Italy's Treasures Art, Food & Wine of Italy

06/21/2019

Tour was perfect for for us.

Service

Sergio was fantastic. He kept everything moving smoothly. Very nicely priced. Tour was excellent. We have been wanting to visit the Lake District, and the tour of the area was perfect for us.
Tour

Lake area was beautiful. Sergio made our whole experience perfect

06/11/2019

Villa Lecchi, the trip highlight!!

Service

The itinerary, our hotels, the driver and the tour manager were excellent-five stars all the way! We received the highest level of service on this tour which included the best tour manager we've ever had; "Cookie"! .
Tour

The highlight to our trip was the four night stay @ Villa Lecchi in the Tuscany region. The villa, the owners, the staff and the food were top notch. We were treated like family! Regarding the trip rating, I cannot give the tour an overall five star rating because of the improper classification of a "3" activity level which is documented in the 18/19/20 brochures and online. Based on this rating, I booked four passengers on this trip (ages 74-85) who in the end, really couldn't handle the pace and the exertion required to fully enjoy the tour because it should be rated as a "4". This is an issue that should be reviewed by management and corrected in future publications so that travel agents and travelers can make the right travel decision. It's important to note that because of this "classification error" some of my clients are unlikely to return to Collette for future travel. As for me, although I continue to be impressed with the quality provided by Collette, I no longer feel confident in their activity level ratings which is critical when dealing with the population that can afford this type of trip.

Thank you for taking the time to provide us with feedback on your Italy's Treasures tour. Your comments on the activity level will be reviewed by the Product Design Team for our Italy tours so that the pacing of the tour can be reviewed and a more accurate rating can be implemented.

Collette Support

06/03/2019

Too physically hard for most of us on the tour.

Service

Certainly the tour and tour guide were excellent. However, our travel agent said this tour was a 3 on a scale of 1 -5. When we realized there was no way we could keep up the pace, we questioned our Collette tour guide. She said it was a 4. Being in our 70's, we NEVER realized the pace, amount of walking, climbing of stairs (and without railings I must add). All of the Cinque Terre towns offered the same views, restaurants, shops. There was no reason to tour them all, although we did only 4. Some of us just sat by the water on the last town, Much too much for seniors,
Tour

I loved Stressa, Lucca, and Tuscany, especially at Villa Lecchi. I could have stayed there for a week. The family was so wonderful and charming, We should have been told Italy has no railings on steps - in the US they are everywhere. And no grab bars in the bathrooms. Dangerous for seniors, We were all afraid we would fall down the steps while in Florence especially.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Italy. Our Italy's Treasures tour is rated as a 3. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Product Design Team to ensure the pace of the tour matches the rating.

Collette Support

06/02/2019

Great itinerary for Tuscany.

Service

Loved that they provided transportation to and from the airport. Right size group. Great tour manager. Wonderful meals and accommodations. Well planned itinerary. Loved that we had a lot of interaction with locals. Visited interesting places that larger groups would not be able to go.
Tour

Staying at Villa Lecchi was like staying with family in a beautiful villa. The food was wonderful and it was nice to have a home base for four days.

05/31/2019

Service

A great tour guide, good accommodation, and excellent tours and meals.
Tour

I love that we had at least two nights in each hotel and four days in the villa in Tuscany.

05/24/2019

Service

From start to finish everything was taken care of in a professional manner. The young lady who led the tour was excellent would love to be on another trip with her leading the tour.
Tour

Every day was filled with new trips. I loved Luca,Sienna the five star hotel in Stressa . The Villa in Tuscany was delightful, terrific breakfasts and the views were amazing. So many highlights for me too many to tell you. It was amazing everyday.

05/24/2019

What's not to like in Italy

Service

Loved the group leader, liked staying more than one night at a hotel, very interesting places
Tour

Veniceee previous statement

05/24/2019

Service

Selection of all hotels were excellent. Very knowledgeable tour manager and good with Managing challenges at times and a variety of personalities. All tours selected were great.
Tour

Provided great overall experience and favorite memories are all equally enjoyable

05/24/2019

Beautiful trip.

Service

Excellent tour manager (Cinthya Pavan). She is a Collette treasure!
Tour

Loved that there were so many dinners and tastings included. Each one was truly an adventure.

05/19/2019

Marvelous trip!

