Shearings Holidays Reviews 

Just returned from the 4 day Paris Weekend with my wife.
The main dissatisfaction with the holiday was the hotel. We were notified 2-3 weeks before the holiday that the hotel had been changed due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’.
When we arrived at the hotel, following a long journey which we were prepared for, we had issues with the check in procedure. Initially, the person who was checking everyone in could not find our name on the hotel room list. My wife had to more or less do the job by going through the paperwork to find our name on the list and our room allocation. After about 30 minutes he finally gave us the key to room 501 but because of his incompetence he didn’t tell us much about our room, where the lift was and also that the key card was needed to use the lift. When we came to use the key it wouldn’t activate the scanner to enable us to press the floor button for the 5th floor. We had to rely on someone else’s key who was also using the lift. When we got to our room and tried the card it wouldn’t unlock the door. We then had to go back down to reception to see him and he was struggling to see what the problem was. Basically he was not up to the job. I asked to see the manager and was told he wouldn’t be available until after we had gone home! I thought this was odd to say the least. He eventually gave us a new key fob and off we went to the room, only to find that the room looked like a bomb had gone off, hence it had not been cleaned or made up. We then had to go back down and tell him, and that they knew our coach party was arriving so all rooms should have been ready. It was utterly shambolic, disgraceful and unprofessional because we had arrived very late on and needed to get to bed as we had to be up early for breakfast as we had a sightseeing trip to Paris the following morning. Eventually, after a good hour, he finally had a room sorted with a key fob which operated both the lift and the door to the room. The other issue was the staffing at breakfast. They never had enough food regularly replacing what was being taken by the number of guests which were coming down for breakfast. The tables were not being cleared and replaced with clean cutlery once guests had left the dining room. There were no dessert spoons available so that people who were having cereal had to use teaspoons to eat with. Again, I am of the opinion that this was due to mismanagement and incompetent staff.
As for the rest of the break we found it very enjoyable. The excursions were excellent.
Our drivers, Jason and George, were top drawer, great personalities, great knowledge and very professional when driving us around all of Paris. The only let down was what was supposed to a 4* Hôtel Mercure in Nanterre, it was in an undesirable place in which there were next nothing regarding places to eat and it was a disappointment to find out when we arrived that the hotel restaurant itself was closed for the duration of our stay.

Lovely hotel. Superb, helpful driver, great trips.
All hassle free.
Would highly recommend.

Impossible to complain. Obsolete customer relations email address. Telephone number options 1-4 non customer complains and all exp high levels etc. Unable to access venue we booked. Abandoned 4 of us in France during Eng/Paris clubs football game so keen were Drivers to watch the match. No help or assist from Shearing Head Office & no contact number for Drivers.

Travelled with my mother, in her early 90s, to Lake Maggiore and other Italian lakes, a new tour for Shearings and our first time with the company. Our drivers/guides Annemarie and Lee were first class at every point, and made the full itinerary manageable as well as keeping us entertained. Although we were blessed with hot & sunny weather, they brought even more sunshine to these beautiful places and nothing was too much trouble.
We were based at the Hotel Rosa in Baveno, where the staff were friendly, food was mostly good and location very close to the lake.
The itinerary was generally well thought-out and allowed a day free in the middle of the week, for which many suggestions were made. Highlights were the stunning Lake Orta, beautiful and interesting Borromeo Islands, and an unusual visit to a tea plantation, which was wonderfully atmospheric and uncommercialised, in a wild and lush mountain setting. Untarmacked roads and tight bends did not faze our heroic drivers and added to the sense of adventure (they may disagree!). The Three Lakes Tour day was the only one where changes might have been made - dropping us off by the lakeside in Como city would have been easier, while the chocolate factory visit was underwhelming and Lugano city too brief. Maybe just Como city and the scenic towns on Lake Como (Tremezzo, Bellagio) for the rest of the day would have been better so as to lessen the driving time and provide a city/country contrast (though parking facilities by the lake may have been a limiting factor here).
The final farewell sunset cruise on the lake, not on the formal itinerary but organised separately by Annemarie and Lee, was a fantastic end to a magical trip. Thank you thank you! Julian & Margaret

