Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
The App is superb and the location of the hotels was excellent
Because Headwater holidays match our interests and you meet like-minded people on them.
Excellent accommodation and agent Puglia Cycling very obliging
Great locations chosen, clear instructions using the app and local places to stay
Loved the location, the food,the staff. The walks were not too taxing. The weather was great for walking.
I would recommend but it’s quite a specific holiday, so not suitable for everyone.
I was able to email with any concerns a receive a positive response. I would like to give a special thank you to Stephanie Johnson, who always responded in warm and friendly manner. The Headwater service has been excellent, and I would highly recommended it to others.
Very good, responsive customer service.
Your staff and the Japanese agents worked very hard putting the trip together. This is more than appreciated.
We had - and are still having a superb time on Cape Verde. Our hiking tour was spectacular and exceeded our expectations. Not just because Santo Antao is remarkable but because we had an amazing guide, Txika who dealt with our every need.
Smooth and efficient booking process. Helpful staff ensured that travel arrangements met my specific needs. The holiday itself met my expectations.
Friendly, knowledgeable staff who responded very quickly to our queries. The holiday went very smoothly, and met our expectations. The Headwater App worked well and location was beautiful with stunning walks.
Well organised. And when Finnair had a strike that disrupted our return journey, your team phoned us and got the flights reorganised so, although delayed, the return journey went without a hitch.
Our holiday was very well planned, our guide was excellent, everything went fluently.
Well organised. Ralf was very informative & checked up how it was going. The app was excellent as had verbal running commentary so didn’t have to keep checking it. You couldn’t get lost with it. Much better than Macs app
The hotel recommendation was excellent as was the ski area we visited.
Efficienct booking service - resort and activities available exceeded our expectations.
Good customer service, well planned walking holidays, good communication, value for money
Good communication
Excellent package
Excellent hotel - arranged by Headwater
From the initial telephone enquiry until collection of the car at the airport on our return, we were dealt with efficiently and all went smoothly.
Interesting holidays. Our sort of activity. Attention to detail. Most accommodation very good.
We recommended Headwaters to a couple that we met in Lisbon yesterday. Not standard package hols
All our experiences of booking with Headwater have been excellent.
Holiday location for cross country skiing was excellent. Hotel accommodation had true Finland feeling and the staff were extremely responsive to our needs. Ski trails are extensive and well maintained.
We really enjoyed the island of El Hierro. The scenery was varied and in places dramatic. The walking was excellent, if at times challenging (particularly some of the descents). And the hotel was first class.
You're very efficient, pleasant to deal with, unfussy, & we like the standard of hotels & restaurants that you use on your trips.
Ease of arranging holiday. Good communication throughout, including when return flight had to be rescheduled when we were able to arrange an additional excursion
Efficient and friendly
Kate was extremely helpful when I was considering booking the holiday and was able to talk to me from her own experience as well as that of a colleague. Although a call in the evening before departure went unanswered I was called back first thing the next day. So, primarily my score is due to excellent customer care and knowledge of your destinations
The staff were accommodating to our requirements and the instructions received were suitably detailed to let us get on with our trip.
Perfectly organised with an amazing hotel and great walking instructions
Been with you many times, good holidays
Your itineraries are lovely and amazing!
Efficient and friendly service throughout
All aspects of the holiday including travel arrangements, pick ups and transfers and accommodation all went smoothly.
Having now enjoyed quite a few Headwater Holidays, we know they work well! For us, the enjoyment comes from visiting small places where the locals congregate, rather than being surrounded by fellow Brits!!
Even after completing our HW holiday, add-ons to other places has always worked well, travel and hotel accommodation being organised for us, taking away the stress.
Transfers better than expected. App was good even when we went off course.
A lovely holiday - always well organised. Sadly several villas we wanted to visit were closed temporarily or permanently.
Lovely hotel very relaxing, clean and friendly. Food was wonderful. You could mention how easy and reliable the buses are to use.
We had an excellent experience with Headwater from booking to arriving home, would definitely recommend to anyone looking for an adventure holiday.
Headwater were excellent and organised things exactly as we requested despite it all being very "last minute".
Megan was always very helpful and patient with us - despite us having to put things on hold at one point.
The local bike team (Puglia cycles) were very good. The initial briefing was excellent (the best we have had on our numerous cycling holidays). The Electric bikes were of good quality.
When a chain came off and got stuck in the pedal hub they sent someone out to help within 30 minutes. The same day we had a puncture that we repaired ourselves despite there being only one spare inner tube (wrong size) between 2 bikes - they did offer to send help but it wasn't required.
All accommodation was of very high quality and very welcoming (apart from Santa Maria 24). Breakfast were very good and always tried to provide Gluten Free for my wife.
The App is excellent - 99% accurate. Gives really good directions and clear route information as well as showing interesting sites en - route
Headwater have kept me informed leading up to the holiday - the hotel, the village and the routes which Headwater selected were just right for me.
Very enjoyable well organised . Description of rides were ot always accurate in terms of challenge
All in all an excellent and well organised holiday. Only small critisism was our first nights accomodation which after a very long day travelling did not provide a coffee or tea or the facillity to make one in our room also their breakfast was not up to the standard of the rest of the hotels.
We did have a delay on our first morning because they brought ordinary bikes instead of electric bikes and it took most of the morning to get these changed over. However Peter who was dealing with it was a very pleasant and helpful guy
Repeat travellers with Headwater, so we knew what to expect. All told the holiday met our expectations taking us to places not before visited. Walking at our own pace and not always sticking to the guided walks suited us fine.
A lovely hotel in an ideal position & close to the bus route which gives access to the rest of Gozo. Ideal.
Helpful and knowledgeable. I get a sense they care about making holidays as good as as can be
People at Headwater are always very good to deal with. I think you organise great holidays.
Friendly and helpful
Excellent company to travel with. Highly recommend
We felt well looked after. Holy Week processions inGranada/Malaga could have been a problem (getting out of the cities in our car) but thankfully we were able to plan and managed to avoid them.
A well organised and interesting holiday with some challenging walks, spectacular scenery and an excellent guide.
We enjoyed every aspect of the holiday. It was the first time we have been self guided rather than part of a group and it really suited us because we could ski at our own pace. The hotel was very comfortable and quite unusual in that we were the only people from the UK for most of the week. There was a lovely mixture of nationalities. We hope to go back in the future.
