6 Reasons Why You Should Book Private Over Group Tours
With flexibility and access, private touring is on the rise. Below are 6 reasons why you should book private travel over group tours.
Avoiding the crowds even in crowded cities
Firstly, if there is one thing Covid-19 taught us, it’s that crowds are not ideal. It’s not just the potential to get sick that makes us want to avoid crowds, it’s the fact that crowds mean long lines, lots of noise and no unobstructed photo opts. We like our clients to be able to slow down and have a moment while they are travelling which is hard to do with a thousand people around you trying to do the same thing. This is just one of the reasons why you should book private over group tours.
|
So how does private travel help? It helps improve your experience because we can avoid the crowds even when they are there. What we mean is our guides are experts on the sites and cities you are visiting. They know what time the cruise ships dock, the tour buses unload, and the day trippers and they can expertly guide you through the museums, cathedrals and streets avoiding the masses. While we might not be able to arrange a completely empty Sistine Chapel, we can ensure you will be escorted through even the most visited site like a VIP.
Malta Blue Grotto
“I’ll never forget a guide I had in Malta. We were scheduled to visit some of the country’s ancient sites along with a stop at the Blue Grotto. Our driver and guide drove past the Grotto at the scheduled time and saw three big tour buses, without skipping a beat, they took us on to Hagar Qim and rearranged the afternoon so we could visit the Grotto when it was empty, an amazing experience! It’s that level of insight, flexibility and foresight that makes private tours so special.” Anna Jones, Ormina Tours’ CMO
Complete flexibility tailored to your every desire
Along with avoiding crowds, private tours can be tailored to your preferences. We often get clients who have a specific interest they want to explore. Whether it be gardens, art, cooking, wine, cars or visiting the home of their ancestors, we can arrange a private tour that is exactly what you’re dreaming of. This is why booking a private journey over a group tour can be beneficial for you.
Experience a wine master class
Whatever your desire is, we can make it happen. We take care of every last detail so all you need to do is show up and relax.
You get the best guides and drivers
It should be no surprise that the best guides and drivers work exclusively with private VIP clients. Just like you, they want to avoid the big crowds and have flexibility to adjust and adapt the tour based off their client’s interests. A good guide can make you fall in love with a location, a time in history, a piece of art or a landscape. And a good driver escorting you through your journey can bring so much comfort, ease and joy to your trip. These are trips you have been dreaming of and you deserve the best! At Ormina Tours we make sure all our private drivers and guides will provide you with a unique and unforgettable experience.
|
Exclusive access to experiences groups tours cannot touch
While a good guide can add a lot, often what makes something special is that it is just for you. We have access to incredible experiences that not just anyone can book. These may be access to areas of a castle that are off-limits to the general public or personal tours with the winemakers, chefs or producers. Whatever your interest, we can find something exclusive.
Sonia’s Beautiful Meal at Piazza Duomo
Our Product Manager Sonia Speroni recently had a private tour of the restaurant, Piazza Duomo’s garden located at the foot of the Ceretto winery. The three-star Michelin restaurant’s menu is 70% vegetarian, and their vegetable garden includes over 400 species of edible plants. Enrico Dell’Orto, the gardener, took Sonia on a tour of garden explaining the growing techniques and their constant research on edible plants and seeds. After the tour, Sonia indulged in a 3-course meal showcasing the colours and flavours of the garden, paired with matching wines. An experience she says she will never forget and just one example of how private touring can bring you closer.
Boutique and exclusive accommodation options
Another reason to book private is the hotel selection. Big tour groups need big hotels with room for big group meals, big bus parking and lots of ‘standard’ rooms. Our hats go off to hotels that manage large volumes of group bookings, it is not easy to cater for groups! It is also not the experience you would pick if you were travelling privately. The number one complaint of large group tours is the hotels. They are often lacking authenticity and located far outside the city centre (hard to get buses into historical centres).
At Ormina Tours, we always prioritise location when selecting our hotels. Our group size is only 10 so we are able to use some the best boutique hotels in Europe but there is a level of accommodation that no group tour can access. These properties are preserved for the one on one experience. Here are some to add to your bucket list.
Faro Capo Spartivento – Sardinia
Faro Capo Spartivento Hotel, Sardinia
A lighthouse hotel tucked away in the cliffs above a quiet beach on the Island of Sardinia. You hear nothing but the wind and sea as you relax by the cliff top infinity pool or steal a quiet moment perched at your window overlooking the Mediterranean. While the hotel is isolated and full of rustic charm, make no mistake, this is a luxury property. Every detail has been carefully crafted and the staff are incredible.
Faro Capo Spartivento Hotel Pool
Quite Reading Spot within the Lighthouse Tower
Built in 1854 by the Italian Navy, the lighthouse has been renovated and restored discreetly and tastefully, the materials and the furnishings giving way to a fine example of Mediterranean minimalist style, whilst following the principles of sustainable building. Still a working Lighthouse, guests can wander around the building and find many tucked away tranquil spots to relax.
Domain de Murtoli – Corsica
Our team visit hundreds of hotels across Europe so when our CEO announced that this was the best property he has even seen; we all took notice. Domina de Murtoli is located on the beautiful French Island of Corsica. It is not actually a hotel but a series of 17 renovated former shepherd’s cottages each on a private corner of the 2,000-hectare property. The cottages are self-contained each with their own heated pool and vary in size from 2-12 person. They are each meticulously designed and feature indoor and outdoor kitchens.
La Table de la Ferme Restaurant
Grotto Restaurant Night
Domain de Murtoli is famous for their three restaurants on the property. There is the Grotto, a restaurant built out of a natural cave where guests enjoy candle lit dinners and the beach restaurant which is outdoor dining on the property’s private beach. If you feel like something fancier, they have the Table de la Ferme which overlooks the golf course and has a private cellar for tastings. If you don’t feel like cooking, you can have intimate meals catered in your villa or a gourmet picnic crafted from the property’s own garden and farm.
See more preferred hotels here
You decide where to splurge and where to save
Lastly, Ormina Tours’ clients enjoy splurging and know there are times to splurge and times find incredible value. The beauty of private travel is you get to decide. Some clients love staying in family run B&Bs while splurging on Michelin starred dinners and private drivers. Other clients stay in luxury hotels while being extremely comfortable taking trains between cities. We work with our clients to craft the perfect trip. This ensures all their desires are catered to while finding ways to bring value to their trip. We are experts and can guide you in the right direction.
