—–Original Message—–
From: Fred W
Sent: Monday, November 16, 2015 6:00 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Odyssey October 16
I think Laurus is the way to go for touring China. The itinerary, guides, and accommodations are all excellent. You’ll learn as much about China as can be expected from two or three weeks, and the whole experience will be enjoyable and interesting. And Laurus provides exceptional value for money. You can easily spend twice what Laurus charges for a tour, but I can’t imagine that the guides and itinerary will teach you more about the country than Laurus will. And the Sheraton hotels Laurus uses are almost all both new and beautiful. It’s amazing how much ground we covered in China in the time we had for touring. Nothing I crucially wanted to see at the places we went was left out, and the guides were all both knowledgeable and extremely nice people. Laurus really knows what it’s doing.
Finally, I would add that the owner of the company ate dinner with us one night and said he hoped his tours would increase understanding and goodwill between visitors from around the world and the Chinese. I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me at least that goal was very well achieved on my trip. Highly recommended.
Professor Fred W
Mt Pleasant, South Carolina, USA
—–Original Message—–
From: Marion B
Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2015 3:30 PM
Subject: China Highlights Sept 9
We based our decision to book with Laurus on internet research and our initial office contact. It was such a great decision as our China trip was much more than we expected. We very much valued the small group size and the policy to avoid shopping stops. Our tour leader, Jacob, was excellent and we cannot say enough positive things about him. Our local guides were outstanding as well and we particularly want to recognize David in Guilin for his knowledgeable and scholarly discussions as well as his wicked sense of humour. Paul’s obvious love of Xi’an made our days with him very meaningful. We will definitely recommend Laurus Travel to others and have already done so.
Thanks to all of you who are involved in organizing your tours.
Marion B
High River, Alberta, Canada
—–Original Message—–
From: Martin S
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 12:45 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour
Laurus group in Forbidden City, Beijing
Jacob was superb in every way. He was organized, knowledgeable, friendly, patient, listened to particular requests, took pictures, totally reliable. David (Guilin), amazing guy. Elaine in Shanghai was a close second.
The quality of the guides on this trip – both the group leader and all of the local guides – was really wonderful. They all spoke excellent English, were highly knowledgeable and were able to answer questions well. They chose very good itineraries, made sure we had excellent food and plenty of water, and time for breaks. I can’t say enough good things about them.
Dr. Martin S, MD
Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
—–Original Message—–
From: Dan O
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 1:00 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: 19-day China Odyssey Review
Howard Zhang was absolutely terrific! Howard was a great planner and organizer, and extremely affable! He made the trip thoroughly enjoyable. Howard always ensured that no one got lost. All the local guides, including: Jacob (Beijing), Yale (Xian), David (Guilin), & Zhang (Shanghai).
Big thanks to all of the Laurus office staff, our tour guide (Howard Zhang), our local guides (Jacob, Yale, David, & Zhang) and drivers, who all contributed to give us a trip of a lifetime!!!
Best decision we made, was to book our China trip with Laurus!
Dan O. & Flora W.
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
From: Barbara and Steve S
Sent: September-26-15 6:30 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: China Tour Review
Laurus Travel group in Tibet
Laurus does an exceptional job of providing an outstanding tour of China. We visited three cities, Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai over 11 days and truly got a great sense of the country. All meals were authentic and outstanding. The tour leaders, bus drivers, and local guides are friendly and knowledgable. Accomidations are clean,and have wifi. The group size of less than 20 is perfect for navigating together. We found our travel companions in our group to be friendly, nice, and so much like us. Our group had a nice blend of Canadians and U.S. Citizens. As Laurus advertises, there is no forced shopping. It was wonderful!
Steven S, MD
Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA
—–Original Message—–
From: Lin L
Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2015 10:15 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Tour Review
Just returned from their 10 day Beijing/Shanghai Tour on Aug. 29/15. Laurus Travel was true to their advertising:
– First off, the staff at the Vancouver office were very helpful and patient from the start especially with the application of the Chinese Visa. They would follow up on the eve of the tour to ensure everything is all set.
– This is a sightseeing tour and there were no “forced shopping” stops during the tour.
