Sunny Portugal Estoril Coast, Alentejo & Algarve

12/06/2023

Review on 12/06/2023

Trip Rating:

Great places to visit, although the bus rides were long.

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Collette Support

12/06/2023

Review on 12/06/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour offered the opportunity to learn about this diverse country while providing ample time to explore areas of interest even further. The tour manager's infectious and upbeat personality was the icing on the cake!

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Collette Support

12/06/2023

Trip Rating:

Well planned and great hotels.

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Collette Support

12/05/2023

Trip Rating:

My favorite experience was the optional excursion: Algarve's Costal Cruise. Many people on our tour got sick but that was no fault of Collette.

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Collette Support

12/04/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour manager was excellent for starters. The tour made good use of time miles. We went to places a tourist would not know about. Examples include the cork factory, the cooking demo, and the tile factory.

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Collette Support

12/04/2023

Trip Rating:

I cut my short, because I broke my handI’m

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Collette Support

12/04/2023

Trip Rating:

Portugal is fascinating! Cork factory was a highlight.

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Collette Support

12/04/2023

Trip Rating:

Fully enjoyed the experience.

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Collette Support

12/04/2023

Trip Rating:

Nothing to do with Collette. Many people got sick and one injury.

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Collette Support

12/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Great tour manager and great US tour travel advisor. group

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Collette Support

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

The overall experience was excellent because I feel like we got to see all of what Portugal had to show us. We met the people, eat at some very nice restaurants, and got some good shopping in as well.

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Collette Support

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

Hotel in Algrove to far away from town to walk and go to dinner.3

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

Portugal is a beautiful country, and this tour provided a little slice of many different areas. The excursions were well planned and very unique experiences. I would highly recommend this tour!

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

The whole experience was amazing. From hotels, the food, the tour manager made this an exceptional experience that we will always treasure.

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

The knowledge and personality of our guide, the caring attitude of Jewel (she made everyone feel special), the amount of territory we covered. % star rating all around!

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

Hotels not centrally located. The towns we stayed the towns we stayed in were summer resorts. There was nothing going on at night. We were dumped in downtown Lisbon for two hours. We were given the choice of taking a train back late at night. So we would have the opportunity to stumble around some foreign country at night, trying to find the hotel, several of the people on the tours were just hanging out in the bars in the hotel. This is not exactly a cultural experience.

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

Everything was very comfortable, the tour guide very personable and informative, the cork and tile factories very interesting. The only thing I thought would be better is to have more time to explore the stops once the informational talk was over.

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

Loved the tour...our tour guide Jose was the best ever and kept things interesting pn a daily basis..the accommodations were nice, especially the Viaal Gale'. Our guide was like a history Professor. We learned so much about each town we visited..and our Driver Fernando kept us save while coursing out route through the beautiful countryside and cityscapes..

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

The hotels were said to be four stars but they more like 21/2. No food available for dinner and no security with homeless in the hotel vestibule.

11/30/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour was put together on a way that was educational and enjoyable. Our tour guide, Jose, was the best and provided a great history of the regions visited, from Lisbon to Lagos in the Algarve!

11/13/2023

Trip Rating:

Group size of 46 was too large. We were limited by our size. It was difficult to maneuver

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Collette Support

11/08/2023

Trip Rating:

It's not how I normally travel; I'm not used to traveling with large groups of people and being scheduled. That is just my preference. I would have also preferred more people in my age group.

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Collette Support

11/08/2023

Trip Rating:

Great trip, wonderful accomodations, great tour guide.

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Collette Support

11/06/2023

Trip Rating:

saw so much in a short time and everyday was a new surprise.

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Collette Support

11/06/2023

Trip Rating:

There are too many to recount. The seafood, fruits, and vegetables were fabulous. The scenery was lovely and our bus driver was AAA. The Portuguese were so welcoming and had great senses of humor. The weather was perfect except for the last day. Our tour manager was above and beyond.

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Collette Support

11/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Guide was very knowledgeable and the trip was well planned.

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Collette Support

11/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Great points of interests on tour, with sufficient time given to discover the areas on yourr own. Tour manager was organized and extremely informative and knowledgeable.

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Collette Support

09/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Organized, knowledgeable, comfortable accommodations and coach. Good balance of touring and free time.

08/07/2023

Trip Rating:

First hotel had what looked like mold on floor in bathroom. Hotel room door would not lock. Had to change rooms. Hotel staff did not offer any help with the move. Only flaws in what was, otherwise, a delightful vacation

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Collette Support

08/07/2023

Trip Rating:

Well planned and executed. The tour manager, Bernard. was excellent. He took a personal interest in everyone on the trip and explained all of the sites we visited in detail.

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Collette Support

08/07/2023

Trip Rating:

The whole trip was phenomenal, and our tour guide was just amazing Bernardo

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

I thought the tour was good. I was disappointed with group dinners especially the Fado dinner. Fado dinner was a disappointment. Fado and no dinner would have been better.

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

The curated tour was excellent from start to finish. Our guide was so knowledgeable , organized, and friendly. Bus driver safely drove us around! Highly recommend this tour!

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Great experience, well organized, experienced tour manager

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Rita was amazing !! Enjoyed all of it !

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Rita Navega. Her care for detail and involving the entire group was amazing. Collette would be wise to incorporate her practices into their Customer Services department. Collette would be wise to upgrade the ability of the folks that answer the phone to see the entire package and certificates of the customer. Post trip Collette would be wise to help customer with any and all issues with the airlines. After all Collette did sell them the ticket. A simple phone call would help rather than a complete refusal to help. Tour great, Customer Service needs work!

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

The bus driver The incredible tour guide Rita was excellent The tours were excellent too

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Overall good. Little too rushed. Food at Vila gale cascais fair.

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

One small town where there was a trolley ride was a waisted day. I would have liked to stay in the Algarve one more day to enjoy the beach or pool or more time free for one day. I thought the dinners at the first restaurant in Cascais was very good. The other two restaurants from Collette were not so good. The seating was bad and crowded. Food was just ok in the last two restaurants given by Collette. Loved the whole trip in general!

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Collette Support

08/01/2023

Trip Rating:

Well organized, everyone personable, tour compnents excellent and PABLO WONDERFUL!!

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Collette always includes special touches from airport pickup to little extras.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Wonderful itinerary, great Tour Manager and Tour Guides

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

It was our first bus tour and it really isn’t something that we were crazy about. The itinerary was great and so was the tour manager.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour manager was excellent, fun and knowledgeable.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Well planned comprehensive trip

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Tour manager was great. Hotels were new and modern, clean, good food. Going out on the boat exploring the caves was very enjoyable.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Knowledge and courtesy of tour director.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Jose was a great guide Loved the amount of free time to explore on your own Will definitely travel with Collette again

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour design included a wide array of activities and sights in southern Portugal. As a first time visitor to the country, I felt the tour covered a vast array of Portugal’s rich history and culture. Juan, the tour manager was very knowledgeable and quickly understood the group’s tendencies. His restaurant suggestions were very helpful. Fernando, our driver was exceptional. The hotel accommodations were lacking at times with basics such as washcloths and facial tissue unavailable. Overall, the tour is a good value and a wonderful introduction to Portugal.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

Perfect weather, excellent tour guide

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

It was so nice to meet so many wonderful people on our tour. Our tour manager was so knowledgeable about the area that it really made our trip exciting.

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Collette Support

07/27/2023

Trip Rating:

The cork factory was my favorite trip.

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

This was my first international experience. I don’t think I could picked a better travel agency.

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

What a great tour! Our guide was very knowledgeable & caring. All the excursions were amazing. We saw and did things that tourists would never experience. Great dining, hotels, all was perfect.

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

Excellnt service, clean busses, wonderful tour guide

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

Great location and variety of areas visited

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

Beautiful country, friendly people and very good food

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

The tour included so many different aspects of the country. Historical sites, visits to new and upcoming family businesses, cultural and dining experiences. A little bit of everything.

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

A couple places we went to just stayed maybe a half hour. These locations should of been 1 hour to a hour and a half.

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

You are more more expensive Compare with gate 1

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

Most of the meals provided by you are very average

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Collette Support

07/24/2023

Trip Rating:

Very basic tour with a lot of fillers. Collette seemed to do it on the “cheap”. Very large group - 45 people. Website says the average size is a lot less. Too much free time, but not enough to venture off to do the things they missed. Very disappointed with the overall experience. I do not recommend Collette.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We have forwarded your feedback to our Traveler Relations team and a member of the team will reach out to you to discuss your specific issues and concerns. Your feedback is very important to us, we appreciate your patience as we work to resolve your issues.

Collette Support

05/25/2023

Trip Rating:

Large group was focus of your mgr

Hello, thank you for sharing your experience with us regarding your tour to Portugal.

Collette Support

04/26/2023

Trip Rating:

My first tour experience and it was excellent. I didn't know anybody could be as knowledgeable about a country as our tour guide was. He made the trip excellent.

We are pleased to hear you had a great time on our Sunny Portugal tour! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, we hope to see you again soon!

Collette Support

04/26/2023

Trip Rating:

The hotels we stayed at were first class; the locations we visited provided a good overview of Portugal; the activities were interesting; the bus driver was professional and helpful; most of all Bernardo Baptista, our tour manager was the best! He provided information and kept us all on task and engaged. Bernardo always had a sunny attitude and his smile was contagious.

We are pleased to hear you had a great time on our Sunny Portugal tour! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, we hope to see you again soon!

Collette Support

04/06/2023

Trip Rating:

Good accommodations, Excellent travel guide. Visited beautiful areas. Gorgeous scenery.

We are pleased to hear you had a great time on our Sunny Portugal tour! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, we hope to see you again soon!

Collette Support

04/06/2023

Trip Rating:

Great trip everything was well planned

We are pleased to hear you had a great time on our Sunny Portugal tour! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, we hope to see you again soon!

Collette Support

06/22/2022

Trip Rating:

Wonderful trip! Angela and our bus driver were fantastic!
Trip Rating:

Great tour , great people!

