Testimonials

The Journey of a Lifetime on the Venice Simplon Orient Express! The whole holiday was a great success. Thank you very much for all your planning, booking and checking the finer details. The Goring in London, Pullman/Orient Express trains and Hotel Cipriani in Venice were all brilliant. Staff looked after us extremely well, the trains were spectacular as was the journey through mountain passes – lots of snow as well as sunshine, beautiful. Putting on a bow tie for dinner whilst the carriage was encouraging us to rock and roll was a bit of a challenge!

I don’t think we’ve ever eaten so well or so much!! We saw most of what we had planned and also enjoyed sitting with ice cream and drinks listening to a splendid quintet on St Mark’s square. We have many happy memories that will last for a long time!

Roger & Sue Fern – Orient Express to Venice (April 2013)

Our holiday was amazing! The weather was bright sunshine for the 12 days, which was a bonus. Changed the car to a bigger one with no fuss. In Las Vegas we loved the MGM, a great hotel with good location. The Omni in Los Angeles was awesome, we asked for an upgrade and were successful we ended up with a suite. They even sent a cake up to our room when they knew it was my 40th in May which was really nice.

Along the coast in California we wished we had stayed in Carmel instead of Monterey, it’s much nicer! A few issues with The Serrano in San Francisco but overall OK. They had wine tasting every evening between 5pm and 6pm which was extremely nice and pleasant! Well located and we felt safe walking around at night.

Overall the holiday exceeded our expectations, and we are very grateful for all your help and assistance in making this trip happen!

Paul & Sue – USA California fly drive (April 2013)

Our holiday to Egypt was great! The Stella di Mare Beach Hotel was lovely and we had an fabulous time. I got my Open Water and the children their Advanced Open Water ….. the instructors at Desert Rose were brilliant …. Especially Hazem and Akhmed. We even went for a Night Dive which was amazing. I definitely made the right decision going B&B instead of all inclusive. We ate most nights at the Asian restaurant which was perfect for us. I’m not a fan of the whole mass catering / buffet thing. The Classic Collection transfers all went smoothly. We would definitely return to Sharm, thank you for organising it.

Tierney Family – Egypt, Sharm el Sheikh (April 2013)

Our holiday to Disneyland Paris was FANTASTIC!!! We all enjoyed it very much, even my in-laws. The boys were tired out the whole week. The hotel (Disney Santa Fe) was perfect as it was all based around the film ‘cars’ so Lightening McQueen was everywhere. The food vouchers were great value for money as most of them were all you can eat buffets so perfect for the 8 of us as we all like different food.

Thanks you so so much for your help in booking the holiday, and accommodating all the family and the different channel crossings.

Dreher Family – Disneyland Paris (April 2013)

Our honeymoon to Estonia, Helsinki and St Petersburg, was simply wonderful! So many great experiences, many of which we never expected, which was even better! The best city for us was most definitely Tallinn, closely followed by St Petersburg. We can’t rate The Seven Sisters hotel highly enough, location, service and rooms were second to none. The perfect way to kick off our honeymoon. Sailing across the Baltic on a sea of ice is something we’ll never forget either!

St Petersburg was superb. Hotel location was spot on. We must mention the tour on the Saturday morning too, our driver was excellent and the guide was so knowledgable… all your idea, thank you!

All in all, I hope you get the feeling that we had the time of our life! By far the best holiday we’ve ever been on exactly what a honeymoon should be and hassle free… The planning and prep that you put in to it meant that we didn’t have to worry about a thing! All that’s left to say is THANK YOU and we’ve already recommended you to our friends for future trips.

Clare & Shaun – Baltic States (February 2013)

Just a quick email to let you know we had the most amazing honeymoon in Sri Lanka. We have had a shock coming back to cold weather and work! Your services were fantastic, it was easy to contact to you at times convenient for us. We were able to plan our itinerary to suit us……and make changes until we were happy with the content and hotels! The booking process was straight-forward and easy, thank you.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country as are the people. The balance and type of activities were good & suited us. The quality of accommodation and food was fantastic….particularly at Kandy House and The Fortress. Our driver, Sisi, was lovely. He was informative, great to be around & importantly a good driver! We would recommend this trip to everyone. Overall the organisation of Walkers Tours was good, also included was a pre-paid mobile phone!

Carla & Phil Eveleigh – Sri Lanka (February 2013)

We would all like to thank you Jules for organizing and planning our brilliant self drive holiday to South Africa at such short notice! You brought together several groups of services and planned our route according to our interests of walking and scenery. Yes it all came together lovely! The things we did and saw were amazing, we got up as early as we could each day to pack in a lot, we did many sight seeing tours around Cape Town including hiking up Table Mountain (this took about 2.5 hrs and we walked over to Maclears Beacon) and Signal Hill to see the sunset. We spent hours at the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, the views were incredible. Our Holiday continued in this mode along the Garden Route with brilliant accommodation and food every where we went. To see the ocean and the coastlife, nature everywhere and the culture of the people was amazing – and the weather was great too!

Thanks Jules from all of us – Thanks Very Much. Roy, Eileen, Jason.

Roy, Eileen & Jason Snow – South Africa (February 2013)

Julie organised our holiday to Zambia which more than met our requirements – the accommodation was excellent (we stayed with Norman Carr Safaris in South Luangwa, Mayukuyuku in Kafue and Waterberry at Livingstone), our guides for safari and birdwatching were the best available and all travel arrangements went smoothly. Julie’s attention to detail and knowledge of Zambia meant that our individual wishes were met throughout our holiday. Thank you very much!