– Yes, they would keep their group small to focus on personalized service.
– The hotel accommodations were excellent – 5 star rated hotels.
– They avoided the tourist congested restaurants.
No complaints about their tour guides and drivers. Would we use Laurus Travel again? …… Yes we would. Thanks Laurus Travel!
Lin L & family
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
—–Original Message—–
From: Vivian & Michael
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2015 12:06 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Re: China Tour Review
Hi Maggie,
Sorry it has taken us so long to get back to you but we had another trip planned one week after the China tour and we were seriously jet-lagged! We are now back from visiting relatives in the U. S. and we wanted to take the time to write a lengthy and proper feedback (and accolades!) about our trip to China. The attachment is a recommendation but I must warn you, it is lengthy!
We cannot say enough about our trip: The patience you and others at Laurus had with my many questions and inquiries was awesome.
The planning that Laurus does for its travelers is to be commended: the Hotels were ALL first-class; the ample supply of bottled water was critical in China’s heat; the Guides and Drivers you provided were also first-rate; and the “timing” of our daily tours to sites was unequalled in that we were often with few crowds of people which afforded us the opportunity to receive personal info from our Guides. The Guides met us at all incoming airports and train stations without fail, and left us at those same transportation centers with plenty of help and personal assistance that eased our fears. The restaurants that we visited were excellent and went out of their way to provide us with delicious and interesting dishes.
It is interesting to note that we really do live in a small world: my husband ran into a high-school student of his from Miami who was also traveling in China (Guilin) at the same time with her family!
I did have a question (sorry) about Jenny in Wuhan. Since we had to leave Wuhan very early in order to get our flight to Hong Kong, we did not have breakfast. Jenny had asked Holiday Inn to prepare a boxed-breakfast BUT she forgot to ask them before we left the hotel. We forgot, too, since she had mentioned the night before that we would have a boxed-breakfast to take along in the morning. Anyway, when I attempted to give her the tip she earned at the airport, she would not accept it because she had forgotten about our breakfast. (No matter how I pleaded with her, she would not accept our money and shoved it into my purse and held my hands so I could not return the tip to her. In fact, she brought me to tears because I felt she deserved her tip, no matter what!)
We would still like to give her the tip she rightly deserves. If I were to send you a check, could Laurus include that amount to her along with the funds you ordinarily pay her? Please let me know if you recommend another way to send that tip to her?
Thanks for all of the help that Laurus provided to us. Your company and agents are second to none in terms of the service you provided for our China tour!! We are so pleased and would highly recommend Laurus to anyone wanting to experience China.
Hope your weekend was a good one for you and that your Monday has been a good day, as well.
Thanks again,
Vivian (and Michael) S
Pembroke Pines, Florida, USA
—–Original Message—–
From: Darlene R
Sent: Wednesday, July 22, 2015 8:30 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Best of China July 2, 2015
The local guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. Their English was excellent and they had cell phone access which was appreciated. They were flexible with the times at each tour site. We found David to be exceptional and we were lucky to have him for Guilin. He went above and beyond the normal expectations and spent extra time with the group.
We liked the Sheratons at all cities but found the Beijing one to be the best of the bunch.
The food in the hotels and on the excursions was excellent. We enjoyed the variety and local specialties. None of us had any problems with the variety of foods.
We went for a walking tour of the modern buildings around Shanghai Pearl Tower on our own and felt that it might have been a good add-on to the Tour itinerary for Shanghai.
This was our third trip to China in the last 10 years and Laurus Travel did an exceptional job with all aspects of the “Best of China” tour. David in Guilin and Jacob in Beijing were outstanding. We found China to be very safe and the subway systems easy to navigate on our own with the local guide’s helpful suggestions. The hotel food was excellent with a mix of familiar western foods and local fare.
We were hesitant to book our tour by paying cash up front. However after meeting the Laurus staff we were confident in the company and appreciated the savings over using a credit card. On our free days we biked the city wall in Xian, went up the Pearl Tower in Shanghai and had foot massages in Guilin. We recommend these as they enriched our overall China experience.
Thank you Laurus Travel for making this a very memorable tour for ourselves and our nephew!
