Neilson Reviews

Buca Beach Club - Underwhelmed disappointed Having been on 4 Neilson holidays before this was the first one without children Really looking forward to it as the reviews were great but our friends and ourselves have been left disappointed Missing the Neilson vibe It is a beautiful resort hotel lovely pool lovely beach fantastic the best we have been to The Greek restaurant and bar staff are super and so nice However a Neilson holiday feel - NOT Could have been a holiday with any company 1 No rep on the coach to welcome us and tell us about the resort Did not see a Neilson rep resort manager for 5 hours after arriving at the hotel On our return again nobody to check us onto our coach to make sure all were on board Nobody on the coach or at the airport It was as though we had booked the flight ourselves and not through a tour operator 2 Staggered stays - does NOT work People arriving on 4 separate days No continuity of people to be sociable with Classes all over the show The guests did not like it nor did the coaches who were trying to teach us 3 Due to staggered stays we arrived on the Sunday the day after the main arrival day fo most of Neilson guests unbeknown to us This meant we missed out on the first day for all the lessons and the main day Sat for the Neilson welcome meet As we arrived on the Sunday afternoon and we had nobody to tell us anything we didn t go to tennis or sailing until the Monday the second day of lessons As our arrival was the day after the main arrival day we had an awful 5 minute welcome by an Italian tennis coach No manager no resort rep No talks from each of the Neilson departments to tell us about their services or any information on entertainment that definitely was NOT going on in our hotel but instead it was all happening in the other sister hotel as we found out by accident 4 Marketing department had creative licence with their words when describing the smoothie fruit cocktail by the pool Made out that we could have a smoothie cocktail and fruit in the afternoon It did not say anywhere that you had to be sat by the pool at a specific time to get said smoothie and or cocktail Also no fruit on display by bar or around the pool When smoothie cocktail were served at a specific time it was no more than a mouthful 5 Exercise classes virtually all but yoga in the hotel next door and you had to book in because there were not enough classes for people who wanted to attend As you are staying in adult only hotel you want the classes in the adult only hotel not near the pool beach where there are children making all sorts of noises Nobody in Buca knew how to book the classes it was down to us to go searching for the fitness instructors to book ourselves in No ability to book in at reception Never had to book into fitness classes before on a Neilson holiday Also the 2 yoga classes I did attend at Buca the floor was wet due to sprinklers in the surrounding area So not pleasant to be lying on a wet floor in the mornings 6 Staggered arrivals tennis - as different people arriving through the week coaches don t bother to learn your names as there are too many people arriving and leaving at different times throughout the week There is no fun element to the classes ie where you get to know the people in your level and also no build up of skills ending with a great social at the end of your stay where we all have a laugh playing tennis 4 sets of arrivals throughout the week just don t work 7 Food Generally very good Evening a la carte meal very good Cold buffet selection every morning and lunch was lovely however the hot food selection looked good but unfortunately after a few attempts of trying it we found it to be cold every time They do not have the right equipment to keep the food warm The hot area is right next to the entrance from the air conditioned seating area and there are no lids put on top of the food to keep it warm So the food is sitting on supposedly hot water baths in metal trays but is open to the cold air conditioned temperatures thus making the food cold every time Also in the first section of hot food there are no hot lamps above Plates are cold as well 8 Bar - very disappointing Staff are lovely but need training on how to make decent drinks Cocktails were awful So weak and tasteless and way too much ice Even gin tonics tasted only of tonic and ice Had a Pina colada and it was like water Had a Mojito and it tasted of water The only cocktail worth having was a Bramble and even then it was not as good as the Brambles served in Lemnos All in all Beautiful location and hotel Neilson you need to get your act together to make it a Neilson holiday of old Just because we are adults does not mean that we do not want to enjoy ourselves be sociable and have fun

