Purchased transfers from Galveston Express to get us from Houston Hobby airport to Galveston in…read moreadvance of a cruise the next day. Selected a pick up time (7:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m.) that would work for our flight. Flight arrived on time. Got a call from driver confirming our arrival and ability to meet at pickup spot on time. Got our bags and was at the pickup location before 7:00. No van. Called, was told the driver had left already, next van would "probably" arrive in 45 minutes to an hour. Later learned from next driver that THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME with "Gabe" (a supervisor?). On our way back, decided we wouldn't take a chance on Galveston Express, even though we'd paid, and took a Lyft back to the airport. Five minutes before we would have been picked up, however, we got a call AGAIN confirming that we would be off the ship in time. I'm certain he would have left us at the pickup spot again! This is a crummy way to treat your customers. I'm very sorry I didn't look at the Yelp reviews for this dishonest business. Advice to any of you taking a cruise out of Galveston -- get an Uber or Lyft! It's likely to be less expensive then this junky outfit, and the drivers are eager to please and plentiful.

Let me save you the headache. Here are all the reasons NOT to use Galveston Express…read more We used Galveston Express for transportation from the Galveston cruise port to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), and the entire experience was frustrating, misleading, and poorly communicated from start to finish. 1. The cancellation policy is misleading and feels predatory. When booking, the website pushes "travel insurance" for an extra 15% of your total cost. What is not clearly communicated is that if you do not buy this add-on, you essentially have zero flexibility, even less than 24 hours later, even if you are willing to pay a cancellation fee. We tried to cancel the morning of pickup due to extreme cold and wind while traveling with kids. Customer service told us flat out that because we did not purchase the insurance, we had no option to cancel, no option to reschedule, and no option to pay a partial fee. The only choice was to lose the full amount. This was incredibly disappointing. The way this is presented during booking makes it feel like optional "insurance," when in reality it functions more like a required fee if you want any basic consumer flexibility at all. We were treated as if we made a mistake, rather than being met with any empathy or reasonable accommodation. 2. No transparency about the type of transportation or multiple airport stops. Nowhere in the booking process did it clearly disclose that we would be placed on a large bus that makes multiple airport stops. We were under the impression this would be a more direct shuttle. Because of this: * The bus left late due to loading many passengers * We went to two airports, not just one * Our airport was the second stop, turning what should have been about a 1 hour and 15 minute drive into well over two hours This significantly impacted our day and travel timeline. If this had been clearly disclosed upfront, we could have made a more informed decision. 3. Uncomfortable ride and poor overall experience To make matters worse, the bus had no working AC, and we were packed into a stuffy vehicle full of people. The driver himself acknowledged the AC issue. While the driver was kind and professional, he was the only positive part of the entire experience. 4. Zero customer care or willingness to help Customer service was rigid, unhelpful, and dismissive. There was no attempt to offer alternatives, partial credit, flexibility, or even basic understanding. The response was essentially, "You didn't buy the insurance, so too bad." That's not how you treat paying customers, especially families traveling after a cruise. Final Thoughts Between the misleading cancellation policy, the lack of transparency about the multi-stop bus route, the extended travel time, and the uncomfortable conditions, this service completely disrupted our day and added unnecessary stress at the end of a vacation. I would strongly recommend not using Galveston Express, especially if: * You are traveling with kids * You need any flexibility * You have time-sensitive flights * You expect honest, transparent communication about what you are actually booking There are better, more transparent transportation options out there. This company prioritizes rigid policy over customer experience, and it shows.