Darlene and Mark R
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
From: Manohar A
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2015 10:44 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: RE: China Tour Review
Hi Maggie:
It was a great experience. All your local guides were exceptional. Especially, your guide in Shanghai was very helpful when he found out that we both were sick… he had another Laurus guide take us to the hospital and then join the tour. He also re-ordered the tour so we don’t miss much. All guides were very accommodative to provide vegetarian meal for my wife. All in all it was very enjoyable and we will take your tour again.
Regards,
Manohar (Manny) A
Lake Worth, Florida, USA
From: Dilo P
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2015 1:38 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Re: Laurus Travel Tour
Just wanted to say a very big THANK YOU for an absolutely wonderful tour! The guides are great and knowledgeable, the selection of hotels was perfect, and the choice of meals provided were excellent! All meals provided were made to order and freshly prepared – no buffets where the food has been sitting around for who knows how long. The tours too were well organized without being too hectic or too slow and the added attractions (acrobat show, tea farm visit, lake cruise) were well worth it.
You did a wonderful job with this tour. I have no hesitation in recommending Laurus to my friends and relatives who want to visit China in the near future.
My only suggestion for improvement is to use the hi-speed rail system in China as much as possible. The train journey from Beijing to X’ian was very comfortable and dead on time. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the airlines who were always delayed (no different to domestic flights in the U.S.)!
Thanks again for a wonderful tour.
Dilo and Naomi P
Venetia, Pennsylvalia, USA
From: Ricardo G
Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2015 11:56 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Discovery Tour with Laurus Travel
Hello Maggie:
We are back in Seattle after a marvelous tour. We want to congratulate Laurus Travel for its impeccable planning and attention, before and during the tour. The guides were wonderful and deserve all praise. We enjoyed specially Jacob in Beijing and Steve in Shanghai, although William in Xian was also most enjoyable. Attention during the Yangtze cruise was also most enjoyable. You must congratulate the Cruise Company for Ruby, the most knowledgeable, kind and attentive Cruise Director we have ever encountered.
We will certainly recommend Laurus to friends, relatives and all interested people we meet.
Thank you again for a wonderful experience
Ricardo G & Rosario U
Seattle, Washington, USA
—–Original Message—–
From: Steve B
Sent: Saturday, June 27, 2015 9:30 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Customized China Tour
My father and I completed a shortened version of a standard tour with a group total of 8 members. We organised this at short notice from Australia and the Laurus office was very good and responsive to queries and requirements via email. The tour itself went very smoothly with all logistics thought through and executed very well locally by the tour guides, all we had to do was go along for the ride, relax and take in the amazing sights and experiences of China. The local tour guides were friendly, very knowledgeable, and humorous; it was a pleasure to learn from them and spend time with the other tour members.
Both Jacob (Beijing)and William (Xian) were informative, humorous and attended to all the group’s needs. They are real assets to Laurus. Sheraton (Beijing) and Sheraton (Xian) both very good in terms of room and breakfast. Sheraton (Xian) closer to Metro station, so easier to get around without use of taxis. Sheraton (Beijing) better in terms of pool and spa facilities. The meals were exceptional, great choice of local restaurants throughout tour with good range of meals and opportunity for the tour group members to interact.
Great value for money!
Steve B.
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
From: Donna W
Sent: June-23-15 9:34 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: 17 Day China Golden Route
Dear Laurus Travel,
When planning our trip to China, we did extensive research in finding the right tour company. We chose Laurus Travel after being impressed with the large number of glowing reviews and with the company’s thorough and comprehensive website. Now that we have returned from our 17 day tour of China, we can now be included in that group of happy travellers.
Before the tour, you were very responsive to our inquiries and even phoned us the day prior to our departure to see if we had any last minute questions. After we hung up we knew that we had chosen the right tour company and that we would be in good hands.
Our tour leader Howard continually ensured that everyone was happy and that there were no concerns. The local guides were wonderful with special mention to Jacob, Paul and David who were extremely knowledgeable. They made our trip memorable.
Our tour group was a very manageable size which meant that our itinerary was flexible enough to accommodate unforeseen situations such as poor weather and transportation delays. Your people worked hard to optimize our itinerary, even including requested attractions if possible.
