Nigel Scrimshaw - Travel Counsellors

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It's Nice To Meet You

Hi, I’m Nigel and my goal is to make sure you have a fantastic holiday! I can find you the very best family/luxury/cruise/adventure or any other type of holiday, and I can also arrange just flights or accommodation if you prefer.

Many of my customers return to book with me time after time. This is because they trust my judgment (I will only book holidays that I would go on myself!) and they get peace of mind that if anything should go wrong while they are away, the Travel Counsellors and myself are here for them 24/7.

I live in the quaint Oxfordshire village of Souldern near Bicester. My passion for travel and my love for experiencing exotic places led me to a career in the travel industry. I have over 14 years’ experience as a Top Performing Manager for a well-known high street agent, winning two National Travel Industry Awards, one in Outstanding Customer Service and the other in Travel Industry Innovation and Service. I have a wealth of knowledge, expertise and personal recommendations, all of which I share with you, helping to make sure you have the best time and come home with some wonderful memories.

Over the years I have visited a vast array of countries and experienced some beautiful places such as the fabulous Versace hotel on the gold coast of Australia, the magnificent Bellagio in Las Vegas, the breathtaking Chateau Lake Louise Canada - and my overall favourite, the elegance of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth cruise ship to name just a few.

I have end-to-end expertise in booking all different types of holidays, from honeymoons in the Maldives to chasing the Northern Lights, family fun in the Balearics to a weekend break in New York, or even a bespoke private tour of China. I have every piece of information you need at my fingertips ensuring I book the right holiday for you.

Ask me anything you like! Are there enough sunbeds? When is hurricane season? What’s the area like outside the hotel or are there lots of steps? What about free child places? I’ll know the answer, so with me you really do get far more than you would by just booking online. I even print your boarding passes for you so there’s less hassle at the airport too.

With leading travel industry technology ready and waiting, and access to hundreds of suppliers I can get you some great deals, while everything you book is 100% financially protected through the Travel Counsellors Financial Trust.

I am available at a time to suit you, even outside the usual 9am to 5pm and that includes weekends. I will be your main point of contact and you will only ever speak to me, giving you a unique personal service.

So whether it’s a luxury break or a family holiday in the sun you’ve been promising yourself, a Caribbean cruise or just a trip to Paris on business, please do get in touch, I am always here to help.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

My customer stories

Sent by joanne Mares

Kidderminster 01/07/2024

Nigel always finds us the best hotels and destinations and it's nice to have that little bit of luxury which we all love now and again. Thankyou

Sent by Susan Milward

Leicester 23/01/2024

Such prompt reply to our enquiries gave us confidence that Nigel would give us the very best holiday plans. He was so efficient and nothing was too much trouble. Definitely an A1 travel counsellor.

Sent by Alison Cave

Northampton 22/01/2024

Nigel listened and took note of our requirements. He was quick to respond to our request and came up with several options and very soon found something which ticked all the boxes for us and our travelling companions. Excellent service . Thank you.

Sent by Richard Munro

Banbury 22/01/2024

Already recommended to several friends and family, some have already booked with Nigel and received the same great service as we have.

Sent by Alison Smith

Bloxham Banbury 22/01/2024

Nigel is very knowledgeable and committed to giving you the best holiday experience for your needs. He listens to what you want and responds quickly and efficiently.

Sent by Lesley Hobbs

Bicester 22/01/2024

Nigel was really helpful so booking was nice and easy. Thank you

Sent by Louise Thompson

Newbury 22/01/2024

Nothing is ever to much trouble and Nigel goes the extra mile to meet our needs and make us feel really appreciated and look forward to our holiday in complete peace. He has great knowledge and can really advise us on our holidays.

Sent by Karen White

Banbury 24/04/2023

Always helpful and finds us a good deal

Sent by Tracey Leese

Doncaster 24/04/2023

Service was excellent, takes the stress of booking a holiday away. We felt listened to and nothing was too much trouble. Very easy to navigate the app. Thank you, amazing.

