Exceptional Letters
Subject: The Dionysos - we've just returned!
To everyone at Exclusive Escapes,
Thank you so much for an absolutely fantastic holiday. We have had a fabulous week at the Dionysos. Everything was faultless. From the check in at Heathrow to the journey back to Dalaman airport everything was perfect.
Your brochure is wonderful but it still does not do justice to the Dionysos. The atmosphere and the friendliness cannot be captured in a brochure. Annabel, Ata and all of the staff are exemplary. The views are divine and the service exquisite. I am running out of superlatives!!
On our first evening in the restaurant we sat overlooking the pool, in the candle light, eating gorgeous food and listening to a trio playing classical music. It reduced me to tears, it was so perfect. I had not been well before the holiday and had been worried about travelling. It was just the tonic I needed. The hotel is so relaxing and everything is taken care of from the moment you reach the hotel. Having been unwell, the holiday marked the end of a worrying time for my husband and I and the start of a remarkable week together.
We finished our holiday off on 'Cheers to life' - what a day! The stuff of dreams! We made some lovely friends whilst at the hotel and above all we will always have the memories of a truly wonderful holiday. We both feel that our holiday really was an 'Exclusive Escape'! Your staff, the hotels you choose and your organisation help to make a holiday something truly special and unique. One we will never forget.
Thank you all again. We cannot recommend you highly enough to our family and friends.
Best wishes for your future success,
Karen and James Ewington-McGeough
From: Colin Manders
To: Steph
Subject: The Kalkan Regency
Dear Steph, Charlotte, Gillian,Murat, Sarah and Andrew,
What a team and what a holiday ! We returned yesterday from Kalkan, our first trip to stay in Turkey (we have visited Ephesus). I am writing on behalf of my wife, Tina and myself to thank you all sincerely for arranging such a superb holiday. We had a marvellous time.
I understand that your company has only been running for two years or so and therefore the standards of service and all round excellence which you have achieved are even more remarkable.
Your administration is excellent, the brochure a dream but the real gem is your superb website. This was so apparent when arriving at the hotel and especially our room, no dramas, no surprises, exactly as you had promised - the process even engendered a sense of deja vu! We booked and we received a quiet room with excellent facilities and a large and very comfortable bed- just what was needed to unwind from stressful jobs.
We must also give credit to the facilities and the excellent staff at the Regency with a special mention to Nuri, Masuda and especially Dolunay. They have built and run a fabulous hotel. Their attention to detail and the unobtrusive ways in which they ensure all their guests have a terrific holiday is exceptional.
The quality, quantity and variety of the food was amazing. I am beginning to run out of effective adjectives!
One final plaudit - we really appreciated the booking policy of restricting children to being over the age of 14. So few companies do this and it was a key reason for choosing the Regency - although we now appreciate that there are many others in your portfolio. This ensured that we had a really enjoyable, quiet and relaxing holiday in the company of others seeking the same environment.
We will definitely return to Turkey and we will travel with you again for sure, maybe not next year - too much of a good thing and how can we top this holiday!
Thank you and sincere best wishes.
Subject: New Brochure - which arrived today
Dear all,
I spent ages today just gazing at the beautiful photographs created by your cameraman - capturing light and colour in images that are truly works of art. I doubt if anyone has ever produced a more glorious holiday brochure - a privilege to own!
Thank you all Ruth Sherwin
Subject: Piynar Villas
Andrew, Sarah,
We have just returned from an exceptionally enjoyable family holiday at Piynar Villas. We had a really fabulous time - Sevgi and Mustafa are the very best of hosts, the villa was excellent, the service outstanding, all the team are great, the food was some of the best we have experienced in many years of travelling and the children were made to feel very, very wlecome.
Fantastic. We couldn't speak more highly of the entire team and will definitely recommend you and your company whenever we get the opportunity.
Good luck with Excusive Escapes, you really do have a great team.
With kindest regards - Adrian, Carol, Ella and Lily Knott
From: Justine Sutton
Subject: The Kalkan Regency
We have just returned from a weeks stay at the Kalkan Regency. I really felt the need to let you guys know what a wonderful holiday experience both your company and the Regency have created.
