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Tropical Discovery se spécialise dans l’organisation de différents types de séjours qui surpasseront vos désirs de voyageur même les plus enfouis. Opérant dans des régions d'une beauté, culture et variété naturelle incroyable, nous ne vous offrons que le meilleur des hébergements, transports, guides, tours culturels et d'aventures... et sommes certains d'atteindre ces objectifs. Vous trouverez ci-dessous des commentaires laissés par nos clients de leur expérience avec nous. N’hésitez pas à nous contacter pour plus de renseignements ou de reférences.
Nous sommes impatients de nous mettre à votre service!
Vielen Dank für Ihre lieben Bemühungen und den exzellenten Service. Die Reise nach Belize war wunderschön und das Hotel einfach nur traumhaft. Es war für uns wie ein richtiger Robinson Crusoe Urlaub, abgerundet dabei haben das Personal und auch die verträumten schönen Hütten des Hotels mit den palmenbedeckten Dächern unseren Urlaub. Alle waren unheimlich aufmerksam und unbeschreiblich lieb. Immer wieder gerne, werden wir an diesen Urlaub zurückdenken und wahrscheinlich sogar nächstes Jahr noch mal hinfahren. Ich kann diesen Ort " Ramons Village Resort " nur jedem weiterempfehlen.
Marion Steiling – Germany
Belize Vacation
Our time in Livingston was great. We had a fabulous time there. The hotel (Villa Caribe) was so nice and very comfortable. We loved that there was a swimming pool because it was definitely warm. Our boat and van drivers were the best as well. The van driver was a very courteous driver and he made sure that we stopped when it was necessary. In addition, he was more than happy to talk to my dad about Guatemala's land and history. Our boat driver was great as well. He also told us about the water, land, animals and people. He gave us plenty of opportunities to take pictures. In fact, we hired him to take us to Playa Blanca and a restaurant on the river. Both drivers were very kind and made our trip really fun by giving us the inside scoop of where to go in Livingston. Thanks so much for assisting us with the hotel and the drivers. It made our vacation planning very smooth. I will definitely use your services again when I return to Guatemala.
Mirthala Santizo – California
Guatemala Vacation
It was magical! Truly a wonderful experience for the both of us. We had an absolutely wonderful time. The diving as amazing, the snorkeling was spectacular, and the fishing was tremendous - Amy caught a 4 foot long barracuda, I caught two smaller ones, we caught a giant red snapper and two groupers. We also caught a huge assortment of smaller yellow-fin snapper and a cold (but I think that last we got on the plane going down there). The Mayan ruins were absolutely amazing - we went to Lamanai for a day trip and the trip in was as fun as the ruins were. The Mennonites we saw on the way there were a fun surprise - we didn't expect to see Tom Sawyer on the way up the river, it was like we took a detour into 1850. The best part though was that in San Pedro, I found a jewelry shop, stopped in for a quick purchase and popped the question right then and there - Amy and I are now engaged! Thank you SO much for making this dream come true - from the both of us.
Jon Caruthers – Colorado
Belize Vacation
En general hemos vuelto muy contentos y nuestras expectativas se han superado, el país nos ha parecido muy variado y muy bonito, nos sería difícil decir qué es lo que más nos ha gustado y los servicios, hoteles y organización en general, excelentes. Recomendaríamos el destino y sus servicios a todo el mundo. El hotel Atitlán y la Lancha nos han parecido excelentes, tanto por el hotel el hotel en si, el entorno, el personal y los servicios. Villa Caribe es también un hotel muy bonito, nos dieron un bungalow que tenía una gran vista. También nos han gustado mucho el Westin Camino Real de Guatemala y el Mesón de María en Antigua, que es un lugar encantador y con muy buen servicio. Transportes: Todo excelente, las personas que nos acompañaron fueron siempre muy puntuales y buenos profesionales, fue muy agradable viajar con ellos. Esperamos poder volver pronto a viajar a Centroamérica y contar con sus servicios.
Nicolás Canovas – Spain
Guatemala/Honduras Vacation
Nuestro viaje en Antigua Guatemala estuvo fantástico. Superó nuestras expectativas totalmente. En relación al hotel (Convento Santa Catalina), nos gustó mucho a mis amigos y a mi, nunca nos habíamos quedado en un lugar colonial; también las atenciones del personal del hotel, fueron buenísimas. Guatemala es un bello país, la gente es muy cálida y la Antigua Guatemala es una ciudad muy acogedora, con gente muy linda y una estructura y arquitectura mística. Definitivamente, planeo volver, pues me recomendaron hospedarme en Antigua y recorrer ciudades cercanas. Y definitivamente, me estaré apoyando con su agencia para estos trámites, pues quedamos muy contentos con sus servicios.
Melanie Navarro – Panama
Guatemala Vacation
The hotel El Convento in Leon, Nicaragua was lovely, well maintained and had a considerate and obliging staff. Everything went smoothly and we appreciate your help. We will use you again.
Millie Willen – New York State
Nicaragua Vacation
We absolutely LOVED Guatemala and all of our experiences and accommodations we had there. Your drivers and guide were all very informative and incredibly gracious in helping us with the language difference. They were on time for every pick up - the trip could not have gone smoother! Our drives and lunch with Arturo were especially enjoyable.
There was never a dull moment--we really felt like we soaked up a lot of the beauty of nature and the culture of the areas we visited. All of the accommodations in Guatemala were beautiful and we really felt spoiled! We thoroughly enjoyed Ni'tun Lodge! The staff were incredibly helpful, the food delicious and the surroundings breathtaking.
We didn't quite take to Belize. After all of our rich experiences in Guatemala, San Pedro just didn't compare. Though, I must say, we did find the best ever coconut ice cream!
Andy and I had felt like we were taking a leap of faith with Tropical Discovery, since we had only found you through web searches, not by recommendation. But you really did exceed all of our expectations and we would use your services again.
Amy & Andrew Kittleson - New York State
Guatemala/Belize Honeymoon
We had a great time in Guatemala. Antigua itself was enchanting, not to mention we bumped into the biggest Holy Week festival of the year. We splashed on hotels and meals of fine dining. Tikal was also awesome too, wrapping up my 3 weeks trip visiting multiple Maya archeology sites.
Anita Huang - China
Guatemala Vacation
El tour en Antigua estuvo increíble, Roberto (nuestro guía) amabilísimo encantador, nos explico todo lo que nos interesaba. Gracias por la sugerencia, hubiera sido distinto conocer Antigua sin esa mirada de una persona tan informada y que aprecia la restauración. Ahora podemos continuar conociendo con una panorámica incorporada a la mente. El paseo al lago Atitlan estuvo muy lindo. En realidad todo ha estado increíble. Creo que ustedes son una muy buena agencia, dinámica, seria, y muy eficiente.
Gloria Rios – Chile
Guatemala Vacation
We had a great time at La Lancha - the place was beautiful, the service was great, and the Tikal guide was extremely knowledgeable (even for three academics!). Should I ever come back to Tikal, I would want to stay there.
Heidi Jutsum – Boston, US
Guatemala Vacation
We had a great trip and really enjoyed Guatemala. Antigua was our favorite. We could easily have spent the whole two weeks there. It was a comfort to know that you were always available and so quick to respond to any inquiry or request. Thanks again for all your help!
Deborah Curry - Washington D.C.
Guatemala Vacation
Everything that you planned for our cruise port stops was beyond fabulous. We had unique experiences that would have been impossible on a large tour bus and it would be hard to say which day was more special. Due to your planning and the enthusiasm and knowledge of our drivers and guides, we were exhilarated at the end of each day.
Nicaragua - The highlight of the day was a boat ride on the lake. We went to Monkey Island where a little monkey jumped into the boat, grabbed a bag of food out of my purse and proceeded to sort what he’d like (bananas and nuts) and leave a nice paper pile behind; he was followed by many friends until we were truly a boat full of monkeys and many of them would eat from my hands. Great fun! Spectacular!
Costa Rica-Monteverde Cloud Forest - Our driver made numerous stops for photo opportunities and I came home with some lovely shots of birds, butterflies, domestic animals and plant life. He knew the names of everything we saw along the way. In Monteverde we chose the suspension bridges/trails to explore and weren’t disappointed. It was a rare 75 degrees in the forest with a very clear sky, providing us with unexpected vistas. All of us stopped for lunch at Tree Tops (excellent food) in town
and I had an impromptu salsa lesson from our guide. Great time! As noted the previous day, our guide and driver were simply 10+.
Guatemala-Rio Dulce Tour - As our guide was born in the area, he knows all of the small tributaries where the largest amounts of bird life, butterflies, water lilies, turtles and all forms of plant life/flowers could be seen as well as the homes of local people. A real high point was a stop at AK’ Tenamit (a craft center, school and cultural center run by the local Quiche Mayans... As we left Livingston, our driver showed us how fast his boat could go on open ocean. Completely exhilarated, we were flying along at exactly the same speed as the flock of pelicans accompanying us. LOVE GUATEMALA!!!
So, please let me say thank you again for planning such absolutely perfect daily trips for us. We’ll be back soon for a land trip!
Janed Sax – California
Private cruise ship excursions (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala)
The trip was great! The transportation was on time, even early! The hotel (Banana Palms) itself was beautiful. We really enjoyed our stay. The room was nice, neat, and clean. Our tour we took on Saturday (Finca Paraíso Tour) was beautiful, and definitely worth it. The food and the service was great too. The view of the river was beautiful and relaxing as well. Overall, the trip was great! I would definitely go back there again. Thanks for everything you did to help put it together!!!
Matthew - New York
Guatemala Vacation
The Banana Palms was very nice. We truly enjoyed the Villa Carib Hotel though. The boat transfer went great. He was early for the transfer and very knowledgeable of the area. You were extremely helpful and I appreciate all your help.
Allen Langford – Florida
Guatemala Vacation
The trip was great. We loved Roatan. Will most likely return someday. Over all every thing you set up for us went off without a glitch. All transportation was on time. You made our trip very easy, and we are grateful for all you did to accommodate us on this exceptional adventure. I would use your services again and recommend Tropical Discovery to our friends.
Marc Morin - Idaho
Guatemala/Honduras vacation
Todo estuvo excelente. El guía (en Tikal) fue muy atento, agradable y con mucho conocimiento del área. El parque del Tikal es muy impresionante. En futuro los usaremos de nuevo, también los recomendaremos.
Eduardo Torrado – New York
Guatemala Vacation
The vacation was absolutely wonderful. La Lancha is a lovely property. The accommodations were "jungle luxury". The food was excellent, good wines. The staff very attentive, intelligent and helpful. I loved being able to have a full day seeing amazing anthropological and historical sites, hiking in the sunshine with the excellent guides you arranged for us, and then came back to the beauty and serenity of La Lancha. We even loved the walk to the lake. As we were there at the end of the dry season, the weather was perfect - 85 in the day and not particularly humid. And hardly a mosquito. My two children (19 and 21) were with us and they loved it as much as I did. It was a perfect combination of activity and resort. We loved the Tikal day, and the Topoxte trip was also good. I am glad we did Tikal first, though, as it is so much more excavated that we were able to appreciate the fact that under every mound was probably another temple or observatory in Topoxte. The views were spectacular. And on both of those days we were practically the only people around. We also liked the two lunches that we had - it was great to have authentic local food. And we were ravenous as well. The last morning we went to the Canopy walk, and that was also terrific gorgeous exercise. (and the zip lines were fun - didn't seem all that commercial, and again we were the only people there). My daughter turned 21 during our stay at La Lancha and we were able to plan a special dinner in coordination with the chef, including a fabulous birthday cake. It was very memorable. Also, it was fine not having television or in-room phone service, but it was also terrific having WIFI - especially for the kids when we got back at the end of hte day. And also for us adults to keep in touch with our businesses. We only had three nights and two and a half days, but it was so worth it.
