INSIGHT TRAVEL CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
Read what our clients have to say about us!

Paul T.
Dec. 17, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina
I wish to thank your for all your efforts. I was very impressed that every connection and reservation you set up was exactly as scheduled, nothing went wrong. All the hotels were good and exactly as pictured on their websites and as described on yours. Everyone picking us up was there waiting for us, even when we were a hour late due to one of the Turkish air flights being delayed.  Turkey is a great country to visit and we would like to come back to see some of the other places we did not get to this time. I have already recommended your firm to someone else who is interested in seeing Turkey.
Thanks again,
Paul
 

Kareena F. - Singapore
Dec. 17, 2009
Itinerary:  Private Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We had a terrific trip. It was certainly more enjoyable and educational compared to our 1st big group tour in 2002. Our was certainly well-planned with on-time picks up.

Mehmet is an excellent guide. He is patient throughout the journey and drove safely and carefully. We enjoyed our leisurely walks through scenic and charming villages in Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Antalya which he brought us too. I found him to be very knowledgeable in terms of history and archeology (both a passion of mine) - he was able to provide dates and a detailed history of the various places.

We love the cave houses - we walked along empty ones and drank apple tea in several. The cave hotel we stayed in, Elkep Evi is a gem. My children have fallen in love with their pet parrot, Fatish? and asked if they could return to the cave hotel soon. Breakfast is excellent - hot food on a cold, cold morning. Excellent fresh juice - my children absolutely love their kitchen and the staff there. They also love feeding the beautiful and very clean ducks, geese at the pond enroute to the hot spring in Pamukkale. Antalya's old town has a charm of its own. Medittera Art is a beautiful hotel and we love the decor. We love walking through the old town too. We were not able to go on the cable car, quite unfortunately, due to bad weather.

Overall, it is an excellent trip. We are telling our friends to go direct to a Turkish tour agent as the travel experience is more authentic. We also think that staying in "history" is a priceless experience as opposed to staying big, modern hotels - something we can get every else.

Thank you for the excellent arrangements. We look forward to coming to Turkey again hopefully in the future.

Tesekkurler.

Regards,
Kareena
 

Lorill V. - Canada
Dec. 14, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
Thank you for this newsletter... it is so nice to see the pictures of Turkey again! We just recommended you to our friends who are thinking of visiting Turkey, and after they spent the evening with us and heard our stories and looked at our photos, I'd be surprised if they don't visit your beautiful country very soon! We think fondly of our trip to Turkey, and recommend it as a country one must see in their lifetime...

Best wishes,
:)lorill
 

Anne W. - CA, USA
Nov. 19, 2009
Itinerary:  Istanbul Tour

The tour was GREAT. The group was small (four people) and our guide (sorry - have forgotten her name) was knowledgeable & friendly. It was a great day - felt like I saw and experienced many of the "highlights" of Istanbul. We even got to visit the Underground Cisterns - which weren't a part of the tour - but we had time & our tour guide was flexible. I enjoyed the tour so much that I took a half day tour the next day (trip to the Asian side) and that was good, as well. Thank you so much.
Anne
 

Sharon L. - New Zealand
Nov. 12, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina
Everything in Turkey, in fact everywhere, was splendid. We did enjoy our look at the Middle East. All your planning went wonderfully well. Our personal guide on day one was excellent as he spent all day with a couple of 'old girls' on our walking tour. He suggested that we visited the Cistern complex, we did and were very amazed. Day two was the boat trip and again very informative. We had no idea how far we needed to travel when we left Istanbul. It was long coach rides to Izmir and Gallipoli All our transfers were there for us, one even at 1.45 am!! The hotels you put us in we all good, thank you.
Only the weather good have been better, but in Istanbul the hotel lend us both umbrellas. Our Gallipoli guide was very nice and took the group over on the ferry and to a super place for lunch b4 the long bus ride. We froze in Gallipoli, it must have been one of their coldest days. Good intro into what it must have been like for the soldiers way back then.

Top marks to you and thank you very, very much. Well Done. We enjoyed ourselves.
Sharon

Kim R. - Australia
Nov. 11, 2009
Itinerary:  3-Day Ankara and Cappadocia Tour

Hi Rina,
The trip was great. Our main tour guide, Murat, was very good. A very insightful, knowledgeable and informative young man. It was very good that the guide on the last day accompanied us into the airport and helped us with our flight.

All in all a very good tour we enjoyed it.
Thanks
Kim R.

Sally and George M. - USA
Nov. 3, 2009
Itinerary:  Cruise Excursions in Istanbul and Kusadasi

Dear Rina,
The tours we took through Insight Travel went very well. The Istanbul tour was excellent. Our guide was everything one would want in a guide, knowledgeable, great personality and very accommodating. The tour to Ephesus was also very good. Again the guide was knowledgeable and helpful.

We would choose Insight Travel again and would recommend your company to others. After our Istanbul experience, many of our fellow travelers envied our account of the day and wanted to know what company we had used.