06/02/2022

Trip Rating:

Because we told Collette that there was not enough time to get through customs at JFK in NYC and make the connecting flight to Pittsburgh. They are refusing to reimburse us for the hotel we had toget.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We have forwarded your feedback to our product and tour manager teams. If you would like to set up time with one of our customer care representatives to share more about your experience we would be happy to set that up for you.

Collette Support

06/02/2022

Trip Rating:

I was pleased with most of the trip. I have been to Lisbon before and know that we saw very little because it was a Monday. Too bad since I will never get back there. I thought everything else was wonderful until we tried to go to Madeira. No one can control the weather but it was such an exhausting experience and I cannot eat airport food . That being said, I do not feel we were treated with compassion by Collette and it was a lot of money to spend for just over a day on Madeira where we missed a lot of things promised and which I will also never see again. I believe it could have been handled better and of course affects my thinking about future trips.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We have forwarded your feedback to our product and tour manager teams. If you would like to set up time with one of our customer care representatives to share more about your experience we would be happy to set that up for you. We appreciate you being a loyal traveler with us and hope to travel with you again soon.

Collette Support

06/02/2022

Trip Rating:

I would like to have seen more ancient settings instead of cooking demo. Sintra has a more famous site than the palace

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Collette Support

05/26/2022

Trip Rating:

Rui is a a good person and that's what makes him a good tour guide. He does his homework and genuinely cares about people.

05/25/2022

Trip Rating:

I didn't have to drive so I actually saw things and experienced things. Having a group stopped my wife from rushing through places so she could move on to the next just to rush through that.

05/23/2022

Trip Rating:

Great tour. Excellent tour guide with a wide variety of experiences.

05/21/2022

Trip Rating:

The tour guide was the best

05/19/2022

Trip Rating:

Great guide, interesting places to visit, good food

05/19/2022

Trip Rating:

Some of the day trips included too much travel and sight-seeing, so some days were very tiring.

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Collette Support

05/18/2022

Trip Rating:

Interesting engaging approachable organized

05/18/2022

Trip Rating:

Trip disruption on our return to home.

05/17/2022

Trip Rating:

Too many people in the group.

05/17/2022

Trip Rating:

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05/17/2022

Trip Rating:

Beautiful country- clean and the people were extremely friendly. If the group had been smaller we could have gotten closer to some of the locations, walking down cobblestone pavements proved to sometimes be challenging for me. Tour manager, Sergio did an excellent job and made this experience outstanding. He took great care in helping us all matriculate the country. He was both kind and reassuring throughout our stay in Portugal. His attention to detail was awesome.

05/17/2022

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I love this company. From start to finish, a great experience!!

05/16/2022

Trip Rating:

The only reason I did not rate this higher was for two reasons: 1: The meal we had at the culinary school was awful. No one ate this corn portage and shrimp that had head, eyes, and rest of the body laying in the center of the bowl. This was a waste of money. 2: The hotels were nice but in two of these the air conditioning did not work so it was hard to sleep when it was hot and stuffy in the room. One of these were in a 3-night stay so for the whole 3 nights it was hot. We told the hotel and also our tour guide but it was never fixed.

05/16/2022

Trip Rating:

Sergio Palma, out tour guide, made the trip! He was always informative about the sights we were to see and gave a gread deal of the history as we traveled by bus. He also explained the social issues such as the educational system and the medical systems in Portugal. We found these things very interesting. His recommendation on the local foods were spot on, especially the sweets. Collette's Covid testing in the hotels was really appreciated and the cost was quite reasonable. This was our second trip to Portugal and our 12th trip with Collette. We can't wait to go again, this time, back to Germany or Greece.

05/16/2022

Trip Rating:

I saw the whole country and at a nice space with enough downtime to relax.

05/16/2022

Trip Rating:

Collett always makes things run so smooth with all tours. They keep you moving and give you breaks as you desire from shopping, eating, or napping. Most of the motels are top 5 motels. The restaurants are outstanding from a steak house to a little ma and pa restaurant they all are outstanding. They have such talented bus drivers you wonder how did he just make that turn with just inches. The tour managers are outstanding they have so much knowledge in their brains but they are so down to earth, so kind. Sometimes the airports can be a big challenge but they try to make it a good trip. I have been on about 13 tours and they have all been wonderful. Where can I go next let me think 🤔

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

Great tour guide and selections of sites to visit! The sail boat and tours of the grottos - my fav

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

I enjoyed all the extra tours. The cork, the tile the Palace. We were kept busy, but not overly busy. There were always opportunities to sight seeing and immersing in the culture. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable of the country.

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

Best tour guide ever. He made the trip!

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

The hills and terrain was difficult for me. I was not able to go to dinner on my own with out taking a cab ride. the hotel did not serve dinner just appetizers

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

Very friendly tour guide, bus driver. Very organized.

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

Fantastic trip Only problem was returning from Maderia on a Sunday Our bus driver was hard to find and sign want green Collettte plus she couldn’t find the hotel

05/13/2022

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Great overall experience. Angela was excellent.

05/13/2022

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Tour manager's expertise and knowledge; good overview of southern Portugal,, nIce accommodations. We've recommended it to others.

05/13/2022

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Cascais was my favorite. It's such a beautiful village. Staying at the same hotel for 3 nights was very nice. However, airport/flight connections really need to be better. Travel insurance that actually pays for things would be nice.

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

Our guide Rita was very knowledgeable and easy to understand. Saw lots of interesting things.

05/13/2022

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Tour was great Tour guide was awesome , bus driver too! Accommodations and food was wonderful

05/13/2022

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Lagos Sailing on the ocean

05/13/2022

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The Tour Manager was excellent and was on top of everything to include our COVID testing to return to the US which was stressful for all. Portugal is a beautiful country and every stop had something memorable.

05/13/2022

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great tour guide, interesting cities, good food and well organized

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

Excellent tour. Our guide was excellent

05/13/2022

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Well organized but still allowed some free time. Excellent tour guide.

05/13/2022

Trip Rating:

Tour manager made the tour the we've ever experienced with Collette.

03/27/2020

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our tour, Beth, was amazing. very informative, friendly, approachable, and just knows her stuff.
Trip Rating:

learning the history of Portugal, the food and wine was great

03/25/2020

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Everything was well planned, we didn't have to worry about anything, Our tour guide was well informed and helpful, always there for you If you needed her.
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The tour was excellent, everything I expected. My most memorable experience was Cascais, loved the hotel and the walkability to restaurants and stores. Also enjoyed the park across from the hotel.

03/24/2020

Excellent

Trip Rating:

I am Highly satisfied with the tour and service overall. We will recommend Collette with Confidence. I would not hesitate to travel with Collette again in my next adventure.
Trip Rating:

Madeira was the highlight of the trip.

Thanks for sharing! We're glad you had a great time. We'd appreciate if you could share your experience, photos, and videos on our Facebook page as well: Facebook.com/GoCollette/Reviews We appreciate you and look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

03/18/2020

Trip Rating:

Have already purchased again
Trip Rating:

I have already completed a survey a few weeks ago

03/17/2020

Trip Rating:

Our tour manager was the best one I have ever had. I have been on 2 Collette and 1 gate-1 tour, I have no complaints about any of my tour managers. However, Michelle went above and beyond to make sure we had the best experience possible. I have never had a manager go with us to the airport and walk us to the correct check in desk before. Michelle also arranged for our group to have two seperate treats insuring we all had the opportunity to try Portugal's specialties.
Trip Rating:

Everything was exceptional, impossible to choose one.

03/14/2020

Review on 03/14/2020

Trip Rating:

The guide was local, delightful and very knowledgeable. We appreciated how many details of the tour were worked out from transportation to and from the airport, lovely group dinners and sight seeing that was considerate of time elements. We felt that we had adequate free time. The choice of tour sights were representative of local life and history of the country.
Trip Rating:

We toured southern Portugal Algarve region. We enjoyed being able to see sights representative of their economy, cork, wine production, tiling and also many significant historic sights, Henry the Navigator, Lisbon Old Town and Liberty Boulevard--lovely local restaurants throughout the region with wonderful, friendly service. We enjoyed the Fado Opera. Probably the favorites were the coastal areas--beautiful blue skies and waters--lovely.

01/02/2020

our tour guide was exceptional & added to our tour

Trip Rating:

9 days was too long to experience the identical same thing .Do away with the overnight at the “farm”. Would preferred to stay longer in some areas & have fewer hotel overnights
Trip Rating:

The extra tour the boat trip

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We appreciate you taking the time to provide us with feedback on the itinerary. Your comments will be reviewed by our Product Design Team so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

12/17/2019

An experience worth its weight in gold.

Trip Rating:

Although we travel to Europe twice a year this was our first group tour and it was a wonderful experience and we certainly will consider one again. The learning experience from a 24/7 local guide is worth its weight in gold and we had the best. Although we study the places beforehand when we travel by ourselves we visited places only a local would know about. Collette had the region we visited nailed down. Moving from hotel to hotel was as easy as just closing your suitcase, and our driver was awesome. everything moved like clockwork, not too much time on the road, pit stops along the way, great meals, four star hotels, great learning experiences as well as relaxation time. We had other guides join us through out the tour with knowledge of a specific area but overall having a Local tour manager with you 24/7 who treated you like family and watched over your every need was worth more than I can put into words. After having been the international rep for my convention bureau for 20 plus years in the tourism business and doing large group fams I definitely appreciated all the hard work that went into putting this tour together to make it a wonderful experience for everyone.
Trip Rating:

Everyday was memorable, it would be hard to pick one experience.

12/11/2019

Review on 12/11/2019

Trip Rating:

Tour host Angela is brilliant!
Trip Rating:

We did not have enough time on our own to explore the different stops, I will be traveling on my own for awhile

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're sorry to hear you didn't have enough time on your own to explore. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Product Design Team so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

12/11/2019

Review on 12/11/2019

Trip Rating:

The tour guide was personable and knowledgeable. We did not have enough time at some UNESCO sites to adequately explore. The group was too large (42) So, the explanations didn’t match where some of the group was at the time
Trip Rating:

See previous paragraph Local tour guide in Evora was great!

