C.N.A. Western Fly Drive – Customer Comments
Read reviews from customers who have experienced one of our most popular drive programs for themselves. The CNA Western is unique – It provides visits to some of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders in the western USA whilst carefully planning the amount of driving you do. It also incorporates places to stay that strike that fine balance of standards and location – It’s no wonder 1000′s of people choose the CNA Western as their preferred drive program when visiting the western USA. Scroll down to read some of our customer experiences or click the link below to view this itinerary.
65 Comments to “C.N.A. Western Fly Drive – Customer Comments”
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Review of C.N.A Western Fly Drive trip – May/ June 2012
Thanks so much for arranging a wonderful holiday. It was perfect from start to finish. The hotels were fantastic; some were more luxurious than others but they were all very clean and comfortable and many were just fantastic. (nb. Grand Hyatt, San Francisco, Monterey Intercontinental and Montelucia in Scottsdale).
My concern before we left was that the driving would be too much. Rest assured that these trips have clearly been meticulously researched and the distances are all manageable, even if you forget your mobile phone and have to go back! In fact that was a stroke of luck for us, as when we left Yosemite (slightly later than we had hoped because of the phone) a huge, lovely cuddly-looking bear lumbered out right in front of the car and turned and looked at us, posing beautifully. Sadly we were too excited to get a photo but we’ll have it in our heads forever! We chose the Sedona/Phoenix option to end the holiday and it was a lovely winding-down experience to spend two days in a wonderful hotel. It is a big adventure to fit into 2 weeks and the relaxing ending made us feel as though we’d had a rest. We have been back for two months but are still living off the memories of the astounding variety of scenery, eg. Tioga Pass to Death Valley in one day, Grand Canyon, wonderful Arizona – Flagstaff and Sedona – and most of all, the extraordinary niceness and welcoming nature of the Americans. I’d only been to New York before, where it can all appear a bit superficial, but the people in the west are so genuinely thrilled to see you, and interested in your trip.
Sorry the photos will all arrive one at a time. Hoping you can sort it out!
Thanks again,
Kathy Howells and Philip Fryer
Hi David.
The trip was very, very enjoyable and we would certainly do it again. All of the hotels were great and the planning by Charlotte worked perfectly. I would certainly recommend CNA to anyone and have done so.
In an attempt to assist future customers of yours I would say the following, which are certainly not criticisms:
1) Advise not to reach the Oakland Bay Bridge anywhere near rush hour as we waited 2 hours just to get onto the bridge.
When using the Sanfran trams don’t queue for hours (seriously) at the first stop. Go up the hill as by law the tram has to stop and let you on…with no queuing.
2) Advise how cold it can be in SanFran….it was freezing!!
3) Re state the hours for the trip from SanFran to Santa Barbara as Charlotte stated 5.5 hours using Highway 1. This is incorrect as the 5.5 hours is using the 101 and if you take the Highway 1 ad we did it takes more like 7 hours. Not an issue to us as it’s a great road but for some customers it may be too log a trip in one hit.
4) Advise Grand Canyon is a very close drive from Las Vegas.
5) Think VERY SERIOUSLY about using HeliUSA. There were many unhappy customers there the day we had hassles and the driver/ranch said that is quite normal!
6) Advise people to book Alcatraz asap as we didn’t and found a 1 month wait or tickets increased from $28 to $95 each! We did the Escape from Alcatraz boat which circles the island and goes under Golden Gate too. Really good.
7) The Rocket Boat in the bay is awesome!
9) Hertz were excellent.
10) The fridge in the room at Dana Point is empty so take your own booze for in room drinking as from the hotel it is very expensive when the 7/11 store down the road can supply the same booze at a fraction of the price ($10 for 6 beers compared to $9 for one at the hotel).
Awesome holiday, thanks.
Regards,
Dear Charlotte
Many thanks for an absolutely fabulous holiday: we all thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was incredibly varied and each area was attractive in its own way – for us as a family, the only change we would make to the itinerary would be to
omit the 2 nights in Scottsdale, add one to Sedona (the hotel was an unexpected gem) & the area well worth exploring, add one to San Francisco / El Portal (so much too see).
Best Regards
Peter.
Once again you organised us a fantastic holiday, everything went smoothly, thank you.
We all really enjoyed ourselves, it is hard getting back to work!
I hope you do not mind if we make a few suggestions that you could add to booklets for other travellers.
• We were not prepared for the fairly cool temperatures in San Francisco in the morning and evening, we all wished we had taken a fleece. We knew it would be cooler but with the wind it really was cold.
• The Heat Hotel at Lake Havasu was good, great views from the rooms. We had decided to leave the Canyon early to complete the route back early which left us time to hire a motor boat on the lake in the afternoon. It was very hot and a great way to cool down, we would really recommend it. The boat hire place is just a few meters along the quay from the hotel front.
• The VIP ticket for Universal was worth every penny. By the time you add up all the extras, food parking and fast track tickets they are not much more expensive. The studio tour was much better, you got into shows early and were able to walk round the sets rather than just sitting on a bus. They provided breakfast and an excellent lunch.
• The car hire drop point in LA is quite a way from the airport and you have to take a shuttle bus about 15 min ride. We had plenty of time, but it may be worth mentioning, you would not want to arrive late, thinking you could drop the car near the terminal.
Again, very many thanks
Liz & Neil Kirkbride
Hi Alistair from England! Thank you for arranging the most wonderful holiday for us. We all enjoyed it so very much and to our amazement didn’t have a problem with the mileage, it all went so quickly, probably because of the wonderful scenery en route. Even the grandchildren commented how quickly the travel went; no boredom.
Thanks for the e-mail re; Monteray. We did always check under the name of Holloway and Coldwell as it varied from place to place. I think we just had a “jobs worth” receptionist at The Portola who insisted that as they didn’t have double rooms they would not have booked one!! Anyhow the Manager was excellent and resolved everything. The only other problem I had was a spider who travelled from Death Valley to Las Vegas in my suitcase!!!!!
You handled the whole trip for us so professionally, from the start in understanding what we were looking for until the complete and helpful package that arrived before we left. All the destinations were amazing and we even managed some shopping in Scotsdale; so much cheaper than home – Ugg boots, van shoes etc., !
The hotels were all of a high standard and in particular The Mandarin in Las Vegas was incredible. The best hotel we have ever stayed in; it also made the Las Vegas experience bearable!! total peace and calm .
Thanks again Alistair and we will of course be in touch with you again when next planning a holiday to the USA.
All best wishes, Julie and the whole family.
Hi Sarah,
I just wanted to write to thank you and the team at CNA for arranging such a fabulous trip for my wife and I.
Everything, from the moment we left home until our reluctant return went like clockwork and the itinery was a perfect balance between travelling and relaxation. The advice that you gave regarding what to see and what to book in advance was invaluable, especially as the Alcatraz tour was fully booked for the next 7 days when we were in San Francisco. I intend to send a few holiday pics when I find time !
Thanks again, and we will not hesitate to recommend you to anyone planning a visit to the USA.
Kind regards David and Tricia Wolfenden.
Dear Charlotte
I thought I would drop you a line to let you know how our holiday went – fantastic! Your arrangements were faultless and the whole trip ran like a dream.
