SOTC-Kuoni — Logistics (Hotels and flight ) a super sham on the SOTC Tours

Address:

Gautam Buddh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh

July 4th SOTC 19 Day Magnificent Europe Group Tour Tour Manager : Miling Bhanushali and Guru Iyer The details of the group tour as provided to us in the brochure were as follows : http://www.sotc.in/holiday/new-magnificent-europe-summer-2015/ where the hotels stated were as follows : London - Hotel Holiday Inn Wembley - 2 nights Netherlands - Hotel NH Eindhoven - 2 nights Paris - Hotel Best Western CDG - 2 nights Engelberg - Hotel Terrace - 3 nights Geneva - Hotel NH Airport - 1 night Nice / Cannes - Hotel Park Inn - 2 nights Florence - Hotel Art Miro - 1 night Rome - Hotel Mercure EUR West - 1 night Venice/Padova - Hotel SB - 1 night Innsbruck Hotel Alphotel 1 night Salzburg - Hotel Mercure Central - 1 night Munich - Hotel Novotel Airport - 1 night Flights mentioned were : Eithad, Qatar and Emirates. On repeated requests, we got the itinerary a day prior to departure. The details were shocking when we compared the same to what was mentioned. Not only hotels but the location of the hotels in terms of country was also changed The same provided to us had no AC or alternate arrangements for even basic stand fans. The airlines were changed to Oman with a layover at Muscat . When asked they said it was a group booking and nothing could be done. The good points I will not take away from the tour : Good Indian lunch and Dinners. Good sightseeing Excellent tour managers Excellent drivers The REAL PAIN - TYPE and LOCATION OF HOTELS WITH NO AC Hotels which were more of motels on the National highways or Autobahns or whatever they were called. Forget three stars, the locations of hotels was also changed depriving us of opportunities to venture out and do some roamning on our own. The most painful were the following : 1) Netherlands - Hotel NH Eindhoven - 2 nights This hotel had AC rooms but were not assigend as SOTC had asked for normal rooms it seems After a lot of fighting till 2 AM and arguments the next day we got AC rooms. 2) Switzerland - Hotel Arcade in Sins (45 mins from Lucerne and 1.5 hrs from Engleberg) This hotel was bang next to a highway in a smaller town called Sins (sans night life or any attraction nearby) Doors on washrooms would not close, no AC . We were asked to open our windows to cool the rooms We did that and could not sleep thanks to the railway station right behind and trains making a lot of noise through the night. We had a visit to Mt Titlis -Englebersg and when we saw where we should have been given hotel. The whole group was furious for keeping us in Sins and the hotel was also a normal one. SOTC can get away by saying that they did mention a change could be possibble. Hotels can be changed but who gave them the right to change the location altogether ?????? In Geneva they put us up on the border in another stupid hotel in France. 3) GERMANY - HOTEL NH AM RING = NO AC NO FANS With heat and no air outside the room refused to cool down. Most o[censored]s were up walking on the street till 2-3 AM and then somehow caugt 2-3 hours of sleep UK - HOTEL THISTLE LONDON HEATHROW - Passable but surely not better than promised ibis. Netherlands - Hotel NH Eindhoven - SOTC booked nnon AC rooms where AC was available. PARIS - MERCUURE ORLY RUNGIS - Away from the city, cost us 70 Euros to get to a rail station ... SWITZERLAND - HOTEL ARCADE SINS 3 nights - WORST HOTEL OF ALL which was changed in location from ENGLEBERG (TERRACES) to SINS(ARCADE) ) GENEVA - HOTEL MERCURE ANNEMASSE - On the French border, taxis were expensive so no venturing out NICE - HOTEL MERCURE SAINT RAPHAEL - Okay but not the 3 star kind FLORENCE - PROMOTEL - Not sure how these hotels were found. Rooms started at 44Euros, more of a motel. ROME - ITALY HOTEL ROMA SUD - Again on the highway, but fortunately had AC. VENICE - ITALY HOTEL IBIS PADOVA this was chanegd to AC PADOVA a mariott property and it was worth the monney ! INNSBRUCK - AUSTRIA HOTEL OLYMPIA - More of a skiing lodge in the hills, awesome views great breakfast but basic rooms with bunk beds for extra adults. SALSBUURG - AUSTRIA AUSTRIA TREND SALZBURG MITTE - Looked like a motel, but was the last hotel with air conditionning GERMANY - HOTEL NH AM RING WORST OF THE LOT- No AC, Unhelpful Staff SOTC can say that they said hotels could be changed and try getting away but they changed the Locations also Switzerland almost everyone took a look at the brochure and agreed as the hotel and location were wery nice. The whole fun was spoilt because of that stupid hotel in Sins ! If you compare the two Terraces in Engleberg and Arcade in Sins you will know the difference. 50% were not even 3 star hotels. Like us who blocked their calendars 2 months in advance, SOTC also knew about the date 4th July months in advance. In fact after confirming that this was a confirmed departure we agreed and paid. So why did they not book the promised 3 start hotels in advance, changed locations and even cities and countries ? They know that the tour is very hectic and they said so themseleves They should have known a good night's sleep is requried for people to get ready for the nextday. Overall an Okay tour, experience of which was thoroughly spoilt by the booking of shoddy hotels and pathetic airlines. The SOTC OPERATIONS GROUP IUS AN UTTER DISASTER IN THIS CASE AND WE BLAME THEM SOLELY. Thanks to good Tour Managers and excellent drivers, the mood was somehow kept upbeat. We are raising a legal concern to the authorities and alsoo plan to involve the UK Embassy as they were also given false information by SOTC. They were shown Eithad Flights and Ibis Bookings !!