We have just returned from a ski holiday in Andorra and found the Neilson staff although very pleasant far too inexperienced and ill-equipped to deal with anything other than normal sadly this was probably not their fault but due to the training and guidance given by the company We travelled to Lleida an old military army base and with fly be it was quite a shock to discover the plane we were travelling on was one of the small twin propeller aircraft and then to discover that LLeida was not a commercial airport but an old military base that only opens in the winter months to cope with the extra flow of traffic due to the skiing season or on second thoughts because it is cheaper maybe be warned on your return there is nothing passed security no caf or adequate duty free shop Our handover on arrival was conducted on the coach transfer not ideal and was basically a selling exercise to promote trips and ski cage hire etc well they have a captive audience where can you go on a coach we hired the ski cage as it seem as good idea not to have to lug our ski s back to the hotel all well and good and was only 10 however whilst in Arinsal the ski lift closed due to bad weather now where are our ski s oh yes at the top of the mountain ho hum we received no information from Neilson on any alternatives available no notice on the rep s board we phoned the emergency number and were told they only have three reps available and they were stationed at strategic points to inform their clients of what to do how lovely would have been nice to have been told where they where also they had apparently informed the hotel staff ok so now it s the hotel s fault is it I think not we decided to trekked into Andorra to shop and whilst waiting for the shuttle were greeted by fellow guests at our hotel being advised to go to their hire shop with their receipt and they would be given replacement skis as they had also also hired a cage locker who did these lucky folk travel with INGHAMS point to note YES by this time our bus had arrived so we contacted the Neilson rep on our return and asked why we were not given this option apparently we could have done the same BUT again no communication so a day s skiing lost not great when you only have 6 days available we were also informed we would receive a communication from the operators of the mountain lift that we would receive at the airport to enable us to claim from our insurance for lift pass ski hire etc for the lost day did it appear NOPE not even after we asked the rep on the coach to the airport in fact she looked lost as to such a document even existing so we return safely and contacted Neilson to enquire as to the said report response We will response to your complaint within 28days as per ATOL requirements Well thank you very much did they wait for our money NO would I recommend or even travel with Neilson again errr NO I would however like to say that our Hotel the Princesa Park was fab and the staff excellent our ski instructor Corrine was exceptional and made our holiday we also booked a trip to Arcalis 15 including lunch baguette water cake and fruit purely as a change from Arinsal the bus was half an hour late freezing cold on the journey there with banging Ibiza music but the scenery was beautiful and the resort stunning but we then discovered Vallnord run a free bus service to this resort from Arinsal worth noting for the future so as you can gather a hardly perfect experience

Have just returned from Zell am See and while the overall holiday experience was second to none I feel compelled to write a review of the Neilson reps Danny was a very pleasant young man but totally disinterested in the guests and it was difficult to believe that he was there for anything but his snowboarding We had absolutely no advice about anything that was going on and it was only halfway through the week that we happened to see an A4 piece of paper advising of any ents Also to say that we would be met by one of the reps any morning at the top of the main lift where apparently they would be waiting was a complete myth Some constructive advice-get on the microphone at the beginning of the coach transfer to hotel and give a friendly chat that would encompass all the clients need to know We wanted to upgrade our lift pass as did many others but instead of asking people by microphone to put up their hands up if they wanted the upgrade he just went through everyone individually and we could hear everyone asking the same questions over and over Dan could have saved himself such a lot of time but speaking to us collectively but will give him the benefit of doubt as it is probably a training issue which Neilson need to address We weren t even told where the ski hire shop was and had to ask at the hotel reception Secondly Katie whose name was on the Neilson business card we were given in our welcome pack-we didn t even see her until arriving at Salzburg airport for our return journey and even then she made no attempt to speak as she was too busy speaking to her fellow reps we didn t feel it was our place to butt in Both reps seemed to latch on to a few certain guests while we had a long wait in the queue for check-in and we had no goodbyes or safe journey that we would have expected Dan even put headphones on in the coach for the return journey and was totally unsociable This is the first time I have written a review about people and believe it or not I am extremely tolerant and hate complaining but I felt that on this occasion it is justified We are experienced skiers and travellers but I feel sorry for any beginners out there who need a bit of hand-holding to make the experience less daunting As I previously mentioned Danny is a lovely person but just needs to exercise a bit more customer service skills so come on Neilson-provide some proper training

