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Frequently Asked Questions
Providing the answers to your questions about the Luxury Gold experience. Before, during and after your tour.
During Your Tour
Your Luxury Gold tour combines luxury hotels, exceptional dining and curated experiences into one unforgettable journey.
Your Tour Experience
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clear searchWhat is the role of the Travel Concierge?
Your Travel Concierge is the best five-star concierge you've ever met. Their role is to understand your tastes and preferences and to offer personalised touches to ensure your tour is as individual as you are.
Fluent in the local language and with an in-depth knowledge of any given destination, your Travel Concierge is also the ultimate travelling companion, helping you to build an understanding of new places that goes beyond the superficial.
Fluent in the local language and with an in-depth knowledge of any given destination, your Travel Concierge is also the ultimate travelling companion, helping you to build an understanding of new places that goes beyond the superficial.
How many guests will be in my group?
All Luxury Gold tours are small group tours, with an average of 20 guests. In such a small group, you'll receive more personal attention from your Travel Concierge, and you'll benefit from access and experiences not available to larger groups.
What does porterage mean on my tour?
On a Luxury Gold tour, we handle everything to do with your luggage.
When you arrive at your luxurious hotel, your case will be taken directly to your room. And when you leave, a porter will ring your room to transport your luggage down to the coach. There is no need to move your suitcase out of your room.
For peace of mind, Luxury Gold guests are automatically enrolled with Blue Ribbon Bags - the lost baggage retrieval service. For more information, see Porterage.
When you arrive at your luxurious hotel, your case will be taken directly to your room. And when you leave, a porter will ring your room to transport your luggage down to the coach. There is no need to move your suitcase out of your room.
For peace of mind, Luxury Gold guests are automatically enrolled with Blue Ribbon Bags - the lost baggage retrieval service. For more information, see Porterage.
How much free time will I have on my tour?
Free time is built into every Luxury Gold tour, enabling you - with the assistance of your Travel Concierge - to personalise your tour and discover a destination in the way you choose.
How much walking is involved on a Luxury Gold tour?
Our activity levels give you an idea of what to physically expect from your Luxury Gold tour. We have divided all tours into three categories: Leisurely, Balanced and Dynamic. All tours have been assigned one of these categories. Visit Activity Levels to find out more.
What are my options as a solo traveller?
Travelling solo with Luxury Gold combines the peace of mind of guided travel with the exhilaration of independent discovery. All Luxury Gold tours offer the option of travelling solo, staying in a room of your own.
Find out more about travelling solo with Luxury Gold
Find out more about travelling solo with Luxury Gold
What do I need to know about tipping and gratuities on my tour?
When travelling with Luxury Gold, certain tips and gratuities are included in your tour package. Porterage at hotels, service charges and tips for hotel waiting staff (for included meals) will be taken care of by your Travel Concierge. There are however a few instances where individual tipping is welcome.
Hotel Services
It is customary to tip hotel staff for room service delivery if the charge has not already been added to the bill.
Local Hosts and Local Specialists
Tours outside of the Americas do not include gratuities for Local Hosts and Local Specialists. It is customary to show appreciation for the insights, stories and know-how shared with you.
Your Travel Concierge and Driver
At the end of your tour you may wish to express appreciation to your Travel Concierge for their excellent service and the personal attention you received.
For your convenience and ease, there is an option to prepay gratuities for the Travel Concierge and Driver at the time of booking on the majority of our tours. This option is not available on Croatia and the Dalmatian Coast, and tours in Asia and Africa. For further information, please check with your local sales representative or reservation agent at time of booking.
Eating and drinking
Tips and gratuities will be taken care of by your Travel Concierge for all meals included in your itinerary. When you are exploring on your own, it's helpful to know regional norms around tipping.
In Europe, there is no obligation to leave a tip, but between 5% and 10% is normal in most European restaurants. Make sure to check that a service charge hasn’t already been added on as this is becoming more common. Also bear in mind that tipping is only necessary at a table service restaurant. When eating out at a pub or fast food outlet where you order your food from a counter, tipping isn’t necessary or expected.
