AITO: The Association of Independent Tour Operators
Absolute Escapes

Absolute Escapes Traveller Reviews

Reviews of Absolute Escapes

Overall Company Rating
99%
Excellent 729
Good 20
Average 4
Poor 1
Terrible 0
Reviews Submitted: 754
Reviews Accepted: 754
Reviews Rejected: 0
754 reviews
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Absolute Escapes by David and Lyn, 4 Oct 2017
Holiday Rating:

Outstanding Independent Tour

As independent travellers, we have never had someone organize our travel plans for us, so this was a first for us. Based on our experience, we would definitely book with Absolute Escapes again. We started in Glasgow and travelled by train in a circle route up to Thurso and ended up in Edinburgh. Absolutely everything on our tour was planned perfectly. We wouldn't change a thing.

As independent travellers, we have never had someone organize our travel plans for us, so this was a first for us. Based on our experience, we would definitely book with Absolute Escapes again. We started in Glasgow and travelled by train in a circle route up to Thurso and ended up in Edinburgh. Absolutely everything on our tour was planned perfectly. We wouldn't change a thing.

Rating for tour operator:

Absolute Escapes did an outstanding job of planning our itinerary, making all the necessary reservations, adjusting things to meet our needs and making changes based on our specific requests. We were totally impressed with the communication we received from them every step of the way in the planning process and with the detailed package we received outlining all the arrangements. Everything they organized for us was first rate and in most cases exceeded our expectations. We will definitely book with them again and have already recommended them to others.

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 05 Oct 2017:

Lynda, thank you very much for a great review. It's fantastic to hear that your trip was such a success and that you were so pleased with your itinerary. Safe travels home to Canada and please do not hesitate to get back in touch with us if we can help to plan another adventure for you in the future. Best wishes, Caitlin Richmond

Absolute Escapes by aclJohn, 4 Oct 2017
Holiday Rating:

Oban - Coll - Tiree - Oban

Thank you, Absolute Escapes, for all you did to make this Holiday run as smoothly as it did. The places we stayed in were excellent! The choice and quality of food available was also excellent. Thank you again for everything you did.

Thank you, Absolute Escapes, for all you did to make this Holiday run as smoothly as it did. The places we stayed in were excellent! The choice and quality of food available was also excellent. Thank you again for everything you did.

Rating for tour operator:

Wow! Difficult to put into words our wonderful experience of both Col and Tiree; we can't thank Absolute Escapes enough for the excellent places they arranged for us to stay. The information, maps and more, provided prior to the trip made everything run smoothly. Thank you Absolute Escapes!

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 05 Oct 2017:

Many thanks for your lovely review John. We were delighted to hear that you had such a wonderful holiday - you certainly picked some stunning locations to visit! Please do get in touch if we can be of any assistance in the future. With best wishes, Megan Bruce

Absolute Escapes by Rachel M., 3 Oct 2017
Holiday Rating:

Imaginative itinerary and perfect accommodations!

We spent three weeks in Scotland with an itinerary planned by Absolute Escapes. It was exactly what we wanted! They knew that my husband was primarily interested in single malt whisky and that I wanted to see castles and learn more about Scotland's history. They started us out in Edinburgh for two days, then arranged for us to pick up a rental car. We traveled to the Isle of Arron for two nights, then to the Isle of Islay for three nights, ...

We spent three weeks in Scotland with an itinerary planned by Absolute Escapes. It was exactly what we wanted! They knew that my husband was primarily interested in single malt whisky and that I wanted to see castles and learn more about Scotland's history. They started us out in Edinburgh for two days, then arranged for us to pick up a rental car. We traveled to the Isle of Arron for two nights, then to the Isle of Islay for three nights, then to Oban for one night, over to the Isle of Mull for two nights, then to the Isle of Skye for three nights, then to Wester Ross for two nights, on to Dufftown for two nights, then Pitlochry for two nights and finally to Glasgow for our last night before flying home the next morning. When reviewing this suggested itinerary with Caitlin Richmond from Absolute Escapes, I questioned her suggestion that we spend two nights in Wester Ross as I did not see any whisky distilleries or castles close by our destination there and she encouraged me to consider it as it has "some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland". She was so right!! It was one of the highlights of our trip. I really appreciate all the time Absolute Escapes spent with us to make sure that we were going to have the Scotland trip of our dreams. It was a joy working with that professional travel agency.

