Highly recommend!…read more Gaia Tours planned our trip to Peru for our honeymoon! This was a very important trip for us and we didn't want to leave anything to chance. There's a lot of details and moving parts to consider when travelling internationally, and Philip took care of EVERYTHING. Domestic flights, hotels, meals, drivers picking us up at every spot, we literally had nothing to worry about. This was such a good choice to ensure the trip went smoothly. Thanks Philip!!!

Working with Alex and Michael is a great time. Not only are they extraordinary photographers with…read moreso much to teach from their extensive experience and storytelling skills, but they are truly fun to be around. They have so many nifty travel and photo tips to offer, it's really an invaluable experience you will never forget. Can't wait to work with them again!

UPDATE: A day after I wrote to the Conservancy regarding them canceling my scheduled tour without…read morenotice, one of their staff reached out to me and expressed their apologies without making any excuses. They have also said they are going to mail me a refund and other travel-related expenses. I wasn't expecting that but it was nonetheless a thoughtful gesture to correct a wrong. All businesses go through ups and downs and in this case, I am glad to see that this business is willing to admit its mistake and to try to make amends to a disgruntled customer. That is what great customer service should be about. I definitely felt less upset with my experience.

I recently gathered a small group for a private walking tour led by a docent with the Santa Monica…read moreConservancy. We were lucky enough to have Thomasine "Tomi" Rogas as our guide for the 2.5 hours. She shared so much history, architecture and background on key players in Santa Monica's founding. Her stories and photos really helped paint a picture of Santa Monica in the early days. Tomi's depth of knowledge and passion for the area's history really shone through. Great experience!

Nice wedding venue but it's a completely blank slate so expect a lot of overhead cost to bring…read moreeverything in as rentals Music cut off time is ten pm Ceremony and cocktail hour area is very cute

I attended the Rose Day event 2026. It was a beautiful day with free rose, cocktails and mocktails…read moreall day (with the price of admission). The parking lot is very dusty, but once inside the venue there was grass and compacted dirt. We weren't allowed to bring chairs, so we brought blankets to lay out on the grass, and it was life saver. I would go back next year.

I think this tour would be the best trip to take around Hollywood when you first get to town,…read morethough I've been here a while, and I still found it really fun and informative. They showed me so many places that I want to go back and visit. Maybe see a show, or have a drink or meal at the same place where the greats once dined. I was surprised to learn that some of my favorite bands came up in some of the most unexpected spots. It is definitely the best tour for music lovers. But a good tour all around.

If you want prompt customer service, then Paula is your person! She responded to my questions while…read moreshe was on her own vacation, now that's service. I traveled with a group of 16 people and she was helpful from beginning to end. Even when there was a little hiccup, she figured it out and followed up. We are looking forward to booking future trips with Paula.

We just got back from a wonderful 14 day princess cruise that Paula planned for us to the Baltic's…read more It was the smoothest, most hassle free trip we've taken so far.Paula makes sure we are up to date with the ocean ready items such as our ship room luggage tags ,medallions and any out of country new visa programs, for example ETA in the UK that started in January this year. She double checks with us on everything before our trip to ensure we are stress free. Paula always adds special things to our trip like chocolate covered straw berries in our state room when we arrive. Paula ends our trip back home with a delightful welcome home card in the mail. Wish I could rate her more than just 5*

This is a review of our experiences with Sammy Cowell who provided us with a private birding…read moreexperience in central California in October 1-10, 2025. Myself, my wife and another couple of birding friends wanted to schedule a private birding trip of 10 days in central California. We were matched up with Sammy through American Birding Guides to arrange and lead the trip. We decided on a hybrid model where, for a fixed fee, Sammy arranged the itinerary, rented a Chevy Tahoe SUV to carry the 4 of us and did all the driving. He also suggested hotels for all of us at the various stops on the tour which I reserved and paid for. He also suggested restaurants for all meals for all of us for the entire trip which I also paid for. Sammy was an amazing birding guide and planned a fantastic itinerary starting in Sacramento, then birding west to the coast at Bodega Bay and Marin Headlands into San Francisco and then east to the Lake Tahoe area for the high-altitude specialties. The choice of birding sites was comprehensive and well planned to see as many bird species as possible and especially all the endemic ones for the areas. Sammy is an amazing birder- he can recognize and find all the bird species we targeted and many more as a very reasonable pace for our upper 70s age group. He demonstrated many techniques to find birds and make them viewable and especially photographable for us which was a goal. He had a spotting scope with him on all hikes and could get birds in the scope very quickly as well as photograph them and provided us with copies after the tour of many amazing shots he had taken along the way. And especially he was great to work with the whole way. He modified things as necessary to maximize our experience and became a good friend during the trip. In summary, our group has birded throughout the USA and the world independently and with guided bird tours in Central America, South America, Europe, Africa and India over the years with Naturalist Journeys, Eagle-Eye Tours and others. Our experience with Sammy in terms of pace, itinerary, birding skills and sightings, personality and company were outstanding. I would certainly give him a 5 STAR rating and rank the experience with Sammy among the top 10% or better of all our trips over the years. We would certainly arrange another birding trip with him if possible.

