SmoothRed Arvostelua 

I'm a control freak and was planning a three-week vacation to Europe. I got completely overwhelmed with locations, hotels, trains, taxis, excursions, guides, restaurants...I like to control my destiny but I knew I was in over my head. My wife found SmoothRed and said, "give them a try".

I spoke with Adam on the phone and he assured me that he would plan a good trip for us. He's English...so he sounded polite...I figured I'd give it a shot and worst-case scenario, I could always back out of the trip.

My wife and I wanted to take the Orient Express from Paris to Venice. That was the "anchor" of our trip but we also wanted to see France, London, Florence, and Venice. It was a lot to plan.

Adam and Karmen came back with a three-week trip that centered around the Orient Express. They planned everything. They planned the guides. The hotels. The taxis. The trains. And they did it all around the Orient Express train ride. I don't know how they did it.

Well let me say this...the trip was BEYOND perfect. The hotels were amazing. The guides and tours were the absolute highlight of the trip. We didn't have a single taxi or ride to worry about. Every single step of the trip was perfectly planned out AND - this was the benefit I never thought of - WHEN we did have hiccups, SmoothRed was just a phone call/email away.

If you ever questioned "Why do I need a travel agent?". The reason is...they support the trip as you are taking it. That reason alone took SO MUCH stress out of the trip. That's the value I see in leveraging SmoothRed. I just had a friend come back from a multiple-week trip that they planned themselves. They were miserable because hiccups happen and they spent time on their vacation trying to figure it out. I said to them "The same hiccups happened to us but all I did was send an email and it was cared for in an hour". COMPLETELY different experience we had and it was because SmoothRed was supporting us as we traveled. I'm sold on using SmoothRed going forward. Seriously. I won't ever look at planning a trip myself again (and I'm a control freak...).

Regarding tours. The tours were really driven by the guides. We had six tours and the guides were the most amazing guides. Two stood out to us. The first was the Versailles tour. He was amazing. He brought us to areas most tours don't go and he gave us the history and background of each step along the way. He set us up with a lunch spot and he gave us privacy too. He was amazing, passionate, and he had such a French "dismissive" behavior towards certain things that my wife and I would crack up about. He was so memorable and so much fun. He inspired me to start reading about King Louis XIV, XV, and XVI. I'm hooked on French history now because of that tour and he even gave us history about the impact of the French Revolution for the places we were going to (Venice and Florence).

The second amazing tour (Sara was the guide) in Florence was amazing. She hit it off with my wife - we actually sat in a cafe and just drank coffee and chatted for about an hour. My wife speaks fluent Italian and the two of them were just chatting away in Italian. My wife had the time of her life and it was like having lunch with an old friend. Sara was so passionate about "her city" and its history and she told the story of Florence so dramatically. She took us into the Duomo and took us to the front pew. Then for about 20 minutes went on about the assassination attempt in that very location. But she was so visual in her expressions and so dramatic in her storytelling. I felt like I was there hundreds of years ago...watching an assassination attempt. She was cool, smart, and just an amazing person to be around. She stopped us on our tour to watch someone make a sandwich. I got such a kick out of that - my wife and I were from the restaurant business so we totally geeked out on the detour to check out a sandwich being made.

The anchor was the Orient Express. I cannot say enough about that train. We sat in the bar car before dinner and after dinner. It was the others on the train that made the experience. Others got dressed up in tuxedos and dresses from the 20s and 30s. I sat there at one point - at the far end of the bar car - and we were going in and out of tunnels. When we entered a tunnel, the outside of the train would go black and the sounds INSIDE the train got amplified. The lighting in the train changed to a more muted and softer color. Music was playing. People in clothing from the 1920s and 30s, drinking classic drinks, and dancing. If time travel existed - that was it. We hit the tunnel and we time-traveled back to 1920. It was real...we really transported back. Then we'd exit the tunnel, the lighting changed...the sounds changed...and we were back in 2023. Then another tunnel...and more time traveling. Everyone on the train said the same thing about that moment. We time-traveled. It's real.