We booked Neilson ski for a large family holiday 15 in total over Christmas 2017 to Livignio Italy The ski resort was lovely and we were very lucky with brilliant snow and great weather However having taken my family on various ski holidays with both Ski World Ski Esprite and if you re feeling a bit more confident good old DIY I would not hesitate to recommend any of the above rather than using Neilson ski which frankly doesn t compete in the customer care stakes at all Why Three hour wait at Innesbruck airport after already waiting 3 hours on the plane at Gatwick The latter was understandable as the pilot explained there was low cloud at Innesbruck and it was probably better to wait in the UK Unfortunately when we did finally arrive there was no rep and no bus to meet us Amazingly all the other ski companies including Inghams were all there greeting their customers We were amazed that no one from Neilson contacted us to explain the situation Eventually 3 hours later we were told through the public announcement that our coach was waiting outside It took a further 10 15 minutes searching every coach asking around when eventually we stumbled upon the correct coach by sheer luck there were no signs in the windscreen giving the destination or anyone wearing Neilson ski jackets etc Nice start When the rep did join the coach at Livignio his was apologetic but by then we just wanted to get into our rooms and have something to eat Apart from the restaurant we were meant to go to hadn t been told about us Thankfully they were extremely accommodating and continued to be extremely professional and deliver delicious food all week We had to pay for a weeks ski pass for our 7 year old daughter as the information provided by Neilson ski conflicted to the ski pass office in Livignio I can t work out if the Rep was just in experienced with the information or just couldn t be bothered to sort it out for us I had pre-ordered all the family ski passes Either way we had to do it ourselves which added to frustration of having to cope with a ski fitting that should have taken place on the Saturday but instead took up until about 11am on the first mornings ski I hope this helps other potential Neilson ski customers I m not the type of person to complain but as a family we felt that considering the overall cost of the holiday Neilson ski did not fulfil our expectations in their part of the holiday and therefore would not recommend them for the future

Booked a very late deal with Neilson to Les Deux Alpes for a family of 4 after skiing independently for 25 years It was a surprise which I will never repeat If you are a complete novice at travelling and or skiing I can see the appeal of being looked after by Neilson If you are not you do not need the service they offer This includes the hard sales pitch on the journey to the resort which is completed at a slow speed to enable the rep to have time to sell to the crowd When we arrived at our hotel we were told we couldn t disembark until the rep had completed selling to the whole coach We disembarked the coach anyway On the return journey our flight was scheduled for a 10am departure from Grenoble airport a distance of 60 miles from Les Deux Alpes I expected a departure from our hotel at around 6 30-7 00 am The night before our departure a a slip of paper was put under our room door informing us to be at a bus stop at 4 40am on the day of departure After arriving at the bus stop the coach finally arrived at 5am We arrived at Grenoble airport at 6 30am to find it still closed As expected we were faced with a 4 hour wait at the airport Why we were taken to the airport 4 hours prior to departure only the Reps know After waiting nearly 4 hours for our departure we then had a 3 hour flight delay finally leaving Grenoble nearly 10 hours after leaving our hotel 60 miles away Flight delays happen and this isn t Neilson s fault However the delay was made much worse because we arrived at the airport 4 hours early I pre-hired skis and boots from the Albourg Hotel via Neilson for my youngest son We paid for Superior equipment As an experienced skier I was appalled at the condition and age of the skis and boots When I complained newer skis and boots were revealed A person of lesser experience would have accepted the rubbish which was being offered I pity the people who get ripped off by Neilson In summary Neilson s role in my holiday was transferring me and my family to and from Grenoble airport and arranging ski rental for my son Neilson performance was unsatisfactory We shall return to independent travel in the future It is relatively hassle free On a plus point the Reps were friendly and helpful to those that needed help finding the check-in desk ski hire shop etc

Ski Holiday - Most of what I would report is shown in the other reviews here I thought that Neilsen were an up-market operator - definitely not except for their pricing For ski holidays the transfer is awful and arranged for Neilsen s convenience and max profit not for the traveller Outbound delays and or transfer issues will cause you to miss dinner the Ski-Brief and Ski hire you might get to see a Neilsen rep but don t bank on it With some luck you may get dropped off close to your hotel but be prepared to walk with your luggage Expect to totally lose the last day even with an evening return flight You will spend a lot of time in coaches with no facilities waiting for another flight or mini-bus or two and I mean hours You will be left to speak to the hotel yourself about anything and they will not tell you the same story that Neilsen told you Do not expect late arrivals to be managed nor have food arranged or even available at all Ski-in ski-out best to check it might not be possible Our 4 star hotel had lovely staff but the potentially excellent restaurant was organised just like the Butlin s Canteen at Clacton that I remember Two sittings for dinner 7pm and 9pm queues formed at 7pm your table may not be served much before 8 30 great for 6 yr olds Breakfast was a total scramble all buffet but a somewhat sporadic selection available It was possible to have a good time but this was inspite of Neilsen and very much on our own initiative which we should have used to arrange the holiday in the first place it would have been cheaper more convenient better controlled possibly totally fun No never again in the past Crystal have been good even SnowCoach was better managed and I didn t spend over 3 000 per person for a week for Travel and Hotel only with either of them

