Testimonials for Tours of Excellence

Gigi Phillips, Aladdin Travel, Travel Agent, USA
I have enjoyed working with Paula for many years. She has handled detailed and extensive itineraries for VIP groups as well as simpler tours for students. Paula has been able to work through any challenges we've encountered. She has earned the praises and trust from my most demanding clients and definitely from me. Paula is the best in the business!

Robert Rees, USA
We had an absolutely wonderful and unforgettable experience, due in no small part to you and Tours of Excellence. Your expertise, patience, guidance, and recommendations, and the little extra touches you planned for us at every step of the way, combined to make this one of the most enjoyable travel experiences of our lives. The value of your services was well worth the cost, and in fact you probably saved us a substantial sum in the overall scheme. I would heartily recommend Tours of Excellence to anyone contemplating a tour of England. We will definitely be back, and I will contact you and Tours of Excellence well beforehand. Kindest Personal Regards, Robert

Deborah Becker, USA
Thank you, Paula, and Tours of Excellence for planning a garden tour beyond our dreams. It was a pleasure working so closely with you, and your attention to detail made our trip much easier than we imagined it could be. All the gardens included in our tour displayed a wide array of flowers in bloom at the time. We would never have made it to the private gardens, which were the highlight of our trip, without your assistance. Even the B & B's we stayed at, home the most beautiful gardens. My husband and I look forward to planning our next trip to with you!

Marilyn Lord-Potasiak, USA
Paula Edwards is the best travel agent and guardian angel that all inexperienced travellers need! My best friend and I didn't have to so much as decipher a metro schedule! Tours of Excellence took all the thinking out our 7-day, 6-stop custom tour of England and Scotland. On the first day of our arrival in England, a personalized book of our trip itinerary, specially tabbed and organized with all our train and event tickets was waiting for us. Even the money needed for cash-only activities was provided in sealed and labelled envelopes! It was foolproof! My friend and I were able to blissfully move from one lovely place to another, meeting the nicest people everywhere we went. Without Paula, I'm sure our trip would have looked more like something Lucy and Ethel had put together. In fact, the only arrangement we made without Paula's help was the one that went awry. Even then, Paula came to the rescue and negotiated with our airline to reunite me with my luggage! On top of that, Paula managed to give two very different friends an experience that matched both of our dreams of the best vacation ever! That's how gifted Paula Edwards is. She is our travel angel for life!

Domi­nguez Family, Mexico
First of all we all want to thank you for all the effort and commitment with our tour last summer in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. I can assure you that after spending the last 4 years touring during summer time, one country per year (Italy, Spain, France and this year the United Kingdom with Ireland) this one totally designed, managed and operated by you, has been the best one. Before departing, we had exchanged more than 80 emails (I have a copy of all of them) and going through them now and after our experience with you, one can easily tell the care and tenderness you put in your work. The moment we arrived, we experienced what we expected with some little extra touches that made us feel much better. Your famous weekly files with a detailed itinerary, day by day and hour by hour, the maps, driving instructions, directions and the brochures of each place were magnificent tools. It’s not a surprise for me why you named your company “Tours of Excellence”, simply because you are committed to ensure not only the best value for your clients, but to provide a personal touch full of little details and with a lot of care in choosing the services provided.

Rosa Magrial, USA
Dear Paula, I would like to thank you for arranging a wonderful trip for us that exceeded all my expectations! Our accommodations in the Southwest of England & London were superb! Our local drivers were polite, efficient and knowledgeable. We especially enjoyed our full day at the Bath Thermae. Thank you for making all the bookings for our treatments. We also especially enjoyed our night at the Theatre in London. We had premier 3rd row seats in the play "Dancing in the Streets." Paula, three qualities stand out that make you such a wonderful and successful tour operator. First and foremost is the fact that you LISTEN. You really LISTENED to all my requests and needs and you tailor made our itinerary to answer those needs to perfection. Second your connections are first class & impeccable: our drivers were professional and respectable. Our hotels were outstanding in service & price. The Knightsbridge Hotel in London is a real gem. Only 2 blocks from Harrods, the tube and all the high end Knightsbridge stores and restaurants, it was located in a quiet cul-de-sac with a residential neighbourhood feel. They had 24 hour room service, a truly helpful concierge staff, spacious, airy, clean and new bedrooms. Third, you are accessible and caring! While I was in London we talked by phone and communicated through e-mail. I felt secure in the fact that if I needed assistance it was only a phone call away. Again thank you for making our Easter holiday memorable! You will be the first person I contact when I plan my next vacation to Britain. Warmest regards, Rosa Madrigal & family.

