In August I decided to take a coach holiday with Gold Crest, take a friend of mine abroad to Paris. It seemed cheap and I've always liked coaches! However, Gold Crest send out the tickets 7 days before the coach picks you up. I wasn't informed of this, so I telephoned the travel agents every ... Read review
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Splendia, a unique selection of luxury and design hotels with character in the most beautiful locations: Marrakesh, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Dubai.... Book directly online or contact our customer service available any day of the week.
Record Rent a Car is present in the main spanish airports and has a very wide fleet. We offer: exceptional discounts, free additional drivers,
unlimited mileage... subscribe to our Club Record and take advantage of special offers.
Advantages: Very cheap, friendly drivers, great hotel. Disadvantages: Not good for young children
...take a coach holiday with Gold Crest, take a friend of mine abroad to Paris. It seemed cheap and I've always liked coaches! However, Gold Crest send out the tickets 7 days before the coach picks you up. I wasn't informed of this, so I telephoned the travel agents every day. After five days they started to phone ME, and two days later the tickets arrived, to the travel agents relief.
I start to read my travel documents. Pick-up time: ... ...agents again. Two days later, Gold Crest didn't know and Wardle Travel were sick of hearing my voice. In the end we just got a lift to the hotel next door and waited on the pavement expectantly with our bags. Luckily the coach arrived early. Our driver leapt out of the cab, far too energetic for four o'clock in the morning and quickly shoved our bags on for us.
Three hours and a whole load of pick-up points later, we find that the ... more
In August I decided to take a coach holiday with Gold Crest, take a friend of mine abroad to Paris. It seemed cheap and I've always liked coaches! However, Gold Crest send out the tickets 7 days before the coach picks you up. I wasn't informed of this, so I telephoned the travel agents every day. After five days they started to phone ME, and two days later the tickets arrived, to the travel agents relief.
I start to read my travel documents. Pick-up time: 0400. I wouldn't of minded, but when we booked it said 0600! Pick-up point: Preston Bus Station. Nothing said exactly where in Preston Bus Station, so I started phoning the travel agents again. Two days later, Gold Crest didn't know and Wardle Travel were sick of hearing my voice. In the end we just got a lift to the hotel next door and waited on the pavement expectantly with our bags. Luckily the coach arrived early. Our driver leapt out of the cab, far too energetic for four o'clock in the morning and quickly shoved our bags on for us.
Three hours and a whole load of pick-up points later, we find that the grey thing at the back is a cupboard, not a toilet. Six desperate people force the driver to pull into a bus station. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the only bus station without toilets, so we were back on the coach, driving as quickly as possible towards Stafford Services.
At Watford Gap services we changed to the main coach, which was a lot better. A toilet, hot and cold drinks, air conditioning, we could even watch a DVD! However, an hour later we were getting a little fed up of 'The Cat in The Hat' and we were glad of a cup of coffee. Our two drivers, Frank and Jacko were always making the journey more interesting with jokes over the microphone, but we were glad to get to Dover, where we boarded the ferry. The SeaFrance ferry turned out to be very nice, with cafes and a bar, onboard shopping. We didn't really want to get off!
From Calais, we continued to a service station where we found a fast food restaurant. It turned out the staff knew good English relating to the menu, which we found very useful. Neither of us could speak much French after being on the coach since 4am!
The hotel was very nice, and right next door to a hypermarket! Everything was clean, tidy and generally better than we expected, but the Gold Crest brochure did say 'Paris City Break', and we later found that Paris was a 45 minute drive away. Not what we were expecting, but generally very good.
Our four days in Paris were very good, a half-day tour around Paris and then a cruise along the Seine, a trip to EuroDisney and a trip to the Palace of Versailles - the only bad part. The Palace was overcrowded and expensive. We even had to pay for the toilets. When I finally got into the Men's toilets, the female cleaner was just standing around in there, not making me feel too comfortable. I turn around, and another woman comes out of the cubicle. This was definitely the Men's, but it didn't seem to matter to them! My advice: don't go to the Palace of Versailles!