12/10/2019

Review on 12/10/2019

Trip Rating:

Great tour, beautiful country and excellent tour manager.
Trip Rating:

Grottos trout on the small boats

12/10/2019

Fantastic trip

Trip Rating:

Great trip, so organized, awesome tour manager, we love Collette
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Loved the entire trip

12/10/2019

Nice travelers, great lodgings, early on the road.

Trip Rating:

Was on the bus, 8:00 am every morning after late dinners. Little relax time to enjoy Cascais.
Trip Rating:

Packed to much travel time into a week. Could easily have gone without the “farm house” stay and 2nd winery tour.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. Thank you for taking the time to provide us with feedback on the itinerary. Your comments will be reviewed by our Product Design Team so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

12/09/2019

Review on 12/09/2019

Trip Rating:

Best Tour Director I have every had and overall it was a wonderful trip.
Trip Rating:

Excellent value with the inclusions.

12/09/2019

One of our most memorable and most relaxing trips ever !

Trip Rating:

Our tour manager was one of our best I called Collette and spoke to the person in charge of tour managers and bragged about ours - Maryse. She was the most organized and extremely helpful and fun to be around. I believe from what she said the feeling was mutual.
Trip Rating:

Learning so much about things I had seldom experienced - Cork factory, and seeing storks.

12/09/2019

Review on 12/09/2019

Trip Rating:

Our tour director Maryse was fantastic and the balance of leisure time with touring time was perfect.
Trip Rating:

I really enjoyed Lagos, the beach was incredible, the marina and downtown area were a highlight.

12/08/2019

Have traveled with Collette 7 times and have booked 2 for future travel.

Trip Rating:

I have traveled with Collette seven times. The hotels are always the best and located close to the places you can walk to. The tour managers are all very informative and very professional and personal. The tour manager on this trip was the best of all. Everything is always very organized and well planned to be able to see the best of the area we are visiting.
Trip Rating:

Loved Fatima. Learned about cork production and tile making and painting. The optional sailing tour was wonderful.

12/07/2019

I was well taken care of every minute!

Trip Rating:

Luxury all of the way and well worth the price. Excellent tour guide, excellent hotel rooms and side trips. There was only one side trip I did not like in Portugal: Fatima. It only appeals to people of the Roman Catholic Faith in my opinion.
Trip Rating:

Walking tour of Lisbon, the castle and the Fado district with an exceptional guide was my favorite. A trip to a Fado club that night enhanced the tour. I also loved our visit to the little town of Azeitao and the tile factory and Fonseca Winery in the rain. I did not like the trip to Fatima at all. It appealed to members of the Roman Catholic faith only, in my opinion.

12/07/2019

Review on 12/07/2019

Trip Rating:

Our tour guide, Marise was fantastic! She was knowledgeable, organized and energetic. It was an amazing first visit and tour of Portugal!
Trip Rating:

Walking tour of Lisbon and variety of all locations in Portugal.

12/04/2019

Great Tour Director. Excellent hotels. Interesting agenda. Excellent bus.

Trip Rating:

Great trip
Trip Rating:

Loved Lagos, Lisbon and Estoril

11/30/2019

Sunny Portugal lived up to its name and the food was interesting and tasty.

Trip Rating:

Good stops at tile factory, cork factory, Fatima stop & talk by restaurant owner on products of the region. Very attentive trip leader, Jose. The walking tours had too many people and moved pretty fast to really take in what you were seeing. Because you need to watch where you walk with cobblestones you are often looking down and not looking at scenery, hence a chance to stop and look and listen together would be welcome. Due to size of group, dinners were often rushed and very noisy. Listening to Fado singing was very enjoyable!
Trip Rating:

Most memorable was the cork factory and the many products that are produced from that tree.

11/29/2019

Review on 11/29/2019

Trip Rating:

Tour manager was very nice, but didn't have the depth of knowledge about Portugal required to deliver the insight I expected on Portugal. She read much of the material about Portugal (I could have done that), didn't emphasize what "not to miss" in the towns we visited (after the formal tour), and didn't help connect the dots on why we were visiting the various locations (what was the story Collette was telling me about Portugal?).
Trip Rating:

I'm a seasoned traveler and this was a disappointing tour. We stayed in beautiful accommodations in lovely areas, but they were far from the places we were visiting, which was a huge limiting factor in the tour experience because there was no transportation into town from the hotels (e.g., hotel van), and it required taking a cab (an additional expense) to further explore the town. There were many sites in town I would have enjoyed seeing, but they were missed because of our location. This is the first time I've experienced such an ill-planned location...disappointing! A wine tasting was included in our tour. We did taste wine, but it doesn't meet the definition of a wine tasting where one learns abut the wine, visits the cellar, hears about the experience of growing and harvesting the grapes, and tastes the wines. Our server didn't appear to speak English, and just poured wine into our glasses. It was nothing special or noteworthy. Tour involved many hours riding on the bus. Positives - I enjoyed some delicious meals, wine, and desserts. Portugal is beautiful, the history is amazing, and the people were very nice! Sintra was my favorite...I wish we had spent more time exploring it!

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're very sorry to hear you had a disappointing experience on tour. Your feedback will be processed and the Guest Relations Team will be following up with a resolution.

Collette Support

11/27/2019

Unexpected Delight

Trip Rating:

This trip to Portugal was not on my bucket list but developed into a memorable trip,. interesting tour. The hotels were also quite good in every stop. Restaurants and tours arranged by the Collete were outstanding and appreciated.
Trip Rating:

Accomadations, tours I would have preferred a couple more inclusions because there was much to see. Fatima, churches, wine, tile and cork tours as well as included restaurants were excellant choices.

11/26/2019

Glad to be home - in one piece!

Trip Rating:

Get a different tour manager as she was not friendly and spoke horrible English. It was Extremely difficult to understand her. Also try a different airline as TAP Portugal was horrible and I will never travel that airline again. The only best part was touring Lisbon - the rest of the country looks like a 3rd world country. Unfortunately it rained while in Fatima.
Trip Rating:

day on your own.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on tour. Your feedback will be reviewed by our internal department managers so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

11/24/2019

delightful

Trip Rating:

would do portugal again if i could get correct trip service was great
Trip Rating:

boat ride to caves under sai[

11/23/2019

Godd time had by all

Trip Rating:

Enjoyed the variety and pacing.
Trip Rating:

Disliked turim saldanha hotel, room exceptionally small, hot, humid, no access to A.C. made sleeping very uncomfortable. And found out from others on tour that they had access to A.C.. very disappointed

11/18/2019

Review on 11/18/2019

Trip Rating:

Guide was well informed, bus driver was friendly and knew exactly where to go and we were always on time.
Trip Rating:

The tour itself was excellent. However, on the day before the last day, I was a victim of a pickpocket. He/she stole my bill fold with all my cash and identify cards (driver's license, social security and Medicare cards, retired military dependent card, etc.) Fortunately my Passport was in a different place.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. While we're happy to hear you enjoyed the tour, we're very sorry to hear you were pick pocketed on tour. If you need any assistance with filing an insurance claim due to this incident, please contact the Guest Relations Team at Collette.

Collette Support

11/16/2019

Review on 11/16/2019

Trip Rating:

My wife and I both were on the tour, one of many trips we have taken with Collette. Tour was good with a good well informed tour guide and friendly bus driver who was knowledgeable about all the places we needed to go to.
Trip Rating:

Everything was great, except that my wife was the victim of a pickpocket on the next to last day of the tour.

11/16/2019

Well managed

Trip Rating:

No complaints at all. The tour manager was especially knowledgeable and friendly; took excellent care of the group, including managing a few health and mobility issues that came up in the group during the trip. Fortunately the group itself was full of friendly and interesting people. The itinerary was balanced and planned well. Food was uniformly good.
Trip Rating:

Walking the streets of historic neighborhoods in Lisbon was interesting and fun. Learned a lot about Portugal's history and a thing or two about fine wines. The only negative was missing our connecting flight at the Paris airport on the way back home, due to long lines, both at Passport Control and the shuttle between terminals, that weren't well-managed. Lots of other people there had the same problem. In the future I would plan on booking at least 3 hours between connecting flights at that airport.

11/12/2019

Trip was ok ,,just ok

Trip Rating:

Guide was Disrespectful to her charges Medications were stolen from hotel room Bus driver forced passengers off bus
Trip Rating:

Lagos boat tour

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're sorry to hear you were disappointed with the tour. Your feedback will be reviewed by our Product Design Team so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

11/12/2019

Disappointing Portugal Tour

Trip Rating:

Needed Working toilets on tour bus. Should Review & re-rate hotels & restaurants-some were below par. Did not receive the quality expected for the price of the tour. Lisbon was boring. Fátima was my goal-but I would not use Collette in the future.
Trip Rating:

Fátima was memorable for me

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're sorry to hear you were disappointed with the tour. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

11/12/2019

Four star hotels, wonderful restaurants and knowledgeable tour guides

Trip Rating:

I would recommend them to anyone wanting a tour.
Trip Rating:

Southern Portugal

11/12/2019

knowledgeable tour guide, excellent bus driver, wonderful food and hotels

Trip Rating:

i loved, loved, loved the tour and everything about it.
Trip Rating:

the optional boat ride with lunch in lagos. we took a big boat out to the cliffs and then got onto a small boat to go in and around the caves.

11/09/2019

Review on 11/09/2019

Trip Rating:

Both bus driver and tour guide did an outstanding job. Good hotels with prompt service. Overall very pleased with travel experience.
Trip Rating:

Trip was well paced. Enjoyed all sights especially boat trip to caves!