I booked a Beachclub holiday to Sardinia on 29 March 2022 departing on 13 May from Gatwick South at 13 40 and arriving in Olbia at 17 15 A few days later on 4 April I was notified that the time of the outbound flight from Gatwick had changed to 16 45 and the airport had changed from Olbia to Cagliari I was told that this would mean a 2 5 hour transfer instead of a 20 minutes transfer Obviously the arrival time at the resort of Baia del Mori would be several hours later and instead of arriving late afternoon on 13 May I would arrive in the late hours of the evening on 13 May What actually happened was extremely distressing and stressful for me and meant that my Neilson holiday got off to an extremely bad start The outbound flight arrived at Cagliari airport at 20 15 and I boarded the transfer bus at 20 40 however I did not arrive at the Baia del Mori resort until 00 45 on 14 May We could not use the toilet on the transfer bus and therefore had to stop for a toilet break When I arrived at the resort I was told that an inclusive meal would be provided This was an offering of sandwiches salad and cheese which is clearly not the normal Neilson inclusive meal Who wants to eat at 1am I was put in a room that had no hot water no soap no toilet paper and no towels Because it was so late I stayed in this room on the understanding that I would be able to change rooms later that morning Other guests has simliar or worse problems and it was like musical rooms I would seriously think twice about going to Sardinia with Neilson unless they manage to get flights to the nearer airport of Olbia

We spent a week at Alana beach hotel from 3 -10 September We have previously been to Messini 3 times and wanted to experience what Nielson in Croatia had to offer The resort looked great but our holiday was seriously marred by the stench of sewage due to the resort having a sewage treatment plant slap bang in the middle of the grounds This is next to the pool and close to the outdoor fitness deck Our accommodation - a cabin sadly was situated such that on each of our walks to pool restaurant bar volley ball sailing area required walking near or past the sewage smell It completely coloured our holiday Morning yoga and stretch and relax I abandoned due to the smell The cabins are ok but are of mobile home construction so no sound insulation We were impacted by the young children waking early from the next door cabin Bucca looks even more appealing when one s children are 21 and 18 On returning to the UK I asked for compensation for the smell and the impact it had on our holiday Neilson customer services initially offered nothing then 75 off a future holiday I asked for 250 per person given how awful the situation had been Sadly the customer services would only grant 140 per person - equating to about 10 of the upfront cost but not the total cost including drinks and meals out I was extremely disappointed with smell and impact on our the holiday and also how poorly customer service chose to treat us with regard to financial compensation after the holiday For future potential bookings DO NOT BOOK ALANA BEACH This is not a one off situation Other holiday makers reported that the problem had existed 6 years before The resort is flawed by there being a sewage treatment plant right in the centre of the resort

This is a review of my experience 2 years ago Beach holiday in Greece Good points - great sailing team nice clean pool nice clean room and helpful housekeeper Nice shower and bath - good water pressure Why the 2-star Really inexperienced restaurant and bar staff Paid for the most awful meal ever during the silver service evening - imagine paella inundated with the tiniest little fish bones They charged me for it but offered to bring me something else They charged me for that too I tried to complain They wouldn t listen Bar bills - every night there was a happy hour between certain hours I bought beers on 2 for 1 and got charged for each and every one of them The cashier advised that she could check when the beers were put on my bill and reported that they had been input at the end of the night She admitted that staff might have left the bill-inputting until the end of the night but still would only reduce the bill for the first night because another customer vouched for me buying him a beer during happy hour I sent them a letter of complaint afterwards I never got a reply

Gangs of abandoned teenagers gather at the floodlit beach volleyball court until gone midnight everynight accompanied by the latest tunes played in crystal clarity via the latest blutooth portable speakers This is right outside block 22 The smell of sewage gently wafts around our terrace and the pool bar The second Neilson Holiday we have been on and our last They do so much right but always seem to miss important details The activities Sailing Windsurfing paddleboarding cycling yoga and many more are superb the staff are well trained safety conscious and amazing The best part of our Holiday The Food is buffet style with lots of choices Restaurant team can t do enough for you The Accommodation is clean practical and gives you what you need The Grounds are pine and olive trees between a beach and a hillside well looked after and sculpted it is lovely If they sorted out the sewage smell and had a policy in place to entertain teenagers past 11pm or a timeswitch for the floodlights They would be on to a winner Great place providing you don t mind the smell or need sleep If you get a room in block 22 do not accept it Neilson head rep was informed and did nothing hotel management said Neilson didn t want to get involved Overall Mark Warner or Sunsail is a better option