Tina Hopkins

I'm based in

Thorpe

Available for new enquiries

It's Nice To Meet You

Hello and thank you for visiting my web page. If you’re looking for a holiday personally tailored to your requirements, with support from the time you book until the moment you arrive safely back home, you’re in exactly the right place.
Do you love to travel, but haven’t got either the time or inclination to research?
Or would you like a once in a lifetime holiday and don’t know where to start?
How do you know the company you’ve found online is legitimate?
What if things go wrong before you travel or while you’re away?
I love to research holidays and have a real interest in Africa and the Far East both of which I’ve been lucky enough to visit on more than one occasion. These holidays can often involve a number of flights, hotels, excursions and transfers. I have a network of trusted suppliers based all over the world who can help me to create bespoke (100% financially protected) holidays.
Recent events have reinforced the need to use an experienced travel provider. A real person who is available for you to speak to, right up until the moment you return from your holiday.
My decision to become a Travel Counsellor was born from a love of travel and a desire to help others realise their travel dreams. I’m passionate about good customer service – something which is sadly lacking in today’s environment. I provide my customers with a personal service; they only ever deal with me and I’m delighted I have some wonderful customers I now call friends.
My love of travel goes back a long way; sparked by my first holiday abroad, a two-week Mediterranean cruise with school. As soon as I could I went to work for an airline – only leaving to bring up my two, now grown up, children. They both had their first holiday abroad when they were 3 months old and still love to travel. When the children were younger, we had lots of family trips to Europe (particularly Germany) and USA. More recently my husband and I have had some real ‘bucket list’ holidays – visiting Singapore, Vietnam, India, Australia in addition to various African and Far East countries. Our most recent family trip was visiting Lapland between Christmas 2025 and the new year. We’re busy planning more trips, but the list just gets longer!
When you’re considering your next holiday why not get in touch for a chat – I promise you won’t regret it.

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Explore my guides and blogs

A Magical Family Adventure in Lapland

A Magical Family Adventure in Lapland

Is there anywhere more enchanting for a winter getaway than Lapland? After spending four magical nights in this snowy wonderland with my family, including two granddaughters, I’m convinced that it’s the ultimate destination for families seeking festive fun, heartwarming memories, and a sprinkle of real-life fairy tale magic.

12 Jan 2026 5   min read

The Land of Smiles

The Land of Smiles

A celebratory trip to mark the beginning of my husband’s retirement took us to The Land of Smiles – Thailand. We began our adventure in Kanchanaburi – known for its dark history; the area is home to the Thai-Burma railway (aka Death Railway) and the famous Bridge over the River Kwai. There’s a memorial and two fascinating museums to visit and we also took a ride on the railways itself. It’s stil

02 Apr 2025 5   min read

P&O Arcadia ship visit

P&O Arcadia ship visit

A very different day at the office as I travelled to Southampton to visit P&O Cruises Arcadia. With a maximum capacity of 2094 passengers, it’s not quite the smallest ship in the P&O fleet, although it didn’t feel small as we navigated our way up and down between the decks, and along its full length! My first impression as I boarded into the atrium was clean and fresh. We spent the morning vis

30 Aug 2023 5   min read

Winter sun in Dubai

Winter sun in Dubai

My first holiday of 2023 in Dubai. A week in the sun and all girls together, a recipe for a great time! Only a 6½ to 7-hour flight makes Dubai easily accessible for Winter sunshine. With our itinerary to hand we set off on a holiday of discovery. We’d been told how beautiful the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is, so that was our first adventure. It only took just over an hour and with

19 May 2023 5   min read

Berlin Christmas Markets

Berlin Christmas Markets

For my husband and I, this trip to Berlin was all about visiting the Christmas Markets as it was our third time to the city. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the markets on our last visit as the weather was so bad, most markets were closed! We were with my son and his girlfriend on their first trip, so we followed their lead on the attractions to visit. The Christmas Markets don’t generally

04 Jan 2023 5   min read

Where the geysers blow!

Where the geysers blow!