Service

Our tour manager Sergio Solazzo was marvelous. He was knowledgeable, super nice, entertained us with funny stories, and kept us informed many times every day about the events and schedule for the day. I was not feeling well for much of the trip and he was concerned about me, asking multiple times each day how I was. Everything was just as promised; however the weather was bad for much of the trip and we were not able to do the Lake Maggiore cruise.
Tour

See the previous comments

05/19/2019

Service

Excellent tour manager, local guides and driver of our bus. Wonderful car service and connections to and from airport BEAUTIFUL hotels
Tour

Four days spent at the villa in Tuscany

05/02/2019

Service

Yes I would definitely travel with them again. We stayed in great hotels and the tour manager was very good.
Tour

Loved the little quaint places we visited even more than the major cities. It gave me a real feeling of the Italian culture.

04/28/2019

Love Tuscany!!!

Service

We enjoyed Italy trip immensely. Cinthya Pavan was excellent tour director. She was very organized, caring and flexible and entertained concerns of all the participant. We also liked the small group travel.
Tour

There were so many wonderful experiences that is is hard to single out one - Cirque Terre, Sienna, Lucca and a surprise addition of San Gimignano where we had the best Gelato. We propose that it should be included in the itinerary.

04/12/2019

Fun travel

Service

Outstanding tour director. He was knowledgeable, personable, and respective of each of us. The cities and activities at small farms and villages could not have happened on one's own. Restaurants scheduled by the tour were quite good as well as those recommended by the tour guide.
Tour

We have travelled previously with Collette and this trip was by far the best. The ability to stay in one hotel for more than one night and make trips from that base was more effective than moving every day. The smaller group allowed people to interact effectively and move more quickly.

04/08/2019

Service

Tour guide often walked too fast for the group. Physical requirements were not adequately described for this trip. Some of the seniors of our group found this trip quite challenging, Two of our four accommodations were really shabby.
Tour

I loved the gondola ride in Venice!

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Italy. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

01/18/2019

Perhaps needs a slower pace for people over 70.

Service

My reaction may be based on my age and the fact that I'm not a 'morning person'. It was stressful to have to make an 8:30 bus in the mornings to head out. Also, experiencing Italy is very affecting and until I took a personal 'day off' there wasn't time to 'process' the experiences. One of my best days was spent on my own in Venice walking at my own pace and stopping in shops or for refreshment. Although a seagull did steal my half finished slice of pizza while I walked in St. Mark's Sq. Something to warn people about and now, "I have a story to tell".
Tour

Previously discussed. At the pasta making demonstration the woman/cook had a magnificent singing voice which was an exceptional treat.

12/30/2018

Terric Tour of Italy

Service

The most enjoyable trip. Our Tour Guide Antonella was terrific. She turned lemons into lemonade, arranging for an evening boat ride to an island that was mostly closed for season and had the restaurant open for us to serve dinner. She showed us places that were a complete surprise and very interesting. Our handsome bus driver Daniele was a marvel, his driving skills are 5 star, very polite in assisting us on and off the bus. Our traveling companions were entertaining, we all got along very well and had some great memorable times. I’m ready for the next Collette tour.
Tour

Arriving at the gorgeous Regina Palace in Stresa and meetung our tour guide and traveling companions.

11/24/2018

Excellent!

Service

Everything we hoped for! Driver and tour guide were exceptional, and the experiences were fun and educational at the same time. Would highly recommend this company, especially small tour groups.
Tour

Really liked going to the BellaDonna winery, making noodles, meeting the owner, and the meal.

11/24/2018

Not my best trip

Service

I did not like the villa because it was too isolated. the trip to all the places were too long on the bus. I would have liked more time in Venice and less in Tuscany visiting more than one frattoria.
Tour

Do to the rains, we were not able to go to Cinque terre. I became ill. None of these were the fault of Collette but made the trip less than stellar.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Italy. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Product Development Team.

Collette Support

11/17/2018

Service

We had a great time. Our tour director Mickey, was perfect. Professional, competent, and very kind. She almost blamed herself for Venice flooding when we were there. Great trip
Tour

Tour guide was great. Hotels were excellent especially in stresa

11/16/2018

A wonderful trip!

Service

The service teams' responsiveness and care was wonderful.
Tour

The itinerary was very well thought out. Accommodations were good to excellent. The tour director was outstanding.