Hope to be able to travel with Insight again. Thank you for your help.
Sally & George

Carolyn V. - USA
Nov. 2, 2009
Itinerary:  Aegean Turkey Private and Group Tours

Dear Rina,
Wayne and I had a wonderful time on our excursion that you coordinated. Our flights were on on-time and enjoyable. Our driver was awaiting our arrival. We enjoyed our stay at the Nilya Hotel. That was an excellent recommendation. The Nilya host was very welcoming. We had nice rooms and large, fresh breakfasts. I am glad that we stayed in Selcuk. It had a small town friendly vibe. We went to dinner one night at the nearby Hotel Bella, where we were warmly welcomed, for some delicious fish. We had good tours.

Thank you very much for your assistance in coordinating our travel needs.
With appreciation.
Carolyn

Dominica C.
Oct. 29, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hello Rina, I meant to write earlier, with thanks for all the arrangements made and the good recommendations. Everything worked out very well and smoothly.
Took many gorgeous pictures around turkey, here's a momento of one of my fav @ Ephesus library.
cheers and I'll definitely be sending any interested friends your way.
best rdgs, dominica
Dominica@ Ephesus

Liz H. - Canada
Oct. 27, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored tour with self-drive

Hi Rina - Just to let you know, we had a great time and everything worked out really well. Thank you, so much we will certainly be recommending you to others who want to travel to Turkey. All the hotels were really good, and we particularly liked the ones in Istanbul, Cappadocia, Konya and Antalya. The tours were also good and well organized. Rental car was great - thanks for the last minute arrangements to get automatic made the driving much less stressful. Your suggestions for places to see as we drove the coast were very helpful too in terms of planning where and what we would do on route.
Thanks Liz

David R. - PA, USA
Oct. 10, 2009
Itinerary:  Istanbul Tours

Rina;
We just finished our two days touring with Kemal and we enjoyed it very much. He was an excellent guide and source of information. We saw all of the sites we had planned and enjoyed the typical Turkish meals as well.
Thank you for doing such a good job in arranging the tours and selecting Kemal for our guide.
David R.

Julia Y. - USA
Oct. 9, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
We had a blast on our trip to Turkey! All the drivers were there to pick us up when we arrived at each destination (even with the 7-hour delay arriving in Istanbul airport). Our tour guides, Erol, Guray, and Fatma were all fantastic - funny and very knowledgeable. Attached is a photo of us with Erol, who was absolutely great in showing us the Sultanahmet and Grand Bazaar areas.
Thank you for helping to make our trip to Turkey unforgettable. We saw and did so much in 9 days that there was something of interest for everyone in the group.

We absolutely loved the country and all the people we encountered. We hope to return again in the future and will recommend Insight Travel to others planning to visit Turkey. Thank you again.

Regards,
Julia


 

Heather H. - MA, USA
Oct. 7, 2009
Itinerary:  Istanbul Tours

Rina, everything went well. The guide was great and related well to everyone, and we saw lots. The dervishes were interesting and everyone wondered what I had got them into!!! But very interesting and mystical. The bazaar was excellent and daughter and son in law's eyes were wide open. The driver and coach were great.

Everyone did a great job, was on time, and flexible which is what we wanted.

Thanks,
Heather H.

Cornell S. - London, UK
Oct. 5, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Biblical Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
My wife and I are still talking about the great time that we had in Turkey. I was very overwhelmed with what I saw and the quality of the tours. Each tour guide did an excellent job in giving us a lot of information about each site that we visited.

Our guide in Istanbul Ebru was excellent and she took great care of us. Other friends who were in Istanbul at the time were unable to see the Blue Mosque, but she modified our schedule and made sure that we made it in.

Our guide for Ephesus and the other churches also did an outstanding job. We unfortunately not able to visit the church in Izmir but the rest of the trip made up for that.

Finally the location of the Megara Hotel was, for me, the best part. My wife and I spent several hours just walking and looking and buying and browsing. The staff there is wonderful.

Our plans next are to go to Cappadocia when we return.

Thanks very much for everything,
Cornell
 

Liz P. - London, UK
Oct. 5, 2009
Itinerary:  Classic Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina
We had a great holiday and loved Turkey. Istanbul was amazing and so was the touring part of the holiday. The Megara hotel gave us outstanding service and even gave us a room when we arrived at 5am after the overnight bus. Thanks for your excellent organisation of all the details. If I come back to Turkey I will arrange it with you.

Liz P.

Stuart L. - London, UK
Oct. 2, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour with Blue Cruise

I am delighted to repeat that we both had a fantastic holiday. We loved Turkey, and the Turks - it was one of the best holidays we've had (and we have had quite a few!). We were simply blown away by the sights we saw and the amazing landscapes. We thought that you had done a fantastic job in putting it all together for us. Almost every hotel exceeded our expectations. It may be useful for you to have some feedback on these, so.....

