Not In The Guidebooks Bewertungen 161

What an amazing experience from start to finish! All of the activities were superb. The Santa experience in particular was unique and magical.

4 nights hunting for northern lights in Finnish Lapland. What a truly amazing out of this world experience, everything catered for, husky sleigh ride, reindeer experience, snow shoe fell walking , snowmobiling and ice fishing, photography workshop…. The only thing missing was the northern lights but that’s hit and miss and you take your chances and hope they’re out during your stay… but hey we’ll come back and hopefully see them another time, northern lights village was truly breathtaking, the aurora glass roof cabins were beyond belief, the food was great, not a huge choice but enough for everyone regards variety , drinks were good prices, and the staff and guides are out of this world, everyone is so helpful. I’m sure you could probably put your own package together and do it cheaper but my advise is don’t, they have everything so well organised, even down to your ski suits, gloves, boots etc which are yours for the entire staff. Truly truly amazing experience with absolutely nothing to complain about …. Just perfect

“Not In The Guidebooks” is a brilliant company - they listen to your dreams and help to make them happen.

A very enjoyable holiday with lovely company - the host and art tutor were great, so friendly and welcoming. I was expecting a more French experience at the accommodation however. I particularly loved the quaint old villages which provided a wealth of subjects for painting.
I did find the person at NING I spoke to before booking didn’t have a clue about the holiday. Would be much better to allow prospective travellers to email the art tutor or host to get a better idea.

Our break away was just magical, the treehouse was lovely with a fantastic decking area next to the stream. The hot tub was great and the outdoor shower was lovely. We had a rope swing and a hammock. You really do not need to go off site,so much to do or just relax and do nothing. The walk from the car park is a effort so pack light. Its a holiday where you really do have quality time and just perfect to create memories with family. Just perfect we will book again and take our grandchild and all our sons & partners. Just perfect!

My husband and I recently had the pleasure of experiencing a wine tasting tour in the picturesque Troodos mountains of Cyprus. The tour included visits to four charming family-owned wineries, each offering a unique and delightful experience.

As we moved from one winery to another, the stunning landscape of the Troodos mountains served as a breathtaking backdrop. Each winery continued to impress with their hospitality and exceptional wines. The knowledgeable staff provided insights into the winemaking process, and it was evident that these wineries take great pride in producing high-quality, handcrafted wines.

We were taken to a gorgeous small family owned restaurant in the mountains for a fabulous and very large ‘small’ mezze lunch! The view was breathtaking.

The passion and knowledge of everyone we met was evident. We highly recommend this trip.

I went on a painting holiday in Limousin France at Chez Beaumont . However I was disappointed to find out 2 days before travelling that I was to be the only person on the course. There was no Sunday gathering of artists and tutor over a bbq and no opportunity to socialise with fellow artists. The nearby village St Sebastien was 27 mins walk away with only 1 shop. All the cafes and a restaurant were permanently closed and I felt very isolated. Much of the itinerary I was sent was out of date or incorrect so I felt I didn't get what I was sold. The tutor Janet was great however and took me out every day to galleries and villages and I painted in the garden. I learned a lot and we shared a lovely time.

Painfully difficult to book anything as website is not in real time so what shows as available, isn’t always. Slow slow replies with offers of dates outside request time (non school holidays). No further forward getting anything booked. I would give up if I didn’t have a voucher to use.

I had a relaxing 7 days in Bergerac, particularly in Les Leves et Thoumeyragues, where I stayed with host Jo, and her partner Stan, beautiful scenery, fantastic food, gorgeous animals, and lots of art tuition. My favourite day was the day we went to Bergerac, Jo and myself sketched a typical Bergerac Street, whilst Stan played the guitar, bliss. I wish I could have stayed there longer.

Painting and wine tasting in south of France (Le Peyrail) July 3rd-6th.
After a long journey to Bergerac airport, I was met by my host Jo and from that moment I felt at ease.
The accommodation was rustic, eclectic and comfortable, first time sleeping on a waterbed - so relaxing. At the house there was a ‘collection’ of animals, dogs, cats, hens, doves, horse, donkey, pigs and a baby blackbird. It all added to the experience.
I have ‘dabbled’ in watercolours, Jo was attentive, sharing many techniques and the art sessions were personalised to what I needed to enhance my watercolours.
Jo and her partner Stan prepared wonderful food and sitting out on the veranda, along with excellent wine and good company.
Wine tasting was exceptional at a local vineyard,
Nothing was too much for Jo and Stan,
My only complaint - 3 nights is not enough!!

I was disappointed with the accommodation. If I’d booked slightly earlier I would have been in the better hotel. My air conditioning did not work for 3 nights which made sleeping difficult. The food was fairly the same each meal. A lot of fried food. Vicky and Paul were very accommodating. The highlight of the holiday was the tutor who was excellent.

Just returned from a wonderful week in the mountains of Villa Minozzo, Italy. A great location for a painting holiday. We were a party of three. We had daily tuition on any art skill we wanted to learn about. In our case it was watercolour. Also we had really interesting visits to the local regional Parmesan and balsamic vinegar makers. We enjoyed leisurely lunches and dinners made by our host with local produce and wine. We had our own rooms in an apartment with a balcony with lovely views over the gardens. Pheona our host was great company and nothing was too much trouble.