10/29/2019

Review on 10/29/2019

Trip Rating:

Collette was very efficient in organizing information to send to us about the tour b
Trip Rating:

I loved seeing and learning about the churches and palaces. Also,I appreciated the learning experience provided with the olives, grape vineyards, and cork trees. I appreciated learning about the hand painted tiles and the cork industry The scenery was beautiful.

Hello Angela, thank you for your review! We saw your feedback was positive but you gave us 1 out 5 stars (5 being the best). Feel free to re-rate the product or share more feedback on how we can improve. We value your insight and look forward to traveling with you again soon.

Collette Support

10/28/2019

Collette Portugal Trip Was Excellent.

Trip Rating:

The Tour Manager was excellent and the sites visited were highly informational. Accommodations and transportation were also excellent.
Trip Rating:

As stated previously everything, especially the Tour Manager, was excellent.

10/26/2019

Sunny portugal

Trip Rating:

Great hotels, local color, and beautiful scenery sums up Portugal. I loved the cork trees and umbrella pines and beautiful flowering plants. We had perfect weather- not too hot and not too cool!
Trip Rating:

Fatima was so inspiring and beautiful. What a moving experience!

10/26/2019

Review on 10/26/2019

Trip Rating:

Collette's office staff is friendly and helpful. Making payments before our trip by phone is an easy process. Our guide in Portugal was very well-organized and knowledgeable. The local guides were excellent at giving tours and answering questions.
Trip Rating:

As with all of our previous Collette tours, the itinerary included a nice variety of culture, history, and natural resources. Our favorite experience in Portugal was the optional cruise/lunch in Lagos.

10/26/2019

My first tour with Collette and i was very impressed.

Trip Rating:

Our tours, food, accommodations and guides were great. This was my first tour with Collette and I was very impressed.
Trip Rating:

Every tour was a little different and the knowledge of our guides was impressive. They were all special in their own way, but the one that sticks with me is the tour of the cork factory. The factory was small but the information imparted to us was mind blowing. i will never look at a cork in a bottle the same way ever,

10/26/2019

Review on 10/26/2019

Trip Rating:

Yes I would recommend them .
Trip Rating:

The tour manager was fantastic

10/26/2019

Review on 10/26/2019

Trip Rating:

Beautiful country. Great food. Great Tour Manager (Monica)
Trip Rating:

The boat tour of the caves in the Algarve region

10/26/2019

Review on 10/26/2019

Trip Rating:

how you handled problems with return flight problems.
Trip Rating:

enjoyed how you handled all features of the trip

10/24/2019

Review on 10/24/2019

Trip Rating:

The response to our calls was very good. The info provided in advance of our trip was great. The video of our tour was a nice touch. The tour was fun.
Trip Rating:

Istrell the beach the prominar wonderful. The city tours the foods great. Lagos soon relaxing g. Lisbon was great but could spend more time.

10/23/2019

Good trip....lousey service in the USA

Trip Rating:

all the folks in Portugal were great..the tour guide was excellent and teamed well with the driver and local guides,Hotels were top notch. The Collette staff in the USA left much to be desired.They tried to rip me off for $500.to correct my wife's middle initial to her full middle name on the air reservation...a change we ended up making for a $60 fee. They failed to bassist properly on seat selection which ended up costing us $84 to correct.The ground transportation going and coming back was difficult due to the reservation desk of the car provider failing to answer the phone.It took three days to get the reservation.On return I had to call the Collette emergency line since there was no answer when I called from the airport as directed to get our pickup.These service FAILURES will cause me to look to other tour groups going forward.
Trip Rating:

Tour guide was outstanding ...He made the trip.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're sorry to hear about the issues you experienced with our office staff. After reviewing your reservation, we show we were given the incorrect information regarding how your wife's name reads on her passport. The first option given was to re-book the airfare which was coming back at a higher rate ($530PP). The second option was to receive a waiver code from the airline to issue a name change for $60. Once we received the waiver code we were able to make the name change. Your feedback will be used to enhance the pre-tour process for our future guests.

Collette Support

10/22/2019

Everything was too remote

Trip Rating:

Hotel were too remote. We were captives in each hotel. Sites were either a long bus ride or a very expensive taxi ride. No safe excess to restaurant and shopping from hotels. Way to much time on the bus.
Trip Rating:

Hotels were too remote. We were captives in each hotels. No safe access to restaurants and shopping from hotels. Bus rides way to long. Cab rid,es were very expensive

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Sunny Portugal. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you had with the location of the hotels and how that affected the itinerary and your experience on tour. We're currently reviewing all feedback from this tour and will be following up with you.

Collette Support

10/21/2019

Review on 10/21/2019

Trip Rating:

The Tour Manger, Gabriela, was excellent, local guides were too. Our Fist bus driver was wonderful on all of the worst narrow roads I've seen.
Trip Rating:

We spent way too much time on the bus, the isolated hotels kept us from exploring locally. Which caused more time on the bus. We weren't able to go into some locations because we were stuck in traffic due to the hotel locations. We would get to a site to find out it was lunch and shops were closed and since we had less time at the site than lunch hour we had to get back to the bus. I've sent a letter to you because I have been so annoyed over what I thought would be a wonderful experience and was just a waste of money. What's the point of coming all the way to Portugal and spending most of the time on a bus. The tile factory, the winery and the cork factories were the one thing that I did .enjoy. Not interacting locally with the people made me fell like I have no idea who the Portuguese are. Why the coach museum, why not a history museum? What ever Gabriela told us was the only cultural experience we had. I can honestly say I'm angry over the experience.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're sorry to hear about the issues you experienced on tour. A member of the Guest Relations Team will be reaching out to discuss your feedback.

Collette Support

10/19/2019

Review on 10/19/2019

Trip Rating:

The trip was well-arranged and well-executed. Schedulesv were appropriate, with little unnecessary downtime.
Trip Rating:

Very knowledgeable tour guide, providing lots of interesting insights. Comfortable accommodations,. The optional boat tour was the highlight of the trip.

10/19/2019

Review on 10/19/2019

Trip Rating:

I enjoyed most of the tour but the location of the hotels we stayed in was a problem. They were lovely hotels but their location was far from a town in most cases which meant that we spent far too much time on the tour bus . And if you didn’t want to take an optional tour, the cost of taxis was prohibitive.
Trip Rating:

I enjoyed many of the experiences-the winery, the cork factory and the tile factory.

10/18/2019

Review on 10/17/2019

Trip Rating:

/in general, their service is satisfactory.
Trip Rating:

Great experience of boat riding at Largo.

10/15/2019

Nice Portugal trip.

Trip Rating:

The tour was nice, however, there were 45 people in my group and its was a lot of people to walk around with.
Trip Rating:

The tour took us to the highlights of each area. The best was the optional tour of the sea caves. Faro was boring and a waste of time. I would have liked to see more nature related places. There was no time for a beach day. There should have been a 2 day stay at a beach hotel.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're sorry to hear you were disappointed with some aspects of the itinerary. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Product Design Team so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

10/15/2019

Monica was knowledgeable, the hotels were comfortable and the tour was fine

Trip Rating:

The tour was as advertised. We took the extended tour of Mederia Island, a great experience. Both tour managers knew their subjects. We enjoyed the entire trip.
Trip Rating:

The tour was all as advertised. We completely enjoyed the experiences.

10/14/2019

Review on 10/14/2019

Trip Rating:

It was my first time on a tour and I loved it. Our tour guide, Rui Oliveira was so knowledgeable, caring, had a good sense of humor and always there to assist us. He was the best.
Trip Rating:

There were several memorable experiences. Visiting Cascai, the Wine tours and the best, visiting the Cork factory.

10/11/2019

Review on 10/11/2019

Trip Rating:

Would not provide any assistance pre-trip re booking a hotel, as we came 2 days early
Trip Rating:

We spent a lot of time wandering the shops. Not my idea of a holiday. I wanted to go to the standing stones by Evora but instead got the opportunity of another wine tasting. Spent about 4-5 hours going to Fatima, a religious shrine that maybe - maybe - 2 people on the trip were intersted in. And consequently only had a couple hours at Sintra, which was worth seeing.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We do not offer pre-nights on this tour which is why we were unable to assist. Your feedback on the itinerary will be reviewed by the Product Design Team so that the overall tour experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

10/08/2019

Picture perfect group tour.

Trip Rating:

The tour of all the little villages was fun and enlightening. Our guide was thoroughly knowledgeable about the areas since he was born and raised in Portugal. He was also very concerned about everyone's welfare.
Trip Rating:

the tours of the wineries and local artisans were especially welcomed. Our guide, Jose was wonderful and helped make this experience one that we will never forget

10/08/2019

Review on 10/08/2019

Trip Rating:

Inclusive tour, knowledgeable tour guide, helpful bus driver. My wallet was pickpocketed on the first day of the tour and our tour director helped me call my bank and credit card companies to cancel all my cards. The only negative experience was at the airport when we arrived. The Collette transportation service that was supposed to take us to the hotel abandoned us because we couldn't find our luggage. He originally told us to come out of the luggage area and he would help us but when we came out he ignored us, he didn't give us any direction to get help and then told us to take a cab to the hotel and then abandoned us. It took us two hours to finally get the proper help to find our luggage.
Trip Rating:

The tour was very nice. I enjoyed the cork factory and the tile company. My favorite memorable experience was the trip to Fatima.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're very sorry to hear about the issue you experienced with your arrival transfer in Lisbon. Our Logistics Team will review this situation with the management staff of the vendor. If you have a receipt for your additional transfer expense please contact Guest Relations at 800 443 6203 and we will reimburse you.

Collette Support

10/07/2019

Not so good.

Trip Rating:

Tour manager was nice but overwhelmed. Tours this size we've been on normally have 2 or 3 people running it. She was on her own. The itinerary was all wrong. Spent more time crisscrossing the country on a bus then actually enjoying the country. It seems like there was no thought given to logically laying out the legs of the trip.
Trip Rating:

Visiting Sintra, Obidos, and Lagros (boat ride) were nice as well as the panoramic walking tour of Lisbon.