Robert Rees, USA
Our family has availed itself of Tours of Excellence services twice now, and we're eagerly anticipating planning three more tours due, in large part, to the thoroughly professional and enjoyable arrangements provided by Tours of Excellence. The name says it all - their ability to anticipate our interests is uncanny, and the detailed arrangements literally leave nothing for us to do on our tours but enjoy ourselves. The flexibility to adopt to our whims and preferences are wonderful, and their knowledge of the best and most interesting ways to experience everything we've hoped to is absolutely amazing. We heartily recommend Tours of Excellence to anyone dreaming about a tour of a lifetime in the United Kingdom.

The Keyser Family, USA
It is with great pleasure that we write this testimonial on behalf of Tours of Excellence. Recently, we had acquired the expertise of Paula Edwards and her vast knowledge of the tourist industry to help us plan a vacation in Scotland. From our first contact with Paula, we found her to be extremely knowledgeable, courteous, and very accommodating to our needs. Corresponding entirely through e-mail, Paula, pulled together for us a fascinating and unforgettable trip. Although there were 8 members in our party, Paula did an outstanding job of scheduling and rescheduling our destinations, and working with local Bed and Breakfasts', performed her job with great efficiency and skill to make our vacation most memorable. We had requested a private driver during our 10-day stay, and she found the perfect coach company to fit our needs. Our driver, Frank, was most accommodating and gave us quite a history of the country as we travelled. Having him stay with us at our B&B's was wonderful and made our trip all the more enjoyable! Paula's organization of the trip was most impressive. Upon our arrival, a notebook was presented to us by our driver with our itinerary, maps, brochures and company checks of all attractions. At every place we visited, they had our names on their visitors list and were waiting for us. Paula's presentation of the notebook was very well laid out and much thought was put into its presentation. We have and will continue to highly recommend Tours of Excellence to anyone wishing to plan their next vacation destination to England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. We can not express enough our deepest appreciation to Paula Edwards for all the time and energy she took to assist us with our vacation plans. Paula is a wonderful person to work with, and we know that anyone wishing to contact her will be given the same personal consideration that she gave us that made us feel special. Because of her, we will never forget the vacation of a lifetime, and wish to thank Paula for making our dream vacation come true.

Sandi Shirey, USA
We are two couples from Virginia in the United States who enjoy visiting England. In the past, we had taken tours but this year, we wanted to visit places not available on a regular tour. We found Tours of Excellence on line and began an email conversation with Paula Edwards. We had no idea that it would turn out as well as it did. The trip was a success because of Paula’s ability to listen to what we wanted to do, to suggest alternatives, to make reservations and other arrangements, all of which worked beautifully. Paula’s attention to detail included alerting us to possible crowd issues at times, and to festivals and special events we may wish to attend, and then getting us the tickets for those things we did wish to do. The final itinerary provided every detail we needed. Awaiting us when we arrived at our first hotel was a daily itinerary with vouchers, confirmations and other documents, which allowed us to travel without concern.

Alice Colton, Alice Travel, Travel Agent, USA
I wanted to thank you for making my clients trip to Cornwall absolutely wonderful. Your attention to detail is quite amazing. From the planning stages to the conclusion of the tour no request was too small and all questions were answered thoroughly. When it came time to prepare documents these were the most complete I have seen. Every day was outlined and every minute detail was included. It truly amazed me that you checked up on the clients and kept me advised. You made me look good to the clients and the clients truly appreciated a trip well planned and well executed. I look forward to working with you again in the near future.