Our first experience on a coach trip to see ABBA voyage in London, 2 nights in the hotel and the concert, our driver Louise was absolutely amazing ( although does not work for shearings) the coach wasn't the best as a little cramped, the hotel was the worst I've ever stayed in in my life, very shabby, the curtains in our room were very frayed and the edges were literally stapled together! The food was shockingly bad and not as described on the hotel's website, The itinerary was good allowing some sightseeing in London but the hotel was a good hour to an hour and half away depending on traffic which was too long on such a short trip, the information we received before the trip was not detailed enough ie no approx timings at all which made it difficult to plan what we wanted to see an do while we were in London, the ABBA voyage concert was absolutely fantastic.

have been on a few f trips with shearings I am fully booked for more till the end 2027 .
I have always given them excellent reviews, and I ne er speak highly enough about them. However this time, my stars have gone down. I went to Torquay on may 25 the . A very hot bank holiday Monday.
Sadly the 2nd Driver ( Radcliff) on this triped has reflected very badly for this company from the getgo. This man was rude unprofessional and frankly darn right nasty
The story begins from the moment we boarded that couch, he made it clear his needs were a priority, and he would not be caring about ours.On the way to the hotel , we stopped at a comfort break . His very words were It's lunch time you have 1 hour. It's 2 .30 now. Be bavk here by 3.30 but Do not under any circumstances come back here before 3.15. You will not be let on to the coach ( apparently one.9lder lady was taken porrly amd he refused to let her on ) He went on to I need my privacy I have private calls to make no one is getting o. This coach early . I went in to the service station. It was rammed on bank holiday and the start of half term . By the time I got through the long que for the loo , then got a drink, it was 10 past I went to the loo again and headed out just after 3.15 . The coach was gone, I was confused. I went around d the building,I went back inside into asked where the coaches parked it was 2.22 when I started towhen I started too ring shearings ( the emergency number was.i. my travel bag in my seat but the gone log upon my phone ) I was very anxious by then in very hot , not knowing what to do o was fighting confused and anxious At 2. .2_7 I saw the coach. I ran to it, not realizing what had happened.The driver got off and screamed at me and i mean he screamed at me like i was a child . He said how dare you not be back on time I said you said 2.30 at the latest not before 2.15 its not even 3.30 yet he called me liar a d waving his hands to dismiss me. I was trembling al.ost I. Tears and i felt faint. I said I am sorry i could not find the couch at no point did he say because I drove off and left you . He asked if they were there anymore in there . I said I dont.know it's the first day I didn't do a head count ( nor did he ) i said you best go check as its only 3.30 now. He was fuming but went to look . I got on the coach, and everyone e clapped and cheered I apologized and said sorry I couldn't see the coaches . They all shouted because he drove off at 3.15 . They had shouted at him that I was missing and hignoredre them he was about to get on the motorway when he apperently said she will need to make her own way to the hotel

One of the ladies said you can't leave a woman there alone on a hot day like that go back. It's only when everyone started to say go back that he turned backAll this was unbeknown to me.
After checking for more people, he got back on. The coach he then spnd no less then 10 minutes giv8ng us a.lecture on his needs .
He did not speak to anyone all the way to the hotel .
When he got to the hotel there were two ladies .on the cuch he must have known hewas friendly them but slagging me off to them very loudly he created a them and us situation they ladted the whole week .As these two turned against me and others. These two people were really the only people he was friendly to. On all my trips, with dhearings I have never known a driver to actively stir trouble in this way .
On the first trip of the week, one of these ladies he was friendly with came to bacj very very late and very drunk he was friendly and kind to her lshghing snd encouraging her drunken state even though she was very passive agessive and rude to others . There's no telling off nomention of her drunken state no mentiion of her being 25 mind late . It was just the rest of us he treated with contempt.
Every single trip he would give conflicting confusing information changing times.or pick.up locationm
, Changing what he had said over and over . Everyone was very anxious . We were all watching each other's backs. Many people didn't even bother to goon the trips. I have never an empty coach.
On one trip, he said I will drop some of you in the town some of you at the beach . I will pick up those in the town at 2.50 these on the beach at 3.15. I got back on time he was late. He had stopped at the beach first . Two lates were missing ( again no head count )I told him and he swore. He drove off without them he had to go back the beach way and wesaw them . He had no idea who was missing as he made no attempt to engage with us all week. Only engaging t the people he slagged us off to ( tes some of them told us ) I told him i had seen the two ladie waiting in the beach he stopped for them. He then gave them the same dressing down taking no resonibilty for picking up the wrong group first .then telling he had not said he would do two pick up despite the fact he had done so.. he then got other passengers involved casuing ev4n more of a divide
causing even more conflict.
So much more to say