We had a great 10 day holiday travelling around the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Not In The Guidebooks organised a fantastic itinerary which was just perfect and tailored personally to us.
A pinch me moment was definitely waking up on our first day to the spectacular view of Volcano Arenal. Every aspect of the holiday was fun filled and breathtaking, from zip wiring through the cloud forest in Monteverde; trekking through the jungle in Corcovado; swimming in stunning waterfalls, and being arms length away from white faced capuchins, this trip was incredible. A special thank you to Not In The Guidebooks and our wonderful tour guides for making this a trip of a lifetime.

We had the most incredible 10 day trip to Costa Rica organised by Not In The Guidebooks, which went off without a single hitch.
We started the trip inland, with Arenal volcano, rainforests and cloud forests. The transfers were all totally smooth, the guides were super friendly and so knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the area. In Monteverde we did zip lining and walked on bridges suspended above the cloud forest which was exhilarating and I would highly recommend if you are planning to go to the area.
We then travelled down to the south coast to Corcovado national park which is a must if you are visiting Costa Rica. The journey to the accommodation was amazing as you travel by boat on a river out to the ocean, arriving in style. The food here was great!
Then we ended the trip in Manuel Antonio where we did a cooking lesson, making a national dish of casados which was delicious and run by locals who were very friendly and interesting to talk to.

Overall the trip was amazing. All four accommodations were first class and the food was fantastic too. The transfers were smooth. All the drivers, hosts and guides were friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. We saw so much wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, birds, and turtles! I would highly recommend this trip and Not In The Guide books for organising it.

From airport pick to final drop off the holiday could not be faulted. Terry and Jill hosted our group courteously with super food and extremely comfortable and beautiful bedrooms. The house is gorgeous and the studio very well equipped. Our teacher Nicki Saunders was kind and very well organised, her teaching notes and methods are excellent. We had some good outings and I cannot but praise the whole experience.

We had 12 days in Costa Rica in the North West, Nicoya Gulf and Pacific coast. The holiday was great because we saw a lot of the beautiful country, staying in six places. From the cloudy rain forests with their hanging walkways to surfing at Santa Teresa within three hours. All the logistics all worked - great drivers who transported us and told us about the country. A range of activities from boating in the mangrove forests, to zip lining, surf lesson, ATV driving, bird watching, and the most amazing cooking lesson in a Costa Rican farmer’s home, eating what we cooked with the family afterwards. Hotels were largely simple but clean and everywhere beautiful scenery, animals, birds and people. We loved every minute.

All in all a lovely time was had. Hotel was in a beautiful setting with good service, staff and food. the igloos were fab and great for spotting the Aurora. Activities were brilliant. We were on a 'romantic' package but half of our activities were shared with others - thankfully only in small groups of 4. Masseuse was brilliant. Prompt and friendly airport transfers.
Knocked the score down to 4* for a couple of reasons: it's quite expensive and any extras cost you. its meant to be full board (so 3 nights = 3 x3 meals, right?) but you don't get a lunch on the arrival or departure day, which felt a bit stingy. Our itinerary was not in the order as advertised on the hotel website. It was ok but we had one pretty empty day followed by a jam-packed day where I ended up having barely anytime for lunch or for packing bags to fly the next morning etc. Couple of items not included in the rooms: body lotion and tissues - you do tend to need these when it's a dry minus 15 outside.
Otherwise, we have wonderful memories of a stunning landscape for life now!

We had a brilliant off the beaten track tapas tour in Seville this week. Our guide (sorry cannot spell her name) was friendly, knowledgeable and chatty. We were the only two on the tour which was fantastic and we sampled four different bars way off the tourist track. Initially we thought it was expensive but having a three hour private tour was well worth the money. Five stars for the guide, but overall four stars as we did feel perhaps a text to confirm where to meet and who we should look out for would have been useful- the guide was not the person on the paperwork.

We had a wonderful 5 days discovery tour of Morocco with Hamid. It was a relaxing as well as efficient way to get a glimpse of this beautiful country, starting in Marrakesh and ending up in Tangier, with Fes and the desert in between.
The minibus was comfortable and well driven, and the hotels carefully chosen. Hamid was also flexible and responsive to our special requests.

We stayed in the Northern Lights village in Saarisselka which was a lovely place. The accommodation was great, the glass roof looked amazing, just a shame we didn't get to see the northern lights!

The food in the hotel was great 90% of the time. I was disappointed paying 16 euros for chicken nuggets only for them to be served an hour later on the buffet.

The excursions were good although we did end up in a heated sleigh only for it to be blowing out cold air which left my 6 year shivering, the guides were great and gave him jumpers and gloves to help him.

Talking about the guides this was advertised as local guides taking you to the places etc where they were just seasonal workers. The guides though did a great job and the kids loved the elves.

Overall we had a really nice time and have made some life long memories. Would love to go again one day but it is very expensive will have to save for a few years!