Kay Sanders, Sanders Travel & Tours Inc, Travel Agent, USA
Tours of Excellence is a small outstanding company that can produce huge results for the clients. I have used them for my specialty tours, and the clients always comment that the tour was wonderful. Paula Edwards pays attention to the small details, and keeps her promises to give us the best available. Furthermore, she is quick with responses to our questions. I first ran across her skills when she worked at a different company, and those skills came with her when she started Tours of Excellence. The company name says it all - they are the best I know in Britain.

Marion Scoular, Sherwood Studio, Duluth, GA, USA
I have been impressed by the thoroughness and insight that Paula uses in preparing my rather specialised Embroidery Tours.  She pays great attention to the smallest details and her knowledge means that she anticipates our needs, often saving us valuable time and money. This knowledge includes being aware of the restrictions that our coach driver has on his time behind the wheel, so adjusting the itinerary accordingly.  She responds promptly to my enquiries.  I would not consider a tour without her expertise.... in fact, we have booked her for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 &!

Bill & Ruthanne Wright, Denver, Colorado, USA
Paula is indeed the best in the travel industry! Our trip to England was the trip of a lifetime. planned for our own individual interests & needs. Not being seasoned world-travellers, planning our itinerary was a daunting mystery. Paula took our vague ideas & fleshed out the most delightful adventure! All details were covered; directions, entrance fees & helpful tidbits & a coffee along the way. It was as close to stress-free as travelling in a foreign country (that drives disconcertingly on the other side of the road) can possibly be! Our experience began in London. Paula led us through the historic sights & experiences while leaving time for to explore the charming neighbourhood cafes & shops near our lovely, reasonably priced hotel. We never felt hurried or exhausted by the pace. English breakfasts were outstanding; we've been converted to milk in our tea and grilled tomatoes since. Taking a train to York, we then embarked on the most storybook-like trip through English countryside & picturesque little villages, hills and dales. Our lodgings were greatly varied; all excellent. Paula honoured our budget needs and far exceeded our expectations. Never could we have found such delights on our own. We're smitten; can't wait to plan another adventure with Tours of Excellence and Paula Edwards.

Ed & Kellie Sensintaffar, Montgomery, Alabama, USA
As avid gardeners, we had dreamed of seeing some proper English gardens. A search on the internet led us to Tours of Excellence. We expressed our interest in touring gardens as well as some of the Methodist, John & Charles Wesley, sites. Paula responded quickly with an initial plan that needed little modification. She prepared an itinerary that included much more than we could ever have expected. We enjoyed touring London, visiting seventeen gardens and two of the Wesley churches/homes in ten days. The gardens ranged from small private gardens, where we visited with the owners, to some of England’s finest gardens with stately houses and castles. All were beautiful and each had its own special features. We received the “Final Details” before leaving the States and found that when we arrived all details, including hotel, local travel and admission arrangements were included in the package. We had a very enjoyable ten day visit thanks to Paula Edwards and the Tours of Excellence.

Phyllis & Bill Bettencourt, Arroyo Grande, California, USA
We cannot express enough the gratitude we have for all the assistance that Paula Edwards of Tours of Excellence provided us recently, for our trip to England with our granddaughter. From start to finish we had full confidence in what services she could and would provide for us. Her communication was excellent and prompt. We were amazed at how quickly she would get back to us with answers or information via email. Upon leaving the US we had full confidence that all the services - train tickets from airport into London, hotel reservations, and train to central England and back to London - would be intact. To our further amazement we were handed a notebook binder from Paula when we checked into our first hotel with further travel details, plus extra tourist information she thought we could use. We would not hesitate recommending Paula to any of our friends in the US contemplating future travel to the UK and neighbouring countries.

