EXCELLENT TRIP TO GERMANY, SWITZERLAND & AUSTRIA ========================== My husband and I booked the eleven day itinerary, but added one day to the beginning and two days to the end. Their website describes the day by day activities and hotels, so you can see the list there. I liked about half of the hotels, but some I would not stay in again like the Hilton in Central Munich, Germany. The breakfast was awful in my opinion and the one dinner wasn't that much better. Our room was alright, but the refrigerator didn't work. They brought an extra one that took up space on the floor. Since Gate 1 books your hotels you don't have control over their hotel choices. Our room at the Hyatt in Mainz smelled like mold, but the hotel kindly switched that room for us. I think my favorite hotel was the AC Marriott in Innsbruck. The food, rooms and location were great. Nadine Sandranowsky was our tour director for our small group of 24. She was great and always did a great job from start to beginning. I would recommend Gate 1 Travel as you do get more bang for your buck. read more

Gate 1 Travel - Last couple days of the tour. - Travel Services Near Me - Fort Washington, Pennsylvania

Update 2026 June 2: Gate 1 staff GSC reached out to me today, who, apparently, had replied to me last year but I didn't receive. Thanks for reaching out. read more

Gate 1 Travel - Travel Services Near Me - Fort Washington, Pennsylvania

I am pleased to say that Gate 1 has resolved our issue to our liking. We are looking forward to traveling to Africa

We just returned from a 12 day vacation to Ecuador and Galápagos Islands. Another chapter to our forever great travel memories.To say we were happy with our trip is an understatement. They both are a wonderful place to visit and become truly immersed in nature. The trip was absolutely incredible. The hotel's were all beautiful. The food was very good and saw an unbelievable amount of Ecuador. Our tour director Mr. Wilson's attention to detail did not go unnoticed. He was amazing, smart, organized and knowledgeable. He managed to wrangle our disparate group, with ease. Our driver Mr. Ivan was an excellent driver, who kept us safe. Our motor coach in Ecuador was very clean and comfortable. The Finch Bay Hotel in Santa Cruz is stunning. The staff very friendly and attentive. Our tour guide Mr. Francisco in Galapagos, was very impressive. He had a vast knowledge of the animal species, history and landscape. We toured 2 different Islands, Santa Cruz and North Seymour Island. The Darwin research center was very informational. Mr. Francisco was very much approachable and genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a great experience. He went above and beyond to take care of my husband and I. Sincere gratitude to the tour director, guide and staff for making a memorable vacation. We had a nice group of travelers, who had been with Gate 1 before. Everyone was wonderful and we ended up making great friends along the way. read more

I had a wonderful trip to Sicily with GATE1: 9-Day Classic Sicily, April 11-19, 2026. The itinerary was very active but still provided adequate free time for relaxation. I highly recommend booking the optional tours to Cefalù and Siracuse. Both were excellent. Our tour manager, Leonardo Alessi, was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable in history, art, and Italian culture. Compassionate, charming, and deeply engaging, he consistently exceeded expectations to make sure all guests felt welcome, comfortable, safe, and well taken care of. read more

For the first time in my life, I booked with a group travel. I chose this group because they had a special that waved the singles fee which saved me $500. I also like the fact that this particular trip was in one city with optional day trips. The cost included my airfare, hotel, and several day trips and and breakfast is while I was there. Transportation to and from the airport was also included. I enjoyed my time with this group. It was a great trip, but I was extremely impressed with the fact that Gate 1 found me transportation home after the airline I was booked with originally went on strike. I was afraid I would not be able to get home because the flights would be booked up on other airlines, but Gate 1 within two hours found me a flight home. I was very impressed. read more

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We have been on two trips with Gate1 . Discovery tour .They took very good care of us . Our second trip Kenya Tanzania safari was just too good . Loved our driver Sam . I had lost my passport they quickly helped me to board a day later . Then Sam was always there at border crossing helping me go through immigration . They put you up in nice hotels and camps plus food is delicious . Looking forward to our next trip with Gate1 . read more

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I've been on at least 9 gate1 tours to Europe and Australia/New Zealand starting in 2017. They take care of just about everything at a very reasonable price. You get a lot of bang for the buck! read more

We are scheduled to travel to Nepal for a tour that starts this Wednesday. But here's the reality: Nepal is in the middle of a revolution. Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu is closed. The U.S. government has issued a shelter-in-place advisory for all U.S. citizens currently in Nepal and is strongly advising against travel. And yet... our travel agency, Gate1Travel, is telling us to go anyway. They are downplaying the danger, lying about the airport closure, and putting profits ahead of people's safety. This is not just bad service -- this is greed at the expense of human lives. Greed and corruption only thrive in silence. Let's make some noise. read more