Rating for tour operator:

My husband and I just returned from a fabulous three week holiday in Scotland that was meticulously planned by Absolute Escapes. They asked just the right questions about what we wanted to see and do and then came up with a marvelous itinerary. We were never rushed and had all the time we needed at each destination to really explore and enjoy our time there. We also really enjoyed the accommodations arranged for us by Absolute Escapes. Each one was perfectly lovely! It was obvious to us that Absolute Escapes had taken the time to personally visit these B&Bs to make sure they would meet the needs of their clients. It was one of the best parts of our trip....while we hated to leave one place it was always exciting to look forward to the next charming B&B. They also provided us with everything else we needed for a hassle-free holiday, from booking all our ferry trips to providing us with maps, directions, emergency numbers, and suggested site seeing spots and restaurants. While we worked primarily with Caitlin Richmond, everyone at Absolute Escapes treated us as if we were their most important client. All our questions were answered promptly....if Caitlin was out of the office, someone else would monitor her email and fully answer our questions. I would not hesitate to recommend Absolute Escapes to anyone planning a trip to Scotland.

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 05 Oct 2017:

Thank you so much for such a wonderful review Rachel. We are delighted to hear that you had such a fantastic trip and really appreciate your recognition of the hard work that we all put into the planning of each individual holiday. It was a pleasure to work with you, please do not hesitate to get back in touch if we can be of any assistance in the future. All the very best, Caitlin Richmond

Absolute Escapes by Dave, 2 Oct 2017
Holiday Rating:

Wonderfull

We spent 17days touring the Outer Hebrides and Orkney Islands after arriving in, and departing from, Glasgow. Loved every minute and would recommend a trip to these islands to anyone.

We spent 17days touring the Outer Hebrides and Orkney Islands after arriving in, and departing from, Glasgow. Loved every minute and would recommend a trip to these islands to anyone.

Rating for tour operator:

With no knowledge of the Outer Hebrides or Orkney Islands we engaged Absolute Escapes to organise an itinerary for us together with accommodation, car hire and ferry crossing bookings - all was excellent with great accommodation, helpful advice on day by day sightseeing and restaurant/eatery suggestions. Our experience in Scotland was really enjoyable - much better than had we made all of the arrangements ourselves.

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 03 Oct 2017:

Thank you very much for your kind review David. We were delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable holiday and that you liked your stay in each island. Please do not hesitate to contact us again if we can assist with any future Scottish adventures. Best wishes, Katia Fernandez Mayo

Absolute Escapes by Kiwinou, 28 Sep 2017
Holiday Rating:

Amazing journey - West Highland Way

150km of stunning landscapes, well indicated paths. With the sun of under the rain, it doesn't matter ! That's a journey worth taking.

150km of stunning landscapes, well indicated paths. With the sun of under the rain, it doesn't matter ! That's a journey worth taking.

Rating for tour operator:

Absolute Escapes provides friendly, quick and consistent answers. The package provided by post was really useful and instructive. All information we needed were there ! The AMS service for luggage was impeccable too. Thanks a lot!

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 29 Sep 2017:

Thank you so much for your kind review Kevin, we're really pleased that you enjoyed it so much! The West Highland Way really is stunning and we're happy you were able to experience its glory! Hopefully this will have whetted your appetite for another adventure with us in the future...With best wishes, Amanda

Absolute Escapes by Andy, 25 Sep 2017
Holiday Rating:

Excellent

6 day walking holiday. Walking the West Highland Way. Absolute Escapes organised everything. Accommodation on the route and baggage transfer Excellent choice of B+B's and walking schedule each day met our ability Thank you all at Absolute Escapes

6 day walking holiday. Walking the West Highland Way. Absolute Escapes organised everything. Accommodation on the route and baggage transfer Excellent choice of B+B's and walking schedule each day met our ability Thank you all at Absolute Escapes

Rating for tour operator:

Very helpful in planning the walk to our requirements

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 26 Sep 2017:

Many thanks for your positive feedback and thanks Andy, it is much appreciated. I'm glad you all enjoyed your time along the West Highland Way and were pleased with all our arrangements. If you are ever in need of our services again, please don't hesitate to contact us. Best wishes, Jason Martin

Absolute Escapes by swiss hiker, 21 Sep 2017
Holiday Rating:

West Highland Way & Great Glen Way Walking Holiday

I had an unforgettable walking holiday and I thank you so much for the perfect organisation. The itinerary and the program were ideal and I could very much rely on all the information you gave me and the B&B's were great.

I had an unforgettable walking holiday and I thank you so much for the perfect organisation. The itinerary and the program were ideal and I could very much rely on all the information you gave me and the B&B's were great.

Rating for tour operator:

The service was very personal and they provided me a customized itinerary. The program was very detailed and reliable and the response time was always very prompt.

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 22 Sep 2017:

Thank you very much for your kind review Maria. I am very glad you enjoyed walking the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way; it really is a great achievement to walk both trails back to back! Hopefully, we can welcome you back again in the future. With best regards, Katia Fernandez Mayo

Absolute Escapes by LJFowler, 20 Sep 2017
Holiday Rating:

Outstanding planning and knowledge makes for one fine visit to Scotland!