And you were totally right about Antigua - it was worth the short time we spent there. We arrived around 8pm on Thursday night, and were blown away by the beauty of the Hotel Casa Santa Domingo. Amazing. We had a lovely dinner, and then were happy to have the nice gym the next day before a great breakfast and then a 2 hour walk around the Plaza and into a few museums. Then off to the airport around noon. The weather in January was gorgeous there as well.............Feel free to use my words. All in all, it was a perfect family vacation. I highly recommend both hotels and the trips we did each day. Thank you again for all your help. I have recommended your firm to friends.
Alison Haimes - New York
Guatemala Family vacation
Our trip was great! Both the hotels you booked for us - Mansion del Pensativo in Antigua and Villa Maya in Peten were really nice! The staff at Pensativo were very friendly and helpful and the views of the volcano from the dining area were spectacular! The hotel Villa Maya was a bit out of the way and expensive to get to compared to places in Flores, but we enjoyed the isolated location and the peaceful surroundings. Overall, we loved Guatemala - the people, culture and natural beauty were all amazing!
Thanks for your assistance in making our trip memorable! We will definitely recommend you to friends that are traveling to Central America.(Please feel free to publish these comments in your Guest Comments).
Apurva Kothari - New York
Guatemala Vacation
Hi Ken. Thanks again for coordinating our wonderful vacation. We hate to be home!! Casa Encantada is great and we would DEFINITELY stay there again. We loved the rooftop bar. We enjoyed Calle De La Fonda and even met the owner! We also had fun and a few drinks at Monoloco. Elizabeth Bell's walking tour was fantastic. Great trip. I guess you heard the problem with Taca. They wanted to put us on the 5pm flight and then said we could go but no the suitcases! La Lancha was great. Our guide through Tikal, Benedicto was SUPER!!! You must always use only him. He was the best and we learned so much. Well, you have convinced us to journey back to Guatemala. After speaking to many, we believe that the Lake area will be part of our next trip. We will stay in touch with you and THANK YOU!!
Connie and Michael Beck - Landisville, PA
Guatemala & Belize Vacation
I wanted to thank you for all your help with our recent trip to Guatemala and Belize. Everything went so smoothly and La Lancha was great. Tikal, the rainforest, the sky canopy and not forgetting the Howler Monkeys all lived up to expectations and more and the trip through to Belize was completely uneventful which was great. Again thank you for you efforts and I will certainly recommend you to anyone I know who is coming your way. Kind regards and a good Christmas
Jan Poole - London UK
Guatemala Vacation
I must say we loved our tour guide for Tikal. He was extremely knowledgeable and was able to sight many animals, birds, etc. for us. He was a joy to spend the day with. Camino Real Tikal was fine - but we ate New Year's Dinner at La Lancha and it was fantastic and it looked to be a great place to stay. We also loved Antigua - and look forward to going back some day to Guatemala.
Sandra Padden – North Carolina
Guatemala Vacation
The trip was excellent and we had a great time; here are some comments and feel free to use them for future visitors: TACA Airlines: Absolutely perfect...both flights were on-time, planes were exceptionally clean and service was terrific. / Driver from the airport was very good. / Hotel Banana Palms: Accommodations were larger than we expected and grounds were very comfortable. The staff was exceptionally nice and worked very hard to make the only American Family (at that point) very comfortable. / Tikal was AMAZING!!! We had the best time. The driver(s) were fantastic, the guide at TIKAL was excellent...I would recommend him highly for any English Speaking tour. / The day trip to Livingston was fun. We got great pictures. (We could have used a little heads up about bringing coins with us for all of the children who were selling flowers, etc....you should let future American travelers know this.) Livingston itself was very disappointing relative to the rest of the country but a great experience and lunch was fine. / The hotel in Antigua (Palacio de Doña Leonor)....FANTASTIC! We met the owners and the service was exceptional. The rooms were magnificent and it had a lot of charm. We loved the location and proximity to the center of town. We had two great days walking and shopping and dining in Antigua. / The last day we went swimming at Hotel Antigua before heading out to the airport (you should let future travelers know this is an option...for $18 US we swam all day and had lunch...it was great.) While at the pool, we witnessed a live volcano erupt!!
Overall...everything was great...thank you for setting up a fabulous experience.
Charles Hammermann – New York
Guatemala Vacation
The van service was great. It was on time both days, and the driver was good and safe. He also was friendly, informative and helpful. We plan to return to Nicaragua this summer, so we will probably need transportation again. Thanks.
Bill Whittaker – Texas
Nicaragua Vacation
We had a wonderful time. Antigua is hidden treasure behind the gate. We felt time went too fast. You were very kind and professional as was our driver. We will definitely be back soon and keep in touch.
Lily & Tom Warren – California
Guatemala Vacation
We had a wonderful time and are still amazed by all the great things we got to experience. The trip was organized impecably and we couldn't get over the punctuality of everybody involved. I would recomend this trip to anyone, even with young children. The guided tour in Tikal was one of a kind. Our guide was just amazing. The children still talk about him a lot. The hotels were great, some of them even outstanding. Your recommended tours were very helpful. Best wishes to you!
Karin Barrell – Switzerland
Guatemala/Honduras Vacation
En Victoria House todo estuvo muy bien. Pero recomendaría que cualquier gasto extra en el hotel que no se haya arreglado con Tropical antes, debería ser chequeado por el cliente cuidadosamente al hacer el check out. En la Lancha nos trataron increíblemente bien. Casi me quedo otra noche más...
Julioandre Piedra Santa – Guatemala
Guatemala/Belize Vacation
Debo decirle que desde mi llegada (el hotel Banana Palms en Rio Dulce) me sorprendió y me encantó. Excelente atención, excelente restaurante y muy lindas instalaciones. Fue una muy agradable estadía sin ninguna queja.
Arturo Leongómez B. – Guatemala
Guatemala Vacation
El viaje fue estupendamente. Los servicios de traslado muy bien y los hoteles en general muy bien. La Mansión del Pensativo es el que para nuestro gusto tenía más encanto y un trato excelente. Tanto la gente como el país nos encantaron y pudimos disfrutar de unos días muy agradables, a la vez que conocer un poco su cultura. Gracias por todo.
Santiago Remón – Spain
Guatemala Vacation
Wir waren von dem Banana Palms Hotel sehr begeistert. Die Lage am See ist traumhaft, die gesamte Hotelanlage sehr geschmackvoll. Der Service war sehr zuvorkommend und hilfsbereit. Der Tagesausflug nach Livingston wurde von der Rezeption aus mit einem Bootsführer, der für das Hotel arbeitet, gebucht. Das war sehr praktisch. Wir würden dieses Hotel auf jeden Fall weiter empfehlen.
Günther und Ulrike Arnold – Austria
Guatemala Vacation
Das Hotel (Mansion del Pensativo in Antigua) es war paradiesisch, genau der entspannende Einstieg, den ich für meine Reise gebraucht habe. Ich wollte gleich dableiben oder nächstes Wochenende wiederkommen, da war es aber voll. Danke für die gute Beratung, habe mir auch diverse andere kleine Luxus Hotels angeschaut, aber der Garten und die Ruhe im Pensativo sind einzigartig.
Agnes - Germany
Guatemala Vacation
We had a WONDERFUL time! Everything from the hotel, to the tour, to the guide, to actually seeing and climbing the pyramids was fantastic! In particular I wanted to let you know that our tour guide was great! On the way there he gave us an overview of the region and the culture and when we got there he was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the ruins, (which was surprisingly more complicated than we expected) and about the flora and fauna in the area. He was able to answer all our questions, let us choose how we wanted the tour to go and how much time we wanted to spend in each area, and still fit in a lot of the campus in relatively short amount of time we had!
We would highly recommend the package we got to anyone!! Feel free to publish these comments!!
Colleen Dorr – Ohio
Tikal Tour
El lunes llegué de este hermoso viaje. De verdad fue muy pero muy lindo además de SUPER bien atendido. Tropical Discovery en realidad se portó un 7 super atentos todas las personas que nos atendieron. La hotelería TOP!!!, obviamente de acuerdo a cada lugar. Vengo con todas las ganas de vender Guatemala, es un destino realmente increíble.
Mariluz Gonzalez - Chile
Guatemala Vacation
Thanks so much for your help. Our trip was amazing and we all had a great time! Everything went smoothly and we were easily able to contact your company in Nicaragua for any changes to do with pick up times. I am planning on going through Tropical Discovery on a week long trip when I can afford it! Thanks again!
Jill Olejniczak - Ohio
Nicaragua Vacation
I wanted to thank you for your service and help. We enjoyed our trip very much. I personally like the environment of Camino Real, beautiful lake, no people, warm water. It was a great trip and a wonderful service.
Aleksandr Zhorntiskiy - New York
Guatemala Vacation
Thank you for following up on our vacation. We had a great time in Guatemala and Honduras and were very pleased with your transportation services and drivers. The drivers have all showed up on time, were courteous and in the case of Arturo also gave interesting background on the area and country. The SUV we had travelled in was considerably more comfortable than the minivan (in particular regarding suspension), which does make a difference when taking the long drive from Guatemala City to Copan (which we rode in the Minivan). Thanks for help making our vacation go smoothly. Please feel free to include these comments on your website. Best regards,
Roy Weisner - New York
Guatemala/Honduras Vacation
Our vacation was fantastic. We had a great time in Antigua. As always, we enjoyed our stay at Hotel Casa Azul; it provided a rustic, homey setting in an absolutely beautiful garden atmosphere. We always try to split our time between at least two hotel settings whenever we travel. From Casa Azul we moved to the Casa Santo Domingo, which is perhaps the most beautiful hotel we have ever seen. The atmosphere and service there are unparalleled and have to be seen to be believed.
Antigua was a lot of fun; we tried new restaurants ("Sangre" is one you should try -- it's by the arch, offering a range of foods paired with wine in a trendy outdoor setting. Jeff, the owner, made a point of talking with us for a while, and with every table of guests.) And while we did not get to stay there, we would highly recommend you try the hotel Casa Vechio (not sure of the spelling.) It's on 5a. Calle Oriente, a few blocks east of the square. It's red stucco with a large black (new) lamp sticking out. It has four rooms, each of which is stunning, along with the most spectacular gardens we saw in Antigua. We would like to split our stay between this one and Santo Domingo next time.
We went to your Antigua offices and your colleagues were most helpful in recommending different things to do in the area. We appreciate your help with our vacation and would recommend use of your company again.
