terrible trip terrible company

dontuseEltour · #1 02-02-2003, 07:03 PM

we had the poorest service from this tour guide company and there staff. we were lied to and when confronted were told sorry no speaky english funny how they turn that on and off at there own pleasure..
we booked 2 trips with Eltour one to paradise island one on the monster truck.we were told 2hrs to paradise from sasoa it took 5 hrs . breakfast was ment to be included . but alas when we got to the restraunt with no running water it was not to be found.we told the guide we would havew to cancel the trip for the next day as it was already 2hrs into the trip and we were less than half way , he siad okay when we get back come to the office with me.
don't get me wrong when we actually got to the island it was great but 5hrs was way to hard on our son and when the bus was stopped for an un knowen reason we sat ,it was the guide taking a **** but did he ask anyone on the bus if they needed to pee no.
after 2-1/2 hrs on the island it was back to the bus hurry up we were told get fu#$%@ he was told 3= hrs later we got back to there office and thats were the problemns really started , we didn't want our money back for the trip we had taken but we did for the one we wanted to cancel , we sat and tried not to loose it a s we were told No . we even offered to loose a security deposit we were still told no so we were robbed by this tour outfit and will never go back to the DR because of it . we travel about 4times a yr so they will loose out ,we choose not to go on all inclusive as we feel the local restraunts only loose which means the people loose .please use this warning to your addvantageand if possible use another company this is our experence hopefully it won't be yours.
Terry Strobel Andover NJ

Timex · #2 02-02-2003, 07:44 PM

I can sympathize with you, that you had such a bad time, especially with a young one.

But since you wrote,

Quote:

we travel about 4times a yr so they will loose out

Hopefully you come back to the D.R. and give it another chance. You should know that, this is NOT the norm.

You should give more info, on the outfit that wronged you.
Word of mouth is the best/worst advertisement.

You found this Forum to post a Bad Expeirence, (Good) now please, look through at some of the Positive travel post's.

Hope you come back soon.

Tim H.

P.S. Why did you pick that outfit in the 1st place?

dontuseEltour · #3 02-02-2003, 09:33 PM

Timex thanks for the reply.we found this tour outfit through our hotel the susoa bay but for some reason we felt if we delt with them themselves in susoa we would be cutting another middle man out ha for thinking right. you asked for more info on the tour group and guide. it was ELTOUR in susoa the guide was a german i didn't want to know his name after the trip.
We learnt early on to checkout these boards and find info on the places to go and not to go it has been very informative but i guess you always find a rotten apple. We were very impressed with the island and it's people so don't think i am putting the DR down because of this group but there are many more islands i can visit and wll do before i go to DR again.
Terry S andover NJ

BushBaby · #4 02-02-2003, 09:38 PM

Who are Eltours? Where are they based? Where were you staying & how did you find Eltours (or did they find you via a Beach Seller)? Give me something to go on & I will try to 'Blot their copy book' if they are up here on the North Coast. - Grahame.

dontuseEltour · #5 02-02-2003, 10:17 PM

From what I can gather El'tour's main office is in Sosua at the Plaza Internacional, Carretera Principal. They have several sales offices, 4 in Sosua, 4 in Cabarete, 1 in Cofresi and 5 in Punta Cana. They had a sales office in our hotel and one on the street leading to Sosua beach which is the one we used, they looked very professional, but it just goes to show you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover! Koenraad was the salesman in the office we used. The company logo is in a hot pink, as is their literature and sales receipts.

The money they refused to refund us, in whole or in part, was a total of US$280, for 4 people on the Monster Truck Safari. el'Tour told us they couldn't refund any because Monster Truck had already been promised the money. But I spoke to Monster Truck directly and they told me "no problem to cancel, as we don't have your money, el'Tour hasn't paid us yet". They also told us that each tour company handles these type of situations themselves and in their own way. el'Tour COULD have treated us fairly if they had wanted to, and they would not have been out of pocket anything! As I said before, loosing a secrurity deposit is fair, but US$280? Especially after the hellish coach trip they put us through the day before, for which we paid a total of US$96!

I will be posting this info about el'Tour on all other DR bulletin boards to warn travellers to DR and plan to post this info regularly. Several others that were on the same Paradise Island trip will also be spreading the word about this tour company to ensure as many DR travellers are warned as possible. There are several other tour companies to use and/or you can go direct to the service providers. I also plan to send a link of all the posts to el'Tour themselves so that they can see the negative publicity at work.This will also be submitted to the DR Tourism Board

Terry S. Andover, NJ

Robert · #6 02-02-2003, 10:41 PM

I have a feeling that someone from El'tour's will get to see these posts, let's see if they respond? I sincerely hope they do, so we can get both sides of the story.

dontuseEltour · #7 02-02-2003, 10:48 PM

I agree Robert! I hope they reply too!.

I used this board before the trip to gather info and I think it's a great forum to learn about both the negative and positive experiences of a trip.

Hillbilly · #8 02-02-2003, 10:51 PM

Dear Terry: Tell you what. You return to the DR, stay in Playa Dorada, anywhere you can get a good deal. I will personally take you, your wife and child out to our place in Punta Rucía, by an interesting road, if you want, but it certainly should not be 5 hours!! Anyway, you and the family can spend the night there with me and my wife, we split the food, cook, swim and relax.

Why? Because #1) That was my house, the blue one, next to where you took the boats to "Paradise" Isle and I hate to see a guy and his family from New Jersey so unhappy with some rats from a tour agency. (I being from Ridgewood, up in Bergan County) And because #2) I really hate for this country to leave such a poor experience in your family's life....
Finally, #3) because this is a great place to vacation and you have got to see more of it to enjoy....

Cordially,

HB, somewhat of a dreamer, but then, again, I live here.....

dontuseEltour · #9 02-02-2003, 11:09 PM

HB thanks for a great offer we do relise every were has good and bad . We also saw a very small part of your island and do not judge all by one. As you said come and relax well that was the idea shame it turned out the way it did which was very stressfull.
Terry S. Andover NJ
PS you never know we might take you up on it one day

Eddy · #10 02-03-2003, 01:09 AM

Wow. I've sent many people from the Condos to El Tours and they have always been super happy with their trip (Including the Monster) Most, even booked up to three trips with them. I'm sorry you had such a hard time but I don't think one bad experience is worth all the greef you are causing yourself.
Eddy
P.S. Not associated any way with El Tours or anybody else. I just want people to enjoy their vacation in the DR.