The wildlife in Zambia is superb. We had great view of a pair of leopards walking very close to our vehicle on a night safari, a cheetah, 4 lions very close to our boat, lots of elephants walked right beside us, several different types of antelopes, 100s of hippos and crocs, as well as obliging porcupines, baboons and beautiful fireflies … and we really enjoyed getting soaked to the skin at Vic Falls! Sunrise and sunset boat trips on the Zambezi and wonderful food. Had a lovely walk at the village and were pleased to visit the school and see the children learning with help from Waterberry Lodge. Not forgetting the great birds especially Pel’s Fishing Owl and a pair of Finfoot which were on the wish list we gave Julie before we planned the trip!

Gwynfryn & Kathryn – Zambia (February 2013)

I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for organizing at late notice our holiday to Sweden. We had the most amazing time and got to see the aurora on three nights, so we were really lucky. The trips were very well organized, the food was delicious and the people were charming. The Ripan was a great place to stay too. Thanks again for making it all happen for us.

Furley-Strandburg Family – Sweden (January 2013)

Our escape from the January UK snow to Cuba was utterly terrific!! Both hotels were fantastic and both in great locations. We all enjoyed Havana immensely and the Kuoni rep was pretty helpful in sorting the activities. The beach resort was also great and the holiday ended far too soon. Thanks so much for getting it all sorted. The transfers and organisation was seamless and definitely added to the overall experience. The level of service from Julie from day one to the point of return was fantastic….and I have already recommended her to a friend!

Jim Sibree-Paul – Cuba (January 2013)

Thankyou for organising our trip for my special birthday to Sweden. (See Polar Express Experience for full feedback). The tree hotel was fantastic, we loved it and stayed in the Mirror Cube, when we woke up there were 12 reindeer asleep below the cube! Cooking on an open fire in the forest in the snow was something else! The food on snow mobile and hovercraft excursions was exceptional, in fact probably the best food we had the whole holiday. Fish soup on the hovercraft trip and salmon stir fry on the snowmobiles.The Ice Hotel was amazing an absolute must although I would not sleep on ice again (once is definitely enough!). The husky trip experience was tranquil and very enjoyable. We loved Lulea and it’s not commercial at all. The overnight sleeper train was very comfortable, a lot better than I expected. Overall I would recommend Sweden to anybody it is a great country which is not too commercialised. Food and alcohol was expensive but we were expecting this.

Denise Bush – Sweden (January 2013)

Our honeymoon to Palm Island, in St Vincent and the Grenadines, was FANTASTIC. I think we are still recovering from too much sun, food and booze! The resort was excellent in every way, and everything went as smoothly as it could be from start to finish, we had zero problems throughout. The transfers were all spot on and handled efficiently, and the resort was top notch.

It was lovely to have Jules to sort everything out for us, and it certainly meant that we could relax and get on with organising the other parts of our wedding safe in the knowledge that our honeymoon was being taken care of for us. I would definitely recommend using Jules’s services if you would like to sort out your holiday and be secure in the knowledge that all of the details will be professionally and quickly sorted for you with minimal fuss. We would certainly use Jules in the future!

Lisa & Iain Hale – St Vincent & Grenadines (December 2012)

I wanted to thank you for your efforts in arranging our day trip to Lapland with my son at late notice – it really was magical and flawless from start to finish!

Iain Chessell – Lapland (December 2012)

I work hard to be able to afford great holidays. I know that you Jules work very hard to make sure that I enjoy my holidays. So far you have taken us all round the world, from Australia, through Africa and the Middle East now to Peru, and I have yet to find any fault in your choice of itinerary, accommodation, or transport and transfer arrangements. I love the fact that you can take my fledgling dream for a trip, and transform it into real life; that you listen to what I would like to do, and adjust the finer details to fit my dream, never suggesting that my dream be squeezed into a pre-formed package. Even when I caused problems by asking you to arrange the latest trip to Peru, with constraints in both time and geography because of other commitments, you came up with two different ideas that were both so good that I very nearly said “We will just have to do both!”.

To paraphrase Oscar Wilde: “A Travel with Jules holiday is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want?” Your holidays are always exquisite, and I always return needing the satisfaction of arranging my ‘fix’ of the next trip, as soon as I can. So . . . where shall we go next year???

Ian Furbank – Peru (November 2012)

We love East Africa and have been fortunate to have travelled to Kenya and Tanzania on many occasions, but this was a big year for us and we wanted to see gorillas and hopefully chimps, so decided that Rwanda would be the place to go. We knew little about Rwanda other than the gorillas and its shocking history of the early 90′s. Julie had organised previous trips for us to Africa, so we had no hesitation at all in contacting her again to discuss our requirements for this trip. Julie’s knowledge of wildlife tourism to Africa is nothing short of excellent, she always comes up with some gems of ideas that you would never think of or find for yourself. This time she even made arrangements for us to be escorted by a freelance guide known to her, this was the icing on the cake for a trip that totally exceeded our expectations. As for Julie and the services she provides through Travel with Jules, well we will be using her again, she provides an excellent service. Thanks Jules, we’ll be back. See Rwanda page for full testimonial and more feedback.