David D. - Washington DC
Guatemala Vacation
Nuestras vacaciones en tu país fueron perfectas. Nuestras expectativas fueron satisfechas plenamente. Tienen un país hermoso, con una tradición y una historia única. El regreso a Caracas fue directo al trabajo y sin mucho tiempo. En algún momento me gustaría conversar con Tropical Discovery de una idea que tengo después de haber hecho el viaje a Guatemala con el apoyo de ustedes. Saludos a todo el equipo!!
Margarita Cadenas de Mathison - Venezuela
Guatemala Vacation
Thank you - We had a wonderful vacation in Guatemala - the hotel we booked through you Banana Palms exceeded our expectation - it was a beautiful location and despite the fact that not a single employee spoke english we managed very well - the hotel was well kept up - the pool clean and surrounding view and gardens delightful. A welcome spot to stay just removed the business of Fronteras and conveniently located right next door to the castillo.
Catherine Family - Virginia
Guatemala Vacation
Todo estupendamente. Lo que vimos de Guatemala nos ha encantado, los guatemaltecos son encantadores y Antigua, el lago, etc, precioso. En cuanto a vuestro servicio muy bueno, todos los conductores fueron puntuales y el servicio de muy alta calidad. Nuestro próximo viaje a Centroamérica contaremos con vosotros. Una vez mas, muchas gracias por todo,
Susana Muncharaz - Madrid, España
Guatemala Vacation
Gracias por su fina atención. El Hotel Filadelfia Coffee Resort & Spa definitivamente es un lugar precioso, el ambiente es como estar en casa, se respira un ambiente de mucha paz, tranquilidad esto sumado al entorno natural y fresco.
Ana de Escobar - El Salvador
Guatemala Vacation
We are back to the States now. The trip was wonderful, we all enjoyed ourselves tremendously! We each have our favorites spots, sites and meals, but what a wonderful experience we all had! I do think it should be known that while the guides we used were good, Julio was so well informed and enthusiastic as a tour guide he was outstanding above the rest.
I can not thank you enough for helping us realize a dream. I would highly recommend your services to anyone. We will be talking again about our future trips. If you would like a formal letter please let me know.
Also please contact us about when you come to Miami. We would like to meet you but more importantly I believe you and my friend Teddi can do some business together. It should of great benefit. Thank you again,
Mary Scott Canada - Florida
Guatemala & Honduras Vacation
Das Santo Domingo hat unsere Vorstellungen wirklich weit uebertroffen. Vom Empfang, ueber den Service am Pool, bis zum reichhaltigen Fruehstuecksbufett war alles perfekt. Antigua ist nicht nur eine Reise wert, um alles zu sehen, braucht man mehr als nur 3 Tage! Empfehlenswert!
Anja Germer - Germany
Guatemala Vacation
Thank you for a great trip. We had a wonderful experience in Guatemala and you and the Tropical Team had a lot to do with making that a reality.
Gregg Steinberg - Illinois, US
Guatemala Vacation
Thanks to you and your service, our trip was fabulous. Everything went as planned and ground transportation was on time and comfortable. Your recommendations were perfect and your staff were courteous, friendly, helpful and charming. The only regret I have is that I didn't have you arrange the boating excursion to three towns for shopping and sight-seeing and the volcano hike, at Lake Atitlan. We will definitely use your services in the future and recommend your service to friends.
Rand Powell - Sacramento, CA
Guatemala Vacation
Tropical Discovery was absolutely wonderful in assisting in the planning of my trip to Copan, Honduras which is a really lovely little town. The hotel was top notch, and the tour to the bird park via horseback was fun. My guide was a really nice gentleman who was also the security guard in our hotel. I wound up using him again the next day for another ride to 3 hr ride to Hacienda Sal Lucas and the Copan River. Services were excellent and very fairly priced, and Tropical Discovery was gracious enough to also make recommendations when they did not find it necessary to pre-book certain tours. I highly recommend them, and plan to use them again for future Latin American travel.
Judy Tran – New York City
Honduras vacation
Solo unas lineas para agradecerle por la excelente organización de nuestro viaje a Guatemala y Honduras. Realmente, sus servicios superaron nuestras expectativas, no tuvimos ningún problema. Le confieso que estaba un poco preocupada pues nos habían comentado que Guatemala era muy insegura y a pesar de que tenemos experiencia organizando nuestros viajes a traves de internet, uno nunca sabe hasta el final, si lo que se le ofrece concuerda con la realidad.
Guatemala es un país encantador y la gente nos pareció muy amable. Todos los hoteles que nos recomendaron fueron muy buenos, destacando el Hotel Camino Real Tikal y el Hotel Atitlán por su esmerado servicio y excelente localización. El llegar cansados al hotel luego de visitar Tikal y encontrar el temascal preparado, no sabe lo reconfortante que fue. El lago Petén fue una agradable sorpresa, no imaginé encontrar un sitio tan bello en medio de la selva, si hubiera tenido más tiempo me hubiera quedado un día más. Antigua nos encantó y si volvemos nos gustaría quedarnos en el Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.
Los choferes (Carlos y René) fueron muy puntuales, amables, serviciales y muy prudentes al manejar. Gracias a nuestro guía en Tikal pudimos conocer todo el complejo en el tiempo que teníamos disponible. En los otros sitios arqueológicos y pueblitos del Lago Atitlán no fue necesario tener un guía particular y disfrutamos mucho descubriendo las cosas a nuestro ritmo y leyendo la información necesaria de nuestra guía de viaje o interactuando con los pobladores. En general, el programa y actividades estuvo de acuerdo a nuestra edad (tenemos 43 años) y personalidad, por lo que nos sentimos muy contentos. También tuvimos la oportunidad de comprar artesanía local y lindos tejidos.
Una vez muchas gracias por hacer de nuestras vacaciones una experiencia inolvidable.
Sandra Mansilla – Peru
Guatemala & Honduras Vacation
Estas pocas líneas para decirte que el viaje superó ampliamente nuestras expectativas. Guatemala es un país maravilloso, prodigo en riquezas culturales, paisajes y sobre todo en calidad humana..Es de destacar la atención y cordialidad de las personas que tratamos en los hoteles, guías y conductores que nos hicieron sentir mejor que en casa. Los hoteles excelentes y la organización de vuelos, transfer y vans resultaron impecables. No hemos hecho más que ponderar la organización pero por sobretodo valoramos que supiste interpretar nuestro pedido en cuanto a conjugar cultura, paisaje y descanso. San Pedro top ten !!!!!! Los estaremos recomendando a nuestros amigos y desde ya el próximo viaje que haremos a C. América será con Tropical Discovery, mil gracias nuevamente y saludos cordiales.
Jorgelina & Tristán Noguerol - Argentina
Guatemala, Belize & Honduras vacation
I just wanted to thank you for your time and assistance in our trip to Guatemala. Our drivers were excellent. We really appreciate your assistance when we were delayed in arriving in Guatemala City and then in changing our travel plans after my husband left his credit card in Antigua. We had the same driver from Antigua to Lake Atitlan and then from Lake Atitlan to Antigua/Guatemala City. He was wonderful. Our accommodation in Antigua and Lake Atitlan at Posado de Don Rodrigo was lovely. Service and cleanliness were outstanding.
Thank you again for your assistance,
Blaire Rios - TN, USA
Guatemala Vacation
Our vacation was wonderful. The country was very beautiful, hotel was very nice and peaceful, the staff was polite, courteous, prompt, eager to please, the food was fantastic and the tours were remarkable (highly recommend Belize Academy of Divers for all diving and snorkeling tours). We had the best time.
Thank you very much for your assistance w/ our vacation. We will think of Tropical Discovery next time we need a trip planned! Sincerely,
Karen Morrow
Belize Vacation
Der Abstecher von Cancun (Mexiko) aus nach Guatemala, um die Pyramiden von Tikal zu besichtigen, hat meiner Familie und mir gut gefallen. Der Transfer des Camino Real Tikal hat uns pünktlich vom Flughafen Flores abgeholt und zum Hotel gebracht. Das Frühstück im Hotel mussten wir separat bezahlen, da es wie bei den meisten Hotels in Guatemala nicht im Preis enthalten war, aber dies tut der Tatsache, dass das Hotel auf jeden Fall zu empfehlen ist keinen Abbruch. Tikal und das Camino Real Tikal sind also auf jeden Fall eine Reise wert.
Ferdinand Gröben - Deutschland
Guatemala Vacation
We were truly pleased with all the arrangements especially the Camino Real in Guatemala and in Tikal. Thanks for all your hard work,
Ms. Rosita Whitman
Director, International Department, Georgetown Preparatory School
Guatemala Vacation
We had a really wonderful time in Costa Rica. What a beautiful country. Sueno del Mar was everything we hoped for…perfect little B&B with personalized service in the most beautiful setting. After leaving Guanacaste we did make the trip down to Montezuma instead of Manuel Antonio (we’ll go there next time). I don’t know how you guys do it but you really have a knack for picking out the most perfect accommodations; I’m not sure if I can stay anywhere in Cenntral America that is not recommended by your agency.
All the best and thank you for your help!
Sara and Greg Girardi
Costa Rica Vacation
It's good to hear from you again. Thanks for asking about our trip. The arrangements that you made for us worked out great. The accommodations and your transportation arrangements in Guatemala were excellent. We'll certainly recommend you highly to anybody who wants to visit Central America. Guatemala is beautiful and the people are very friendly. We also greatly appreciated the loan of the cell phone as it was reassuring to know that we could get in touch with you if we needed to.
Tom Rowe
Guatemala & Belize Vacation
El viaje estuvo muy agradable, el servicio del hotel (Soleil Pacifico) ha mejorado mucho desde la ultimas vez que fuimos y ahora se puede decir que es un buen servicio, principalmente la comida y personal a cargo de ellas (meseros), las instalaciones estan bien auque el mantenimiento de las habitaciones es regular. La experiencia ha sido buena tomando el servicio de todo incluido esto es lo que vale la pena en el paquete. La pasamos muy bien. Le agradezco su interes y seguro que cuando volvamos a viajar en centroamerica los estaremos contactando tambien le dire a amigos del buen servicio que ustedes prestan.
Ericka de Duarte - Guatemala City
Guatemala Vacation
Es war ein traumhaft schöner Urlaub in Belize, beginnend mit der sehr herzlichen Begrüßung im Portofino Resort / San Pedro bis hin zur ebenso herzlichen Verabschiedung im Kanantik Resort / Dangriga.
Und bei beiden Resorts ist das Preis-Leistungsverhältnis ausgezeichnet!
Natürlich ist ein Urlaub in Belize und vor allem abseits der touristischen Zentren nicht mit europäischen Maßstäben zu messen...
Wer Wert auf deutsche Pünktlichkeit, 5-Sterne-Service und ein anspruchsvolles Abendprogramm legt, sollte besser nicht das Portofino wählen.
Dort ist aber jeder bestens aufgehoben, dem echte Freundlichkeit sämtlicher Angestellten wichtig ist (auch deren Freude an der Arbeit war überall zu spüren und zu sehen; einzigartig: die supergründliche tägliche Reinigung der Cabana), der gerne die einheimische (!scharf!) Küche kennen lernen möchte und der in einer Hängematte mit traumhaftem Ausblick die Seele baumeln lassen will.
