Mystery Shopper

Mystery Shopper was looking for a two-week family holiday to Colorado over Easter, taking in the Rocky Mountains, some native American culture and Denver. They wanted a self-drive holiday and had a budget of £6,000.

This week, basic geography let some agents down, advising Mystery Shopper she had to go to Canada to see the Rockies, and the advice from Thomson and Thomas Cook was inexcusable.

• Location: Worthing, West Sussex
• Wanted: Family holiday to Colorado, US

Symes Travel

76 Broadwater Street
Score: 46%

The agent greeted me promptly as I entered. She was very friendly and quick to supply me with two brochures: Travel 2 America and Travel 2 Canada and Alaska, pointing out the Essential Colorado tour costing £3,164, excluding flights.

She recommended a tailor-made holiday and said I should give the itinerary more thought and return to the shop to go through the arrangements in more detail. She didn’t give anything other than a brief introduction to the brochures.

Another customer came in and she said she wouldn’t keep her long, but then took a call, although apologised for the interruption. Nothing specific was recommended and I got the impression it wasn’t a convenient time, although the consultant did say she would like to take her time in arranging a good holiday for me.

Thomson

62 Montague Street
Score: 51%

This shop had grubby paintwork and dirty woodwork outside. Inside, there were bundles of unopened brochures on the floor.

I browsed the racks for more than five minutes, but then was greeted with an apology for the wait. The consultant said the Rocky Mountains in Canada would be a good start, but travelling to Denver would need more organising.

She consulted a colleague, who suggested either the Rocky Mountains or Colorado, saying it would be difficult to do both in the same holiday. The consultant said ranch holidays in Colorado were worth considering.

Quotes included Cosmos Tourama, Native South West and Rocky Mountains for 13 days from £1,485 per person. This was a confusing consultation, with the agent implying I was asking for two different holidays.

Thomas Cook

5 Barclays Bank Building, Chapel Road
Score: 70%

I looked at brochures for five minutes before an agent offered help and invited me to sit down.

An initial stay in Denver was well catered for and the agent said if we wanted to travel by car there were reasonably priced hotels. Alternatively, we could take a train around the Rocky Mountains as it would be more spectacular.

Quotes included £3,347 for flights to Denver, one night in the city and 14-days’ car hire with Gold Medal Flightsavers and Alamo Car Hire.

I was amazed that the holiday would involve a trip to Canada to see the Rockies. She also said I could consider two separate holidays by flying between the Canadian Rockies and Colorado in the US.

I ended up a little bombarded with information, but the agent did point out lots of places to visit.

The Co-operative Travel

2 Newland Street
Score: 90%

The consultant was friendly, enthusiastic and patient throughout my visit and eventually met my needs as requested. Initially, we were going down the same route as the other visits, except that this agent was more proactive in phoning an operator.

While on hold, she looked through brochures and suddenly declared: “I’ve found the exact holiday you are looking for,” and cancelled her phone call. She quoted £5,900 for the American Rockies and Western Parks tour with Connections America, including flights with British Airways.

From start to finish, I was treated well, with the consultant offering tea and refreshments and, although other customers came into the shop, she politely explained that I was being attended to, but could certainly answer a quick question for them.

The next day the agent phoned me with a final price and also advised me to travel in May, when the weather would be better and parks open.

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Tips

• Colorado’s state capital Denver is known as the gateway to the Rockies – even its baseball team is known as the Rockies. It’s a clean and cosmopolitan city, good for culture, cycling, shopping and food.
• Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is the obvious place to see the Rocky Mountains, without the need to travel to Canada. Find out more at rockymountain nationalpark.com. In the neighbouring state of Wyoming, there’s also the Yellowstone National Park.
• For drives through the Rockies, clients can take the highest continuous paved road in North America and stop off at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, where Stephen King got his inspiration for the book The Shining.
• A ranch stay would have suited this Mystery Shopper – guests can stay for a few days, learn about ranching and help out with tasks. Operators such as Ranch America sell through UK travel agents.
• For more information on holidays to Colorado and hotel reviews from fellow agents visit Gazetteers.com.