Thank you for traveling with Collette on our Sunny Portugal tour. We're very sorry that you were disappointed with your tour. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Tour Management and Product Design Teams so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

10/07/2019

Sunny Portugal was exceptional!!

Trip Rating:

We were able to see all of the things we wanted to experience. Although we would have liked more time in some places such as Sintra and Fatima, the trip was really wonderful. Our tour guide Rui was excellent and the group on our tour were all great. I think everyone had a great time. Hotels were GREAT. Bus driver was excellent. Our next European vacation will be with Collette. We would like to tour with Rui again and maybe take a Portugal/Spain trip if that comes up. Most of the people on our tour have toured with Collette more than twice and keep coming back. Collette knows how to make your vacation everything you thought it would be.
Trip Rating:

All of our hi-lights for visiting Portugal were included in this trip.

10/05/2019

Diffenetly recommend the tour to others.

Trip Rating:

Tour took us to all places of interest, several unexpected fascinating ones, and beautiful out of the way vinyards where we got to taste local cousine. Tours were very informative, Portugal is a beautiful country. Only one issue, when visiting Faro the local guide took too long talking about the city and repeated the same subject three times which held us back. Each time she brought it up she would stop and people got board and started wondering off because we already heard the story. Other than that, I would diffenetly recommend a tour of Portugal. We are thinking of another tour if one comes up of northern Portual which people on the tour said it's more beautiful.
Trip Rating:

Cascias. Beautiful city, great shopping and restaurants and the people are very welcoming.

06/15/2019

Review on 06/15/2019

Trip Rating:

The tour was fabulous and the guides were excellent and very knowledgeable. I would recommend Collete to everyone
Trip Rating:

Loved the country and the accommodations were great

06/13/2019

Review on 06/13/2019

Trip Rating:

We had an excellent tour manager in Angela Almeida showing her beautiful country to us. Loved the food.
Trip Rating:

Algarve's Coastal Cruise and Lunch

06/12/2019

Our tour was organized and our guide Angela was e trembly knowledgeable abo

Trip Rating:

Organized, timely and our guide Angela was the best!! I would recommend them and use them again myself! The only thing that I would suggest is that the guides don’t smoke! Angela did not but our guide in Madeira did and the smell in the van was not good!
Trip Rating:

The entire tour was wonderful!

06/12/2019

Review on 06/12/2019

Trip Rating:

The tour was very organized from start to finish including flight arrangements. Angela, the tour guide was second to none.
Trip Rating:

The boat tour through the caves in the Southern Region

06/12/2019

Could have been better.

Trip Rating:

Tour guide and driver were excellent. Some of the content of the tour needs to be changed, i.e., Coach Museum. Ville Gale was not always conveniently located.
Trip Rating:

Should not have gone to Sintra or Coach Museum. Needed to spend the first night in Lisbon. Grottos the best.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Portugal. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Product Design Team in order to improve the overall touring experience for our guests.

Collette Support

06/11/2019

Review on 06/10/2019

Trip Rating:

The guide ( Rui) was very knowledgable about Portugal and it made our time very interesting and outstanding.
Trip Rating:

The guide, Rui, was excellent and he made the trip very wonderful, and one I have recommended to my friends.

06/04/2019

Portugal is a wonderful, with the people very friendly.

Trip Rating:

The tour was well organized and planned. The tour director was extremely good in showing his country. The hotels were great and the food was great with multiple choices. The only problem we had was the airline that they chose. AiCanada
Trip Rating:

All was outstanding except the flights

05/22/2019

Review on 05/22/2019

Trip Rating:

We were met at the airport and taken care of from then on.. The country was beautiful and the people were great. Loved the resorts. They were fabulous. The pace kept us going to see the country and all of the neat things that were offered. But we still had time to relax and just enjoy. The tour director was knowledgeable and pleasant and kept our safety and overall experience at the top of his list. I would definitely travel to Portugal again..Thanks for a great time and vacation experience.
Trip Rating:

The dinner at the restaurant in Lisbon,Encarnacao, where we were sung to in beautiful Portuguese. Loved it. It was my favorite thing. Also the stork nests, the boat tour around the coast, and the chapel of the bones. The cork industry with all of the things we could buy made from the unsuspecting material was a plus. Everything was great.

05/20/2019

Review on 05/20/2019

Trip Rating:

Pedro was an excellent tour director
Trip Rating:

Coastal cruise along the shore

05/19/2019

Excellent Service

Trip Rating:

The service was prompt and helpful.
Trip Rating:

The tour was wonderful, the tour guide was excellent. The only recommendation I have is to decrease the amount of people in the tour. 42 travelers was too much. Although, the tour guide did a superb job of moving the tour along in a timely manner, I feel that 30 guests should be the maximum.

05/18/2019

Review on 05/18/2019

Trip Rating:

Always excellent. Tour managers are great - hotels could be better is some cases.
Trip Rating:

Our tour guide was awesome and we had a wonderful smooth trip. Did not care for a few of the hotels but the trip was great

05/18/2019

Fabulous trip! Great tour guide...amazing trip.

Trip Rating:

The tour was outstanding. The tour guide was fantastic and was an expert on not just the history of the country we were visiting but European and world history as well. He was always kind, very interesting and funny! The local tour guides were outstanding too.
Trip Rating:

Outstanding tour. Great sites. Fabulous cuisine and excursions!

05/18/2019

Review on 05/18/2019

Trip Rating:

Give correct info on accommodations-called about 'pools'--incorrect
Trip Rating:

Better hotels with safer tub/showers. More leg room on buses for tall people (& more comfortable seats) Skip Faro

05/18/2019

Collette is class act

Trip Rating:

This was my 2nd Colette tour. As in the 1st one, we had an excellent tour guide who is very knowledgeable about the country as well as the areas that we toured. Both tours had us staying at beautiful hotels both in Panama and in Portugal.
Trip Rating:

This was my 2nd Colette tour. And each case we had a wonderful tour guide who was very familiar with the country and its history, as well as the regions that we visited. We also stayed at beautiful hotels along the way.

04/30/2019

Review on 04/30/2019

Trip Rating:

Service was great. My flight going was canceled and they were most helpful. Changing my airport pick up and contacting my tour manager.
Trip Rating:

I loved the tour but felt rushed in a few locations. Plus the large size made it hard to follow the city tours. The tour guide would be talking about something I couldn’t yet see.

04/17/2019

Great tour. Lousy flights

Trip Rating:

Our tour guide,Javier, was excellent and very conscientious and caring. The local tour guides were very knowledgeable and did an excellent job. The hotels were wonderful and people were organized and friendly. The restaurants and food were excellent. Our flight experience was terrible. Many delays and a two day layover in Charlotte. This was caused by scheduling two stops before our final destinations leading to delayed flights and then missed flights. It seems that one stop would increase chances of success.
Trip Rating:

We would have appreciated a little more flexible time but enjoyed the tour very much!

04/17/2019

attractions. Trip

Trip Rating:

Scheduling the tour, selecting the atractions.
Trip Rating:

Amazing place to visit and scenery

04/16/2019

Another excellent tour from Collette. They always look after us well.

Trip Rating:

We love the pickup service at home. The tour guide, Javier, was great, as usual. We always know that the accommodations will be outstanding and we will see wonderful things and experience the culture of the country.
Trip Rating:

Excellent organization, experienced guide who added humour and fun. Beautiful accommodations particularly the Vila Gale set amid 3000 acres of beautiful vineyards, olive and fruit trees.

04/16/2019

Review on 04/16/2019

Trip Rating:

The service was excellent, and the guides were entertaining and very knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend Collette to my friends.
Trip Rating:

Madeira was the best part!

04/15/2019

Review on 04/15/2019

Trip Rating:

average.
Trip Rating:

Average.Not anything any better than any other.

04/03/2019

Review on 04/03/2019

Trip Rating:

I was very satisfied with the Hotels, Food and especially our Tour Guide Beth Meredith. She was so knowledgeable.She seem to take an interest in everyone. She really made it seem she was our own guide. I was very very disappointed in our flights. Going was not as complicated but it still was a very huge hassle going trough London. The worse part was coming home. It was beyond tiring. To much having to reclaim luggage struggle with the luggage to get on a tram and go to flight. The biggest diiappointment was after getting a call from your agent apologizing for the flight which I thought was a nice follow up then to get a voucher for $100.00 for your company!!!! It should have been a cash refund at least. i would like to go again with your company ONLY If I know the flights would be more convenient. Other wise I would have given you 5 stars.
Trip Rating:

the tour exceeded my expectations every place was grand tour guide was so knowledgeable

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Portugal. Your feedback will be reviewed by our Air department so that the overall touring experience for our guests can be improved.

Collette Support

04/02/2019

Review on 04/02/2019

Trip Rating:

the guide was outstanding and made the trip really special
Trip Rating:

lagos was special as was the other cities

04/01/2019

Great trip....very bad flight choices.

Trip Rating:

Organization, excursions and travel leader were excellent. Very disappointed in the flight choices. This was a trip to Europe and the lengthy connections and early time on flights home were unsatisfactory. Also, seat assignments on flight to Europe were also unacceptable for someone that purchases a trip a year in advance.
Trip Rating:

Great tour and excursion options.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Portugal. Your feedback will be reviewed by the Air department in order to improve the overall touring experience for our guests.

Collette Support

03/28/2019

Loved Portugal Trip

Trip Rating:

Well planned out, great tour director and well priced
Trip Rating:

Had a great time on one of our bucket list to do list.

03/26/2019

Review on 03/26/2019

Trip Rating:

I enjoyed everything about the trip.
Trip Rating:

I enjoyed the whole experience.