David & Judy May, Canada
My wife and I were planning a once in a lifetime trip to England, France and Italy that would take us 5 months to complete. We knew we needed someone extraordinary to help us with the logistics of this adventure and I can't believe how fortunate we were to find Paula Edwards and Tours of Excellence. Right from the start through countless e-mails Paula learned more and more about us and our needs to begin to layout details of locations and accommodations. We left Canada with a thick binder holding our complete itinerary, guides, maps, tickets, contact phone numbers and more. She booked planes, trains, cars, ferries, hotels, apartments and virtually everything we would need in those 5 months. My wife has a disability that grew worse as time went by and Paula helped us through these issues by adapting our plans as needed. She was always as close as my phone and we stayed in touch constantly. Perhaps it's only when things happen that are unplanned that you find out just how good your support team is. We can tell you that with Paula on our side it was like having a family member look out for you. We don't think we would travel again without calling her and she has the strongest possible recommendation we could give.

Ray & Kathy Widick, Florida, USA
We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with Paula Edwards and Tours of Excellence in making our vacation in the United Kingdom a truly magical experience. Every portion of our holiday from concept to reality was handled professionally and with utmost attention right down to the minutest detail. Our castle tours and overnight stays were above all expectations. Thank you, thank you so much! Ray and I will definitely be in touch when it’s time to plan our next visit and we highly recommend Tours of Excellence.

Geoff Watts, Nottingham, UK
Having not visited Devon or Cornwall for many years I searched the internet for a reputable agent offering a comprehensive package to my liking. Fortunately I found "Tours of Excellence" and Paula. I have just returned from a perfect 6 day break having seen all the sights and staying in perfect hotel accommodation following frequent communication with Paula beforehand discussing my likes and dislikes for the break. I was also contacted by Paula several times during the tour checking that all was well which it was. If you are reading this contemplating using "Tours of Excellence" they are just that.

Tanja & Sanne Saelmans, The Netherlands
IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!!
We had a great 'mother-daughter Halloween trip'!! An unforgettable experience, thanks to your recommendations, the detailed maps, the explanations and personal contact. You honoured our budget needs and far exceeded our expectations. The hotels and guesthouse were great! We had so much fun together because everything was so well planned. By the words of my daughter (17 years)' it was very dynamic, never boring, (sometimes even to scary) and very interesting, I've learned a lot!' Thank you very much, Paula!

Heaven Gibson & Family, Sisters, Oregon, USA
We had a fabulous time. Your scheduling for everything was perfect. The maps and suggestions were very helpful in getting us to where we needed to be on time. The packet came in very handy. Thank you for making our trip a fun vacation with everything mapped out. It sure took the hecticness out of the trip and made it very enjoyable. A big thank you for helping us locate our driver on the last day. It was a very busy station and area, it was nice to have the communication. We will definitely pass your name along for anyone we know planning a visit. You did a fantastic job. Thank you!

Sandy Callahan, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
My husband and I have I have been blessed to be able to travel extensively during our marriage. Recently, I left him home and travelled with a dear friend who had never been abroad. We decided to customize our trip to encompass mostly Wales with a quick visit to the Cotswolds. It was my extreme good fortune to find Tours of Excellence on-line and connect with Paula Edwards. From the first email exchange between us, I knew I had found a kindred spirit. I would express a thought or idea and she would send me a link that interpreted the exact thing we were looking for, from attractions to accommodations. It was like she was reading my mind. She went above and beyond in her attention to the smallest details, answering whatever questions I sent her way and working our itinerary around whatever changes or additions we threw at her, no matter how late in the planning. We had a wonderful time, in no small measure to Paula’s expertise and ability to provide her clients with what they want, sometimes before they even know what they want. She is by far the most talented travel agent I have ever had the good fortune to work with and hope to work with again. I have already recommended her to a couple of friends and would not hesitate to do so again. Her attention to detail and thoroughness in planning is second to none. Tours of Excellence certain lives up to its name!

Donna Evans, Stiles In Travel (Travel Agent), Fair Oaks, California
I can't say enough about the wonderful itinerary prepared by Paula Edwards for our Pilgrimage Group to Ireland in May 2011. We were a group of 19 from California and Oregon exploring Celtic history and the roots of early Christianity in Ireland. Paula took our ideas and wove them into a unique journey. Her wonderful suggestions and attention to detail, both in planning and execution, made this an exciting and trouble free Tour of Excellence. What a joy it is to work with such a knowledgeable and conscientious professional.

