Unfortunately, our experience with AVG left us feeling like just another number with little to no attention to detail or genuine client care.The Highlights?Ironically, the best parts of our supposed 5-star Vietnam tour were activities we arranged ourselves once we were in Vietnam though other agencies* A street food tour in Hanoi.* A private cooking class in Hoi An.* A Ho Chi Minh City show recommended by another tourist.* A Jeep Tour through HanoiThe Lowlights?There were several, but the most notable were:1. The Sapa Leg of the TourThe 2 day Sapa portion of our 12-day Vietnam tour was disappointing. We were a group of four (two couples who met at Hanoi Airport). My husband injured his knee during the Halong Bay cruise and couldn’t do the walk through the Sapa village & rice paddy. The other couple (both in their mid 70s) had already informed AVG that they couldn’t do the walk either and were assured that an alternative plan would be arranged.The ‘alternative’ provided? “Just stay in your Sapa hotel for two days.”Given the 5 hour drive from Hanoi to Sapa (depending on traffic) our group collectively opted to remain in Hanoi and cover our own accommodation costs which we all thought was fair enough. However, when we asked AVG to allow the designated Sapa driver to drop us at our chosen Hanoi hotel or to pick us up afterward and transport us back to the AVG-designated hotel, the answer was a flat no. We also requested a half-day tour in Hanoi as an alternative but AVG declined.2. Lack of Communication and OrganizationEven before departure, there were warning signs. Getting a detailed itinerary was almost impossible until 1.5 weeks before the trip. While we understood flights would be booked close to departure, we needed approximate dates to coordinate with friends in Vietnam. The number of messages, emails and people we had to deal with to get basic information was overwhelming and chaotic.3. Requesting ‘Extra Leg Room Seats’With a very large husband, seat selection is important. We duly noted on our forms that we required extra legroom seating and were happy to pay the additional cost. I spoke & emailed AVG 4 times to ensure the request was received and was assured it would be actioned. 2 days before departure we were told that we could only book those seats at the airport. On arrival at all international & domestic terminals, zero ‘extra leg room’ seats were available and we were told we should have booked them through our travel agentFinal ThoughtsThe overall experience with AVG was marked by a complete lack of customer focus. Once they had our payment and issued our tickets, it felt like they washed their hands of us. For a company advertising 5-star tours, the service and care were severely lacking.I would highly recommend booking your own tours, accommodation & flights or use a more reputable customer focussed company.
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