Gate 1 Travel - Travel Services Near Me - Fort Washington, Pennsylvania

In our last trip to Brazil and Argentina our tour guide Lucas was one of the best we had on the tour. He made our trip comfortable and easy and fun. I would recommend this trip for anyone that likes to travel. Gate 1 is worth your money read more

We have utilized Gate 1 Travel for 4 trips and with a 5th one planned for later this year.  Needless to say, we really like them!  They arrange top notch quality tours, have universally very good and knowledgeable and often entertaining tour guides (we've only experienced one who was still at least average), and are very reasonably priced.  When they call their tour a "classic" this country or that country, they really do hit the major highlights you really would expect to see in whatever time allocated.  I know this because I've seen various travel videos of the places we have visited and sure enough we always make the main highlights, or at least most of them.  The hotels selected for their land packages are very good with good breakfast buffets and almost always in great locations for easy city exploring on your own as you please. Besides their land tour packages, we also recently enjoyed a 7 day Seine river cruise (plus 2 follow-on days in Paris) on their river cruise ship Monarch Countess.  It was a fine and very enjoyable trip all the way around (meaning food, accomodations, staff, and excursion tour quantity and quality) but instead of paying about $13k to a popular and well known river cruise competitor, we only paid about $8k (air fare included) for virtually the exact same itinerary.  We have also found that we fit in well with the style and demographics of most of our fellow Gate 1 tourists (caveat: that doesn't necessarily mean you will, ha, but you might want to try them to find out) and have met some very fine people from all over the US.  Most of Gate 1's customers are indeed from the US. The company was founded in 1981 by Dani Pipano, a former Israeli tour guide, and someone who really understands the American tourist.  He still runs the company after some 40+ years and still reads his emails.  I know this because he read one from me, and it certainly wasn't a complaint e-mail, but rather a very complimentary one.  They have a massive number of tour itineraries for virtually every major tourist destination in the world, and also frequently offer sales and promos.  One of the very best features I have found from using their website is seeing and booking your flight itinerary at the time of booking whatever land tour you are doing.  It's very nice to see a multitude of flight options and prices at the time of booking, even at 11 months ahead of time.  Their motto is "See the world for less" and we have certainly done that with them and been highly satisfied with all of our trips.  I highly recommend them! read more

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After posting my review on this page, a representative from Gate1 reached out and I was able to voice my concern in regard to my review about losing my deposit. Ty, the representative, was very understanding and was able to prioritize my safety and concerns. He was able to credit my account for the deposit amount for future travels. read more

I started traveling with Gate 1 in 2024; first trip to Dubai & Abu Dhabi- classic status and the hotels & tour director were excellent! In 2025 Paris & London- essential status and hotels and the tour director were not up to par. Recently, I returned from Italy that included Venice, Florence and Rome. I should've known that it would've been a disaster when my outbound flights were deleted 2 1/2 weeks before departing in May even though the trip was paid in full in February, 2026! Finally outgoing flights were corrected 3 days before the trip so imagine my stress and frustration! Customer service was extremely unprofessional and a miserable experience until one supervisor finally took care of business. The itinerary on paper was balanced however, the tour director included more events on one day that averaged about 7 miles of walking on dilapidated streets. This tour included 40 people that ranged from the ages 25 to 80. There was not any consideration for the seasoned individuals and she was walking at record speeds to include too many activities into the day. Not sure why we had to walk to the sites from the hotel instead of having transportation! The tour director was not organized to say the least and one of the tour managers that provided overviews of the sites made the trip worse! I have never heard so many complaints from the young and old. Several didn't attend the remaining tours or dinners that were included. Some caught cabs back to the hotel because they had had enough. It's a hard NO for me to use Gate 1 again because it has truly gone downhill in the last few years. I informed Gate 1 of my disappointment and they have responded with a $75 credit for future travels LOL I had invited friends to join me to celebrate my retirement that we're disappointed as well. I can say with confidence that they won't use them either and we have booked a do-over and headed to Japan with an entirely different company! read more

They did their touristy tour inside the church during the Palm Sunday service... super disrespectful and shows lack of awareness and disregard for the significance of the celebration I would not recommend a company that demonstrates such poor judgment and lack of cultural and religious sensitivity. read more