The trip back went much better, but I was astounded at the security. Going into France, no one even checked our passports once. Going out, they were checked TWICE. Our journey continued, back on the ferry, back on the motorway, back to Watford Gap. We met our previous coach again and drove back to Preston.
Overall, the holiday was great, but Gold Crest really need to get things organised and improve their feeder coaches.
Advantages: Cheap, hotel was great Disadvantages: Poor standard of coaches, poor keeping to itinerary
I went on a Goldcrest coach holiday to Amsterdam, between Christmas and New Year last year. I'd originally booked to visit the Antwerp Beer Festival, but the trip was cancelled. After some pressure, I was given a discount off my next trip.
I took a friend with me, as their single supplements are quite hefty. First of all, the coach was freezing when we set off from Bradford - and I mean, freezing. Heat seemed to be non-existent. We stopped for coffeee ... ...not a service station. There was one toilet, and it was filthy. We changed coaches in the south of England, thankfully to a slightly warmer one. Trouble-free passage through Eurotunnel to Calais. However we seemed to lose time all through the continent. By the time we got to Ostend, it was dark. I know Ostend, though I hadn't been there for years. However, the coach driver didn't. We arrived, and half an hour later, to my horror, we were travelling ...
joycarole 12.08.2004
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Gold Crest Holidays
Four day stay in Paris, including a day at Disneyland, over new-year.
We were picked up at the precise time stated, by the feeder coach,
While picking up other passengers it would have helped if the driver had said we were stopping for a short time, allowing others to disembark, i.e. toilets, food, ect.
This never happened at any of the pick up/drop off points ever. Very poor communication from the drivers. (-3)
The bus was comfortable/clean. ... ...to a short as there was a delay in it arriving. 30 minutes
The hotel was very good. (Hotel Campanile). Food, excellent. Plenty of choice. Staff were very friendly, and courteous, rooms very clean. (+5).
On the return trip to the hotels, it would have been nice if the bus had a tidy up. Just picking up the litter would have made a difference. 30 mins at most.
We had the chance to visit Disney new years day again, didn't as pick up wasn't till 11am. ...
johntee0 25.01.2009
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Gold Crest Holidays
Advantages: Drivers were good Disadvantages: They need to get staff who know how to organise stuff
Gold Crest has got to be by far the worst coach travel company i have ever been with.
We were picked up on 30th December by the feeder coach from Stoke Bus Station and taken to Medway to get onto our individual coaches to our destination: ours was Amsterdam.
The coach we were on was very good in general, it had a snack bar and bar should you require alcohlic and soft beverages which was a bonus. The drivers were very friendly and so was the hostess ... ...the drivers found out that Gold Crest had not actually paid for our accomodation, however the hotel kind enough let us stay. This made us start to think if Gold Crest hadn't paid up and drivers were leaving the company, what on earth was going on.
The trip itself cost £180 each which included the journey, crossings, accommodation and new year entertainment which included a firework display at one of the local beaches.
We all waited for the coach ...
blondgem 24.09.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Gold Crest Holidays
Advantages: Good Friendly Drivers, Fantastic Hotel, Value for Money Disadvantages: Really Long Journey
We were picked up from Preston on October 6th 2006. I was dreading the journey as I am exremely travel sick and there was Force 7 Gales forecast for the Dover crossing to Calais. The drivers were great, they made everyone feel comfortable and relaxed, cracking jokes with travellers and checking on me to make sure I was ok. They played DVD's and music on the coach and the time passed quicker than expected. The sea crossing was horrendous, but the ... ...the drivers again were always about so you could ask questions if need be. We bumped into them shopping on the Saturday and introduced them to Belgium Waffles with Chocolate and fresh cream, they were like children eating ice cream, it was everywhere. The hotel was brilliant, really nice staff and the breakfast had lovely fresh breads and croissants daily. (See my review for the Ambassadeur Hotel in Ostend). We were 3 girls having a weekend away, ...
tangerinebabe 17.10.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Gold Crest Holidays