Daphne Hotel (Istanbul) - We had a lovely room at the top of the hotel with a view of the Bosphorus. If we go to Istanbul again (which we might) we would try to stay there. The staff were very friendly and helpful.

Canak Hotel (Canakkale) - this was the least impressive hotel, but they did give us a suite with a sea view! The hotel was very much a business hotel and was very quiet. The breakfast was poor - but we really didn't mind since it was just an overnight stop.

Nilya Hotel (Selcuk) - We adored this little hotel - we had a view of the old mosque and the temple of Artemis from our balcony. The breakfasts were excellent and we also had a nice meal at the Nilya restaurant which is very small and in a different building close by. The staff were lovely.

Marina Residence (Antalya) - We loved old Antalya and this hotel is beautiful. We had a lovely room which was on 2 levels.

Rumi Hotel (Konya) - This hotel was fine but again a bit more "business" than "leisure" and we were only there for 1 night. Of all the places we went Konya was the least impressive, but we were very happy with it and it was a necessary step in our journey to Cappadocia.

Museum Hotel (Uchisar). Wow!!!!! We were astonished at the quality of this hotel and its amazing location. What a fantastic end to our holiday! We were surprised to be told that an evening meal was included with our accommodation - this wasn't in your notes and I did query it with the desk. The restaurant is fabulous.

Excursions - these were all excellent. There is so much to see in Turkey! The guides were all first class and we enjoyed being in the groups we were in. We think it was great being in different groups for each visit but not being in the same group for the whole holiday.

Gulet: This was a great contrast and I loved it. I loved the sunshine and the swimming and the food. We were also in a group of really nice people who were generally the same sort of age group as ourselves. This was either lucky or reflected good planning on someone's part. The Kerkova region was beautiful and breathtaking. We did both the optional excursions and really enjoyed them - although the Canyon at Saklikent was really quite a challenge for Karen!!! (apparently the water levels were higher than usual) But it was truly impressive and she did very well. We liked Kas too.

So - it was a wonderful holiday and we think this was in many respects down to the amount of work you did and your excellent judgement in putting it all together. We met one or two other travellers who were with Insight Travel and they all said that you were great too! You obviously have a great reputation - but if there is anything I can do to help you, please just let me know.

Stuart
 

Jean and Tony I. - Australia
Sept. 30, 2009
Itinerary:  Istanbul Hotel and Tour Package

Hi Rina
We had a great time - our guide was lovely! First guided day only 7 of us, all nice people. Second day just us!! Lovely! Istanbul has some wonderful places to see.
Many thanks
Kind regards
Jean and Tony
 

Bevan S. and Janet G. - Australia
Sept. 30, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
Just arrived back in Australia after a wonderful tour of Turkey. Your arrangements for us worked extremely well. After arriving in Bodrum from Nysiros we checked in at the Su Hotel. It is a great hotel. The facilities were clean with great service. The setting, surroundings and position were outstanding. Our bus to Kusadasi went well. The Tatlises Hotel whilst clean and very comfortable it was a hotel that had many tour busses use it as an overnight stop so the breakfast arrangements were somewhat "interesting'". The tour to Ephesus turned up roughly on time, it was outstanding, the tour guide was very knowledgeable. The transfer to Kayseri worked well, a little late but understandable. The flight to Cappadocia was on time and connecting transfer to the wonderful hotel Selcuklu Evi was prompt and pleasant. Both tours in Cappadocia were fantastic. Lunches of all tours were great. The guide was very knowledgeable. The transfer to the airport was on time and the driver very helpful. Our flight to Istanbul was on time and very pleasant. We arrived at our hotel in Istanbul with great memories of wonderful times in Turkey that were arranged by you. So thank you very much. We will recommend your service to our Australian travel agent who works for Flight Centre (she is a family friend).

If you ever travel to Australia maybe we can provide some advice to you. Once again thank you for your professional assistance with our trip.

Bevan S. and Janet G.
 

Julie C. - USA
Sept. 18, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
I really enjoyed all my tours. The tour guides and drivers were great especially in Pergamon and Ephesus.

thanks again for arranging such a memorable trip,
Julie

Emilie H. - Norway
Sept. 28, 2009
Itinerary:  Marmaris-Fethiye-Marmaris Gulet Cruise

Hi Rina, Thank you for all of your help planning our Turkish gulet cruise.

We had the most amazing time and will definitely come back to Turkey again next year. The weather was beautiful and sunny everyday, the people and crew were great and the scenery, food, boat and trip was one that we will never forget.