Rich & Cheryl – Rwanda (November 2012)

“What to do for our Silver Wedding Anniversary? Was the question we asked each other numerous times, “How about India” said I, and so the seed of anticipation was sown… Now to find someone to organise this trip of a lifetime for us – you see we’d never been on holiday on our own since our honeymoon to Tenerife and so we are very inexperienced travellers. We looked at a few major Travel Agents, but they only catered for Group travel, then we stumbled across Jules’s website and an email was duly sent. A day or so later came the reply and so started our conversations and tweeking of our itinerary. Jules designed our holiday around us, taking on board everything we said we wanted to do and see and tried to include everything within our budget, after too’ing and fro’ing our completed itinerary arrived by email and on the 6th November 2012 we embarked on the Holiday of a lifetime to India. Without our knowledge, Jules had also informed the Cecil Oberoi that we were celebrating our Silver Wedding Anniversary and they treated us like royalty!

I cannot recommend Travel with Jules highly enough, she takes the time to listen to what you want, how much you have to spend and will fit your holiday around your requirements. Look no further than Travel with Jules for your special holiday.

Neal & Mandy- India (November 2012)

After being completely fed up with writing letters of complaint to travel companies on returning from previous holidays, I contacted Jules for help and set her the challenge to find us a family holiday for October half term, somewhere in Asia. A stickler for detail and high standards, I was after luxury, comfort and culture. Fair to say we had an incredible 10 days in Thailand kicking off with an elephant safari and river rafting in the north of the country, heading south for a week of R&R in an amazing beach resort at Hua Hin. Our accommodation was superb and everything went to plan. So, no letter of complaint this time, just a wonderful holiday which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you Jules! Emma Lloyd

Lloyd Family – Thailand (October 2012)

We didn’t really know much about Africa when we decided we wanted to go on a safari holiday. Luckily we came across Julie’s website and discovered that Africa was her speciality. She went to huge lengths to provide us with different options that fitted our budget and wish list, and answered our endless questions with patience and enthusiasm. We are so grateful for all of her advice having just come back from an absolutely fantastic holiday to Kenya. We did the Exodus Classic Kenya Safari for a week and then 6 nights Porini Adventure Camping at 2 different locations in the Masai Mara and Amboseli.

We are so glad that Julie recommended the adventure camping – it was such an amazing experience and really made the holiday. All of our connections between camps were hassle free thanks to Julie’s organisation. We have already recommended Julie to some of our friends and will carry on recommending her to lots more. Hopefully she’ll be able to help us again in the future too! Thanks Julie.

Anne & Paul – Kenya (September 2012)

If, like me, you’ve stumbled across Julie’s website after doing a search for a holiday experience, don’t waste any more time looking for your perfect holiday organiser – you’ve found her!

For us, it started in a pub. “Let’s do the classic American road trip – Route 66.” Chicago to Los Angeles, and all the places in-between that we could remember from the song… Now find someone who really knows what they’re talking about – enter Jules. From the first conversation, her suggestions and advice on the trip, car hire, timings and accommodation were invaluable. Nothing seemed like too much trouble; plenty of ‘what ifs’ posed and responded to with an immediate understanding of what we were looking for. (See Route 66 page for full testimonial and feedback on the places seen).

So, if you’re looking for a travel organiser to tailor your holiday to your requirements, look no further than Jules – thoroughly recommended.

Andy & Graham – Route 66 USA (September 2012)

We had a wonderful time in Peru for this special celebration holiday - Weather was perfect for sight seeing and the local ground handlers were great. We particularly loved the Casa Andina in Arequipa. We loved the trip to islands on Lake Titicaca – it made a huge difference having a private guide, fab old boat with a lovely guide (who looked about as old as the boat!). The Andean Explorer train journey to Cusco was almost the high light for me – good food and wonderful way to see the country and relax. Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu was great. We were given a wonderful tea before getting on the train at the lodge coming back and then a great supper on board and fab service. The Amazon experience was wonderful – highly recommended, we did all the tours day and night. Although the food in Peru was not great, the people are charming, helpful and go out of their way to help. Thank you for organising a wonderful trip!

Camilla & Jeremy – Peru (September 2012)

Thank you for organising our trip to New York, we stayed at The New Yorker Hotel and all arrangements went to plan. We did all the main attractions, Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, Chrysler building. Loved the hustle and bustle of Time Square. Had a horse and carriage ride round Central Park, and had a meal in the Boat House Restaurant in the Park. (See New York page for more comments about the sights). The highlight of the holiday was the Niagara Falls day trip you booked for us, it was absolutely amazing. I would recommend it to anyone. It seems a lot of money but worth every penny.

I will happily recommed Travel With Jules and your services to anyone.

Jackie Cadman – New York (September 2012)

I first contacted Julie early in the new year when were only had the outline idea of cycling the Danube from its source in Donaueschingen to Budapest for charity. As the project took shape, Julie was endlessly patient as we changed the location of the stops, changed our group numbers and whether we would have a support vehicle throughout. Julie provided great advice and found the best local operator to make our booking and select the best flight arrangements and hotels.

Everything on our trip worked out absolutely perfectly which is essential when you have a group of 11 cyclists covering long distances each day. The end price was within budget and Julie was very good at communication all of the details so that we could ensure all of the group were properly briefed. If we were to do another group trip we would certainly use Julie.

Lindsay Holdoway, Managing director, HPH Ltd, Bath – raising funds for MacMillan Cancer Care and Dorothy House Hospice Care.”