I was somewhat cautious about this trip, but Headwater was excellent in every way previously had an awful trip with Exodus, essentially since the local agent was unhelpful, and frankly dishonest.
Headwater is a professional organisation with friendly and helpful staff and it is an organisation we would travel with again. The essential information was very useful but an overview map provided with the joining instructions would be helpful. The trip to Akaslompolo exceeded our expectations. The scenery was beautiful, the cabins were comfortable and warm and the food was excellent. Other activities were available and there were plenty of walking routes if you didn't want to ski. We would come here again. The only criticism is that the signs on the routes were sometimes confusing and did not seem to tie in with the map.
Lauren Matkin provided fantastic service and helped us with all our queries
A great way to explore new territory
A thoroughly enjoyable holiday with an excellent guide.
A great choice for independent travellers looking for an active holiday with safety and quality assurance built in.
Headwater were helpful from the beginning and came up with an itinerary for us to include everything we wanted to
do. Any queries were sorted before we left England and whilst in Japan. The notes we were given were extremely clear, detailed and invaluable; as a result the trip went smoothly with no hiccups. I would certainly recommend Headwater ( and have already!) and would certainly travel with them again
Such a great way to experience a destination. The routes allow you to soak up the landscape and the culture at a leisurely pace. It actually covering significant areas over the course of the holiday. The optional routes make for a great opportunity to delve deeper and widen your experience.
Hotels are well selected and in great locations to allow you dip in to the local food scene - always well deserved at the end of days cycling. We always feel recharged at the end of holiday with a stack full of great memories
Good communication very well organised transfers
no issues at all
We had a fantastic trip, though the northern italian weather by mid october isn't quite as balmy as we'd have liked.
Very enjoyable holiday, well organised, would highly recommend to others (have done so already!)
Our trip to Japan was just fabulous. We loved every part of it.
We added a few days at the start and finish of the trip to travel independently, and it was good to have this extra time to explore Kyoto and to travel a little further afield afterwards. Having the reassurance of our booking with Headwater gave us the confidence to do this.
The travel and transfers all worked out very smoothly. The walk itself, the hotels and guesthouses, the food, and the welcome we were given by all our hosts along the Kumano Kodo were exceptional.
It was a very special experience which will live long in our memories.
Well organised, well documented,and helpful patient staff in the office, all very smooth travel and better than expected hotel. First time with Headwarter. Impressed.
This was our first Headwater holiday. It was fantastic from beginning to end. Everything ran smoothly. We had a wonderful time
Had a wonderful time although it would be useful for HW include market days + opening times of places to visit along the way to help choose departure date. We missed all markets and a lot of places of interest are closed Monday or Tuesdays which coincided with our journeys. There are quite a few sections of cycling with industrial backgrounds in view but the scenery other than this was excellent in places. Bikes are great, (not electric) lovely and comfortable, cycling app is a must ....... so much easier than stopping to read route notes. Food was good on the whole. Villa Lussana in Teolo was a disappointing breakfast, tinned fruit salad and fruit straight from a very, very cold fridge, they appear to be concentrating on their restaurant next door. However, the larger of the Pizzeria's behind the village provides excellent food and you need to book or be prepared to wait .... best pizza's for 40 years mmm! Pretty good value too. Be sure to set off early to visit Vincenza, it's a beautiful place and takes around an hour to cycle to using the app. Lots of places closed in Padua on Monday's but an interesting place although not as beautiful as Vincenza **travel by train for this one. Agrutorismo L'Abara is unique with a fantastic humorous host (Frediricco) who will ensure you mingle with other guests at meal times. We met and enjoyed 2 evenings with 2 different Belgian couples who both spoke excellent English. Interesting to fine our countries have much in common.
We thoroughly enjoyed our cycle tour of Veneto which was an area previously unknown to us. It is unspoilt, easy cycling, with enough points of interest on the way to give you a break from the bikes. We found it amazing value and made us want to go back to explore more of northern Italy. The Headwater app worked great and there was plenty of information in the tour notes which encouraged us to take a train to Padova and to cycle on our 'rest' day to Vicenza, both of which were fascinating places. The bikes were excellent and we had a really good briefing from the local agent. Th only slight gripe was the first and last stop, Il Feudo, where we left our car, which was in a delightful spot but a bit too basic for us - we felt we needed aircon in the bedrooms (temperature was into the high 30's at end June) and a decent shower. Also be warned: take plenty of mosquito repellent!
Excellent hotel - location, facilities, staff and food.
Navigation app was outstandingly good, informative and with a few very minor exceptions accurate and easy to use. Made our walks highly enjoyable and stress free.
Overall a really enjoyable holiday although some of the accommodation experience could have been better given the price paid for the holiday. The experience at Villa Lussana was extremely poor due to the attitude of the management. While the management at Il Fuedo were very nice, the quality of the accommodation was quite poor (felt like 2 stars when were expecting 3/4 star level). Consideration should have been given to location on a Sunday. We had no real options to easily do day trips from Teolo without a major cycle again given no public transport available on a Sunday.
We rate Headwater and all its staff very highly. The sales team, mainly Andrew Palmer, were helpful from start to finish, always sorted out any problems or queries efficiently. We had to rebook flights after our airline cancelled but this was sorted out by Sara at Headwater UK very quickly. The local Headwater staff were similarly helpful when we wanted to make changes to our itinerary, this was sorted out with minimal hassle. In short, we have had an excellent experience with HW and we ended up having an absolutely brilliant holiday, just what we had hoped for.
A wonderful way to see the true Italy. You are independently exploring, with the freedom to roam but have the “safety net” of the company if needed. Giving you a sense of security and peace of mind.
The extension in Venice was somewhat spoiled by the cancellation of the return flight and the lack of help available. I related the events of the day in an email to Joanne the day after our return. Easyjet were no help whatsoever and we felt let down by Headwater, especially when we eventually got a call back from the Emergency Cover staff and the person said she had no record of what we had said in our earlier calls. From then on, we were on our own. A later email said H/W was exceptionally busy and calls were dealt with 'on a priority basis'. If two 76-year-olds stuck in Venice without help on their 7th H/W holiday isn't a priority, then I don't know what is! Fortunately, Paula (and maybe others) helped us to get our extra expenses refunded which we are very grateful for and has somewhat redeemed the situation: otherwise, this would have been our 7th and last H/W trip.
