The places we saw were lovely, however we booked a group tour and ultimately had a private tour. We did not have the...
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that certain aspects of your experience didn’t meet your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to address them constructively.
First and foremost, we're glad to know that you ultimately enjoyed your tour and found the places you visited lovely. We’re also happy to hear that our team on the ground responded promptly and effectively—especially during your family emergency—and that you were able to continue your trip stress free.
We also see from our instant chat group that your self booked train from Lisbon onwards was missed and didn't connect well with the flight coming back from Azores to Lisbon, We would always give it a bit more than an hour & a half after the landing time, given it can take time for luggage to arrive and getting a taxi from Lisbon airport (which is a busy airport) to the station can at times be tricky if not pre-booked (Like in this case).
Regarding your other concerns, we would like to clarify a few important points:
Itinerary and Group vs. Private Tour: The itinerary you experienced was exactly the same as the one listed on our website at the time of your booking, with no changes made. We’re unsure what other itinerary was expected, but we’re happy to review this further with you. Regarding the group vs. private setup, at times when minimum group size isn't met, we proceed with the tour as a private experience rather than cancel—often seen as an upgrade, though it costs us significantly more but we understand guests having booked flights and time off work cancelling can bring about a big disappointment, we also understand you were hoping for a more social group environment which is beyond any company's control.
Pre-tour Information and Communication: Our response time to any queries stays less than 5 hours, but we regret that you found it difficult to get definite answers ahead of your trip. We strive to provide clear and timely communication, and we're sorry to hear this wasn't your experience. We will review our internal processes to improve responsiveness and clarity, especially in the lead-up to departure.
Booking Details & Flight Baggage: We sincerely apologize for the confusion regarding your nationality and baggage allowance. This appears to have been an unfortunate oversight in communication, and we are working with our team to ensure such errors are minimized in the future. That said, we would like to clarify that travelers often carry different sizes and quantities of luggage, and our team provides clear information on what is included and what may incur additional charges. In your case, we had upgraded your seats on the internal flights, which included complimentary baggage allowance. This benefit was reflected in the travel documentation provided, and there would have been no reason for our team to withhold that information. We will take this opportunity to reinforce clarity in such communication moving forward, so there is no room for misinterpretation.
Fatima Tour Miscommunication: We regret the mix-up with the Fatima visit and truly appreciate your patience. We're glad our team acted swiftly to arrange the correct tour for you that same day privately, although we fully understand your disappointment about the time lost.
Regarding your stay in the Azores, you were booked at Pestana Bahia Praia, a highly regarded property and a 2025 Travellers' Choice Winner on TripAdvisor, with recent reviews consistently rated 5 stars. In fact, you were also provided with a complimentary Deluxe Sea View upgrade to enhance your experience. This feedback about the hotel being “dated” and “isolated” is a bit surprising to us, given its strong reputation and guest satisfaction. That said, we did follow up with the hotel, and their team confirmed that taxis can be pre-arranged easily through reception if guests would like to explore the island—we’re sorry if this wasn't made clear to you at the time. We will certainly work on better highlighting such local logistics to avoid similar inconvenience for future travelers. We act promptly to any complaints that are made about the hotel which is reflected in our other guest's reviews too. But in this case having scanned all the communication, no complaints were raised at all.
As for the additional days before and after the tour including that arrangements like trains, since those were not booked through us / not in consultation with us, we didn’t have visibility or control over them. Had they been coordinated with our team, we would have gladly assisted in optimizing those connections for convenience and comfort.
We take your feedback seriously, and we hate losing stars—but we value even more the opportunity to learn and grow from experiences like yours. Thank you again for trusting us with your travels, and we hope we have the opportunity to serve you better on a future journey.
Kind regards
Team Wonderful Holidays UK
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