Holdoway Cycle Group – Danube from Source to Budapest (September 2012)

Thanks Jules for arranging so much in so little time and on a limited budget for our holiday to South Africa and the Garden Route. We could never have seen so much or found such interesting places to stay ourselves – from the flights to the car hire to the accommodation taking away all the pressure leaving us free to enjoy the holiday. Cape town, the winelands, the interior, the beaches and finishing with the safari. I have never ever stayed in such four and five star accommodation for such reasonable rates and the food and drink are to die for! The day on the wine tour was one of the best days of my life. The tasting from the barrels in the cellar to explain what difference the barrel makes, to the glorious views over the franshoeck valley from dieu donne vineyard with the Africa sunlight going down turning from light yellow to red. The Elephant House at Addo was a trip back to colonial times, huge settes to sink into with a glass of red discussing with other guests what animals they saw close up in the game reserve on the off track guided safari. Absolutely first class holiday – happy to recommend you any time.

Graham & Sue Stamper – South Africa (September 2012)

Having just returned bronzed, relaxed and blissful after The Best Honeymoon EVER – all organised by you – very happy to write a testimonial!

After last year’s incredible 48 hour notice to fix us up with a hoilday in July, which you did so brilliantly, cheerfully and apparently as to the manner born, we knew we could entrust you with our honeymoon – generously giving you a bit more notice this time!

It was everything it should be and more – the place was perfect, the administration and logistics and everything went as smoothly as could be and we could not have been more delighted. Thank you very much: we appreciate your unique combination of very professional yet always relaxed and so friendly. We will start saving up for next year now!

Warmest wishes Helen & Mark Taylor

Helen & Mark – Corfu Honeymoon (Sept 2012)

We had a a fabulous family holiday in Thailand! Everything went very smoothly – thanks for all your organisation.

The Elephant Hills experience was just AMAZING! We were truly in the jungle, the landscape was incredible and we had all the little luxuries we were used to, including a pool. In the middle of the jungle! We had plenty of time with the elephants and in fact got to feed and wash them on our own, as no other guests had arrived at the same time as we did. And then we went to the lake and the floating tents – surreal. The landscape was almost prehistoric. Not another soul around. We got to ride a long tail boat and went on a jungle safari (I’ve never been so hot!). We were very well looked after and enjoyed great food, including vegetarian food, prepared specially for us.

Then we went to the beach and the Angsana Laguna hotel. What a place! Total luxury and great facilities. The girls went the the kids club almost every day because they loved it so much. We did so much while we were there – Thai massage, had some clothes made up, Jonathan went to watch Thai boxing, snorkelling, lots of chilling in the pools, sitting on the beach watching the sun go down whilst sipping cocktails. Really, we couldn’t have asked for more.

So a huge thank you to you for putting it all together and making it happen. It was EXACTLY what we were looking for – and it was done in style. It was the unforgettable family experience it was always meant to be.

Our only problem now is what to do next time, as I can’t image we could top this. Still, you never know and I will certainly be contacting you If we are ever in a position to undertake another great adventure.

Keep up the excellent work. Very warm wishes

Philippa, Jonathan, Leonie and Maddy xx

Holland Family – Thailand (August 2012)

Just returned from a wonderful family holiday in Turkey -a big thank you for helping it all run smoothly.

The children really enjoyed Lykia World Olu Deniz with the range of activities available. The location was lovely, the food was really good and we had rooms in a great position overlooking the sea. (See Turkey page for more comments about the hotel). We will be in touch again in the future for other holidays, thank you again and I am happy to recommend your services.

Brooks Family – Turkey (August 2012)

Iceland was amazing, the scenery was stunning and the geysers & glaciers took my breath away. I had a lovely time & met some nice people too. The only thing was that I wanted to stay for longer! Thank you for all your help, you made things so easy for me. I’ll be in touch for my next trip once I’ve saved some more money! Thanks again.

Best wishes
Kerrie x

(Kerrie travelled with a small group run by Explore)

Kerrie Parfitt – Iceland (July 2012)

We had a lovely holiday in a beautiful cottage on the shore of Loch Ness which Julie arranged and had a fantastic time. The cottage and the owners were lovely (even left us a tea tray with home made cookies on arrival!), the location was stunning. We didn’t catch any fish, so the Loch Ness monster must have eaten them all!

We contacted Julie with some guidelines such as general location and dates and she came back to us with lots of good options. The one we picked was perfect and we had a brilliant time – thank you for all your help and we will be happy to recommend your services.

Sennett Family – Scotland (July 2012)

Thank you for organising our recent trip to USA, all flights, transfers and the hire car arrangements ran smoothly! (See New York page for comments about accommodation and services). We enjoyed the sights around New York and Washington. The hotel in Washington was ideally located. Thanks for all your help with organising our trip for us – I would definitely ask for your help again!

(Nicky travelled to USA on business then had her teenage children join her in New York and Washington)

Nicky Fussell – USA (July 2012)

Well, where do I start?!! Julie has been the most helpful, patient & greatest person to organise this trip for me & my best friend Liz. We have just returned back from the USA, driving Route 66, WOW, what an adventure Julie organised for us!

From the first phone call from Julie, I knew she was the right person for the job & I wasn’t wrong. The detail & effort she put in to make it our best ever trip was unbelievable – from tailoring the Route 66 itinerary, to booking our flights & hotels it has been just perfect and she always responded quickly by email or text, even on weekends! Our trip was absolutely amazing, something we will both never, ever forget & I’ve already enquired with Julie about another fly drive holiday in the States for next year & we only came back this week!