Thanks again,
Emilie :)

Jackie M. - France
Sept. 18, 2009
Itinerary:  Emine Sultan Hotel Booking

bonjour rina
notre séjour s'est très bien passe l'hotel est charmant la propriétaire très sympathique ainsi que le personnel
istanbul est une ville magnifique nous comptons bien y retourner mais avant pour l'année prochaine le capadocce avec un sejour balnéaire je vous contacterez
merci pour votre attention

Chris H. - UK
Sept. 16, 2009
Itinerary:  Per Se Hotel Booking, Kas

Hi Rina,
We had a lovely holiday and everything went according to plan. The transfers ran smoothly without any problems. The Hotel was excellent. It's a beautiful hotel, only 4 years old so everything is still in top condition. Our room was very spacious with a seating area and lots of space for your stuff. Good air con and shower. Very quiet, never heard any noise from either inside or outside. The owner was very attentive and courteous without being overbearing. Breakfast was served individually at the table and was delicious, and finally joy of joys it has a lift.
Thanks for your efficient organization, I think the voucher system you use makes everything very clear and avoids any misunderstandings.
Best Wishes, Chris
 

Linda H. - CA, USA
Sept. 9, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina:
We are home from our big adventure in Turkey and wanted to write and let you know that all of our advance planning paid off well and we had a fantastic time!

Fatih in particular deserves nothing but high praise! His vast knowledge, easy going demeanor and professionalism make him the best guide we have ever used on any trip. Our two days with him were fun and educational and overall made our two days in Cappadocia wonderful. We only wish we had two more days there with him.
 

Cristina C. - USA
Sept. 6, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour with Blue Cruise

Hello Rina!!
My mom and I wanted to thank you for everything! It was wonderful! Everything worked just fine: the tours, the buses, the gullet. Turkey is an amazing country!!!! We didn't want to leave and we already have plans to go back next year, so we'll keep in touch! :D

Thanks again!!

Cristina (and Gina)
 

Kristy S. - USA
Aug. 31, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We had a wonderful holiday thank you very much!! We were especially taken with Istanbul - what an incredible city! We were extremely happy with all the arrangements you made, all of the guides were very knowledgeble and helpful - especially our guide in Goreme.

The accommodation was fine for what we asked for - if we did it again we would probably stay in the higher level accommodation - especially in Istanbul. The Daphne was an excellent hotel with extremely helpful staff, as was the Kismet Cave hotel.

Thank you again for organising a wonderful holiday!

Many thanks
Kristy

Carol C. - Canada
Aug. 30, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour with Blue Cruise

Dear Rina,
The package you have put together for me was perfect! I had so much fun in Turkey and you made traveling there for me very easy and enjoyable. All your traveling contact were very friendly, professional, knowledgeable and helpful.  The private tour in Istanbul and Cappadocia were great.

Turkey was an amazing country and Insight Travel had definitely, definitely far exceeded my expectation in terms of the service you have provided me.

Thank you so much again! Good luck and I wish you all the best.
Carol

David and Ellen F. - PA, USA
Aug. 28, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour with Blue Cruise

Excellent itinerary. The gullet was well crewed, especially Mustafa the cook, who served wonderfully fresh salads and imaginative aubergine dishes.

We hope we can travel again in Turkey some future year -- not currently on horizon.
David and Ellen F.

Maggie M. - USA
Aug. 27, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour with Blue Cruise

Hi Rina,
We thoroughly enjoyed the Emine Sultan hotel. The owner and staff were very helpful. It was a lovely small size with a great breakfast and splendid view. The location was perfect.

The transfer from the boat in Demre to the airport at Antalya was smooth and a beautiful ride. There was no delay, just took us til close to midnight to land, get our luggage and get a taxi to the hotel. We really appreciated the time in Istanbul after the wonderful boat trip.

We're home now. Washington looks so green! Thanks for all your help!
Maggie

Jason T. - CA, USA
Aug. 21, 2009
Itinerary:  Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
We were very happy with how our trip turned out. I was very impressed with all the arrangements and how smoothly we were handed off between local companies and guides. All the hotels were nice, the transportation comfortable and the guides were great. We especially enjoyed Erol, the guide we had for our private Istanbul city tour.

I will feel very comfortable recommending your services to my friends who love to travel.
Thanks again for all your help!
Jason T.

Anne M. - UK
July 28, 2009
Itinerary:  Private Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
We all had a really wonderful time, and it was so relaxing not to have to do the driving! Taner and Ismael were both delightful, and so helpful and above all patient with us when we wanted to spend longer at sites than was really convenient. Having in effect our own private tour was wonderful. The Akay Hotel was also a great recommendation; the boys loved the pool, and everyone enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the roof terrace with the superb view. We also much liked Selcuk. The only real problem was the ferry not running on the Monday afternoon – but that of course was in no way Insight’s fault! Very strange though that they don’t run every day in summer!

I’d say the highlights of the trip for me (impossible to mention just one!) were Ephesus, despite the fact that I’d been before –walking back down through the site nearer to lunchtime, when the crowds had gone, Priene (magnificent site and view), Didyma (astonishingly powerful ruins), and Aphrodisias (so unspoiled by tourism); least favourite was Pamukkale, which, in contrast to Aphrodisias had crowds everywhere, poor restaurants, and we felt we would have preferred it 200 years ago! But the necropolis there was magical – crowds had not walked that far, and a road of tombs on both sides stretching into infinity....very moving.

