I'm a travel agent who always take the tour prior to taking a group on a tour, namely, The 9 Day Classic South America (Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, Rio de Janeiro) with Gate 1 Travel. I checked Gate 1 Travel references, and Gate 1 Travel is a member of USTOA, as if Gate 1 Travel should be more reputable than other tour operators who aren't members of USTOA.
I'm a very conscientious travel agent because I was a consumer of travel before I was a travel agent, and I have had some bad past experiences with tour operators.
I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to resolve the problem with Gate 1 Travel because one member of the group travelled with me on the 9 Day Classic South America trip. We met up with 9 other American tourists that were also booked on Gate 1 Travel's 9 Day Classic South America tour.
When I returned from the 9 Day Classic South America tour, I wouldn't recommend any of Gate 1 Travel's trips.
I was traumatized by what happened to me directly and indirectly while I was on the 9 Day Classic South America tour booked by Gate 1. Also, Im traumatized by what happened directly and indirectly to the other American travelers in the group that were booked also by Gate 1 Travel.
5th Day - Tuesday - Gate 1 booked us in the Rio Othon Palace Hotel, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The Rio Othon Palace Hotel is in the heart of Copacabana Beach. Gate 1 didnt fore-warn us that Copacabana Beach has a lot of crime. Conversely, Ipenema Beach doesnt have as much crime. Also, most of the American tourists stay on Ipenema Beach.
a. One of Gate 1s guest and his daughter was almost mugged outside the front entrance of Rio Othon Palace by some Brazilians young men.
b. One of Gate 1s guest was accosted by a prostitute outside the front entrance of Rio Othon Palace Hotel.
c. Twelve of Gate 1s guests decided to walk to the flea market across the street from the Rio Othon Palace Hotel approximately after 10:30 pm after removing and leaving all our jewelry and accessories in the hotel safe. While we were waiting for the street light at the cross walk, about 50 Brazilian children between the ages of two and 12 circled us begging for money. Since I had already been mistaken as a Brazilian several times while I was in Rio, I started screaming at the Brazilian children in a couple of words that I knew in Portuguese because these Brazilian children were targeting Gate 1s white Americans trying to get into their pockets to grab there money and wallets. Also, I noticed 100 feet away that the parents had encouraged their kids to go after the American tourists, and there was approximately another 50 kids standing around with their parents at the fence watching. The children took off, but well were very traumatized by what had just happen. Your blond hair and blue eyed guests stated that they would never return to Brazil, and I dont blame them if I was blond and blue eyed too.
Gate 1 has an office in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and you know that it isnt safe on Copacabana Beach. Why didnt Gate 1 book us in a hotel on Ipenema Beach which is much safer? Why didnt Gate 1 tell us about the crime on Copacabana Beach?
d. While we were staying at the Rio Othon Palace, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, one of the tourist at the hotel was mugged and robbed on Copacabana Beach while we were there. While the tourist was making a purchase across from Rio Othon Palace on Copacabana Beach when he took his money out to pay for the purchase, a gang of Brazilian men
circled around him. They took over $250 Brazilian money and his hotel safety deposit key.
(e) While guest(s) at the Rio Othon Palace, we had to pay for ice; we were asked to go purchase towels across the street when we used the pool at Rio Othon Palace; we couldnt get an iron and iron board in our room; we were accused of using water, etc. from the non-locked mini-bar when we didnt get anything out of their mini-bar; etc. Erna Poner-Highsmith has a medical problem, and she needed ice on a daily basis. It took an act of God to get ice at Rio Othon Palace Hotel. Doesnt Gate 1 provide service for their clients who has medical needs, i.e. diabetics?
The Rio Othon Palace Hotels staff had an attitude toward Americans. It was obvious that the staff at Rio Othon Palace Hotel dont like Americans. I was told that Rio Othon Palace Hotel is owned by a Brazilian, and isnt an international hotel. Why would you book Americans in a Brazilian hotel that only want our money, but dont want to provide us with American standard services?
(f) Gate 1 booked a Hindu couple on this tour that are vegetarians, but didnt provide vegetarian meals for them. I had ordered my own vegetarian meals on the returned flight to Miami, Florida on Varig Brazil that I gave to them. I think that it is very insensitive to book Hindu clients, and dont provide them with the service of vegetarian meals.
(g) Day 8, Friday Illan May, Gate 1 tour guide, left us again at the Brazilian barbecue with another one of Gate 1s staff. On the way back to Rio Othon Palace Hotel, Gate 1s guests on the bus asked the driver to drive pass the Xmas tree floating in the lagoon. According, to Gate 1s staff interpretation of what the driver said, I dont have time, the driver lost about $75.00 - $100.00 U.S. Dollars in tips that evening. Everyone on the bus was upset with the driver because it would have only taken him an additional 5 minutes to drive us to see the Xmas trees lights. Again, a lack of service from Gate 1. There were some other incidents that happened while we were on the 9 Day Classic South America, but they were too numerous to mention.
The purpose of my trip along with one of my clients was to do a site visit. There is no way that I would take my clients on the 9 Day Classic South America (Buenos Aires, Iguassu Falls, Rio de Janeiro). If I were to take any of my clients on this tour, I would no longer have any clients because of the way we were treated. Also, I dont feel comfortable using Gate 1 as a tour operator for any of my travel.
This 9 Day Classic South America Tour was a nightmare. Also, I recommend that the U.S. Government regulate tour operators because they are ripping - off American travelers by million of dollars. We paid approximately $3,700 per person for the 9 Day Classic South America which was one of the cheapest tours. A 9 Day tour to South America averages approximately $5,000 per person. Conversely, airlines wished they collected on the average $5,000 per person that they booked on the airlines.
Read Next Complaint >>