Thank you so much Julie for being the best Personal Travel Advisor ever, you’re a star!

Caroline Gorner – USA Route 66 (June 2012)

We have just returned from a fantastic time in Malawi and Zambia – our first venture into Africa. Our primary purpose was to spend some time with our family who are undertaking voluntary work in Malawi, but we also wanted to spend time exploring what else Malawi had to offer and also to see a little more of Africa. From the outset, Julie understood our needs, our circumstances and what we were trying to achieve. She suggested various options from which we developed the final itinerary and then booked a package of travel, transfers, activities and accommodation to suit our needs. Her experience of Africa and network of local contacts gave us confidence in the advice and information we were being given. Nothing was too much trouble and Julie always found the time to talk to us, answer our many questions and clarify every detail. In the event, everything went like clockwork and all we had to concern ourselves about was enjoying our holiday.

We would not hesitate in recommending Travel with Jules to anyone who wanted first class, worry free, personal travel services.

Dianne & David Gazeley – Malawi & Victoria Falls (June 2012)

Having been to Africa several times many years ago, I wanted return to show my son what a wonderful continent it was. As a result of her extensive knowledge of Africa Julie fully understood my requirements and delivered a holiday which my son will never forget in Zambia. We could not fault the travel arrangements and were made to feel welcome where ever we went by all representatives and the staff of the camps we stayed at in South Luangwa and through their extensive knowledge of the local wildlife we truly experienced the magic of Africa. So many photos so many memories thank you Julie.

Chris Picton & son Izaak

Chris & Izaak – Zambia (June 2012)

As Andy was 50 this year, we wanted a special trip and Jules did an amazing job of organising our trip to Peru and Machu Picchu in May. All we had to do was turn up at the airport!

We had 3 flights organised, transfers, hostels in Cusco, The Inca trail including porters and guides and it all went very smoothly. The tour guide Carlos was wonderful and the porters made us feel very humble as they ran up the mountain past us with 25kg back packs and wearing flip flops! This is the most beautiful place I have ever visited and we need to take a leaf out of the Peruvians book and worship the Pachamama ( mother earth ). Thanks to Jules the trip was stress free and very enjoyable.

Carole & Andy – Peru Inca Trail (May 2012)

Having worked in the tourism industry with Julie a number of years ago I have always been entirely confident that when it came to our honeymoon we should use ‘Travel with Jules’. We hoped to visit somewhere neither of us had ever been before….. I bombarded Julie with questions and points on our ‘wish list’ which she patiently took on board and created a fantastic trip to Sri Lanka.
Her wealth of travel experience, patience and understanding of our requirements was faultless. And all was suggested, designed and booked in record time – she even managed to arrange our trip to arrive and depart before the rains which started in Colombo on our transfer back to the airport – Perfect!

Eve Creighton – Sri Lanka (May 2012)

We would like to thank Julie for all her advice and assistance, and for the efficient way she pulled everything together for our honeymoon to Iceland, where we did a two week self drive. Her knowledge of the travel industry, her understanding of our needs and her friendly and professional approach made organising the trip an absolutely effortless affair, in startling contrast from the wedding organisation happening at the same time!

So, thanks very much Julie. We’ll definitely be using Travel With Jules again, and will be recommending your services to our friends.

Alan & Claire – Iceland (May 2012)

Thank you to Julie for making the arrangements for our holiday to Malaysia and saving me a lot of trips and telephone calls to a high street travel agent. The service you provided was first class and we will recommend you to anyone we know who may be thinking of booking a holiday.

I’m pleased to say that the resort (Rasa Ria) in Borneo was first class, the staff were both friendly and helpful and the meals were excellent. I would recommend that people take private taxis for excursions rather than join the hotels excursions which have too many people on them.

Your choice of the Traders Hotel in Kuala Lumpa was first class. It was centrally located, the staff were again friendly and the food excellent. We booked two excursions through the hotel’s concierge and they were excellent. We went to the elephant sanctury, which was an enjoyable day out. So to sum up, a most relaxing holiday and one we will remember for a long time, thank you.

David & Jackie Thomas – Malaysia (May 2012)

In desperation, yet again having left things to the last minute to find a family holiday and with options looking limited, I decided to give Travels with Jules a whirl, having no idea how well it would work out. Within days Jules had found the perfect villa, fitting all our fussy criteria, including heated pool, in a beautiful, non-commercialised part of Spain, and had booked everything for us – accommodation, flights, hire car and even airport parking.

But better than this no-fuss full service was the expert knowledge Jules was able to bring to our holiday. We would never have figured out ourselves that it would be easier to fly into Valencia rather than Alicante, or that Valencia itself would be a hidden gem, but we followed the tip and added it as a brilliant weekend stop before the main holiday. That kind of expert advice alone makes it certain we’ll be using Jules’ excellent service for the next family holiday.

Davies Family – Spain (April 2012)

Oman was lovely! Hotel perfect (Shangri-La Al Husn) and we enjoyed the no kids part, very peaceful. The pool and beach were lovely and nice to swim from. Although it was an expensive hotel all the little extras made it seem good value and our final bill at the end was less than we had anticipated. All very relaxing, great service and we really liked the Omani people.

Thank you for recommending this hotel it was excellent for a short break to relax and get some sun. We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday and the organisation went without a hitch.