It started even better than we had hoped for when we were upgraded to Business Class on the flight out – what a way to start our silver wedding anniversary trip!
Upon arrival at San Francisco finding the minibus was very straightforward, although the journey to the hotel took nearly an hour and a half! We were glad that we weren’t driving. The hotel, The Larkspur, which you moved us to because of building work at the Adagio, was superb. The staff were helpful and welcoming and the room was clean and comfy. The hotel itself was so central it was wonderful. Our trip to Alcatraz, which you arranged for us, was superb and we were glad you had booked it as the next vacancies were in another 4 days!
We were extremely happy with all the hotels, except perhaps the Intercontinental Century City, Los Angeles. Although this was a very nice hotel, it was a considerable distance to any other restaurants – you had to use your car and having just driven for 6 hours from Lake Havasu we didn’t fancy fighting through the traffic to try and find a restaurant. The restaurant in the hotel, was for us, expensive and the food was very ‘fussy’. We ended up just having a burger in the bar and this was fairly expensive too. However, I cannot find fault with any of the other hotels, and in Lake Havasu we were upgraded to a suite with Jacuzzi bath, which was very nice!
Perhaps the only other fault would be the size of the car. We had driven a compact car in the States three years ago and were then given a car the size of an Escort. This time we were given a Mazda 2, which was tiny! We had to put two of our suitcases on the back seat as they would not fit in the boot. However, it drove very well and had good fuel consumption so we can’t really complain! The sat nav was brilliant and a great extra – took a load of hassle out of finding out where we had to drive! A warning to other customers too – don’t turn up at 10am to collect your car, turn up early if you want to get away early – we turned up at 9.15am and eventually got to the front of the queue at 10am, by which time the queue was out of the door! They had all desks active, but it was just very busy.
We didn’t actually take your route to El Portal, but drove in the other end of Yosemite in order to visit Mariposa Grove on the way. I would recommend this to anyone! Having driven this way, walked in the Grove (4mile round trip, exhausting but exhilarating!) we still managed to get to the hotel by about 7pm that day. Mariposa Grove was fantastic and we managed to still hike to Bridalveil Fall on the next day, along with doing the Valley Tour bus and a couple of other walks too. On the way to Lake Havasu we stopped at Sunset Crater and did the Lava Loop walk which was fascinating – well worth spending an hour or so there, especially if you take a picnic as we did as there are some lovely tables in the shade to sit at.
The collection of the tickets for Universal went well – no problems there – and we had fun on our last day. We allowed 2 hours to get to the airport from Universal and it took us 1 ¼, so we arrived in plenty of time.
We took hundreds of photos! I have attached a few of our favourites for you. I had booked for us to renew our vows in Vegas with Elvis at the Graceland Chapel and that was a wonderful experience.
I cannot pick out my favourite part of the trip. Yosemite was stunning, the Grand Canyon spectacular, Death Valley unbelievable (we nearly ran out of petrol there, so unforgettable too!), Vegas like nothing we had ever seen before and San Francisco is a city I want to return to! I had my birthday in the Grand Canyon and took a bike tour along the rim with Bright Angel Bicycles – something I would thoroughly recommend.
Once again, thank you for all your help and advice in setting up this trip. I have been extolling the virtues of Complete North America to all and would definitely come back to you for another trip in this area. If you would like to use any of my email on your website as a customer comment I would be more than happy.
With best wishes
Becky Gotch
Hi David
Sorry it has taken me so long to come back to you after our trip. Christmas came along and time got away from me!
I just wanted to thank you for all your help in organising our trip. We had a fantastic time and you worked wonders with our budget with only two weeks notice! Everything went smoothly and your arrangements were perfect. It is difficult to pick highlights because the whole trip was great. The choice of hotels was very good and we were thrilled to be in a suite at the Venetian for out final evening in Las Vegas. I absolutely loved San Francisco and the Grand Canyon and we took a detour through the Mojave desert which was a great experience too.
We got an upgrade in the hire car, which was very pleasant. We were especially lucky as the Tioga pass opened the day we reached Yosemite so we had a chance to see all of Yosemite, even though it was so late in the season. The only thing you didn’t arrange was the weather in LA, it was the one day it rained and it was like being in a monsoon!
If I had to give any feedback for changes to be made I would say that while the hotel in Santa Barbara was one of the most comfortable we stayed in, it was quite a mission away from the main street, but I think this only stood out as everywhere else we stayed we were slapbang in the centre of the action. We were worried about driving over there as it was our first taste of driving abroad, but it was all very manageable, even the longer drives didn’t seem to be a problem as there was so much to see.
We have passed your details to everyone who has expressed a vague interest in going to the US because we were so impressed with the service you provided. We are pondering where to go next and we shall be in touch.
Thanks again,
Ali
Hi Charlotte.
I just wanted to say: WOW! I don’t even know where to start.
Thank you for all your work in helping us put this trip together. Steve had never been to the US before and wasn’t that keen on going, but in the end – as expected – he didn’t want to leave. He is already researching our next one.
We will definitely be using you guys again. I can’t believe how smoothly everything went. We had the most amazing time.
The driving was no problem however, if I had known how many mountain roads we would be driving on I definitely would have taken some tranquilisers. I’m pretty sure I blacked out for a few minutes whilst driving out of Yosemite!
It is safe to say my fear of heights has not improved.
I still can’t get my head around being at almost 10,000 feet above sea level and 200 feet below sea level, temperatures of 107F to 32F – all within a few days. Bizarre but amazing.
All in all the best holiday either of us has ever had.
Thank you again.
Jas & Steve.
Had a great trip.
Thanks for your good organisation and information
Regards
Angus Coutts
Dear Charlotte
Thank you very much for sending through confirmation that £142.00 has been credited to our credit card regarding our booking at the Best Western Squire Inn on August 4th.
As we have said we really enjoyed the holiday and indeed would have no hesitation in recommending Complete North America.
I would just like to mention a couple of things which may be helpful to future clients.
- being greeted at San Francisco airport by a luxury limousine was a fantastic way to start the holiday, especially having spent 11 hours on the plane!
- although your road directions were good it was extremely helpful to have a SatNav
- although the hotels differed in standards we were very happy with the accommodation they provided, and their location too, and felt that the duration in each hotel was just right
- you initially suggested staying at the Heat Hotel in Lake Havasu, and having read some reviews of that hotel we then decided to stay at the Hampton Inn. Having now been there I would definitely say that we made the right choice as the Heat Hotel really is next to a noisy disco
- I do not know which hotels you normally recommend for Las Vegas, but the Bellagio was amazing! Also the Pelican Hill Resort at Newport Beach was outstanding and very much a luxurious place to stay
Thanks again for your help, and if we plan to go to the USA again we will be in touch!
With best wishes.
Hilary Reeves
Hello Jessica, Alistair and Charlotte
I hope you are all well and enjoying the summer
We are just back from our trip to the West Coast and we had a great time. Too many highlights to pick and choose although I must say Yosemite and Death Valley are truly outstanding places. I would also encourage you to try and find a way to include Monument Valley in to your intinery as this was wonderful, and the guided tour is an essential part of that visit.