Sent by Mark Smith

Banbury 24/04/2023

It has been so easy booking our holiday with Nigel. All we’ve had to do is provide our passport details and Nigel has done the rest - even secured us the best possible room! Highly recommended.

Sent by Mark Smith

Banbury 24/04/2023

It has been so easy booking our holiday with Nigel. All we’ve had to do is provide our passport details and Nigel has done the rest - even secured us the best possible room! Highly recommended.

Sent by Mark Robinson

Milton Keynes 24/04/2023

Lost in the world of trying to research destinations, flights and accommodation, I was recommended Nigel by a good friend of mine and that he uses Nigel for all of his holiday destinations. I've now booked 2 trips away and cant believe how easy the process was, great communication, great options on availability and hotels and cant wait to book another one!

Sent by Mark Robinson

Milton Keynes 24/04/2023

Sent by Mark Willis

SHIPSTON-ON-STOUR 28/10/2022

I have used Nigel on four previous occasions, and as somebody who does not enjoy wading through holiday catalogues or have the time to search endless web sites the whole Travel Counsellor approach is truly refreshing & dare I say enjoyable. Nigel's attention to detail is meticulous and he goes above and beyond to make his clients feel truly special.

Sent by Sharon Noble

Skegness 28/10/2022

Nigel is so Efficient , and gives a first class 5* service and he even checked we was having a good holiday whilst he was on his own holiday that’s dedication for you , I always recommend to all My friends and family when they are booking a holiday

Sent by Paul Dadge

Bourton on The Water 28/10/2022

Nigel, has been a fantastic travel counsellor, and a real asset to your business I’m sure! I can’t wait to go on holiday in November! I sure will book with Nigel again on my next upcoming holiday in the future!

Sent by Kayleigh Hobson

Oxford 28/10/2022

We have used Nigel before in the past and we are so glad we used him again to find our perfect holiday. Thank you so much for being so quick and efficient with finding us something that suited us and our needs within the time schedule given. We look forward to using Nigel again in the future! Highly recommend!

Sent by Gina Gainbridge

Isle Of Skye 28/10/2022

Very helpful . Sorted everything on my tic list . Very professional and knowledgable

Sent by Tina Pearson

Marsh Gibbon 28/10/2022

Fantastic service from start to finish. Nothing a problem and always happy to answer questions.

Sent by Richard Munro

Banbury 04/02/2022

We've booked with Nigel several times before - he always gives us some great options which match our requirements, and when one holiday was cancelled for COVID reasons he worked to get us refunded without any hassle. 10/10

Sent by Sue Knight

Hook Norton 04/02/2022

Nigel is so helpful and always available and has been an absolute godsend with us having to keep postponing holidays. I wouldn’t go anywhere else. 10/10

Sent by Duncan Elliott

Leamington Spa 04/02/2022

Fantastic service from Nigel. Very professional, informed, quick and personal service. I wouldn’t go anywhere else now! Completely happy, and would thoroughly recommend him.10/10

Sent by Chloe Noble

Skegness 04/02/2022

Nigel was very efficient and found us exactly what we was looking for .10/10

Sent by Jonathan Rix

Milton Keynes 05/11/2021

We have had the most amazing time away, and this is all thanks to Nigel who arranged it all for us. He’s got years of experience in the travel industry, and having been to so many of the places himself, he knows the hotels and is able to make lots of special arrangements to ensure you have the best experience. Not to mention all his knowledge he uses to make sure you get the best location of room, the best restaurants booked without having to trawl trip advisor or you have all the covid procedures covered. We would highly recommend Nigel, and what’s great is you can message or email him anytime as he is based at an online travel agents. If you get tired of wasting hours searching online for holidays, he is always happy to provide a shortlist of potential options that suit you and your family.

