Martin Randall Travel Traveller Reviews

This tour went beyond our expectations. We enjoyed an interesting yet relaxing Pandaw cruise on the Mekong review for the first week and then spent another 6 nights in Siem Reap visiting the Khmer archaeological sights and temples. We had an erudite and enthusiastic lecturer, Freddie Matthews who gave a total of 6 lectures on Buddhism and the Khmer civilisation in Cambodia. The tour were managed very well by Emilie with just the right amount of information and gentle reminders. Martin Randall Tour really exceeded its normal high standards for this tour. We had a very generous drinks package for the Mekong cruise which meant that we can be sipping cocktails and wine whilst watching the sunset on the Mekong or some cultural shows (Cambodian musical instrumnents, Apsara dances, puppet shows) every evening before dinner. We were also taken by specially arranged sightseeing coach in Phnom Penh (instead of the included package by Pandaw Cruise) and lunch at a very good French restaurant (Khmer La Poste). In Siem Reap, we had an APSARA National Authority archaelogist who accompanied our group for the first 4 days of temple visits who provided illuminating insights into the temples from an archaelogical aspect. We were also given an opportunity to attend a talk by an expert on the conservation of the stones of Angkor Wat and even to climb the scaffolds to observe at close proximity how the figure carvings are preserved using specially formulated gel. What a privilege!! Besides visiting at least 10 temples and archaelogical sites (some about 3 hours coach ride away from Siem Reap), we were treated to a gondola ride on the moat surrounding Angkor Thom to watch the sunset whilst being served champagne & canapes. To top it all, on the last night a spectacular private gala dinner at theThommanon Temple was arranged, complete with lightshows and Apsara dancers.

Although the tour is not cheap, it is of good value.. The tour itinerary is well designed and well thought out to give maximum cultural interest. MR Tour has always been generous in terms of food and drinks, quality lecturer and tour manager, hotel accommodations , quality of local guides and transportation.

We spent a week in Thuringia steeped in the music of Bach. We enjoyed nine concerts in a week. They were all top quality, with top class musicians. The accommodation was very classy and comfortable, and we were fed within an inch of our lives!

Everything was extremely well organized and ran smoothly. Everything had been thought of. The staff were all very professional and friendly. This was my first holiday with any tour operator so I don't have any point of comparison, but I can't imagine anyone doing a better job.

Martin Randall's tour of the Châteaux of the Loire was a delight ... well organized , intelligent and great value for money.

Martin Randall tours.

Wonderful sweep through Ancient Greece with a few more modern delights

A brilliant tour manager, an excellent quid and a very stimulating lecturer. All that for just 19 participants

Opportunity to visit some lesser known Greek sites with subject matter experts.

Martin Randall specializes in small group, high quality tours.

The 12 day walking tour covered the Frances El Camino route from Roncevalles to Santiago de Compostela. In order to sample the entire route, we walked more than 150 km of the 787 km route and travelled by bus for the remainder.

Martin Randall tours excel at providing cultural tours. This was my fourth tour with this company. All have been expertly curated with excellent lecturers, personable and efficient guides, accommodation at the best hotels possible, along with museum visits and background information to enhance the experience.

The Bach Journey with Martin Randall gave us the life-enhancing opportunity to hear Bach’s music performed by exceptionally gifted musicians in a series of private concerts given in the places where Bach lived and worked. The musicians all gave deeply felt and moving performances, with a sense of real commitment to their audience. experience was supported by a series of lively and informative talks given by an eminent musicologist who was also an excellent speaker. The accommodation was of excellent quality and was chosen so as to cater for four different budgetary requirements. I enjoyed the quiet family-run hotels, each in a convenient central location, all providing varied and delicious breakfasts. The menus for the included meals were also varied and excellent. The whole tour was run with superb organisation and meticulous attention to detail. The festival staff worked hard so as to provide as enjoyable and comfortable an experience as possible: they were always friendly and helpful, without ever being obtrusive or over- managing. Even the festival booklet was generous, beautifully produced and full of information. Altogether this was a holiday where no corners were cut and which surpassed all expectations. Consequently, to say that the holiday experience provided value for money would be an understatement.

The tour operator clearly had a commitment to providing a superb holiday experience. Planning and execution were clearly carried out with attention to every detail. I would especially commend the imagination and sheer hard work that powered the whole project. Even the cancellation of our return flight by British Airways at the last moment was superbly handled - we were booked onto a new flight that day from a different airport - the whole process was as smooth, seamless and comfortable as it could possibly be..

Martin Randall Festivals' Bach Journey. One (very busy) week starting in Frankfurt and ending in Berlin taking in multiple locations important in the life of J,S. Bach.

Very well organised. Not a cheap holiday, but very good value nonetheless.

It was a journey in the footsteps of the composer JS Bach through the places where he lived and worked in little known Thuringia in North Germany. The countryside was beautiful, the transport comfortable, the hotels and meals perfectly hospitable and appetizing but the greatest delight was the concerts we heard in wonderful venues . The musicians were of world class and there were hours of sublime performance for which we had been well prepared by talks from an eminent musicologist.

Attention had been paid to every imaginable detail so that participants would be well prepared and confident from beginning to end. A team of expert young people guided us discreetly, tactfully and efficiently through every part of the journey, coming into their own at the end when a BA cancelation could have spoiled the last day and left a sour taste. Instead, through energetic re planning and imaginative improvisation they managed to turn a misfortune into a pleasure for us all.

Walking to Santiago de Compostela over 11 days was an experience that unfolded gently and very satisfyingly. We were led by two experts who were considerate and astute, tuned in to the needs of their clients. There was no sense of being on a cookie cutter experience.

Martin Randall are true pros. They get the details right and the tone and standards of their planning sets them apart.