A tranquil break on a beautiful island, with good walking and a brilliant hotel. A really fabulous break. Adding 3 days on the back to see Valetta was a great idea.
This cycling trip in Puglia was wonderful. All accommodations and locations were excellent. This area of Italy was new to us and it didn’t disappoint. The range of areas and experiences was excellent from staying in Trulli to Masserias and quirky auberges. The support of the local agent was excellent and they were so supportive when one of our party had an injury. There was probably more road cycling than compared with other cycling trips we have done but mostly they were quiet. We would definitely recommend this as a trip and hope to visit other parts of Puglia.
Beautiful coastal paths. Visit to Comino a must for the walk but very busy at the Blue Lagoon and extremely limited places to sit and enter the water. Fungus Rock area is spectacular as are the cliffs between Ta Cenc and Xlendi Bay. Easy to get around on the buses. Only 2 Euros for two hours travel on any route. There is no courtesy bus from the hotel, however, to Kantra Cove (which we thought was dangerous anyway) or to Victoria. Buses go one per hour. Had a few issues with our room but these were rectified promptly. The swimming pool in the spa is the loveliest I have ever swam in. Great way to end the day before dinner. Staff were all very pleasant, especially Natalie. On the downside, there is no shop or bar close to the hotel.
A very good holiday in all aspects. The food in Ta Cenc was disappointing. Few local dishes or Maltese cuisine.
We greatly enjoyed the holiday and our apartment was lovely. We found the walks physically hard. Walks were problematic if one relied solely on the paper walk guides. We had battery problems when using the navigation app.
An excellent week on Gozo with some great walks.
Good hotel.
No hotel minibus service provided to the start of the walks.
Buses and taxis are very good on Gozo with great online booking and information.
Very pleasant week was had by us both. Anything we needed to know the hotel was always happy to help us. the food and accommodation was great. we may well return there, even though we have been twice before
A landscape where the "Bible meets the Burren" ! Amazing rocky, parched landscapes with dramatic cliff walks, ridgeline villages, church domes and clear seas you want to dive into. We self guided around the coast and villages of Gozo, relying on the local buses and a stout stick. Relatively eas y walking but the unremitting hard surfaces can be sore on your feet and knees. We travelled in March and benefitted from the wild flowers and green valleys. Hotel Ta Cenc was wonderful with its dramatic cliff setting. The ridgeline villages are beautiful, although quiet, but we loved the bustle of Victoria and would especially recommend a visit to the Citadel.
We enjoyed the opportunity to visit a new country and experience a new activity. The Yllas region of Finland is very beautiful and quiet and the snow and cold added to that. The hotel was excellent and staff very professional. We found the cross country skiing challenging. We were complete beginners so in that respect we felt our expectations of what we could achieve in terms of ability were not met. We had hoped to be able to ski around the area more easily than we could and instead we switched to doing a bit of skiing on the lake (nice and flat) and then walking around the park on the cycle trails. I would suggest that beginners should book more lessons and to know that they may not be able to ski for many kilometres after 2-3 days of practice so to be prepared to ski for some of the holiday but also enjoy other outdoor activities on offer. The northern lights were lovely and the people of Finland very welcoming and friendly.
We enjoyed the holiday a lot. Cross country skiing is very energetic (in a different league from hill walking or downhill skiing) and you need to be very fit to enjoy it.
Hotel was excellent in all respects. Äkäslompolo was truly beautiful. There were many skiing and walking trails on the doorstep. Travel was fine.
Booking process however was very poor. After realising the direct flights as advertised on the website weren't available, I booked and paid a deposit. I was later informed hotel was full, no others available. Days later, I was informed there was a deluxe room at the hotel for an extra payment.
Furthermore, having booked a 6 day cross country skiing holiday as beginners, we'd also booked a 90 minute lesson which we'd assumed would be on day 1. It was on day 2 and the hotel were unable to change this, which meant we spent day 1 falling over. If these booking issues can be improved, I can thoroughly recommend this trip for the fit!
Our cross country ski trip to Yllas,, Finland exceeded our expectations. The accommodations were fantastic, and the wide variety of trails accessible from our resort were extraordinary. Seeing the Northern Lights was truly a highlight of the trip.
We had a very enjoyable holiday. The hotel was comfortable and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
Food was very good.
We were lucky with the weather and enjoyed the walks although on a few of them we found the instructions ambiguous on occasions. Some of the paths were quite hidden. Generally directions were good as were buses.
Walks were more challenging than anticipated but gave us a sense of achievement at the end!
I would highly recommend a stay at Yllashumina. The food was delicious and there’s excellent access to all the ski trails. If you’re lucky you’ll see the northern lights.
All aspects of the holiday were excellent. Skiing on loipes directly from the hotel; exceptionally comfortable hire boots; very good skis; well maintained loipes; lovely cafes en route; excellent food at the hotel with good choices; very helpful staff; wonderful saunas & great outdoor hot tub. Our hotel location was quiet & peaceful with Akaslompolo a half an hour's walk away for shops etc. Lots of snow. We were even lucky enough to see some Northern Lights one evening. A very enjoyable holiday.
I found Akaslompolo a top class destination for cross-country skiing. Snow conditions were excellent, which I consider essential. I will never again book a trip outside Scandinavia, because of unreliable snow conditions nowadays in central Europe. The network of ski trails is immense and it is easy to find trails with few other skiers. An unexpected pleasure was to find several cafes for skiers at strategic points. In late January, day length was not a problem, at 7 hours. Daytime temperature varied hugely, from -3C to -24C, so you need clothing for very cold conditions. Use local forecasts, not the BBC. The hotel was very comfortable with excellent food. There were many other activities that could be booked - I went to a reindeer farm only 1 km from the hotel. The only aspect people might find difficult is that that there was absolutely no "group dynamic" of Headwater customers. You need to be prepared to dine and ski just by yourself or in your own party.
We had a great time on this cycling trip, particularly enjoying staying in both the agriturismos, the one at Villaganzerla having the most convivial atmosphere at mealtimes, while 'il Feudo' was a more intimate family farmstead.
Whilst my husband is a regular cyclist for whom the (relatively rare) 'hills' and hair-pin bends were as to be expected, I as more of an occasional cyclist would have found them a challenge without the e.bike! We loved Este and Montelice, but didn't have enough time to see all the attractions, so if doing again would perhaps have built in an extra day. Similarly the canal boat museum at Battaglia was a gem. Our highlight in Teolo was being able to listen to a concert in the art gallery literally across from our accommodation (a once-a-month 'friends of' event). While October is clearly turning 'end of season', for us September was a perfect time as the weather was like a nice summer day in Britain.
