Militsa, Gate 1 Greece tour guide & manager displayed a passion & enthusiasm of guiding clientele (Gate 1 family) through the Greek culture and all that it encompasses. Her well-rounded intellect is one the easy attributes to recognize off the bat. Needless to say, her sense of humor, & constant playfulness were fun to enjoy. She was a consummate professional circumnavigating the obstacles that occasionally arose and did a brilliant job keeping the "family" well appraised of upcoming coordinating instructions. read more

Not sure what has happened to Gate 1 Travel. We had 5 wonderful tour experiences with them in the past, but our tour in Australia last month had serious issues and the customer service response, both during the challenges and after the fact, has been abysmal. I am still fighting with insurance, bought through Gate 1, over the settlement for 1.5 days of lost itinerary due to 30+ hours of flight delays. no help at all from Gate 1. So disappointing. I strongly recommend choosing another tour company unless significant changes in customer service are implemented. read more

Recently returned from a Gate 1 " Moroccan Allure" tour ~ a 15 day, small group trip that was stellar in all ways. The trip was carefully curated to give us a wonderful overview of the country. We visited big and small cities, souks, medinas, and historic sites including Roman ruins! We drove through the Atlas Mountains, "glamped" in the Sahara, and before ending our trip in Casablanca, stayed in lovely town on the Atlantic Ocean ~Essuaouira ~ where our hotel rooms opened to the sea. Heaven. Food was great, including the fab cooking class in Marrakech, accommodations were diverse (dars, roads, kasbahs, etc.) and frequently enchanting, and our group was convivial. A small group can really make a difference. Best of all was our Tour Leader, Youssef Alfallah. Can't say enough about how pleasant, knowledgeable, kind and fun he was. He also possessed a great sense of humor. He remembered small details about all of us, and made each and every person on the tour feel special. He brought Morocco alive for us, and we truly fell in love with the people, culture, music, food and sites. We're already plotting our return!! read more

My Trip to Japan was cancelled on August 3rd. The same day I requested full refund. As of today, August 29th, I still did not get my money or response from Gate1. Their agent, Norman Grey, X1457 told me when I called that they do not have any record of my request. I do have confirmation of me emailing them the refund request on August 3rd. Beware of dishonest people at Gate1. Use ONLY credit card to pay for trips - never your bank account as I did. read more

I would not recommend this company . There are many others that I have heard of that are much more consumer concerned and friendly. I have been planning a bucket list trip for over two years to Isreal. Due to the pandemic it had to be postponed and when I tried to rebook it the borders were still closed in isreal. We decided to change and wait to go this March 2022, ultimately using our flexible change option . This was not our choice, but couldn't go because of the pandemic . Now there is the Russia and Ukraine crisis going on and we do not feel comfortable to go in less than 3 weeks overseas. You have to wait for hours to get a live person on the phone and when you finally do,they can't do or tell you anything ;only wrong information. They told me to call Arch insurance company because I took out insurance for the trip. I waited on hold with Arch for an hour only for them to tell me I have double protection "cancel for any reason" that I paid for through gate 1. GATE I WANTS TO PENALIZE ME to postpone FOR FUTURE CREDIT AND TAKE over $2,000 out of my money balance, even with my double layer insurance . This insurance is a scam. What in Gods name do I have double protection paid for over $450.00 This is big companies at work taking advantage of consumers during health and war crisis . It is disqusting and needs to be stopped. Buyer beware ! Look elsewhere. O and to talk to a supervisor ???? Good luck with that ! read more

The 9 Day Colonial Mexico was outstanding. This was a wonderful trip. The tour director Liliana Aceves was wonderful, she was very organized, knowledgeable of the places we visited and making long bus rides super fun. The tour exceeded our expectations. We definitely use Gate1 again. Ps: Mexico was super safe. read more

We.recently took a tour with Gate 1 to Greece. While we expected the rooms to be small ( they were ) at every restaurant they took us to the food was adequate at best. While the guide was excellent the schedule was very difficult. We felt rushed. Still, the worst was saved for last...visiting Santorini. The room they put us in had a bathroom overrun with SEWAGE!!! Our pillows were overrun with insects. We wrote them to complain and they responded with a letter that was rude and dismissive. We had taken 2 prior trips with them....NEVER AGAIN read more