The intinery worked well with 3 days in San Fran exactly right to start us off before all the travelling. We found the driving manageable and made sure we made it part of the day. The best journey was from Yosemite (via Tiago pass) to Death Valley. The changes in scenery where breath taking. A place called Murphy’s Creek on the Tiago Pass was beautiful beyond words. We then bolted on a trip to Mono Lake rather than Mammoth or June Lakes. This was a truly spectacular place and I would suggest anyone getting there if they can (whole detour was about 20 miles – with viewing added about 1 hour to journey)
We did find for some stages the estimated travel time was low in comparison to reality as it seemed to us that the times were based on an average of 60 miles per hour per journey. This was not always possible due to different miles per hour restrictions as you entered/left bulit up areas and the major fact that the scenic routes often have slower speeds due to the winding nature of the roads. Our average speed was 45 miles per hour ( i think one journey shown as 5 hours 40 mins took
One thing I need you to do for me is contact the Maswik Lodge in Grand Canyon as they have taken a payment from me for $186.39 (£122.02) for the second night of room lodging. I spoke to them on the front desk about this at the time and informed them that Complete North America were to pay for the lodging but they have incorrectly charged me. Please can you sort this out with them as soon as possible and either ask them to credit me the quantity deducted or can you credit me the correct amount. Please inform me what happens with this query.
Once again many thanks for all your help with our fabulous holiday, and we are beginning to plan our 2012 trip already.
Michael & Foz
Sarah,
Thank you for resolving the mistaken credit card payment with the Portola Spa at Monterey.
I can see from this month’s statement that the charge has been reversed.
Please also accept my thanks to yourself, David and your colleagues for facilitating a very memorable holiday for myself and my son.
In arranging a trip such as this there are bound to be small errors or omissions, thankfully these where rare and in the main minor.
The hotels you selected where fantastic, the locations excellent and the flights convenient, smooth and comfortable.
Having safely and happily completed this adventure I look forward to planning my next visit and have no problems in recommending your company to others, whom may wish to experience the scenic delights and cosmopolitan experiences that North America has to offer.
Many thanks and warmest regards,
Graham
Thank you.
It has taken me a few days to get around to writing to let you know what a really brilliant holiday we had. Everything worked out really easy with no problems and we were absolutely delighted with the entire experience.
The San Francisco bus tour on the Sunday morning was the best possible way to start our visit to this amazing city, and I would recommend offering it as a suggested option to your other clients. We were very pleased with every hotel we stayed in, with one small exception. The Canyon Plaza hotel was not quite up to the same standard as many of the other places, and I would have preferred something different. Many of the hotels exceeded our expectations for luxury, and I was very pleased that we stayed in the Yosemite Lodge, rather than outside the National Park, especially as we spent an extra day in Yosemite.
I would highly recommend your services to other people, and I will look through your web site to see if any of your other holidays can tempt me.
Best regards,
Stuart Rance
**CNA Comment**
Following feedback and in an effort to improve this itinerary yet further we now feature Bright Angel Lodge at the Grand Canyon, one of the lodges located within the Grand Canyon National Park.
Hi Charlotte,
I would like to say thanks for organising a wonderful holiday. We have now been back for 2 weeks, and have just started
to adjust to life back in the UK. We really did bring back some wonderful memories and I have submitted a few photos into
your website competition. The complete package was fantastic; the hotels excellent (esp the Clement Monterey, where we were
given an upgrade to a suite facing the Pacific Ocean!), and the driving distances not too bad, apart from the drive to Death Valley
from Yosemite (Tioga Pass not open) which took 10 hrs. The Sat Nav was a godsend to be honest, as the road signage in the US
can be small/non-existent, so thanks for advising us to pay extra for this. Also, many thanks for the complementary limo from SF airport
and the superb Alcatraz Tour. Overall, we were very impressed by Complete North America, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you
to friends and family.
All the best,
Tony.
Wow what a superb holiday to remember – would like to thank all at C.N.A for their seamless organisation to make our trip to the US so easy and worry free. Loved the way it was organised with the folder to instruct us along the way. We only went wrong (once) when my husband took over the navigating!! The hotels were all superb – Yosemite Lodge the least plush however the location perfect. Had 14 wonderful days of blue sky and sun so didn’t mind waking up to torrential rain in Sedona on day 15!! Did the Verde Canyon rail trip that day and saw so many rainbows -very very relaxing. The Camelback Inn was a great place to chill at the end of the trip. Thanks again for all the advice – glad we had 2 nights in Las Vegas as you suggested!
Mike and Jo
We’ve just returned from fly/drive holiday arranged by C.N.A and would like to make a few comments.
We went with 2 friends for the 1st time,so were apprehensive about introducing them to the experience. However, we needn’t have worried as we ALL had a superb holiday and the thanks must go to CNA.
The folder was exceptional and very comprehensive, albeit very heavy for us to carry on the flight! (well my husband did)
The moment we stepped into the arrivals hall at San Francisco airport we were greeted by a man holding a board with our name, and were escorted to a limo that took us to our hotel.
All the hotels without exception were of very good quality, some were exceptional e.g The Amara hotel in Sedona and Heat hotel in Lake Havasu
where we had rooms that looked out over London Bridge. The only problem is that we were not warned by CNA that there’s a bar outside that’s open ’til 2am. Not too much of a problem for us as we went in November, had double glazing and were very tired, but in the summer season there’s also a night club attached to the hotel that could be a problem.
The Boulder City Hotel was an historic hotel and a different experience. We loved it.
Some hotels offered us a complimentary breakfast that we weren’t expecting, and one had kitchen facilities so we could D.I.Y and have a break from eggs and bacon!!
For anyone doing a trip in this area, Death Valley’s a must. We weren’t prepared for the scenery. So different from anything else we’ve seen and we found it overwhelming.
So,all in all,thanks CNA for a memorable holiday. We’ll certainly recommend you, and will probably be back for more when we’ve boosted our bank balance! (having said that, we couldn’t believe what we got for our money)
Lynn Newson
Hi Alistair,
Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for organising the Great Western US trip for sarah and myself. It was amazing to say the least – so much so, we are both finding it hard to readjust to London life here again. The natural scenery in the US was mind blowing – i couldn’t pinpoint a favourite but i esp loved yosemite, the grand canyon and sedona (wish we had longer in these places – so will definitely be going back for part 2, 3, 4…!!). And to finish the trip off at the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale was perfect – such a beautiful ranch/hotel set amongst the beauty of the arizona desert – and it was 41 degrees, a record high. Loved it!
Please also thank your colleague, sarah, for persuading us not to change any of the hotels. Looking back, I wouldn’t have had the trip any other way.
Thanks again and best wishes to you all.
Kellie and Sarah
have today sent you details for the refund of our cancelled Grand Canyon helicopter trip, due to extremely bad weather conditions. We did re-schedule for the next morning, but again it was cancelled due to bad weather.
Despite this disappointment we had a fantastic holiday and would like to take this opportunity to say a big ‘thank you’ for a most memorable trip.
‘The Skinner Party’
Hi Sarah
Just to let you know we have arrived home safely from our 19 night holiday in America which was
Absolutely fantastic. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for the comprehensive
Information folder which you supplied containing our itinerary and much more.
We found the information and driving instructions were spot on. All the accommodation was excellent
especially the Venetian and the J W Marriot Resort in Scottsdale.