It's a delight to have at last found a company who understand the meaning of customer service and providing something special. From the moment we checked in at Manchester to the time we left the airport to come home the experience was fantastic. You have found every little attention to detail that we come to expect but sadly with most other companies very rarely have delivered.
The hotel... well what can 1 say. Its a real gem. The setting, the food, but most importantly the people there. They are so welcoming but so genuine. The family running the hotel are wonderful.
We spent a day on the motor crusier and the lunch experience that they have created leaves you speechless, I'm sure you know where the boat goes? It must have been one of the best experiences I've had.
I could write on and on but I'll leave it here. We will be returning time after time.
Well done on the creation of your company.
Subject: service
Hi All
Having already written praising your brilliant website and the efficiency and professionalism with which my booking was dealt with, I now have to write to congratulate you on the amazing booklet that has just arrived with my ticket confirmation. What a fantastic, in depth and thoroughly useful idea. I have never received such a well thought out and informative book in all my years of holidaying – well done – this puts you miles and miles above any other tour operator.
If my forthcoming holiday is 1/10th as good as the service I have received to date then I am in for something special!
Please feel free to use my comments on your website.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks and kind regards
Emma Acton
From: Justine Sutton
Subject: Mehmet Aga Evi
To all the Team at Exclusive Escapes
Making arrangements and preparations for a wedding is a testing and exhausting time. Especially when that wedding is your own. We knew, following an exciting and happy day, we would be ready for a well earned rest. Somewhere with peace, tranquillity and privacy.
We found all we wanted at Mehmet Aga Evi. We had not travelled to Turkey before (and it certainly will not be the last time) but having now seen some of the outstanding sights the region has to offer, the Kaya Valley has to be the best. And the location of Mehmet Aga Evi was simply perfect.
The organisation of our arrival at (and departure from) the villa was flawless. Alex could not have been more helpful and considerate of our needs throughout our stay.
The icing on the cake was the 'compensation' we received for having to leave the villa for a day, our last day, in order for work to be carried out for the next guests. The lazy gulet trip that Alex arranged was wonderful, but made doubly so when on boarding the boat we discovered we were the only guests! We were gobsmacked!! We had a fantastic day -one which we will never ever forget.
Thank you for making our honeymoon the most sensational ending to the start of our new lives together. We shall certainly have no problem in recommending Exclusive Escapes to our friends and colleagues.
With all best wishes.
Jackie & Geoff Benton
Subject: Lavanta & Service
Dear Exclusive Escapes.
What can I say? From check in at Manchester to baggage collection on the way home we were looked after like princes. This was our first E.E. holiday to Turkey (Lavanta at Turunc) and I cannot praise everyone involved enough. Unobtrusive but efficient reps, helpful local staff, boat crew and local taxi drivers, restaraunteurs etc.
From first booking the holiday with E.E. we were impressed with the guidebook, delivery of documents and general helpfulness of all at the E.E. office. Try the one day skippered yacht charter and the try dive day out......fantastic!
The stand out superstar of the Lavanta was Ercan who had been seconded from the Dialysis, sorry Dionysus. Helpful behind the bar and on the gulet, this man is a fixer who runs a 'can do' establishment.
Well done Exclusive Escapes, we'll be back next year.
Mike, Maggie, Rhiannon and Lyndy
To: Sarah
Subject: Re: The Kalkan Regency
6 days before we were due to leave for Dalaman, I was lucky enough to find your site on the internet after spending days trying to put together some sort of travel arrangements within Turkey for myself.
I gave Sarah what I thought was quite complicated criteria - a husband who does not enjoy holidays so needs to be kept busy, a 12 year old son who loves water sports and myself who wants to be somewhere interesting, but not spoilt by tourists, likes a quality place to stay not too large. Amazingly 5 mins later Sarah called back with all the answers and I knew immediately we were talking the same language and I was completely relaxed and excited about the forthcoming trip.