The team also excelled with our extra night in Verona.
The trip went like clockwork.Headwater delivered the entire y like clockwork .
A relaxing holiday, in a mix of beautiful country & small towns & villages. We were made to feel welcome by hoteliers & locals alike. Grape harvest was underway whilst we were in area & we found that very interesting!
This was an amazing holiday. From the time of booking to the completion of the tour all ran smoothly. The app for navigation was brilliant - would only go on trips like this in future if this app was used. Puglia Cycling who did our transfers were always on time and very pleasant. Luggage was delivered by 4 pm each day, often earlier and usually waiting in room for us.
The weather was hot but a breeze kept it comfortable. Plenty of water is essential. It is worth noting that in some towns the public toilets are locked during siesta time but restaurants/bars were still open. There are many beaches and swimming holes along the way to stop and have a dip.
Unforgettable. Thank you to Headwater and Puglia Cycling.
Excellent route through pretty villages, vineyards etc with stops at some wonderful Palladian villas. E bikes were a must in July as it reached 35 most days. Good route with reliable back up transport of bags etc
This seemed much harder than the other 1+ Dolomites to Lake Garda cycling holiday we have done despite our fitness being better. However this was probably largely due to an Italian heatwave in late May/early June when we travelled with the thermometer at 30C in the shade each day by 9am. Thoroughly enjoyed it though and were very glad we chose the 10 rather than 7 night option. The extra nights further south contrasted well and it was good to cycle by the sea. Hotels all of good quality and each had its own special qualities. Not being tecchies and with basic phone contracts had some concerns re the GPS app pre travel but after a few minutes on the first morning we coped fine with it. Much easier than the old paper instructions. Had taken a battery charger pack but never used more than half a phones battery whilst out. Amazed how cheap prices were when stopping for drinks in small rural villages eg 1 euro for usual menu of coffees
An excellent holiday, but the experience was let down by no local Rep input. The return travel arrangements to the airport were eventually sorted by the excellent team at the Hotel.
The hotel looked after us well. We went half board - the evening meals were generally good. The area was very scenic and the wild flowers were lovely. The ascent/decent from to the village was quite severe especially after a long walk! On the first day the walk took us through an area with poor GPS signal where the paths were also indistinct and in places over grown.
However the biggest challenge was the heat - in mid-May we were expecting low to mid 20s but instead central Spain suffered a heat wave up to 37C making walking after 11am not sensible. As a result we spent our last 2 days in and around the hotel. As a small local hotel it was an ideal base for walking but by its very nature its facilities were limited for the days when it was too hot to go outside! This is by no way a criticism of the hotel or the holiday but the severe heat somewhat spoilt our last few days.
This was my first experience of an "unguided" walking holiday. The walks are detailed but the directions are not always very clear and do need updating. Lovely walks, scenery and points of interest but found some of the walking along road became a bit tedious and repetitive. Having a good map or GPS allowed us to "personalise" the routes! Easy to get around the island on the buses when needed. The 7 day unlimited travel card was perfect. Squeezed in a day trip to Valletta. The Hotel Ta' Cenc has a 5* location. Beautiful cliff view point. The hotel itself doesn't quite hit the 5* rating today, but has a certain charm and quirkiness with lots to recommend it. Relax, keep a sense of humour and enjoy the differences!
tedious.
Well sited hotel with plenty of flexibility
Very good. Route guides need updated. Hotel Ta Cenc very good. Rooms not 5* but food and service were.
it is very well worth going up to the lighthouse on the Ta' Pinu day, because the views are great. Also on that day, it’s worth adding the “stages of the cross” walk, again for the views
We added three nights in Valletta and would recommend that to others doing this trip. One day we used the hop on and hop off bus tour to see more of the island and would strongly recommend a visit to Mdina. We also recommend the harbour tour by boat from Sliema, and the military/history museum at the old fort in Valletta.
Holiday was made easy, flexible with alternative walking available due to the weather.
Hotel meals were excellent great range of choices every evening. Staff exceptional very friendly and helpful. The hotel is in a fabulous location some areas of the site need refurbishment but the main areas of restaurants,pools and gardens are well tended. Transfers went very smoothly with a very helpful driver Pierre who pointed out various sites of interest on the way to Gozo.
I would recommend this self guided walking tour of Gozo to anyone.
A magical place for Christmas with an excellent family run hotel and plenty of good food. The snow was good, you could ski virtually out of the chalet and tracks well maintained. Ski instructors were excellent. There were other options if you did not want to ski all week such as snow shoeing, fat biking, downhill skiing, dog sledding and reindeer rides. Most of these were in another area not far from the hotel so the immediate vicinity of the hotel was not touristy and felt authentic and remote. This is not a group holiday and probably not for single travellers. Probably better if you've done cross country skiing before to get the most out of the week as you are not with a group unless you pay for lessons.
If you’re allergic to cats, this hotel is Not for you! At least 8 roam the complex. Breakfast was great but evening meal disappointing. Great menu but tired ingredients. Vegetable selection poor and overcooked. Meat and fish overcooked. No freshly made desserts.
Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Spencer, thank you for summarising your experience at the Hotel Ta Cenc. We are very sorry to learn of your disappointment during meal times, please be assured your invaluable feedback will be passed on to the Hotel Ta Cenc for them to review and ensure they are able to make improvements. Thank you for choosing Headwater and we look forward to welcoming you on many more holidays in the near future.
Kind Regards
Headwater Customer Service Team
An enjoyable holiday based at a good local hotel with excellent food. The walking is quite rugged, although not strenuous and there is sufficient variety for a week. In fact, being based in one location allows you to get to know the topography well and appreciate the local way of life to some degree. We hired a car which meant we could visit other villages after our walk each day.
Overall this was an excellent holiday: we had a great time. As ever, there is always room for improvement: the route notes need slight updating; the staff and ambience at the hotel are excellent, but our room needed some refurbishment in the bathroom (the shower was very scruffy). The transfers to and from Gozo worked very well and our driver (Vincent) was very helpful and informative.