Another holiday postponed because of Covid-19, finally happened! In early September we set off for USA, travelling first to Salt Lake City where we collected a car and headed up to Yellowstone National Park. Enroute, we stopped off at Jackson for a brief visit and I think it’s one of the prettiest towns I’ve ever been to in the US. Beautifully crafted buildings gave me the feeling of being imme

27 Oct 2022 5   min read

Three visit Athens - eventually!

Three visit Athens - eventually!

We finally got there, two years after we’d originally booked, we touched down in the ancient city of Athens. After dropping our things off at the hotel, we headed off – map in hand. Hotel staff directed us to the historic area of Monastiraki. The square was buzzing with sightseers visiting the open-air market to buy souvenirs, before enjoying a meal in one of the many local tavernas. There wer

22 Jul 2022 5   min read

Christmastime in Edinburgh

Christmastime in Edinburgh

We usually take a short trip to Germany to visit the Christmas Markets and get ourselves into the Christmas spirit although, for obvious reasons, it hasn’t been possible for the last couple of years. So, we decided to visit Edinburgh. There’s a Christmas Market as well as lots of other things to see and do. We dispensed with any form of public transport (together with face covering, form filli

29 Dec 2021 5   min read

Late Summer in Crete

Late Summer in Crete

After spending the Summer months closely watching the developments with overseas travel in light of Covid-19, we were relieved and delighted when we were able to book a last-minute break to Crete. We had visited the island many years ago with two small children, so this was a completely different holiday, just the two of us. We based ourselves in the pretty fishing port of Elounda about 45 minute

24 Sept 2021 5   min read

Lake Garda during COVID-19

Lake Garda during COVID-19

I don’t need to explain why 2020 didn’t turn out to be the year any of us had expected or planned for. The holidays we’d planned for the year all had to be rescheduled, but we were still keen to get away for a holiday if possible. Italy was the perfect choice as they were managing Covid well and it was unlikely we’d have to quarantine on our return to UK. We chose Lake Garda, an area we first visi

21 Sept 2020 5   min read

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line

With destinations all over the world, award winning musicals, full on-board rotational dining and unlimited snacks, soft drinks and ice-cream, what's there not to love about a Disney cruise? The best bit? It's all served up with the legendary Disney service, themed deck parties and fireworks at sea, you might even get to meet your favourite Disney character on-board too! WHERE CAN I GO ON A DISNE

25 Nov 2019 5   min read

Three visit Jersey

Three visit Jersey

Just a short hop from Gatwick and we were in Jersey in the Channel Islands. Although it was my first real visit (I had a flying visit over 30 years ago for 1 day) both my mum and cousin had visited before. We chose a large resort style hotel, which really did offer something for all age groups including an indoor and outdoor pool across the road, two restaurants, evening entertainment or the oppo

01 Aug 2019 5   min read

When in Rome......

When in Rome......

Determined to spend my birthday away this year, my husband and I decided to visit Rome for a few days. My favourite European city and my third visit, although it was my husband’s first. It took about ½ hour to transfer from the airport in a private car after our flight, which had taken a little over 2 hours. Our hotel was perfectly located in the centre of the city about 100 yards from the Trevi

10 Jul 2019 5   min read

Three visit Vienna

Three visit Vienna

Vienna is a bit further away than some European cities at just over two hours flying time from London. However, the time (literally) flew by as I chatted with my mum and cousin and we arrived about 13:20 local time. It only took half an hour to get into the city by car and before we knew it we had arrived at our lodging, Hotel am Konzerthaus. Check-in was very efficient, and we were given a w

12 Aug 2018 5   min read

Gorillas, chimps and animals galore!

Gorillas, chimps and animals galore!