Anne Tatlovich, Wilmette, Illinios, USA
We could not have been more pleased with the service provided by Paula Edwards at Tours of Excellence. Her meticulous planning and excellent advice insured a faultless and highly enjoyable two-week journey through Yorkshire and Scotland. The guides she selected were knowledgeable, interesting, and fun, and we were able to see many important sights that would have been difficult to manage on our own. We certainly intend to contact Tours of Excellence for future trips as the services exceeded all expectations.

Jeff & Chanel Friesen, Los Angeles, California, USA
My husband and I just did a tour of north and south Wales. We were amazed at how Paula Edwards at Tours of Excellence organized everything on such short notice, so that all we had to do was enjoy ourselves and show up at our B&Bs. Not only did she include everything in our itinerary that we discussed, but added some wonderful extras (for example, a private tour of St. David's Cathedral) based on our interests and activity level. The accommodations she chose were perfect for us and extremely comfortable. I would have no hesitation about using Tours of Excellence again and will absolutely recommend Paula Edwards to any of our friends who are travelling.

Bill and Lane Sauser, Auburn, Alabama, USA
In July of this year (2011) we had the pleasure of taking a tour of Wales. Tours of Excellence certainly lives up to its name. Paula and our very experienced driver/guide Judy planned and executed every detail of our trip. The B&B's were outstanding and offered everything we could have wanted. Our trip included a wonderful mix of beautiful countryside, castle tours, shopping, and a feel for living in the beautiful country of Wales. Paula and Judy were very adept at making adjustments to our itinerary to tailor our trip to our interests. We look forward to planning another trip with Tours of Excellence and highly recommend their services.

George Middleton, Paris, France
Outstanding achievement by Paula for this family trip to the North of England and Scotland. The proposition was both challenging and daunting: organize a trip for 2 adults and 5 children from 9 to 14 years old (with diverging interests), expose the family to the culture and heritage of Scotland, keep the children distracted at all times, minimize driving times and organize everything within 4 weeks (we started thinking about the trip at the end of June for an August holiday!!). In addition Paula was asked to 1) find accommodation that was both reasonable and comfortable 2) arrange for two cultural or sporting activities every day 3) theme the holiday around ghosts, castles and / or Harry Potter 4) we should spend at least one night at the Gleneagles hotel and 5) we should sleep in at least one castle. As a final challenge not all the children were fluent in English – so audio guides in French would also be helpful. Paula delivered on all of these seemingly impossible requests, co-coordinating activities, locations and accommodation just as we had requested. We visited dungeons, had ghost walks, undertook mountain bike riding, fly fishing, archery, falconry, 4x4 driving for the children, shooting, a trip on Harry Potter’s train, visits to medieval castles (including the castle where Harry Potter was filmed), an evening at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, speed boating on the Loch Ness looking for the monster, stayed at the sumptuous Gleneagles hotel and slept in a castle. All in all an unforgettable family trip and all thanks to Paula.

Connie Rivchun, Florida, USA
Paula provided truly exceptional service in planning our two week trip through Cornwall and Devon. Her insight and pre-paid arrangements to places we would find interesting, her attention to absolutely every detail we'd need to make our way to and through the UK, her seamless integration of various forms of transportation needed, her careful selection of well-located, yet charming accommodations at extremely valuable prices, her top-notch communication skills, and her seemingly 24/7 dedication to our needs before and during the trip all made for a truly stellar vacation. My friend and I are both seasoned travellers who, until now, made our own arrangements. Now having had the luxury of Paula's extraordinary trip planning services, I would recommend it highly to all types of travellers-novice and experienced. It also turned out to be a most cost-effective way to plan the trip. Having pre-paid most arrangements to Paula, we had almost no out-of-pocket expenses except for food, gasoline, and souvenirs. Bravo, Paula, and our sincere thanks. You really are "Tours of Excellence".