Good tours, guides, hotels. Would only comment that the day we visited San Michael in France it rained and we were soaked. We did not know we would be spending 4 hours travel after this stop. So, we could have prepared if we had known instead of spending 4 hours in wet clothes. It would be nice if they had something for us to eat at the first night meeting instead of fending for ourselves in a strange city at night. It could be sandwiches, pizza, anything. read more

We went to Morocco with Gate 1 Discovery (small group) tours and thoroughly enjoyed it. Guides, hotels and food were all good, and the small group of people were all very nice. Highly recommend it. Heading to Israel with Gate 1 in March. read more

I've taken 8 international trips with Gate 1 and all were excellent - whether in Europe, Asia, South America, or Europe - all destinations and guides exceeded my expectations. Discovery Tours can spoil you as it is a small group with EVERYTHING included. Independent tours are very affordable, if you're game to explore on your own. I have 4 more trips booked with Gate 1 over the next 15 months - can't wait! read more

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If you don't already know it--Gate 1 is the poor man's tour company. (But the guests on it are not exactly poor--more like frugal.) You can take 2-3 Gate 1 tours for the cost of most other tour companies and that it the major selling point. On our tour we had a number of people that were on multiple Gate 1 tours and reported no problems. And many of those people were not poor--on the contrary--they had more $$ in the bank for the next trip because they traveled with Gate 1! I took my first Gate 1 Tour to Japan last year, and our Tour Guide with us 24/7 was the best ever in the history of touring--I can't imagine how anyone could be better. She was awesome--proactive, active, on it 24/7 thinking before you could say it handling problems like a pro. The buses were excellent. We went to all the highlights in Japan and more. I HIGHLY recommend a trip to Japan if you have not been. Even after the day ended--she was running free optional tours at night for anyone that keep going and going and going. It was incredible! Here is why Gate 1 is less expensive: 1. Most Gate 1 tours are not priced for a comprehensive tour. There are days you can go on your own and the Tour Director will give you a list of good things to do OR you buy the optional excursions. For example, our Tour to Japan did not include Fuji or Hiroshima and some other places. We paid a bit more to go with the Tour Director to these incredible places but some others just did their own thing. It's a win win. 2. Many meals are not included. 3. Gate 1 contracts with low cost Hotels. We stayed at 3 hotels on our Tour of Japan, and I would only return to one of them. They were all safe and in good areas but the first two had serious ventilation problems. And these were problems that the Tour Director could not solve because they are systemic and effected the entire Hotel and all the guests. Both of these two hotels don't need fixing--they need demolition. When we got to the last Hotel many of us on the Tour looked at one another and commented in the lobby at the end--that finally Gate 1 got us a real decent Hotel and it was a great Hotel. It's Gate 1's Hotel choices that gives me concerns about booking with them again. **Here is what I suggest you do before booking with Gate 1: Get the Hotel List and run it through YELP and Trip Advisor reviews and see what people are saying on the most Recent reviews. That will tell you a lot. I took the Hotel issue up with Gate 1 after the trip. Their solution is that room issues are a matter for the Tour Director to solve. But the folks in Gate 1 in Pennsylvania do not stay in these Hotels, nor do they read reviews on travel websites, and what they don't know is that the problems cannot be solved even by the best concerned Tour Director. The ventilation problems in these 2 old hotels were so severe that we had to take 2 showers before bed and even then it was too hot in the room. You would perspire right after the shower. Blowers and cooling in the rooms just did not work. Anywhere. You can read my reviews on Yelp for: Tokyo Prince Hotel--Poor Kyoto Tokyu Hotel--Poor Marriott Courtyard Osaka--Excellent The 5-Star Rating is purely due to the truly excellent tour management by the Director Rumi in Japan. read more

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We recently returned from the Gate 1- 9 Days Colonial Mexico. We have used the company several times on our trips and very much happy with the Hotel accommodations, excursions, food and restaurants as well. Now on our last city we stayed in Guadalajara, Mexico for 3 nights. We did not ask for any cleaning crew to come in and has the sign at the door do not disturbed. I would always locked my suitcase whenever I leave but my carry on bag which has no valuables stays in the closet. When we arrived home in OC I couldn't find my small bottles/sampler of Tequila and a used shirt. Definitely they stole it from me. Hotel Morales is not a reliable and a safe place to stay. read more