Location: As good as hotels get in Galveston. It's on the beach, with only the road in between. The…read moreroad along the beach in Galveston can be noisy; our only real complaint about the location is being woken by an emergency siren and a revving engine late at night. Only the suites described as "ocean-facing" actually look directly out at the ocean. Seagulls and pelicans glide by only feet away from your balcony. Most of the rooms are sideways to beach and are called "ocean-view," but they appear to have really decent views that I would have been happy with, and I think every room has a balcony. We called the hotel before booking, and they were very helpful in ensuring we booked the kind of room we wanted. Another guest was at the front desk at one point complaining about her lack of view, so if you are particular, be extra careful when booking your room. All parking is in the parking garage next to the hotel. We actually preferred this because it meant our car was always parked in the shade (so much cooler!). The distance you walk from the garage to the hotel is honestly not farther than what you walk in a large parking lot, say a Walmart. However, note that the parking garage does not have an elevator. There is a lane for 10-minute parking in front of the hotel where you can pull your car up to load and unload, but be aware that guests frequently block the wrong lane or both lanes, so you could possibly be stuck for a few minutes while other guests unload. Cleanliness: Upon entering the lobby, it was immediately clear that they keep this hotel quite clean. I relaxed instantly (initially not sure if I'd chosen a good hotel for vacation). One previous guest in a review suspected bedbugs (it only takes one infected guest to spread them wide and far), so we checked the room before settling in. No bugs. There were still a couple small signs of previous occupation, but nothing outrageous, so maybe 3.5/5 on hotel room cleanliness. Amenities: The amenities were the excellent amenities we expect from a Holiday Inn. Outdoor pool facing the beach, gathering places with board games, extremely tasty lemon water and coffee available at all times, complimentary toiletries if needed, iron, hair dryer, Keurig. I liked the built in suitcase stand and coat hanger pegs in the bedroom. My husband and I both found the beds hard (we each took a queen, as we don't typically sleep well in the same hotel bed). I *might* not stay here again because of the beds, but that's a personal preference you don't know until you try. We also had issues with our A/C rattling at times; I would not have been able to sleep without earplugs in. Breakfast was outstanding, with just about any traditional breakfast food you could want (cereal, pancakes, oatmeal, eggs, GREAT sausage links, pastries, bagels, yogurt, fruit, etc.). Our one huge complaint for this hotel is that the two elevators are woefully inadequate to service the entire hotel. You will spend five minutes waiting for the elevator every time. A real pain. There are stairs, but it was a lot of stairs up to our room on the 6th floor, and stairs are a trial when you are wearing your flip flops for the beach. Staff: I'm between 3 and 4 stars on this hotel, but the amazing staff bumps it up to 4. They were extremely polite, helpful, and friendly, both the folks at the front desk (we interacted with them several times) and the hard-working breakfast room attendants. Other hotels' staff could take lessons from these folks. So to summarize: Great Holiday Inn on the beach with a parking garage for your car, excellent breakfast, excellent staff, hard beds, double check to be sure you book a room with a view you will be happy with (I'd call them), and you will spend a lot of time waiting around for the elevator.

I had a very disappointing experience with Holiday Inn Express & Suites Galveston Beach by IHG…read more On Thursday, July 9, we contacted the hotel to make a reservation for a stay from July 11 to July 12. The representative we spoke with had difficulty understanding me and transferred the call to another line without explaining the purpose. We never received a clear confirmation that a reservation had been successfully completed, so we did not travel to the hotel because we were unsure whether a booking had actually been made. Despite never checking in or staying at the property, my father was charged $501.45 on Sunday, July 12. I immediately contacted the hotel and was told a refund would be processed, but nothing was done. Then on July 14, an additional $100 charge was applied, followed by another $10 charge on July 15, allegedly due to an overnight stay. This is completely false--no one from our family ever checked in or stayed at the hotel. Since then, I have made multiple attempts to resolve this issue by phone. Most of the time I was placed on hold for long periods, and I was repeatedly told I would receive a callback within 48 hours. Those callbacks never happened. We have also continued trying to call, but now the phone is answered by an automated system/robot that only states we will receive a message to contact them, yet nothing has been done and no one has followed up. As of Friday, August 1, we still have not received any updates, communication, or refund, despite being told multiple times that the issue would be addressed. This has been an extremely frustrating experience. The lack of communication, unexplained charges, and failure to resolve the issue have been unacceptable. I would not recommend this hotel based on my experience.

During the past 3 years, Marchi Travel Services has helped us on with three separate trips. The…read morefirst trip was a seven-day cruise to Honduras, Belize and Cozumel. This was our first cruise and Marchi provided us advice on all aspects of booking the cruise, including the factors to consider when selecting a cabin location, the arrangements we needed to make in advance, etc. The trip was completely seamless. The second trip was a two-week trip to Ireland and Italy. Our requests for this trip were extremely complex, since we wanted to pick up our son who was studying abroad in Ireland, travel to Florence Italy, and then come back and spend the last five days in Ireland. This trip involved several connecting flights in several different countries. We also wanted hotels that had fitness rooms, which is less common in Italy and Ireland. Due to our travel agent's extensive knowledge of Europe, we were able stay in one of the most beautiful, elegant, oldest, and most charming hotels in Florence. We were actually sad to leave that amazing hotel. The hotel had also upgraded us upon arrival at no cost. Our trip to Europe would not have been possible without their help. Our third trip was a weekend trip to Florida and a cruise to Cuba. They were extremely helpful on this trip. They provided us with all the additional paper work that is required to travel to Cuba. When we arrived for boarding the ship, we were ahead of the other passengers, since we already had the necessary paperwork. Marchi Travel Services is not only extremely knowledgeable, they are responsive to all of our numerous questions. We sometimes have a hard time deciding where we want to go and they are always extremely patient. They also provide information and guidance that is very beneficial. For our flight to Ireland, they managed to get us an amazing deal on our tickets. They watched the prices over a period of time and let us know when the tickets had reached a really great price and purchased the tickets at that price as soon as we confirmed with them. We have never been anything but completely happy with their services. Thank you Jo Anita and Marchi Travel Services! Rodney and Andrea

Be very careful booking with this outfit! Horrible Service…read more Transferred a cruise reservation to them because the said they could get me additional room credits. While i did get room credits, they completely ruined my reservations. I had to switch people in rooms and then they changed the name on the reservation so i could not find the reservation under my name. It took me 2 painful days to figure out what they did and fix it. They claimed they couldn't fix it. Once I figured out what the problem was they were magically able to fix it in minutes.

