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Date of purchase: 08 january 2013 Written: 29 january 2013 |
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Travel agency: Орбита Туроператор (Kyiv) Service type: пакетный тур |
I rested with my wife and a friend in this hotel from 01/11/2013 to 01/25/2013, so the impressions are still quite fresh, although the euphoria has already passed. I'll try to be as objective as possible. So everything is in order.
We took a package tour in Kyiv, because we went to India for the first time. In connection with the problems of Aerosvit, I chose the UIA flight, which I did not regret at all. Landing in Al Ain for refueling is a gift from God. And you can smoke to your heart's content, and drink good coffee, and just stretch your legs. Plus an inexpensive Dutik. The only drawback is that they are forced to take all hand luggage with them from the plane for the time of refueling.
The package was taken from "Orbita" with the meeting party "Tara Travel". Vouchers for accommodation at the Lakshmi Place Hotel (as it turned out later, such a hotel simply does not exist in nature, there is a Lakshmi Guest House). Back in Kyiv chose "Lakshmi" because the Indian side of 8 hotels!!! selected earlier within a month, confirmed only him.
In Dabolim, we were met by two Indians with a sign "Tara travel" on a piece of A4 paper, who did not know a word in Russian. After clarifying the names written with errors on a piece of toilet paper, we and two other female travel frogs, who know only “please” in an imported language, were put in an old Mercedes bus and taken to North Goa. The main attraction of the dinosaur corporation "Daimler-Benz" was the air conditioner, which worked in one mode of cooling, and the most powerful one. So after ten minutes of driving, I had to ask Ravik (a representative of Tara Travel) to turn off the air conditioner, otherwise five frozen broilers would have arrived before Morjim :). On the way, I had to take away the bread of the Russian-speaking guide of the meeting party, answering the questions of inquisitive fellow travelers, asking them first to Ravik, who was not very good in English either :)
Finally, after an hour and a half, we were taken to the hotel. To our great surprise, its appearance did not at all resemble the hotel from the photos of the tour operator. And the name sounded not "Lakshmi Place", but "Gurudas House". To the question "Is this from zis ???quot;, Ravik resourcefully and without a shadow of embarrassment on his face explained that here on the coast, everything is "Lakshmi", and this "Lakshmi-Gurudas" is even better, because the room has air conditioning and its territory is fenced . Immediately after that, he quickly jumped into the bus and retreated in an unknown direction, leaving three tourists amazed to the core (one of which, by the way, was a person with disabilities, weak walking) in the care of the hotel staff.
When we were shown the numbers, it became clear that everything that was before was flowers. An anthill was waiting for us in the room, a domesticated frog in the washbasin that can crawl along the walls, tatters of paint and cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, a gas stove with the remains of food from at least a hundred generations of tourists who rested long before us, a bed with traces of biological activity, all those tourists, a menacingly growling air conditioner from the time of my distant youth and an unbearable aroma of mold and something else unfamiliar, exotically nasty, causing pain in the eyes :)
Seeing our dissatisfied faces, the hotel manager proudly declared that the frog has been living in the soul for a long time and does not interfere with any of the tourists. Also, if we are VERY!!! if we want, they will make clean in the rooms, and also advised us to stay in his hotel, since there are no hotel rooms left in Morjim at all and he gives us the last two from the master's shoulder. I am a person, generally humorous, but at that moment I was not in the mood for jokes.