Although we are restricted to short/morning walks, there are plenty of options. Longer ( more than 8 miles) are also available. Local buses very convenient. Hotel excellent with both indoor & outdoor pools, a gym & excellent food (large portions). Kantra restaurant at Mgarr-ix-Xini excellent for lunch & or rest day. Walking notes v good, but take extra care between Calypso's cave & Ramla Bay. Our trip was unusual, as we arrived by cruise ship at Valletta port & returned home by air. The booking was made in Jan/Feb 2020. The Maltese authorities required our vaccination certificate to be via nhs app ( rather than the paper version) which caused us some anxiety - I don't know whether that was because we arrived by ship; I suggest you confirm the exact requirement for customers arriving by air. This was the 4th time we've stayed at Ta'Cenc & we enjoyed our 12 days gentle 1 boot walking (up to 4miles/day)
Perfect shoulder season easy walking destination; well chosen hotel and helpful guidance notes for each walk.
Very happy with hotel accommodation, food and taxi transfers. Hotel staff were pleasant & helpful. We are confident and experienced walkers who enjoyed the holiday and were able to work around difficulties encountered, but some may find certain omissions and changes to the guidance notes challenging. For example: There was no 'Headwater Information File' in the hotel. There was no hotel shuttle bus service. The walking routes were good and covered all of the features of the island but they were all longer than stated. Some of the route notes were out of date as directional landmarks were no longer present or the route was blocked by fences and/or private land and in one case by bridge repair works, in particular walk 9, walk 13 and walk 21.
Headwater response:
Thank you Mr Bardsley for your invaluable feedback, your feedback has been passed on to our Senior Programme Manager in order that we can ensure we make improvements to our literature provided. We look forward to welcoming you on many more self guided holidays with Headwater.
Headwater Customer Service Team
excellent itinerary with lots of variety .
excellent local support when we needed it
Excellent base for skiing and other winter activities. The ski tracks offer a variety of terrain and challenges, there is no charge for using the tracks which were well maintained throughout the week I was there. I would recommend the half board option because the food in the hotel is excellent and there are no better options that do not require travel by car or taxi. Ski equipment was good and the staff in the hire shop friendly and helpful, I did resent having to pay for my hire skis to be waxed.
A great holiday. Great trails and wonderful food. Yllas is a great location. We strongly recommend half board at the hotel. Room a little disappointing - very cramped. Initial transfer was late and it was a little confusing arriving at the airport but otherwise things went smoothly. Delighted not to have a rep. around. Ski Rental OK but ran out of boots in my size and landed up with some old (but very functional) boots. Would certainly visit again.
Very relaxing holiday in pleasant location. Walking easy but walks could be extended.
Hotel facilities very good and staff friendly and helpful. ONLY down side was the weather - torrential rain and wind for two days but it was November! But hotel facilities good pool - fitness suite spa so no problem filling in the day.
The first time for many years that the Gozo ferry had to be cancelled! All in all an enjoyable break.
Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Baker
Thank you for a lovely review. We are glad that you had an enjoyable holiday , despite the weather! Unfortunately something that none of us have control over what ever the time of year.
I do hope that we will be able to welcome you on another Headwater holiday in the not too distant future.
Kind regards
Customer Service
A lovely hotel and flexible itinerary made for a great holiday.
Excellent hotel on Gozo, lovely walks and scenery, and friendly locals. But don't expect any support from a Rep.
Headwater response:
Dear Ms.Short, thanks for leaving your review. We are pleased that you loved your experience in Gozo. I am sorry if you were under the impression that this holiday is managed by the Headwater Representative; This particular holiday is actually managed by the hotelier. If it is a holiday supported by a 'rep' that you prefer please speak to our team who will be more than happy to advise you on any future bookings.
Again, thank you for taking the time to review your holiday.
Kind regards
Headwater Customer Service
One reason we choose this holiday was because all meals were included in the cost of the holiday. This was exactly what we wanted. I see that future holidays in this area/hotel don't include a picnic lunch (essential as there are no shops on the walking routes) and only one evening meal. So I can't recommend on the basis of what we experienced. The food at the hotel was really good. The walks were as described on the itinerary and were enjoyable. In October the temperature was just right for walking. I'm glad we chose this month.
Headwater response:
Dear Mrs Drage, thank you for your review. I am pleased that you enjoyed your holiday and I would like to assure you that the opportunity to add picnic lunches and evening meals on this holiday are still available as additional options. It is important to Headwater to offer the choice to customise your own trip, therefore the standard trip is B&B, apart from on the first night when dinner is always included and the option is there to add the extras that you require.
A charming hotel with lovely staff in quiet part of Andalucia
Very enjoyable rides with a range of scenery and interesting places to visit. Vicenza and Padua which we visited on bike free days were particularly beautiful.
The bikes were fantastically maintained by our rep James - in contrast to Headwater agent holidays that we've been on before.
Beautiful area of Northern Italy - it was a total feast for the senses. Our rep was the best ever and our first cycling holiday in Italy was a lovely experience overall.
GREAT HOLIDAY. ALL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS WENT TO PLAN. THE VENETO AREA IN ITALY IS SUPERB FOR CYCLING AS THE ROADS ARE VERY QUIET AND THE CYCLE TRACKS ALONG THE CANAL WERE LOVELY. GPS WAS REALLY GOOD AS WE DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP STOPPING. THE WRITTEN ARRANGEMENTS WERE ALSO VERY GOOD WITH EXTRA INFORMATION ON VISITING PLACES ON FREE DAYS. WE WERE A GROUP OF FOUR WHICH WAS PERFECT AS WE COULD KEEP TOGETHER MOST OF THE TIME. WOULDN'T HESITATE TO BOOK ANOTHER CYCLING HOLIDAY WITH HEADWATER AND AM ALREADY LOOKING AT THE BROCHURE FOR NEXT YEAR!
My friend and I had a great holiday. I had previously been on cycling holiday with Headwater, about 7 years, ago level 2 ish - from Auxerre in France. Comparing the two, the ride was not significantly harder than this one at level 1.
The cycling routes were good and quite varied with some hills and beautiful scenery. Sometimes it was difficult to hear the GPS in traffic but most of the routes were on cycle paths or quiet roads. I came home feeling very relaxed.
Excellent and well organised.