In North America, it is customary to tip for a variety of services. A restaurant is usually tipped 15-20% of the total bill before tax. In bars and pubs, the bartender and cocktail server usually earns between $1-$2 per drink depending on the price of the drink. Other services from taxi drivers to hairdressers normally receive 10%. Your Travel Concierge can also answer any questions you may have regarding when and how much to tip.
Coach Travel
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clear searchWhat sets Luxury Gold coaches apart?
With Luxury Gold, you'll travel aboard a specially configured coach with plentiful legroom. Despite travelling in an average group of size of just 20, we've opted to retain a full-size coach rather than downsizing. So, you'll have plenty of personal space to enjoy the journey.
How long will I spend on the coach?
We seldom travel longer than a couple of hours or so without a stop. Often your days won't involve the coach at all as we build in multiple days at leisure into your itinerary.
A Luxury Gold tour will also include a range of other modes of transport, from high-speed trains to alpine cable cars, hydrofoils, river cruisers and horse-drawn carriages, in addition to our high-deck luxury coaches with extra legroom.
Accommodation
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clear searchWhat can I expect from the accomodation on a Luxury Gold tour?
Luxury Gold utilises a carefully curated range of hotels. We are extremely selective, choosing only the very best hotels offering exceptional levels of service.
From game reserves to castles, our properties are an experience in their own right. And with multiple night stays in many locations, you'll have the opportunity to take advantage of all they have to offer.
Discover our Luxury Hotels
From game reserves to castles, our properties are an experience in their own right. And with multiple night stays in many locations, you'll have the opportunity to take advantage of all they have to offer.
Discover our Luxury Hotels
Can I use my electrical appliances?
Electrical plugs and outlets differ throughout the world so you'll need a universal travel adaptor suitable for the countries you are travelling to in order to use any mobile devices. Electrical currents also vary throughout the world and we suggest you carry a converter for any electronics that are not dual voltage in order to prevent them being damaged.
Can I have my laundry done?
Most hotels offer a laundry service. However, it is a good idea to try and pack enough clothing to avoid having to do laundry, as it can sometimes be costly or inconvenient.
Dining
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clear searchWhat do I need to know about dining during my tour?
To access the true heart of any destination, look no further than its cuisine. At Luxury Gold, we provide exceptional and varied dining experiences for our guests.
From Michelin starred restaurants, to rustic farm-to-table experiences and guided street-food adventures, every meal on a Luxury Gold tour is a memory in the making.
Unless otherwise stated, breakfast will be served at your hotel every morning. Lunch and dinner may not be included every day. This allows guests to explore the local food scene for themselves, your Travel Concierge will always have a wealth of recommendations.
Find out more about our Exceptional Dining
From Michelin starred restaurants, to rustic farm-to-table experiences and guided street-food adventures, every meal on a Luxury Gold tour is a memory in the making.
Unless otherwise stated, breakfast will be served at your hotel every morning. Lunch and dinner may not be included every day. This allows guests to explore the local food scene for themselves, your Travel Concierge will always have a wealth of recommendations.
Find out more about our Exceptional Dining
What should I do if I have specific dietary requirements?
We encourage all guests to advise us about any specific dietary needs that they may have (vegetarian, diabetic, gluten free, etc.) and we will strive to accommodate them.
We kindly request that you advise us of any dietary requirements when completing registration on My Luxury Gold. Please also discuss your needs with your Travel Concierge at the start of your tour. Where possible, we will endeavor to make arrangements with our suppliers however requests cannot be guaranteed on every occasion.
Sustainability
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clear searchWhat is Luxury Gold doing to make travel more sustainable?
We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our business.
Coach travel has been proven to reduce congestion and create less pollution per passenger kilometre than any other form of transport. And the Luxury Gold fleet is among the most efficient in Europe.
To limit single-use plastics on our tours, we are proud to present each Luxury Gold guest with a reusable water bottle. We also enable you to travel paper free by delivering the documentation for your tour electronically though the My Luxury Gold portal.
To find out more about how we Tread Right, visit our Make Travel Matter hub.