Emma & Christian Heyman – Oman (April 2012)

Seeing the Northern Lights has been on my ‘bucket list’ for a long time, so when we heard that this was due to be one of the best years to see the Northern Lights, we decided to go for it. We were both so busy ourselves that it seemed obvious to ask someone to do all the time-consuming legwork for us, so we contacted Jules – and we are so glad we did.

We ended up going backwards and forwards so many times over dates, but Jules was incredibly patient and accommodating throughout. She came back to us with a long list of other activities to include in our few days to Norway to ensure that we made the most of our time. We only had 3 nights in Tromso but managed to fit in 2 Northern Lights tours as well as a couple of other activities, with time remaining to relax and see the city. Unfortunately wet weather meant that we were unable to do our cross-country skiing course, but Jules worked hard and was persistent on our return to ensure that we got our money back.

The only aspect of our holiday that Jules was unable to arrange was the weather – we did see a glimmer of the Lights, but we will just have to go back in a few years with our two girls! She has so much knowledge and is incredibly efficient, but if she wasn’t able to answer our questions she would go away, find the answer and get back to us by return of email. She really did take the hassle out of booking a fabulous tailor-made holiday for us, and we certainly won’t hesitate to book our next adventure through Travel With Jules.

Dave & Miranda – Norway (March 2012)

We have just returned from a thrilling holiday in India – thanks to Travel With Jules. Notwithstanding our limited budget, Jules found us an amazing Rajasthan tour – fifteen nights of four star accommodation and comfortable travel at budget prices. She paid meticulous attention to all aspects of our trip, kept us fully informed throughout the process, and looked after us virtually until we got on the plane! We cannot praise her highly enough, and will go nowhere else in future when planning and booking our holidays. Thank you so much Jules!

Jenny Labbett & Allan Williams

Jenny Labbett – India (March 2012)

Thank you for organising such a great schedule for us on our recent trip to Norway, especially at such short notice and with so much demand this season for Northern Lights. We were really lucky to see the start of the longest Husky race in Europe and the two husky trips we did were both great fun and very different experiences. I’m really glad I had a go at ”mushing” the dogs were a joy to work with both during the day and also the night event. The staff at the hotel in Alta were very helpful and friendly, as was everyone we met. The Igloo Hotel was a sight to behold, the level of detail they go to throughout but particularly for the little chapel was amazing.

Cathy Bauso – Northern Norway (March 2012)

I have been to New York many times before and most times have organised myself. After a few abortive attempts to find flights, I decided to use the services of a travel consultant and I am very glad I picked Travel with Jules. Not only was Julie able to get me the direct flights I wanted on the days I wanted which I had not been able to do, she was also wonderfully efficient in providing information regarding hotel information using the criteria I had given her. Instead of trawling the net for days, I only had half a dozen sites to look at which she had narrowed it down to in order to make my decision – bliss!

Invoicing and payments all sorted very efficiently and on top of all this, I got points on my Co-op Divi card – result or what! When the tickets and information pack came through, there was nothing forgotten. Reminders about insurance, ESTAs/visas, currency, passport and heaps of info on the destination too. I can heartily recommend Julie’s work, nothing is too much trouble for her and she seemed to be available 24/7 too!

Sue Hall – New York (March 2012)

Having read that the Northern Lights were predicted to be exceptional in 2012, my husband and I decided to find a holiday that we would both enjoy but, at the same time, maximise our chances of seeing the lights.

We found Julie on line and gave her our wish list and she came up trumps with a snow shoeing holiday in Finland. It was perfect – good fun, active but not too challenging. We were based in a comfortable eco camp in the Oulanka National Park surrounded by wonderful scenery, where the staff and guides were very professional, efficient and great fun. To top all this, we saw the Northern Lights over four nights culminating in a spectacular display on the final night. All in all, just the right holiday for us. Thank you Julie.

Mo Parker – Finland (March 2012)

Julie, many, many thanks for the trip you organised for us to Norway for my wife’s surprise birthday present. You were so understanding when I outlined all that I wanted to include, patient with my hesitations about whether my wife would be happy with what I was deciding and remained cheerful despite the changes I kept requesting. It all paid off, the travel arrangements worked perfectly and we loved the hotels, particularly the room in Tromso with the view of the sea and mountains. The excursions were just what I hoped for (… see bottom of Norway page for more about the excursions)

Thanks again for all your help, both recommendations and bookings. It made organising a holiday a pleasurable experience and having you available by phone and on-line to sort out any possible problems was reassuring.

Peter Robinson – Northern Norway (Feb 2012)

Julie, thank you so much for helping us choose fantastic accomodation base for exploring the stunning Cayman Islands. Before we left you gave us great advice and were very patient with us, even after we looked and you spent hours searching for us, for us then to choose the first place you recommended!! We had a truly magical time and the organisation from start to end ensured that it was hassle free for us! (See Cayman Islands page for more feedback from these clients).

We had the most fantastic time away, it was pure paradise! The ocean was many colours of turquoise and the beach was beautiful and sandy. We LOVED Sunshine suites, staff were very friendly, accomodation clean and the food at the Sunshine Grill was great and affordable. The beach was only 2 minutes away and we enjoyed finding slightly less crowded places only a 5 minute walk away. Snorkeling was great only a few yards into the sea and was just great! While on the beach one day Lee proposed … Both very very happy and the most stunning place to have got engaged at! Thank you again for everything. Thank you so much for all the hardwork that you put in and helped us to have the most fantatsic and memorable holiday i could have hoped for!

