Your calls always answered within 5 rings.
Absolutely superb service by Dylan Harris. A true asset to the establishment and a great person.
We love Roger and would most certainly recommend him to friends.
Thank you Ed for making our trip to Vienna so special. We had an amazing time and really appreciated the hotel recommendation. We were made to feel very special
Another amazing trip organised by Stacey at DialAFlight. Everything was perfect thank you.
First time I’ve used a travel agent in a long time, will definitely do so again. Kylie and Robert were very helpful.
As always, Fraser organised everything with the same consistent care and attention as on previous occasions; also, the support was there throughout, so we cannot possibly fault it in any way - just total praise! Thank you to Fraser and his team.
You did your job. But Ikos not really for us.The all in food and drink was good. The pools were fine but completely overrun with kids. The one redeeming grace was the beautiful beach and sea to swim in.
Courtney provided excellent service and nothing was too much trouble.
Dennis has always been a superstar!
Calvin brilliant as ever!
All as hoped for. Thanks
Reid and Vinnie were incredibly helpful, friendly and efficient. Always available to help. I will use again for sure!
As always superb from start to finish. Nobody does it bettet
Michael was exceptionally helpful and couldn’t do enough for us. Will definitely use again
Enjoyed the holiday. Two things that I was unhappy about. Firstly the local charges that we had told would be 40.00, turned out to be 100.00 when we arrived. Secondly if it hadn't been for my husband noticing before we left, no transfers had been arranged. I think this should be automatically offered when you book, or we could have come unstuck when we arrived.
First class from Annabelle and others. Always reliable and efficient - you guys are brilliant
Helpful and friendly service from start to finish. Thanks
When one of the original hotels was shown to be too far out of the resort our agent happily amended the booking. The new hotel was perfect. A 15 minute walk to the centre so not noisy at night. Right on the beach and near local bars.
All very good as usual. Thank you Robert
We had to insist on changing rooms due to malfunction of of air conditioning. First room 801 only 29 sq meters room 803 35 meters
Excellent performance. Leah Jessop was courteous, patient & very efficient. We can’t thank her enough as she went above & beyond by arranging with the hotel in Lanzarote to return a wedding ring that had been left in the bathroom. Brilliant service and we will certainly use DialAFlight in future
Unfortunately the first night at the hotel was disappointing as the room allocated was not as expected. We were not given a standard double but standard single. This was corrected night 2
Elizabeth was amazing and very helpful, sent me multiple holiday options and responded to me quickly with any further questions. The place we booked however was awful, it was a tiny room miles away from anything. We ended up staying there for a night and then moved to another hotel. This is not Elizabeth’s fault at all. I looked at reviews for this place and did some research for nearest transport etc and from what I could see there was no issues. All in all my experience with DialAFlight has been amazing and I will be using again.
Keep being you x
Car hire in Gib (Avis) shambolic. Booked the car at airport, pick up was over the border, not normally a problem but one of our party disabled requested return to airport. Met with the response of ‘non possible’ from Avis - unhelpful, rude and totally unsympathetic! I am a frequent user of Gib airport and generally use Autos Aguirre. I will not use Avis again!
My journey was hassle free and the hotel recommendation was perfect, based in the city centre with easy access to all sights. Thank you once again for an amazing holiday experience.
Well done Brody
Five stars
Amelia is a treasure. Very patient, very thorough and very helpful. A joy to work with.
Professional service as always - excellent service and communication.
From honking traffic in chaotic cities, through myriad Hindu temples to palm-fringed beaches and beautiful national parks crawling with exotic animals, Sri Lanka is packed with variety.
Our first stop was the island's gateway, the bustling capital of Colombo.
The combination of energy-sapping heat, beeping tuk-tuks and congested streets make it all rather bewildering at first but a whistle-stop tour of the sprawling city provided a fascinating snapshot of life in the frenetic heartbeat of Sri Lanka.
We ate at the superb Ministry of Crab, owned by cricket stars Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, in the buzzing financial district.
The following morning we took the train to historic Kandy along the track built under British rule, through lush green hills.
Kandy is home to Sri Lanka's most important religious shrine, The Temple of Tooth, as well as to the greatest bowler ever, Muttiah Muralitharan, affectionately known as 'Murali'. We stayed in the stunning Theva Residency. Perched high above the city, it's away from the bustling centre but only a short tuk-tuk drive from the thick of the action.
Spacious rooms boast impressive views over the city and Richmond Hill, which can be enjoyed from the comfort of the bathtub next to enormous windows.
From Kandy we made our way to Sigiriya, a russet rock that towers 600ft above arid plains.
Our chauffeur stopped on the way at the Luckgrove Spice Garden in Matele, for a fascinating insight into herbs and spices used in Sri Lankan cuisine.
Further north we called in at Dambulla, famous for cave temples - which involved a challenging half hour trek to a hilltop. All five temples are different but each lovingly decorated with beautiful murals.
In Sigiriya, we stayed at the magnificent Jetwing Vil Uyana, in the shadow of an historic rock fortress.
The eco-friendly hotel has drawn inspiration from local traditions. Guests are housed in individual thatched huts modelled on Sinhalese dwellings - which manage to be both homely and grand. Each comes with its own blissful ice-cool plunge pool.
Facilities include a spa – reached via a boardwalk over a lake – and a wonderful pool. A number of excursions were laid on, including a loris trail with resident naturalist Chaminda Jayasekhara.
Breakfast and dinner are served in an open dining area overlooking the lake (which has a crocodile gliding around in it).
Vil Uyana is perfectly positioned for the steep climb to 'Lion's Rock', best done at sunrise or sunset to avoid the worst of the heat.
We then headed to the east, still finding its feet following the end of the civil war in 2009.
The government is investing time and energy into restoring the area to its former glory. This has seen many resorts spring up along Pasikudah Beach - we stayed at the newly-built Anilana Pasikudah for two nights.
The gleaming hotel has an attractive foyer that looks out over the pool and beach and sea, giving an immediate 'wow' factor.
Our final stay, in Gal Oya Lodge, was the highlight. Tucked away on the northwestern edge of the Gal Oya National Park, it's a gem.
It was set up by boyhood friends Tim Richards and Sangjay Choegyal (as well as John Balmond, the son of architect Cecil) who fell in love with the place during an extensive tour of the country.
They set about building a lodge in the jungle and their love for the beautiful surroundings really comes across when you speak with them - theirs is the only lodge in Sri Lanka to receive a platinum award for their efforts to help the environment.
It comprises 11 eco-friendly rooms made from local natural materials that boast incredible open bathrooms.
We had a tour of the local indigenous community (the Veddha) led by the tribe's deputy chief, who explained their use of medicinal plants, ancient hunting grounds and historic cave dwellings.
We also made the short trip into the national park, home to rare birds such as the blue face malkoha, painted francolin, hoopoe and Indian peafowl, spotted deer, wild boar, monkeys, and, most excitingly, elephants.
On an evening visit we heard a crash in the foliage - and just yards away came the trumpeting call of an elephant, a thrilling if nerve-racking experience.
We remained motionless as the elephant trampled through the plantation, a few feet from the jeep, before sidling away.
We also explored the national park via boat. We bobbed along the lake, taking in the beautiful sight of birds – including white-bellied sea eagles – gliding gracefully across the sky until a guide excitedly shouted 'Elephant'!
There was a majestic 20-year-old male, grazing on the riverbank. We sat for half-an-hour watching the elephant, as the sky turned a wonderful shade of red. It was a stunning sight and a fitting finale to our stay on the paradise island.
First published in the Mail Online - August 2016
More articles below...