The Palm Garden Hotel is a genuinely beautiful property, and whoever designed and renovated this…read morespace deserves so much credit. From the gorgeous entrance and photo-worthy plant wall in the lobby to the landscaping, fountains, gazebo, pool, jacuzzi and beautifully designed bathrooms, it feels much more elevated than a typical outdoor-entry hotel. We even happened to be at the pool until closing and watched the staff carefully reset the entire area -- lining up every chair, replenishing towels and preparing everything for the next morning. That level of care really shows. Unfortunately, the front-desk experience was the biggest disappointment of our stay. Andrus, who was there on our checkout day, was wonderful -- warm, helpful and genuinely welcoming. There was also a gentleman working our first evening who was very accommodating, although I unfortunately didn't get his name. Several of the women we encountered at the front desk were the complete opposite. This wasn't one bad interaction. The overall demeanor repeatedly felt dismissive and unwelcoming -- little acknowledgment, avoiding eye contact, curt responses, and a general feeling that asking for assistance was an inconvenience. I actually caught myself smiling more, speaking extra nicely and trying harder to create a pleasant interaction, which is backwards. Guests shouldn't feel like they have to make the front desk comfortable enough to approach. There were times I hesitated to ask for something simply because I didn't want another uncomfortable interaction. One example was requesting additional towels and room items. We were abruptly told to come get them ourselves. The issue wasn't having to walk downstairs; it was how the interaction was handled. Hospitality doesn't mean saying yes to everything. A simple, kind explanation goes a long way. We also encountered ants in our room, which was disappointing considering the price and otherwise beautiful condition of the property. My other concern is the advertised "breakfast included" benefit. Breakfast is actually provided at a nearby independently operated restaurant across the parking areas. Guests receive a dine-in-only voucher with a limited selection of meals; coffee is included, but other beverages cost extra. I want to be VERY clear: the restaurant is not the problem. We met the owners, and they were incredibly kind and welcoming. I actually think this partnership is an asset to the hotel and should be strengthened, not changed. The hotel simply needs to communicate the arrangement more clearly. "Breakfast included" can reasonably make guests think breakfast is available on-site. Knowing beforehand that it's at a separate restaurant, dine-in only and has a specific voucher menu would set appropriate expectations. There is also an accessibility concern. We met an elderly long-term guest staying at the hotel alone on crutches. We helped her with the elevator several times, and later saw that she had made the entire trip across to the restaurant on her crutches just to access her included breakfast. The restaurant staff were wonderful about helping her once she arrived, but watching her make that journey really highlighted how difficult this setup could be for someone with limited mobility. Even we sometimes drove rather than walk across the parking areas in the heat. I wouldn't eliminate the restaurant partnership -- I'd build on it. The restaurant hosts karaoke, comedy shows and other events, which we only learned about by talking with the owners. There had been a comedy show during our stay that we absolutely would have attended had we known! Sharing their event calendar at check-in, in the rooms, through a QR code or alongside the breakfast voucher would give hotel guests more to do while also supporting a neighboring local business. That's a win for everyone. Overall, I really did love this property. The design, renovation and grounds are fantastic, which is exactly why the shortcomings stood out so much. The physical property sets a high expectation, and the hospitality should match it. Improve the consistency at the front desk, address the ant issue, clearly explain the breakfast arrangement and accessibility options, and promote the restaurant partnership rather than simply using it for vouchers -- and this place could truly be exceptional. And again, a special thank-you to Andrus for ending our stay with exactly the kind of customer service this beautiful property deserves.

Stayed at this hotel for a Baseball tournament and was def…read morefamily appropriate. Rooms are a bit small however we didn't spend much time in the rooms. Spent most time at the huge pool which was the highlight for the kids and on the baseball fields. Rooms were clean and not too dated. Parking is close to most rooms. Hotel staff was exceptional. We just wished they left the pool open longer since it's very much a family atmosphere Breakfast included at local (walking distance) restaurants but selections were limited. Also next to grocery store and many shops.