I traveled with Gate 1 a few years ago and they were good. Just returned from Iceland and they have hit bottom. Initially, before this tour, I waited for 2 hours for customer service. Also, this company should not advertise the "Northern Lights" tour in September...rainy season. It rained every day and was cloudy at night. But they still promoted the tour, not included, to view the "Northern Lights." It all started on arrival, we had to wait in the lobby from 10 am to 3 pm to get our room. I did take the initiative, went to my room, and told the front desk it was ready and I got the key. The hotels are really motels. One motel had trailers far from the main house that required guests to carry their bags from the bus to our rooms. Since it was raining and windy, not very pleasant. I felt sorry for the elderly ladies! Baggage from the bus to the room was supposed to be included in the price of this tour! One hotel was average in the capital; however, the night crew did not know or didn't care to activate a "Wake-up Call." I almost missed my flight home. The door slamming next door was my wake-up call! The food included was so very bad, I ate my granola bars. One stop at a gas station was so small, by the time I got to the buffet, the food was gone. Another stop for lunch was at a tomato greenhouse. There were 5 buses at once and they gave us watery tomato soup and the tables were so close, I felt uncomfortable. The dinners included were also bad. Each time, I requested a menu and paid for the dinner. The only food that was decent, were the meals I paid for myself. Some Pit stops required a purchase to use the restroom. Tour manager, the guide that he was not, was in his 70s and should retire. I could not understand all his mumbling, boring stories about folklore and his family. In fact, the information he gave was often wrong and many guests had to correct him. He was so lazy, forgot to post his daily itinerary, and if he did, he was wrong. He didn't even tell us about the VAT form that we had to complete before we arrived at the airport. When walking to see some waterfall and glacier, he never looked back. Just kept going. He could care less for any of the passenger's safety. Also, left seating to the passengers. Too lazy to post a seating chart at the entrance to the bus; therefore, many guests took entire rows. I complained, but he did nothing. In fact, he took me aside and told me to stop complaining. Constantly gave wrong information and had to be corrected. Very forgetful. I think he likes staying at these substandard motels and eating horrible food. The bus driver was very rude and nasty the entire time. Pay Cheap, Get Cheap I will never travel with Gate 1. read more

Here, here- now here this: if 5 stars=default-I'll only recognize and settle for a 10 stars description of this tour to Morocco-land of my forefathers and of my birth and formal upgrading, Total professionals in scope -breadth and infused not only with guides and spice-but equipped with knowledge of country-cultures and a consortium of the many dynasties ie-the Native Berbers,the invaders, occupiers and lastly- liberators from French occupation Our guide a man with such Integrety warmth understanding knowledge of topography as well as history but, a father figure for safety, pleasing, and informing all - his name : monsieur -Hicham the Great for which I will erect a monument in his honor for making my childhood dream a reality never to fade but engraved Im memory and soul- G-d bless his soul for his tender voice and unpretentious demeanor Baruch HaShem read more

Gate 1 is a scam. They offer a discount if you pay using methods that are non-refundable such as ACH. They sell travel insurance literally called "cancel for any reason" and will find any reason not to honor it. Their hold times are more than 2 hours if you try to speak with them, and their website communication option does not work, unless you are booking and sending them a payment. The company is designed to intake money, and deliver as little as possible. After I had paid the flight was changed and would have taken much longer than originally planned and the rooms were continuously downgraded AFTER the payments were received. I tried to cancel before the 72 hour window several times but the more than 2 hour hold times and broken website made it impossible. Their company is designed to keep your money, and deliver as little as possible. read more

Please be extermely careful before you book with this company. They tell you in clear terms you can cancel for upto 60 days "worry free" and once you are paying they have hidden, after you click certain terms like "instant purchase" where they tell you all your money is instantly gone. Why say "cancel upto 60 days" without conditions on the cover and then hide within other clicks that you cannot get a penny back if you call in 2 days as well. We called to change our dates and were told there was no penalty to cancel from the airlines but a Gate 1 penalty of $200/person. We wanted to know why, as no Gate 1 penalty was ever mentioned - a rude rep told us that was it - take it or leave it. So we asked him to cancel and we would deal with the $200 per person penalty via Amex and the courts. These are taped conversations. Later we were told by a very rude Tracy - that we would loose 100% of our airline cost or $1240 and $400 for 2 persons would be as a credit to use this company, which we never would in the future. We asked for a transcript of the taped conversation and were told they would not provide it and that I did not cancel on that day. Why the transcipt of the taped conversation where a rep said there was no airline penalty would not be provided is a good guess as that is what he said and I asked him to cancel my reservation. So before you book with this company know that all your money could be gone once you give it to them. You are better off on your own. Read what Ben s. has written in his review this is what happens if you want to cancel or change - it is only one way - once you pay all your money is gone. This is a very scary company - for them to lie as to what was said on a taped conversation is scary - u can image what lengths they will go to. I am going to sue them for the taped conversation - but is it worth dealing with such a company. They do not have a place where you can put your reviews on their site only cut and paste of glorified reviews they want you to read. read more