03/26/2019

Review on 03/26/2019

Trip Rating:

My 8th Collette trip. Enjoyed all of them. Another outstanding guide was Maryse Boulin who was knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, caring and organized. Delta airlines was good. Nice hotels. Very friendly, helpful folks all over Portugal. Sites were very nice. Liked those cork purses. Portugal is the biggest producer of cork. Extension to Madeira Islands was very good. Albino very knowledgeable with 26 years guiding. Highly recommend Sunny Portugal.
Trip Rating:

Too numerous. Enjoyed all the sites. I am not a shopper but enjoyed seeing all those cork purses etc. Portugal is top producer of cork. Portuguese are very friendly, caring and helpful. Nice hotels. Beautiful sites with Atlantic ocean. Nice tour group.

03/26/2019

Top Notch service and quality

Trip Rating:

I would definitely recommend Collette Tours to any future travelers. Their tour managers and local guides are top notch. The service from their group sales associates are terrific.
Trip Rating:

Very good value for the cost.

03/26/2019

Review on 03/26/2019

Trip Rating:

It was far better than anything I could have hoped for. Our tour guide was incredible.
Trip Rating:

Saw and learned about this beautiful country.

03/24/2019

Review on 03/24/2019

Trip Rating:

Good experience in having them answer all my questions
Trip Rating:

Should have had more time in Lisbn

03/20/2019

Review on 03/20/2019

Trip Rating:

Everything was GREAT!
Trip Rating:

Coastal cruise in Lagos and riding the baskets in Maderia.

03/19/2019

Review on 03/19/2019

Trip Rating:

Very organized. Details were taken care of. Tour manager was friendly and in tune with travelers’ needs.
Trip Rating:

Enjoyed the hotel on the ocean. Would have liked more down time to explore on my own.

03/19/2019

Portu"gal" of my dreams!

Trip Rating:

Wonderful to pack your bags and then they are taken care of for the rest of the trip. Drivers and guides were so professional AND friendly!
Trip Rating:

Grotto tour in Lagos was breathtaking.

03/15/2019

Great Tour!

Trip Rating:

I really enjoyed the Collette experience I had! I went to Portugal and we had a lovely tour guide and we saw some beautiful towns and saw some amazing sites. It was reasonably priced too!
Trip Rating:

I just loved Portugal! I enjoyed everything about the tour and everything that we saw. We also had a decent amount of free time, which is good. So we got to explore on our own as well as see some great places with our fabulous tour guide.

03/13/2019

Terrible flights, seats and service from Collette on this trip.

Trip Rating:

My husband and I booked this trip a year in advance through App State, and we could not be more DISSATISFIED with the flights, seats and booking service that we received from Collette and Delta. A couple of weeks before our trip we received our travel booklet from AppState at an orientation meeting and we didn't have seat assignments for most of our flights. We called Collette AND Delta and no one could assign our seats, or tell us why we didn't have assigned seats already. Flying to Portugal (2 flights) my husband and I did not sit beside each other on either flight (to JFK he was about 10 rows in front of me and I was in the back of the plane in a MIDDLE seat - unacceptable. From JFK to Portugal Delta crammed us on the very last row of the plane (row 44), where the seats would not recline at all and we were disturbed buy the lights and banging of the flight crew prepping for beverage service, food etc - for 6 hours could not sleep or even rest - it was a totally miserable flight and experience and UNACCEPTABLE for the money we paid coupled with the fact that this trip was in the works for 1 year or more. Also not at all impressed with Delta's attendance, service or attitudes on these flights. We asked at check in to change our seats to be together and closer to the front when they assigned us to the last row, and Delta told us there were no seats left on the whole flight from JFK to Lisbon that were together - that was a TOTAL LIE. 3 rows in front of us 2 seats that were beside each other remained empty until right before the flight left and they were filled with stand-by flyers that walked on as the cabin doors were closing and they sat together and their seats RECLINED. On the flights home (3 legs back to Charlotte) we had to wake up and have our luggage outside our hotel door at 1:45AM in the middle of the night. And the bus left for the airport at 2:30AM - unacceptable. Then on a 5am flight flew from Lisbon to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam to Atlanta (10 hours), then sat in Atlanta for over 3 hours including a delay, then Atlanta to Charlotte arriving at our home airport of Charlotte at almost 9pm. UNACCEPTABLE. There is absolutely no reason to book 3 flights to get back to one of the largest airports in the country Charlotte Douglas airport- no reason we could not have flown at least from Amsterdam directly into Charlotte, without another stop in Atlanta. There was plenty of time to get better flights and seats for our group and I know I am totally unsatisfied with this service as were many other people on our trip that was organized through the the Appalachian State Alumni organization. I put all this information on the survey that we received from our tour guide while in Portugal, and have had no follow up from Collette other than this additional survey email. At this point I would not recommend Collette to anyone else and I would not use Collette again. I have traveled quite a bit in my 48 years, and these flights, seats and service from a travel agency are the worst I have experienced - it's unfortunate that our flights and seats were not shown more attention as it really impacted the perception we have of our trip in a very negative way.
Trip Rating:

Once we were in Portugal, the locations we visited, food and our tour guide were great. That part of the trip was very enjoyable. The hotel chain that we stayed at was not great La Villa Gala I believe - the service of the staff and housekeeping was not accommodating, the walls of their hotels were like paper and you could hear everything above, below and around you, and at the winery location, the rugs on the tiled floor had no grip at all under them and when you step on them they would slide out from under you - I almost fell a couple of times and I know of someone else in our group that actually did fall in the middle of the night.

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

Collette Support

03/13/2019

Review on 03/12/2019

Trip Rating:

I really enjoyed the tour, the guide was fantastic, everything went smoothly, and i enjoyed the itinerary. I was unhappy with the flight originally booked, we ended up booking our flights separately as the flights you originally had us on left at a ridiculous time in the morning.
Trip Rating:

Loved it, great itinerary, very friendly country

02/04/2019

Review on 02/04/2019

Trip Rating:

I have several reasons for rating you the way that I did. I called immediately after the trip to try to voice my constructive criticism (and offer some kudos about what you did right). I spoke to someone at the time who was supposed to get back to me and never did. I’m not going to waste my time by going through this again. If you want to hear what I have to say, call me!
Trip Rating:

See what Zi wrote before.

After reviewing your feedback and reservation, it appears our Guest Relations Department was working directly with your group leader and the airline regarding the issues your group experienced with return fights. Any additional questions can be directed to your group leader.

Collette Support

02/02/2019

Review on 02/02/2019

Trip Rating:

Excellent, knowledgeable guide. Booking was easy. Trip was interesting and well paced. Good group of people on tour
Trip Rating:

Excellent guide. Full of interesting facts and history.shared his culture. Well paced and interesting stops. Food and accommodations good. Nice group of people to travel with. Price reasonable

02/01/2019

Review on 02/01/2019

Trip Rating:

The tour itinerary, the English speaking guide, the hotels, all were excellent. The restaurants chosen for dinner were also very good.
Trip Rating:

Portugal is an wonderful country to visit, and the itinerary chosen by Collette was an excellent one too. Lisbon, and Cape St. Vincent were my favorite, although rain put a damper on our tour of Lisbon. Our English speaking guide was a highly knowledgeable, and was able to communicate the historical facts very well.

01/22/2019

The quality of the trip didn’t meet my standards of what is a Collette trip

Trip Rating:

Location of hotels left you nowhere! Each and every time we were on bus being transported back to where we had just come from!! We I had used collette before and EVERYTHING was perfection, from hotels, location, food,EVERYTHING was EXCEPTIONAL. This felt like a 2nd rate tour company.
Trip Rating:

Very difficult for seniors! The tile floors and hills, street etc made it extremely difficult

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

Collette Support

01/18/2019

Review on 01/18/2019

Trip Rating:

Collette took a group of Catholics and put them with regular travelers. I was with a group of four who tried to get to know everyone but the Catholic group stuck together, had to have masses arranged and one had to always have the front seat in the bus. They were a drag on the trip. Two of my three companions had a miserable airline experience arranged by Collette. I am glad I made my own arrangements.
Trip Rating:

I loved seeing the hill towns but we were rushed through them. There were too many people on the trip.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Portugal and for providing us with this feedback.

Collette Support

12/02/2018

A sunny trip even in the rain.

Trip Rating:

This was our first tour with Collette and I am totally pleased with your overall care in the planning and selection of the itinerary. As an art lover and creator I always wish for more art museums, galleries etc, But we had time to visit some on our own. I was very impressed with our tour guide, Maria Pacheco. She is knowledgeable, personable and very patient. Also had excellent service from the support staff - bus drivers and local guides. Sorry no photos to upload at this time.
Trip Rating:

i felt that great care and effort was put into the planning of the itinerary and the choice of accommodations and dining experiences. Left some of the places wishing we could have stayed longer.

12/01/2018

Liked travelling with Collete

Trip Rating:

First time travelling with Collette. Very easy to communicate with them. All documents arrived well before departure date. Pick up at airport and delivery to the first hotel was efficient. Hotels used were lovely. Maria, our travel guide, was excellent!
Trip Rating:

Liked the tour of the cork factory.

11/06/2018

Portugal experience

Trip Rating:

The trip was not what I expected. The distances we traveled were very far between the cities resulting in too much time spent on the bus. Some tours did not allow enough time spent in the visited town. Overall the food at the various restaurants included on the trip was dreadful, most times we actually could not eat the meals served.
Trip Rating:

Not a very enjoyable experience.

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

Collette Support

11/01/2018

Review on 10/31/2018

Trip Rating:

Nice overview of Portugal. Food excellent and weather was phenomenal.
Trip Rating:

Nice overview I would of liked another day or two so I could savor Portugal a little longer

10/28/2018

Great trip!

Trip Rating:

Our trip was amazing. Great balance of group activities and time for ourselves. Maria was a superior tour guide-totally made the trip. Meals were delicious.
Trip Rating:

Amazing tour!! Maria was a fabulous tour guide-made the trip!

10/27/2018

Wonderful tour manager and local guides

Trip Rating:

Yes
Trip Rating:

Lagos and the extended tour to Madeira

10/25/2018

Review on 10/25/2018

Trip Rating:

Overall Collette service is excellent. Rated this experience a 4 rather than 5 for some minor issues.
Trip Rating:

The tour manager was okay but not as good as past experience with Collette in terms of keeping us informed as to what to expect during the day.

