We are considering using one of 2 well-reviewed companies for our first trip to China. The trips are nearly identical except for just a few things. We need some input from others to help us decide which co. to use based on these differences. Please take a look at some of the differences, which I've listed below, and offer your opinion. (One more thing, we would be going in late spring/early summer.)

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Tour A offers a pkg. tour that is one day SHORTER than the other one, and after adding in their charge for insurance and a higher air add-on fee from our city, it will work out costing us about $100 pp MORE than the shorter Tour B.

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Both tours visit the home of a local person in Beijing, but only one of those visits incl. lunch in the home.

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Tour B goes to the Great Wall in the morning, tour A in the afternoon, otherwise they visit the same things on the same day. (Any advantage to seeing the GW at one time of day over the other? )
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Both tours offer a cruise on the Li River. However, "A" also visits a village w cave dwellings and a kindergarten, plus spends a 2nd night in Guillin.

"B" does not have the above activities, & spends only one nt. in Guilin, but he next night would be spent in Yangshuo, where we would have the option ($40 pp - the only non-incl. activity) of seeing a floating show on the river at night. (Some friends saw it last Nov. and it, along w/Guilin, was the highlight of their tour. They are urging us not to miss it!)

Tour B would give us a free half day in Yangshou as well.

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Tour B offers mostly 5 star hotels w/one or two 4 star choices. ONE of the 4 stars has reviews that make the choice a bit questionable.

Tour A offers mostly 4 star hotels. While some seem to, in SOME instances, possibly (?) have better central locations, the whole tour itinerary seems SO busy that I doubt that would matter much as it's unlikely there would be time to venture out and about on our own anyway.

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Tour B visits Solitary Beauty Peak for a lovely view of Guilin.

Tour A says it will visit Fubu Hill - also a viewing stop - "IF time permits".
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Tours A and B appear very similar in and around the areas close to Shanghai, except Tour A visits the Jin Mao Tower & Tour B visits the Oriental Pearl Tower.

Also, Tour B would give us an entire day and night on our own in Shanghai. (I realize some do not care for Shanghai but I think we will like it.)
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Flights to and from China are about identical.

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Opinions?

I say most of those differences are minor and unimportant. There could be changes during the tour when you're there. I'd like to hear what hotels they use in the cities. You know, in China, whether a hotel call itself a 4* or 5* is often meaningless. A 4* from a major international chain can be much better than a so-called Chinese 5* one.

Oh, more time in Yangshuo is better than more time in Guilin. Tour B is significant better for that part.

I think I know which tour companies you are trying to compare and without naming names, I just booked a trip with Tour B.
Please let us know which company you decide.

flgirl0817, We started out planning on Tour B. I had talked to the other co. some mos. ago and at that time, the price I was quoted over the phone was a fair amount pricier than the one we are planning to take now. Plus someone we know went w/Tour B. Then I began seeing all the China Spree posts and began looking at their website, so ??? I will let you know what we decide. (While I don't want to post any exact dates on here, is there a way to message people - as on Tripadvisor - fromm this site that I haven't found yet?)

fkkwan, thanks for a definite opinion. That really helps.
Perhaps I should post the hotel names and ask for another opinion. Will do it as soon as I get a chance in a while. Thanks!

Is the name of the companies a secret for some reason?

althom1122 - because once the OP states the name, this thread will immediately turn to another one of the numerous "Why XXX Tour Company sucks big time" thread.

rkkwan, you just hit the nail on the head, lol! Besides that, I prefer tha

mlbcruiser,

I don't think there is a way on this website to contact people directly for a private message, which I wish they would do. However, I do understand why you don't want to mention names here because then you get into the name calling and many people here hate group tours, so I don't blame you for not wanting to mention the name of the tour company.

I am happy with the decision that I made, but if you would like to email me directly I will be more than happy to give you an email address that you write me that won't show any personal details and will be private.

O.K., flgirl0817, what address would work?

Also, for rkkwan, so you don't have to search for my "new" post re: the hotels, here they are. Each list is for a different tour company.

1st List::

Crowne Plaza Shanghai 4* .

Xian Jianguo Hotel 4*

Guilin Park Hotel 4*

No overnt. in Yangshuo


2nd List:

Riverview Hotel (Shanghai) 4*

Doubletree by Hilton, Beijing 5*

Empark Grand Hotel (Xi'an) 5*

Royal Garden Hotel (Guilin) 5*

New West Street Int'l. Hotel (Yangshuo) 5* (a few unflattering reviews on this one!)

Do you have any first hand knowledge of any of these?

mlbcruiser,

You can reach me at:[email protected]

mlbcruiser,

Having problems with gmail, but you can contact me at: [email protected].

Anita

Ohhh. That's right, I've seen that before (bashing particular companies). Got it.

No problem, althem. Another "hazzard" is having to deal with those who are a bit overzealous in trying to convince others that THEIR way is the only RIGHT way to go about something. You would think that someone who travels would certainly have learned - since it is a lesson travelers almost always learn -that there is rarely just one "right" way of doing something, and different viewpoints that are not "wrong".

Thanks for your input!

There is not a "right" and "wrong", but, if I may gently say, there is "more informed" and "less informed." I have been on package tours and I have traveled independently, and, whilst I know that you are required in this case to have a tour due to your husband's wishes, I would encourage anyone who is consulting their own wishes to travel independently in China. I am very thankful for those on this website and elsewhere who encourage that and who make it so easy.

In comparing the two companies, I would probably look for a) which one spends more time specific places (rather than, "If this is Tuesday, it must be Xi'an") and b) what section of the Great Wall is offered for the visit. Unless your own travel style is fairly frenetic, you might find the pace of some of the tours a bit much.

Oh, and in case you haven't seen this one, Overseas Adventure Travel has an interesting tour of China: http://www.oattravel.com/Trips/2011/...iver-2011.aspx It's a small group company, and that is generally a bit more comfortable than groups of 30-50 for those who are used to traveling independently.

Amy, thanks for the link to OAT. That looks like a great tour, but it's just too costly for our budget, unfortunately.

While I think that the companies we are looking at are very, very similar, there is a bit more free time built into (not surprisingly) the longer of the 2. I will admit, when we travel (so far always on our own) some would probably consider us to be "frenetic travelers". However, WE are the ones who can decide the amount of time we prefer to stay at a site, or when we have had enough of it (within certain parameters, at least). We have changed plans in "mid stream" before, skipped something, or added something as we go. I do a lot of research before a trip, so usually have a good idea of what will be interesting for US. We also are able to build in time to just hang out, or "catch our breath" a bit. I know that will not be the case on a pkg. tour, so I totally agree w/you with regard to encouraging others to travel on their own. I usually advise the same thing.

I do think that one can be "informed" yet still choose to do something in a certain way that another might consider the "wrong" way. While it's fine to voice an opinion or offer info. or suggestions in a kind manner (as you did above), it's another to use an attacking tone, as some are apt to do on occasion. It's a shame when that happens because often the information being offered is very good!

Happy traveling to us all!

If you are looking for a budget tour I'd encourage you to check out Intrepid. Small groups, great itineraries, free time, no or minimal shopping ops.

Thanks but we have already booked our tour.

That was quick, given you only just asked for input. So, which did you pick?

Tour B. Might seem quick but I had enough time IMO. I had been researching both, and actually started looking into a China trip a bit last fall. Plus we needed to get it booked as our trip is not far off. I spent many hours online finding out what I could. I was also "messaged" on another site a few times by those who had visited China via a tour, plus contaced someone else via email. Besides that, knowing someone who personally did a trip w/this same co. and heartily recommended it convinced us as well.