Not believing the esteemed manager of "Gurudas House" at the word, we decided, nevertheless, to find out from the representative of "Orbita" why we were not settled in the booked "Lakshmi" and try to improve our living conditions. Since there was no Internet in "Gurudas" and there was no money on the SIM card of the mobile phone, we decided to find the nearest shek with WI-FI. Fortunately, he was 50 meters from the hotel on the way to the beach, according to the same manager. On the way to the shek, I found the outlines of Lakshmi Place booked by me from Kyiv, painfully familiar from photographs, only with a different name, Lakshmi Guest House (which Orbit modestly kept silent about). We were lucky that the owner was at the reception. With great pride, we immediately handed him the accommodation vouchers issued by Orbita, and confidently declared that we were his guests. After that, the face of the Indian resembled the muzzle of a koala bear :) It turned out that no one had booked anything with him and there were no free rooms in the hotel. After ten minutes of pinning and telling our odyssey in the silence of an Indian evening, four more managers from all neighboring hotels pulled up to us. They smiled sweetly, advised to relax and have fun until they found out the price of the package and accommodation. After that, four more koala bears stood next to us. The owner of "Lakshmi" immediately called back to "Tara" and after a short negotiation, I first heard a swear word in Hindi. Having achieved nothing from them, he led us to the shek, where we contacted via Skype with a representative of Orbita. I don’t cite the content of the conversation, the moderators won’t let it through :)))
After 25-30 minutes, on a scooter, Ravik from Tara Travel, already known to us, rolled up to the neck, dialed and handed us his mobile phone. And about a miracle! For the first time in India, I heard "Hello, my name is Katya ..." on the great and mighty ... It turns out that Russian-speaking guides have not yet disappeared in India. Katyusha asked what happened to us? After retelling our story for the fifth time, I heard a phrase that struck me with its innocence: "So there are simply no places in Lakshmi" ... The content of the further conversation will not be missed by the moderator either. I will only say that I often mentioned the amount paid to Orbita and the distance from Kyiv to Morjim. Apparently, our compatriots, even in India, better understand the emotional intonations in the voice and non-normative turns, because the cute girlish voice immediately promised me that tomorrow at 11 o'clock, she would solve the issue of resettlement and personally come to meet us, and this night is tearful asks us to take you to Gurudas. Since we had no way out, we agreed on this. Looking ahead, I will say that until the end of our vacation, the second part of the promise was never fulfilled.
The next morning, after a hangover with the local rum "Old Monk" (by the way, I recommend it to everyone), we began to look forward to 11 hours. Apparently realizing that the dynamism would not work with us, exactly at the appointed time, Ravik arrived on a scooter and led us to look at another hotel. It turned out to be Naga Cottages. Only when we entered its territory, having not yet seen the numbers, we realized that we would stay here. Before proceeding directly to the description of the hotel, a few more words about the "Orbit" and its meeting side. Departure from the hotel to the airport also spoiled the nerves. In order to be in time for registration, they again contacted Kiev and Orbita. And already in Al Ain, they learned from the girls who flew with us on the forest that Tara Travel had forgotten about them. And they arrived at the airport 20 minutes before the end of registration by taxi after a scandal with a representative of this Indian travel company.
Desperate people travel this far on the bus with the Accord. They can only sympathize. Not long ago, I calculated a similar tour with a normal hotel in Riga and, of course, it turned out by plane, taking into account the discounts that are now on Ryanair, it will turn out not much more expensive only in human conditions. But some tourists are thrill-seekers. Actually, the Accord is counting on them. And where does Russia have to Ukrainian crooks.
Отчаянные люди едут так далеко на автобусе еще и с Аккордом. Им можно только посочувствовать. Не давно просчитывала я подобный тур с нормальной гостиницей в Риге и конечно же самолетом получилось с учетом скидок которые сейчас на Ryanair то получится не намного дороже только в человеческих условиях. Но некоторые туристы любители острых ощущений . Собственно на них Аккорд и рассчитывает. Да и причем тут Россия к украинским проходимцам.
I read reviews about the Accord tour to Poland. People complained that they didn’t really look at anything, they didn’t get where they wanted to go, they suffered from Accord in a terrible bus. We went with my wife and daughter to Warsaw in a luxury bus from Ecoline: clean, comfortable, with screens on which you can watch movies, concerts, with a toilet, air conditioning, with a steward who prepared tea, coffee, sandwiches. We stopped in an excellent hostel and walked around like wanted and where they wanted. And advice to all - it is better to go to Europe yourself and get the most pleasure for your own money. And let the Accord go through the forest.