Sent by Sharon Noble

Skegness 05/11/2021

Thankyou Nigel scrimshaw for organising the most amazing trip to Ikos Oceania, nothing is too much trouble, he offers 5 star service, he will help you plan your perfect holiday tailored to your needs, plan your trips, book your restaurants,check you in with the airlines, makes sure your enjoying your holliday while you are away.we would not hesitate in reccomending Nigel to anyone

Sent by Rachel Earl

Pershore 05/11/2021

Massive thankyou to Nigel for arranging a little slice of heaven for our honeymoon. We had the best time and are feeling very refreshed.Nigel ensured we didnt want for anything! He took all the stress out of travelling in the current enviroment, arranging flights twice, sorting us with airport parking and our documentation, free flight drinks and extra luggage, as well as booking a beautiful sea view room with champagne and the best breakfast and dinner reservations at the most amazing hotel that he reccomended to us.We cant reccomend Nigel enough

Sent by David Green

Bloxham 05/11/2021

Nigel never fails to find us fantastic properties to stay at, staying at a fantastic property in Saltash we will return

Sent by Kevin Hardy

Banbury 05/11/2021

Nigel is a true Diamond

Sent by Darren Bedding

BANBURY 09/01/2020

Nigel professional as always, sent in our family requirements and budget, Nigel with in 24 hours found us a selection of 4. We are now looking forward to our lovely holiday in Crete.

Sent by Aileen Shearer

BANBURY 02/01/2020

Excellent professional friendly service...would definitely recommend using Nigel @ Travel Counsellors again!

Sent by Aline Shand

BANBURY 03/10/2019

Nigel really took the time to listen and understand our complicated family mechanics and needs. Last minutes changes do no phase Nigel, but he embraces them with care and consideration. A real human being.

Sent by Derek Hettenbach

BANBURY 23/09/2019

Nigel never fails to come up trumps for us, knows our requirements and always provides an excellent personal experience. Highly recommended to everyone I meet.

Sent by Sharon Houghton

Banbury 16/09/2019

Very helpful and made the process of booking a large group very easy

Sent by Joanne Mares

Kidderminster 10/09/2019

Iam very very happy with the service provided and would highly recommend Nigel

Sent by Zoe Lee Howe

Doncaster 03/09/2019

I wouldnt trust anyone else to book my holidays, authentic, supportive and down to earth. Always happy to help and will go above and beyond. ***** Five stars.

Sent by Rosie Barrett

Banbury 03/09/2019

Nigel is fantastic & keeps me updated of any changes that have occurred I would certainly use him again :-)

Sent by Elizabeth Anstey

Marsh Gibbon Bicester 03/09/2019

Excellent, efficient, pleasant service

Sent by Marie Skinner

Banbury 15/07/2019

I have had fantastic service from Nigel and I have already recommended him to several of my friends and family. I have had amazing service so far and will definitely use Nigel's services again for my next break

Sent by Alex Hume

Milton Keynes 14/06/2019

if you are looking for a holiday-would definitely recommend giving Nigel a shout. He gives outstanding customer service, just let him know your holiday wish list and he will find you a selection of options saving you all the hunting around. He has many years experience and has been to many of the hotels himself or has extensive knowledge so he can find the best places for you and your family. The service doesn't end there. Nigel will keep you updated reminding you about any info for your trip and is available during and after your trip. His handy app will show you your quotes and all your travel info. Don't look anywhere else give him a call.

Sent by Jessica Forde

London 11/06/2019

Nigel did a fantastic job not only in recommending our visit to the Ikos Olivia but organized everything down to the minute detail . He pre booked our seats, checked us in on line, printed our boarding passes . Before we left he had pre booked the baby sitters, the crèche for our little one, and made reservations for us at the a la carte restaurants. Impeccable service.

Sent by John Simon

Leicester 11/06/2019

Nigel has been fantastic at organizing our 2 trips, he has finalized everything to the smallest detail and has dealt with every question efficiently and promptly.He has gone the extra mile by even helping us with a separate holiday we booked ourselves before we knew of Nigel and has shown that he is an expert in his field. his level of customer service has been exceptional. we will not hesitate to recommend Nigel to our friends and family

Sent by Matthew Higgins

Towcester 31/05/2019

Nigel is excellent! He is very helpful and was willing to answer any questions, and was available to us even out of hours. We highly recommend him!