RE: Gate 1 post below....Spain 15 day tour...with control freak tour guide Luis. I left off in my comments below ... that I blew it...after ...one more time ,..Luis pulled me aside at 8am before a tour, and asked me if i got his text??? WHAT??? AGAIN? i wasn't even awake yet!!! Anyway...i read the threatening text that blah...blah..blah...i would get kicked off the tour??? WHAT?? AND WHAT FOR??? I ended that post with I blew it!!! Yes...I was so outraged and angry I was shaking!! when Luis got on the bus to count heads....I YELLED AT HIM TO QUIT HARASSING ME!!! I asked him why...why...why was he sending me that text?? I also yelled at him to STOP HARASSING ME AND LEAVE ME ALONE!!! Yes...all of the 22 other people on the tour bus...saw and heard this explosion of anger!!! So Gate 1, here is proof that Luis was harassing me....and I should have some credibility after 10 tours, one was a two-in-one...and a deposit for the next one to Australia and New Zealand. Of course I wanted to go home..and thank god you gave me a refund for the rest of the tour which i didn't take...but why are you making me pay for another flight home of $1100?? I'm sory to say....but after ALL MY TOURS WITH GATE 1...you should give me a refund for the$1100! I lost my other flight home...that was paid for! Also....you are a multi million dolllar company and this time the customer is right!!! I would be thrilled if you did refund me...then all that happened would not matter! read more

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Scotland and Ireland with Gate1 travel. We saw and experienced so many wonderful things. Our tour guide, Lenny, was absolutely great and went above and beyond so that we didn't miss anything along the way. Our driver, Kevin, was fantastic as well as we safely navigated along. Both made our trip so much fun. We met so many nice people in our tour group as well. We saw all the major historical sites and enjoyed the beautiful scenery there. There is so much ancient history to learn about as well as insights relating to more recent events that affect lives in Scotland and Ireland. I would recommend Gate1 for travel. We have also used them in Greece and Italy and always had great service. read more

Gate 1 Travel - Travel Services Near Me - Fort Washington, Pennsylvania

We have used Gate 1 for trips to Iceland, Australia, France, Portugal and Spain, and have two more trips booked, an Eastern European River Cruise and a trip to Croatia. We are able to do this because Gate 1 keeps it affordable. They also do a great job with the trip planning and customer support. We have told many of our friends, and people we meet traveling, about Gate 1. We highly recommend Gate 1! read more

We have been with Gate 1 Travel on 3 escorted tours in the US, all with the express purpose of visiting the western US National Parks. In 2025 we took the Yellowstone tour with Sabrina Bruce: fantastic! We had such a great experience we scheduled two more back-to-back for this year. They were wonderful, too, Sabrina does a fantastic job of keeping her eyes on everything, trying to make sure every need is met. We'll do it again. Already looking at 2026 ( but need to see her schedule first. read more

"Such an amazing tour! A huge thank you to our guide, Oum Rujira--she is a systematic planner who made the whole trip seamless and convenient for the entire group. We had a blast and made memories we'll never forget. Oum is a natural leader!" read more

I had a great time on this trip, the guides were all excellent, and the itinerary was excellent, it had the right amount of organized tours along with on your own time. The tour manager was great, he took time to ask every single tour member about themselves and what they would want from the experience read more

Be certain that you have spoken to an attorney concerning travel prior to booking a tour with these crooks. My experience was dismal. Even with travel insurance we were denied a tour refund despite experiencing an accident coming off of an escalator. Treatment was harsh and surly. What should have been simply an unfortunate accident turned into a financial disaster. There are many alternative choices. Stay away from Gate 1. read more

Everything! I have been on 2 different tours with Gate1 and they have impressed me both times. The knowledge of the tour guides, the accommodations, the pricing and the excursions have been beyond my expectation. I look forward to traveling again with them. read more