With very best wishes and many thanks; if we return to Turkey, which we hope to do sometime soon, we will certainly come back to you to ask you to arrange another trip for us!

Anne
 

Keith and Nancy D. - TX, USA
July 17, 2009
Itinerary: Private Tours

RINA........JUST GOT BACK ON WED.......EXCELLENT TRIP.....ALL PLANS WERE PERFECTLY EXECUTED AND EVERYONE WAS FABULOUS.....WE HAD A GREAT TRIP......WE HAVE BEEN NOW IN 56 COUNTRIES AND RANK TURKEY IN OUR TOP 3 EXPERIENCES....THANK YOU FOR YOU TERRIFIC PLANNING......WE ENJOYED EACH DAY.....THE FOOD, PEOPLE AND SIGHTS WERE TERRIFIC....

THANKS AGAIN.....WILL CONTACT YOU FOR OUR NEXT TRIP TO TURKEY WHICH WILL INCLUDE THE BLACK SEA COAST AND PERHAPS SOME OF EASTERN TURKEY....WE WILL BE RECOMMENDING YOU AND INSIGHT TO OUR FRIENDS...

THANKS AGAIN AND WARM REGARDS
KEITH AND NANCY D.

Vivian and Rafael L. - FL, USA
July 12, 2009
Itinerary: 10-Day Classic Western Turkey Tour

We'll certainly keep you in our file...for any further trip,ideas,etc.
Our experience with your arrangements and organization is 5*****. Hope we can communicate soon.
Many THANKS, Vivian &Rafael L.
 

Brian and Kara F. - MA, USA
July 07, 2009
Itinerary: Private Tours

Hi Rina,
Everything was wonderful. We enjoyed the private tours greatly. We learned so much and felt that we were allowed to be free to take pictures and stuff as well. Our tour guide was great and very knowledgeable of each place we went. We were well taking care of that's for sure. The bus ride to Bodrum was also very pleasant. We enjoyed the rest of our stay as well in Istanbul. Turkey is an amazing place and thank you so very much for helping to make our honeymoon a positive one.

Cheers,
Brian and Kara F.

Camille R -WA,  USA
June 29, 2009
Itinerary: Cruise Excursions in Istanbul and Kusadasi

Rina, All went smoothly in Turkey and our whole trip as a matter of fact. The guides in Istanbul (Mustafa) and Kusadasi/Ephesus (Faruk) were both great, as were the drivers. We were impressed with their kindness and generosity as well as their knowledge of history. We had a great time.
 
I’ll definitely recommend your agency to anyone going to Turkey, in fact, I’m sending your contact info to someone right now.

Camille R.

Marlene S. - USA
June 29, 2009
Itinerary: Istanbul and Cappadocia Tours

Our trip was a big success. The event in Cappadocia with the whirling dervishes, however, was outstanding, and the location was amazing. We are huge fans of Turkey!

Thanks for all your help....I will certainly refer people to you in the future.
Best,
Marlene

Suh Ting S. - Singapore
June 29, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Emre,
You have a wonderful country and your people are friendly, hospitable and really welcoming. Everywhere we went, people were very gracious. We were made to feel welcomed. Not many countries do and I know because we travel a fair bit so comparing Turkey with other countries is easy. You must be proud!

I can only say that Turkey left a very lasting impression on my family and we certainly have told friends and family that it is definitely a place not to be missed. We did the usual touristy thing and bought Turkish lamps, carpets and spice and of course Turkish delight! What I love is Kunefe. It is so rich but so wonderful.

Yes, we will certainly return one day and this time go further south!

Thank you Emre for helping make our trip memorable!
 

Glenn K. - USA
June 27, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
All has gone as planned - very nice !

The tour guide in Izmir was excellent. The tour company is well organized... it is amazing how much they can handle and keep it all together...The dates were changed on two trips because they did not have a large group for Pergamon on the scheduled date but it was all good.. there were only 3 of us to go to Acropolis (Pergamon) and it was delayed one day and then the same guide from the previous 2 days was our "personal" tour guide to Pergamon. It was an excellent opportunity to talk with him about your marvelous country...

Regards,
Glenn K.

Doug L. and Pamela B. - Canada
June 18, 2009
Itinerary: Istanbul Hotel and Tour Package

We very much enjoyed our visit to Istanbul. Hotel was good and tour pick ups were all right on time. Thank you for your great attention to detail which made for a very enjoyable and stress free trip. Would recommend Insight Travel and especially Rina for anyone thinking about a trip to Turkey..

Thanks again
Doug L. and Pamela B.

Norm F. - VA, USA
June 18, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
We had a great time in Turkey and almost all went like clockwork. A few minor problems are always expected in a 2 1/2 week trip. Due to a mechanical problem, our flight from New York to Istanbul was delayed by three hours. We were delighted to see our transfer contact still waiting for us when we arrived.