We found the Fly-Drive itself was effortless and very rewarding, we would have no hesitation in recommending
Complete North America or this Fly-Drive to anyone.
Once again thank you very much
Best Regards
Andrew & Pauline Knibbs
Hi Sarah,
No problem at all.
Firstly I would certainly recommend any individual who is looking to do a similar trip to contact yourselves. The binder that was sent through unexpectedly a couple of weeks before the trip served as a tool of excitement before we left and allowed us to plan and have some other ideas for the places we were staying. This was also a very useful companion whilst we were there. The maps and step by step directions (we took a Sat-nav but the maps served as a very useful visual aid as well) including journey times were excellent with the optional journey extras clearly drawn out. The car pick up was swift and easy and have no complaints about knowing where to go or what to do.
The ability to have a 24 hour contact number is crucially important and a very nice peace of mind addition to the trip. We did have to use this unfortunately but your American colleague was extremely professional despite being called late in the evening and was very swift in resolving our issue.
The majority of accommodation choices were excellent, bar the Monte Carlo in Vegas and the Fairmont in Newport beach. Hotel Adagio in San Francisco was nice inside but having read a guide that said stay away from Tenderloin, it was a little concerning that the hotel was right on the edge and being warned by locals “not to turn right out of the hotel door”. Definitely would not have been too keen had we had children / elderly companions. If there is a good alternative near Fishermans wharf I would say this would be a better place to stay all round.
Having stayed at the Wynn and Bellagio previously I was quite let down by the Monte Carlo in terms of its cleanliness and the casino and therefore we checked into the Encore for our last evening. It may well be worth checking with future customers if they have been previously to what their expectations may be.
The Fairmont at Newport was the biggest disappointment (the compulsory valet of around $20/25 in most hotels should be something people are warned about before the trip). This was an out and out business Hotel and did not feel like the kind of “near the beach” warm friendly place we were hoping for. It was there where we contacted your colleague about making other arrangements. We moved to the Island hotel which was just down the road but was much better with a nice pool and excellent rooms and service.
I know it is always good to hear feedback if you are looking to improve for others and as said, I would certainly recommend you again and already have to my colleagues. If there is any more information you would like to run through please call me.
Kind regards
Peter
***CNA Comment***
Very valued feedback, all we’d like to add is that the Wynn and Bellagio are of a considerably higher standard than the Monte Carlo, in fact perhaps the best 2 hotels currently on the Strip. Consequently they have prices tags to match. We do have agreements to sell both hotels but they will increase costs quite notably, in most cases by about £200 overall for 2 nights. Anyone considering a beach stay for the last part of their holiday might also like to consider Laguna Beach, which is a lovely resort, instead of Newport Beach but once again rooms in Laguna do sell for a premium.
We are over the jet lag and back intoour post holiday reflection time after the CNA Western flydrive, so we wanted to write and give you a big thank you. It was a special trip for us as a double silver wedding anniversary treat, the first trip to the states for 3 of us, and it definitely won’t be the last. The trip was energetic and that suited our style of holiday, so we enjoyed every single minute. All of us enjoyed the contrasts from San Francisco to Los Angeles (not forgetting the extremes of Death Valley and Las Vegas). All the hotel accommodation was at least good and generally excellent. The anniversary excuse to upgrade to the Venetian in Las Vegas was one of the most memorable.
We are still talking about the holiday on a regular basis and will definitely consider our next destination with CNA, definitely within the next 3 years. We have nothing but praise for your helpfulness and organisation of the trip. The itinerary folder containing everything we needed to know was very impressive, however it would have been good to have received it sooner as there was so much to take in. All in all, a wonderful holiday and we feel we can safely recommend CNA to friends and family with full confidence and without reservation Thanks for the complimentary upgrade to the Heat hotel in Lake Havasu, the warning to buy Alcatraz tickets in advance and the extra help with car hire. If you are considering a large saloon the Chevrolet Impala is an excellent car for 4 adults with soft medium sized cases. Can I recommend an advance booking for shows in Las Vegas to avoid disappointment?
Many thanks again for such a professional service, it was a tremendous holiday and we would never have found the time necessary to arranging it ourselves.
Duncan and Debbie Freeman, Ady and Kathryn Howell.
We had to write to say a big thank you having just returned from our CNA Western flydrive. It was our first trip to the states and it definitely won’t be the last. The trip was pretty busy and intense but we enjoyed every single minute. We both enjoyed the ‘extremes’ from Death Valley to Las Vegas. All accommodation was very good and we were amazed at the spaciousness of our hotel rooms. One point to note is that in Arizona some smaller state parks are currently closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays due to the financial downturn, so it is worth checking if you want to make a visit to a particular park. We opted for the detour to Sedona and Scottsdale instead of visiting Los Angeles. Both resorts, Amara in Sedona and the Camelback Inn in Scottsdale, added a touch of luxury for the end of the holiday. Not that we slowed down at all, there was just far too much to see and do. We are still on a high and are seriously considering our next destination with CNA, hopefully next summer. We have nothing but praise for your helpfulness and organisation of the trip. The folder containing everything we needed to know was very impressive, however it would have been good to have received it sooner as there was so much to take in. All in all, a wonderful holiday and we feel we can safely recommend CNA to friends and family with full confidence and without reservation.
Vicky and Denis Sweeney
Dear Alistair
We have just returned from our CNA holiday and wanted to say thank you for making all the arrangements and especially the late notice changes we wanted. Everything worked out very well and there were no problems with any of the bookings for flights, hotels or car. I don’t know if you have a customer feedback form, but I’d be happy to fill one in if there is – we particularly liked the hotels in San Francisco, Mammoth Lakes and Scottsdale. We now have some fantastic memories that will stay with us forever.
With many thanks and best regards
Andrew Sudlow
Dear Alistair
Following our conversation last week I just wanted to pass on our thanks for organising such a fabulous holiday.
The whole thing was seamless and everything fell into place perfectly – especially considering the short notice we had given you!
Thanks for the complimentary limo transfer in San Francisco – our son loved it! The hotels were all good and well located. Heat hotel in Lake Havasu was stunning – we were upgraded to the most amazing suites and the Inter Continentals in Moneray and LA were fabulous. The location of Hotel Adagio was perfect.
We have already passed your details on to a couple of friends and raved about what a great job you do.
THanks again for such great service, it was a wonderful holiday and we would never have got round to arranging it ourselves
Best Wishes
Maggie, David, Caitlin and Huw
Alistair,
We’ve been back for nearly two weeks now and all of our experiences are still very clear in our minds. The highlights are just too numerous to mention.
That being so I just wanted to say how much we appreciated your very professional service and the excellent arrangements you made for our holiday. I wouldn’t hesitate to either use CNA again or to recommend you to anyone else who may be contemplating this type of holiday.
Kind regards, and many thanks.
Alistair,
Just wanted to let you know the Ortutas got home safely after having had the trip of a lifetime. Thanks so much to you and Kerry Costa. You were always available and knowledgeable about the trip specifics, travel needs and documents, etc.
The documents, maps, site information were detailed and easy to use. Every place the Ortutas went, they were welcomed. All went smoothly, including the trip to Death Valley where temperatures were in the low 120′s F (49 Celsius).