WHAT HAPPENED: On the 16 Day Classic South Africa with Robben Island, Victoria Falls & Botswana, the itinerary stated clearly there are only two shopping shops, the Ngwenys glass factory and a handcraft market. In reality, three more shopping stops were added; a stop at the Shimansky Diamond, where approximately 30 of us were locked in a small room listening to the sale pitch; Camanos and Sons souvenir store ; and a local souvenir local market on Day 14. We were forced to shop 5 times in Africa. In the end, we could not have enough time to view some scenery spots. We have wasted our precious vacation time on these useless stores! I told Gate 1 that on Day 14, because of a shopping stop at a local souvenir market which was not listed in the itinerary, we arrived at the hotel at Chobe, Botswana at 1:45pm. he sunset cruise was set to depart at 2:45 pm, leaving us just one hour to check in, allow the hotel to photocopy our passports, identify and move our luggage to our rooms, and eat lunch. Thanks to tour manager's mercy, the cruise was postponed to 3:00 pm, granting us an additional 15 minutes to eat lunch at 2:00 pm. I nearly fainted from the rushed lunch schedule. There was no slack box provided by Gate1 during the journey to Botswana. There was no announcement that we would eat lunch at 2:00pm either. GATE 1'S REPLY: On complaining to Gate 1, the customer relationship replied that all the shopping stops are pre-approved. Gate 1 did not fully disclose the shopping stops in its web-site. Gate 1 claims that Gate 1 and its tourist guides did not receive any financial incentives from the merchants we visited. Do you believe? Gate 1 claimed that Gate 1 reviewed the schedule and itinerary for my tour, including electronically tracked timing, and found that the actual durations of stops and drives matched the planned itinerary. Regarding the stops during the journey, all locations are planned and approved by Gate 1 with Gate 1's passengers' COMFORT in mind. In particular, Gate 1's website said, "After breakfast, travel from Victoria Falls over the border into Botswana. Upon arrival at the hotel, lunch will be served. Spend time at LESURELY before departing on a sunset cruise where you will be introduced to a totally different game viewing experience." I could not understand how I enjoyed COMFORT and LESUIRE at Gate 1's arrangement. MY DECISION: After hearing Gate 1's reply, Gate 1 cannot not meet the minimum standard that I can travel with. I told Gate 1 to close my Gate 1 account. Gate 1 offered me $200 per person travel credit to reopen my account. I told them to close my account forever --------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is a response to Gate 1's comment below: Gate 1 claims that they have made every effort to address my concern. I told them that I nearly fainted because I was forced to eat lunch at 2:00pm because we were forced to shop on the journey to Chobe. We were not given any prior warning or given any food during the journey. Gate 1 did not even say one word of empathy. Don't except an apology or a word of sorry. It demonstrates how Gate 1 treats its client. It is their best effort! It makes me really sick. read more

I want to change and upgrade my trip but because i already paid, they will not let me! This is my 3rd tour and i have recommended them to many of my friends and they will not let me upgrade which i am willing to pay more money for! Poor business sense and unyielding! UPDATE Gate 1 came thru and i will continue to recommend this excellent travel company! read more

Since the last review, Gate 1 reached out to us again and made things right. We have since taken two trips with them and had wonderful experiences. The company redeemed itself in our eyes and we look forward to taking more tours with them. read more

I've been a loyal customer of Gate 1 for years and have taken over a dozen trips with this company. Until now, I've had positive experiences and recommended them to others. Unfortunately, my latest trip severely undermined my trust in this company. 1. There was the mishandling a flight cancellation. When flight was canceled the day of travel (gate1 booked the flight), we called them immediately. We were offered an alternative flight with a layover in Zurich, which we accepted. We were promised confirmation and a follow-up call. After an hour of no response, I contacted your chat support, where I was initially told the tickets were confirmed--only to be told minutes later that the tickets were no longer available and that WE had delayed it. That is not only false but also incredibly unprofessional. What followed was an exhausting back-and-forth that dragged on until 2 AM. The only viable flight option we were eventually given included a layover in Brazil. It was our own research in the middle of the night that revealed recent visa requirements for Brazil--even for airport layovers. This would have made the flight impossible to take. When we informed Gate 1, we were falsely told we had been warned about the visa. Another outright lie. We never would have agreed to a route that we couldn't legally enter. We were later told about a route through Cape Town but were informed there was only one seat left--despite there having been more availability the previous night. This led to additional delays and, ultimately, no viable options. We were told we could receive a refund for the flight portion, but not for the land portion--even though the only travel options offered would have gotten us to the destination four days into a 11-day tour. 2. After taking matters into our own hands and rebooking through United (departing 48 hours later), we immediately contacted Gate 1 to coordinate our rejoining the group. We spent two hours on hold, only to be told "we'll call you back." That callback never came. We contacted your support team again and again via phone and chat--speaking to over ten different representatives, including someone who promised answers by 9 AM and never followed through. We finally got an answer 27 hours later, and were told we'd have to pay for a hotel ourselves in order to meet up with the group. This lack of support and constant runaround--combined with rude behavior from agents like Arlene--made an already stressful situation far worse. We were stranded and misinformed. That's not just poor service; it's a complete operational failure. 3. During the tour, we were required to take three flights in a single day from Maun to Cape Town, despite the itinerary indicating a direct route. This was never disclosed ahead of time and felt both unnecessary and poorly planned. 4. Despite clearly stating in my profile that I require a gluten-free diet, there were multiple days where I had little to no food options available. On one day, I had only a single unappealing (a piece of gluten free toast) breakfast option before spending the entire day in transit, with nothing else I could safely eat until 8:30 PM. I raised this concern with our tour guide repeatedly, and while he tried to help, the restaurants selected consistently offered no gluten-free options. For a tour company of your size and experience, this is not acceptable--especially when dietary restrictions are clearly flagged in advance. I emailed Gate 1 with all of these concerns when I got back from my trip and heard nothing. After a few weeks of no response, I called and left a complaint by phone. A few days later I spoke with Alice the manager of customer relations who assured me that she was now in charge of my case and would be investigating everything in my email including looking at the text chains and the recorded calls (that would prove they lied to us multiple times) and she'd call me back by Tuesday. It's been several days past Tuesday and not shockingly no response from Alice either. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!!! read more