We found the number of attractions and the pace to be just right. Not too many so that we were unable to appreciate them and not too few so that we felt we were wasting time.
Our China tour exceeded our expectations and we would definitely recommend Laurus Travel to others.
Sincerely,
Donna and Courtney W.
Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
From: Hy—, Donna
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2015 4:18 AM
To: Laurus Travel (Heather L)
Subject: RE: China Tour Review
Good morning Heather,
First and foremost, our thanks to Julius, Maggie, Heather and the entire team at Laurus Travel for your attentiveness and commitment to ensuring our China trip was a wonderful and memorable adventure. We appreciated you touching base with us via email along the way to make sure everything was going okay with our trip. A+ to Laurus Travel for Customer Service!
We did not have a full-time tour leader. However, a number of tour guides in various cities we would describe as Exceptional: Stephen in Shanghai, Jacob in Beijing, Paul in Xian, David in Guilin and Maggie in Hong Kong.
Again, thank you for all your assistance and the great customer service.
Regards,
Madonna H.
St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
—–Original Message—–
From: Margaret H
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2015 12:30 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: 21 Day China Highlights
Our tour leader Howard went above and beyond to be a support to all of us. There were times when he willingly stayed with us when he should have been having his own time such as dinner. He is very knowledgeable and personable!
The local guides were absolutely amazing. I love that from my perspective they were knowledgeable in many areas but each seemed to have a focus and this was balanced out throughout the tour. For example Paul in X’ian loves history and his passion shone through and David has a passion for the people of China and this shone through. Each brought their own unique perspective and it captured our attention leaving each of us with a well-rounded understanding of China’s history, culture, people, politics and so much more! Do not change your Local Guides and Tour Leader as they are superb. A special acknowledgement of Howard, Jacob, Paul, David and Elaine who consistently did more than was required.
The hotels all exceeded our expectations actually. It is so nice after a long day of touring to come home to a well appointed hotel room that is roomy, clean, quiet and modern. We felt quite spoiled!
The food was outstanding!!! This was the biggest surprise!! We loved that the guides would let us know what each dish was and warn us if it was too spicy although I love a little spice!! We had the opportunity to try a couple of new restaurants that hadn’t been used before and they were great. Good job of asking our opinion and whether we would recommend a particular new restaurant. Smart!! I tried everything which I had decided before the trip and although there of course were things that were not my favourite, 99% of the food was delicious. Well done!!
I was expecting to be dazzled by the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors and of course I was. There were many pinch me moments in both places. However, my favourite day of all was our first in Guilin! From our cruise on the river in the morning to the tea farm to the spectacular evening river cruise to the last surprise of a waterfall cascading down the front of a hotel! It was magical!
The ear pieces are a brilliant idea and I really think they could also be used in Shanghai. So helpful and I really noticed the difference when we didn’t have them.
The trip up to the rice terraces was a wonderful day and eating in the village and visiting a real village home were definitely memory making experiences.
I thought I would really love the Yangtze River cruise and it was fine. My husband enjoyed it a lot. We were both underwhelmed by the Three Gorges Dam site tour. Just not what we were expecting but that is okay!
Pandas were so adorable in Chongqing. Our plane was late and that happened to be a fortuitous thing. The pandas had just been fed when we got there and it was a cool day and so we got to see 6 out of the 8. The little girl was too cute for words and put on quite a show. She was rolling around and climbing her tree and looking at us as if to say “Aren’t I just adorable!” Yes!! She was!!
Loved the trip to Suzhou. As mentioned previously I would have liked more time to add money to the economy at the silk shops!!!
We had the experience of going to a self sufficient neighbourhood in Shanghai and we would highly recommend keeping this in your tour experiences. From getting an interesting introduction at the beautiful community centre to touring the fascinating food market to eating in a neighbourhood home we were very impressed. Thanks for this new experience.
Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!
Margret and Richard H
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
—–Original Message—–
From: Cristina
Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2015 5:42 PM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: Feedback – Golden triangle trip
Hello, we just came back from our China trip last week. I know most of your correspondence was through my husband, but I wanted to thank you myself . We had a fabulous time. We wanted to see China and its glorious culture and we did indeed see that. I have to complement your whole staff, everything was very well organized and ran smoothly . The hotels were first class and the food were delicious ( that’s probably an understatement).