Das Kanantik bietet ähnlichen Luxus wie 5-Sterne-Resorts im indischen Ozean, aber zum halben Preis: Geräumige, edel eingerichtete Einzel-Villen mit direktem Strandzugang und eigenen Liegen, exzellentes Essen - international orientiert, perfekter Service. Dazu ein großes Ausflugsprogramm zu Land und Wasser, alles mit bestens ausgebildeten Guides. Auch hier haben wir nur freundliche, sehr um unser Wohl bemühte Leute getroffen. Das Kanantik ist nicht nur dem Namen nach ein Reef&Jungle-Resort; man kann sehr viele Tier- und Pflanzenarten entdecken. Schade, dass nicht noch eine Woche mehr Zeit dafür war! Wichtig ist ein Vorrat an Insektenspray und ein Mittel gegen Allergien bei gefährdeten Personen!!!
Vielen Dank an Tropical Discovery für die kompetente individuelle Beratung und die perfekte Organisation sämtlicher Transfers und Aufenthalte. Wir empfehlen Sie sehr gerne weiter und haben vor, im nächsten Jahr ein weiteres Land mit Ihrer Hilfe kennen zu lernen.
Angelika Gollbach - Deutschland
Belize Vacation
Our trip to Roatan was exceptional. We stayed at Paradise Beach Resort. A lovely quiet place with good clean, comfortable surroundings. It is only a 2+ hour trip from Houston and you are in an island paradise. It is not a 5 star type island, but a fantastic place to kick back and relax, not to mention the scuba and snorkling are exceptional. Thanks for your help in making the bookings.
Sally Hoffman
Roatan Vacation
Our vacation was very nice. the accomodations you booked were as advertised, the transportation was on time & easy to use and the price was competitive (as sometimes you travel and find better deals once you get there). I have book marked your website and plan to use your services in the future and would recommend you to my friends.
David Thompson
Guatemala Vacation
Thank you for your message. I was actually planning to email you about our trip, but you beat me to it! We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Lake Atitlan. The entire day was handled professionally and efficiently from beginning to end. The lake was beautiful, and each village we visited during our boat ride was unique and interesting. The highlight of our trip was undoubtedly Julio Andres, our guide. His knowledge of the area, English skills, and outgoing personality really made our day special. It was such a pleasure spending the day with him, and he was extraordinarily patient with our endless curiosity and questions. My friend and I plan to return to Guatemala again in the future, and will definitely be using Tropical Discovery for our tours when we return. We also strongly hope that Julio can be our guide wherever we go. Please pass along our thanks and gratitude to him. Regards,
Denise S.
Guatemala Vacation
Los servicios que me ofrecieron durante mi viaje a Guatemala fueron como los esperaba. Cubrieron a la perfección mi expectativa en todos los sentidos de tal manera que estoy comprometido a utilizar nuevamente estos servicios.
Marco Villanueva - Mexico DF
Guatemala Vacation
We had a great time. Hotels excellent, drivers and trips very well organized and everyone was very pleasant. We would definitely book through Tropical Discovery again and are thinking of taking a group of friends to Guatemala for next New Year.
Bill Hilary & Family - New York
Guatemala Vacation
Thank you so much for planning a magical “grand tour” of Guatemala for our gang of eight from Seattle. As you know, this entailed a complicated itinerary with four cities and multiple side trips. The arrangements were flawlessly executed, and we were very impressed by the punctuality and professionalism of our drivers and guides. The hotels and our accommodations were gorgeous. Please visit our website at ww.crowleyassoc.com/guatemala for a recap of the trip. We cannot recommend Guatemala as a destination and Tropical Discovery Services as an agency too strongly. Best,
Marie McCaffrey and Walt Crowley - Seattle WA
Guatemalan Mayan Vacation
Thanks so much for all your help in making our trip to Guatemala the trememdous success that it was. We had a wonderful time and truly enjoyed the hotels that you suggested (we stayed one more night at Hotel Atitlan!) We found the staff at both hotels helpful and kind. And we loved learning about Guatemala and its' rich culture. We will certainly call you if planning another trip to the region. And we will recommend you to our friends. Muchas Gracias,
Eileen & Friends
Guatemala Vacation
Désolé pour mon retard dans les remerciements. Oui, nous avons beaucoup aimé ChiChi et nosu regrettons de ne pas avoir passé plus de temps sur "l'Altiplano." Le reste du voyage était génial. Retour très tard sur Antigua, puis Tikal puis Rio Dulce. Les chauffeurs étaient toujours à l'heure et très prudents. Bravo et Merci. Les hotels étaient aussi très bien. Nous allons vivement conseiller le Guatemala autour de nous.
A bientôt par mail et bonne suite dans les activités. Cordialement
Bruno Montariol - France
Guatemala Vacation
Our trip was amazing. We took your advice and split our trip between the mountains and the beach. Thank you for that, because of your advice we were able to experience the culture that the countryside had to offer. You and your company were professional and extremely helpful and you made planning our Honeymoon an easy pleasure. Everything was taken care of down to the transfers from airport to hotels. We would be honored to use your company when we return to Central America. Thank you,
Lisa and Saul Fuentes - SF, California
Belize Honeymoon
Just a quick note to tell you how well everything went. All aspects were flawless. I am fixing my web site to reflect the actual trip (notice that I currently have Rio Dulce in the wrong place). Happy to write you a great blurb or you can lift it from my site. I will let you know when it is done. Totally blown away by Guatemala and Tropical Discovery.
Marie McCaffrey - San Francisco, CA
Guatemala Tour
Hallo, vielen Dank für Ihr Mail. Wir sind erst vergangenes Wochenende aus Costa-Rica zurückgekehrt und hatten fast vier Wochen Gelegenheit Land und Leute kennenzulernen.
Vor allem das Land haben wir versucht auf eigene Faust zu erkunden. Dazu haben wir uns ein Mietauto genommen, das natürlich hervorragend geeignet ist, überall da zu halten wo es uns gefiel. Nicht daß wir irgendwo gebummelt hätten. Unsere Reiseroute hatten wir geplant, und die Hotels, wie auch das Sapo Dorado schon im Voraus gebucht. Aber man kann im Gegensatz zum Bus immer entscheiden, wann man früh losfährt, wie lange man irgendwo stehen bleibt und kann Fotos überall da machen sobald ein Motiv vor die Linse springt.
Das Auto hat uns dann auch nach Monteverde gefahren. Die Straße dorthin hatte es auch gehörig in sich. Wie im Lonely Planet beschrieben, tatsächlich unter der Rubrik "Bone-Shaking-Road".
Unser Hotel hatten wir dann auch gleich gefunden und uns dort erstmal in unserem Sunset-Zimmer gemütlich gemacht. Das Zimmer hat uns sehr gefallen. Groß, geräumig, viel Platz für unser Gepäck, sehr sauber, ruhig und mit dem dunklen Holzboden sehr gemütlich. Der Blick auf einen Sonnenuntergang, den wir tatsächlich genießen durften war beeindruckend.
Alles in allem eine gute Entscheidung. Was uns beiden allerdings nicht so entsprochen hat war das Restaurant. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob das Restaurant zum Hotel als solches gehört, oder ob es selbständig ist. Die Preise waren sehr gesalzen, vor allem das Frühstück. Deswegen haben wir auch nur einmal dort zu Abend gegessen und nur einmal gefrühstückt. Die Möglichkeiten die diese Gegend bietet waren besser zu erkunden und zu entdecken, als sich bequem im Restaurant niederzulassen. Das Frühstück dort war das teuerste das wir in Costa-Rica hatten und nicht besser als vergleichbare.
Aber ansonsten: Fazit - zur Unterkunft sehr geeignet....Pura Vida!
Uli Groschwitz - Altdorf, Deutschland
Costa Rica Vacation
My wife and I enjoyed the Nicaragua tour very much. Our biggest surprise was how safe the country was and how friendly the people there (people at Leon were less friendly though). This is my twelfth country in Central and South America and Nicaragua was the safest. This time we picked the town tours (Managua, Granada and Leon) mostly and the towns were not so exciting (although enjoyable) because we are basically nature lovers. We did not do very nature nature tour because we were concerned about the safety there. Next time we will do more nature type activities (e.g., Rio San Joan tour). The volcano at Masaya was too easy to reach. We think we should have stayed in Isla Ometepe for a couple of days. The visit to the island was our highlight this time. The town (Rivas) we visited before riding on a ship to Ometepe had a very beautiful church. The paintings there were superb.
The quality of the guide (Jose) was very good! He speaks good English and he knows very well. He was the best guide I have ever met in Central and South America. He studies the country deeply and explained really well what we wanted to know. He was not so a cheerful guy, but he was very trustworthy. When our car was stopped and somehow intimidated by the police, he firmly rejected an unreasonable request and protected us. When we were tangled with a drunken, he again protected us in a determined
manner. If we have another chance to visit Nicaragua, he will definitely
be our pick. One thing we would like to mention is that we felt that the lunch for the guide should have been included in the tour fee. The places where we ate were probably too expensive for him to eat and he tried to eat somewhere else. This will affect your cost, but this will give better impression to the guests, I believe.
The hotel selection was also good. We liked the hotel very much. The people there were good and friendly. The room was clean and had a nice view. The location was convenient. We liked the Colonial style building so much! Overall, I am quite satisfied with your services and the tour arrangement. If you would like to use any of the above statement for your website, feel free to do so. Thank you very much for everything.
Shigenao Noda - Japan/California
Nicaragua Vacation
The Panza Verde is fabulous, as you know. We upgraded to a suite as the "double" was a bit small and also essentially right in the restaurant.
The Jazz and Cuban music could be a bit loud but the food was great.
Fortunately, we were there on a Sunday and Monday so they only had brunch and weren't serving dinner. The suites were elegant and huge compared to the double. The Pensativo was likewise very beautiful and run by a group of sweet people. The bathroom and closet were as big as our first room at the Panza Verde. We will be back for sure. Thanks for your help and counsel with the reservations.
Michael Motley - New Mexico, USA
Guatemala Vacation
Con respecto al viaje, gracias a Dios, nos fue muy bien. Los hoteles estuvieron muy buenos, el servicio excelente sobre todo en el Camino Real Tikal. Quedamos convidados a utilizar sus servicios en una próxima oportunidad. Adjunto una foto del grupo que realizamos el viaje, dos de mis hermanos, mi cuñada, mis nueves sobrinos y yo.