So far I only had one trip with this company (Essential Greece), and enjoyed it very much. I am booked on several more tours. But I am very impressed with the customer service and the attitude of this company. They allowed me to apply a big discount when a sale was announced AFTER booking and charged only $50 to change the reservation saving me $650! Then after the trip they sent me a very detailed personal letter analyzing my review. I never expected that any body would actually answer each of my suggestions one by one. Every operator I ever spoke with by phone has been unrushed, attentive and helpful. The tour was well organized. I strongly recommend this company. read more

I booked a land and cruise package to Greece in October2024. I f skipped in the sower and factured my hip and needed surgery in Greece. Customer service was very helpful with help and getting me back. DO NOT PURCHASE INSURANCE THROUGH GATE 1. I had to pay for all medical services by my credit card, about 15,000 dollars. It took the insurance company5 months to settle the claim and they refused about1500.00. In the past years I purchased insurance from THIRD arty companies. Twice we summited a claim and it was settled quickly. read more

We just returned from a truly wonderful Central European Christmas Markets Tour with Gate 1 Travel (December 9-18, 2025), and the experience exceeded our expectations in every way. My mother, aunt, and I began our journey in Prague, continued through Vienna and Austria, and concluded our tour in Budapest, enjoying each destination during the magical Christmas season. We were introduced to Gate 1 Travel by clients who spoke highly of the company--describing it as well-run, a great value, and an overall excellent experience--and we can confidently say we shared that same experience. I carefully followed the Gate 1 website, booked the tour at the right time to take advantage of a discount, and arranged our own flights with ease. From start to finish, the trip was clearly described, thoughtfully planned, and exceptionally well executed. The hotels were lovely and conveniently located within walking distance of central areas, each offering excellent breakfast buffets. While the hotel in Český Krumlov was understandably small due to the city's historic nature, it was still charming. I especially appreciated that all of our hotels included bathtubs--a welcome luxury after long days of walking and exploring. Overall, this was a seamless, memorable, and truly delightful vacation experience with Gate 1 Travel. Our tour guide, Thomas Jankov deserves special recognition- Thomas Jankov is, without question, one of the finest Tour Hosts I have ever experienced. Leading a group of 33 travelers on a Prague to Budapest Christmas Markets tour is no small task, yet Thomas handled it with remarkable grace, clarity, and professionalism. He kept our entire group together, informed, organized, and on schedule--while maintaining a consistently positive, calm, and energetic presence throughout the journey. What truly sets Thomas apart is his depth of historical knowledge and his ability to bring each destination to life. His explanations were engaging, insightful, and perfectly paced, and he answered every question with patience and care. He made each city's history, culture, and traditions feel accessible and meaningful, which greatly enhanced the experience of visiting the Christmas markets. Thomas also went far above and beyond his role as Tour Host. Outside of the planned itinerary, he personally helped 4 of us on the tour secure tickets to the Upper Belvedere Museum in Vienna, allowing our group to see the Klimt exhibit--an absolute highlight of the trip that would not have been possible without his extra effort and dedication. Thomas is a true professional, an exceptional leader, and a tremendous ambassador for Gate 1 Travel. His organization, warmth, expertise, and genuine commitment to his travelers made this tour unforgettable. Gate 1 is incredibly fortunate to have him, and I sincerely hope his leadership recognizes just how outstanding he truly is. If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. read more