We had so much planned for our trip to Uganda and Tanzania that we flew into Kigali in Rwanda to minimise our travelling time as much as possible. After a good night’s rest, we were collected by our guide who transferred us to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest over the border in Uganda for what was undoubtedly the highlight of our holiday – gorilla trekking. We were lucky enough to spend one hour in the

28 Jun 2018 5   min read

Munich for Christmas

Munich for Christmas

We decided we’d like to go a bit further afield for our visit to the German Christmas Markets this year and visited the bustling Bavarian City of Munich. We chose to stay in a hotel just outside of the city in Dachau where hotel prices are much more reasonable. A train ride back into the city only takes about 10 minutes on the fast train or 20 minutes on a local train. Another reason for stay

12 Dec 2017 5   min read

To cruise or not to cruise - that is the question

To cruise or not to cruise - that is the question

I was surprised to learn, when I joined Travel Counsellors, that cruising is the fastest growing sector of the market. Most of us think of a cruise as something where you’re told what to wear for dinner and where you’ll sit in the restaurant. However that isn’t for everyone and cruise companies have recognised that. Cruise companies have re-invented the concept and now there’s a cruise to suit e

14 Sept 2017 5   min read

Portugal

Portugal

As we were travelling with my daughter, son-in-law and year-old granddaughter, we decided not to go too far for our family summer holiday. Cascais is on the Atlantic coast slightly west of Lisbon – Portugal’s capital city. Our flight from London took a little over two hours and then it was a 40-minute transfer to our hotel – Cascais Miragem. The hotel is well located, just a 10-minute walk into

10 Sept 2017 5   min read

Club Med and Marrakech

Club Med and Marrakech

Hosted by Club Med we spent a few days in the sunshine at Club Med La Palmeraie in Marrakech. Never having visited before it was an ideal opportunity to enjoy the Club Med experience and travel to a new place. Landing after a 3 ½ hour flight we could see immediately that we’d landed in Northern Africa, the red square sandstone buildings were visible from the runway. Transfer to La Palmeraie took

05 Jul 2017 5   min read

Cracking Krakow

Cracking Krakow

An interest in visiting Auschwitz was the main reason for choosing to visit Krakow for our short break this year. Our flight from Heathrow to the small Krakow Airport took about two hours where we were met and transferred to our hotel in the city centre. The hotel was very well placed close to the historic town centre and the main market square. The sun was shining and we ate a lovely meal o

30 Jun 2017 5   min read

Incredible India

Incredible India

We arrived in Jaipur, our first port of call, following a short flight from Mumbai where we’d landed the previous evening from UK. Nothing can prepare you for the hustle and bustle that is India – people, cars and rickshaws, camels pulling heavily loaded carts, pigs, and cows ambling along (or even just biding their time) in the middle of the road! Amber Fort is the major attraction and it w

19 Apr 2017 5   min read

Trier, Germany

Trier, Germany

Four and a half hours after we drove off the Eurotunnel at Calais, we arrived in the car park of the Park Plaza Hotel in the ancient German city of Trier. We were there for a three night break, the week before Christmas. Our hotel was really well placed for us to reach all the main areas on foot and there was plenty to see during our stay. The city was originally founded by the Romans in 17BC

20 Dec 2016 5   min read

Beautiful Bath

Beautiful Bath

Just over two hours from home and we found ourselves in a beautiful hotel amidst the Somerset countryside. The hotel only has 21 rooms, an outdoor pool and spa facilities (sauna and steam room free of charge and treatments at an additional cost). We made the most of the hotel facilities on our first afternoon as the weather was warm and sunny and enjoyed an evening meal in a local pub. Unusually t

12 Aug 2016 5   min read

Budapest

Budapest

Every year we take a ‘girls trip’ to a different European city and this year it was Budapest. I’ve never visited Hungary before, so I felt I was embarking on a real adventure. The flight took just over 2 hours, so it is easily manageable for a long weekend, with a 40 minute transfer into the city. Our hotel was perfectly placed on the Buda side of the River Danube, close to one of the many brid

14 Jun 2016 5   min read

Incredible Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam

Incredible Singapore, Cambodia and Vietnam

We began our trip in Singapore for three nights; it was my third visit but it had been 27 years since the last time. I was surprised at how much development has taken place in the intervening years, but it still had the charm I remembered from years ago. With bustling Chinatown and chaotic Little India adding to the general ambience, and of course the obligatory visit to Raffles for a Singapore Sl

04 Apr 2016 5   min read

What my customers say

Graham and I wanted to say a big thank you to you for all you did personally to make our trip through Vietnam and Cambodia so amazing. It was everything I could have wished for. From the start, the planning of the bespoke itinerary with our own guides and drivers, booking the flights & hotels, the process could not have been handled better. We felt our ideas and preferences were clearly listened to and accommodated wherever possible with really constructive advice and information given. After several months of waiting we set off with great excitement and were not disappointed. All the arrangements went like clockwork, we were surprised that you even checked us in for all our flights. We did not have to worry about anything and despite the packed itinerary it was so stress free all we had to do was enjoy it! We are now considering where our next trip will be and will go to no-one else to help us get there!