We enjoyed this holiday in this lovely Veneto region which seemed unspoilt and with few tourists. Particularly enjoyable were our visits to Padua (by bus) and to Vicenza by bike. Particular highlights in these cities were the stunning Scrovegni Chapel in Padua (book on line the day before), and the ancient indoor theatre in Vicenza. The weather was particularly hot (early July) for the duration of our holiday and we were glad to have booked a couple of extra days of relaxation at the L'Albara which had an excellent pool. It also had air conditioning which we considered an essential feature during our stay. Unfortunately we were moving on on a Monday when a couple of the best reviewed villas were closed. Cycling was generally easy and flat apart from the climb up to Hotel Lussana with four hairpin bends, and the final day with a climb up and down hills before our last stop at Il Feudo. Generally we were very impressed by the very many cycle paths in this area.
Puglia is a super place to visit, the scenery is stunning, the towns so beautiful and interesting, the routes well planned and the assistance wonderful.
Superb a real sensory experience.
A very enjoyable trip with generally easy walking, albeit on a lot of paths and roads with no shade. Some of the directions are a little ambiguous whereas others are detailed and completely accurate. Very little was open though even in late May, so we soon learnt not to rely on a cafe or bar at any of the towns/villages. Good hotel with friendly staff and good food.
Walking mixed, not Headwater's best. Not much variety. One of the very best hotels Headwater has provided. Very friendly and helpful staff, taxi drivers, bus drivers, and Gozo people generally.
This was yet another excellently put together, self guided walking holiday - our 6th with Headwater. Staff & brochure provide excellent & accurate descriptions of venues & accommodation to allow an informed choice. The walk notes are very detailed &; accurate &; totally relate to what is on the ground. Over the years the standard of Headwater accommodation &; food has really improved yet it remains extremely good value for money. Walking on Gozo was a delight in May spring sunshine ( albeit some rain!) &; the coastal paths along dramatic cliffs were surrounded by flowers.
Hotel Ta Cenc has an amazing setting with views across to Comino &; Malta. I can recommend upgrading to a Trulli room for just more space given you are there for a week - No 133 looked directly out over the cliffs. Every evening there was a 4 course meal with 4 different choices of each course - all freshly cooked & well presented.
I would also recommend a stopover in Valletta - one night there gave us a full afternoon, evening & following morning to explore.
( a slight hiccup on arriving at our Valletta hotel with no booking found was very quickly sorted by Headwater who were at the end of the phone & kept us informed at each stage)
Flights & transport all went to time.
Look forward to our next holiday with you.
Arriving late into the evening we were made very welcome with room service which we were not expecting. The rest of the holiday was excellent only 2 afternoons of rain which was unusual for Gozo in May. We did all the walks detailed on the notes and only missed out on 1 part of 1 walk due to the gradient of the climb. Would definitely recommend visiting Gozo if only to stay at the hotel as it is located looking over the cliffs and Malta in the distance. The hotel was definitely worth its 5 star rating.
Good to have our own relaxing and private space with sea view. Magical coastal walks. Abundance of flowers. Regular and efficient buses to all parts of the island.
Very enjoyable holiday. The hotel was excellent and traveling around the island was so easy thanks to the great bus service.
Lovely hotel and location on a fascinating island, On the upper range of a one-boot as quite a large amount of walking on stony or concrete paths. A good Spring break as there were beautiful flowers out. A good holiday for cat lovers as the hotel has a number of friendly cats roaming around. We would recommend the upgrade to a Trullo room as this was light and more spacious.
Good location to enjoy this beautiful natural park.
Make sure you download the walking notes. Don't leave home without them.
Perfect place for resting and relaxing, whilst giving opportunity to recharge your energy. Gozo is great for walking and the climate was just right, Ta Cenc was a wonderful place to be over the christmas period.
We had a good walking holiday. However I think Gozo footpaths etc need to be developed with better planning and signposting. A lot of the walking was on road, it would be beneficial if more off-road walking could be planned. Overall, Gozo is a good place to visit.
An very enjoyable week of walking based at an excellent hotel. Although Gozo is a small island there is enough variety for a one week holiday.
Good location, comfortable hotel, nice spa.
The clearest and most comprehensive walking notes we have come across, taking us to lovely places with stunning scenery and lots of history. The hotel was of a very high standard but the choice of vegetarian food was limited. The customer service offered by Headwater was brilliant with very quick and efficient responses. All the arrangements worked like clockwork.
The Hotel Zuhayra is brilliantly situated to explore both the white town of Zuheros and the mountains that provide the backdrop. The walk via Luque was excellent and we also enjoyed the easy choice of the Via Verde, walking on a disused railway line (a great option for cyclists too with well over 100km of level routes available). We were amazed that it was a Rural 2-star Hotel and wondered how much better it could have been had it been 3 or 4-star. As such it was excellent value for money [the food was at times, a bit disappointing and the choice was occasionally limited or there was no choice].
A great holiday - excellent planning and support and a wonderful location which combined beautiful countryside, a rustic rural Spanish locale and very enjoyable walking.
This is the third time that we have travelled with Headwater. Their choice of hotels is excellent, the walking notes are accurate ( but don't try to second guess them) in wonderful locations.
We stayed at Ta' Cenc on Gozo and did the six walks recommended based in the one hotel in late September 2018. The hotel rooms are all on ground level surrounding the 3 pools and we ate outside under the massive ancient Carob tree. The walks were accurately described and we enjoyed the treasure hunt aspect of finding the next turning. We only went wrong once on the very first morning through hubris, swiftly learning to read the instructions carefully after assuming there was only one supermarket in the town and forgetting to read the name properly. The weather was hot and humid on the first two days and water and sun cream and headgear are essential. As is mosquito repellent. My wife was & bitten to death &, probably while eating our evening meals. Owing to the locals' penchant for shooting there were disappointingly few birds to be seen though we did spot plenty of Sardinian Warblers, a Honey Buzzard, a few Blue Rock Thrushes and a Tawney Pipit. It helped to have an appreciation of the various forms of limestone. Two of the walks are quite short and could be combined if necessary. Highlights for us were the locality around the hotel, Ta' Cenc is a nature reserve with fabulous sunsets and ancient cart ruts and dolmens scattered around. The local bay at Mgarr in Xini is great to swim, snorkel and dive off the rocks. The hotel minibus will take you there and back free of charge. The island bus service is superb, punctual and cheap. The Inland Sea near Fungus rock is also worth swimming in and take the boat trip through the cliff to the sea: the light filtering through azure water is stunning in the caves. The local cafe there had welcome and cheap beer and sandwiches. Marsalforn (not on a walk) is worth a visit as are the salt pans along the coast from there past Xweini Bay where we bought sea salt from Leli, who recently featured looking bemused on The Apprentice. Other must sees are The Citadel in Victoria and the ancient temple at Ta' Kola which can be combined with a tour of the restored windmill on the same ticket. All in all we loved it.