10/27/2018

Great tour guide. Good food. Wonderful trip.

Service

This was an outstanding tour. The only change would be to limit the time at the leather factory to one half hour. Food was great. Hotels outstanding. But the best was our tour guide, Annajetta. What an enthusiastic lady. The group size of 20 was just perfect. This was my fourth Collette tour in the last three years. You are the best and I will not travel with any other company. Keep up the good work.
Tour

Great all over tour. Would highly recommend.

10/26/2018

Experiencing the best of Italy

Service

Excellent tour guide. Made Italy come alive for us. Always helping where needed to make the tour as enjoyable as possible for everyone. She was extremely knowledgeable, fun and enthusiastic. Consistently well located, high quality hotels. Food was delicious and in abundance. Our guide took us to out of the way places that only a native Italian would know about. These restaurants and wineries featured local specialties and delicious cuisine. Great bus driver--safe and courteous. Even the detail of Collette taking care of our luggage enhanced our enjoyment of the trip. Our tour group was congenial. We all enjoyed each others' company. Highly recommend this company to others.
Tour

There are many special memories. Dinner al fresco in Venice. The breathtaking view from our villa in Tuscany. A cooking class in a beautiful winery snuggled in the country. Walking along the shore in Sestre Levante. Sipping cappuccinos in many town squares. Incredible paper sculptures in Lucca. The antiquity of the buldings and how carefully they have been preserved. The pride Italians take in their homes and their everyday activities. The consistent attention to clean fresh linens, glassware and cutlery on the tables at every cafe and restaurant. Nice to see a total absence of throwaways!

10/19/2018

Service

Excellent guide in Italy!!! Sergio was informative, very helpful, entertaining, and professional. I’d take a tour led by him again. I thoroughly enjoyed all the places we went.
Tour

I loved Venice, the lakes in northern Italy, and the Tuscan area. I also loved the day spent in Cinque Terra.

10/14/2018

One word only FANTASTIC !

Service

T.M. Maria Pillar made the trip
Tour

All places we went to, Maria and local T M's all again were fantastic.

10/14/2018

A Tuscan dream come true.

Service

It was a dream come true. Our Tour Manager, Maria Pilar was outstanding. The accommodations were superb. The food, the wine, the tours were more than I could have wished for. Our one incident was caused by a local and was handled by Pilar very professionally. She went above and beyond what was expected of her. Looking forward to our next tour with Collette.
Tour

The small towns were a delight. From our first hotel in Stresa to our last in Venice, the accommdations were great.

10/14/2018

Northern Italy is incredible

Service

Our tour of northern Italy was spectacular! Not only were the sites magnificent, but the area was brought to life and the entire tour greatly enhanced by our tour director, Pilar Roccio. Pilar is knowledgeable, enthusiastic and completely involved in making a tour the best experience for each traveler. I experienced so much more than my expectations. Her personable way helped to create a little family of our fellow travelers and us, which made the trip even better. Pilar made such a difference that I hope to take another tour with Pilar.
Tour

Staying in Tuscany in the Villa Lecchi as a home base for 4 nights allowed us to experience the beauty and food of the Tuscany countryside in the morning and evening, while seeing the sites in Florence, Sienna, etc.

10/08/2018

Best trip ever!

Service

The guide, Antonella Regi, was the best guide ever. She was caring, helpful and always full of exciting ideas!
Tour

A tour with 20 people is great. Our tour guide made the trip a truly memorable experience. The bus driver, Maurizio, was excellent! Could have done without Bologna. A boat to the Cinque Terra would have been better to get the experience of seeing it the way it appears in your ads!

10/07/2018

WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of the best tours I have ever taken with Collett

Service

The Tour Manager was wonderful. The Hotels were great. It was a group of 20 which was ideal.
Tour

Venice- San Gimignano- Cinque Terre

10/04/2018

Service

I would definitely travel with Collette again. The hotels were excellent and the included meals were fabulous, especially those we had at the villa and the wineries. It's those extras that make the trip.
Tour

My favorite experience were the tastings, wine and food, fabulous!

10/03/2018

Perfect trip, great group of travelers we were with (24 total), had a blast

Service

Everything scheduled was on time and the tour guide kept us informed very well.
Tour

The hands-on cooking, making pasta then touring the winery. Ate what we had made, a great experience. Lots of fun!