Sandra Maldonado - Guatemala
Rio Dulce & Tikal Vacation
Our 2 week trip to Guatemala (11 nights) & Belize (3 nights) was truly one of those trips of a lifetime! Thanks to the amazing and well-organised itinerary put together by Ken at Tropical Discovery as well as the sheer beauty of the places we visited, we LOVED our holiday, we want to return, and we would recommend this to anyone. Antigua was a lovely starting place to get our bearings (no more than 3 nights necessary). Take a morning tour with Elizabeth Bell Tours to get your bearings on the history and politics of the region. We very much enjoyed our energetic 3 hour hike past coffee plantations at the foot of one of the nearby majestic volcanoes. We liked Meson de Maria better than La Casa Encantada for location and space but loved them both. Relax at Rikki’s Bar every night after a day of monastery and convent tours. Also Sky Bar is worth the walk, great view and fun atmosphere. Next, a short flight to the Peten Jungle to visit Tikal was so worth it, the Mayan temples were awesome. We took in sunset from the temple facing west and watched loads of spider monkeys and green macaw birds playing in the dusk (don’t linger as it gets dark fast and we were running looking for a salida (exit) at 6 p.m. almost very lost!) We stayed at the lovely quiet La Lancha Resort on the nearby lake where howler (monster-sounding) monkeys awaken you every morning. Lovely canoe ride to take in the local birdlife. The private ferry ride to the little town of Flores was also lovely and we enjoyed a couple of mojitos at one of the restaurants overlooking the lake, watching the locals swim and play. There ensued a scary but unforgettably fun plane ride to Belize in a 6 seater plane flying into a thunderstorm (you have to shut your own windows !). You fly over Tikal, the Yaxha Mayan ruins where they filmed Survivor, the Guatemalan / Belize border, the Belize prison and beautiful jungles, lakes and then the gorgeous sea / barrier reef. 3 nights at Ramon’s Resort in San Pedro (the Madonna Song), Belize, was a real hoot –. It’s flat and made for bicycles with paths right along the beachfront so a blast for bike riding on rental bikes. Amazing food at Mangoes on the beach. We really did snorkel with sharks and sting rays, moray eels, barracudas, etc. at Shark Ray Alley which was not scary at all, thanks to our guide Crazy Andy. You just jump in like all the other dummies and gawk for 2 hours underwater saying WOW to yourself over and over again. A great mishmash of races and cultures makes the place chilled out and interesting. The famous market of Chichi was our next step on our way to Lake Atitlan, worth it if even just to gawk at all the different foods cooking in the market at lunch time. Came out of there with gorgeous table cloths and woollen blankets for great prices. Do check out the Mayan rituals on the church steps. Lake Atitlan was our last stop – breathtakingly beautiful. I believe that Hotel Atitlan was the most beautiful hotel I’ve every stayed in – two double beds in our room with view of the lake and volcanoes, Infiniti Jacuzzi overlooking the lake by the pool, and tasteful furnishings throughout with a fabulous gift shop – all at only $ 120 per night ! Getting the tuk tuk into Panachajel every night (1 kilometer away) was a blast and the little town is hopping with fun at night. We did the boat village tour thing (take the public boats, only 25 Quetzales and very sturdy and reliable). Don’t go to Santiago across the lake, it’s a dump, very disappointing. San Pedro on the other hand was lovely, once you find the nice side of town. (Others told us the village of San Cristobal? was even nicer). After walking the town of San Pedro checking out the indigenous scene, save time for dining at one of the restaurants on the lake – exquisite view and fit for a very lazy boozy lunch, perfect. Good kayaking opportunities there. The private driver Antonio organized by Tropical Discovery was always there on time and a lovely man. The cell phone provided to us as part of the tour package (with free incoming calls) allowed us to stay in touch with the kids back home on a daily basis (invaluable). We had no mishaps or sickness. Apparently the rainy season ended the week before we got there (we arrived on October 16th) so we lucked out with perfect weather and not too many tourists. My Spanish was embarrassingly bad, yet we got on absolutely fine. In short, we had 15 days of nothing but giggles and appreciation for the beauty and friendliness of Guatemala and Belize as well as the fascinating history of the Mayans which brought us there in the first place. I have already recommended Tropical Discovery to several friends and will whole-heartedly continue to do so.
Juliana and Nic Snelling - Bermuda
Guatemala & Belize Vacation
Thanks for your email. Yes, we had a great time on our trip! Costa Rica is a beautiful country. In terms of hotels, I can definitely give you some feedback. The Tabacon was wonderful and very nicely maintained. Both Lisa and I were very impressed. I also would say that the El Sapo Dorado was a very charming mountain retreat ... and we really enjoyed the dinners served at their restaurant!
Our last hotel, however, didn't live up to our expectations ... it was the Tulemar in Manuel Antonio. Although the location was perfect and the views from the bungalows were spectacular, the amenities just needed some serious upgrading. It looked like nothing in the rooms were upgraded since the 1980s and there were insects everywhere. Certainly, we realized that we're in the middle of a rainforest, but all the other hotels managed to be insect free. Also, the phones weren't working properly. When we complained, the hotel staff didn't do much to help us out. Oh well ... things happen.
For your future clients though, I would suggest some other ground transportation alternatives if they are doing a similar itinerary. The roads from Tabacon (Arenal) to Monteverde are horrible. Instead of just driving, there is a boat ride option (and then a short ride in a 4X4) that can get you to Monteverde in half the time and half the cost. Just something to think about. Also, from Manuel Antonio to San Jose, another option to consider for future clients is a quick (30min.) flight from nearby Quepos Airport into San Jose. Just some suggestions ...
Thanks so much for booking all of our hotels and ground transportation connections in Costa Rica! Having you book the trip for us and figure out the ground transportation logistics saved us a great deal of headache! We had a great adventure vacation! Again, thanks.
Annie Nam - Los Angeles, CA
Costa Rica Vacation
I had a lovely stay in culture-rich Guatemala and fully enjoyed Antigua and Tikal. Antigua was serene, one-of-a-kind colonial town, with a character and personality of its own. I found the hotel we stayed in, La Casa Encantada, lovely, cozy, charming and the service excellent! Tikal was an eye-opening experience and we were amazed and awed by the richness of the site. I will recommend Guatemala any day.... Let me also thank you for making the necessary arrangements. All generally went very well. Best regards,
Margarette Graham - Haiti
Guatemala Vacation
Now that they have left, I have time to answer my emails! They had a wonderful time! Everything worked out so smoothly and you definitely provided number one service. I can honestly recommend you to anyone that comes to visit. One of the kids that went said he learned more on his trip to Tikal than he did all year in college. I told him, that was just great but I couldn´t say the same about the his college´s performance. I will keep you in my mind the next time I have guests! Someday, perhaps we will meet in person. Thank you once again,
Deborah - Guatemala City
Tikal Tour and Stay
El viaje estuvo perfectamente organizado. Tropic Air es una buena experiencia, muy puntual y la gente muy amable. El hotel también muy bien y el personal muy amable y atento. La isla nos gustó. Fueron unos días muy agradables. Saludos.
Portella Family - España
Belize Vacation
As I told you briefly, our trip to Guatemala surpassed all of our expectations. The plans you made for us, including itinerary, lodging, drivers and suggestions for outside activities were right on target. We've traveled extensively and, after talking to you on the phone the first time, I was confident that you would capture the essence of what we wanted the trip to be.
We enjoy boutique hotels, traveling on our own time and unique experiences and that is exactly what you provided. Our first hotel, Casa Encantada, in Antigua was probably my favorite. We had, at your suggestion, reserved the Suite and it was one of the loveliest rooms I've ever stayed in. We did, however, spend one night in Room 7, right off the water garden and it was equally charming, although a bit smaller. The staff provides five star service and couldn't be friendlier. Proceeding to Chichicastenango, after a stop in San Juan Comalapa to shop for art, in order to stay the night before and after the incredible market day, we found ourselves in the Hotel Santo Thomas. Part museum, part tropical garden, this charming hotel was perfectly located for walking back and forth to the market with our many purchases. The fireplace in the room was graciously lit at night by a smiling Maya in native dress who shared a lot of information about Chichicastenango life.
Our next stop at Hotel Atitlan was one of the trip highlights for me. Your driver stopped at the hotel so that we could leave our luggage and then took us directly to Panachel where he helped us hire a private launch. I wanted to go to Santiago Atitlan and San Pedro de Laguna to attempt to find a couple of painters I've long admired. The ride across the lake is a treat in itself, but arriving at these two villages, climbing over primitive piers and then eventually finding the artists I was searching for was a tremendous thrill and privilege. One artist was preparing for an exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and we were able to see a significant body of work from his entire family. For those who love naif art, these villages are a treasure trove of delights. It was also a pleasure to return to the Hotel Atitlan, sit in the jacuzzi overlooking the lake and then enjoy our lake view rooms.
Moving on....After a short flight to Flores/Tikal we were met and taken to La Lancha, a truly marvelous experience. This is a uniquely designed jungle lodge with five star service and a very laid back atmosphere. Having injured an ankle, I spent the day in a hammock on the shaded porch of the lake view casita; my husband and our two friends toured Tikal. Although they loved the experience, I actually loved my hammock time. We were thrilled, having been warned, to hear the howler monkeys in the middle of the night....a surreal sound not to be forgotten. Our only regret was that we hadn't booked three nights to simply enjoy the location. We ended our trip with a night at the Quinta Real, a bit outside of the main part of Guatemala City but close to the airport. This is a beautiful hotel. There are no bad rooms. All are huge and exquisitely decorated...a lovely place to end a trip.
So again I extend many thanks, and I hope that within the near future we'll be able to come back and explore other parts of Guatemala and return to the places we grew to love. With very warm regards,
Janed Sax - California
Guatemala Vacation
We had a really wonderful holiday in Guatemala which exceeded all our expectations. The itinerary you organized for us worked really well and we didn’t have to think about a thing except enjoying ourselves. The drivers and tour guides we had were all very knowledgeable and helpful especially Cesar who was really nice to travel with.
The hotels you chose for us apart from the Banana Palms which I would not recommend were all very good. Mansion el Pensativo in Antigua was in a really good position with beautiful grounds and the staff could not have been more helpful. We especially liked Villa Maya and Casa Polopo. Villa Maya even though it was in a quiet location the rooms were very good, it has a beautiful pool and the staff were excellent. It was a really great spot to relax after a day visiting the ruins in Tikal and was close enough to Flores to be an easy taxi ride away. Casa Polopo the perfect place to stay for the last few days of our trip. It is one of the best hotels we have stayed in. The room was amazing with the most incredible view of Lake Atitlan and they have an excellent restaurant. We would love to return there one day. Many thanks to all your team and we look forward to booking with you again,
Marcel and Marcelle - Paris, France
Guatemala Vacation
Sorry for the delay in responding to you about our trip. It was terrific, and we are appreciative of all the excellent arrangements and personal interest that went into the planning and implementing of our itinerary.
I am going to write you a more detailed "evaluation" and to include my comments in your guest comments page. things have been hopping here since our return, but I will get to it as quickly as I can. In the meantime, please know how delighted we were with our trip, with the hotels, with our van drivers and, most of all, with how you well you personally handled everything, including the minor glitch going to from Rio Dulce to La Lancha. Thanks for making it all a memorable vacation.
Elly Glat - New York
Guatemala Vacation
We had the most awesome trip. Guatemala is one of the most exciting and beautiful vacations we’ve ever had. We loved the people and their culture. I have to tell you that we just adored Hotel Casa Encantada. It was perfect for us. We loved the location of the hotel and its quaintness. The staff also really made it special, they were so gracious, kind and helpful. We wouldn’t stay anywhere else. Thank you so much for recommending this hotel to us. We feel really lucky to have stayed there.