We thoroughly enjoyed Turkey; the people are very, very friendly and helpful, the food is great and the various places we visited were wonderful. The various tour guides and drivers were great and very helpful although some did alter the itineraries a little. Our only regret is that we didn't have more time to spend in Turkey. I guess the solution is to plan another trip in the future. I would especially like to spend perhaps a week or more in Cappadocia since it was my favorite destination and there are many sites in the area that we didn't have time to visit. My wife and I enjoy hiking and it seems like the perfect place. We thoroughly enjoyed the walk through the Ihlara Valley and we would have no problem spending the whole day hiking the entire trail. My wife also liked Cappodocia but would also like to spend more time in the Antalya area.  However I'm now 66 and will most likely retire in three years. After retirement we will have more time to travel and Turkey is certain on our priority list.

We owe a great many thanks to you for planning an itinerary and making the many reservations. We will certainly recommend your agency to friends and others interested in visiting Turkey.

Sincerely and with best wishes and many thanks,
Norm
 

Michelle M. - UK
June 18, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina
My trip to Turkey was wonderful. I thought the guide that took us around Gallipoli was very knowledgeable.
Thank you for arranging this for me.
Michelle
 

Nigel W. - Australia
June 18, 2009
Itinerary: Private Istanbul Tours

Hi Rina,

The tours were excellent- we negotiated with Suleyman two days, rather than three, but were able to take in a great deal in that time. Suleyman was a great guide, as last time.

Thanks for making the arrangements, and best wishes.
Nigel
 

Gerard M. - New Zealand
June 18, 2009
Itinerary: Istanbul and Gallipoli Tours

Dear Rina,
I was very satisfied with everything - thank you. No complaints. It was quite a lot to pack into 3 days so even now, I am still feeling a little fatigued.

I have been very impressed by your friendly manner, your efficiency, your patience and your responsiveness. If ever you need a New Zealand testimonial, please do not hesitate to ask me - I would gladly recommend your services to anyone who might ask.

At the end of my Istanbul city tour, I felt a little bad that I did not get a chance to personally thank my guide (Shakir) - are you able to pass my thanks on to him?

Even if only briefly, it was nice to have been able to speak with you by phone.

Once again, thank you.
Kind regards
Gerard.
 

Vickie O. - USA
June 16, 2009
Itinerary: Hotel Bookings (Izmir Konak Saray Hotel)

...A few more things about Konak Saray. They had a big screen TV up in the dining area so those who enjoy football could gather to watch together. The dining and bar area was very large, and the food I ordered at dinner was very good. They will fix anything you want. Everything was nicely decorated and the room I had was two beds, one big one and a twin. The bathroom was larger than most, and had a cabinet to put things inside. The bedroom had a dresser, and wardrobe to hang clothes. They were most accommodating with my custom to have an American type breakfast, although I usually just ate what was at the buffet. They went overboard offering to make me eggs or anything I wanted different. Sometimes hospitality outweighs all the other things….. ;)
Take care !
Vickie
 

Sarah Y. - USA
June 16, 2009
Itinerary: Olimpos-Fethiye Gulet Cabin Charter

Rina,
I wanted to let you know that it was a fantastic vacation. All of the
arrangements you made for us were great and the gulet was superb. I would
highly recommend the crew and boat we were on. I think I will try to plan
another gulet cruise at the end of the summer and will definitely get in touch
with you in about two months. Thanks again for everything-- that was the first
relaxing vacation I have had in a long time-- it was great.

Sarah
 

Keith G.
June 16, 2009
Itinerary: Cruise Excursion in Istanbul

Dear Rina
We all enjoyed our tour very much, and considered our guide to be exceptionally good. His command of English was excellent, and his knowledge of Istanbul superb.

Many thanks for your kind help. We would have no hesitation in recommending your Agency to anyone who intends to travel to Turkey.

Best wishes.
Keith
 

Cheryl and Steve T. - MD, USA
June 8, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Rina -
I just wanted to write and say Thank You. We had an amazing trip! The tours and transfers all went very smoothly. We were amazed at how efficient everything was. I can't even imagine how you coordinate all the transportation. For example, we got dropped off at this huge bus station in Denizli, and had no idea how we were going to find our transfer. But within just a few minutes of getting off the bus - they came right up to us with our name on a piece of paper and whisked us to the next place. It was like that every time. The one time that a transfer was running late - they at least let us know the situation.
I was very impressed with everything that you did for us, from the itinerary to the hotels to the transportation, it was all great! I only wish we could have had one more week...there is so much to see in Turkey! We'd love to come back again someday.

Thanks again,
Cheryl and Steve T.
 

Deborah S. - IL, USA
June 8, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
We loved our trip to Turkey and hopefully will be back again soon -- there is so
much we still want to see and experience. We appreciated you help and all went very smoothly. I think that the pace of the trip was perfect for us given all we wanted to see in such a short time. The accommodations good (especially enjoyed the Gamirasu Cave hotel -- owners and managers exceptional) and guides were great.

