The Thinking Traveller Reviews 1.176

Beautiful properties, awesome experiences with fabulous guides and tremendous local on the ground support for anything you need.

Property sublime, so a great if short stay.

only grumble is communication with host / company - we needn’t have stopped to get over night provisions after our flight and host cross that we had (but we were categorically told no provisions included on both our trips this year - & both had provisions!)

& maybe TT need to be a bit more available in weeks leading up to before departure as help with onward travel / etc is best done a few weeks in advance

Thx 😊

Everything (almost) was fine - the villa we were renting was overwhelming und held everything the pictures and the description had promised. The guidance from your part and most of all! the housekeeping service was excellent !
BUT I would have expected a bit more honesty about the direct surroundings which were rather run down: a lot of unfinished buildings, some obviously for years in that state. And a (former) beach restaurant which we could have reached on foot - isolated and rotten.
Still, we would happily consult you again when renting a place for a holiday !

We booked the Villa Armerina for a family holiday at the end of our fourth visit to Sicily in September 2025, we originally had 6 people booked but only 4 could stay for a few days then two at the end of the week.

What we liked about the Thinking Traveller company
There was a good choice of villas where we wanted to stay in Sicily.
There were plenty of photos and local support staff. The description of property was good.

What we didn’t like
Priced a bit higher than other companies
Having to pay a large non-refundable deposit immediately on booking and there’s no cooling off period- when you book you will lose 30% of the total price if you have to cancel for any reason so have good insurance.

What attracted us to the Villa Armerina was its originality, history and rural setting.
It was understandably less luxurious than newer properties but it was historical, unusual and huge inside with a fabulous large, secluded pool overlooking rolling Sicilian countryside.

The downside was that it needed a lot of attention to detail. Blocked sink, broken shower head, a broken plug on bedroom fan and too many dead insects in the pool were quickly remedied when pointed out and we accepted the cracked windows, minimum amount of toilet rolls and rubbish in bedroom bin without mention.
Neighbours dogs barked all night and were heard by those sleeping in twin bedroom but thankfully not at other end of building.
However, what really distressed us was the bare live plug next to the bed that would have proved lethal had we touched it. That definitely should have been noticed and fixed before our arrival. We removed it safely by ourselves as no one acknowledged our text till the next day.
Both the support staff and company customer relations department sent apologies for any inconvenience, said there was a circuit breaker in place anyway and a offered 10% off future bookings none of which felt really genuine or caring so we wouldn’t book this property again and look at other companies before The Thinking Traveller.

Surrounding area
The nearby old town of Piazza Armerina was very rundown with many derelict buildings that were infested with feral pigeons and most of the streets and surfaces were encrusted with droppings and feathers, the most unpleasant town we have visited in Sicily.
Although this property was ideal for our family, I wouldn’t recommend this area for those visiting Sicily for the first time and wanting to do lots of sightseeing as it was a long way away from the tourist sites (except Villa Romano which is well worth visiting), there was very little to do in the local area and a car is essential.

Wonderful villa in a perfect location with great views alongside privacy, but with a central position in Zakynthos with easy access to other parts of the island.
Easy, knowledgeable and supportive Thinking Traveller representative who made any arrangements easy.
To top it off the Villa host was absolutely lovely

Well organised and informative company. Party of ten travelled to Puglia for a villa holiday. Everything went perfectly. Villa was stunning.

Honest ,informed feedback about the areas we are looking at

The position of the villa is spectacular but everything else is mediocre . Villa amenities are outdated . Directly next to the villa there is a construction site with a lot of noise
I am greatly disappointed

Overall, we had a good stay. The service we received prior to our arrival, the welcome, and the assistance during our stay at the villa were excellent — kind, attentive, and professional.

In terms of kitchen equipment, tableware, and cooking, the villa is very well equipped — we didn’t miss anything during our stay.

What we liked less:
In our opinion, the villa is too dark and lacks sufficient lighting. We had to purchase a projector to create a better lighting atmosphere.
Although we received the villa in an orderly state, the level of cleanliness was below our expectations — there was dust on the clothing shelves in the rooms, and the floors were not clean.
Due to the unfavorable weather, we were unable to enjoy the facilities the villa offers outside .
There was no cover for the outdoor sofa, so it was wet, and we couldn’t sit outside even during the moments when the weather allowed it.

Regarding the furniture in the bedrooms — the beds, living room furniture, wall lamps, linens, pillows, and towels — we would have expected a much higher standard, considering the level and price of the villa.
We also didn’t have hot water in the showers, and the water pressure was very weak, so the shower experience was disappointing.

Despite the pros and cons, we had a wonderful stay. However, at your request and for the sake of constructive feedback, we felt it was right to share our experience honestly.
Thanks
Bresler family .

Lovely house, great service.

Great communication before, during and after our travels. Wonderful house.

Great company
Been using them for years
They are not cheap but the service is excellent always

Amazing stay, very professional company, will book again

Every step of the way from the 1st email contact and the 1st phone call with Annabel until any final requests for some assistance, we were completely happy with the response of the person/s we connected with. It seems like a great company that I would easily recommend to others and will use for ourselves again.

The apartment is delightful. Well appointed, comfortable and spectacular views. Oh, and centrally located.
The beaches are great and the town is beautiful. What not to like?

The website was intuitive, the contact resources were very helpful, the recommended activities were of good quality, and the coordination between us and the vendors was seamless. We recommend the thinking traveller highly.

If I could offer you 10 stars, I would! I don’t even know where to begin. Annabelle was incredible helping me choose a location and Villa. The villa was absolutely spectacular and exceeded every expectation anyone in our group had! Sebastian, our host couldn’t have been more generous and kind person. We miss him already!
Teresa was an incredible resource for us while we were in the area. Incredible! She helped us with all our travel plans, dinner reservations, directions and advice in general.
I could not be more grateful to the thinking traveler for everything and will definitely come back to them for our next adventure!

The entire experience from booking to departure was seamless and brilliant. And the accommodation was outstanding. Everyone we engaged was helpful and friendly. Would certainly use the Thinking Traveller again.

Superb bespoke customer service throughout, from the date of making an initial enquiry all the way through to post-holiday care and attention. Freyer Hopkins was full of useful insights and was patient and approachable during the booking process.