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS HORRIBLE if you have any sort of problem during your trip. They will make excuses and do NOTHING about it, but give you excuses. There are multiple 'locations' listed for Gate1, so I'd suggest searching for them all and read the bad reviews. BEWARE! I booked a tour for a twin room, as my roommate was someone I met through a travel group and did not know well. We got to a hotel and went into the room with ONE BED. Unacceptable. The tour leader could not do anything about it. I ended up having to sleep on some pull-out with foam cushions(something that a 5 year old would get) that were all different sizes, when I paid for a real bed! I then contacted Gate1. They made excuses and stated that just because a twin room was requested, it wasn't guaranteed. WHAT??????? Yep! read more

We just returned from the gate1 6 night northern light tour - thank you Gate1 for another fabulous vacation. We can't rave enough about Gate1 and we love Iceland The Plaza hotel was centrally located and we were able to walk everywhere. We went to a different restaurant each night - each better than the rest and all were like eating at the culinary institute. Boga, our tour guide was marvelous and so committed to making sure we had a great time. We danced for joy when she was able to show us the northern lights - and what a tremendous show they were! We saw and learnt so much on the Golden Circle tour. We loved the Blue a Lagoon and on our free day we went horseback riding on the beautiful Iceland horses. What a great experience that was. Gate1 you did it again thanks for all! read more

I have taken two tours now with Gate1 to Iceland and Cuba. Both trips were great and especially the Cuba trip as they made all the paperwork and insurance stuff very easy which is a lot going to Cuba as it can get complicated. We first found Gate1 on a groupon and the prices are very competitive, both trips were well within our budget and best of all for places like Iceland you can mix and match so some our fellow tourists booked only parts of their package and then booked other activities on their own which is fine with Gate1 as they set it up to be able to do that. On both trips our tour guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. In Cuba we also had a local guide who was a wealth of information presented in a very balanced way without a political bent either way. Also in Cuba we had one person ending up in the hospital, he was an elderly gentleman who had health issues and our guide made all the arrangements including an English speaking nurse and bed for his wife. I get the feeling this company really finds great people and goes above and beyond for their customers while keeping expenses reasonable. read more

Avoid Gate1 Turkish Treasures tour unless you like days of interminable bus rides with 40 people in a bus, eating many lunches at highway rest stops and eating all included meals in hotels (there are only two dinners on your own). Other Gate 1 tours I have been on were very good and the included meals were all at local restaurants so you could experience more of the country you were visiting rather than just eating hotel buffet food. The one lunch with a local family required a lengthy bus ride out of the way and had small groups with no translator present eating in someone's home. The opportunity for any kind of interchange was lost without a translator. A trip with either train or plane transfers between cities - as was done on their China and South America trip - would be a much better tour to take in Turkey. Gate 1 Turkish Treasures was horrible. read more

Amazing India trip!! This is our fourth trip with Gate 1 (Ireland 2013, China & Croatia in 2014 and now India 2015). We also have already booked Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Each trip has been different and amazing in its own way, but each was punctuated by one thing: Fantastic guides. This trip to India was made so much better by having Anurag as our guide. His knowledge seemed endless and his sense of humor kept our group in the best of spirits (even at ungodly hours!!). We have rarely met someone who knew the answer to EVERY question raised! Based on this trip and Anurag's tireless ability to share with us, we would highly recommend this tour to friends. That being said, we must also applaud our guide in Croatia and Slovenia, Jasmina . She, too, had a wealth of knowledge and good cheer to spread among the group. Our travels down the Istrian Peninsula (and back), along the Dalmation Coast, through Montenegro and then back up into Slovenia required some very long hours. Jasmina's continued good cheer, amazing smile and incredible patience were to be lauded. Her rule that anyone late for the bus had to sing for the group made us move like a well-oiled machine! At the end of the day when we were all collapsing, she was still going strong preparing us for the next!! Amazing! Not to be overlooked, our guide in China, Stone, was also a gift to be cherished. He made us all feel like a part of "Stone's Family" (or as we called ourselves Sly and the Family Stone). His knowledge of Chinese history, lore and culture made this a trip to remember. Climbing the Great Wall, Stone kept us all moving, learning and laughing. This is where we learned the motto: Gate 1: More for less. Sleep! An amazing guide through an amazing country. read more