We loved the views and the décor of Hotel Atitlan, also the location was perfect. We would most likely stay there again as well as it seemed to be the nicest in the area. The only thing was is it was a bit jarring to be in such a large hotel and surrounded by so many tourists after staying in Encantada. Unfortunately they were loud American tourists…but there’s no way to control that.
Thank you so much for your recommendations and for handling all of the reservations. We really appreciated it and were so thrilled with our trip! When we plan our next trip to Central America I’ll be back on the Tropical Discovery website and I’ll call you for your advice!
Sara Girardi - Evanston, Illinois
Guatemala Vacation
Just wanted to thank you for the itinerary for our Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize trip. We hiked most of the trails at Hidden Valley, walked 7 miles at Tikal, snorkled, shopped, swam in the many pools under the waterfalls, ate, ate, ate and drank more. We so enjoyed the places that you selected we truly can say that we saw the highlights of the three countries. We had only one concern: our stay at Banana Palms, we did not rec. the welcoming drink that the other guests rec'd, they came in 5 min after we entered our room and had us sign how many towels were in the room, they tried to charge us for having more than 3 cups of coffee, the patio door was broken. The help looked over worked and not too friendly. The tours from there were perfect and the location was great but don't put other guests there. In their complaint book they had pages of people who complained about them. I did not write in the book. Thanks so much for your help, we will recommend you without reservation.
Pat & Jerry Martinez - Colorado
Guatemala, Honduras & Belize Vacation
We were all COMPLETELY impressed with Guatemala and very pleased with every aspect of the trip. I'm very grateful for all of the planning you did. I'll write very soon with more detail about hotels, experiences, etc. and send a letter that you can actually use as an endorsement. Your team did a GREAT job and we're very grateful. Much warmth,
Janed Sax - California
Guatemala Vacation
Our vacation to Belize and Guatemala was nothing less than perfect! From incredible hotels to terrific tours, our vacation exceeded our expecations in every way! Tropical Discovery went above and beyond their duties. Everything was planned and organized for us in our customized itinerary, so we were able to leave our worries at home. Thank you for making our dream vacation come true!
Janel Andronico - San Francisco, CA
Belize & Guatemala Vacation
Tropical Discovery nous a permis de visiter ce merveilleux pays de manière profonde et efficace. Ken connaît mieux que personne les ficelles et les meilleures ambiances d’Antigua. Les transports vers les autres villes étaient parfaitement organisés et nous ont permis d’avoir un service étonnamment professionnel dans un pays à l’infrastructure encore parfois balbutiante. Enfin, nos hôtels étaient choisis avec soin et l’expérience de Tropical Discovery nous a permis d’avoir les meilleures chambres à bon prix dans la plupart des cas. Chaudement recommandé !
Alec de Changy - Paris, France
Guatemala Vacation
Merci pour ce fabuleux séjour au Guatemala - dans un pays encore préservé et fidèle a ses traditions et a sa culture - j'y ai découvert une variété de paysages ou les volcans, l'océan, les lacs cohabitent avec une multitudes de villages imprégnés de couleurs et de saveurs inoubliables.
C'est une vraie découverte que je recommande vivement à tous ceux qui rêvent de vacances ou détente, sport, culture et dépaysement sont indispensables - et tout ça a un prix abordable. Tropical Discovery et en particulier Ken et son équipe ont su répondre à nos attentes et savent concocter un programme avec une organisation de maître !
A très bientôt pour de nouvelles aventures en Amérique Central !
Anne-Marie Potenciano - Paris / New York
Director Global Marketing - Estee Lauder
Guatemala Vacation
You made our first trip to Nicaragua wonderful, safe, and problem free. You didn't know about our problems with flights though!! With the snowstorm approaching, we worked with American Air to reroute us. We actually got up at 3:15 am, drove to Baltimore, flew to Chicago then Miami and finallly Managua....what an experience. We just didn't want to miss one minute of the trip!! Morgan's Rock is an amazing concept. We definitely want to return. Los Robles was better than we could have imagined. La Gran Francia was awesome. I don't know if you knew, I believe, UNESCO was staying there also so it was a sight!!!! We probably will plan for the very end of the year or beginning of the year to return. However, I know that you like Guatemala so that might be a possiblity also. Please definitely add our comments in your web site. We have NO PROBLEM with you using our names or other info. We are just so thrilled how well it went. We look forward to working with you VERY SOON.
Connie and Michael Beck - Landisville, PA
Nicaragua Vacation
We had an absolutely wonderful trip. Our favorite hotel and city was Chichi. We were at the hotel Santo Thomas. I loved the fireplaces in the rooms. The room was very large and had two separate bedrooms with in one hotel room. The food was great and the hotel staff was very friendly. The music in the afternoons was great to listen to and the parrots in the courtyard were great.
The hotel in the town right outside of Flores was also great. The rooms were very clean and the staff was friendly. We didn't stay at this hotel much, basically we were just there to sleep.
The hotel in Guatemala City was like staying in a five star American hotel. I felt like I was back in the United States. The rooms were large, clean and with all the typical amenities. Hot water all the time was a welcome treat. The business center was spacious and had an attendant there for questions. The restaurants served great food.
All the drivers you arranged for us were great. They were friendly and knowledgeable about the tourist things. They gave us good suggestions of places to eat and things to do. The cars/vans we were transported in were also clean and very comfortable. Thanks again for helping us have a great trip.
Stephanie Lavin - Fort Worth, TX
Guatemala Vacation
Our trip was terrific. Most delightful was the help we received from both your own service, and those places you recommended and booked for us. Not only were the people at the hotels very helpful, but they went out of their way to arrange for transportation, help us make necessary phone calls to change other reservations, and even gladly changed our room reservations there to meet the changes we decided to make mid-trip. The Hotel del Patio was a particular treat; when we returned back through Flores at the end of our trip, it really felt like we were coming home! We will gladly use and recommend your services in the future to others!
Thanks again for your help and hospitality. Feel free to share these comments with future clients. they will not be disappointed in your services!
Ivan Z - Lexington, KY
Guatemala Vacation
Yes, we had a great trip to Nicaragua and thanks to your organization we were met at the Managua airport and taken to Granada in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, our driver didn't speak English and we didn't speak Spanish (shame on us) so a bystander interpreted our desire to add on a side trip to Masaya, which we did - to the market - and had a fun time seeing/ buying the wares, etc. This was a quick insight into the nature of Nicaragua as there were many kids begging for money but also friendly kids who spoke enough English to accompany us through the market to help us in "negotiations"! They were rewarded accordingly. We wish this hadn't been our very first "event" in the country and could have worked up to "shopping", but too difficult to discuss visiting the volcano instead. Granada's Hotel Colonial is charming!! We appreciated the intimacy of this small, yet wandering hotel. The (French) proprietor's son, Julian, took us to the isletas the following day when we couldn't coordinate a tour w/ our pick-up time for Morgan's Rock. Julian was most accommodating. I would suggest Hotel Colonial to the family who wants a real taste of Granada, in a charming colonial building which hasn't become too commercialized. Our canopied beds were beautiful and the colorful tiled bathrooms spacious! Thank you for your help in arranging this!
Woody & Mary Lawson - Massachusetts
Nicaragua Vacation
We arrived back refreshed from our travels in Guatemala. Thank you Tropical Discovery for your care and attention to the details of our trip. Our stay at the Camino Real in Tikal was enjoyable. The Mayan ruins of Tikal are a marvel to discover - even with small children. The jewel in the crown of our adventures was the Lion's Inn in Antigua. The setting and service are superb and we do not hesitate to recommend this villa for those who appreciate the very highest standard. A sejour at the Lion's Inn is like a home away from home - and more. Rosana and Rudy arranged for a special New Year's Eve dinner for us at the Inn. They found a great nanny to take care of our boys so that we could explore Antigua and surroundings. The guide/driver you provided for our trips to Lake Atitlan and Chichicastenango found picturesque points to stop to take in the view.
We particularly appreciated the time and personalised effort given to us by Ken Layton of Tropical Discovery with respect to the most appropriate hotel and travel arrangements for our Family. We were travelling with my Father in law and our two sons ages 3 and 4 years. Ken took the time to ensure that all was arranged both prior to and during our trip, including arranging for our transportation to and from the airport and around Tikal and Antigua. Ken was always available and agreeable to discuss our various queries. With appreciation, Yours sincerely,
Family Shaw Cannabrava - Embassy of Brazil to Mexico
Guatemala Vacation
Your service was terrific. Thank you. I was particularly pleased that all the transfers went smoothly, as this is always a risk for independent travelers that aren’t using a rental car.
Accommodations at Casa Encantada, La Lancha and Blancaneaux were all superb. The terrace suite at Casa Encantada was lovely. La Lancha was great value but clients should be aware that there are a lot of steps. (Ninety-nine steps from our room to the restaurant.) Fabulous accommodations at Blancaneux - - and the best gnocchi I’ve ever had. Also best massage I’ve ever had. Beautiful gardens. Only problem is that the surrounding pine forests have been destroyed by beetles.
Byron loved the diving on the Belize coast but we were both eaten alive by sand flies and sand fleas. It was awful. Treetop room at Hamanasi was very nice but it had no view of anything - - scrawny trees go up 20’ feet or so and just about hug the buildings. Little air flow and you can’t open the windows anyway because the sand fleas get in. Food at Hamanasi was mediocre. Byron says the dive staff was excellent.
Tikal was the highlight of the trip. If you don’t have a suggested Mayan tour, it would be great to put one together that included Tikal, Copan and one or two sites in Mexico.
Thanks again for all your help. Having the detailed itinerary and suggested activities was super. I will recommend Tropical Discoveries to friends planning to go to Central America.
Cynthia Grant
Belize & Guatemala Vacation
We were extremely happy with the Camino Real....its really a spectacular hotel....great view and location...lovely ambience. Some nice additions like the evening boat cruise, feeding the fist and turtles and the morning hike offered free of charge to hotel guests. The service too was fine.
We love Guatemala...this is our second trip there....Tikal, Lake Atitilan area and Antigua are memorable....and so are places like Quirigia and Yaxha. The people and culture and markets all make it very special. Cheers and keep up the good service.
Sheila Hooda - New York
Guatemala Family Vacation
Our trip was wonderful with all the arrangements working out except the lack of twin beds at the Casa Encatada which I told you about. The only change to the itinerary I would have made was to spend one less day in Rio Dulce and one more at Lake Atitlan. I really wish we had time to take a boat ride on the lake and visit the villages. The La Lancha was 1st class with all the employees going out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. The guides we had there for both days were exceptional, especially Jesus Antonio. We also enjoyed our driver César Pérez who was so kind and helped us negotiate prices at the market in Chichicastenango.
Thank you for arranging an unforgettable trip for us! We were able to relax and enjoy our holiday knowing you had taken care of all the details. Guatemala and its people are fascinating and we would love to return someday.
Nolasco Family - California
Guatemala Vacation
Happy New Year to you! .....we had a fabulous trip to Belize. The Blancaneaux lodge was so beautiful and tranquil, we really did not want to leave. I was pleasantly surprised at the friendliness, seemingly genuine, of all the competent staff. They went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and relaxed. We dined well, (loved the organic garden), and enjoyed the many fine Coppela wines. Hiked to a gorgeous waterfall, practically had it to ourselves to swim, wander and read in the sunshine.