Lovely hotel with super friendly and helpful staff, especially Antonio the manager. Good food and the picnics are very good - a very large sandwich, 2 pieces of fruit, juice and water. You wont go hungry! The walks are great and we did them in the order that was recommended in the walking notes. If you want a day off from walking a day trip to Cordoba is well worth it. All the logistics went according to plan and we had an excellent holiday.
Beautiful situation, friendly staff and great food, with access to some lovely walks - similar to walking in the Lake District so bear in mind the effect of the heat!
Zuheros is a lovely, very quiet village in the Andalucian hills. The villagers offer a friendly "Buena Día" when you pass them in the street. The hotel Zuhayra offers friendly and helpful service.
Enjoyable, well organised
James was the best Headwater representative that we have ever encountered. His knowledge & summary of the area was excellent. The bikes, bag collection & transfer excellent. He could run the company! Thank you for one of the best holidays ever. We will be back for another Headwater holiday.
Well planned holiday. Cultural notes and cycling instructions excellent. Picture book countryside, very high standard food offerings everywhere. Our rep James was lovely and helpful.
Memorable holiday. Will definitely travel with Headwater again if still able to . Had a splendid holiday with HW also about 15 years ago cycling through Umbria.
The two weekest points were 1) - The arrangements with B.A. Both the Outgoing and Return journeys failed to allocate adjacent seats and the initial lack of a Boarding or Check-In document for the Return journey did cause us some concern. and 2) Details for the suggested walks for 5 days were quite difficult to follow.
This was a very relaxed holiday, all the hotels were in the countryside where the views were lovely, the air clean and the environment quiet and peaceful.
Although graded as "easy", there was a particularly "challenging" prolonged uphill stretch to reach Teolo, where I had to get off and push but Teolo was so worth it. The Villa Lussana provided the best accommodation and vegetarian food on the trip. It was good to have a variety of individual styles of accommodation.
We are not into Apps and downloads, so our Rep provided us with excellent detailed written route instructions, having just recently cycled the route himself. We enjoyed meeting up with other cyclists for the 2 nights spent at Villaganzerla and with 2 walkers at Galzignano. I am not a competent cyclist and it had been some time since I was on a bike, so there was a certain sense of achievement at having completed the route unscathed!
Excellent walking in unusual destination . Brilliant accommodation
Wonderful tranquil location and excellent helpful staff at the hotel. Walking notes provided are very out of date however and we would recommend using the hotel walking notes instead which are very detailed.
Quiet location, offering a variety of challenging walks. Abundance of wild flowers and birds (in April). Excellent hotel, very welcoming and brilliant choice of good local food. Friendly and helpful staff, especially the taxi service.
Gozo on first visit - walking was the best way to see the Island, its archaeology and meet people
Far from the madding crowds in clean air
The Sierras Subbeticas was a lovely verdant limestone area to explore in depth using the excellent Hotel Zuhayra as a base. By the end of the week we had criss crossed it in various ways but without unduly repeating any area.
Excellent flexibility for a walking holiday which can be adapted to include very good public transport if walks considered too long.
Great location for a walking holiday. A lovely island, very friendly staff. The hotel was particularly helpful and the service was excellent. Very useful courtesy bus service. This is a lovely island for walking in springtime with beautiful wild flowers and pleasant early summer temperatures. There are lots of choices for walks and it is easy to work out alternatives to those suggested. Great picnic available from the little cafe near to the main bus station. Buses run on time and are cheap, we would suggest buying a bulk travel card as this makes travel to anywhere on the island an easy prospect
Excellent place to visit for walking, history and culture. Bit disappointed there were not many birds.
The hotel was excellent with friendly staff. Springtime is probably the best time to go due to the abundance of flowers and before the summer heat builds up which makes walking much harder.
Pleasant walking with some good sunshine while UK still dismal. Great for wild flowers in spring, might be less attractive later in year.
Hotel the highlight of the holiday as it is in a stunning location. Quite remote but a good bus service and local taxis if you haven't hired a car. Walking notes disappointing, not detailed enough if you haven't got GPS. Walk descriptions do not provide accurate description of the terrain.
Headwater response:
Dear Mrs McLaren,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday feedback. It was great to see you had an enjoyable holiday overall. We were however sorry to read you felt the route notes required more detail. This is the first time we have received this kind of feedback, however please be assured we realise we cannot afford to let our high standards slip, so with this in mind, we will review the notes on our next resort visit and ensure additional details are added as required.
We would like to thank you for choosing to travel with Headwater and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service Team
Cycling through the Veneto area allowed us to get a feel for rural Italy and the people who live there, as well as to experience the history of the area. The route takes you primarily through farmland and, since our trip was in October and after harvest time, many of the fields were plowed so we missed some of the greenery that probably characterizes the area in summer. We enjoyed visiting Vicenza on one of our non-cycling days and also had the opportunity to take a bus to Padova, a larger and more modern city than we thought. Sarah was attentive to our needs throughout the trip.
We were made very welcome and comfortable by the hotel staff, taxi drivers and locals. The walking was very pleasant, despite the unseasonally high temperatures, with wonderful mountain views and plenty of wildlife interest. I would not advise some of the more remote walks to people who are not experienced hill walkers with good navigational skills. Owing to the lack of large scale, high quality mapping for Spain there were a couple of places where we were unable to find waymarks and strayed off the intended route (and hence needed to resort to GPS for assistance). A number of earlier guests made comments about this in the hotel log. Despite that we had a wonderful holiday and we hope to return in a later Spring season to enjoy the mountain flowers.
Headwater response:
Dear Dr Banyard,
Thank you for taking the time to write in with your post-holiday feedback.
Firstly, we were pleased to read you had an enjoyable holiday overall and found the Hotel staff and transportation providers welcoming. We have passed on your comments.
We were however sorry to read you encountered difficulties with some of the way marking. Please let me reassure you, we do review all of our route notes seasonally, however, we do realise areas can change during the season due to weather conditions, construction and route updates. With this in mind, we will review all of the feedback received in this area and updates made as required.. Thank you for bringing this feedback to our attention, as it allows us the opportunity to continue to improve our holidays for future customers.