Back now and I can honestly say it has been the best, the most successful holiday I have had with my husband - everything was simply perfect.
The Kalkan Regency was just lovely, the staff so friendly and yet discreet, the facilities excellent and the food also extremely good.
We booked a busy itinerary but every trip was different and fascinating and our guide was so informative, intelligent and knowledgeable we all came away with a much deeper insight into the geography/culture/history and politics of Turkey - what a fascinating country. Consequently my husband had no opportunity to feel bored so he was happy. My son had a day and a half participating in water sports, scuba diving, water skiing snorkelling etc so he was happy. As for myself, the location of the hotel just outside the charming town of Kalkan and the lovely hotel itself... not to mention the wonderful Turkish bath - well I was in 2nd heaven. And finally as for value for money - well unbelievable!
Maybe the highlight for me was the trip to Kekova Island - the only word to describe it was 'magical'. The beauty and tranquility combined with the awareness of the enormous sense of history as we wandered round the ruins - just amazing. And to top it all the weather was just perfect all week - every day blue skies and temperatures in the late 20's. Another memory has to be dining on the rooftops in the charming village of Kalkan, the lights twinkling and stunning views looking down on the town and harbour.
Its hard to stop because in the space of one week all my senses have been stirred - sights sounds smells and the people I have met have been lovely.
This is a big thank you for putting together such a fabulous trip. I am really looking forward to receiving your brochure and I am quite sure you will be receiving a few calls from Jersey. I cannot talk highly enough about your company. Thank you very much.
Kind Regards
Andrea le Boutillier
To: stephanie
Subject: Re: The Dionysos
Dear Stephanie
When we saw the brochure and website details for the Dionysos we both said it cannot be as good as this and we were cynical enough to say that we did not expect to be either, because after all you will only be showing us the best bits, but if it comes close it will be fine…
Isn't it sad that we are such cynics…
At the end of the week, as we left on Saturday we both agreed that the brochure did not do the Dionysos justice at all. We had an absolutely wonderful time, just what we wanted and more. That view across the bay…
We have come back refreshed and determined to come back next year.
We tried our best to think of something that could be improved on and the only two things we could think of was that the bathrooms should have rails rather then hooks for the towels and that the rooms needed more storage space as in a chest of drawers or more shelves.
Apart from that the staff were truly charming, the food was great, the rooms were comfortable, ……. I promised Brett (the photographer) that if any of my pictures came out well I would send him copies, after he encouraged me to get out of bed at dawn to catch the light!
Thank you all for a great week, we will be back...
Regards
Name withheld
Subject: Istanbul, Cappadocia & Gulet Cruise
Hi Stephanie,
We are just back from Turkey and both felt compelled to email you to thank you. We have had the best holiday we have ever had. Everything exceeded our expectations. The Empress Zoë was just up our street, not mainstream and a little quirky. Everyone there went out of there way to make our stay there a pleasure. We could not fault the location as it was well placed to get around Istanbul. All the transfers were on time and the drivers were extremely friendly.
The Cappadocia leg of our trip was just an amazing experience that we will never forget. Everyone at the Kayadam Cave House were just wonderful, you felt as if you were part of the family. The hotel itself is amazing, we were just in awe of its design. Our guide Hallis made our stay in the area not only informative but fun. It was like travelling with a friend. We saw not only the stuff that all the tourist's get but a real insight to life in this fantastic Turkish region. The program well and truly exceeded our expectations.
Then the Mr Temohte experience that we will be talking about long after we are back home in Australia. Memet and his magnificent crew are a credit to the Turkish people. They made the cruise a total relaxation of the highest standard. I'm sure that they will be friends for life. The gulet is excellent, the food fresh and tasty and of course the area is just perfect.
We were very impressed by all the arrangements made by yourself and the Exclusive Escapes team and will be recommending you to anyone who cares to listen. It truly was the best holiday EVER!!
Thank you from both of us and good luck with the business. (However if you keep up this service you wont need luck)
Regards
Brad Thorne & Tracy Takacs