We have just arrived home from a glorious 5 days in France. This is the second time we have used SR, the first being my husband’s 50th birthday treat. What I especially like about this company is that once all the arrangements have been made, they leave you alone to enjoy your break but you always know that they are there…just in case. This is because their app is brilliant and loaded with all the information you need and updated as soon as a change is made. It is an incredibly valuable tool and includes maps, restaurant suggestions, photos of the places that you are due to visit and also allows you to post any photos should you wish. In addition, it keeps you up to date with your flights, gate number etc.

I definitely recommend this company for experienced and novice travellers and would use them again without hesitation.

Everything went smoothly and I really appreciate the effort from SmoothRed in putting this trip together for us. I think everything was perfect. The walking tours went well. Richard was excellent. The hotels were good and the location was perfect for what we were wanting to do. The app worked well. Drivers were on time. Even the weather was amazing (not sure how you did that!). I would highly recommend you guys.

Our recent trip to France with SmoothRed Travel was an unforgettable experience, all thanks to our astounding travel agent, Chris Rigge. I worked with SmoothRed to plan this once-in-a-lifetime trip for myself, my wife, and my parents. From the vibrant city of Paris to the serene landscapes of Aix-en-Provence and the charming coastal town of Cagnes-Sur-Mer, each destination was expertly planned and executed, making our journey an absolute delight.

I cannot express enough the level of professionalism and dedication demonstrated by Chris during the months-long planning process. His patience was remarkable, his flexibility unparalleled, especially in the face of very opinionated people who knew very little about France. Despite balancing the coordination of our trip and his own wedding planning, he was consistently quick to respond to all our inquiries, even during off-work hours. The resulting seamless nature of our journey is a testament to his commitment and adeptness.

Every step of our trip was meticulously arranged, from private transfers, efficient train travel, and intimate guided tours to exquisite dinner reservations and luxurious hotel accommodations. The remarkable efficiency ensured that we could fully immerse ourselves in the French culture and scenic beauty without a hint of worry or discomfort.

Chris's excellent recommendations left us with unforgettable memories. A highlight of our trip was an exquisite dinner cruise along the Seine. Initially, we were somewhat skeptical, but Chris's enthusiastic endorsement swayed us, and we are beyond grateful it did. The food, luxurious setting, and Paris's enchanting night skyline, was nothing short of a dream, especially for our first activity of the trip after a long day of travel.

Our evening at the Moulin Rouge was exhilarating. The vineyard explorations in Champagne and Provence immersed us in the unique viticulture, providing an insight into the making of some of the world's finest wines, along with more than a few tastes. A boat ride in Marseilles offered an unmatched perspective of the beautiful Mediterranean landscape. These are just a few of the countless well-orchestrated experiences that enriched our journey, making it a truly comprehensive and authentic French experience.

Our stay at the incredibly charming hotel in the historic Cagnes-Sur-Mer was nothing short of a fairy tale. We were interested in finding a town in the French Riviera that felt less touristy, off the beaten path, and uniquely beautiful, and Chris beyond delivered with this recommendation. We couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to finish off our trip.

An unexpected bonus was the user-friendly SmoothRed app, which served as our virtual travel companion throughout the trip. From housing vital information and digital versions of our train and show tickets to offering recommendations for leisure days, it added another layer of convenience to our journey.

This trip to France with SmoothRed Travel, orchestrated by the incomparable Chris, was nothing short of magical. The attention to detail, relentless dedication, and unwavering commitment to our satisfaction truly set this experience apart. We highly recommend SmoothRed Travel and, more specifically, Chris, to anyone looking for an exceptional travel experience.

My husband, mother-inlaw and I just returned from 10 day trip to England using Smoothred as our trip advisor and planner. I cannot express enough what a tremendous job they did! Their choice of hotels and local guides as we travelled from Bath and the Cotswolds, to London, and later on to Kent and Dover were beyond excellant. We wanted this trip to be unique and special and SmoothRed did just that. Thank you!

My husband and I just returned from London and had the most exceptional trip thanks to SmoothRed. We gave them very little to go off of when planning this vacation and they made it seamless...down to even checking in when they saw that a train had been cancelled. The activities and dinners reservations they reccomended were phenomenal--we literally wouldn't change a thing. I will be booking with SmoothRed for our next European vacation without a doubt. Thank you so much Summer and team for helping make our vacation so special (and seamless!)