We just had an amazing escorted tour to South Africa and Victoria Fall by Gate1 Travel. We've taken several Gate1 Tours and every one was well planned and worth every penny. We had a wonderful tour manager this trip, and that made our tour most memorable. Gate1 tour managers take good care of everyone in the tour group, and make sure we're all happy. I would definitely continue to join Gate1 tours whenever I want to have fun seeing the world in the future. read more

Ive traveled on (7) Gate 1 tours and have been very pleased in the past. This last tour to COSTA RICA was absolutely horrible and inexcusable . They were given a chance to make it right, but didnt. So here is the review from my last trip in full. PARK INN RADISSON Made prior reservations from hotel for transport, $35 was supposed to added to my hotel room, when I arrived driver wanted cash payment from me. Front desk acted as if they didn't agree when I have the message history, which I will be posting here. Tip: bring cash, in which I always do, Ive traveled to 108 countries in my lifetime, always prepare for the foolery. Second issue with Park Inn, I always arrive a day early when traveling in a group or travel agency, so the early arrival first night was paid by me. I asked prior could I stay in the same room for the next night (prepaid by travel agency), hotel agreed. I booked supposedly booked a premium first night, but second night was a standard room booked by agency, not surprised at all. Front desk let me know it would be a $21 upcharge to stay in premium room. In our prior conversations they never mentioned this upgrade price. Clearly lacking communication skills and NO customer service. Front desk guy was very argumentative and lacked professionalism. I kindly asked for a manager, he never came out to acknowledge situation at all. Conclusion: I will never stay here again nor refer your hotel to anyone. I do own a business and a very large travel forum that I share all my travel deets. Tip: In life your first impressions may be your last. Act accordingly at all times in life or your business dealings. Hotel location approx 20min drive from airport due to traffic. Park Inn Hotel was very clean, modern, rooms nice size with mini bar, beautiful outdoor pool and relaxation area, they do have a gym. I had a beautiful view of mountains, pool and city. Big thanks to your housekeeping staff! I will tip them accordingly. Location is walking distance to museums and downtown shopping and food. No cab needed unless your unable to walk approx 30min. Ask front desk for a map. I shopped along the way, visited a museum, theater and two different markets for souvenirs and of course delicious coffee. I had a wonderful experience at the National Theater tour and cafe. The coffee an carrot cake was amazing! Dinner-Bar service Chicken, veggies and Spanish rice cooked well and seasoned good. Chicken sandwich and potato wedges very tasty and cooked well also. Bar service was good and timely. Prices for San Jose where expensive for South America, maybe because it's the capital. Be mindful that your in a touristy location, locals will try to get more money from you if possible. On all your food bills you will see a service charge, you don't have tip extra unless you desire. Our waiter tried to tell us differently. Breakfast Great spread of fruits, veggies, rice, hot & cold selections, excellent hot coffee Travel Tip: Airport money exchange banks will try to get you to exchange more money than asked, they all make commissions. Be mindful of the traps you will encounter, do research before traveling, it will save you lots of headaches along the way. Arenal Paraiso Spa Resort & Thermal Hot Springs Hotel was booked thru Gate 1 travel agency, I have used them several times. Check in was easy, welcome drink was tasty fresh juice. Great view of the volcano thru out the grounds. The grounds where clean, beautiful flowers that are well maintained. We did see a few animals roaming freely. Most of the rooms are on top of a steep hill, they do have a shuttle if needed. Staff was accommodating and welcoming, gift shop was not staffed when I went to check out. They do offer tours and zip line activities. Several thermal pools on property, two where not open, none of the pools are clean. Only one was warm enough for us to enjoy. Rooms are large, needed to be updated. Our bathroom smelled like foul smelling sewage, black knat bugs on walls and curtains, tint ants on walls. Room 268 Food Breakfast had a variety of fruit, meat and pastries to choose from. The coffee in Costa Rica is always delicious. Dinner was basic, we had empanadas, grilled fish, mixed veggies and bread. I had to ask for salt and pepper at every restaurant in Costa Rica, food isn't seasoned very well in my opinion. Eco Termales Fortuna (Beautiful volcanic hot springs) There are five volcanic hot springs fed pools that range in temp from 99 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Waterfall and freshwater pool adding to the ambiance. While the pools are manmade. Walking trails, bat and restaurant on location. Bathroom very clean with warm water for shower and dressing. They limit the number of visitors, so it's wasn't uncrowded. Tip: Read full review on Tripadvisor of other places we stopped. Or follow me on Google Reviews Danielle P read in detail of the hotels and businesses we encountered on this trip. Yelp only gives you so many words to type. read more