Pamela Roberts

Dorking

Tina is the best travel consultant ever! She has great ideas, contacts and just ‘gets’ what my husband and I are wanting! We have had a wide range of experiences, some short European breaks , some long distance and far away and each time they have been wonderful. She is so efficient and always comes back to you. In fact she is usually ahead of the game and advises us about things we didn’t even know we should know! Brilliant lady and can’t thank her enough!

Sarah Wells

UK

Tina, and the service she offers, is amazing. We probably wouldn't have holidays without her! I'm too busy to spend hours trawling the internet for holidays and finding the best price. We have used her several times now and intend to continue doing so. I recommend her often to friends and family.

Laura Dodsworth

Oxford

As a busy business owner, I did not have the time to search for trips both personal and business. I met Tina and approached her to use her service for a trip to USA. I went to Tina initially to book one trip, as Tina made the process very simple and easy, I went back to book several other trips with her along with travel insurance. I explained what I wanted from my trip and Tina provided a great itinerary which made the entire process seamless and gave me more time to enjoy my trips whilst I was there and also saved me time through my working day as Tina took care of everything, including checking me in for my flights. All I had to do was simply turn up at the airport. Tina’s service is exceptional. I have already recommended family and friends to her. I will continue to use Tina for all my travel both personal and business. Thank you, Tina, for your exceptional service.

Adela Manzoor

Uxbridge

This was my first holiday using a Travel Counsellor, I was very nervous traveling with my son on my own for the first time, especially with all the covid restrictions! Tina , sorted everything, from tickets, hotel, restaurants, you name it she was there for me . Nothing was to much trouble! Even to contact me while away because they changed my return seats! My hotel was all I wanted and then some, all down to her, I gave her my requirements and she fulfilled them to the max! I can not thank her enough! I simply will not travel without her again.

Tricia Gilbey-Simpson

Shepperton

Tina considered our requirements carefully and gave us a good choice of vacations with lots of details. She has patient and courteous at all times,. Tina was knowledgeable and went out of her way to find additional information leaving no stone unturned. Thank you Tina for a first class service

Mary Ealey

Staines-upon-Thames

My son and I recently returned from a fantastic 6 week road trip around Spain, Portugal and France. It really wouldn’t have been possible without the input from Tina. We discussed a rough itinerary and I left it all In Tina’s capable hands , a few weeks later everything was sorted and off we went! All accommodation was excellent and trips out were perfect as well. Unfortunately we had to return earlier than planned but Tina sorted everything and full refunds sorted Tina made all the hassle and planning of the trip so easy and at any time I knew she was only call/email/text away. Besides which she is quite simply a lovely person. She will always be helping me in the future with further trips and I can’t recommend her enough

Michael Marris

TRURO

Tina has been fantastic in helping to book our family holiday on a couple of occasions. From helping to choose the right accommodation to fine tuning all the little extras we never even thought of. She took the stress and worry out of booking our big holiday, very efficient, knowledgeable and always on the other end of the phone. I would highly recommend Tina to my friends and family. Thank you so much.

Renata Dunster

Reading

Asking Tina to plan our South Pacific trip was the best decision we made. We prepared a list of wants and with help from the TC network she came back with great suggestions that quickly led to the ideal itinerary in Tahiti and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Thank goodness we listened to her advice about sky couches and early arrivals, it's that personal experience that meant our holiday was amazing and perfect from start to finish. All of the transport, connections and tours went exactly as planned - which I attribute to Tina's attention to detail and the commitment TC makes to finding the right suppliers. We couldn't possibly have made this holiday work so well without Tina, I've been sharing her details with friends and colleagues safe in the knowledge that they will have the best holiday experience. So, where next??