Built in 1911, the Grand Galvez has a eccentric history. Named after Bernardo de Galvez, the…read morefounder of Galveston island and a Spanish military and political hero who fought for America in the American Revolution. The hotel is now a famous haunted hotel and was used in the filming of the limited series "1923." It has weathered storms, change of owners, and renovations and now stands as an elite Marriott owned hotel on the Seawall of Galveston. The hotel retains its beautiful early century charm and luster. It is a go-to destination for vacations and weddings. We recently stayed there for a long vacation for my birthday. The hotel we beautiful and the staff accommodating. This is an upscale resort with a dress code that matches it's exquisite interior. Our room and bed was beautiful and comfortable. I slept well!! The pool was my favorite part. The long lap pool was large enough to for all the guest there without crowding and the swim up bar was a welcome convenience. The bar staff were accommodating and friendly. We spent most of two days at the pool. We wanted to stay for brunch the Sunday we left but we were so stuffed from eating out so much that we just couldn't eat anymore. We live a few hours away so we will be back over and over for weekend getaways on the coast. It's an affordable luxury with beautiful scenery.

CLEAN YOUR POOL! That was the cloudiest pool i have seen since my childhood staying in cheap motels…read moreoff the highway. I wouldn't have gone in, but the AC had gone out in the hotel overnight, so I was overheated. There was zero communication from the hotel about the AC situation until I reached out to Marriot customer service that evening and was "graciously" given a $195.00 credit...less than the cost of a night at the hotel. Also, after waiting at the bar (since I couldn't use my room) while 3 or 4 people who walked up after me were served, I got the snotty rejoinder, "oh, I didn't see you." I didn't realize that I was temporarily invisible. Finally, and this is just a matter of taste, get rid of the antique cars scattered throughout the lobby. They completely detract from what should be a clean-lined Spanish revival/deco feel. I've been coming to this hotel for more than 30 years. Never have I seen it so poorly managed. This is I believe my second ever bad review, but I had to call this nonsense out.

We had a wonderful stay at the Harbor House Hotel in Galveston before our cruise, and the location…read morecouldn't have been better. Not only were we conveniently close to the cruise port, but we were also able to walk to The Strand and enjoy the local attractions. We picked up our wine for the cruise, treated ourselves to ice cream at La King's Confectionery, and enjoyed some live music. In the morning, we took a short stroll to Starbucks just a block away, enjoying coffee outside in the beautiful morning atmosphere. We then returned to the hotel for breakfast, which was a satisfying continental spread. They had bagels, muffins, cream cheeses, cereals, fresh fruit salad, and even some Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches you could heat up. It was a nice, plentiful breakfast with something for everyone. A special shoutout to Dee at the front desk who made our check-in smooth and welcoming. Watching the cruise ships sail in from our room was such a unique experience, and the overall comfort of the huge king bed and the spacious room really made our stay special. We're so glad we stayed here!

Pros: Easy checkin, near waterfront, dolphins right outside,…read morespacious room, comfortable bed, working mini fridge and microwave, cool pancake machine. Cons: old worn down room, shower water pressure could have been better, small breakfast room, could have a bigger variety for breakfast, no gym, swimming pool is at a hotel across town, parking fee.

DO NOT trust the pictures online. They are completely misleading and honestly should be removed…read morebecause they do not reflect the current condition of this hotel whatsoever. This place was filthy. Not "older hotel but decent" filthy. Actually dirty, poorly maintained, and run down. The entire property felt neglected. There were flies everywhere, broken fixtures throughout the room, worn-out linens, damaged window screens, a broken tub stopper leaving the drain exposed, and a hair dryer that didn't work. One of the AC units did not work, which in Texas heat and humidity is unacceptable. The lobby had pallets and materials sitting around like the hotel was mid-construction, but renovations won't fix the fact that basic cleanliness and maintenance are clearly not priorities here. The staff was friendly, and they were honestly the only positive part of this stay. Unfortunately, nice employees cannot make up for how disgusting and poorly kept this property is. The surrounding area also did not feel safe or well-kept, which made the experience even worse. We only stayed one night, thankfully, because there was no way I would have stayed longer. I would never book here again and would strongly warn anyone considering it to spend a little more money and stay literally anywhere else. This hotel needs: * Accurate, updated photos * Deep cleaning * Major repairs * Better maintenance standards * Quality control inspections I genuinely do not understand how this property is still open.