08/11/2018

You have to go !

Service

Great Itinerairy Great Guides
Tour

The Food The senery The people

07/13/2018

Service

I thought the places chosen to visit were very nice. I enjoyed traveling with the small group. It was a good experience.
Tour

Would have liked to have more meals included; however, I was pleased with all the meals and venues visited.

07/13/2018

Service

The tour guide was excellent and accomodating in scheduling extra excursions. I also enjoyed the scheduled places visited on our tour.
Tour

Staying at the Tuscan Villa was a beautiful and wonderful experience.

06/29/2018

Service

Our guide, Michela Lombardi, was excellent, most attentive to every detail. Itinerary was great! Trip pace was good. 4 day stay in Tuscany was super.
Tour

There were so many! The esthetic beauty in so many areas, the feeling in body, mind, spirit. The people, the food, the service, the fun!

06/18/2018

Disappointed in that we weren't told our plane seats were changed to lasts

Service

Pretty helpful but we asked for 1st class plane seats and they said they couldn't do that. Our plane and seats changed and we were never told and ended in last seats by bathroom! I called and talked to Sunshine while awaiting getting on plane and she said it wasn't your fault and said I was lying and she wanted to talk to desk attendant who was doing plane boarding. I checked with the attendant before calling you and was told Collette was informed in January after we booked our trip in Nov 2017. THen Sunshine hung up on me.
Tour

Went to cities I never would have thought to go and they were wonderful. Guide Michela Lombardi was FANTASTIC, accommodations (except in Venice) were wonderful. Loved every minute once we got there and except for Venice-too touristy. And Linda the tour guide on the first island was very hard to understand and too into details of art work instead of history of the building.

Thank you for traveling with Collette. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to you.

Collette Support

06/16/2018

Great service, always "with a smile"

Service

This was our first Collette tour and we were extremely impressed with how well everything was organized, and especially appreciated the door-to-door service. We found Collette staff very cordial and helpful, always giving us the best value for our money. One example was during booking air travel arrangements, our advisor noted that the assigned seating on one of our flights was inconsistent with the class of service we had booked, and she proactively contacted us to work through it. And we can't say enough about our tour guide, Michela (Miki). She was not only remarkably knowledgeable, but was unflappable, and went above and beyond in taking me to a pharmacy in Sestri Levante when my wife needed some medication. Her infectious enthusiasm contributed to our entire group quickly forming friendships, some of which have continued beyond the tour.
Tour

Aside from a minor glitch on our first day (attributable to hotel staff, not Collette), we thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our trip. This was our first time visiting Italy, and our first time with Collette, but it certainly won't be our last! It is difficult to name just one memorable experience, but the highlight for us was the four days spent in Tuscany, and specifically at Villa Lecchi. We felt like part of the family and couldn't believe the beautiful scenery in every direction. The food throughout the trip was unbelievable! Another memorable, and touching, experience was an unplanned stop at the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial just before Memorial Day. It gave us a small glimpse into the appreciation felt by the Italian people for America's role in liberating the country from German oppression.

06/16/2018

Service

Very disappointed in your communicating to my wife and I that not only had our first set of Flights to Europe had changed but you did nothing to advise us that our seats had changed and we were basically in the last row. As we were boarding our flight to Italy your Staff actually called my wife a Liar POOR POOR. Came close to cancelling trip and flying home the day we arrived Our Tour Mgr Michele Lombardi was so so nice and calmed us down and did call Collette and she was told a different story basically OUR Fault Your selection of Hotels and side trips was A+, our Driver Mirko and Tour Guide AA++. The Tour Guide on the lsland off of Lake ORTA SUCKED Could not speak English and her talk WAS SO BORING nothing about Castle or inhabitants only about Art. My Wife ended up after a few minutes getting help from Michele and leaving The Hotel in Venice RUDE RUDE Pompous ASSES. When my Wife and I and other on our Tour asked for Helped getting the WiFi to work basically dismissed Breakfast Atrocious .. Something that made an omelet looked and tasted like DOG FOOD Have second thoughts of using your firm again.. If We Do we will take advice of fellow guests Book Flights on your Own Summary Hotels and Food AA++ except for Venice Tours Speakers AA++ except for Orta Driver Mirko and Tour Mgr Michele AAA+++ Your Communications D
Tour

Our Fellow Guests and Michele and Mirko made Trip

Thank you for traveling with Collette. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to you.

