Hays Travel - Ashford Omdömen 

I have thought very carefully before writing this review, particularly because the travel consultant involved was helpful in responding to emails once problems began to emerge. However, having now experienced the holiday my 82-year-old mother was sold, I believe serious questions need to be asked about whether this trip was ever suitable for her and her travelling companions.

My mother booked this holiday through Hays Travel as a very special trip with her cousin and his wife. She paid for the trip and was incredibly proud of herself for arranging what she hoped would be one last big adventure together while they were all still able to travel.

The principal reason she booked was the Caledonian Sleeper experience. That was the dream. The rest of the Scottish tour was attractive, and she is enjoying parts of it, but the overnight train journey was what made her choose this particular holiday.

In reality, a trip on the Caledonian Sleeper to Scotland, a few comfortable days staying in Edinburgh and then a return journey on the Sleeper would have been more than sufficient for what my mother actually wanted. It would arguably also have been far better suited to her age, mobility and the needs of her travelling companions. She did not need a busy coach tour involving repeated walking to and from the coach at different attractions; she wanted the special experience of overnight train travel and some enjoyable time in Scotland with people she loves.
This is why I find it so disappointing that more time does not appear to have been spent exploring what my mother actually wanted from the holiday before this particular package was sold to her.

My mother is 82, uses a walking stick and has sight problems. Her travelling companions are also older. Yet they were sold sleeper accommodation involving extremely small cabins with bunk beds, where one person in each cabin has to climb into a top bunk.

My mother says she believed she had booked a double cabin with private toilet facilities for her cousin and his wife and a bunk-bed cabin with private toilet facilities for herself and me. She knew our cabin involved bunk beds; she did not understand that both cabins would be bunk-bed cabins without private toilets.

This was not a minor detail.

Mr and Mrs Fowler cannot safely climb into a top bunk. My mother herself, with a walking stick and sight difficulties, is also not a suitable candidate for climbing into an upper bunk.

My mother was asked whether anyone required assistance and answered no because everyone could walk independently. But being able to walk around a tourist attraction is completely different from being physically able to climb a ladder into a top bunk on a moving overnight train.

At no point does my mother recall anyone specifically asking whether these older passengers could safely access upper bunks.

Hays Travel has since told us that the cabin information was in the brochure.

My mother was never given a brochure.

That point matters enormously. It is not enough for important information to exist somewhere in a brochure if the customer was never actually given that brochure and the booking documentation she did receive failed to clearly explain what had been booked.

The confirmation information my mother received afterwards contained next to no meaningful detail about the sleeper accommodation. It did not clearly set out, in a way an ordinary customer could readily understand, that both rooms were tiny Classic bunk-bed cabins, that one person in each cabin would need to access a top bunk, and that neither cabin had a private toilet.

Had this been made clear, we could have raised the issue immediately.

Instead, my mother was encouraged to book quickly because spaces were limited.

Only around a week before departure, after I personally contacted Newmarket Holidays directly and sent numerous emails trying to establish exactly what had been booked, did the full reality become clear.

My mother had not booked the Caledonian Sleeper experience she believed she had booked.

She discovered the following:

both cabins contained bunk beds.
one passenger in each cabin would need to climb into a top bunk.
neither cabin had a private toilet;
the cabins were extremely small and compact.
access to the Club Car was not guaranteed;
and the shared dining experience she believed formed part of the overnight journey was not guaranteed.

Our contact in the local branch, Anne-Louise has always listened to what we would like and found us a great location. Takes the stress out of booking yourself.

Anne-Louise was very helpful as always

The lady was very kind and helpful

Hollie listened to our requirements and kept searching until she found the best option available within our given budget.
Will visit again soon to book next years holiday with Hollie as she is so helpful.

Excellent service by Isobel, very knowledgeable and was able to answer all our questions

Hollie was very helpful, friendly and accommodating with helping me to book a family cruise. She was patient and careful in explaining all the options that were available to us. Great experience from both Hollie and her colleague Sandra, would definitely recommend this experience to take the stress out of booking a holiday.

Anne-Louise was our agent she was excellent explaining everything in detail to us . tried to get us the best deals. Very professional and lovely lady

Once again Sandra in your Ashford Kent branch helped us find and book a cruise for us and our daughter and family (spending nearly 2 hours ensuring every detail was correct)
We may look elsewhere but always end up booking with Sandra

Very professional and helpful.

I was made very welcome by Sandra and Tracy. I explained when and where I wanted to travel and within several minutes was given the information that I required.

I felt confident in the information provided - I would recommend Hayes Travel, Ashford for their expertise and knowledge. There was a friendly atmosphere in the branch which is obviously important and means that all the staff work well together.

Visited the Ashford store to book our summer holiday and was seen by Sandra. I had a few questions and was a little indecisive but Sandra was brilliant and helped with everything! I ended up booking the holiday I wanted, for a great price. Sandra was polite, professional and very knowledgeable and even though she was busy, I never felt rushed. I will be going to see her again to book our next trip for February 2027.

Anne-Louise was very friendly and helpful in coordinating with the travel company to arrange the holiday we were looking for. Thank you!

The member of staff who helped us was excellent

Every thing was dealt with professionally & very friendly manner throughout our visit . We have used hays previously & again always took care of everything for us 100 %

We normally work our own holiday travel but had spoken earlier about a September break. We have been to mainland Spain and some of the Spanish islands and our experience of package holidays is not good. In passing the travel agency I spoke with Anne-Louise who was both helpful and professional in arranging the most appropriate hotel and flights for us.

Excellent service very helpful that’s why I always use hays hollie was more than helpful booking our holiday

A really good and positive experience with so much help and advice, carried out by happy and friendly staff, on making a special package tour of Australia and the Ghan for a special event.
It didn't take long to arrange everything, flights, hotels, trains, transfers to match our basic idea.
Looking forward now to October to start the journey.
Thank you

Care, attention and time spent helping us get the right holiday. Listened to all our wishes. Never felt rushed to book. Thank you to Sandra who has also helped and booked holidays for us before - she is a big asset to the company.

Excellent service.
Sandra was very helpful and made several helpful suggestions