If you ever need a recommendation for a prospective client, feel free to give them our or Lucia Ortutova’s name/email/etc. Best wishes,
Don and Carolyn Dohn
Hi Charlotte,
Just wanted to drop you an e-mail to say thank you to yourself and the team for such an AMAZING holiday. As you know we were panicking a few weeks before departure due to the BA strikes, but the flight departed as scheduled on the 1st which was a great relief.
Everything from start to finish was perfect. We were so surprised with the itinerary as it was really detailed and jam packed with info and thing’s to do in each location. This was good for us as it saved lots of planning and surfing the net at the last minute, which is what we normally find ourselves doing before a holiday! We could just grab the folder and go. All the directions from airport to hotels to visitor centres and national parks were spot on. We considered hiring sat nav just in case we got lost having never driven in the US before, but glad we didn’t waste the money as the print outs and maps were clear. The times from each location took a bit longer than stated, but that was our own fault because we couldn’t help but stop regularly, take pics or shoot video of all the amazing things we saw on the journey !!!
The hotels were fantastic, each fitting with the location we were visiting. And saving what we thought was the best till last (Intercont Century City – LA) though, Adagio – San Fran was fantastic, Furnace Creek was brilliant, the view from the Yosemite View Lodge was great and the Luxor just big! The staff at all the hotels were really friendly, we couldn’t have asked for better places to stay.
It feels like we’ve had 8 holidays in one and even though we enjoyed every location we loved Yosemite, it was just breathtaking and we definitely need to visit LA again – what a city. We have already recommended CNA to plenty of family & friends and myself & Jade will almost certainly be booking with you again. More time in Yosemite and LA next time I think
Again, thank you and we can definitely say it was a holiday of a life time
James & Jade
Morning Charlotte,
Thank you for sorting that out with the Hyatt for us.
The honeymoon was absolutely fantastic, a couple of highlights I can recommend are:
The city tour of San Francisco by Coach, we used a company called Tower Tours along the waterfront in Fisherman’s Wharf. The tour guide was exceptional, his knowledge was brilliant and he pointed out some great restaurants. Notable favourites are “The Stinking Rose” where the garlic comes with food, you can buy garlic breath mints! And “The House of Nan King” in China Town, recommended as the best Chinese in China Town and we would tend to agree.
Alcatraz is a must, we went on the afternoon tour which was very busy. It would probably be a better experience if people did the first moning trip which is quieter and more atmospheric, or the night time tour.
Cable cars are the easiest way round the city and the most fun too!
Hotel Rex is beautiful, the staff were incredibly helpful and the bar is a lovely place to start (and finish) evenings with a nice glass of wine.
Yosemite National Park was great, we’d really recommend the bike hire to get around. We did Nerval Falls, Lower Yosemite Falls, the Swinging Bridge and Mirror Lake in a day which was about 8km riding and then walking on parts where bikes could not go. Prepare to get covered with spray if you’re going anywhere near a waterfall.
We had rain the one day we were in death valley! When it cleared up it we went for a walk, and got lost!
The Venetian in Vegas was great, our highlights were the Gondola ride at The Venetian, 32oz jars of beer in Toby Keith’s bar and grill inside Harrah’s. The Lion King show at Mandalay Bay is incredible, there are usually some good bands on at the House Of Blues in Mandalay Bay too. Our advice is don’t try and walk anywhere, Vegas is far bigger than it seems. Get the deuce bus ($7 all day pass) up the strip through downtown (once again, don’t walk through there, especially after dark!) to Fremont Street at night to see the light show. The Bellagio fountain display is best at night but great in the day, the rides at the top of the Stratosphere will get your heart racing, as will the ones on New York New York. The rainforest Cafe in MGM Grand is great fun and the outlet stores south of the strip past the airport have real bargains, we got 4 pairs of levis for $80!
In LA, to be honest we just chilled out by the pool and on the beach. But we managed to find the hollywood sign and the walk with all the stars on the last day.
For care hire, we did 1200 miles in a 1 litre chrevolet impala, they always try to get an upgrade out of you at the car hire place but there’s really no need. Air Con is a must, and automtic is very useful especially when driving to Yosemite on the winding roads and to death valley on the straight roads. Cruise control helsp reduce the temptation to pick your speed up as the police use aircraft to track your speed!
If anyone does do the drive from Yosemite to Death Valley we advise they check what roads are open before the set out. The Tioga Pass Road was closed when we went at the end of May due to Snow! We found that out the night before which meant that our 5 hour drive over the mountain turned into a 9 hour drive round the montain!
I think that’s everything! Thank you for all your help and support, we’ve already started saving for our next trip to america, the east coast this time!
Stephen Brookes
Dear Alistair,
We felt we must write and thank you and your colleagues for organising such a brilliant holiday for us and our friends, Ruth and Colin Snaith. Everything worked perfectly – the accommodation was spot on and the helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon was fantastic! We were so lucky with the weather; everywhere we went, the sky was blue and the sun shone, even though it was chilly in the Grand Canyon and hot at Death Valley!
We had problems with the brakes on the first hire car, an Impala, but the car hire company were fantastic and replaced it within a couple of hours.
We certainly had a wonderful and memorable holiday and would not hesitate in recommending Complete North America to anyone who is considering doing a similar holiday.
Thank you.
Lesley and John Tomlinson
To The Team,
We have now been home for over a week and I think we are beating the “Jet Lag”.
This is a BIG thank you for all your efforts in making this a fantastic holiday and for making a boyhood dream come true.
The hotels, the scenery, the food, but above all the people were amazing and Camel Back Inn was the cherry on a very big iced cake.
Onece again a very big thank and I am sure we will be in touch for another holiday to ” The States”.
Mostyn and Moyra Smith
“After searching the web for some time, we came upon Complete North America and booked the CNA Western holiday. The service was prompt and professional, and we received an enormous manual which detailed every single facet of the holiday, including route map, city guides, special offers and do’s and dont’s. Most of the hotels were way beyond our expectations, with several upgrades, including a suite in Los Angeles overlooking the studios. Booking into the hotels was simplicity itself, using a card system, and collecting the car -which was upgraded – was straightforward. We would strongly recommend hiring a sat nav, as the road signs, especially in towns aren’t as clear as in the UK. Superb organisation, great value and peace of mind throughout the holiday. We’re off to New York and New England this year with Complete North America!”
Geoff
Dear Sarah
I just wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time in America and everything went smoothly. We appreciated our hotel upgrades, the St. Francis in San Francisco ( very classy) and even more so Bally’s in Las Vegas instead of Circus Circus, which apart from looking rather dilapidated was also some way away from the rest of the other attractions. A couple of the hotels did not seem to realise that we were one party and put us far away from each other, but this could be down to them. The standard of the hotels was very good and we enjoyed the system of choosing your car at Alamo’s car rental at San Francisco airport. Our sat. nav. was sometimes at odds with your instructions, which apart from a couple of errors, were very useful and more accurate than the sat.nav. Thank you for all your help and advice before the trip and I would certainly consider travelling with you again, if the premium bonds come up! If I were to suggest any other information you could give it would perhaps be good places to eat in the cities. We were at a bit of a loss the first evening in San Francisco as there did not seem to be much near the hotel, or at least we couldn’t find anything suitable and of course we were very tired. This is the sort of information one can find in guide books, but it would be handy if you have any local tips from people that know the area. All in all however it was great and thanks again.