Kilda Harrison & Lee Stanbrook

Kilda & Lee – Cayman Islands (Feb 2012)

We just wanted to say thank you for all your help in finding us an excellent ski deal for Christmas which indeed it was. Meribel is a lovely resort, excellent ski area and we were lucky enough to have some fantastic snow and 4 days of sunshine. The chalet was in a good location and we had a really nice chalet host. We appreciate how much work you did for us at the last minute, thank you.

Nick & Sandra – France (Dec 2011)

I booked my trip to Morocco through ’Travel with Jules,’ this made it really easy and straight forward, with Julie updating me about costs and when my tickets were available. She looked for various options covering my specification for dates, duration and type of holiday and this proved to be a very successful trip. All my flights were arranged efficiently, airport transfers were organised and I quickly met up with the group on my arrival in Marrakech. I would happily use ‘Travel with Jules’ to book future holidays.

This was the Atlas Panorama group tour with Exodus. The holiday itself was amazing, allowing a mix of the culture and history of Marrakech with the craziness of the medina and souks. Followed by a few days exploring the Atlas Mountains, seeing the amazing scenery and breathtaking views. Is a trip I would recommend for all those who don’t want to lay by the pool all day and happy to put on your walking boots and go exploring – great excuse to indulge in the tasty moroccan food!

Karen Pooley – Morocco (Dec 2011)

We just returned from our second booking through Travel With Jules, where we visited Iceland and stayed in Reykjavik for a long weekend. Julie’s choice of hotel was centrally placed and great, the food in the many restaurants of the city was lovely – the best place was the Fish Market which was excellent.

We had a fantastic time and I would like to return next time with my children. The Blue Lagoon trip was great as was the South Shore Adventure – turned into a real adventure, trying to cross a frozen river, getting stuck and having to be rescued – all great fun! Thank you Jules for organising another great trip … until the next one.

Carole & Andy – Iceland (Dec 2011)

Julie, it’s been nearly two months since we got back from our ’megamoon’ (as we like to call it) but the memory of still very fresh. What a super trip to Thailand that you planned for us, a super break from two very hectic workling lives. Even though my husband and I have very particular requests, you managed to tailor the holiday perfectly. I can’t put my finger on the best bit, but I think the important part was that everything would go to plan (as you had assured me before we left!). Given we went to Bangkok, Chang Mai, Phuket and Koh Yao (our favourite!!) the changeovers and transfers were flawless and hassle free. The papers and information about our destinations that you sent to us well in advance of the holiday were extremely useful and helped us to really make the most of an incredible trip. We certainly feel like we got a true flavour of Thai culture, food and massage!! The guided tours were personal and mostly private which was a bonus. Thank you for all your patience and help before we went but also whilst there when my husband had a panic when he heard there was a rain cloud hovering over Koh Yao. You’re brilliant but sadly the weather’s out of your control! In any event, we came back brown bombshells
Hopefully others will read this review with interest and it will convince them to book through you if they want a trip truly tailored to their taste!!! It was perfect. A megamoon never to forget… We’ll start saving for the next one…..(together of course!!), Love and best wishes

Natalie Dunn (Southsea, Hampshire)

Natalie & Giles Dunn – Thailand (Dec 2011)

It was a brilliant holiday (again) thank you so much. Everything went like clockwork; we were met by a very affable rep who helped us get visas and through customs where we were met by the delightful Younes, our guide and driver in Jordan. Our guides in Jordan and Israel were all superb.

Petra by candlelight was too touristy to enjoy really but the Siq by daylight was so much better than at night! Astonishing place. Movenpick Petra is beautiful, convenient and very restful. I don’t know how much the Petra Kitchen experience cost, but it was worth every penny. We had great fun (about twenty four people, all together) with an excellent host and in a clean kitchen/dining area, making the most beautiful tasting food. Wadi Rum desert was astonishing, and even the daughters were impressed. Six Senses Spa! Wow! What a place! What a setting!

Overall, another seamless performance by JC (Jules!). We had a fantastic time and never at any stage was there any doubt about the arrangements. The only problem was, as usual, that there was not enough time to do all the things we wanted to. We greatly appreciate all the hard graft you put in to make things happen for us, and the planning with you and expectation of things to come double the pleasure of the experience. As George Peppard says in ‘The A Team’, “I love it when a plan comes together”. We really did have a brilliant holiday thanks to you.

Furbank Family – Jordan & Israel (Oct 2011)

We have recently come back from Lake Garda in North Italy. We stayed in the Color Hotel in Bardolino, a five minute walk from the lake. The hotel was first class, the staff were very friendly and the attention to detail was just right. The most difficult decision was deciding on which of the three pools to sit by!

Jules took the stress out of finding a hotel that was not full in September and was perfect for our requirements. It was lovely to have a friendly voice on the end of the phone. Thank you for all your knowledge and advice.

Gill, Bill, Caroline and Vince.

Gill Nunn – Italy (Sept 2011)

Julie was brilliant! We had decided that we wanted to go to Zambia for a couple of weeks, and wanted to visit a couple of different national parks to see a variety of wildlife and a variety of different landscapes. Julie’s knowledge and passion for Zambia was amazing, not only had she personally visited the parks but had also spent time at many of the individual camps as well. Her knowledge meant that we were able to have “real” conversations about our trip and make the right decisions meaning that we had an unbelievable holiday.

