Hong Thai Travel

Booked a Turkey Tour from HongThai in a travelling agent fair. The price was reasonable but some staff can be quite rude and like to push their customer around. The customer service was quite bad because everything was last min. I only received my air ticket and itinerary one week before the departure date. In the end, they executed the tour with only 6 people. As expected, with a 6 people tour group, we were shortchanged on many things, most noticeably the three meals. Other tour groups were given more options whereas for us.... only chicken meat and plain water (just food to keep us alive). In addition, the whole itinerary felt like a school trip. It felt like a history class instead of a holiday. Adding on, we were controlled by how and where we spend (e.g: keep bringing us to places where the tour guide can receive commissions hence overpriced goods). Everyday after the tour, we were thrown into some isolated hotel where no shops were nearby. Lastly, there were no opportunity for us to go "free & easy" in local shopping mall / market during our free time because the tour guide had to follow the protocol. Nevertheless, the tour guide is friendly. This will be my last time booking from hong thai.

Hong Thai Travel Agency only cares about earning money and profit. Horrible. Pests. My family had an early booking for a tour group trip to Korea on March. But due to an ongoing virus, all members in the tour group agreed to postpone the trip to 5 months later. However, my family will not be able to make it for that period of time. I know that there is a contract and whatever. BUT, this isn't our fault? INITIALLY, we already agreed on March. Just because the rest of the members are scared of the virus (which isn't so bad at all in Korea) and agreed to postpone it doesn't mean my family have to be responsible for it. Hong Thai Travel not only didn't want to refund us back our deposit. They even told us that it's either we follow the rest of the members and go for the trip 5 months later OR choose another tour under their agency. WOW. how unreasonable! Money Suckers! Worst place ever. Money Faces.

Followed Hong Thai on their 10D Russia tour and it was horribly disorganised. They did not have an assigned tour leader until 2 days before departure. Even so, the leader was a freelancer who did not know much about the destination and was clueless about the itinerary. Everything was left to the 2 local guides (1 in Moscow and 1 in St. Petersburg) who followed us throughout our stay in the respective cities. Throughout the tour, there were many changes to the order of itinerary which were not updated to the tour members. Many of us ended up not knowing what to expect and have to individually check with the local guide on the updated itinerary. Even with the massive changes in itinerary order, the tour leader assured us that all the attractions stated in the itinerary would be covered some way or another. This was not the case. On our city tour of the Red Square, the local guide conveniently left out an itinerary item - Lenin’s tomb. She did not even inform the group that we would be skipping this item and simply walked past it without explanation. When someone brought it up, she said we would not be visiting because of lack of time and blamed the traffic conditions. To us, it was ridiculous because 1) the set-off time was late (10am) and 2) Moscow is notoriously known for heavy traffic conditions and jams. Given that the traffic is usually bad, shouldn’t the agency have arranged for an earlier set-off time to accommodate for traffic jams? It reflects poor planning and a lack of regard for their customers’ interests. Their optional tours are a 100% rip-off and non transparent. Do not ever join. We were offered 2 optional tours: Russian ballet at Mariinsky (150 euros) and Neva river cruise (80 euros - which by the way, you can easily find on Viator and the likes for less than 15 euros). Prior to departure, the agency briefed us that the ballet title would be confirmed a week before departure. When calling to check if we would like to join the optional tours, a staff member informed us that the ballet show would be The Nutcracker. Some of us paid the 150€ thinking we were going to see the Nutcracker. Imagine the shock and horror when we realised late into the tour that the company had changed the ballet show to Giselle without informing us. When we told the company about their earlier communication of Nutcracker, they denied it and said they never mentioned it and the show planned all along was Giselle. Yes, both ballets are renowned, but the tickets to Giselle cost significantly less than the Nutcracker, which makes it quite obvious that the shows were switched for profit maximisation. There is nothing wrong with that per se, except for the fact that they did not inform us about the change and later insinuated that we were lying. To make matters worse, the seats booked for 150€ were one of the lowest category balcony seats with an obstructed view and we could hardly see anything. For those who did not join the optional Neva river cruise, there were no plans made for them. They were told to “stay on the bus” and wait. One of the advertised meals was a beef stroganoff lunch. We were served a beef patty with a side of chips. When we asked the local guide, she insisted that it was beef stroganoff cooked in a different style. We did not believe her and checked directly with the restaurant. The restaurant confirmed that it was definitely not beef stroganoff the agent ordered. At the end of the day, the agent still refused to admit any mistake. Our tour leader was also rather useless and we sometimes find ourselves doing his job for him. At times, he would leave people out instead of waiting for them and we needed to remind him that some of the members were missing. At the attractions, he was busy taking photos and selfies instead of looking out for our welfare. At the end of the tour, he still had the audacity to pressure us into filling up a slip to vote him as ‘best tour manager’. A horrible experience, please avoid.

I seldom write reviews unless i suspect that the business have moral and ethical issues. I understand that travel agencies are having a hard time and business is affected. If the agency has already pre-booked and incurred losses, I also think it is fair for customers to pay these cost. However, we also note that some airlines have offered refunds out of goodwill. My main concern is that if Hong Thai Travel did not incur much cost due to allowable refunds from hotels and airlines, then not allowing refunds to their customers is just a way to lock in this money and forcing the purchase during a virus situation where we as travellers are not at fault. Forfeiture of deposits is fair if customers for their selfish reasons, refuse to travel. In short, Hong Thai just wants quick and one time money from their customers. They do not care about recurring business nor their business reputation. On top, I would also question their business morals and ethics since they were not forthcoming on the cancellation charges they have incurred. (they did not even bother to check for me). Do not support a business or agency like that. your dollars are better spent elsewhere.

We booked our China Kunming trip with Hong Thai Travel during Natas fair 2019. Because of this virus we have to cancel our trip which is departure on March (school holiday)...Because our tour is no refund value, their staff explained to us when we sign up this package.So we've decided to postpone our trip to this year end. We know that this is the tough situation to them. When we went down to their office and discuss about our trip, their staff is willing to help with their professional advice and patience. Cheerup and all the best to you guys.

Just came back from our 8D6N New Zealand tour booked with Hong Thai Travel. This is the first time we join this tour agency and unsure if it will turn up to our expectation. However, we are pleased with what they offerred in terms of hotels and itinerary. Their fare maybe a little more expensive than other travel agencies but it was all worth it. Will definitely consider our next trip with them !!

Went in to enquire about tour packages to Europe. Initially, only a lone male was present. He was apologetic about the crowd so we sat quietly awaiting our turn. This would be 0 stars if not for him. A short haired lady then came out to take our enquiry. She was quite condescending in tone and attitude. If HT cannot even maintain consistent standards for their office service staff, i worry about their frontline professionalism. We will bring our money elsewhere.

Very disappointed with their services. You email them and they don't respond. When you call them, you have to wait and then they promise to call back but they never. Hong Thai has many wonderful tour packages, but they aren't keen on selling them to their customers. So, in the end we have to go to Chan Brothers, which is such a shame. That was last time, this time we emailed them again. Still no response.... my goodness, time for some staff reshuffling?