbus Tours rep was very visible and easy to locate. We discovered that the bureau de change only accept cash so this should be stressed in the confirmation documents. Having our own driver guide meant that stopping at a cashpoint is easy so we could get cash whenever we needed. Negombo is 30-45 minutes from the airport and is therefore a good place to stay overn

Well I finally made it to Malta

26 June 2024

Well I finally made it to Malta. Our holiday had been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid travel restrictions. In 2022 I wanted a holiday but had to keep the cost down as the financial impact of the Covid years meant zero income for more than 2 years. The important thing was that travel was back and I was desperate to take the family away now places were opening up again. I had never been

P&O or Princess Cruises?

07 August 2019

This was not my first cruise, but it was my first cruise with P&O. It was interesting to compare the cruise service to the ones I had done with Princess Cruises previously. Both P&O and Princess Cruises are owned by Carnival Cruises. You may not know it, but Carnival also own Cunard, Holland America, Costa Cruises and Seabourn as well! The P&O ships are very similar to the Princess ships, but t

The Norwegian Fjords

07 August 2019

Last week I went on my first cruise with P&O. We boarded in Southampton for a one-week cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. I did question the wisdom of heading north when I love being somewhere hot, but I figured the scenery would make up for the lack of heat. As it was, the weather was ok. The nice thing about a cruise to the Fjords is that the ships can moor right in the centre of the town. This

Hong Kong Revisited

29 May 2019

I last visited Hong Kong about 15 years ago. Last week, I went back thanks to the generosity of Cathay Pacific and Langham Hotels. I flew Cathay Pacific and was lucky enough to be upgraded to business class. The seat is a compartment style seat that goes completely flat when you want to sleep. The service and the food were amazing and I arrived in Hong Kong refreshed after a great night’s sleep.

The Ourika Valley - where the Moroccans go on holiday!

14 September 2018

During a recent visit to Marrakech I went on a day excursion to the Atlas Mountains to see how the Berber people live. Part of the tour took me to the Ourika Valley. This is where the local people go for their own holidays. Why do the locals choose to go to the Ourika Valley? It is only an hour from Marrakech and the river has countless small restaurants and cafes with tables placed in the rive

The medina, the Souks and the madness that is Marrakech

14 September 2018

We first visited the market place in Jemaa el Fna square in the Medina in the middle of the afternoon. It was busy with street traders and a few snake charmers, women wanting to apply henna patterns to visitors’ hands and men wanting to take us on horse-drawn carriage rides around the city. But that didn’t prepare us for the electric atmosphere of the square at night. As we approached the squar

Marrakech revisited

14 September 2018

In 2016 I visited Marrakech with the Morocco Tourist Board and wrote a blog about where you can stay. I advised that the best way to experience Marrakech is to stay in a traditional Riad - a traditional house with guest rooms. They are tucked away in the historic alleyways of the medina and have character and style. I would recommend them as you get a sense of the real Morocco when you stay in the

Kuala Lumpur and Borneo

26 October 2017

I was lucky enough to win a place on a trip to Kuala Lumpur and Borneo and recently travelled there with 8 other Travel Counsellors. Flights were with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. The advantage of using Turkish is that you can fly from a local airport to Istanbul before flying on to your destination. Some of our group flew from Manchester and the others flew from Gatwick. Birmingham and Hea

Princess Cruises - The destinations we visited....Civitavecchia (Rome)

31 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I have alr

Princess Cruises - The destinations we visited...Barcelona

29 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I have al

Princess Cruises - Life on Board....

29 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I will pos

Princess Cruises - The destinations we visited...Corsica

29 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I have alr

Isn't Reykjavik expensive?

18 April 2017

I am sure many people have heard the Reykjavik is expensive. Well, having just visited I can tell you that it is. But I can also tell you that it is a really fascinating place to visit. I went to Reykjavik with my family to celebrate my son's 21st birthday. He wanted to go because I usually opt for hotter destinations and he was curious about what a colder destination would be like. This was an

A weekend in Budapest

13 April 2017

I recently booked a group of 12 people from my local Rotary Club to visit Budapest. As a member of the club I travelled as part of the group. We flew with KLM from Birmingham to Budapest via Amsterdam instead of with Wizzair as the flight times were better with KLM and the price was about the same cost. The short stopover in Amsterdam allowed us to have an enjoyable lunch before we continued t

Where to stay in Marrakech

14 December 2016

There are a large variety of places to stay in Marrakech including luxurious and historic hotels, sumptuous resorts, family resort style hotels and many charming Riad guest houses hidden in the alleyways of the medina. With over 300 properties in our database I have the right accommodation for you. During a recent visit to Marrakech I was able to see some of the hotels. I stayed in the 5* Eden

Marrakech offers more than you would think

01 December 2016

Do you fancy going to a country where you can stay in a buzzing and exotic city, go to the beach, go on eco trips to the mountains, ride a camel in the desert, do soft adventure excursions or even where skiing is possible? Do you want to experience all of this without having to fly half way around the world? Do you fancy visiting another continent that is just over three hours away from the UK? Th

Miami Beach & the Florida Keys

22 October 2015

The attraction of a two centre holiday to Miami Beach and the Florida Keys is the complete contrast between them. Miami Beach is a cosmopolitan lively city whilst the Florida Keys offers a laid back almost sleepy escape. And linking these two wonderful destinations is one of the iconic road trip drives in the USA following US Highway 1 – The Overseas Highway. A highlight of this dramatic dri

Orlando with older children

20 October 2015

I was lucky enough to work as a hotel negotiator for a travel company. I used to visit destinations to check out the hotels and then to negotiate the lowest possible price that would be paid for a room. I have travelled the world doing a job that many have said they would love to do. My area of expertise is the Caribbean and Florida and I have visited these regions many times through my work. I

Mediterranean Taster

29 September 2015

I had never considered booking a cruise. Having been sat on a fantastic beach enjoying everything a pretty destination has to offer, I have always felt that the extremely brief visit by cruise ship passengers meant they would not really experience it fully. But one year I decided that I wanted a holiday which involved visiting many different places rather than basing myself in one place. I

Villa in Tuscany

22 September 2015

For our summer holiday this year we decided to book a villa in Tuscany. The reason was that some of my family enjoy relaxing by the pool but others enjoy visiting places to take in the history and culture. The advantage of staying in Tuscany is that you can visit some interesting and beautiful places in the region. We flew Easyjet from Bristol to Pisa, picked up a hire car and then drove for 2

Paxos in Greece

08 July 2015

Greece is experiencing some troubling times and many tourists are nervous about booking a holiday there at the moment due to the difficult financial situation. Given the uncertainty it is worth remembering why Greece is such a special holiday destination. I was lucky enough to be taken on holidays abroad from an early age and my parents’ destination of choice was the Greek Islands. I remember

Venice Short Break

18 May 2015

When you think of Venice I am sure your first thought is of canals. But a highlight of my recent visit was exploring the streets and passageways of this enchanting city. We spent a few days there in April – a good time to visit before the high summer temperatures bring in the crowds. When you arrive in Venice you can get a boat from the airport direct to many of the hotels. But since this is an

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