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theres no escape from the mystery shopper In association with(Travel Weekly Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Thomson 7 Victoria Centre A giggly consultant served me straight away, but she didnt seem to know where to begin. Eventually she decided to check her system for brochures that featured the Taj Exotica, which was the hotel recommended to me. She found it in a few brochures but pointed out it was sold as bed-and-breakfast only. She said that as food was expensive in the Maldives, I should consider an all-inclusive property. When I said I fancied doing some diving she looked in the Kuoni Dive brochure for hotels. I was concerned they looked a bit basic but she said some were first-class properties. She suggested I took some brochures away to help me choose and popped a few in a bag with her business card. She also recommended I consider combining a couple of islands or twinning the Maldives with Dubai or Sri Lanka. She checked with a colleague who said all properties in the Maldives had reopened since the tsunami. As I was leaving, she said the agency would match Internet prices. So theres no point even looking, she added. Co-op Travel 64a Market Street As the consultant started searching the racks for brochures, she said: Do you want many, or just one or two? I asked her to give me those she thought would be good. She gave me every one she could lay her hands on which included Thomas Cook Signature, Manos and Cosmos Distant Dreams. She said they were all much of a muchness. When I asked her to recommend an island, she replied: There are thousands, look at the brochures. When I asked if all the hotels had reopened post-tsunami, she said she thought so. I thought Id go elsewhere. Going Places 64 High Street The consultant gave me the Airtours Far and Away brochure, saying all the hotels featured would have definitely reopened since the tsunami. She said there was so much choice it was difficult to recommend any particular island or hotel and advised me to look through the brochure instead. She pointed out hotels that had been highly rated by customers were marked Your Favourite in the brochure. She did mention that the agencys manager had just been to the Maldives but she didnt attempt to get her advice. Fat lot of help that was then. 3D Travel 6 Heath Street The agency was a little shabby but this clearly hadnt put off the customers as it was quite busy. I was served straight away and the consultant immediately checked on her system to make sure the Taj Exotica was open. She confirmed it was but she suggested I consider an all-inclusive property instead as a Coca-Cola in the Maldives could cost 10. She recommended two or three all-inclusive hotels that her customers had enjoyed. Giving me a few brochures to take away, she said Kuoni and Hayes and Jarvis were often cheaper than Thomson or Airtours. SUMMARY Mystery Shopper and her partner wanted to go to the Maldives for a romantic fortnight in the sun. They had been recommended the Taj Exotica hotel, but they wanted to know if it had been damaged by the 2004 tsunami disaster, and, if it had, had it fully reopened. They were also open to other suggestions from travel agents. They were mostly looking for a sun-bathing holiday, but they also fancied a spot of diving. This really was a story of two halves as a couple of the agents were desperately uninterested in the request, while the other two were very helpful. The Thomson agent was clearly less familiar with the Maldives than the agent at 3D Travel, but her enthusiasm and willingness to spend time with Mystery Shopper earned her those crucial extra points. Crewe, Cheshire A fortnight in the Maldives TOP 5TIPS Tip 1 Like many other hotels in the Maldives, the Taj Exotica was damaged by the tsunami, but it reopened at the end of last year. Tip 2 Gazetteers Plus currently features no less than 17 tour operators who feature the Taj Exotica. Tip 3 The Maldives is one of the worlds top diving destinations, home to three-quarters of the worlds coral reef fish species and suitable for divers of all levels. Most resorts have a dive centre. Tip 4 Diving holidays can be found on Gazetteers Plus by clicking the Special Interest tab to the left of the country information page. Tip 5 Eating out is expensive in the Maldives. Luckily, Gazetteers Plus clearly indicates which hotels are all-inclusive under each operators brochure details. |