4 stars plus What a wonderful trip to Europe. Had an amazing guide, Daniel, who was so knowledgeable and kind. The trip was well organized and optional tours were good. The services were handled professionally and it was everything that I expected. Loved the Danube cruise, especially the food. Will look again to Gate 1 for future travels. read more

I've been meaning to write this review. We traveled to Barcelona & Paris with Gate 1 Travel last January. We took an independent tour and we were amazed at how ingenious Gate 1 is in selecting hotels that are in the center of town and that are walking distance to many tourist attractions. Both hotels were literally across the street from the metro and buses which obviously made our traveling and sightseeing super easy. The hotel package also included breakfast and wow what an assortment of delicious food. I'm currently working on another trip with Gate 1 and I'm sure that it will be just as memorable! Amazing organization and no unpleasant surprises! I still can't believe that I took the pics that I've attached...THANK YOU GATE 1 TRAVEL FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE!!! read more

Gate1 - The lovely Eiffel Tower - Tours Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Used gate 1 for China , very disappointed! Once the money was paid , couldn't get hold of the lady that booked me. Found out other travelers using travel agents got a better price than me who had booked with the Gate 1 representative. The China visit consisted of many stores that gate 1 benefited from your purchases . This took away from a lot of sight seeing because half the day was driving to/ shopping/ driving from the stores they get a profit form . Felt ripped off , I used them for Peru and had a far better experience. Check other travel sites and compare before depositing your money , once you give your money , you are abandoned!!! read more

Gate 1 Cambodia & Vietnam in Early Oct 2014. We recently returned from another successful trip with Gate 1. The hotels, food and tour guides were exceptional! We love Gate 1's itinerary and they're great in providing us with all necessary information. We visited the touristy sites as well as local places and were able to observe how the locals lived. The two local tour guides in Cambodia were very knowledgeable and both spoke English well. The tour manager, Tho, joined us in Cambodia and escorted us to Vietnam where he took care of everything. We were definitely pampered. Be sure to follow Tho's great advice for bargaining, taxis, restaurants, etc. Bring fairly new (no markings, rips/tears, not wrinkled) US bills of $1, $5, $10 and $20. Nothing larger than $20. Load up on US $1 bills because almost everything is US $1 they definitely come in handy for tips. Bring tissue and sanitizer because some of the local bathrooms are not exactly "modern", but will have the Western style toilet. We were able to use our credit cards in the hotel and at some modern restaurants. Before dining or making any purchases, check if the venue accepts credit cards or USD if that's all you have. Some places in Vietnam only accept local currency. We did not exchange to local currency in Cambodia since small US bills were widely accepted, even in the villages which we stopped at on the drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. We also did not exchange to local currency in Vietnam. Plenty of places accepted USD. Note: Vietnam ATM's only give out local currency (Dong). All hotels' breakfast buffets were very good and had wide selections ranging from hot to cold foods. Mosquitoes are in both Cambodia and Vietnam (especially in Hoi An). Luckily, we were prepared with mosquito repellent clothing & natural repellent oil. We were able to enjoy our trip with no bites while some people in our group got bitten a few times. We signed up for all the excursions and are glad we did. They were all very informative and educational because we had the best tour guide. Next trip is definitely with Gate 1. read more

I just returned from a trip to Iceland and I can't wait go back! This was my second trip with Gate1 (Ireland 2013). Once again they provided me with wonderful accommodations and a great guide. To begin the hotel was in the city center, close to all the shops and restaurants. It was clean and perfectly suited our needs. The planned activities were amazing! We saw waterfalls, volcanos and glaciers. The northern lights were the highlight of the trip and s once in a lifetime opportunity. I cannot say enought amazing things about Iceland and Gate1. I'm so happy with my experience I've already booked another trip ro Longon in the fall! read more