Sent by Aaron Taylor

Milton Keynes 11/04/2019

Nigel always goes above and beyond, really knows his stuff and is always there to help and offer advice. He offers an xcellent service which we will always use for our family holidays, we are forever recommending Nigel and those who have used his services have not been disappointed.

Sent by David Green

Banbury 08/04/2019

Yet again, Nigel has provided us with great service. Nigel is number one as far as I am concerned, looking after his clients needs.

Sent by Wendy Coley-moore

Kings Sutton 22/03/2019

Very nice to have such a personal service, and have holiday details matched to requirements

Sent by Kayleigh Hobson

Oxford 07/02/2019

It’s such a nice feeling to have someone who really gets what you want out of your holiday, and Nigel is so honest and knowledgeable. Thank you again!

Sent by Josephine Tustain

Brackley 22/01/2019

Nigel always thinks about the holiday to the times of the flight to the location of the hotel. You always know he really does care for your needs and finds you best deal suitable to any budget. Thank you

Sent by Keith Hardy

Adderbury 22/11/2018

Nigel was excellent and tailored our travel requirements perfectly. We will definitely recommend and use again.

Sent by Rosie Barrett

Banbury 18/11/2018

Nigel so far has made my holiday booking a pleasure, I'm working fulltime and do not have the same time anymore, he booked my cruise to my specific needs and went out his way to ensure I was happy with my choice. I would certainly recommend Nigel to friends and family.

Sent by Derek Hettenbach

Banbury 18/11/2018

Nigel knows our particular requirements, is always full of helpful advice and is always available if we need him. He is both patient and efficient as well as being a thoroughly nice guy. I would not hesitate to recommend him.

Sent by Tim O'Shea

Banbury 20/09/2018

Great service, gave lots of options from the criteria given, all options had very good reviews, has taken a lot of the hassle and time out trying to find somewhere.

Sent by Les Edge

Brackley 06/09/2018

Thank you Nigel, for going the extra mile for me. I appreciate your professionalism.

Sent by Matthew Higgins

Towcester 04/09/2018

Nigel gave an excellent service and makes us feel very cared for.

Sent by Daniel Ruffle

Banbury 04/09/2018

Very helpful and informative. Made everything very easy.

Sent by barry wyatt

banbury 07/06/2018

Nigel as always gives us excellent service, always prepared to go that extra mile

Sent by chanelle webb

banbury 04/06/2018

First morning in bali - what a trip. I am so grateful we used Nigel to book our holiday. After 1.5hr delay at Heathrow we were going to miss our connection in Dubai. I switched on my phone to check what time the next flight would be which was 8 hrs later. I noticed a message from Nigel who was watching our flight and knew it had been delayed and the consequences, he was telling us our options and he would get us booked on the next flight. Then there was another message saying our connecting flight was being held and later on in the flight he told us what gate our connection would be going from. We were the only ones on the plane who knew what was going on and where to go for our connection and that included the flight staff. I will never never book a holiday through another means again. Nigel did not go to sleep that night until we notified him we had made our connecting flight to Bali. Now that's service.

Sent by Stephen Ash

London 01/06/2018

Nigel has proven top be very knowledgeable a great help and a true gentleman. His help is greatly appreciated.

Sent by kayleigh Hobson

Oxford 07/05/2018

So kind, supportive and helpful, overwhelmed with everything that Nigel did! We have never experienced this level of customer service from anyone when organising our holiday. We will most definitely be using Nigel again for our next adventure! Thank you so much!

Sent by David Reynolds

Banbury 26/02/2018

Having never used a Travel Counsellor prior to this vacation and only used a travel agent extremely rarely many years ago I have been overwhelmed with the attention to detail. This is a very special holiday and wished to relieve us of any stress in the arrangements; can't wait to get going.

Sent by Sarah Strudwick

Aylesbury 13/02/2018

It can be a mine field searching the Internet for the perfect holiday, never knowing if you can trust the reviews but when someone has been to the location and resorts that speaks volumes. A few years ago we booked a holiday through Nigel and trusted his expertise and we were not disappointed in fact it was the best holiday we have ever experienced so we have no hesitation in trusting his recommendations and will definitely be passing on his details at travel counsellors to family and friends. Thank you Nigel for making it so easy!