Comprehensive- if on this occasion faulty - range of options. The month I submitted did not, in the end, feature the trip I wanted…

Isabella was helpful and informative during our conversation… Even the boring T’s and C’s sounded interesting!!

The lady who helped me get my holiday sorted was so kind and helpful ☺️

I booked a trip to the Edinburgh Military Tatoo about 9 months ago with a £50 deposit. My wife has recently developed more serious mobility issues so I rang to check if this would create a problem and would it become too difficult to experience the trip. Having eventuality got through to an operator it became apparent that, due to a steep approach to the venue and a very late finish, neither of which were stated in the on line booking system, the trip was not suitable for us.
I then spoke to a specialist cancellation chap called Owen. I explained my problem and requested a cancellation realising that I would lose my deposit -I had not paid the balance.
I was shocked to discover that it would cost me over £600 to cancel because the £50 deposit was a promotional feature and a proper deposit would have been about 5x higher! I am sure there must be something in the extensive T&C's that explains this but I cannot find it and it certainly was not pointed out at the time of booking.
I was offered another holiday that was wheelchair friendly that I had to accept or lose £600.
They kindly agreed to not charge the cost of amending my booking!!!!!
One final annoying feature of this sorry saga was a
'call back' at 5,25pm which I missed - the message simply said 'sorry I missed the call' - I rang back at 5.29pm to be told all line were now closed although they are advertised as open till 6pm in mid week

Just back from Austrian Lakes and Vienna. 9 days! The overnight stops in Brussels were gorgeous. The hotel Weismann is dated and food not great for our 6 nights. Shame as swimming pool and gardens gorgeous. We did the add on tours too! Loved Salzburg and St Wolfgang. Tim and Neil brilliant drivers. Great holiday in a stunning area!

Fantastic holiday. Jason and Jack looked after us with nothing too much trouble. Hotel and staff excellent. Trips were well organised.

Wow they were so helpful and caring and made me feel at ease. They listened to me and made my booking easy, they made everything clear to me. Absolutely brilliant.

The lady today was so helpful, nothing was too much trouble. She answered all our questions.

Spoke to Adele about changing our date of travel. She was very helpful and went through the options and process thoroughly

I am very pleased with the service l received, the lady l spoke to was very helpful in booking my Christmas Break, it was nice to speak to someone who knew what they was talking about, and explained what l needed to do, thank you.

Kind regards John Parra

The tour to London Abba Party the hotel Ibis Greenwich was a good location but the hotel had problems. 1. 1. TV not working in rooms.
2. No handrails in bathroom /Shower despite advising disability on booking
3 The restaurant is Banana Asian on nit buffet/ or menu choice served 2 mini spring rolls and tasteless Pad Thai noodles. Many people did not eat the food was shocking. Staff were very very unhelpful
4. The coach parked on 2 consecutive days on Park Lane to shop! This was a 35 minute walk was unsuitable for people with disabilities
5. Parking at O2 for Abba Party was unsuitable driver parked much to far to accessible entrance despite a lot of Coach Parking
* Will not book again with Shearings

Friendly and competent reservations team. They make you feel valued as a customer.

Just returned from Splendours of Lake Garda, Venice &Verona tour. Excellent holiday. Beautiful Italy at its best. Good coach, thank goodness for aircon as in recent heatwave. Hotel Villa Mulino family run, very friendly staff. Good choice of food. Would recommend.
Andy & Mark our tour drivers made the holiday special. They are a credit to Shearings and Red Rose.
Only criticism would be on the North Lake tour to have more time in the charming Malcesine as plenty to see and less at Riva del Garda, nothing much to see.
This was our 4th Shearings tour and it was so good.
Thank you.