Collette Support

06/15/2018

Loved choosing Collette. Best trip of my life!

Service

Our tour director made the trip! Collette took care of everything and the choices they made on destinations, hotels and local tour guides was top knotch. But, the tour director made it fun!!! If only we could choose her in the future, but I know that is not possible. She bonded the group and made us laugh, each and everyday.
Tour

We chose the Italy's Treasures trip. Also called the Food, Wine and Art tour. Best decision we ever made. Tuscany was hands down our favorite!

06/15/2018

wonderful vacation

Service

As always, a great, and itinerary fantastic hotels.
Tour

It was a small and fun group, with a tour guide of exceptional energy and knowlege

06/08/2018

An Italian experience to treasure.

Service

Every aspect of this tour was well organised. The blend of content gave a perfect insight into the areas visited and many experiences to remember.
Tour

This was an amazing tour. Each hotel was memorable for different reasons. From lakeside elegance to Tuscan country villa each hotel chosen lived up to its promise. Making pasta for our own lunch was an experience and an achievement.

06/04/2018

Service

I love to travel with your professionals. I learn from all experiences a nd the company takes us to wonderful places. I will go with Collette again and again. The tour guides, the places, and the people who we meet on the trips are top notch. ❤️
Tour

Missed some of it but enjoyed what I was able to do.

06/01/2018

Great company, well-planned trips. Excellent guides and accomodations.

Service

Collette is a wonderful group. My husband and I have traveled three consecutive years with Collette and will travel again next year with them. They are extremely organized, the travel host is well versed in the history of the region, and everything is taken care of behind the scenes. I highly recommend Collette to anyone who wants to travel in style and comfort. The hotels are wonderful and the restaurants are excellent. Collette is our #1 choice for travel.
Tour

We loved our recent tour. The stay at the Villa in Tuscany was great. So relaxing and a beautiful in the Tuscan country-side. The owner was remarkable and the food was exquisite. Our tour hostess was outstanding. Everything was taken care of. All of our adventures were wonderful.

05/18/2018

Service

I would travel with Collette again. Loved the entire trip
Tour

Gondola in Venice. Seeing David in Florence

05/18/2018

Fantastic trip!

Service

The trip was very well planned from our ride to our airport and then home. Our guide, Marco, was fantastic! He was personable and capable and really helped make the trip amazing! Our busdriver, Belagio, was teriffic as well!
Tour

It was all so memorable!! I loved the Tuscan countryside, the magnificent lakes, Cinque Terre, Venice, visiting local wineries, glassblowing... Truly truly wonderful!!!

11/07/2017

the fact that trip insurance is included is perfect!

Service

Yes, I'd recommend them to anyone. The fact that trip insurance was part of the initial cost was "life saving" to put it bluntly. I had an accident during my first tour 10 Sept - 23 Sept. and if my Italy's Treasures tour manager, *******, hadn't recognized that I was in trouble, I wouldn't be here today. She arranged for a Dr to come to our hotel and followed through with me. I ended up in a hospital for 12 days receiving excellent care, eventually being flown home with a nurse ******. I had a subdural-hematoma and surgery to correct it.
Tour

My only regret is I never saw Venice! I will go back!

11/03/2017

Italy Treasures-totally awesome!

Service

Everything! It started with the sedan service to the airport. Flight was easy. Our trip to Italy was amazing. We went to so many places and did things we never would have thought of but these were included in our tour. Hotels were awesome, food delicious and our tour group was so much fun. Everyone had a great time plus our tour manager, Tina was the best as well as our bus driver, Lorenzo. The trip was better than I had hoped!
Tour

Every town, village and city were remarkable with their architecture and art work from hundreds of years ago. We loved Tuscany and staying in a villa, making pasta, tasting wines in so many places. The activities and restaurants included in the tour helped make this adventure a extremely memorable experience. We loved the gondola ride in Venice also.

11/03/2017

Great Experience!

Service

Tina took us places that we would have never seen on our own. She was organized and knew how to navigate towns and high traffic areas based on time of day. It was our honeymoon and she took time to add details to make the trip extra special.
Tour

Siena was absolutely breath taking! Venice was so unique and beautiful.