10/16/2018

Beautiful sights in Portugal and really pretty scenery. Fun trip!

Trip Rating:

Well organized tour.A bit too long bus rides and not that much to see and do. Tour guide and drivers good, very friendly and helpful.Tours getting shorter and prices are getting too expensive for what it is.Meals too late for north american travellers, 8:30 P.m. is too late for most tourists to eat dinner especially if they are not European.Restaurants would be more than happy to serve us earlier, as we do not conflict with their busy time.Group of 40 a bit too large.Need to give loyal customers better deals as many people now trade their Mariott points for the trip, for the rest of us it is very expensive for what it is.
Trip Rating:

Scenery is very pretty.The whole Portuguese riviera is beautiful.Tour is good, hotels are very helpful and rooms nice.Breakfast for the most at the Gale chain all the same.Bus rides too long.The towns as Cascais and Lagos very memorable.

10/16/2018

Remove the Dinner at "The Old Kitchen" from this trip!

Trip Rating:

The reason I did not rate higher was due to a purchased add on. The dinner at Cozinha Velha Restaurant. No way was the value for the price there! I thought we would be in the room described in the brochure, but we were not allowed in the main entrance, taken in a different entrance. The appetizers were stone cold, the wine was not put on table as with other group there. My selection was described as a cod meal, but was total minced cod and potatoes which was horrible. Where was the 20 foot marble tabled? Would not recommend this side trip!
Trip Rating:

Our tour guide Maria was absolutely delightful! Her knowledge of the places we visited, her kindness, and her suggestions were top notch. The local guides also, could not have asked for better. The hotel were wonderful! Was sorry the Cruise was canceled, but appreciated the care for our safety due to high seas. Totally enjoyed having that day totally free.

Thank you for traveling with Collette to Portugal. A member of the Guest Relations Team will follow up with you.

Collette Support

05/22/2018

Educational.

Trip Rating:

CONS: . Communication with this company is appalling. . Processing a refund for a cancelled excursion took weeks + several phone calls. . Sales agents told lies to customer regarding excursion . Allowed a tour guest and his wife to remain on the tour despite the fact that he had a serious case of the flu with cough and fever. Persistently coughing over other tour guests. At the end of the tour 25 percent of tour guests had similar symptoms. . Informed by agent when asked, what is average age of tour guests on this tour? I was informed it to be between 45 and 55. The average age actually was 65 to 70. .Had an issue over travel insurance purchased with this company-very costly- realized did not need it. They were very reluctant to refund my cost even though it was less than 24 hours after purchase and three months before the tour date. PROS: .Tour Guide was excellent .Coach Driver, very skilled, safe and courteous. Vehicle Clean and comfortable. .
Trip Rating:

South Portugal part of the tour, Lagos, Faro, Sail Boat trip along the cliffs and caves.

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

Collette Support

05/15/2018

Review on 05/14/2018

Trip Rating:

Our travel agent booked the service for us. It went smoothly. The trip was enjoyable. Our tour manager was very nice, helpful and organized. The only problem I had is that the side trips were not always as advertised. For example the description for dinner at a castle made it sound like it included a tour of the castle when in reality it only included dinner in a restaurant that was located in a castle. Also the Madera extension description made it sound like we would have a Collette tour manager with us but in reality you hired a local tour/limo company to pick us up and take us around. The quality of service from this person was not as good as a Collette tour manager would have provided.
Trip Rating:

Beautiful country and well organized trip

05/08/2018

Review on 05/08/2018

Trip Rating:

Loved our tour guide, he had a great sense of humor, was very entertaining and was very considerate and polite. Enjoyed the Collette tour, loved that most dinners were included plus most tours were included. The accommodations were great, nothing to complain about.
Trip Rating:

It was a fantastic 9 days. Got to see lots and had some down time.

05/04/2018

Review on 05/04/2018

Trip Rating:

The agents are all helpful and pleasant. I would recommend them to my friends
Trip Rating:

Every dinner was a wonderful experience. We visited many different restaurants. Each had several choices of entree. The service was good and the food delicious. The Fado dinner was very interesting. The seafood was varied and tasty. The vineyards were beautiful and delicious. The city, historic sights and walking tours were all excellent.

05/04/2018

Our days were filled with information. Unreal

Trip Rating:

My third or fourth time with Collette. This guide Javier was outstanding.
Trip Rating:

Very good in spite of cold & rain. Most memorable was a pastry shop, the cork factory and the tile factory. Loved the wineries-plus the wines for dinner

04/03/2018

Review on 04/03/2018

Trip Rating:

I would definitely buy again and recommend to friends. Great value for the money. First class hotels, food and the guide was wonderful.
Trip Rating:

The tour took us to visit tourist areas and also the little off the map special places in the small towns like the herb and liquor shop to taste astries and liquors and see a 2000 year old olive tree.

03/21/2018

Everything went very smoothly from home to home.

Trip Rating:

Guide went out of her way to give us a great experience. Trying to keep us dry from the rain. Collettte goes out of their way to give us a unique experince. Great lodging as well and really good bus drivers.
Trip Rating:

Loved the walled towns and walking tours.

02/21/2018

Great trip to Sunny Portugal

Trip Rating:

Everything was planned out very well. Getting from and back to the airport was easy. The tour guide was excellent and the local guides were engaging. The hotels were simply magnificent. It was just a great experience over all.
Trip Rating:

The tour itself was great. The tour guide and local guides were excellent and informative. I really enjoyed seeing Cascais. Beautiful city. The countryside from the coach was nice, and the local foods excellent.

11/29/2017

Review on 11/29/2017

Trip Rating:

Everything was done very well. It was nice to have the Sedan ride with ways. The meals were very good and the tours were excellent. Being with only 35 guests plus the tour director and bus driver helped us to know one another,
Trip Rating:

Everything was a wonderful experience. We got our money's worth.

11/21/2017

Had a great time.

Trip Rating:

The guide was very knowledgeable and interesting. The trip was well organized. The accomadations were clean and comfortable. Overall, it was a good trip.
Trip Rating:

No one is perfect. The trip to Madeira was memorable.

11/21/2017

Portugal - a must see destination

Trip Rating:

Loved visiting Portugal. Collette gave a thorough tour visiting many beautiful locations. They provided immersive cultural experiences at local restaurants and businesses. We left feeling we needed to return again. The only reason for the 4 stars is the pace of the tour. There were days where too much was packed into the day giving us a feeling of being rushed. It would have been nice to spend more time in some of the small towns. Portugal is a destination worth visiting and Collette provides a wonderful experience.
Trip Rating:

The only reason for the 4 star rating is the rushed feeling we had because so much was packed into each day. It would have been nice to have a day or two added to the tour so we could have spent more time in the small towns.

11/11/2017

Overall it was a good trip and I may use Colette again

Trip Rating:

The tour guide was terrific and most of the hotels were excellent, The restaurants and the meals were very good. I would have liked more free time and a little slower pace. I was disappointed that we never saw the famous castle in Sintra.
Trip Rating:

The pace was too fast and I would have liked more free time.

11/04/2017

Great trip!!

Trip Rating:

We have traveled with Collette on ten different excursions and have always been more than satisfied with the service they provide. The hotels are always first class, the guides knowledgeable, great food, great bus drivers and the excursions are very diverse and we have probably seen things that we would not have choosen.
Trip Rating:

From the time of planning to the end of the tour we have always been taken care of. We missed our connecting flight this last trip due to an emergency stop by the airline, We called the 800 # given to us to use in case of emergency we called to let them know the circumstances and they arranged a connecting flight and a late PU at our destination, also they contacted the hotel of our late arrival. That is service. Thank You!!

11/04/2017

Review on 11/04/2017

Trip Rating:

Too little free time. Tried to cram too much into too little time. spent too much time loading/unloading on bus.
Trip Rating:

Spent too much on bus. Not enough free time to explore sites visited.

11/04/2017

Review on 11/04/2017

Trip Rating:

The service Collette provided was very good. Pick up and drop off at the airport was fine, the hotels we stayed at were also fine, Sergio our guide was excellent and the places we visited were very interesting. One suggestion, provide more free time during your trips. Most of the travelers are senior citizens and find being out touring for 8-10 hours a day, several days in a row to be too much. Four hours per day is enough touring. I was over-tired by the end of the trip.
Trip Rating:

The tour is rated 4 stars mainly due to the insight provided by the tour manager about the places we visited and the historic background about Portugal. His knowledge made the sites we visited much more meaningful and his delivery was very entertaining. Portugal has a lot to offer. No one experience stands out above the rest.

11/04/2017

The Madeira Island add on is rated 5 star!

Trip Rating:

As always, the sites, hotels and food were excellent. Sergio could verbalize a little more.
Trip Rating:

Madeira Island was the highlight. The beauty of the cliffs and countryside was breathtaking. The toboggan and cable car are a must do!

07/05/2017

Review on 07/05/2017

Trip Rating:

well coordinated daily trips, good choices of hotel locations, warmest, friendliest and well informed tour managers
Trip Rating:

mentioned it in the previous statement

07/04/2017

the accomodations were very nice...close to town and/or other destinations

Trip Rating:

We had an excellent tour guide, Maria.
Trip Rating:

We went to so many interesting places each day...good optional choices, too

06/13/2017

Collette responds to customer needs

Trip Rating:

Collette responded to questions very quickly. You planned a fun, interesting, and yet relaxing enough tour. When our plane was delayed in Paris because of mechanical problems, I called the emergency number and transportation was arranged for the much later arrival. Our tour manager was organized, knowledgeable, and fun. Great tour.
Trip Rating:

Seeing cork trees being harvested and learning about and seeing many products made from cork was an interesting highlight.

