I had booked for Masoori Nainital Package N2 (upgraded tour) starting 8th May 2010 operated by Kesari through their Agent "Mahalaxmi Tours - Nasik"..... when I reached their site I realized their are cheating at every step...
I had booked for group of 10 .... Kesari on their own split group in two different buses, tour guide refused to even talk and adjust with other people so that 10 can travel in a single bus, his single answer was "This is done by my office and own no responsibility of what office has done", a big shocker, how can a sole representative of a Kesari on site can disown his office, made 10/15 calls to Kesari office mumbai seeking their intervention finally after 1.5 hrs long fight and intervention through high profile friend of mine in tourism ministry I got the group in a bus, thanks to my friend... had he not been around complete mood of family trip would have got spoiled on day 1
Kesari confirm that seat allocation is on 1st come 1st serve basis when I booked trip I was told we are 22nd to 32nd slots but we were allocated seat in last row (remember my point 1) both groups in both buses were last row. How can that happen when all seats were booked together? Kesari gave an explanation that while your agent was entering data, simultaneously 14 other booked so your 2nd group also went to last row.... can you believe this coincidence. I don’t.
then we realized from previous experience (this was 4th trip for my sister and 1st for me) that every time we booked package from Nasik, we get last row seats... so in nutshell... unless you are from Mumbai or Pune you are not treated at par ...
- Their hotels are poor in quality... if you are regular traveller and had experienced what quality hotel means, then you will know this... Kesari talks about 4 star hotels for upgraded trip... (at least this is what I was told by agent).... if you are not a regular traveller or has not travelled on your own before, you will like these hotels.... they choose very **big but not maintained** facilities ..... so when you enter the hotel you will like the ambience but normally rooms are stinking (our 5 hotel that I stayed 4 were stinking), linens are old ones... room cleaning request needs consistent followup.... (i requested to clean at 9:00AM... my service call was answered at 3:00PM in nainital after 4/5 reminders.....)
*4. For 1st time in my life I saw a feedback for with 3 rating starting at "good" and ending at "very good"..... so we do not have option of writing feedback below "good" ..... can you believe this ... but this is 100% true... if any one wants to see copy of this form, write to me and I will share with you..... I have scanned and kept with me.... I have not filled this and submitted back to Kesari..... *
*so if you read any where that 99+% people treat their trip as good or better don’t get carried away.... that the only option on feedback form.... *
- at the time of booking we were told, tour will end of 18th May 2010 at 3:00PM... actually they dropped us in a shoddy hotel of Delhi @ karol bagh on 17th May at 4:30PM with formal announcement of tour closure.... like fools we had booked for next day late evening just to ensure we have enough margin to accommodate delays. When we asked tour coordinator why are you not sticking to schedule in voucher his answer was speak to "office"I don’t understand if every thing is to be spoken to office why we need a tour operator...
In nut shell, be careful if you are frequent traveller you will not like hotel. If you are booking in group ensure all of you get together. Kesari may split your groups at their own will.....
and if you want to take so many precautions why pay premium... go on your own... it is cheaper and you can control quality of hotels, bus, food etc... why be at mercy of Kesari .... I mean it... at every step you are made to realize that you are at mercy of Kesari because you have paid them in advance....