10/28/2017

Service

Staff was very helpful when I called to book. Transfer from airport to hotel went smo I thky. Our guide did his best to prvide for us.
Tour

Would have rated higher but tour bus was awful. Way too small and uncomfortable. Suggest you include tips in cost so you're not having to constantly worry about tipping. Really enjoyed Sienna and Venice. Cinque Terra has been ruined by all the tourists. Enjoyed the wineries and the inclusion of wine with meals.

10/23/2017

The best yet

Service

This was our third trip with Collette. All have been excellent. This trip - Treasures of Italy was exceptional. Our tour director, Ernesta was superlative, extremely Informative, organized and very personable. Our small group - 21 on our tour, made for a more personal experience. It was a wonderful trip that went by far too quickly. We will book again through Collette. Curt & Ann Wilkins Smithfield, RI
Tour

Italia...fantastico.....The tour was well paced, very educational and included a wonderful group of fellow travelers and awespme tour director.....Eccezionale!

10/16/2017

Service

We loved the group size - 24. We left the tour as friends, email addresses and all, talking about doing another trip together again! Our guide- *********** was absolutely fabulous!! Very knowledgeable and very personable. One thing that we really appreciated, our bags were lost in route (KLM canceled a flight and we were rerouted) and ***** got right on it. She dogged the Milan airport people until they showed up. Very fond memories of the whole trip. Great job.
Tour

Our favorite stop was the first few days at Stresa. Of course we would like to go back to all of the places, but Stresa was out favorite.

10/15/2017

Awesome trip

Service

We had excellent service from our tour manager and bus driver. Very helpful and friendly people. They were both very knowledgeable about the area we were in.
Tour

The tour was everything we hoped it would be.

10/15/2017

Service

*******, the tour guide was outstanding!!!
Tour

Great group of people on the tour! Liked the small group--24 people. Again, the tour guide, ***** and the bus driver, ********** were the best of the best!!!

10/15/2017

Italy's Treasures beyond belief!

Service

This trip was an absolute favorite of all time! I could have done the trip over again in a minute. ******* was just an exceptionally good tour guide. She went above and beyond and made it a great experience for us all. We loved all of the accommodations and activities included on this tour and the food was beyond what we expected. Loved it all!
Tour

We feel that the dollars spent on this trip was worth every penny. Our expectations were truly exceeded in every way from the experienced guide, Pilar, to all of the accommodations that were included and the many experiences. Did I mention the food? Unbelievable!

10/08/2017

Amazing Tour Manager

Service

The hotels, activities and sightseeing were well chosen, planned and executed. This was an overview trip and there are several places I'd like to revisit and spend more time. However, I have to say that a good deal of my praise goes the amazing tour manager that we had. He was extremely well organized, attended to detail and was one of the most amusing people I've ever met. Collette is extremely lucky to have him. He really cares about his job and his groups' experiences.
Tour

Hard to pick one; each town was unique and wonderful on its own. I'd have to say that Tuscany was great, especially the winery and medieval town that we visited.

10/08/2017

Great experience and we will definitely travel with Collette again.

Service

Over all wonderful trip. Everything was well organized. Great local guides in every city. Restaurant choices for group meals were perfect. Our Tour Manager was loved by all.
Tour

The whole tour was great!

10/04/2017

Great experience.

Service

Wonderful experience. Would definitely use Collette again.
Tour

Every day was wonderful and full of new places and experiences. The 4 nights in Tuscany were my favorite. The views from our hotel were magnificent. Loved the Tuscan countryside. It was just as I imagined it.

08/11/2017

Service

Pick up at the terminal agent not visible took half hour to locate and was not in the area noted on the arrival information. Out of pocket meals were more than expected and too much free time in areas not located near major towns. More museum options should be offered instead of roaming the city and free time.
Tour

None. Too much down time and the time of the year is too hot and too many tourists.

07/27/2017

One of the best trips ever!

Service

One of the best trips ever of many I have taken. Over the years this is my 4th trip with Collette and I have been happy with all of them. In particular, Italy's Treasurers had us staying in the best places outside of large cities (except for Venice, of course) in picturesque villas seen only in movies. The whole experience was exceptional. Our guide *personal details removed by Feefo*, was outstanding. The only complaint was with our flights on American Airlines. Ancient equipment, food that was literally inedible and mostly surly flight attendants. I was embarrassed "America" was part of their name on an international plane carrying foreign passengers.
Tour

Living the dream of beautiful Tuscany.