Thanks again,
Deborah S.
 

Patricia S. - VA, USA
June 4, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
This was a very enjoyable trip and overall very good.

The Daphne Hotel and the Angora House Hotel were very well situated to the sights that I wanted to see. Consequently, we spent very little time on transportation, which in an unfamiliar city can take a lot of time and effort.

Personally, I thought that the Assiana Cave House was a bit out of the way, but
was otherwise ok. By the way, there are only three rooms that are caves, the others are on the second floor and were built when the hotel was renovated. The couple who run the hotel were very nice and accommodating.

The other hotels were fine, but as we just stayed one night and did not do much sightseeing on our own, I cannot give an opinion as to the convenience to sightseeing.

The guides were very good and very knowledgeable. The ones in Istanbul and on the Mt. Nemrud segments were especially good.

Turkey is so interesting that I would like to return in a year or two. Some of the places I would like to go to are Ephesus and Izmir as well as Troy and other places of historic interest.

Thank you very much for making such fine arrangements.

Patricia
 

Patricia S. - VA, USA
June 4, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hi Rina,
I really enjoyed my time in Turkey you really do have a wonderful country, thank you for the tour I so enjoyed the places I went to what a great history you have , New Zealand is two young to have much history . I went up to Cappadocia as well that was so off the planet really worth the visit.

I hope to come back at some time I would love to see more of Turkey , I will tell anyone I know to use your travel agent if they are going where you do tours you do a great service .

Thanks again
Karen
 

Ruth, David, Cynthia and Richard - UK
May 13, 2009
Itinerary: Private Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
Thank you for your email enquiring about our recent holiday in Turkey.

We very much enjoyed the trip, the plan was excellent and we would recommend you to anyone wanting a travel plan to visit these west coast sites. The pacing was perfect and with our second guide Sevim we were introduced to several additional very interesting sites not listed on our official itinerary, such as the aquaducts in Izmir. We were very pleased with the hotels in Selcuk, Candarli and Bursa.

The beach hotel at Samyeli, which was probably the most expensive, was a beautiful spot and would be ideal for a beach holiday but was a bit isolated for us. We like to be able to explore the local town in the evening and pick a little restaurant used by local people.

The local agent gave us an excellent guide, Sevim, for Izmir, Pergamon, and Troy and we were very pleased with both her and the driver.

The second half of our holiday in Bursa, Iznik and Istanbul also went very well. Altogether the holiday was most enjoyable and we really appreciate all the help and advice you provided in setting it up.

With many thanks from Ruth, David, Cynthia and Richard

Jan W.
May 12, 2009
Itinerary: Hotel Booking in Iznik

Dear Rina
We had a *wonderful* holiday in Turkey and enjoyed every minute of it. Iznik was particularly interesting, and in such a beautiful location - I wish we had been able to spend longer there.

Thank you very much again for all your help and support in making the arrangements.

Jan
 

Robyn and Damon S. - Australia
May 12, 2009
Itinerary: Private Istanbul Tour

Hi Rina,
Erol was the perfect tour guide. He arrived early, was very knowledgeable and a delightful person. We would recommend him highly to our friends.
Thanks again for your help

Robyn and Damon
 

Michael S. - MI, USA
Apr. 19, 2009
Itinerary: Private Aegean Tour

Hi Rina
We had a great time. Suleyman and Ali were very good. The couple days of bad weather did not detract at all. We loved the hotel in Istanbul (the Sultanhan). We also loved the Kismet Hotel in Kusadasi. The Safran in Bursa and the Ikbal in Aydin were very nice too (although the food at the Ikbal was not as good as the hotel itself). Perhaps our favorite place to stay was Assos--it is a gorgeous little village/place. We had too short of a time there though. The Colassae in Pammukale was average--the food was really good for a place that large though. The room was just too small and dark--but I suppose that it is about the best one can do in that area. All in all we wish we had had more time to spend in Turkey. We will certainly visit again--and probably try to visit some more remote areas in the east part of the country. Thanks for all your help in creating a great trip.
Mike
 

Priti D. - India
Apr. 14, 2009
Itinerary: Private Istanbul Tour

Dear Rina,
We had an absolutely wonderful visit to Istanbul and will definitely be back.

We saw a lot with Erol on that one day and then visited other places on our own as its easy to get about Istanbul by Taxi and on foot...so we had a very good visit. many thanks for your help with the pick-up and for putting us in touch with Erol.