Just returned from an 8-day Classic Greece tour with Gate 1. One of my friends from college had recommended the site to me and I was always reluctant to take escorted tours. This was such an amazing eye-opening experience to be traveling through a country with such knowledgeable and friendly Gate 1 staff throughout our trip. Our tour guide, Yiannis, was just perfect. His passion for what he does truly comes through and I learned so much about Greek history as a bonus. The sightseeing and the hotels were fabulous. Thank you, Gate 1, for such a memorable vacation. Already planning our next trip and I would definitely recommend the site to anyone I know. read more

I just returned from the 5-day Machu Picchu Tour Group with my boyfriend; we had a fantastic time! This was my second trip with Gate 1. I also went on the 8-day trip to South Africa back in November 2014. The trip to Peru was a bit more guided, but in this case we liked that being that we were only there for a few days. Our tour guides, Raul and Marcial did a wonderful job at keeping us on schedule and moving us to place to place in order to be able to explore as much as possible in a short amount of time. I also really liked that the tour guides were always readily available to offer us information about the area, even when we at leisure days. I would recommend Gate 1 Travel to everyone, especially this particular trip!!! read more

I just returned from a 10 day trip to Costa Rica (Tortuguero, Arenal, Monteverde). It was incredible! I went on the tour by myself and met some really fantastic people. Our tour guide, Manfred, was excellent. His knowledge of the wildlife, history, and culture of Costa Rica was so broad and I feel like I learned so much while having tons of fun! He was also very considerate of all of us and check in on the bus rides to make sure everyone was okay, and always had answers to any of our obscure questions. It's a truly unique experience to get so close to all of the wildlife there. I also really enjoyed visiting a local rural school through the Gate1 Foundation and interacting with the students and teachers there; it was a great, feel-good afternoon. Costa Rica is a beautiful country, and going with Gate1 gave me an experience that most people do not get going by themselves. Pura vida! read more

Just returned from a Gate1 Italy tour and I can't say enough good things. Our tour guide Riccardo was kind, sweet and funny. The food was amazing no matter where we went. Our hotels were all in great locations. Our local guides were passionate about the history of their city. I will look forward to future trips with Gate1. read more

Gate1 - Tours Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Just returned from traveling to Thailand with Gate1. This was a fantastic trip! Nu made sure we had a great experience. Would definitely recommend this trip. We loved visiting the Thai family in their beautiful teak wood home. Can't wait to book the next trip with Gate1. read more

I have taken 2 trips with Gate 1 and have a great experience both times. The prices were great to Costa Rica and unbelievable to China. In October 2014, my husband and I went on the 10 Day Classic Costa Rica with Tortuguerro and loved it. We saw many different areas of the country and lots of wild life along the way. Everything was taken care of for us (escorted trip so bags dropped off at our room door, full days of activities) and we were able to relax and enjoy. In February 2015 we went on the 10 Day Beijing-Shanghai and had another great experience with Gate 1. This trip was an independent trip so there were no set activities but we had the option to add tours, which we did. The tours were a great value and really allowed us to make the most of our time. The tour guide we had in Beijing, Annie, was amazing. She explained what we were seeing and on longer drives would give us a sense of Chinese day to day life. Additionally, she helped us figure out the best ways to explore the city in the times we were off tour (including giving us maps and writing the Chinese words for where we were going to we could ask for help along the way). This trip was the least expensive I have seen for comparable trips and was an amazing value. I am a vegetarian and notified Gate 1 of this before both trips and they accommodated me wonderfully. I would absolutely travel with them again. read more

Just got back from a Gate 1 tour of Vietnam. It was a great time, loved the people, countryside, cities and the FOOD. Silk prices were fantastic. One word of advice...when you see something you like buy it, it may not be available at the next town. For the first time ever the clients were on time for each stage of the tour. The guide (Tuyen) had emphasized the importance of punctuality and everyone listened! We got there a day early and a Gate 1 rep met us at the airport and transported us to our hotel. This was the low point for a couple of reasons. One, the hotel was older and a little tawdry, it was also located on a street where public transportation was being constructed. Noisy. Two, I fell ill on the journey over and upon arrival at the hotel my husband had to contact Gate 1 for medical assistance. The low point was becoming ill the high point was the concern of the Gate 1 employee. I was taken to a International Clinic and treated thoroughly and well by the staff. Luckily it was nothing serious and after a day and a half of rest I was up and running. The tours were all interesting and the local people we encountered along the way friendly. Tuyen had warned us about pickpocket scams and we were prepared for their shenanigans when we encountered them. There were 4 birthdays celebrated on this trip and everyone of us was singled out by Gate 1 and the hotels with flowers and a cake. Very nice touch. Again our traveling companions were some of the best and we've again made friends that will add to our travel destinations this summer. There were a few folks on the tour who were rude and hogged seats, this caused a ruckus on the bus one day but Tuyen handled the situation. Whenever we start a tour we look around at our companions and wonder how it's going to go....every time we find new friends. One of the joys of traveling. read more