07/21/2017

Service

billing error
Tour

fantastic hotels and villas in beautiful settings

07/02/2017

Great

Service

I thought service was fine, no problems
Tour

Just a little to much walking. Could have done with another half day of freetime.

05/19/2017

Great experience

Service

I find what makes the difference with Collette is their fabulous tour directors. We had a wonderful tour director on this latest trip to Italy *Personal details removed by Feefo* and an equally great director on a tour of South america we took several years ago. Really enjoyed the small group explorations format. I have already recommended Collette to friends *Personal Details removed by Feefo* loved the tour she took in Greece and I would recommend Collette again. I would also consider taking another tour with Collette
Tour

Enjoyed everything about the tour. The culinary experiences and tastings were a wonderful added touch.

12/07/2016

Good trip, poor execution

Service

good experience, normally enjoy a "guided" tour but this one had too much "free time" (I don't shop I go to see new things) I was very disappointed at the lack of guidance from the tour guide for the "free time" in fact we eliminated a stop so that people could go "Shopping). The TG did do us a few favors but there was always confusion in the direction & orders and often the message did not get to us. She was very knowledgeable and was good with the locals (spoke fluent Italian) but most of the time we didn't know what was going on next. I like certainty and order and it was not evident .Did I enjoy the sights and activities, you bet! but I'll be more selective in going on another Collette tour before I get some questions answered and know what I'm getting in to.
Tour

ate our way thru northern Italy

11/19/2016

What do you mean by "headline"?

Service

From the first when we decided on this trip I asked questions. They were mostly answered. A couple times I had to ask twice on an email and finally called and talked to a person.
Tour

Overall the tour was awesome. We took this tour because it was going where we wanted to go. We really liked the small travel group. One reservation, though. Wish Pisa was part of the itinerary. Can't imagine going to Northern Italy and NOT going to Pisa. We found a service to take us and a local guide to assist us once we got there along with 10 additional travel companions. Several days there was too much "free time" for shopping. The time could have been better spent with a guide. Many many memorable experiences. Our guide spoke great Italian and the local guides were all excellent. Our coach needed some cleaning. A few days the smell was hard to take. We would recommend this tour to those who want to go to northern Italy. Food and wine tasting experiences were above and beyond.

10/28/2016

Average service by Collette US

Service

Poor value based on the price. Very expensive.
Tour

Poor value for price paid, overall, and hotel in Tuscany was a penal colony, absolutely nothing to do during down time except by pricey cab ride away (20€). Swimming pool /sauna cost 20€ for 1 use!

10/23/2016

Enjoyable trip, great selection of sights and events.

Service

The Tour Manager was excellent. The Bus Driver was excellent. Everything proceeded as planned. The Tour Manager was very outgoing and went out of her way to make feel welcome to Italy. She way always there to answer questions, gave sound advice and completely/clearly explain was going to happen each day. She addressed the needs of each tour member and efficiently took care of any special needs individuals may have required. She fostered a warm friendly atmosphere for all.
Tour

Sights and sounds of Italy.

10/12/2016

excellent

Service

excellent
Tour

Day at the winery inTuscany

10/10/2016

Beautiful tour of a lovely country

Service

The hotels and the meals provided by Collette were great, as were local guides and experiences. Downside: our tour mgr was too young.
Tour

Loved Siena, Lucca, winery tours, provided dinners. Gondola ride was overpriced ($75/each).

09/30/2016

Some very nice and unique experiences

Service

7 excellent days, 3 so-so days. The airport plckup was late and two tour stops were unimpressive. The rest was delightful. If I hadn't been to Florence before, I would have been disappointed at the omission of important museums.
Tour

Our visit to Cinque Terre was very disappointing. I expected beautiful vistas and instead got souvenir shops

09/29/2016

Just wonderful. We've been to Italy twice in the past. But this trip took u

Service

It was a wonderful trip in all regards. We loved being in a small group, both our guide and driver were excellent.
Tour

Just a grrrreat trip. The Tuscany region is just beautiful. We couldn't find a bad bottle of wine, nor a bad meal.

09/29/2016

Knowledgeable tour guide, very nice hotels and food. Also day trips were ve...