On to Portofino: San Pedro is o.k. as a small town, but rather crowded and not terribly attractive. Glad we stayed on the beach at Portofino. We must have arrived just before the busy season, because some nights it was just us for dinner! We had a wonderful scuba dive master from Costa Maya take us out to the the reef to see some amazing fish, sharks, sting rays, etc. Such clear, clean water. Everyone was terrifically warm, welcoming and hospitable. We would return, probably to Turtle Bay. Think that would have everything we could need or want!! We appreciate you Ken for being so accommodating when we changed our plans. You made life much easier for us. Thank you again for all your knowledge and expertise!!
Nini and Lyn - Virginia
Belize Vacation
We had a truly fantastic holiday. Guatemala was beautiful, peaceful and really better than we expected. Lake Atitlan was great but undoubtedly Antigua was the highlight. All accommodation and travel arrangements were good and we are already planning our next trip.
Bill Hilary - New York
Guatemala Family Vacation
We had a wonderful time. I had intended on stopping to meet you in person, but the time went by so fast and our time in Antigua really was too short. The Hotel Casa Santo Domingo was fabulous. It is truly a magical place. Hotel Atitlan was wonderful as well. You were right with your recommendation of staying there as opposed to Casa Palopoa. We met some friends there and it was very nice....but more secluded and a little too quiet. Your country is beautiful and the people are helpful and friendly. I most certainly will recommend Tropical Discoveries to those I know that will be traveling to the areas you represent. Thank you for your help.
Cynthia Arboleda – Miami FL
Guatemala Tour
Absolutely marvelous!! What attention to detail and what a fine staff. We came home only wanting more and , of course, telling all our friends. The Tikal tour guide gave me as much information about anthropology as I learned in a full semester at Cal Berkeley. Very erudite. Incredible food and wine plus the lake and the lack of mosquitoes was a most unexpected treasure. Good work and we will be back asap o lo mas pronto que sea posible. gracias por todo.
Karen and Don Attix - Nevada
Guatemala Vacation
We are very pleased with your first class service and professionalism. You can be sure that you will hear from us again in the near future.
It was a pleasure doing business with you and your agency.
Alfredo Toriello - Guatemala City
Roatan Honduras Vacation
We had an absolutely wonderful time. Everything we arranged through you - Victoria House and the internal flights - were perfect. The hotel was lovely, the food and service were terrific and the staff could not have been nicer. The snorkeling, fishing and resort dives which we arranged through Victoria House's dive shop were all fantastic. Our kids were treated like royalty and didn't want to leave. We also enjoyed riding bikes and golf carts into San Pedro for a few meals and some delicious custard ice cream. The flights took off as scheduled and the logistics, thanks largely to you I'm sure, were incredibly easy. Thank you again for all your help. You did a great job.
Bonnie Hirsch - Los Angeles, CA
Belize Vacation
We were absolutely delighted with our trip and we think that Tropical Discovery is the only way to go to Central America. We think you were very professional and very thorough.
Susan Berglowe - Boca Raton, FL
Guatemala & Belize Tour
For all its joys, foreign travel can also be highly stressful, whether one speaks the language or not. Thanks to "Tropical Discovery" we were able to completely relax and trust in the high quality of drivers, guides and protectors who handled all matters large and small during our adventures and eco-tours. I am delighted to endorse this company and its owners, as the professionals they truly are.
Ronald S. Ross - President, American College (ACCE)
Guatemala Tour
Tropical Discovery arranged everything for us so that all we had to do was sit back and relax. He even helped us plan our wedding in Antigua, which was the most amazing location for a beautiful ceremony. The ceremony was at Meson Panza Verde, truly one of the most beautiful and unique places to stay in Guatemala. Thanks so much for planning an amazing trip - it meant a lot to us that our guests felt so comfortable with the travel plans you made. Everyone had a wonderful time and they're all talking about getting back to Guatemala as soon as possible. Thanks for everything!
Ashley - Washington DC
Guatemala Wedding
In a word awesome! Thank you for planning a flawless vacation.
I look forward to booking with you again.
Gary Gershony - San Francisco, CA
Belize Tour
I have nothing but good things to say about our stay at Mansion el Pensativo and Guatamala in general. The hotel and service were absolutely wonderful. I would definitely stay there again! The only regret I have is not taking more time to actually see the town of Antigua. We filled most of the days with trips, so I spent more time in a van than I would have liked and less time actually getting to check out Antigua. The country was beautiful though and everyone was so friendly. Thanks for all of the help.
Taylor - Washington DC
Guatemala Wedding
Thank you for your help and follow up. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay both at the Casa Encantada (we recommended it to others in our conference who were staying on after the seminar) and Antigua. Everything went very smoothly and the weather was terrific. Great HOLIDAY!
Jmac - Toronto, Canada
Guatemala Vacation
When we first arrived in Belize City and were informed that Hurricane Emily had forced the evacuation of Ambergris Caye, we didn't know what we were going to do. On top of that, our luggage went missing. But before we even had a chance to look for a phone to call another hotel or contact our travel insurance provider, a driver appeared holding a sign with our names on it. He said that you'd sent him to take us to our second hotel in the safe interior of the country. While other panicked passengers took immediate return flights home, we began our vacation, amazed by the fact that before we'd even landed, you'd taken the initiative to reschedule our hotel and transportation plans. You quite literally saved our trip. Everyone that we've spoken to about your efforts has also been amazed that a travel agent would take such a personal interest in our time, comfort, well-being and investment! I can't thank you enough. On another note, I was also impressed by the fact that the staff at the hotels knew you by name and that you seemed to have close personal relationships with them.
We would definitely travel with Tropical Discovery again and would highly recommend you to anyone. Feel free to give out my email address to any interested parties for a reference! Thanks, again!
Maya
Belize Vacation
Yes the trip was brilliant and I can't thank you enough for sorting us out. I've been telling everyone here in the office about the great job you did and how lucky we were to have booked through you, they were amazed when I explained how you re-arranged our trip for us and agreed that it was above and beyond anything they'd expect from a travel agency. Some of them have asked for your details so with any luck you will be hearing from them in the future, and of course you'll be hearing from us again next time we're taking a trip. Thanks a million,
Glenn Stewart - Los Angeles, CA
Belize Vacation
Un voyage fabuleux à faire en groupe ou en couple, pour decouvrir ce pays magnifiquement coloré. Paysages volcaniques, forets tropicales, mangrove, trekking... Un GRAND merci à Tropical Discovery pour tout le circuit que vous avez organisé sur-mesure pour notre petit groupe! Excursions, ecolodge, treks, sites mayas,.... On a vraiment decouvert le pays hors des sentiers battus, à notre rythme et dans des conditions exceptionelles. Muchas Gracias !
Julie et JF - Paris, France
Guatemala/Yucatan Tour
Just a quick note to thank you for what has been one of the most exhilarating and memorable of trips. Fanny and I will never forget the trekking in thick jungle, swimming in underground rivers, bathing for hours in hot volcanic springs, waterskiing and wake boarding along rivers surrounded by awe inspiring scenery, visiting volcanoes on horseback, Mayan history and the ancient ruins of Tikal that make the mind boggle, relaxing and getting close to nature in such well organised eco lodges, Bernie our inspiring swash buckling host, guide, cook and Guatemalan historian, hanging out in luxury with great food and service at the Magnolia Ranch, Antigua a beautiful town with its churches, monasteries, great shops, hotels and restaurants, driving through some of the worlds most diverse landscapes and ecosystems, buying ponchos and fabrics high in the mountains at the Chichicastenango market (we cannot wait to go back to this place), sun rise from the terrace of our room looking onto the Lake Aitilan one of largest volcanic craters in the world, I can go on and on and we were only with you guys for 10 days.... An amazing experience perfectly organised in a great country. Thank you we will return.
Jason and Fanny - Paris, France
Guatemela & Yucatan Tour
David and I had a wonderful time while traveling to Belize and Guatemala. Hidden Valley had wonderful accommodations and the staff was very friendly. We especially liked the bird watching tour that Rick took us on. We saw many different birds and learned a lot from the wealth of knowledge that Rick shared. La Lancha was a beautifully laid out resort with amazing views of the lake while being tucked into the jungle. It was nice to sit on the porch and listen to all of the wildlife around. We even got the chance to watch howler monkeys in the trees nearby. Our guide, Antonio, was fantastic. His passion for the Mayan history made our two days of touring very interesting and enjoyable. David and I both agreed that we would recommend Antonio to anyone heading in that direction. We especially enjoyed the day trip to Yaxha and Topoxte. Being on the island alone with our guide made it very special. It was our favorite part of the entire trip. We did enjoy Ambergris Caye as well. The white sandy beaches were very beautiful. It was nice to relax there before heading back to our busy lives. Thank you for all of your help in making our travels easy and comfortable. We will be sure to recommend your service to anyone that is thinking of traveling to Central America. Sincerely,
Stevenie Bayley & David Neuman - San Francisco
Belize & Guatemala Tour
Holidays went well. As an afterthought it would have been better to spend some time in Belize as well, but we can at least say that we thouroughly discovered Guatemala. I would have expected more from La Lancia in terms of service, view however was truly fantastic. On the contrary Casa Encantada was really charming. The only suggestion/advice I can give to you is that : 1. better not to book the room right at the corner because it is the noisiest. 2. the parking belongs to another hotel and is to be paid.
Thank you for your help and I will keep you in mind should we organize another trip in the tropics! Best regards
Kim Debenedet - Bassano del Grappa, Italy
Guatemala Tour
Ken, we really enjoyed our stay in Antigua. The hotel was wonderful from staff to food, and probably the most unique hotel we have ever stayed at. We would like to thank you very much for your assistance with the transfers, and let you know that your driver was also excellent and very polite and knowledgeable. In the future, we will most definitely be returning to Guatemala with our daughter when the adoption is final, and we will definitely contact your company to make the travel arrangements. Thanks again, you guys were great!
John & Jodi Zullo - New Jersey
Guatemala Weekend Stay
We had a fantastic time. Both Jim and I were more then pleased with your assistance on arranging our lodging, tour with Bernie was incredible. Your driver Cesar was very pleasant to travel with, gave us great side information and spoke english well for 2 people who donot know spanish well!! His extra side tours of the textile facility was very interesting and we both truly enjoyed the experience. Coffee plantation was a bonus for us too! He did a great job, please let him know we enjoyed it all.
All of our lodging was beautiful and we found the Nitun Lodge to be our favorite, even though it was super hot for 2 Florida people. Bernie, Lore and his staff were so interesting to talk with and the food was incredible!! Absolutely loved Bernie's tour of Tikal ruins. So incredibly interesting his knowledge of the Mayan life and its people.
I would highly recommend your company to anyone and do not mind if you mention our names for recommendation of your companies services, experiences and overall general vacation experience. From start to finish you made our trip complete! Jim asked me how did I do all the planning and I told him it was your company who did most of it. He was impressed! Thanks again,
Dawn and Jim Hulett - St. Petersburg, FL
Guatemala Tour
My sincerest apologies for not responding sooner. Just last night I was recommending you to a friend and remembered I never responded to your request for comments! As for our experience with your agency...top notch.