05/24/2017

Well organized, friendly

Trip Rating:

We'd definitely travel with Collette again. The trip was well organized, the hotels were lovely, the guide, *Personal Details removed by Feefo* , was fabulous - friendly and full of information. The tour took us to some places we would never have found on our own.
Trip Rating:

Loved Portugal and the historic places we visited.

05/23/2017

Interesting and fun.

Trip Rating:

Tour manager was well-organized, thoughtful and kind. Liked having exploring time at several locations.
Trip Rating:

Liked the blend of historical and present-day Portugal. Enjoyed the tours of the cork factory and the tile factory.

05/16/2017

WONDERFUL SUNNY PORTUGAL WITH COLLETTE

Trip Rating:

COLLETTE DID A FANTASTIC JOB, RIGHT DOWN TO THE LAST DETAIL. OUR TOUR DIRECTOR WAS FUN, PROFESSIONAL AND VERY KNOWLAGABLE.
Trip Rating:

THE VALUE OF THE TOUR WAS PERFECT FOR OUR BUDGET

05/16/2017

very good

Trip Rating:

I would travel again with Collette, well organized
Trip Rating:

Well planned tours, hotel and meals were great

04/28/2017

Great trip - no so good travel experience

Trip Rating:

I absolutely loved the tour. Portugal was beautiful, prices were reasonable and food was excellent. (personal details removed by Feefo), our tour director was fantastic. She was so kind, organized, knowledgeable with a great attention to detail. She even remembered my birthday. I was disappointed with how my flight was booked. The person who booked my return flight from Lisbon to Portugal allowed us 1 hour to get through customs and catch the connecting flight back to the US. I mentioned this to the costumer service agent and to (personal details removed by Feefo) and I was assured "everything would work out fine" I am a frequent traveler, and know from experience many things can happen with connecting flights- However, I trusted the information provided to me. I ended up missing my flight- (there was some sort of problem in customs) I arrived home 12 hours later than scheduled arrival time (with no luggage.) I was fortunate. My fellow travelers from the SF bay area- made their flight only to be held on the plane for two hours before it was decided they would cancel the flight. I think Collette customer service could have done a better job booking the flight. This was nerve wracking experience after a wonderful trip. I do realize things happen that are out of our control. If we were allowed more time for connecting flights it would have lessened our anxiety. We were concerned about a potential from the beginning of our trip. My advice- use a more customer service oriented airline ( no Delta or United ) and make sure there is enough time to catch connecting flight. It was at the back of our mind the entire that there would be a possibility of us not catching our connecting flight.
Trip Rating:

Portugal is beautiful, food was great tour director (personal details removed by Feefo) was wonderful - really wanted to make sure we had a good time. Very difficult to manage 30 + people. Well done!!!

04/04/2017

Review on 04/04/2017

Trip Rating:

The tour guide had physical limitations, which definitely affected the activity level and pace of this trip. Although she knew her stuff, I felt that we were treated like children. In a large group like that, it would be nice to get a little information about the others in the group. We never had any introductions other than names in a packet.
Trip Rating:

Enjoyed the visit to Fatima.

03/15/2017

comfort, educational, and stimulating experience

Trip Rating:

Excellent travel experience with comfortable accommodations, meals, and timely day trips. History of the country was highlighted and local attractions were an interesting addition to the beautiful sea coast.
Trip Rating:

Tour of the cork factory and tile factory were very educational.

03/14/2017

Good trip overall but a few small issues could be addressed.

Trip Rating:

Overall, our trip to Sunny Portugal was very good. Flights, connections, pick-ups, transfers, hotels, meals, guides etc. were as we expected from our past trips with Collette. A few things could improved upon. 1.Our incoming flight to Portugal from Heathrow was right on time, however, it was scheduled to close to the beginning of our tour. As a result, we arrived a bit late to our hotel. We missed the orientation meeting and missed going on the bus to the restaurant with our tour group to the welcome dinner. We had to take a taxi there and arrived late. We paid for the taxi ourselves and asked our tour guide, Sergio Lenuzza, if we could be reimbursed but no compensation has been made as yet. It was not expensive (4 euros and 60 cents) but we felt it was the principle of the matter that was important. 2. Both of our optional tours were cancelled. We paid in advance and yes a full refund was given. I realize this is always a possibility that they may be cancelled for a number of reasons. However, the Portimao cruise, museum and dinner tour that was to take place was cancelled as the company did not have an up-to-date license for operating the boat. Isn't this something that should have been addressed well before we arrived? Perhaps another company could have taken us. We hope to book another tour with Collette. Hopefully, these small issues can be taken care of and improvements made for next time. Rea Staples
Trip Rating:

- group dinner at Lagos restaurant - Madeira Is. extension

12/08/2016

Beautiful country and the tour gave us a very good overview of the country!

Trip Rating:

I loved the tour! the tour guide was excellent, sites covered were comprehensive, hotels were wonderful, bus was comfortable!
Trip Rating:

I loved the trip to the Algarve and the small bout ride into the caves!

11/08/2016

Excellent service by Collette US

Trip Rating:

Great trip. I met lovely people and had a great time.

11/08/2016

Need more free time

Trip Rating:

The tour was rated an activity level of 2 to 3 but this was way under rated. The group was 99% seniors and the activity was more of a 4 or 5. Not enough free time to rest.
Trip Rating:

The locations we went to were great but we never got more than an hour to visit each one. We arrived very late to Sintra and only had about 40 minutes and this was the area I wanted to visit the most.

11/08/2016

thorough knowledge of the trip, quick response to questions, good informati...

Trip Rating:

thorough knowledge of the trip, quick response to questions, good information flow and follow-up reminders.

10/26/2016

Portugal was very nice and would recommend to others

Trip Rating:

The hotel change make in Algarve was to all inclusive hotel and not near a town thus was not what we wanted. Have done previous collette tour and Caravan tours and did not have this issue. the rest of the tour was very good.
Trip Rating:

Considering the the short trip having a hotel change that affected a full day of seven actual tour dates was signficant.

10/25/2016

Day wasted hotel change

Trip Rating:

Because of a hotel change, we were stranded in an area with nothing to do. The hotel was lovely, but there was no sightseeing opportunity without taking an additional tour, no cafes, no shops. As the trip was expensive, that day was an expensive waste of time.
Trip Rating:

Too much time in some areas, not enough in others. Evorra--too much time. Sintra--not enough

10/05/2016

Great Customer Service

Trip Rating:

Every interaction was precise and helpful/
Trip Rating:

We enjoyed the tour and the tour manager (Maria) was terrific, however we consider the hotels we stayed at (Vila Gale chain) more like three star hotels vs. the 4 stars that were displayed at the hotels.

10/02/2016

We did not see enough of Lisbon, would like the hotel there instead of casc...

Trip Rating:

We did not see enough of Lisbon, would like the hotel there instead of cascais! Sintra was too fast and did not have a local guide
Trip Rating:

The dinner at Don Sebastian in Lagos! Exploring lagos and the beach Dona Ana which was not included in the tour

06/07/2016

Easy booking

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Booking was quick and easy.
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The pace of the tour was too intense, trying to fit Fatima, Obidos and Sintra into one day. We had too little time in Obidos and Sintra. I suggest making Fatima an optional excursion.

05/13/2016

The tour and everyone we travelled with made for a pleasant vacation. Maria was fabulous!!!!!!

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The trip to Sunny Portugal was wonderful. All the places I visited were exemplary. Our tour guide/manager, Maria, was fabulous and made sure we were comfortable, well informed and satisfied. It was especially nice that we didn't have to rush or get up too early and we always had plenty of free time to explore on our own. One problem, however, was our flight with American Airlines. We didn't even get water during the entire flight and coming home. It could have been planned out a little better. We had to go from Lisbon to Madrid to Heathrow and then to the USA. That was not pleasant.
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A great time with pictures to prove it. I loved the food and the friendliness of the Portuguese people. The walled cities and their history was wonderful.

05/11/2016

Very pleasant experience in Portugal.

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The tour was excellent primarily because of the tour manager Maria. The pace of the daily visits to tour sights was good, food delicious and hotels very good. Also the tour group was manageable and not too large. I appreciated that there were not several add on prices for afternoon excursions. I would definitely repeat a trip with Collette.
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Free time to expand exploration in Lagos and Caiscis.

05/10/2016

Review on 05/10/2016

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Customer service was good. The flights we were given were not good. American Airlines had no entertainment. The return flights were poor (Lisbon to Madrid, Madrid to London, London to Boston). This was unacceptable for four senior citizens! I will never fly Iberia airlines again, their customer service reps were rude and not helpful at all. We got more help from airport security than from the Iberian customer service desk in Madrid. From Lisbon and Madrid to London no food or drinks were provided on the airline unless we paid for it. Again, not acceptable. I think if I went on another Collette tour, I would book my own flights. I did not like the airlines you offered.
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Maria was an excellent tour guide. Very knowledgeable and professional throughout the entire tour. I would highly recommend this tour to family and friends. Loved visiting the many medieval walled cities, the winery, and the cork factory. Not only was the tour fun, it was educational.

05/10/2016

Review on 05/10/2016

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Maria sent a photo montage after the trip which was very nice.
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I realize the Cork Factory we visited was new to this tour, and it was very interesting, but their Gift Shop was a HUGE disappointment. I would also suggest you seek out a YouTube ( or something like one I have seen) on the actual process of harvesting cork, to show on the bus during transit. That would certainly enhance " the cork experience". I also aporeciated the many more than usual included evening meals on this trip, and Collette's return to free flowing wine! 🍷🍷

03/08/2016

Review on 03/08/2016

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**
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Madiera Island add on a must trip !

03/08/2016

Moderate Priced, Superior Travel

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THis is our third trip with Collette and we will definitely travel with them again THe guide and drivers were excellent in that they were extremely knowledgeable, caring and respectful. THe places we visited were very interesting. In the future would it be possible to select restaurants where there is a greater choice of meals, at least 5 choices.
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The trips to Fatima and Sintra were the most enjoyable