I was very impressed about the small size of our tour group , it made it very personal. And yes, no shopping stops !
Jacob Wei was an excellent tour leader – he was very attentive. He is definitely an asset.
We had a small hiccup in the airport with our flight and our guide Elaine never left and helped us sort it out.
Again , Thank you . It was worth every penny!
Cristina T, USA
From: William D
Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2015 11:40 AM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Great tour guides
Hello Laurus Travel,
I returned to my home in Austin, Texas from your 11-day China Golden Triangle Tour a few days ago. The tour fulfilled my expectations, so I want to give three cheers for Laurus Travel.
I want to praise the tour leader and tour guides. Jacob (the tour leader and guide in Beijing), Paul (the tour guide in Xian), and Elaine (the tour guide in Shanghai) were excellent: specifically, they had broad knowledge of China, which they imparted to us, and they were very nice people. All three were good teachers.
Elaine in particular deserves acknowledgment, because I was the only person who wanted to go on the optional day trip to Suzhou, and she could have cancelled the trip, but instead she took me on a private, all-day tour of Suzhou. Also, I developed one of my occasional episodes of lower back pain when I was in Shanghai, and Elaine helped me get in and out of vehicles when I had difficulty standing up and sitting down. Also, she knew Zhuangzi, whose writings I studied in school many years ago, and we discussed Chinese philosophy.
The staff in the Sheraton in Beijing were amused when I walked through their lobby carrying bags of baozi that I bought in a nearby shop. Four baozi for the equivalent of US $1, a great dinner.
Sincerely,
William (Willie) D
Austin, Texas, USA
From: Paul S
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2015 5:56 AM
To: info@laurustravel.com
Subject: ATTN: Laurus Travel Team
Dear Laurus Travel,
It is with great pleasure that I write to you this morning about the enjoyment I had on my eleven day China Triangle Tour! You exceeded my expectations and I believe it is important to take the time to share my experience with you.
The tour guides we had (Jakob, Howard, Paul, and Steven) were excellent. Having the “right” guide especially in a country like China is paramount. The history is so vast and in depth and I was able to learn so much from these four individuals. They went out of their way on so many occasions from, recommending places to eat, to suggesting where to go on our “free time”. They all truly cared for us and wanted to make our China Trip memorable and they certainly delivered!! The only thing that I did not like about my trip was having to miss out on Guilin but that was due to not having enough vacation time! haha.
If I have any friends or family members looking to travel to China in the future I will certainly be recommending Laurus Travel! Having a small group travel experience is essential, no forced shopping stops, and having knowledgeable guides that have an appreciation for the history and country is what you look for in a high end tour company!
Regards,
Paul S
Burlington, Ontario, Canada
Tour Trip Dates: May 14th- 24th.
From: eileen m
Sent: May-13-15 1:41 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: Thanks
Dear Julian and staff,
Thank you so much for such a delightful trip. From the first contact with your office to the flight home, your attention to every detail made the tour exceptional.
The guides were more than just guides, but professionals in every way. The itinerary was well planned and time frames were met, which was almost miraculous considering the traffic congestion at some points. The variety of experiences from the Li River cruise to the high speed train gave us such a fascinating look at China in such a short time. I never thought we would have such a leisurely time picking tea and learning about its culture. It was far more than a garden tour. The gardens, of course, were spectacular.
Such a busy trip does not unfold so seamlessly without a great deal of planning and work behind the scenes. Thank you and your staff again for making it such a pleasant experience, and special thanks to Eric who did his utmost to ensure we enjoyed the trip.
Eileen M
North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
—–Original Message—–
From: Sergio J.
Sent: April-08-15 7:45 PM
To: Laurus Travel
Subject: China Tour
Our experience with Laurus Travel was excellent and we enjoyed our vacations thanks to your professionalism and experience as we did not have to worry about anything. Everything was well scheduled and professionally handled by the local guides.
Thank you very much.
Sergio & Carmen J
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
[more]
