We had sent our parents to Switzerland through gem tours and travels and they were a group of 24 people for Only Swiss/ Mini Europe trip starting from June 16, 2017.
1.Hygiene level of food was not acceptable. Most of them faced upset stomach and diarrhea. There were do houseflies on the food they ate and some of them floating dead in their food.
2.We were promised dinner buffet while booking the tour. However, they still received packed dinner. The only difference was that it was put on the shelf and termed as the dinner buffet.
Since they stayed where food was served, ( they were not provided with the accommodation which was promised but made to stay in the room with no fan, no AC, no ventilation and poor or dirty rooms) they were supposed to wait till other tours finished their food and then eat even if they were hungry.
Variety of food
i.Breakfast- was absolutely bad and of poor quality. Nobody would eat it.Also, they got just one flavour of juice& apples and oranges in fruits. Similarly, in hot stuff same upma and poha were repeated which were also not cooked well and absolutely tasteless.
ii.Dinner - they just ate corn, peas and broccoli combination. In the desert, they were given sukha sweet bundi for five days. absolutely false commitments by their sales agents when you book the tour.
The USP of Gems was supposed to be food and we were shocked to experience this.
3.Hotel and rooms - Hotel Krone were told to be their stay hotel.Main Hotel Krone had Wifi in each and every room however they were given sister concern of Krone.
a.In today’s fast and technological advance world who stays without net or wifi?
b.Insects were always there in the room, WC to welcome us.
c.There were no amenities in the room e.g. - kettle, fridge, full set of toiletries. Bed sheets weren’t changed even every two days.
d.There wad no air conditioning in the hotel. In summer when the temperature was between 25 to 30 how was it possible to stay without a/c. No one could sleep on 1st night and due to excess pressure they were provided mini table fans which were not sufficient nor they can open the windows as it was a welcome call for insects.
4.Rude hotel management - Nor the hotel neither the gem tour management were obliging them by providing basic essentials. During breakfast one of the ladies requested for apple and she was rudely replied that she won’t get.
5.On the 1st night itself& as and when issues were noted they were communicated to their tour leader Zubin Patel who said he doesn’t have the power to do anything and requested them to talk with the ones we booked.
The basis that, the majority of the points were communicated to Bhavesh Shah and web support Gem travels with a cc to Viren Vora who managed the booking and Tarana Kothawala who managed in Viren’s absence on 1st day and 2nd day of the tour. Also, the group posted their issues along with pictures on Gem tours and travels pvt ltd Facebook page on both day 1 and 2 but were removed and people were blocked. also the top management including MDdidnt respond
they spoke to Viren on the 1st night on certain matters which were known then and on 20th June when he said point blank he can’t do anything as of today and asked them to talk to higher authority i.e. Bhavesh Shah which they already communicated.
the simple question is if tour leader says he doesn’t have authority if Viren the person through whom we booked says talk to a higher authority and Bhavesh Shah doesn’t reply to our email which was sent on Day 1 and Day 2, whom do we go with our problems! And who is going to solve them? What’s the point of replying after the tour is over
6.We had sent them on a vacation and rather enjoying, they were always worried about those issues which are basic and were expected to be fulfilled by default, rather we begging so many times. What about the mental stress which gem tours have caused during their vacation?
7.Mini Europe tour was specially promised Hotel Novotel however in the final literary Hotel Mercury is mentioned. Request you to stay with your word and provide as promised?
If you wish to go on a relaxing vacation, please don’t opt for gem tours. They are worst.
We have wasted our hard earned money but don’t you waste it on gem tours and travels.