Sent by Julia Harrison

Sandford St Martin 11/01/2018

Nigel is truly excellent, his attention to detail is outstanding and committment to provide the very best service possible is an absolute pleasure, I would not hestitate to recommend him to any individual or business as he is truly brilliant.

Sent by Kevin Bedding

New Milton Hampshire 01/01/2018

Nigel was recommended to me via my brother Darren. Nigel got straight to the point by taking an avid interest in the type of holiday I was after and the sort of price range I wanted to spend. Nigel spent time in producing some options for my safari in Kenya, which met all my requirements, including a specific tour I was interested in. Nigel could do all of this, ensuring I received the best financial deal available. After booking, Nigel completed all the holiday tasks on my behalf in a timely manner. Nigel offered his expertise with regards to the visa I would need to obtain. The whole holiday from booking right through to the actual trip went very smoothly and at all times Nigel was friendly and professional. He ensured I had all the necessary paperwork I required and an emergency phone number and contact details in case of any problems, which I must say was very reassuring although never needed I would definitely use Nigel's services again, his understanding, caring approach gave me the peace of mind and left me able to fully enjoy my trip of a lifetime. Thanks Nigel.

Sent by Lynn Leggott

Bicester 25/10/2017

Nigel was most helpful and went out of his way to meet all our travel requirements. He kept up communication with us throughout the whole process and was more than happy to answer any queries we had. We would certainly consult him again for any future travel plans and would recommend him to friends.

Sent by Sandra Tustain

Banbury 24/09/2017

We found Nigel to be a very patient and caring person, listening to all our wants and needs. Lovely man and we would highly recommend him.

Sent by Ashley Prosser

Oxfordshire 13/09/2017

Nigel listens to what you are looking for and makes you feel at ease knowing your holiday is in very capable hands. He explains thoroughly all the documents you need to take with you and is always on the end of the phone if you have any questions at all. A very efficient and memorable service which is tailored to meet all your needs.

Sent by carole selway

Banbury 26/07/2017

Nigel listened to what we wanted and with experience and knowledge was able to find exactly what we required. Attentive to detail and able to enthuse about cruising from his experiences .

Sent by christine dyckes

Banbury 23/06/2017

Last year I approached Nigel to discuss a plan to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary in July 2017, with a special trip abroad and on this occasion we favoured Rome. With a husband who hates flying and who would not get on a boat for all the tea in China, and must travel sitting forward on public transport, Nigel had his work cut out . On top of that we had not flown for eight years due to my husband's phobia and we were so unfamiliar with the latest technology at the airports. But we need not have worried. Nigel took everything in his stride. Nigel not only suggested an amazing boutique hotel that was in a fabulous location very close to the Colosseum, which he ensured would be able to cater for my gluten free diet, but he also arranged all the airport transfers and even contacted us whilst we were there to make sure we were happy. There was even a complimentary bottle of fizz and welcome card from Nigel waiting in our room for us when we arrived. Talking about going the extra mile, he was able to get travel insurance at a very competitive rate, recommended restaurants to visit close by, advised on locations of near by ATM machines and dealt with various obscure queries. His recommendation to pre-book our sight seeing visits with him was highly appreciated, having seen the queues in Rome around the venues, this made us really appreciate this "skip the queue" service. We had a fantastic holiday and would not hesitate to recommend Nigel to anybody we meet and will certainly be using his services again. Thank you Nigel for your wonderful support. It really was appreciated and made us have a very memorable experience. We wish you every success you deserve for your business. With eternal thanks , Steve and Chris Dyckes.

Sent by Andrea Love

Banbury 29/05/2017

Were home, back from the most amazing holiday we have ever had ! Definitely a "Happy Halkidiki Holiday". Nigel; your planning beforehand so we didn't have to worry about anything, your attention to detail during our holiday with the personal cards etc, your special surprise of dinner on the beach, all went to making our time very special, it was out of this world. Our first experience of booking in this way has been so perfect that we are already talking of booking more with you. Thank you so very much Nigel!!