We did the Absolute Escapes tour of Scotland by train and had no problems. All B&B's were first rate with hosts that I felt would be close friends if we lived in their towns permanently. Even though we chose the mid-price package every B&B was outstanding both for comfort, WiFi, and breakfasts and all were conveniently located. ScotRail was efficient and with great choices in timing of travel. Restaurant recommendations and points of interest ...

We did the Absolute Escapes tour of Scotland by train and had no problems. All B&B's were first rate with hosts that I felt would be close friends if we lived in their towns permanently. Even though we chose the mid-price package every B&B was outstanding both for comfort, WiFi, and breakfasts and all were conveniently located. ScotRail was efficient and with great choices in timing of travel. Restaurant recommendations and points of interest from Absolute Escape's itinerary were "spot on". We also happened into Pitlochry during their annual Highland Games that were great fun. We will use them again and already making plans for a return visit for other cities/regions we missed. My highest recommendation.

Rating for tour operator:

Very attentive and easy to work with. Saved us a lot of planning and rarely have we had such overall success with lodging. One item that points out how customer friendly Absolute Escapes can be. I alerted them that Stagecoach Bus Line had just recently stopped honoring the ScotRail passes on Isle of Skye and without asking they reimbursed me for a day's travel on the bus for I and my spouse. Every B&B owner also had only the best to say about Absolute Travel and why they prefer dealing with them than any other tour operator (that says a lot).

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 25 Sep 2017:

Many thanks for your kind words Larry, great to hear you had such an enjoyable trip. We look forward to making the arrangements for your return visit! All the best, James Fathers

Absolute Escapes by Nicolas & Koen, 17 Sep 2017
Holiday Rating:

Walking the great glenn way

Last week I made an album with the pictures and I wanted to go straight back! The weather was really great and we had a wonderful holiday. It was the first time we visited Schotland but it wont be the last!

Last week I made an album with the pictures and I wanted to go straight back! The weather was really great and we had a wonderful holiday. It was the first time we visited Schotland but it wont be the last!

Rating for tour operator:

Everything was in order and I can't find anything to complain about.

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 19 Sep 2017:

Thank you for your positive review Vleminckx, we're glad to hear your first time to Scotland was so wonderful, walking the Great Glen Way is a great introduction indeed! There is so much more to see and if you ever want to return we would be delighted to assist again. Best Wishes, Jason Martin

Absolute Escapes by ghislain, 14 Sep 2017
Holiday Rating:

Wonderful walking holiday in Scotland along the Cateran Trail

The Cateran Trail is kind of a synthesis of the scottish inland landscapes : small villages, fields, forests, large heather expanses, moors, mountains, wildlife and welcome ... About the walk itself we used the Loch Beanie variant despite the rain (and to avoid tarred roads), but it was a real fun to find our way in this isolated glen. It remembered to us the isolated landscapes of Northwest Sutherland where we did many walks a couple of ...

The Cateran Trail is kind of a synthesis of the scottish inland landscapes : small villages, fields, forests, large heather expanses, moors, mountains, wildlife and welcome ... About the walk itself we used the Loch Beanie variant despite the rain (and to avoid tarred roads), but it was a real fun to find our way in this isolated glen. It remembered to us the isolated landscapes of Northwest Sutherland where we did many walks a couple of years ago. In the end we did not use the shorter option from Alyth to Blairgowrie via Drimmie Wood, as we wanted to pay a visit to Bamff and to meet Mr Paul Ramsay for discussions about beavers in Scotland and in Belgium. We thus walked from Alyth to Bridge of Cally (about 16 km). From there we took the Stagecoach bus 874 to reach Blairgowrie and we walked back to Glenshieling House for a quiet evening. The weather was good as we had only one day with rain (from Spittal of Glenshee to Kirkton in Glenisla), otherwise we generally got blue or partially overcast skies. No midges !

Rating for tour operator:

Everything was superbly organised, and even for the longer stages we arrived at their end in perfect synchronism with the arrival of the taxi. No problem with the transfer of luggage. The map and guide were of good use. We were very happy with the accomodations: Louise and Richard at Glenshieling House were perfect hosts and we were warmly welcomed at both the Bridge of Cally and Alyth hotels.

Absolute Escapes responded to this review on 19 Sep 2017:

Thank you for your positive review Ghislain, we were delighted to hear you had a great experience on the Cateran Trail. Your description of the trail is very compelling and thank you for the photos you shared. I'm glad all the arrangements we made were satisfactory and if we can be of assistance in the future please don't hesitate to contact us. Best wishes, Jason Martin