Phyllis Stewart, Ontario, Canada
We enjoyed excellent email communication with Paula while making plans for our vacation, which resulted in a tour customized for our interests. We were completely impressed by the level of organization and perfectly detailed plans sent to us before departure, and this resulted in our vacation to Yorkshire being one of the best we've ever had. We would definitely recommend Tours of Excellence to anyone wishing to visit Great Britain.

Joe & Heather Childs, Middleborough, Massachusetts, USA
We both wanted to thank you for one of our best trips! With your planning and play by play agenda we had been able to take in all of beauty of England at our own pace. Everything was flawless and your attention to detail was truly excellent! The accommodations that you choose were exactly what we had been looking for, and the car hire service provided a brand new Prius which was definitely a plus. I would recommend your service to anyone and hope to work with you soon on our next trip. 

Richard Lee, Singapore
My Australian friend and I from Singapore, enjoyed the most wonderful vacation in the rugged raw beauty and delightful and welcoming charm, of so many spots and places in Cornwall.  Leave the arrangements to Ms Paula Edwards of Tours of Excellence for the selection of hotels, B&B’s, regions, scenic or historic sites, beautiful old harbours. I have travelled extensively in UK and Cornwall is simply spectacularly beautiful and friendly. Outstanding visits include St Ives, Looe, Magavissey, St Michaels Mount, Minack Theatre, King Arthur’s Tintagel Castle, Lanhydrock and simply just driving through lovely green countryside and breath-taking coastal routes and coves, and many other surprises. In a 5 day tour, I give rating of 10 /10, especially with sunshine weather helping every day in May. Just leave it to Paula Edwards, most helpful, knowledgeable and so obligingly kind and adaptable to change some of our last minute requests. Very good value for money and she even wants to refund us for tickets that we carelessly forgot to use!!

Amy Guzman, USA
Our experience with Tours of Excellence was wonderful. Paula took all our ideas, combined them with a few of her own, and together we came up with a very enjoyable itinerary that wasn't too rushed. We especially enjoyed Tintagel Castle, Clovelly, and Dartmoor. The smaller coastal villages were also fun to explore. The Bed & Breakfasts Paula booked for us were lovely, convenient, and included delicious English breakfasts. Our driver, Paul, was always punctual, reliable, informative, and knew the area very well. It was so nice to have all the details taken care of for us. All we had to do was enjoy the day's activities. I highly recommend them and would gladly use their travel services again in the future.

Mr & Mrs Lin, USA
Walking Tour of the Cotswolds - the tour was great! Everything was arranged perfectly, and the map you sent us was absolutely amazing. It was so good to be able to see lots of different possible routes, because by the end we got pretty tired, and it was good that we had the freedom to say "ok, enough scenery, let's just get to the B&B!" The inns that you put us in were so accommodating, especially Star Cottage in Burford. I would tell anyone booking with Tours of Excellence that they are in extremely good hands. Thank you so much for giving us a wonderful vacation! Elanor

Niecko & Ringenberg Family, Aniak, USA
We had a fabulous vacation, mostly in part to the hard work and dedication of Tours of Excellence. Paula did an exceptional job hand tailoring our Pilgrimage tour. From outlining the tour in precise detail to including site specific maps, there was no question that things were well thought out and handled professionally. I cannot say enough how grateful I am to her for all that she did to ensure that we had a very enjoyable experience. I would give Tours of Excellence the highest recommendation, and will not only be recommending them to others but will most definitely be using them again as we seek out future vacations. Thanks again, Paula, wonderful memory!

Dr. and Mrs. William Varner, Santa Clarita, California, USA
We have been privileged to travel to England several times and this time we wanted to visit Cornwall. On previous trips I spent hours finding hotels, sites to visit and making all the reservations. I saw Tours of Excellence suggested itinerary and worked with Paula to arrange a trip customized to our personal interests with her handling all the details. She communicated by email frequently with suggestions and clarifications. It was a pleasure working so closely with her, and her attention to detail impressed me. Paula sent us a personalized book of our trip itinerary, specially tabbed and organized with all our accommodations, train and event tickets. We enjoyed grand homes, picturesque fishing villages, the moors and lots of history. I chose most of our accommodations, but Paula made all the reservations for us. We appreciated the thorough assembly of all our materials and maps. I would highly recommend her services to others, as a matter of fact, I have done so already. Hopefully we will get back to the UK and use Tours of Excellence again.

