Sri Lanka Highlights

Traveler Reviews

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  Lee

  January 20th, 2019
  Dear Aitken Spencer, I am writing in to bring your attention to the bad experiences we encountered during our trip...
  Dear Aitken Spencer, I am writing in to bring your attention to the bad experiences we encountered during our trip to Sri Lanka with you as our agency. There were several major events that spoil our experience there. Our allocated Driver was Name: RANJITH, Mob. Number: +94777576050 1) On our first day, 19 Dec, Ranjith told us to prepare USD 135 for the Hortons Plains sightseeing on the following day after arrival. As per your email above (Horton Plains National Forest Reserve USD 27.00 Per Person. Horton Plains Transfers USD 59.00 For Two Passengers.) and our screenshot of the national park, this amount is ridiculously high. That was the start of our unpleasant experience as we felt that the driver's integrity is questionable. Upon calling your agency, Tahanie Yu did try to help us clarify, but she was also trying to get both of us to liaise with the driver directly, which makes it even more awkward because we engage your travel agency for a reason, to do all the liaising for us. In the end, she did provide us with a reason for the price difference, which is due to the exchange rate. As an Economist, i understand the extent of exchange rate fluctuations. The price is too far off and of course, we chose not to go. 2) From the second day onwards, throughout the entire long car ride, our driver was quiet. No water was provided for in the long car rides too. It was until the 24th when he told us that he could not drive us to the airport on the 25th morning because he has to pick up a passenger on the 24th night after dropping us off. We asked if the agency knew about it and he said yes, and another driver will be picking us up. Upon multiple prompting, he showed us a big envelope with itinerary, from his words that the pick up will be at 7am in the morning. At his final drop off on 24th Dec, he hastily left us at the hotel without any information about the other driver who will be picking us pick us up the following day. The next day at 7am, we waited at the lobby toll 720am and NO ONE CAME. I had to call Tahnie Yu on 25th morning, only to hear that she is unaware of this issue, that Ranjith will not be sending us to the airport and another driver will be doing the drop off instead. Apparently, there was a mix-up and the flight was thought to be at 10pm, when you have all our flight itineraries? Having an international flight to catch and having to sort this transport issue on Christmas day morning was a nightmare. As much as Tahnie asked us to wait for her arrangement, we could not risk missing our flight home as we do not know when she would get back to us. Therefore we arranged for a taxi and made our way to the airport. The amount is 35USD. 3) On the 24th of Dec as we checked into Colombo Grand Cinnamon hotel, we were told that 2 dining tickets for the Christmas dinner had been purchased for us. We weren't aware of the tickets. But the receptionist mentioned that the tour agency already booked the dinner for us, at 12,000 rupees for both. We were shocked because we have mentioned that we are vegetarians multiple times to the agency and we wonder why would the travel agency booked a buffet that is filled with all sorts of meat from deer to lamb to pork to chicken to turkey for us?! It just puts us off, to think that we paid so much for a dinner that only has roasted vegetables and salad for us shows the lack of sensitivity you have shown to your clients' dietary requirements. 4) We were utterly disappointed with the services of Ranjith. He was supposed to be both our guide and driver, however, he was silent on most of the trips and did not show concern on our well being. Most of the times we have to repeatedly ask him on the approximate car ride duration, places of interest, ask him to stop by for toilet breaks, and only gave one-word replies at times. We felt that he has not done his part as a guide, is dishonest and is trying to rip us off and pocketing some money as his own. Having Ranjith as our driver has definitely spoilt our Sri Lanka experience. In this trip, we felt that there was a lot of research to be done on our own, the multiple liaising with the agency and having to put our guard up against the driver. It feels that we are on our own instead of having a reliable travel agency to take care of our needs and I am very, very disappointed in your agency and its service.Show more
  Traveled in December 2018