Elaine Kearney

Newbury

Tina booked us a fabulous holiday to Koh Samui to celebrate my goddaughter’s wedding. She met me to hand over tickets, pre-addressed luggage labels and even a plastic bag for my items to go through security! She made sure we had a flight with leg room and good connections as well as booking us in to a fabulous hotel and arranging the transfers. It is just the small touches that make it such a pleasure to work with Tina and we will be using her again for our next holiday. I highly recommend you book with her to avoid hours of headache!! Thanks Tina.

Sally-Ann North

Farnham

Tina has done a marvelous job in arranging our holiday. She has brought it within our budget and has taken great care in meeting our needs and changing things where necessary. She has always been available to talk to in order to discuss any questions we might have and we are looking forward to a wonderful experience. Thank you very much Tina

Christine Rogers

Sunbury-on-Thames

I had a great experience using Tina Hopkins as our Travel Counsellor. She was so helpful and knowledgeable I would a 100 percent recommend her to my friends and family.

Katie Shaw

Basingstoke

Very prompt in replying to questions. Excellent help with all details of arrangements made for our vacation.

John Cox

Rustington

It was a fantastic trip, with an imprint on my heart bigger than I can tell you in an email. Thank you for your help in organizing; we never would have been able to pull off the kind of trip you gave us on our own. We wouldn't have even made it to our hotel that first night, without the help our our guide and driver. Thank you thank you thank you!

Jenifer Dafria

Virginia Water

Tina was knowledgable about travel and really listened to what we wanted. She was approachable genuine and honest. We trusted her totally and would definitely use her again and recommend to friends and family

Marianne Smallman

Fleet

A special word of thanks to Tina Hopkins, who tirelessly worked through three totally different destination options for us before we settled upon The Maldives; and there were a lot of destinations to narrow down from there. Essentially we ended up with a holiday that surpassed what we had hoped for. We didn't dare to set our hopes too high just in case anything went wrong as there were many variables involved. However, these were false concerns as seating on all flights and connections was perfect. The entire holiday couldn't have gone any smoother, even down to having our check ins confirmed for us at each end.

Yusef Mamoojee

Staines-upon-Thames

Just a note to say what a wonderful time both Kim and I had in Thailand. The organisation from start to finish was seamless. We both felt we didn't need to think and were able to completely relax. We didn't have to worry about checking in or printing boarding passes both at home and when we were away. We were met and transported between each centre by polite and professional staff. It was a completely stress-free experience. The hotels were all of a good standard and Elephant Hills just wonderful. Thank you so much for your professional and personal help in organising what was an amazing holiday and experience.

Lynne Newman

Sandhurst

We would like to thank you so much for planning our anniversary trip to Canada. Even though we had such packed itinerary from the National Park in Jasper and Banff, travelling down to Vancouver and the Alaskan cruise, we know we need to go back to so much more. We had a holiday of a lifetime and it was all down to your planning and execution - superb holiday and would absolutely recommend you - get your holiday planned by Tina

Michael Wilson

Harlow

Tina was there to help me all along the way. She was prompt and communicated well. I had some specific ideas of what I wanted to do in Morocco and she was able to put together a trip that met all my criteria quickly and easily. The trip went well and we enjoyed ourselves and did not worry one day about what we would be doing or where we were going. It was all thought out for us ahead of time. I would be happy to use her again and would recommend her to others.

Barbara Waugh

Virginia Water

In October 2017 I was fortunate to have Tina arrange a long weekend in Tuscany to celebrate mine and my twin sisters 60th birthday. All I can say is what a fantastic experience, everything went perfectly to plan from the airport transfers from Pisa to San Gimignano to hotel accommodation which was ideally suited for our party of ten. Tina booked a restaurant for the birthday night along with a surprise birthday cake which was wonderful which made it even more special. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Tina to friends and family and I have already booked another holiday with her for March of this year.