The Cushnyr Family, USA
Our family wanted to take a tour of England, and began searching for the right tour company. We came across Paula Edwards and Tours of Excellence. Paula planned the perfect vacation tour for us, taking into consideration the sights we wanted to see and then making all the arrangements. Our family has one member with mobility limitations, and Paula arranged for wheelchair rental for the entire time in England. At each stop of our tour, Paula made sure that we had accessibility information plus arranged with the sites for special parking and entrance. Paula also spoke with the hotels and bed and breakfasts to make sure our accommodations were accessible, which was most helpful especially in the countryside. It was extremely helpful that Paula was available by phone to sort out the couple of issues we did have. We found that to be a nice bonus, a sort of lifeline if we needed help. Paula made sure that we had exactly what we needed, every step of the way. The custom notebook of our tour details was waiting for us at our first hotel. The tour notebook had all our details, tickets, money (cash for certain sites) and all accommodations. It also listed addresses, people to speak with, and had maps for each place. No detail was left to chance! We certainly appreciated the attention to detail as well as the ease of communication in planning this trip. Paula made sure from the start, to plan what we wanted to see and do and truly made this a wonderful trip of a lifetime. Thank you again for all that you have done for us. I sing your praises to everyone I meet. We cannot wait to plan another trip through your company.

Gayle Ruege, Metropolitan New York Synod, ELCA, New York City, USA,
I write this testimony on behalf of the group of ten Pilgrims who traveled to Scotland and Northern England on Pilgrimage in July 2011. Thank you, Paula for your exemplary work in assisting us in the design and coordination of our 14 day Celtic Pilgrimage to sacred sites and places of cultural significance in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Oban, Isle of Iona, Holy Island of Lindisfarne, Durham and the Northumbrian region of Northern England. Paula's expertise and attention to detail provided the group with an hour by hour itinerary with every pre-paid transfer, ticket purchase, and admission voucher printed and included in the tour binder she shipped to my office prior to our departure. Paula's tour guide selections confirmed that she understood the group's interests and needs and provided experienced guides with specific knowledge of the places on our itinerary. We were delighted with our accommodations and the coach that Paula arranged for us. We were comfortable in our miles of travel through several cities and the Scottish and Northumbrian countryside - feeling completely at ease with our competent and professional coach driver, Mark. In the group of ten, not a single complaint was raised - only praise for a truly profound and unforgettable experience. Again, thank you, Paula and Tours of Excellence. We look forward to our continued work together.

Eman El Nabawy, Faysal, Giza, Egypt
You have made this trip the most wonderful experience my friend and I had ever had! You are the most professional, organized, dedicated, rigorous and knowledgeable tour company owner I have ever had, honestly speaking. My friend and I were continuously amazed, and were constantly speaking about how well you have organized, and thought about every single detail of this trip. We had one of the most remarkable life experiences by far!

Mary Harvey, London, UK
Well, there I was wanting to take two very elderly ladies on a tour round Scotland and not knowing where to start and I didn't want to have to have to spend any time or effort planning it either! Luckily I found Paula at Tours of Excellence. Usually company names are just a load of hype but Paula really is "excellent". I am very fussy indeed but Paula's planning skills and attention to detail could not be faulted. The advance information was thoroughly researched and comprehensive and the trip itself ran like clockwork. From the moment our superb driver, Robert, picked us up I knew everything was going to be okay. Completely problem-free and the ladies loved every minute. We had an absolutely fantastic trip.