Service

Knowledgeable tour guide, very nice hotels and food. Also day trips were very good.
Tour

Overall great tour. Favorite outing for me was organic farm dinner. Favorite town was Senna. Our tour guide was so good she made Italy come alive.

08/05/2016

Service

This was not a "high service" transaction, we paid our money and received our documents. Found no value to the printed bag from Collette. I liked the design of deeper exploration of a smaller area, especially tasting of wine and foods of areas. Would enjoy other small group tours.
Tour

I felt this tour was well planned, though I question the value of including the Cinque Terra, as it is so crowded. Loved all of the other included tours, enjoyed having free time. Tour manager was literally a fountain of information and history, but, treated the group a bit more like seasoned travellers" , which many were not! Could improve emphasis on meeting times and places, but other than that fine.

07/15/2016

Great hotel locations and destinations...tour manager was just 'eh.

Service

The hotels were in great locations, although Venice hotel was very dirty. Most destinations were beautiful....skip Bologna. It would have been nice to include the Accademia in Florence so we could see the David and to offer an optional weather permitting Boat tour of the Cinque terre. The tour manager was not interested in helping us plan anything other than was in the itinerary....she told me she "deflected questions" about anything that was not related to the tour we were on....she said, "why are they asking me about Switzerland...they don't need to know that." Our American Tour manager took the wrong train in Cinque Terre and spoke very poor Italian....she also lost a person on tour in Bologna....an Italian tour manager would have been better!!!
Tour

My most memorable experiences I did on my own...a boat tour to Cinque Terre and we took a taxi to San Gimingano....really the bus driver couldn't take us there? It was about a 10 minute ride from our Villa. The Tuscany landscape was beautiful...it would have been nice for bus driver to stop for pictures of lavender field, poppies and sunflowers, as well as picturesque hill top towns.

07/15/2016

The trip rocked. We saw so many beautiful places and had a great time tasting the wines and cheeses.

Service

We had a wonderful time on this trip. Our tour guide was a delight and knew how to balance professionalism with fun. This tour was very rigorous and had one heck of a schedule. The things we got to see on this tour were both intimate and informative. The places we stayed were perfect and most of the food was good. The one disappointment for me was the cooking class. It was lame. The woman showed us how to make pasta by hand. I got to knead the dough for 1 minute. My vision for a cooking class was having someone take us to a market to purchase the fresh ingredients and to actually make a meal and eat it. Maybe a half day experience. I had seen videos of this type of class on line. A suggestion also... maybe have a bit more free/down time to explore and maybe catch our breath. The Cinque Terre experience would have been better if we could have done it by boat rather than train. I was hoping to take some beautiful pictures of the coastline of these cities. All in all.....super fantastic trip. Thank you Kathleen and the wonderful guides we had in the places we visited. Thank you Collette.
Tour

My favorite part was touring the agritourisimos and tasting all of the wonderful wines and organic foods they grew and made themselves. The group of people on our tour made it amazing. Loved them all! Miss you!

07/15/2016

Tour manager

Service

The Tour Manager was not a very good. She was not answering questions she was more interested in deflecting question. She was not around most of the time. Just not overall helpful. However the hotels were good and the locations for excellent. The food and the hotels was below average.
Tour

Favorite memorable experience was the boat ride to the Chicque terra that was not part of your tour.

Thank you for choosing us for your recent tour. Maintaining a high level of quality is our number one priority. That priority is extended into every aspect of a vacation experience- from your airfare to transfers and from meals to hotels. We are, therefore, disappointed with some of the information we received regarding your tour manager and the accommodations.
Your comments have been forwarded to the tour manager’s team leader, as well as the Director of Tour Management. They will review this with the tour manager personally on a separate level.
We have also passed along your feedback of the food and hotels to the product team in order to help improve our tours for future guests. If there’s anything else you would like to share with us, please pass it along. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Collette Support

06/10/2016

Service

Our trip called "Italy's Treasures" was excellent from start to finish. Even though I had been to many of the sights previously, I thought the guides were very good and I learned a lot. I would have liked a bit more free time, but think that is just me - the group seemed to like the pace. To answer your question, the service given by Collette US was excellent.
Tour

my favorite experience of the tour was staying in Stresa - I loved that town and will go back. I also really enjoyed the visit to Lake Orta and the "Way of Silence"

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