Diane Tarran

Staines

We have recently returned from a great trip to Cuba which Tina arranged for us. Everything was taken care of from flights, transfers and hotel, even including checking us in to the airport! We explained the type of trip we would like, and our requests were met and even exceeded. All in all a very good service that saved us a lot of time and hassle looking around, when Tina can find the best deals and the holiday you want for you. We will definitely be looking to book future holidays this way and would recommend to others.

David Bloomfield

Manchester

We have booked our last 3 holidays with Tina. She has made the whole process extremely easy for us. Tina is very professional and really cares about providing you with a first class service to ensure you have the best holiday possible. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending Tina to my friends and family and will certainly be booking through her in the future!

Tracy Ryan

Yateley

What can we say about Tina? She is brilliant!! From the first contact we had with her she has been professional and organised throughout when helping us book our holiday to the USA. The most important thing is that Tina listened to us with regards to what we wanted from our holiday. She then went away and put our requests into action. Tina took all the hassle and time that it takes to book a holiday away from us. We felt stress free and confident that she had done her best for us. Even while we were on holiday she was there if we needed her; and we did on a few occasions when factors beyond our control took place. Tina was calm, took control and guided us through what we needed to do. We were so relieved to have her there for us. Once you have experienced Tina booking your holiday, you will never look back. The planning of your holiday can be, instead of the usual stress, a pleasurable experience. Thank you Tina, we had the best holiday EVER!

Katie Carroll

Shepperton

We have recently returned from a holiday in Turkey which was arranged by Tina and I really must say that Tina played a big part in the pleasure and success of our trip. Not only did Tina take all the work and stress away from the booking, but she managed to get us an amazing deal. We were so delighted that the package Tina arranged for us not only included a private transfer, but fully inclusive instead of half board, and all this for less than we could get elsewhere. I would highly recommend Tina as the perfect Travel Counsellor and we will certainly use her service for all future holidays. Thank you so much, Tina.

Jane Webb

Crowthorne

I have used Tina on a couple of occasions for a city break and a family holiday to Mexico. Usually I booked holidays on line but it was great having Tina who took care of everything; flights, hotels. transfers and even printing off our boarding passes. To sum it up, Tina made my holiday booking so easy and stress free. Would definitely recommend using Tina's services.

Alison Lamb

Sandhurst

Tina took all the stress away when we wanted to travel to Australia - a once in a lifetime trip for my family and I. She was always there at the end of the phone if we needed anything. It felt so calming to know we had Tina's support whenever we needed it. Needless to say everything worked like clockwork with all our flights - we had quite a few! - and the excursions we booked through Tina. I would definitely recommend making use of Tina's services - she really goes the extra mile and will source the best possible holiday for you.

Anu` Sehdev

Slough

Tina goes that extra mile with personal service, not only arranging flights, airport transfers and accommodation (taking our requirements on board), she even delivered our boarding tickets prior to departure. Tina is genuine and as excited about your holiday as you are. It’s the little things that set her apart from other tour operators, like checking your insurance, ensuring passports are in order, nothing is too much bother. Tina has organised two of my trips and I have recommended her to all of my friends that want a hassle free holiday. Well done and thank-you for our enjoyable holidays.

Barbara Capaldi

Addlestone, Surrey

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Tailor-made for you

Your holiday isn’t just a trip away. It’s a longed-for escape, time to reconnect with loved ones, or a dream adventure you never thought possible. That’s why I take the time to truly get to know you and understand your hopes and expectations, then use my experience, connections and passion for the destination to create a trip that makes those dreams a reality.

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Personalised service. Always

When you plan a holiday with me, you’ll be given my personal mobile number from the very first call. I’ll listen to your thoughts and ideas like I would a friend and arrange accommodation, activities, and flights that are all personalised to you. And I’ll share my personal tips and recommendations, so you can experience the true beauty of each destination.

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Stress-free travel, and more time
for what matters most

I believe your time away should be stress-free, easy, and seamless from start to finish. So, I take care of all the details for you - from ATOL protection, insurance, and flexible payments to access to the myTC app, which keeps everything in one place.

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Support when it matters most

If the unexpected happens, you can rest easy, knowing that I’ll handle any last-minute changes, flight cancellations, or disruptions before you even pick up the phone. So you always feel happy, carefree, and ready to make the most of every moment.

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