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We recently returned from the Gate 1 -11 Day Classic Egypt with 4 day Nile cruise- and it exceeded our expectations. We knew it would be an exhausting trip with many early morning wakeups and long days in order to cover the full breath of Egypt's antiquities. As a result, we were somewhat apprehensive at the beginning of the trip, however, Gate 1 and our guide, Nehal were fabulous. From the minute we arrived at Cairo airport to the time we left Cairo airport, Gate 1 was there to assist us (thanks to George). And in between, our guide, Nehal, with her knowledge of her country and its amazing history, brought every site to life. Our guide not only took us to sites but helped us to navigate the intricacies of her country. She was there to assist 24/7. Yes, we had minor glitches with some cellphone and Wi-Fi but that is not the reason we went to Egypt. Our accommodations (4 in all) met our expectations and the staff at each hotel and the cruise ship were wonderful. It truly was an amazing trip. Thank you Gate 1. read more

I have taken two trips with Gate 1 Travel - Germany, Switzerland & Austria in 2019 and last month my husband & I went to New Zealand. Both were so amazing! The itineraries they provide are excellent; I really like the balance of having free time to explore and group activities. Both trips the guides went above & beyond for everyone. They were so helpful, friendly and provided a great experience. They took care of the group so well! The hotels I have stayed at were nice, clean, in good locations and had really good food. I really enjoyed everything that we did and I don't think I could have seen as much as I would have planning something on my own. For the New Zealand trip, we had booked in 2019 and were supposed to go for our honeymoon in September 2020. It was canceled and they let us use the money we had paid as a credit. They gave us a few years to re-book which was really nice! We re-booked for an Oct 2022 trip, but our dates got changed. The customer service rep was on it though and made sure we were added to a different group right away plus made sure we got the flights we wanted. She checked in a few times before we left and I was really happy with that. I really appreciated all of the help they provided with cancellations and re-booking. For the price you pay and everything that is included, it is very worth it. I really like this company and will definitely travel with them again! read more

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My sister and I went on the 9 day Tokyo and Kyoto Japan independent vacation. I have been on 3 other Gate1 Travel escorted tours and 1 River Boat tour but we wanted the chance to do Japan on our own but didn't want to handle the logistics. So we booked through Gate 1 who arranged our airfare, hotels, transfers to hotels and back to the airport and our bullet train ride. The transfers were optional but well worth the cost to have Gate 1 arrange them. If doing the Japan Independent tour, definitely upgrade to the Plan A hotels. for just a reasonable upcharge, we were able to stay in 4-5 star hotels in wonderful locations in Tokyo and Kyoto. My sister, who had never traveled with Gate 1 before was extremely pleased with our accommodations. We booked 2 optional tours with Gate 1 who in Japan contracts them out to a reputable third party so we had many others on our bus who had booked through VIator, etc. The tours were okay - we went to Mt Fuji and saw it a little bit but the weather did not cooperate (not Gate 1's fault). We also had a half day Tokyo city tour which went to the Imperial palace, Tokyo Tower and Akasusa. While just okay, the best part was talking to the guide. We told her what we were going to go see on our own in the afternoon and she nixed our ideas and told us where to go instead (Nezu Shrine, Oenu Park) and ended up seeing things we never would have gone to. We also got a Suica card to use their subway and bus system and this card was amazing. We picked it up at the JR East office at the Tokyo airport and loaded yen on to it. We found out from a guide that you can even use it at many of their vending machines to buy water, drinks, etc and even at the Lawson's and 7-11 convenience stores. So if you are an independent traveler, but would rather have someone else take care of the basic logistics, you can't go wrong with Gate 1 Travel. read more

My husband and I recently traveled to Crete, Greece on the Gate 1 Taste of Crete trip. It was outstanding for many reason. First and foremost, our tour guide, Yianni, was amazing! Being a native he was so passionate and proud of heritage. He knew every detail of each and every tour that we took. He was accessible 24/7. He even arranged for us to have a private dinner at a friend's restaurant with childhood friends playing music for us and giving us dance lessons! Truly the best tour guide that we have ever had and we have traveled extensively. Secondly the staff at Galaxy Hotel in Heraklion were outstanding. Highly recommend this trip! Linda Knorr read more