The bike tour with Juan Carlos around Antigua was great. He was full of information about the towns, Guatemalan history and just great company to hang out with! He even took us to a coffee plantation and we got the grand tour. Juan Carlos even walked us around the crops to see the families sorting the beans! Soooo fantastic. He was GREAT!!!
Pam & Ana - Chicago, IL
Guatemala Tour
The trip was amazing! Thanks for all your help, the weather turned out great that next morning, so I’m glad we didn’t pack up and move! I have already told several people about your company and plan to refer many more. Cheers,
Scott W. Hellar - Greenbrae, CA
Belize Honeymoon
The Hidden Valley Inn holiday exceeded our expectations in every way and we were sorry that we only had five days to spare before our diving. The accommodation & general service were of a very high standard and I thought the food was outstanding. The unmade roads to the lodge were a bit of a challenge even for 4WD vehicles but it did not detract from the experience and the feeling of remote isolation and peacefulness at the Inn was total. Thanks for your help and advice.
Andrew & Julia - London UK
Belize Tour
Tropical Discovery, you are our fabulous discovery! You arranged our wonderful excursions in Guatemala – hotels, tours, a private van and private boat, and caring personal attention from your staff. My husband and I are overwhelmed with your gracious consideration to every detail – big and small! Thank you, Tropical Discovery!
Joanna Martine Woolfork - New York, USA
Guatemala Tour
Our stay in Rancho Magnolia was the best we had in Guatemala, you are an excellent host! We liked Antigua a lot. Lake Atitlan was nice, but the afternoons were very breezy and hazy, it might have been the time of the year. We saw a lot of villages and of course the market in Chichichinango (very touristic, but beautiful colours of the clothes of the Maya people) and I liked the church a lot. In case of staying in Amsterdam, give us a call/mail we kknow the city very well. And remember, in Holland is such a big frog a bewitched prince! Greetings.
Margreet and Teun Gooszen - Holland
Mexico/Guatemala Tour
Sorry for the delayed reply - been off travelling again for the Easter break (Sardinia this time!). Everything went incredibly well for the whole duration of the trip. Nicaragua was a revelation in the easygoing friendliness of the people and the beauty of the landscape - Olmetepe especially. Carlos was religiously punctual and very obliging whilst special mention goes to La Gran Francia - great hotel. I think Granada is well on the way to becoming the next Antigua of Central America.
Guatemala was wonderful as well, though understandably a bit more touristy (Panajachel is a bit of a horror but the lake and the hotel made up for it!). A bit of dodgy weather as well but once we got going out to Santiago and San Pedro it had cleared nicely. Chichi superbly colourful and Antigua felt almost like being back in Europe - very savvy. Recommend Don Martin highly for dining ( a level above Panza Verde we thought) and though initially cautious about the location of Lions Inn, it turned out to be excellent. Tikal sublime - the best bird-spotting I've ever experienced-and a definite advantage staying on the grounds at Tikal Inn - managed sunrise and sunset , as well as midday!
So , all in all ,we couldn't fault the arrangements and many thanks again for arranging what you did. We swore on departure we'd be back in the same area the same time next year - do you operate in Costa Rica/Panama?
David and Michael - San Francisco, CA
Nicaragua & Guatemala Tour
Wow...what a trip.! Thank you for putting together all the details. Your coordination and hardwork did not go unnoticed. It was one of the most memorable trips we've shared. The country, the people, the culture were all superlative. Not to mention the accomadations and our driver... Cesar was kind and good-hearted, we were so happy to have made his acquaintance!
Only once in the trip did we encounter the unexpected. It was at the airport before boarding the TACA plane to Peten. We were not aware of the regional airlines strict baggage restrictions and had to pay $41 US dollars each way as a fine for extra baggage. We wish you had made us aware of this restriction and than we would of had the other 3 bags we were not using brought earlier to the hotel Quinta Real in Guatemala City to be held.
We hope this feedback helps. We will not hesitate to reccomend Tropical Discovery to family and friends planning a trip to either Belize or Guatemala. Let us know if you have any additional questions. Take care for now and muchas gracias again for everything... Sincerely,
Mario and Scott - San Francisco, CA
Guatemala Tour
It was great and Tikal was the highlight. We thought the guide was excellent. I wish we had spent another day there. There is so much to see. Thanks much for your help. Everything went just perfectly.
Mike Herrell - San Francisco, CA
Tikal Guatemala Tour
We just arrived back from Mexico a couple of hours ago and we are relaxed and happy (other than needing to return home!)....the trip was absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! I will give you more details in the next two days as I want to give you all the details. We have already talked about heading back to Central America....Well, I better deal with the hundreds of email that await me...but I will give you more details in the next days. Before going, Never and I would like to thank you for providing us with one of the most memorable trips that we have taken. We try to travel two to three times a year, and this experience was unbelievable for us. Words cannot express what a great holiday this was.
Until I write back, have a wonderful time. I am very envious of you if you are reading this in Antigua! All of our best,
Greg Immel - San Francisco, CA
Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Yucatan Tour
Maureen sent on your email for some feedback on the trip from us. Jim and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the variety. Your office was extremely responsive whenever we had a question, which was rare. We think your country is beautiful and the people are lovely! Jim and I are probably a bit less fussy than Maureen, who is of course staying in a room alone, so we did not mind the rooms at the Islata de Gaia. I guess our favorite resort was Lake Attitlan, but each location was unique and interesting. My only regret is that we didn't have more time to enjoy each location. We would definitely travel with Tropical Discovery again. Thank you for making this an enjoyable and interesting holiday. Best regards,
Pat and Jim Prevet - London, UK
Guatemala Tour
We had a wonderful trip, thanks to your planning! We enjoyed the way the trip was organized, with a lot of activity in the beginning, then some downtime. We loved the ruins, and had a great guide for Tikal. The Pacific was beautiful, but, spoiled city-person that I am, I had some trouble adjusting to the rustic rooms at the Eco-Lodge and Islata de Gaia--but the Prevets loved the places. The New Year's Eve dinner was special, and included a gift which was much appreciated. Both hotels in Antigua were great--the restaurant at Meson Panza Verde was special and the Mansion et Pensativo facilities were just incredible--wished we had more time there. We visited with friends in Antigua and looked at a model home in a development in Antigua--who knows what retirement will bring?!
I fell in love with the lake and hotel in Atitlan--I can't wait to go back, and I know the Prevets feel the same way. The drivers were great, and well-versed in traveling around Guatemala. So, overall, a wonderful trip, and thanks to you for organizing it.
Maureen - Floral Park, NY
Guatemala Tour
I want to say I had a wonderful time and everything you arranged was perfect. The hotel was absolutely amazing, the daily activities, the food etc...I have been ranting and raving to all my friends and I assure you more business in the future. If you ever need anything in New Orleans, Miami, or Aspen I would be glad to help you. Please stay in touch. Al the best,
Chapman Ducote - Miami, FL
Guatemala 4 day weekend
Thanks for all your help with the Guatemala trip. Everything was perfect. Holly and I both enjoyed the entire vacation and we cannot wait to return someday soon. Thank you again for all of the arrangements and for answering all my questions about my weekend trips. I am forwarding you some pictures from the trip feel free to use them as you wish. We would also be glad to serve as a reference at any time since the service was unmatched.
Holly and Brian Zanoni - Houston, TX
Guatemala Tour
Thanks so much for putting together a great trip for our group. I was very impressed with the company's ability to truly understand our need and deliver a trip that far exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be using Tropical Discovery for future travel plans to Central America.
Sincerely,
Gannon Tidwell - San Francisco, CA
Nicaragua Tour
"Thanks so much" for putting together a fantastic trip!! Morgan's Rock Eco lodge was amazing - everything was 1st class , the accommodations, the food and the hospitality! And to match the surf was incredible...I'm already looking forward next years trip!!
Best Regards,
John Ward - San Francisco, CA
Nicaragua Tour
Thank you for all of your help in planning our surf trip to Nicaragua. The accommodations were great and you hooked us up with friendly and knowledgeable transportation. I would have never felt comfortable in such a foreign country without your help! The coastline was beautiful and we had consistent uncrowded surf throughout the week. Thanks again! It was great getting to know you & hope to do it again soon.
Scott Gilliam - San Diego, CA
Nicaragua Tour
I had a wonderful time. Thanks for making the arrangements for me. Bernie was awesome. I was the only guest at the lodge and he was a great host. He was also an exceptional guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the ruins. It was a short but excellent trip. Thanks again for all your assistance.
Raymond - New York City
Tikal Guatemala Tour
Thanks so much for a first class trip. It is nice to go on a vacation and have everything taken care of. Our accommodations where perfect and the food was awesome. I can't wait for our next adventure down to Nicaragua for pristine coastline and perfect uncrowned surf. Thanks again.
Lance Petit - San Diego, CA
Nicaragua Tour
Thank your for your kind mail. We are enchanted with our stay in Guatemala. I confess the trip was perfectly organized. The people you employed were very punctual and friendly. I think that our choice to stay in small “charm hotels” was the right one. I found those much more agreeable than the Sto. Domingo Hotel. Bernie was top. Quite a character. And a great worker too. We are now waiting for you in Portugal. That would be nice. Thank you again, Ken, for having taken care of us in such a friendly but very professional way. It was perfect. Best wishes...
Robert Feld - Lisboa Portugal
Guatemala & Honduras Vacation
It was with great pleasure that I received your e-mail from the 11th which I write back to you today since I have just arrived back from Belgium and Holland. I thank you once again for the work and assistance which you have given to me in my stay in Antigua city which I have learned to like very dearly. I felt very well and at ease in the Hotel Casa Mayor, where the staff was attentive, friendly and efficient. Everything was impeccable.
Regards,
Manuel Ferreira-Enes - Cascais Portugal
Guatemala Vacation
I cannot thank you and your team enough for sharing your beautiful country with us! We had so much fun and are so appreciative of your 'local' perspective and knowledge. We appreciate you generosity & talent for putting such a dynamic trip together for us.
All the best.. always
Jill Hatton - New York, USA
Guatemala Vacation
"Thank you so much for the wonderful ecological and cultural experience you shared with us. From snorkeling Belize, hiking volcanoes, visiting ancient Mayan ruins, mountain biking scenic roads and paths, to horseback riding through the back country, your trip was simply incredible! I cannot wait until our next vacation in Central America!"
Dave - Miami, USA
Guatemala and Belize Vacation
Une découverte d'Incroyable paysages, et ambiance formidable durant ce séjours très bien organisé. Merci bcp.
Stephane Medam - Paris France
Guatemala Vacation
"Thanks so much again, that was AMAZING!! I hope the pics can even capture what we experienced! Again, thanks so much!"
Ashley - New York, USA
Guatemala & Belize Vacation
Merci Ken et Solenne pour ce merveilleux voyage et cette croisière au Guatemala et au Belize. C’était vraiment une expérience sublime qu'on espère revivre le plus vite possible. On vous remercie encore pour toute votre charmante attention.
Armelle et Gilles - Paris, France
Guatemala Vacation
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