Yours sincerely
Christine Lowe ( on behalf of all four of us )
Hi Claire
Well, we made it there and we made it back. This is just a note to say that all your arrangements for us (flights, hotels and car) worked seamlessly – no hassles at any point.
Three observations for your consideration. We believe that:
1. without SATNAV, which we had, things would have been awkward (i.e. it would NOT have been hassle-free if our only means of navigation was your maps – perhaps that should be emphasised to customers
2. the Intercontinental was perhaps a bit OTT for weary travellers who, at the end of a fantastic but testing holiday, were just running out of money and clean clothes !!!
3. [and possibly most importantly] the holiday would have been even more fulfilling and ‘efficient’ had your magnificent tome of advice and suggestions arrived a month before we left rather than a week or so. There was far to much to get thro’ in so short a period which left us having to waste valuable holiday time doing ad hoc planning as we went along
However, it was a great experience and we thank you for the thoroughness of your attention to us throughout the process
Sincerely
Robin and Jean Atkinson
***CNA Comment***
We wholeheartedly concur with Robin & Jean’s comments regarding StaNav and will be making this a prominent tip on our re-designed website due out in January. In the meantime we have added it to our travel tips page. To view our tips click here
The Intercontinental is a fabulous hotel and gives us such a great deal currently that to put our clients in a lesser hotel and charge more money would make little sense. I’d reccomend dining out at the reccomendation of the excellent hotel concierge.
Point taken about the travel packs – Sometimes in the height of the season it can be tricky getting them out as early as we’d like as much of material is shipped over from America – We will address this point for 2010.
WE have just got back from our amazing US trip. Everything worked really well (couple of little blips detailed below-but nothing really significant) All your bookings were straight forward. Alamo were a little slow rescuing us when we had a problem-but that was their dispatcher at fault-no-one else.
We would definitley recommend using your services to anyone else, and would aim to use you again if we manage to follow up the contacts we have made.
WE had 2 hours at Chicago for changeover-the Manchester plane was 20 minutes late, and then we had to queue for 75minutes to go through immigration. They all said we wouldn’t catch the next plane, and that the luggage definitely wouldn’t. In fact we caught it, and the luggage arrived perfectly. Is it worth allowing a little more for their immigration procedures?
The other tiny blip was that we went on Labour Day weekend (unbenowst to us) and the queues in Circus Circus took 90 minutes to work our way to register. I don’t know that we would have done anything different, but we were a bit taken aback by the length of the queue. Would it be worth warning people??
Please don’t think I am moaning, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and loved the national parks we got to. Extraordinary that I booked the government camp sites on line, and we would turn up in some tiny obscure campsite in Seuoia to find our name on a pole on the correct day.
Circus Circus were quite calm about us leaving the car in their car park for the 4 days we were off in the Grand Canyon (at no cost) and only charged us $15 for the suitcase in the safe.
So thank you very much, we had a really good time. And the file continues to amaze us.
Hotel ADagio in San Francisco is lovely. Their restaurant has closed down because of the economic climate! Sign of the times I suppose.
Thanks
Jill Hubbard
***CNA Comment***
When booking flights we are required to allow an internationally recognised minimum connection time, which varies from flight to flight and should allow enough time for the connection. If we allow this and due to unforseen reasons connections are missed by passengers or bags don’t make it the airlines takes responsability to get both to their final destination asap. If of course our clients would like longer connecting times this can sometimes be provided depending on the airlines operating schedule and could of course involve quite some waiting around.
Jill makes a valid point about the queues in Las Vegas which are common place at most hotels. We will be starting a new section on the blog shortly called ‘Travel Tips’ which will include lots of useful information for travellers including the dates of major holidays in America.
The Hotel Adagio was recently inspected by our team. The bar is due to re-open anytime now and the restaurant will be open again for the 2010 summer season. However please ask a member of our team for reccomendations on restaurants, we can send you to some fabulous places and breakfast just round the corner at ‘Dotties’ is the way to go!
Many thanks to Jill and our other valued clients for their feedback which we are happy to share.
Hi Kerry (and team)
Thought we just had to write and say thank you all for arranging such a fantastic holiday. When your folder arrived just before the trip we were so impressed and were then confident that we were in for a holiday of a lifetime. It was just fabulous. Everything worked like clockwork – the car hire, the hotels the flights. Did not think B.A. gave a very good service – perhaps they should come and have some staff training with your company. It was so reassuring to arrive at hotels etc. knowing that you had got it all organised for us – and it was. There was never a problem. Thank you all very much. We have already recommended you to so many people.
Sure we will be doing business with you again in the near future.
Regards
Colin and Jenny Wood
Hi Roger, just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed our recent trip to California. You put together a wonderful itinerary and everything went like clockwork.
Three very satisfied customers.
Regards.
Sue Clague
Dear Sir, I thought I would just write to you to say thank you for the fantastic organisation and customer service my family and I experienced from your company. We booked our trip around the West Coast of America and as well as tailoring it to our requirements you also upgraded us in a number of areas FOC. Furthermore, the detail and papers sent prior to traveling were exemplary. We experienced no problems whatsoever on our travels (unlike some other travelers we saw) and also received unexpected additions (breakfast) in some of the hotels. All in all the holiday organisation undertaken by you added to the overall experience resulting in a stress free, fabulous holiday. We will definitely recommend your company to others and, if we travel to the US again, will use you again ourselves. Thankyou. Romelle Piercy and Family
David
Have been back from our trip to the western US for a few days now and had to reflect on what truly was a tremendous experience…our first holiday in the US. I would like to take this opportunity to provide some basic feedback. Obviously, with such a complex itinerary things did not always go exactly to plan, but they all worked out well in the end
1. All the hotels and the rooms were first rate. In particular, the cabin at Zion Lodge NP, the room at the View (Monument Valley) and the Amara Creekside Hotel, Sedona were exceptional.
2. Due to a forest fire in the Yosemite NP, the Yosemite View Lodge at El Portal was evacuated and the route subject to a 120 mile diversion. After stopping at a small visitor centre, alternative accommodation was arranged for us by your agent in the US in liaison with a ranger in a visitor centre and all went smoothly.
3. The Alamo car rental tried very hard to sell us a larger hire car but having resisted this, found the smaller car very comfortable and adequate for the journey, although it did struggle up some of the climbs to Yosemite and Death Valley.
Thanks again for a great holiday experience
Regards
Paul
Hi Kerry
Just to let you know everything went well for our trip and the Helicopter ride was a great success.
Had the holiday of a lifetime and had lots of wonderfull memories.
Thanks for all your help
Heather Brown
Many thanks for your impeccable organisation for our recent holiday, 28th May-12th June.
We were most impressed with the folder, which gave us all the information needed, and we were delighted with the itinerary, the hotels were good, and your driving directions were spot on, So we had no hassles at all.
The weather didn’t match the brochures, but that’s scarcely your fault. We drove over the Tioga Pass, leaving Yosemite, in a blizzard (yes truly….they closed the pass after us!), then into the desert heat of Death Valley, only for it to rain for a few minutes in an area which goes years between rainfall. What an experience.