The situation wasn't resolved and I had to Uber to the hotel from the airport but whatever... here…read moreis Part 2 of my review the next day... We arrived at the Comfort Inn around 9 AM knowing our room wouldn't be ready yet, so we planned to sightsee. I asked if the hotel could hold our luggage, and they said we could leave it along the lobby wall. I was a bit uncomfortable with that setup, but I was assured it would be safe. There was no other luggage stored there, but when we returned at 3 PM, our bags were still there, untouched and secure, which I really appreciated. There was no mention or acknowledgment of the frustrating experience I had the day before, but I chose to let it go in the moment and just focus on enjoying the stay. We were given a room on the 5th floor with a balcony and a nice view of the Pleasure Pier. The room itself was solid, there were some scuffs on the walls and carpet, but nothing major. For the price we paid, it was more than fair. The fitness center was not open (under construction, maybe?) Breakfast was satisfying, and the Texas-shaped waffles were a highlight, super cute and tasty! Overall, despite the rough start, the stay itself was pleasant.

DO NOT stay at this hotel. My husband and I decided to stay after a night at the beach. We arrived…read moreto this old refurbished hotel , which had an overwhelming smell of deodorant that seems to cover the stench of an older hotel. The smell was so overwhelming that by the time I got to my room, I could not stop coughing. My husband I came right back down because I could not stay. The front desk stated that they couldn't refund me- due to third party booking and that I would have to talk to the manager JESSICA who would be on this morning. After telling the manager JESSICA how the smell triggered an asthma response- she flatly, with no regard for me as a customer, responded that she could not issue a refund. I contacted the third party and THEY contacted JESSICA and she said the same to them. Take my advice, from someone who has traveled extensively around the world---DO NOT stay at this hotel as long as JESSICA is the manager. She does not care about the clientele and has kids managing the front desk who maintain her attitude. I will be contacting Hilton.....

The rooms are SUPER SMALL, one chair and the other person has to sit or lay in bed to watch tv…read more The smell of cleaners were SO BAD we had to open balcony door to air it out , as we we both coughing our heads off. It had great ocean view , but that's about it. No closet , no dresser no where to put your clothes , except knobs on wall if you brought hangers (terrible) ! Did have a decent walk in shower though. We probably wouldn't stay here again because of the tiny rooms Trust me when I say TINY , never seen a hotel room you can barely turn around in .

Miss Cheronica has great costumer service and she is so fine lawd…read moreBig Fine juice spectacular!!!!

HORRIBLE, made us wait for over an hour blaming the bike rally when in fact they were just over…read morebooked, took our money and refused a refund even though we had to take a Taxi.

Do not try to cruise through Monica Pena. It has been a long year ordeal for me and my family…read more Cruise that included 3 rooms were paid to her in full prior to due date in which she did not secure with Royal Caribbean by their due date. She stopped answering her phone and email. Office address listed on her invoice was vacant. I filed fraud/theft with the Galveston Police Dept. who stated small claims court would be easier. 1st trail date she did not show as she stated she could not drive due to a heart condition. Judge said he would give her the benefit of doubt and requested she provide the court within a month a physician letter. A month later, a new trial date was set as she could not provide one. 2nd trial day, Monica agreed to refund me. Monica told Judge she needed two weeks. Judge gave her a month. A month passed and she did not pay a cent. A third court date was set. This time Monica did not show up at all. This time Judge awarded me the judgement. Not sure when, how or if I will ever get the monies but I am hoping to save future sailors from the stress and heartache that Monica imposed on me and my family by writing this post.

We are Jan 2025 and still have not received a refund from Monica. She has told her customers in…read moreorder for payment to be returned she wants me to remove my post of awareness from her social media. That will not happen until my parents receive all of their money back from a trip she booked for them that they never got to fans because she claimed she was compromised.

Bailed me out. Was having trouble piecing together a Spring Break trip to visit my daughter who…read morelives in London, as we wanted to visit 5 countries. I had been working on the trip for hours trying to piece together trains, flights, rental car, hotels, euro conversion, etc. I spoke with Susan at Travel Counselors, who had my trip together in an hour & saved me money while also finding me awesome hotels plus a ghost tour in Scotland, chocolate tour in France, and museum for Normandy beaches. I've also used them for 2 cruises and 2 Europe trips--don't know why I waited to call them.

From the owner: Full Service Travel Agency located in Galveston, Texas. We…read morespecialize in cruises, tours, luxury vacations, all inclusive resorts, business travel, airline tickets and groups.