Coach travel has been proven to reduce congestion and create less pollution per passenger kilometre than any other form of transport. And the Luxury Gold fleet is among the most efficient in Europe.
To limit single-use plastics on our tours, we are proud to present each Luxury Gold guest with a reusable water bottle. We also enable you to travel paper free by delivering the documentation for your tour electronically though the My Luxury Gold portal.
To find out more about how we Tread Right, visit our Make Travel Matter hub.
Wellbeing and Safety
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clear searchWhat if I become ill on the tour and cannot continue?
Your Travel Concierge will assist you with a doctor's visit or hospitalisation should you require.
Luxury Gold has a dedicated Customer Care Department in Europe or our Operations Department in the relevant country will contact you to offer assistance and advice.
Luxury Gold has a dedicated Customer Care Department in Europe or our Operations Department in the relevant country will contact you to offer assistance and advice.
How can I stay safe while travelling?
A Luxury Gold tour combines seamless guided experiences with the opportunity to discover a destination independently. Immersing yourself in a new place is extremely rewarding but it's important to remain vigilant and to take precautions when traveling to reduce the chances of situations arising that would affect your enjoyment.
Personal belongings
Many of us carry expensive equipment such as mobile phones and cameras to capture our travel memories and keep in touch with loved ones. Be wary of showing them off in crowded places and never leave them on the table in restaurants, bars, hotel lobbies and public places (breakfast rooms).
Bags
Keep your bag with you at all times. Wear it across your chest and ensure the bag is on the front of the body when you walk through crowded places.
Passport
Make sure your passport is always safe. Keep it on your person on travel days. Many hotels provide safety deposit boxes for your use on longer stays but be sure to reclaim them before checking out. Make a photocopy of your passport and important documents and keep them separately from the originals and make a note of emergency numbers for any credit/ bank cards that you use.
Cash
Only carry as much cash as you need at any time and avoid displaying large numbers of notes when paying for anything.
Passport and documents
You are required to carry your passport with you at all times. A money belt worn under your clothing is the safest place to carry your passport, as well as other important documents, a spare credit or debit card, larger cash amounts and any emergency contact lists.
Hotels
When leaving your room, securely shut all windows and close the door to your room as you exit, with enough force to ensure it properly locks. Remember to keep your room key safely on you. On arrival at a new hotel, familiarise yourself with escape routes and locate the nearest fire exit to your room. Always know how to raise the alarm.
Situational awareness
Avoid confrontational situations and large gatherings and if at any time a situation doesn’t feel right, walk away.
Hostile situations
In the very unlikely chance you find yourself in the vicinity of a hostile incident, leave immediately and contact the police. If you are unable to leave, find somewhere to hide, lock the door and keep as quiet as possible. Remember to turn your phone to silent and contact the police.
Staying in Touch
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clear searchWill I have access to the internet during my tour?
On Your Coach
Complimentary Wi-Fi is generally available on coaches. Using 3G mobile network, it means that connection is slower than standard broadband and at times may not be available. It is good for checking emails, web browsing and updating social media accounts, but less so for streaming video or large photo uploads.
At Your Accommodation
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in many guestrooms and/or public areas of most hotels. On some occasions, it may require an access code from hotel staff. Your Travelling Concierge will provide you with details when checking in to each hotel.
How else can I keep in touch with friends and family?
Sharing new discoveries with loved ones is part of the travel experience.
If you choose to bring a smart phone with you, ensure you contact your service provider to find out how much it will cost to use your phone internationally. You might consider disabling data roaming or purchasing a prepaid service or SIM to keep control of costs.
Making telephone calls from your hotel room can be very expensive. A pre-paid calling card is an easy way to save money when making telephone calls. Please ask your Travel Concierge for further information.
If you choose to bring a smart phone with you, ensure you contact your service provider to find out how much it will cost to use your phone internationally. You might consider disabling data roaming or purchasing a prepaid service or SIM to keep control of costs.
Making telephone calls from your hotel room can be very expensive. A pre-paid calling card is an easy way to save money when making telephone calls. Please ask your Travel Concierge for further information.