Anyway, we are happy to recommend both your company and our particular tour to our friends.
Regards
Jenny and Chris
Just to say thank you for the experiance of a lifetime. We have just returned after our CNA Western trip it was awaome. Our thanks to the team for great hotels, breathtaking views, and the most sceanic drives. The whole trip went like clockwork thank you Complete North America. Will be sure to use and recomend you if ever planning another trip.
Allan
Further to our telephone conversation we are writing to say how much we enjoyed our recent holiday to California, Nevada and Arizona and to thank you for making the arrangements. The hotels varied but all were perfectly acceptable and appropriate for their location. The Adagio was particularly convenient. The itinerary covered the major areas of interest and allowed for a period of relaxation and winding down at the end of the holiday. Our contact with your office was always both pleasant and efficient and we would certainly use your company again.
Kind regards,
Sue and Peter
Hi Kerry
Just to thank you and the team as we had a great holiday. Your choice of hotels was excellent and the notes provided were very helpful.
Ian
Dear Claire,
Just a note to say thank you for your help in arranging our holiday in America all the arrangements went extremely
well apart from collecting the car in San Francisco were we endured a two and a half our queue.
The whole trip was magical especially Yosemeti Park and we also booked a trip to Alcatraz and a Helicopter trip to
the Grand Canyon which were both magnificent.
Once again many thanks for your patience and assistance in making this a special trip and one we will always
remeber.
Best Regards,
Ellis and Jackie
Dear David,
Just a brief line to let you know that we enjoyed a superb holiday.
and that your organisation and itinerary were excellent.
Everything you arranged happened, the information at the Hotel
Adagio on arrival was most useful, the orientation tour of San
Francisco a very good launch, and all the hotels were ideal, and
very well located.
We upgraded the car at Alamo to big SUV, and accomplished 2500
miles most comfortably, including the detour to Sedona, fitted in a
helicopter flight at Grand Canyon and a superb show in Las Vegas.
We are most appreciative of your advice and guidance during our
planning of the holiday, without that, we would not have accomplished
such a memorable “Golden Wedding” celebratory holiday.
We hope you are well, and enjoying a good year,
Yours gratefully,
Ursula and Jim
Just returned from ‘awesome’ CNA Western Fly Drive.
San Francisco was unexpectedly chilly but a lovely city – very friendly people and great shopping!
Got our car on day 3(a free upgrade)then off to Carmel. Bit of a let-down as it was so foggy we didn’t see much of the coastline. Also I got food poisoning that night so didn’t appreciate next day’s journey to Yosemite. Didn’t do drive to Big Sur as still foggy and feeling unwell.
Yosemite was amazing, fabulous views around every corner. Accomodation good and hot tub after a days hiking much appreciated.
Death Valley such a contrast but very beautiful in it’s own way. You could be on another planet.
Las Vegas – what can I say! OTT, trashy, lot’s of plastic people but not as bad as we were expecting. Enjoyed a day relaxing by the pool at the Bellagio, bliss.
Grand Canyon – out of this world! You really have to see it to appreciate the scale of it all. Helicopter flight over the canyon a must do – even if you hate flying (like me). Sunrise on my birthday ‘awesome’ then off to Lake Havasu City via Sedona. Beautiful views en-route and miles and miles of long straight roads and few cars. Accomodation once again excellent. Perfect stopover before Los Angeles. LA a vast sprawl of a place but found hotel easily. Window shopping on Rodeo Drive, visit to Hollywood and Venice Beach then off to LAX for flight home.
No hassle at all at Terminal 5 and luggage arrived with us!
Only hold up was on connecting flight to Aberdeen – delayed for an hour due to President Bush’s arrival in UK.
All in all a very memorable holiday. First class hotels and no problems with directions etc. Wish we could afford to go again next year.
Kathleen and Ronnie.
17/06/2008.
To Charlotte Barnes,
The holiday was absoutely fantastic, you did a brilliant job of organising everything. All the hotel bookings, car hire and airline bookings were spot on – all hotels clean, comfy and in ideal locations.
The wedding day went smoothly – the hairdressing appointements, the limo, church, flowers, dinner at Venetian & the show afterwards went all to plan, (would definitely recommend going to see the Legends show at The Imperial Hotel).
All in all it was the holiday of a lifetime, your companies attention to detail, such as the welcome pack, maps and printed out routes etc.for our journeys was so helpful and so organised,I could never have planned this myself!
So thanks once again, you made ours a wedding and holiday to remember for years to come!
Kind Regards,
Alanna Ramponi
To all concerned ……
A massive thank you for the fantastic CNA Western holiday we have just completed! It was the holiday of a lifetime and I coudn’t fault a single thing. Your attention to detail was first class and it took away all the hassle and worry of where to stay, what to do, how to get there, car hire …. etc.
The hotels were all superb and our upgrade to the Renaissance in LA was a lovely way to finish off our holiday.
I have looked at the flights and accommodation since coming home and no way could we begin to match the brilliant price you offered. I have recommended you to friends and we will definitely be travelling with you again in the hopefully not too distant future!
Once agan thank you for making our holiday such a fantastic and hassle free one!
Best wishes
Christine
I had to write & thank you very much for our fabulous holiday to the states, it truly was the best holiday we have ever taken. Everything from the car hire to the accommodation to the chosen places was superb, our favourite moment was the helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, fabulous!
I had to write & thank you very much for our fabulous holiday to the states, it truly was the best holiday we have ever taken. Everything from the car hire to the accommodation to the chosen places was superb, our favourite moment was the helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, fabulous!
Sara & Russell
hi, just a little email to say thank you to all of the help and assistance in relation to the planning of our honeymoon to America, we had an amazing time and all of the maps, hotels etc were great.
Thanks again, Gillian & Graham
Good Morning
Time has passed since our holiday but it has been on my mind to get in touch, finger and keyboard finally meet !
On behalf of Karen and I, I would like to thank you sincerely for the work you did setting up our holiday, with the exception of Hertz, who were initially a pain in the neck everything went really well indeed. The hotels were absolutely fine, most times we had a corner room which meant it was bigger or just out of the way a bit from the main corridor ‘run’.
The distances travelled were no worry and we did a few ‘excursions’ en route like Palm springs cable car, Joshua National Park, Carmel’s 17 mile drive, Point Lobos and a few others. I did buy an upgrade chip for my satnav which was a real bonus, obviously it helped with the navigation but the main reason was so we could judge travel times and go off the beaten track without arriving too late at the hotels. For your interest the last hotel was the only one that could be described as a bit shabby although we did note they are having a refit very soon.
In a nutshell thank you very much we will recommend you to our friends and ‘funds’ dependant we could well do something again with you next year. If you have any mailings associated with Canada or other areas of the USA over the coming months email or surface mail them to me.
Kindest regards
Bill & Karen
***CNA Comment***
Bill & Karen took a modified version of our advertised CNA Western fly drive itinerary, for more details please get in touch.
Roger
Just returned from an excellent trip. Everything worked smoothly apart from the chaos at LAX. I think the Argonaut at san francisco is a great hotel with the free wine at 5.00pm particularly relaxing. It is a superb location with the cable car about 100 yards away which we used to sit by with our early morning coffee. The house at lake tahoe was also great and surprisingly the Beverly hilton was also a success .The other hotels were also very good.