10 day tour of Greece. Santorini, Mykonos & Athens. First, sorry Gate 1 about the low score. The tour people and hotels were actually good. The reason for the low score is that on my first night of the trip I had a very bad experience. We were in Santorini (Absolutely gorgeous place !) Nothing was on the agenda for the first night, so I buddied up with another woman travelling alone and were so excited about being in Greece we decided to go out for drinks and see some of the town. Well, long story short one of the locals that befriended us put something in my drink. I remember feeling drunk and then the next thing I knew I was waking up the next morning in some kind of dormitory across town. Apparently after the drug had started taking effect, he became systematically rude and mean to my fellow traveler, basically intimidating her until he coerced her to leave. She told me felt really badly about the whole thing and had gone back looking for me but it had been too late. While I was passed out I was abducted and taken to the other side of the Island where God only knows what they did to me. They were careful enough to not leave bruises or any signs of abuse. Even at the time, I did not have the impression that I was raped, as I believe there would be physical signs of that. But clearly, I was abducted for a nefarious purpose, probably to be used as a play thing for a large group of young males. I was abruptly dumped off on the steps of my hotel the following morning barely able to find my room because I was sick to my stomach from the drug I had been given. I could not eat the whole next day and into the night in my room not able to leave even for meals. This took place in either 2008 & 2009. I never reported this to the authorities. I think I wanted to forget that it even happened. It took me 6 months to finally tell a fiend about it and am finally writing about it now because I realize he had clearly done it before and likely would again. He had the cooperation of the bartender as well. I just felt I should post this to warn other female travelers. Maybe he has already been caught. I am very sure I would be able to identify him. read more

Gate1 Problem - Rip-off We booked Gate1's "14 Day Berlin, Dresden, Prague, Vienna & Budapest by Rail" and because we changed the number of days, Gate1 removed the train tickets for between the cities without telling us or changing the price. We then had to spend a good deal of time booking train tickets and an extra $400 or so. More detail. If you go to https://www.gate1travel.com/europe/central-europe, you can go through the booking process and see the part that happens on the web site, without giving any personal info or actually booking it. You will see "... by Rail" 3 times in the biggest text size on the page. At the bottom of the third page you see each city with the number of nights in change boxes. You can easily change these numbers. There is no warning that if you do change any of these numbers, Gate1 will take away the rail, but that is what happens if you do, even if adding a day at the end after all of the rail travel is done! After you make any night changes, you can change hotels and add day tours. Then it shows you the flights information and the hotels. It doesn't say that Gate1 removed the rail travel. Nowhere did it say Gate1 was removing it. Since you have seen "by Rail" over and over again, you have no reason to believe that the rail travel has been taken away. Months later when we go to pay the final amount, we get emailed flight vouchers and hotel info but nothing about the rail travel. I call to find out how we get the train tickets and that is when Gate1 says they took away the rail travel. I speak to a supervisor. I ask to cancel but he says Gate1 will keep $2000. He offers to book the trains for us for $800. He admits that the web site is bad, but in the typical evasive way. He refuses to make this right or take our case to his bosses. We book the trains ourselves for $400. This is especially galling because they made changes for us without problem on a previous trip. They said there is a difference between trips with a guide, and un-guided trips, but I couldn't find any mention of that on their web site. This Gate1 tactic may/should be illegal, but what are you gonna do? If you use Gate1, I recommend that you immediately call and verify everything you think you will get, maybe do this 2 or 3 times just to be sure. I give 2 stars instead of 1 (can't give 0) because it is still a good price, assuming there are not more traps to come when we actually take the trip. We will definitely be looking at other travel companies. read more