Kathryn O'Dwyer, Canada
As an experienced traveller I have to say that finding Paula Edwards and Tours of Excellence was like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She makes travelling so easy and stress free that whether you’re a novice traveller who needs the support or someone with lots of miles under your belt who just appreciates the ease that all her planning provides, this is definitely the premiere tour company to choose. From the moment you first contact Paula until you are safely back home, she is incredibly creative and supportive of all your wishes and needs. During a recent trip to London and Devon and Cornwall, Paula’s detailed itineraries, including tickets and vouchers for prepaid events, allowed us to cover lots of ground and see a number of places and sites that we would not have gotten to left to our own devices. As well, she knows loads of interesting things to do and see that even someone well versed in travel research would never find. But, I do think it is the personalization of her travel planning and her personal caring touch that makes Paula Edwards and her company stand out from the rest of the crowd. I must say that I am looking forward to the next special trip I am having Paula plan for me in 2014 and I have been recommending Tours of Excellence to anyone who breathes the words “travel to the UK or ” and I will continue to do so. Heartfelt thanks Paula for your outstanding work and opening our eyes to a part of the UK we had not seen before.

Kraipun Yunibandhu, New Zealand
After having such a great tour of Devon and Cornwall recently I feel compelled to write and tell the world about Tours of Excellence especially Paula the Director. All I had to do at the start was to tell her what I and my wife wanted to see (e.g. quaint villages, gardens, historic places), the duration of the tour, the kind of rental car and the approximate budget. When we arrived at our London hotel from overseas there was a large package waiting for us which contained everything you could think of; a detailed itinerary plus daily maps, return rail tickets to Exeter, car hire voucher, info re B&B/hotel and tickets to the various places to be visited..... All reserved and pre-paid by Paula. On arrival at Exeter we were met by the car hire people who produced a superb brand new BMW with GPS system. From then on it was pure joy for the 9 days of our tour which went without a hitch. Paula has more than proven that besides being thorough and totally professional she obviously pays attention to detail (like trying to save us money by getting off-peak rail tickets and warning us which villages had steep slopes). In summary we have had the most memorable holiday all impeccably arranged by this awesome lady, Paula of Tours of Excellence. I will not hesitate to recommend her to anyone who wants a tailor-made and hassle free holiday, beautifully arranged. Thanks again Paula.

Phyllis Contino, USA
When my husband and I mentioned to his Aunt Connie that we wanted to go to Scotland she immediately began to press that we get in touch with Paula Edwards from Tours of Excellence. Because we'd never worked with a travel agent before, I did contact her with misgivings, and so began our dialogue. I knew where we wanted to go, and that we didn't want to be burdened with hiring a car. Paula Edwards didn't seem to bat an eye, and said she'd get back to me. Well, I thought it would take her weeks - but in just a couple of days she had an entire itinerary worked up for us complete with bus, train and ferry times! With only a couple of minor adjustments, we went with it, paid exactly what we thought it should cost and waited with mounting excitement for our Scottish adventure. Incredibly, Paula had sent along a binder which was waiting for us at our first accommodations in Edinburgh which contained all the train and ferry tickets, an expanded itinerary, maps, walking times, transportation schedules - everything we would need for the next 15 days and all in order of need! Plus, she emailed frequently to make sure we were OK. Her choices for accommodations were top notch, the walking tours were wonderful, castle tours, everything. I know much research had to go into her work, and her attention to detail was apparent at every turn. We cannot recommend Tours of Excellence, and especially Paula Edwards, highly enough, for though I may have been able to book some of the events, she had an eye to the correct timing, and a sense of what we wanted which was uncanny. THANK YOU!

Susan Bow, Colorado, USA
I wanted to thank you very much for the work that you did in organising our trip! We had a really wonderful time and will have many good memories!!!! Susan, Steve, Julie & Chris.

Chanel & Jeff Friesen, Los Angeles, USA
My husband and I just returned from a wonderful tour of Scotland. Besides all the awe-inspiring experiences that Tours of Excellence booked for us, I was thrilled at the lodgings that Paula Edwards found as well. Whether it was a B&B, country manor, or self-catered apartment, each place was more magical than the last. Tours of Excellence knew our tastes exactly and we could never have planned such an amazing trip ourselves. It's lovely to just show up for a castle visit, distillery tour, or far past check-in time at one's lodgings and be welcomed by name without having to bother with payment or paperwork. Thank you, Paula!