Stubborn Mule Travel Reviews 

Everything went very smoothly from the moment we landed until we arrived back home. Everyone was exactly where they said they would be and super friendly.

It was a relief to be met at the airport and have a car ready and waiting for us. The airport was very busy and it took all the pressure off trying to work out how to get out. Our first port of call after San Jose was Uvita. Cusinga Eco lodge was the perfect first stop. Breathtaking views, animals, wild (but safe) trails and a completely private beach. I have travelled extensively and I could not believe that there was somewhere on earth like this. It was stunning. We saw loads of animals and enjoyed watching the sunset at the look out point.

Manel Antonio had a completely different vibe, it was bustling and loads to do, we really enjoyed exploring the huge hotel which was very unusual. Costa Verde is laid out up a whole road, there are lots of pools, restaurants and hotel cars that will drive you up and down the hills. We loved eating pizza while monkeys snuck in and ran along the railings. The beach was beautiful, we rented boogie boards and spent a whole afternoon playing in the waves.

We spent Christmas Day in La Fortuna. White water rafting was the highlight of the trip, even my very nervous 13 year old fell in love with the adrenaline rush. The hotel in La Fortuna was beautiful with spectacular views of the volcano. The pool was a highlight, the kids loved ordering drinks from the pool wet bar...to be honest I enjoyed this too. We spent Christmas day zip-lining which was a once in a life time experience.

Bijagua was a highlight for me, mainly because of Casita Tenoro, these little casitas have huge windows in every room which look out into the forest, we felt emersed. We spent the day tubing down the Rio Celest which was fabulous.

Our final stop was Samara, which was the perfect end to the holiday. Four days of beach and relaxation, my youngest had a surf lesson which he loved and New Years was spent on the beach soaking up the sun.

Everything went so smoothly, all the tours were well organised and friendly. It was nice meeting some other families along the way, but also lovely having our own space. Despite being the high season, we were not stuck in crowds. The pool hotels were calm and relaxing and we did not have to queue or wait for anything (except immigration)

Holly and Emma were brilliant, they answered questions and made changes and additions to the trip right up to the week before. They were very reassuring, and made excellent recommendations about where to go within central America, which was important as I was travelling with the children alone. Everything was planned perfectly. All in all a fabulous holiday. Hopefully Vietnam next.

We couldn't have asked for more! We had a fantastic trip to Madagascar in the summer, which Stephanie, Sinead and the Stubborn Mule Team organised for us and it was perfect. From the first call, planning it was a wonderful experience and the itinerary was designed to suit our family with two active teen boys. A perfect mix of seeing the country, exploring, spotting wildlife, hiking, cycling, meeting locals and relaxing. We couldn't have done it anywhere near as well ourselves (if at all) and the whole experience was made by the fantastic driver, guides and local tour operator that Stubborn Mule arranged for us. Their support was essential before the trip and reassuring throughout it. We would highly recommend them - what a friendly, knowledgeable and professional team.

We have been on many Stubborn Mule family holidays, starting in 2015 when we went to Cuba. We have also been to Morocco, Thailand, Costa Rica and our last one was Japan in the summer 2025. They have all been super special in very different ways, but the fun, attention to detail and the exceptionally well organised trips have been consistent across all the holidays. Sadly our kids have probably outgrown Stubborn Mule now, otherwise we would continue to use them for fun filled family holidays. I cannot recommend them highly enough; they create amazing holidays so go for it!

Excellent team who organised an amazing sabbatical for us to Sri Lanka, Fiji and Canada. Huge thanks to Sinead, Stephanie and the whole Stubborn Mule team

Great experience with Stubborn Mule. Having used them for a trip to Costa Rica we happily booked our holiday to Namibia with them. Everything went very smoothly and the local company used to facilitate our self drive were also great. We were understandably apprehensive but all went very smoothly. Great accomodation, guides and recommendations. Namibia was an all time family favourite, go if you can!
We are now looking forward to our next adventure to Japan, also booked with them. The team are always very helpful and responsive to any emails or calls. Very family orientated, would not hesitate to recommend using Stubborn Mule.

We had a great experience with our Thailand holiday we booked through Stubborn Mule as it was so easy, great to have peace of mind that transfers and tickets to tours were taken care of. The communication from their local agents was perfect and it was brilliant to have a local guide for 2 days in Bangkok, made it easier to see the sights. I’d definitely book through Stubborn Mule again.

Everything was perfectly organised by Jess and Liddy. The hotels, the car, the suggestions and tips for locations away from the crowds...everything was great! We all had a fantastic time and an unforgettable holiday. Thoroughly recommend them!

We used Stubborn Mule to book a 2 week family holiday and generally everything went very smoothly, communication was great and the Holiday was very good.

Having always travelled independently this was the first time we’d used a travel company. We travelled to Costa Rica with our 6 year old daughter. Firstly, Robyn patiently worked with me to determine the best itinerary with appropriate travel times and locations and the documentation and bookings were superb. Our flight out then experienced a 24 hour delay, stubborn mule talked us through the whole experience and adjusted all of our travel plans at the other end accordingly. It was seamless and worth every penny. Will definitely use the team again for another adventure.

We have just come back from an amazing trip organised by Stubborn Mule to Vietnam. Brilliantly planned itinerary for a family holiday with two teenagers. They were extremely accommodating to our needs and tailor made the trip to appeal to teenagers including boat trips, cycle tours, cooking classes and not too many temples! Staff were always helpful and well informed and we didn’t need to worry about anything as it was all so well organised. Would highly recommend.

Used them for a family holiday in Costa Rica in 2018. Brilliant trip.

A group of 11 of us aged 11 - 80 booked a one week trip to Oman with Stubborn Mule. The holiday exceeded our expectations in every way. Perfect itinerary (we wanted a lot of activities, variations and adventure), very responsive advisors and super friendly, helpful and efficient contacts everywhere we went. We were met at the airport by Jeevaka who stayed in constant contact with us and responsed to our messages within minutes. Oman was spectacular in every way.

The most over priced, badly organised, rude and inept travel co. Do not book through them.

Helene was fabulous and recommended an unforgettable trip to Norway. The itinerary took us to some amazing places on and off the usual beaten tracks and was thoughtfully tailored to meet our hopes and expectations. We would wholeheartedly recommend Stubborn Mule Travel if you want to holiday the right way!

Our trip to Croatia with Stubborn Mule Travel was great fun but with plenty of time for us to relax and recharge, just what we needed. Everything was well organised and the accommodation was lovely. The kayak trip from Lopud was a real highlight. Thanks for great service. I've recommended Croatia and Stubborn Mule to many friends.

Arranged a fantastic holiday for me and my family (with 3 teenage boys). Always available on the phone - always helpful and following some nightmares with the flights they were able to flexibly adjust the holiday, Brilliant and thanks

The team delivered a fantastic 4 week holiday in the US for my family and I.