Me and my family just returned to our home of NYC after our GATE 1 trip to Italy. We traveled all the way from Venice to the Amalfi region with so many stops along the way to major cities and historical sites (Venice, Rome, Florence, Assisi, Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri - Amalfi region) it was absolutely magical. The itinerary was the best I found for Italy! It was my first time to Italy, and it was my dream trip to travel there with my family. Our tour manager Susana Bardo was an absolute dream, she took excellent care of not just my family but everyone on our tour group. She was charming, generous with tips and information, and full of passion for her country, and was a big part of why our trip was perfection. Many of our local guides were amazing as well. My favorite local guide was Ricardo who took us around Florence and was so knowledgeable about everything you would have thought he was an art historian. It was our first time traveling with Gate 1, and it will not be our last. Gate 1 travel got us into some of Italy's most famous and busiest attractions effortlessly, while we saw lines of people waiting for hours to get into museums and historical sites. We were VIP at so many of the sites and most often the first group to be let into them. I feel like we saw more of the country then we would ever be able to on our own. If you are doing a guided tour be prepared to walk a lot (I averaged about 16,000 steps per day on my iphone) and have an packed schedule full of events. This is not a downside, we were able to see so much because of the schedule. But for people who would like a more leisurely pace I would suggest not selecting a guided tour. The hotels were all very nice, clean, and provided a great breakfast - with the exception of our first hotel in Venice, Grand Hotel Principe Venice. The rooms there were very tiny, dated, with paper thin walls so you could hear everything in the hallway, and the porters were very rude to many of the guests unfortunately. I would suggest to GATE 1 that they select another hotel for the Venice leg. All in all we loved every moment of our trip, we made memories that we will cherish forever, and I highly recommend them. Thank you Gate 1 and to our tour manager Susana! read more

Went to Morocco with Gate 1 their tour guide Leila was phenomenal. Had an amazing experience. They helped organize my trip to capture the full essence of Moroccan culture. read more

This is our second trip with gate 1 travel! We did the 9-day France tour and it was such an amazing trip!!!! Gate 1 travel did a good job again in providing a comprehensive and educational tour. Everybody was wonderful from the tour director, driver and the local guides! We are excited for our third trip with them coming August 2015. Kudos!!!! Gate 1 Travel !!!! read more

Just returned from China with Gate 1, had a wonderful time Aw-wan our travel manager was great knowledgeable and kind. China is amazing! We are booking another tour next time maybe Peru. Beverly B read more

We just returned from a wonderful vacation in Costa del Sol! For under $1,000.00 each it included air fare, hotel, breakfast and then we added two great tours! Each feature was quality and we were amazed at how beautiful our destination was. The weather was great too! We highly recommend this trip!!! read more

So I just want to start off by saying.... if i could give zero stars, i definitely would! DON'T EVER BOOK ANY GATE 1 TRAVEL DEALS ON GROUPON. There's always a reason why these deals are so cheap, you get what you pay for. In july, I came across an awesome deal for 7 days/5 nights in Dubai. As a world travel connoisseur, you can imagine I was quite intrigued and eager to book the trip. I purchased the Groupon deal and called Gate 1 to redeem my vouchers. The guy who helped book my trip told me that I wouldn't get direct flights with this package, I wasn't happy about it, but figured I had to make some kind of sacrifice for price. He then went on to tell me that my layovers in between flights would be at most 1-2 hrs each way, I began to think, OK this won't be too bad. Well...what happened next was not what I expected. I received emails from Gate 1 about schedule changes and didn't notice them until months later, I thought they may have just been errors or a glitch in their system. Being as the person I booked the trip with didn't mention any of this and this was my first time booking with this company. Now, here I am a few days away from traveling, I printed out my travel documents and to my surprise. ..I have an 8 hr layover in between my flights going to Dubai. I'm set to leave NY at 1025am on Tuesday and won't arrive in Dubai until 640pm on Wednesday, that's a day and a half of being in an airport and on a plane..this is CRAZY! !!! I immediately, called the travel agency (Gate 1), they told me they sent me 9 emails about schedule changes and the 9th one I "approved". First of all, I don't recall them sending that many emails. If I received 3, that was a lot. Secondly, I would have NEVER approved an 8hr layover. Seriously, who would??? So at this point Trish the travel agent told me there's nothing they can do, my flights are non-refundable, so if I change my flight, that's more money out of my pocket. UNBELIEVABLE! I told her, that's great, because at this point, I would NEVER use this company to book any future travel arrangements, nor would I EVER use Groupon to purchase a vacation. Vacationers beware!!! If it sounds to good to be true, that's because it is. read more