Red Lantern Journeys (3 testimonials)

Testimonials (3)

1. Reviewer: Ki G. located in Seattle, WA USA

   Dear Ambrose,
   
   Marty and I wanted to thank you again for your super-meticulous planning of our trip! It really was incredible how everything, and I do mean every plan we made with you, came to pass on our madcap journey through India! You really heard our desires, and we experienced more richness than we had hoped for in the short time we had.
   
   I had read every travel book, had dreamed about going for years, and was at a loss how to pull it all together. You eased the burden of choosing by arranging it all for us; having a guide in each stop to get us quickly in-depth added pleasure and knowledge to our experience. The guides themselves were charming and passionate, taking great pride in sharing their country with us. The time we spent on our own was perfectly balanced with these guided experiences. Really, Ambrose, I wouldn't think twice about signing on with you again for another Red Lantern Journey. It was a vivid dream come true for us!
   
   Ki G. and Marty C.
   
   Seattle, Washington
   

2. Reviewer: Ivonne B. located in San Juan, Puerto Rico USA

   Hi Ciara,
   I just got home from New York and was welcomed by your beautiful flowers. Thanks for such a nice touch. It was a fitting ending to a wonderful trip.
   
   The travel experience was excellent and exploring Indochine was simply unforgettable. While Cambodia and Laos were my two favorite destinations, and spending New Year�s Eve @ Halong Bay took my breath away, overall I was impressed with the people of the fascinating Southeast Asia region, all of whom were so kind and attentive.
   
   I especially enjoyed having a private guide to take us by the hand in each city, giving us inside information of each location and allowing us to relax and forget about transportation logistics so we could truly enjoy every moment to its fullest. It really made all the difference in the world, specially being in that part of the world.
   
   We had 6 different guides (3 males and 3 females).If I were to grade them, I would say that Mr. Hua (Hanoi/Halong) and Mr. Chang (Luang Prabang) were simply outstanding.They were not only very knowledgeable but also went out of their way to help us solve certain situations that arose and make us feel at home. The female guides were all very nice (JJ in Bangkok, Thuy in Saigon and Kim in Cambodia). The only one that was average was Tom (Hue/Hoi-Ann), mostly because his thick accent made it very difficult to understand him.
   
   In terms of hotel choices, I was also very impressed, both because of their wonderful location and truly five-star services. The Shangri-La (Bangkok) and the Sofitel Metropole (Hanoi) were an attraction in itself. Also, the Maison (Laos), the Majestic (Saigon) and both Victoria properties (Hoi Ann & Seam Reap) were very cozy & charming. However, Hue�s Imperial Hotel, while it was rated as a 5-star, it was not up to par with the other hotels. It seems to cater to a more local clientele and both the food and facilities left much to be desired. I believe the classic La Residence or the modern Mercure would have been a better choice.
   
   Overall, I can say I�ve been spoiled by Red Lantern�s way of travel and I would definitely recommend it to my friends or to serve as reference for your potential clients.
   
   

3. Reviewer: Heidi K. located in Seattle, WA USA

   Ambrose,
   
   I haven't done this sooner because I am just now having time to sit down and process the China trip. I did want to make sure that I took the time to let you know what a fabulous trip it was. I'm sure being with a great group didn't hurt, but we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. Essentially there were not hitches to be found, even though we kept adding things willy nilly and didn't have the simplest itinerary. Michelle, our guide in Beijing, was superb. She was professional, yet friendly, knowledgeable, and very flexible in her heroic attempts to satisfy our every whim. We kept her busy keeping us busy from dawn 'til way past dusk - I do remember the look of relief on her face when we assured her that we didn't expect her to hike the section of the wall with us. I am sure that if we'd wanted her along she would have come.
   
   I was interested to see how being in China during the October national holidays would affect our trip and, I can say wholeheartedly, that it made it better. I consider myself a somewhat experienced traveler but I'd never been to China and expected it to be a lot more overwhelming than it was. Really, I think I could live there in a heartbeat. I loved the fact that we visited places like Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace with hoards of other people - and that most of them appeared to be Chinese, if not locals. There was this party feel in the air and plenty of subjects at which to point my camera. Guilin, the Li River, and Yangshou were more unique and beautiful than I imagined and I specially enjoyed the river cruise.
   
   I won't say that, in some ways, I'm not glad to be home but you can be assured that I will recommend Red Lantern Journeys to my friends and family and will keep you on the short list for further trips. (Kevin mentioned that you are working on including Mongolia in your future offerings - I've always wanted to be able to resurrect my horsemanship skills and race my Mongolian war pony home to my yurt for supper). I'll also be sure to include a review and recommendation of RLJ on my blog once I get around the posting about the trip. (Yes, I'm slow I know - work just keeps getting the way).
   
   Heidi K.
   
   Seattle, Washington