As well as Julie’s great knowledge, her customer care was spot on! Replying to e-mails and calls immediately and taking time to get to know us and what we wanted from our holiday. Zambia was incredible, and I can’t recommend South Luangwa and Kaingo camp strongly enough, the wildlife was spectacular, great sightings on every drive; mating lions, preening leopards, bathing elephants, fighting hippos, and eagles fishing to mention just a few! We can’t wait to go back to Africa and when we do it will be through Julie.

Rob Shave – Zambia (Aug 2011)

I was between jobs and had two weeks before I began so decided to go on a last minute holiday in August. I didn’t have the time to look into all the options so contacted Julie with my specifications and within a day or two she had found a holiday that suited me and booked an Exodus trip cycling in Slovakia and Poland. Julie sent me all my details quickly (I booked within a week of travel!) which made it easy to sort out my documents and what I needed to take with me and she was always on hand for any questions I had which gave me confidence before I set off. I had a great holiday that suited me perfectly and would like to think I’ll be doing a similar holiday very soon!

Kendal Harrison – Poland & Slovakia (Aug 2011)

I wanted to thank you so much for your advice that you gave me in my moment of panic when I discovered last week that our tour operator had gone in receivership and our family holiday was no longer.

Having someone at the end of the phone with your experience and knowledge of the travel industry was great relief. We were very impressed how quickly you could ascertain for us the situation and put our minds at rest with regards to what the CAA had announced and had access to the press release from the operator themselves. We would not have had a clue where to start with finding out what we should do! It was also really kind of you to offer your services to find us another holiday. We have now managed to secure another holiday and are driving to France and staying in the French Alps but wanted to say a big thank to you for helping us even though we had not booked with you!

We shall be recommending ‘ Travel with Jules’ in the future as its always the little things that help make a difference and once again it was a pleasure talking to you.

Claire Ambler

We have just returned from a fabulous week in Kefalonia, organised at lightening speed (a day and a half in fact!) by Julie Croucher.

It was a spontaneous decision, to say the least: I phoned Jules and she set to and organised flights, accommodation, and hire car all for a very reasonable price, and in time for us to go the very next day, with the paperwork coming mainly by email. Everything went like clockwork, and Sunvil Holidays proved to be every bit as efficient and friendly as Jules had promised, and did indeed show us ‘the real country’.

Jules’ unflustered approach, helpful advice, huge enthusiasm and willingness to put herself out for us is something we will not forget in a hurry, and really appreciate. We will not hesitate to consult her when we next want a holiday – thanks Jules!

Love from Helen and Mark

Helen Roberts – Kefalonia (July 2011)

As someone who tends to be quite spontaneous, arranging a holiday at short notice and at a price I can afford isn’t always the easiest thing. Back in mid-July, I decided that I wanted to take my daughter to Crete for a week in early August, just three weeks away. We knew the resort we wanted to go to, but needed to get a package together.

As someone who knows the power of Twitter (I train and mentor businesses and people in how to use it) I turned to it to find my solution. Within three hours I received a phone call from Jules. She saw my tweet, via a mutual friend on Twitter! By the next morning my week’s holiday in Crete was researched, sorted and agreed, including a good deal on car hire. We stayed in some great apartments in the heart of the resort and enjoyed a really relaxing week, exploring the island, snorkelling & sitting in traditional tavernas!

There was no panic or hassle in the whole project, as Jules had got it all sorted. She also kept in contact prior to departure and on our return, to ensure everything went smoothly. I can’t recommend her highly enough (or Twitter!) and will certainly consider using Travel With Jules again. (If you want help with Twitter, you can find me at @grahamrichards)

Graham Richards – Crete (July 2011)

I first met Julie back in 2002 when she was working for Naturetrek, whilst dealing with our holidays there she added a personal touch so that we were already on first name terms when we met in person at Rutland Bird Fair shortly after. Julie was also integral to the recovery of a consignment of 60 football strips which I was donating to the Chipembele Wildlife Education Centre in South Luangwa in Zambia – there had been a mess up in the ground operations which caused the donation to be impounded by customs at Mfuwe airport! Julie then went to work in Malawi and helped us from ‘the other end’ and eleven months later, following major red tape issues, a successful outcome was achieved and the football kit reached it’s goal thanks to Julie’s persistence!! Nearly ten years on, we still communicate as friends. To lift a business contact and develop the relationship into friendship takes a special talent and creates an important bond with the customer.

I have met many people who Julie has interacted with at lodges and camps in Africa and they reported to me how friendly and thorough she was in developing the foundation for future clients to enjoy the local environment and that what was promised ‘in the brochures’ did actually exist in reality!

I wish Julie every success in her solo career in the travel industry and I am confident that her skills and enthusiasm will present all her future customers with memorable adventures. It has been a pleasure for me to deal with someone so proficient in her expertise.

Wilf Graham

One of the things I have come to love about you, Jules, is that you listen and take on board what makes me tick, and then tailor the holiday to fit me, not just try to convince me to fit a holiday in a brochure!

Ian Furbank

We would like to thank Jules for her quick and expert services in finding us a perfectly located hotel in Madrid at very short notice! Right opposite the metro station making for a very easy journey from the airport and only a few minutes walk from the most interesting historical sights of Madrid. This modern and quiet hotel was perfect for our needs and we would recommend Travel With Jules to organise anyone’s city break requirements.