Читал отзывы об Аккордовском туре в Польшу.Люди жаловались на то,что ничего толком не посмотрели,туда,куда хотели попасть - не попали,в жутком автобусе от Аккорда намучались. Мы поехали с женой и дочерью в Варшаву в шикарном автобусе от Эколайна:чистом,удобном,с экранами на которых смотри себе кино,концерты,с туалетом,кондиционером,со стюардом,готовившем чай-кофе-бутерброды.В отличном хостеле остановились и нагулялись как хотели и где хотели. И всем совет - в Европу лучше ехать самому и получать максимум удовольствия за свои же деньги. А Аккорд пусть идет лесом.
I read reviews about the Accord tour to Poland. People complained that they didn’t really look at anything, they didn’t get where they wanted to go, they suffered from Accord in a terrible bus. We went with my wife and daughter to Warsaw in a luxury bus from Ecoline: clean, comfortable, with screens on which you can watch movies, concerts, with a toilet, air conditioning, with a steward who prepared tea, coffee, sandwiches. We stopped in an excellent hostel and walked around like wanted and where they wanted. And advice to all - it is better to go to Europe yourself and get maximum pleasure for your own money. And let the Accord go through the forest.
Читал отзывы об Аккордовском туре в Польшу.Люди жаловались на то,что ничего толком не посмотрели,туда,куда хотели попасть - не попали,в жутком автобусе от Аккорда намучались. Мы поехали с женой и дочерью в Варшаву в шикарном автобусе от Эколайна:чистом,удобном,с экранами на которых смотри себе кино,концерты,с туалетом,кондиционером,со стюардом,готовившем чай-кофе-бутерброды.В отличном хостеле остановились и нагулялись как хотели и где хотели. И всем совет - в Европу лучше ехать самому и получать максимум удовольствия за свои же деньги. А Аккорд пусть идет лесом.
The mice were crying, pricking...
Firstly, you don’t have to go to NG at all. In many Western countries, the entire Christmas movement has died down by this moment, in some places they even take apart the Christmas tree. You need to go in the first half of December, the maximum number is up to 20.
Secondly, the prices for flights to the Baltic countries are now such that it’s enough to catch a low-cost airline in a couple of weeks and you don’t have to bother with any buses (between countries it’s possible and necessary, and the buses there are of high quality, and the trip takes 4-4.5 hours ).
Thirdly, with ferries, tour operators are bred generally tough. Knowing the secret of the purchase, you can ride back and forth in Scandinavia for 10-20 euros / night per person in a separate cabin for at least one person (there are hotels under 100 for two or more). The secret is that they have the cheapest promotions for Swedes (and also Finns) on cruises to get drunk. Between Stockholm and Turku is the so-called.
A 23-hour cruise (of which you can buy two and interrupt them in the morning, using it as a regular night ferry), and to other cities it is usually there and back the next night and it is more expensive, but not like the operators rip off for sharing in a 4-bed cabin .
Also, as an alternative, there is a train Kyiv - Riga every 4 days, from 1300 with something UAH. It is even cheaper to drive through Belarus on your own if there is no low-cost airline on a particular day or if you need to carry something with you. (Perhaps the only plus from the bus tour is the convenience of carrying luggage, but with such a service, well, what the heck.)
Мыши плакали, кололись...
Во-первых, на НГ вообще не надо ездить. Во многих западных странах к этому моменту затихает весь рождественский движ, кое-где даже разбирают елку. Ездить надо в первой половине декабря, максимум числа до 20.
Во-вторых, цены на перелеты в страны Балтии сейчас такие, что достаточно за пару недель поймать лоукост и не нужно возиться ни с какими автобусами (между странами — можно и нужно, и автобусы там качественные, а ехать по 4-4,5 часа).
