I'm using the "old" RS evaluation format from years ago. I've been on an evaluation "strike" ever since RS changed formats as I find snippets of the new evaluations not very helpful and complete parts of the new evaluations only if I have something I really, really want to tell the company. --C of David and C.
part 1/3
1) most impt factors in choosing tour - We like RS b/c there's a lot of opportunity for interaction with locals, no pressure to buy extras, "buddies" are usually like-minded, responsible and considerate and guides and drivers are great. This tour (our 11th) had been on our bucket list for awhile and this year we needed a short tour.
2) favorite "wow" moments - 1) visit to Claire and Simon's Bayonne sheep farm. We've been to lots of sheep farms over the course of 11 RS tours, but this one was unique in that Claire and Simon raise sheep for their milk (for cheese). Claire went into great detail about what needs to be done (all year round) to be successful in their business 2) camino walk (about 5 miles total, with the option of taking the bus between segments for people who didn't want to do the entire walk) - for its potential for understanding the culture/spirituality of the walk and interaction with buddies during the walk. We were blessed with perfect weather (not rainy, not hot, not muddy). The part of the trail selected was easy to hike, although a walking stick helps if you find such a thing helpful on uneven ground. 3) exterior of the Guggenheim
3) hotels/meals/experiences - any especially good/bad - European hotels, like every other business throughout the world, are under increasing economic pressure, so the range of amenities keeps decreasing. Don't expect kleenex (even if you ask for it at the front desk) or hot water pots in every room. Breakfasts were generally uninspired and not particularly representative of the local cuisine, a sad departure from past hotel breakfasts. My (ongoing) biggest gripe is that stairwells in many European hotels, including most on the tour, are poorly lit, and lack the stripes on the steps' foredges; it can be impossible to tell where one step ends and the next starts, which make going down really dangerous for people with even mild vision problems and a little dangerous even for people with normal vision. In addition to treacherous steps, one of our hotels lacked proper handrails.
P.S. Bring small amounts of toilet paper when you are out and about. Not all public restrooms are well-stocked (although we and buddies have/had certainly seen worse).
The group meals were OK to excellent - keep in mind that it's very hard to arrange a meal for 26+ people. The best meals were at Lezaun, the restaurant associated with the winery (best food quality) and in the two gastronomy clubs (for finding out what local club members like to prepare for guests)
4) pace? any way to make use of your time more efficient? Relatively laid back with very "civilized" start times. The trip is too short to have a "vacation from your vacation," as on other RS tours, but the last day in Bilbao is pretty unstructured.
5) could front ofc have done anything better? - no issues. Appreciated the specific info we asked for and got about the planned arrival time in San Sebastian
6) did our advertising mislead u in any way - no