We booked a 10 night stay in France with SmoothRed and they were able to put together the perfect package for us. We had the flexibility to fine tune everything based on what we wanted out of the trip and they made sure to handle all the bookings seamlessly for us.

Easy to book a fabulous luxurious holiday led by experts . We learnt a lot more about wine from some beautiful chateaux. Looked after tremendously well by Smoothred.
Would reccomend and use again.

We loved our visit to the Loire Valley for several milestone birthdays! SmoothRed organized everything from the train from Paris to Tours, the taxi pickups and transfers, the wonderful hotel - Le Manoir Les Minimes and the tours of wine caves and Châteaux. Our guide, Nicholas, was fantastic - very knowledgeable and friendly, lots of interesting and fun facts. The app was a great resource for restaurants, ideas of things to do, and to keep us appraised of what was going on. Can’t wait for our next trip with SmoothRed - whenever that maybe!

We had an absolutely wonderful time. The trip was seamless and spectacular. The app made everything so easy. Every component ran completely on time and without issue. Our drivers were usually early and always on time.

We loved the accommodations and restaurants. The hotels were especially great. Our wine guides were very knowledgeable and helpful and spoke perfect English. It was great to get private tastings at all of the small family owned vineyards. The recommended restaurants were delicious. The recommended boat cruise was the absolute perfect way to end the trip.

Everything went well. The planning, the selection of transport, hotels and visits to chateaux and caves.

The app works well which we all referred to a lot.

The star of our trip was our guide who was

Simply The Best!

Their attention to detail, their app, their prompt responsiveness, their bookings for hotel, drivers, dinners and guides were superb. We will definitely use Zicasso and more specifically Smoothred for future international travel. My husband commented how much he enjoyed this trip and how their guides were “rock stars”. We could not have had a better experience and we highly recommend them for all your travel needs.

The hotel was amazing as was the food. Our wine tasting tour was first class with our tour driver being an expert on English wines! It was a 60th birthday present for my husband and we could only describe it as perfect.

Smooth Red made planning our wedding trip to Scotland an amazing experience! Chris had fantastic suggestions, including adding two days in London, as well as working with some of my more esoteric requests, such as specific places to stay, finding a registrar that would meet us at a castle ruins, and finding a balance between history and luxury! Marjorie made working out the details a pleasure rather than a chore, answered so many questions and never made me feel the pest that I most certainly was! And the financial division was wonderful to work with, patient and understanding and helpful. All in all, I cannot imagine a way in which planning this trip could have been better!

Wonderful trip to Champagne organised by Smooth Red! We had to cancel our original trip due to covid, but rebooking was easy. The app was great and the whole day was so enjoyable! Many thanks to the team!

Perfect extended vacation that took us from Paris to Reims to Bordeaux. The champagne houses that SmoothReds tour picked were great and the information we gained from the wine making process was invaluable. It will make tasting champagne even more interesting. Bordeaux is always a great city to visit with all their small wineries. Each one with it's own take on how to make the perfect bottle.

The SmoothRed app is great. It made for a great location to share pictures and follow along with the agenda. I would recommend them again.

We went on a long weekend trip to Reims to celebrate my birthday. The customer service and attention to detail was superb, both in the UK and when we got to France. The app is great and made the trip easy to follow with all tickets stored in one place. SmoothRed put together a tailor made trip including a special chefs tasting dinner on our first evening, and a private tour of independent champagne houses on the Saturday. We asked so many questions that the tour finished an hour later than scheduled but there was no hurrying us along or cutting the tour short. Overall it was a wonderful experience and we would not hesitate to use SmoothRed again.

SmoothRed created a seamless experience for our family of six in London and Paris. From lovely hotels, excellent restaurants and attentive, informed guides to providing comfortable transportation to memorable sites and sights, this company covered all professionally and personally. I highly recommend SmoothRed!

Marieke was very helpful and creative in working with us to plan our trip!

What a fabulous trip to Burgundy!
As a party of 6, (which it turns out is the perfect number to share a bottle), we enjoyed the most informative and interesting wine tours, in places we would never have known about or ever been able to find ourselves!!
On the final day we tasted in excess of 20 wines which were all of outstanding quality - Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru etc.
We all agreed the tour guides were exceptional, and the cost of the weekend probably covered the wine.
We will be booking a Bordeaux trip in 2023!