В-третьих, с паромами туроператоры разводят вообще жестко. Зная секрет покупки, можно кататься туда-сюда по Скандинавии за 10-20 евро/ночь с человека в отдельной каюте хоть на одного (отели там под 100 на двоих и выше). Секрет в том, что у них максимально дешевые акции для шведов (а также финнов) на круизы с целью побухать. Между Стокгольмом и Турку это т. н. 23-часовой круиз (которых можно купить два и прерывать их утром, пользуясь как обычным ночным паромом), а в прочие города обычно туда и на следующую ночь обратно и это обходится дороже, но не так как сдирают операторы за подселение в 4-местную каюту.
Также в качестве альтернативы существует поезд Киев - Рига раз в 4 дня, от 1300 с чем-то грн. Можно еще дешевле проехать самостоятельно через Беларусь, если в конкретный день нет лоукоста или если нужно что-то тащить с собой. (Пожалуй, единственный плюс от автобусного тура — удобство перевозки багажа, но при таком сервисе ну нафиг.)
The mice were crying, pricking...
Firstly, you don’t have to go to NG at all. In many Western countries, by this time the whole Christmas movement has died down, in some places they even take apart the Christmas tree. You need to go in the first half of December, the maximum number is up to 20.
Secondly, the prices for flights to the Baltic countries are now such that it’s enough to catch a low-cost airline in a couple of weeks and you don’t have to bother with any buses (between countries it’s possible and necessary, and the buses there are of high quality, and the trip takes 4-4.5 hours ).
Thirdly, with ferries, tour operators are bred generally tough. Knowing the secret of the purchase, you can ride back and forth in Scandinavia for 10-20 euros / night per person in a separate cabin for at least one person (there are hotels under 100 for two or more). The secret is that they have the cheapest promotions for Swedes (and also Finns) on cruises to get drunk. Between Stockholm and Turku is the so-called. A 23-hour cruise (of which you can buy two and interrupt them in the morning, using it as a regular night ferry), and to other cities it is usually there and back the next night and it is more expensive, but not like the operators rip off for sharing in a 4-bed cabin .
Also, as an alternative, there is a train Kyiv - Riga every 4 days, from 1300 with something UAH. It is even cheaper to drive through Belarus on your own if there is no low-cost airline on a particular day or if you need to carry something with you. (Perhaps the only plus from the bus tour is the convenience of carrying luggage, but with such a service, well, what the heck.)
Мыши плакали, кололись...
Во-первых, на НГ вообще не надо ездить. Во многих западных странах к этому моменту затихает весь рождественский движ, кое-где даже разбирают елку. Ездить надо в первой половине декабря, максимум числа до 20.
Во-вторых, цены на перелеты в страны Балтии сейчас такие, что достаточно за пару недель поймать лоукост и не нужно возиться ни с какими автобусами (между странами — можно и нужно, и автобусы там качественные, а ехать по 4-4,5 часа).
В-третьих, с паромами туроператоры разводят вообще жестко. Зная секрет покупки, можно кататься туда-сюда по Скандинавии за 10-20 евро/ночь с человека в отдельной каюте хоть на одного (отели там под 100 на двоих и выше). Секрет в том, что у них максимально дешевые акции для шведов (а также финнов) на круизы с целью побухать. Между Стокгольмом и Турку это т. н. 23-часовой круиз (которых можно купить два и прерывать их утром, пользуясь как обычным ночным паромом), а в прочие города обычно туда и на следующую ночь обратно и это обходится дороже, но не так как сдирают операторы за подселение в 4-местную каюту.
Также в качестве альтернативы существует поезд Киев - Рига раз в 4 дня, от 1300 с чем-то грн. Можно еще дешевле проехать самостоятельно через Беларусь, если в конкретный день нет лоукоста или если нужно что-то тащить с собой. (Пожалуй, единственный плюс от автобусного тура — удобство перевозки багажа, но при таком сервисе ну нафиг.)