Best wishes,
Priti

Greg H. - WI, USA
Apr. 09, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Rina,
We very much enjoyed the trip Turkey. Your staff took all the worries out of our trip. We were met at the airport and all transfers with out a hitch. The trip on the public bus system was very pleasant. I was concerned at first about how we would make our transfer at Izmir not being able to speak any Turkish but Mehmet took care of everything. The people with the bus company were very helpful getting us our tickets and on the correct bus at Izmir. It was very interesting having different tour guides and even different people on the various tours. The staff at our hotel, the Grand Onder in Kusadasi, was great. They went out of their way to welcome us and make us feel at home. We found the people of Turkey to be very friendly and welcoming. We saw Pamukkale and Ephesus areas with Mehmet. He is an excellent guide. He is very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. The tour around Istanbul, the Dolmabahce Palace and Grand Bazaar were great. I can not say enough good things about all of your associates.

I am very impressed with the way you could create an itinerary that worked for us to see so many sites with the time we had. I really appreciate the way you could accommodate our schedules and travel plans to get us to all the places that were important to us, thank you very much. This was a trip we will always remember.

Turkey is a wonderful place to visit and Insight Travel is the way to see it :)

Greg H. & Family

Gorden H. - WI, USA
Apr. 04, 2009
Itinerary: Classic 8-Day Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
I'd tell you how much we enjoyed and appreciated our tour around Turkey and all of your arrangements. We would never have been able to navigate the country or see nearly as much in the time we had. The tour guide, Pinar Sahin, was really personable and helpful, and the accommodations were very fine. Thanks so much for your time and effort to make everything work so smoothly.

We will be happy to provide references and will encourage others to contact you for travels in Turkey. We found you based on the very positive comments of friends, and I expect that we will do the same for others we talk to.

Sincere Thanks and Best Wishes,
Gorden H.

Jen U. - NY, USA
Mar. 23, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Rina,
Thanks for organising this trip, speaking for myself and I'm sure the group would agree, we had a fantastic time in beautiful Turkey, the trips and hotels were perfect and the people were charming and very accommodating.

The only thing I didn't like was the weather :) lol. Off course the sun came out the day I left!!
Thank you and continued success to you and your business.
Jen U.

Kazuya T. - Japan
Mar. 09, 2009
Itinerary: Cesmeli Konak Booking in Safranbolu and Amasra Tour

Merhaba Rina
The travel in Istanbul, Safranbolu and Amasra was wonderful. I and my girlfriend enjoyed a lot and it is our priceless memory for long. In Safranbolu and Amasra, actually weather was better than Istanbul.  Thanks for your arrangement for our nice experience and memory.

I and my girlfriend promised to visit Istanbul again and we will contact you when I do so.

Gule gule,
Kazuya

Julie C. - UK
Mar. 02, 2009
Itinerary: Masal Apart Booking in Istanbul

Hi Rina, had wonderful time in Istanbul, all went to plan and Masal Apart was very nice, very clean, well serviced when required, safe and secure, good heating and hot water, comfortable beds, nice furniture and good kitchen. We chose apart No 3 on 2nd floor, very nice and spacious lovely view from window, there is a mosque very very close so the muezzin is loud. Great location, down little side street so nice and quiet at night and close to everything. My brother and his wife may visit Istanbul in May, I have recommended they contact you for their accommodation.

Thanks again
Julie

Monique S. - UK
Feb. 02, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Hey,
The weather was unfortunate but what can you do. The tours were great, I really really enjoyed them. The hotels were amazing, I am recommending the Historia and Kismet Hotel to everyone. The service was incredible.

Thanks for everything,
Monique S.

Rachael and Andrew H. - New Zealand
Jan. 20, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored Western Turkey Tour

Dear Rina,
I just wanted to email you and say thank you for arranging our trip to Turkey. We had an amazing time, and for me it was the highlight of our six week trip. Having everything 'done' for us really took a load off our minds - by the time we reached Athens we had been travelling for 4 weeks, so it made a huge difference being picked up from the airports, etc, without having to worry about public transport for a change!

The tours you arranged for us were fantastic - the guides were terrific and very knowledgeable about the sites. We learnt so much from them! Everyone we met was so welcoming and helpful, including all the staff at the hotels.

I would not hesitate to recommend you to fellow travellers, and will definitely be in contact with you again for our next trip (I still want to make it to Cappodocia!)

Thank you again - we really appreciate your help.

Kindest regards,
Rachael and Andrew H.

Jaco N. - South Africa
Jan. 08, 2009
Itinerary: Tailored group and private Western Turkey tour

Dear Rina,
Thank you for your wonderful organisation with our tour from 9 to 22 December.

Touring Turkey in December was unbelievably nice, also because of the lack of tourists. Even the hotels were almost empty.

The Daphne Hotel in Istanbul was very good with a 100% location. Canak in Canakkale is well situated but not as good. Goreme House was very nice.

Turkish Tour guides really know their story. By far the best guide was Mehmet who picked us up in Canakkale, accompanied us to Bergama, helped us at the hotel there although it was not part of your tour and did much more than was expected of him. His knowledge of the archeological sites amazed us and his English is very good.

We will recommend Insigh Travel to everyone who wishes to travel in Turkey.
Jaco.