Sent by Sarka Naivertova

Banbury 27/05/2017

Nigel is a very thoughtful travel agent who has gone the extra mile to make our trip pleasurable.

Sent by Kathryn Hegarty

Banbury 18/05/2017

My husband and I wanted to go back to our honeymoon destination this year for a holiday. When we realised it had nearly doubled in price since we went there three years ago, we realised we needed some help in deciding on an alternative destination. With so many places to choose from, and a short time frame before we wanted to go away, we turned to Nigel for some much needed guidance. Armed with our like and dislikes, our budget and the only specific dates we could travel, Nigel came up with Daois Cove in Crete as a personal recommendation at a great price. All of the added extras that were included such as complimentary airport lounge, private airport transfers and room credit added to the enjoyment of our holiday. Nigel organises everything for you and will even check you in and print your boarding cards for you. We are so grateful to Nigel for saving us time, stress and money so that we could enjoy our lovely holiday. Thank you Nigel, well definitely be recommending you to friends and family . Best Wishes, Kathryn and Laurence

Sent by Julia Harrison

Sandford St Martin 17/05/2017

Nigel is really brilliant, efficient, helpful and knows what he is doing - invaluable to my business.

Sent by Josephine Tustain

Brackley 17/04/2017

Nigel has given fabulous service going the extra mile with finer details plus a bargain price. I'm looking forward to my holiday as everything is sorted I don't need to worry as everything has been arranged by Nigel. Thank you once again

Sent by Elaine Simpson

Banbury 13/04/2017

We first contacted Nigel as we were wanting a weekend away and had exhausted all the usual avenues for a mini break and quite frankly were overwhelmed with destinations, choice and price variations. We briefed Nigel on when we wanted to go and our budget, the rest we left to him. He provided us with 3 or 4 options including a mini cruise, which neither of us had even thought about. We instantly decided this was the break for us. We had a wonderful time on our 2 night mini cruise to Bruges. The P&O ship Azura was amazing, as were all the staff on board. The food and cocktails surpassed our expectations too. Nigel was an excellent travel consultant for us and considered our unique needs, as he searched for our mini break. He has listened to what we were looking for and every suggestion he made was a genuine option for us as he considered our budget, time constraints, and personal likes and dislikes. Nigel arranged all of our paperwork, car parking and even called to check we understood everything, and gave us tips on what to expect on board. I would definitely use Nigel again as he made our trip easy and stress free. Thank you Nigel

Sent by Jamie Aspinall

Gravesend 10/04/2017

Great service, never too much hassle and always on hand to help. Thanks Nigel!

Sent by Lee Wilkinson

Banbury 30/03/2017

We have not used a Travel Counsellor before and as such were fairly dubious about using one.We met Nigel at our home at a time and on a date to suit us. Nigel was friendly and immediately put us at ease. We were not sure what trip we wanted, but had a few ideas to run past Nigel. Nigel was honest from the beginning, offering advice and suggestions to make our trip exactly what we wanted. Nigel listened to what we wanted from the trip, and not only that, where we had been before, and what we did and didn't like about these trips. Not only was Nigel excellent during the research and selection process he was on hand through out the entire booking process too. He answered our questions at all times of day and night, and as such we felt 110% confident and comfortable booking through him. We are now very much looking forward to our trip and considering how dubious we were in the beginning, will now not book a trip without him again. We cannot recommend Nigel highly enough. We have told friends and family about him already!

Sent by Rosemaria Barnes

Bicester 15/02/2017

Very professional approach to my request. Nothing too much trouble. I will definitely use Nigel again for my next holiday in May.

Sent by Claire Warmington

Shipston On Stour 17/12/2016

Such a great personal service where he really listens to what you are looking for and happy to run through all different options with you to ensure you are 100% happy. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend to anyone.

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Send me an email 01869 868140