Hertz couldnt seem to find us our minivan so we had a upgrade to a GMC Yukon a 8 person 5.4L monster vehicle. This was much bigger than the ford Expedition you hired next last year . Hope to speak to you soon.
Thanks for all your hard work
Andy
Roger
Just returned from an excellent trip. Everything worked smoothly apart from the chaos at LAX. I think the Argonaut at san francisco is a great hotel with the free wine at 5.00pm particularly relaxing. It is a superb location with the cable car about 100 yards away which we used to sit by with our early morning coffee. The house at lake tahoe was also great and surprisingly the Beverly hilton was also a success .The other hotels were also very good.
Hertz couldnt seem to find us our minivan so we had a upgrade to a GMC Yukon a 8 person 5.4L monster vehicle. This was much bigger than the ford Expedition you hired next last year . Hope to speak to you soon.
Thanks for all your hard work
Just thought I would drop you a line to say thanks for a fantastic holiday. We’ve just returned from the CNA Western and have had the best holiday of our lives. The flights, hotels and hire car were great and everything ran smoothly. The itinerary and suggested detours were very well put together which helped us get the most out of the travelling days. We have already recommended you to several of our friends! Just a shame I’m now back at work. The revised hotel we had for Lake Havasu (Hampton Inn) was fantastic. The Luxor was OK although the check in queues were unbelievable. After the beauty of Yosemite and Death Valley, we decided Vegas wasn’t quite our thing!
My wife and I have just returned from a holiday to Las Vegas,Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam arranged by yourselves. Every part of the trip went as smooth as silk,from flights, hotel bookings and car hire.The occasion was our 40th wedding anniversary and you and your company helped make it a memorable one. I would not hesitate to use you again and would certainly recommend you.
Mr. & Mrs. S
My wife and I have just returned from our first visit to America. We toured from San Francisco to Los Angeles via Carmel, Yosemete, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and Lake Havasu. We had a wonderful holiday with every thing going smoothly. A problem with our hire car at Grand Canyon was dealt with within hours by Hertz, who paid for taxis for us to continue our sightseeing without inconvenience. In short, a memorable holiday and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you to others
Robert and Pat
We have just returned from our California trip and would like to say a very big thank you. We had the most wonderful time and this was made possible by the careful attention to detail in your organisation of the itinerary and all your help and advice when planning it. As far as the BA flights were concerned, our outbound trip was a good experience and the extra cost of the World Traveller Plus seats was definitely worthwhile. We won’t hesitate to recommend you to anyone we know planning a USA trip.
Jo & Syd
We would like to thank your company for arranging our itinerary on our recent holiday to California. The holiday went like a dream and all the hotel bookings car hire and airline bookings went well. We made some bookings also for shows, helicopter ride and restaurants etc which added to the enjoyment of the holiday. On the second day of our arrival in San Francisco we arranged from the Hotel Adagio to be met by a greeter which enlightened our stay in S.F. We will certainly recommend your company to our friends and relatives and would have no hesitation using your company again Once again thank you.
Geoffrey & Joyce
Thank you for arranging such a memorable holiday for us. We would certainly recommend driving the 2000 miles of the fantastic CNA Western Flydrive Tour. We certainly left our hearts in San Francisco, and the National Parks of Yosemite, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, and Joshua Tree, to coin an American phrase, really are Awesome.
Due to the rock fall on Route 140, the detour along Route 41, gave us the most spectacular introduction to the Yosemite Valley. It was a sight that I shall never forget. In addition the contrast from the lush Yosemite at 9500 ft above sea level and a balmy 55F, to an arid Death Valley, 250ft below sea level and 120F in the shade on the same day was amazing We would also recommend using the Golden Gate Greeter programme, in San Francisco. This service is provided free and gives you a personalised 2 to 4 hour tour tailored to your specific interests; see the Adagio Hotel website for details. Although we were disappointed that our hired SUV was not available when we went to collect it, after negotiating we left San Francisco in high spirits a black Hummer with tinted windows! We will use CNA again.
David, Rachel, George and Agnes
We wanted to thank you for all your efforts in arranging our holiday this year – or, rather our five-holidays-in-one… we went from 121 degrees in Death Valley to the ski slopes of Mammoth Mountain (in the same day); contrasted hot, glitzy Las Vegas with cool (literally!) and laid-back San Francisco; and, of course, Yosemite is almost indescribably beautiful at this time of year. All the arrangements -flights, cars, hotels, excursions – went like clockwork and met our requirements perfectly. As the ‘govenator’ would say, “We’ll be back!”
Alan & Margaret
We have returned from our holiday on Tuesday and would like to thank you for a lovely holiday. The jet lag is now receding into the distance!
Everything went to plan and the organisation was second to none! We enjoyed San Francisco, had a ride on the famous trams etc. After 3 nights were ready to move on.
Carmel was lovely. Did not call at Monterey, but went straight to Carmel and found a lovely beach to chill out on. Decided to move there if I win the lottery!
Yosemite was brilliant. Such a beautiful place. The scenery was breathtaking! When we went out on to our balcony and saw the river, it was brilliant, except there had been a late snowfall in May, and the snow had started to thaw which meant the river was now rushing by as a noisy torrent, but we still thought it was lovely.
Our next stop at Death Valley was enjoyed by Jeff, but left me feeling a bit sun burnt to say the least. Wow, never felt heat like it.
Wendy and I really enjoyed Vegas. Jeff just does not do shopping, can’ think why!!
When we arrived at the Grand Canyon, and took our first glimpse of the canyon when we arrived at the hotel, the heat of Death Valley and Jeff’s shopping trauma was forgotten and the tranquil beauty was worth every penny!! The helicopter ride over the canyon was so exciting. So glad we did that! Spent all afternoon up until 9pm in the swimming pool at Lake Havasu! It was OK as a stopover, but when we set off to go Los Angeles, we saw some lovely sights at the quiet part of that area.
Loved Los Angeles! Went to Hollywood Boulevard in the morning and spent the rest of the day at Universal studios. Did not get back to the hotel until 10.00pm! The hotel was brilliant and we could see the ‘famous Hollywood sign’ out of our bedroom window!
We would like to go back to Carmel, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Los Angeles! I bought a map of America and will be looking at where else we can visit on our next trip!
Got lots of lovely photos. Once again, many thanks for all your help!
Betty, Jeff and Wendy
Just to let you know that our recent holiday was fantastic. Thanks for helping to put our plans into reality!!! The Hotels were all excellent and all the travel plans went smoothly. We would use your company again without hesitation. Argonaut Hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf is splendid. Very friendly, with excellent service, and wine tasting every evening!!!! Thanks again. Please sent us next year’s brochure!!!
Bill and Maralyn
Just writing to let you know that we had a great holiday. Everything went according to plan. Flights all on time and car journeys went according to plan. Tenaya Lodge and the Bellagio in particular were fantastic and we enjoyed all the places we visited. D. fell in love with Las Vegas! The thank you present received on our return was also appreciated. Thanks for handling everything so efficiently and your attention to detail. We will certainly recommend you to friends and relatives.
Kath