In closing, we would like to thank you for your continued loyalty and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team
We loved the mix of level 1+ easy walking (our level) with interesting historic sites, and nature conservation sites in an unspoilt beautiful landscape, and a good public transport system. Also the quality, comfortable hotel with excellent food and good friendly service in beautiful surroundings. The hotel staff could not have done any more to make our better. We would go on more similar holidays.
This was our third visit to Zuheros. The hotel is an excellent base for a walking holiday and the walks are challenging enough to feel that something has been achieved.
Excellent weather & hotel. Walking just right with few little challenges. Gozo bus service made it so easy to cross the island for walks. Our first 'independent walking' but instructions made it easy.
Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling lived up to its name as there is an opportunity to visit many villas in this area. We travelled during the grape harvest season and it was interesting to see both hand picking (especially around Cortela) and mechanical harvesting and to taste wine near Cortela. Sarah Hall is an excellent rep with 10 years experience and knowledge of the area and the routes. She keeps the bicycles in immaculate condition, and provided a comprehensive briefing and was always available if needed. The Villa Lussana Hotel was our favourite with wonderful views and delicious meals. We should have done more research on sights to see in Padua and Vicenza to make more use of the day trips. We added 3 nights at the Hotel Kette in Venice which was in a good location but very touristy compared to the relatively quiet and non-tourist cycling. Great trip overall and easy to add to the Coastal Croatia Cycling as we did that trip first and caught the ferry from Porec to Venice then on to Vicenza.
Excellent routes through lovely rural Italy. First &I last accommodation very disappointing because we thought we would enjoy basic country accommodation &I enjoy the food & wine of the area - we felt this was not the case at this accommodation. Food &I wine at Il Feudo were very poor - accommodation not good - rooms hot &stuffy - noisy -bed not comfortable & very poor lighting.
A great holiday, virtually traffic free rides, excellent food and lovely scenery. A brilliant combination of cultural cities (if you wish to visit them) and rural isolation. However, consider the best time to go - the temperature hit 42 degrees & humidity was very high which made cycling difficult (4-13 July). We were the only guests at our first three holels and owners told us they consider July to be low season due to the heat. If you were expecting to meet other travellers you could be disappointed. On the other hand places of interest were not crowded & we didn't need to queue with the exception of Venice.
After three outstanding trips with Headwater previously (twice to Italy, and once to Spain), we were wondering whether our 4th excursion, 'Venetian Villas and Vineyards Cycling' could possibly live up to our high expectations. We were looking for an interesting and relaxing break that would immerse us in the Italian culture and suit the mixed cycling abilities of our group (two couples). This holiday managed to satisfy us all. While most of the routes were relatively flat, there were a few more challenging hills and options along the way. Highlights (just to list a few) included exploring the neighborhoods and museums of Vicenza and Padua, getting lost in the maze at Valsanzibio gardens, taking in the view from Villa Lussana after an exhilarating cycle up to Teolo, and the welcoming family atmosphere at L'Albara agriturismo (not to mention delicious meals they conjured up from homegrown produce). To surprise one of our party, we requested a birthday cake along the way. Our rep Sarah wisely chose Villa Lussana as the place for the surprise, and their experienced chef produced an amazing fruit flan right on cue, which helped make the event very special and memorable. There were a couple of slight disappointments - a room 'upgrade' that was of a lower specification than a standard room, and as seasoned Headwater fans we missed the detailed route notes that we've had every other time - but these are only minor niggles that did not detract from what was otherwise an excellent holiday, and great value for money. Thank you, Headwater, and we look forward to our next trip with you - wherever that may be!
This holiday is well organised with reliable backup available if needed. Although we were initially sceptical we found the Ride with GPS system was good when the printed out notes were ambiguous! It would be nice to have more descriptive notes on points of interest on the itinerary. The cycling was varied and on interesting and not too hilly routes often with lovely views to enjoy. We were slightly disappointed with the quality of food, apart from at the Villa Lussana, as it didn't live up to our expectations of what we have enjoyed previously with Headwater. Also breakfasts could be a bit variable in what was offered e.g. in the Belvedere Resort ai Colli there was a 5 Euro extra charge if you wished cheese or cold meat or eggs while in other hotels these were included. On the whole we were made to feel very welcome but I would certainly recommend bringing a travel kettle if like us you enjoy a cup of tea as they clearly do not understand how to make decent tea and also charge a lot for it! Air conditioning is an absolute necessity and it was also of variable efficiency in the different accommodations, actually blowing the lights in the L'Albara Agriturismo when we tried to turn it up a little. However each place had different pros and cons e.g. L.'Albara had wonderful baking and fruit and the freshest lettuce straight from the vegetable garden even thought the main courses were pretty dire! We also had the best Tira Misu I have ever tasted and the pool was a real bonus! In summary a great holiday so long as you are prepared for a variety of accommodation and standards of food,
Our first attempt at a walking holiday and this week in Gozo was spot on - an introductory but interesting & varied level of walks ('one boot'); a very pleasant hotel with an excellent level of service and very efficient and friendly admin by Headwater
I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday and the guide notes for the walks were excellent.
Extensive coastal walks, quiet roads and peaceful traditional villages.
The walk suited us and the various views were amazing
We enjoyed a wonderful week's walking which exceeded our expectations. The landscapes, birds and flowers were exceptional and we particularly enjoyed hearing the nightingales singing in the gorge. We were very lucky to be able to see some of the Easter celebrations too. The hotel was very welcoming and offered excellent service and delicious food.
Beautiful walking in unspoilt limestone scenery. Fantastic bird walching opportunities. Comfortable hotel with hearty picnics and interesting evening meals. Antonio ensures that all aspects of a Headwater holiday are arranged with great efficiency.
This was the first week of the season and it was cold for three days. The hotel bedroom had heating but the bathroom did not. The communal areas of the hotel were cold. Obviously accommodation in this area is designed to keep heat out. If the weather is not good there are limited opportunities here. especially as the local museum was shut for refurbishment for the whole season. The hotel staff were very helpful and friendly. We found the walks quite challenging, the directions were mostly good but on one occasion (the end of the Ermita walk) the alternative route back to the hotel was impossible to find. The path was completely invisible and we had to walk back along the road. The scenery, birdlife and wild flowers were wonderful. We hired bikes from the hotel one day and cycled along the Via Verde (disused railway track) which was easy cycling with interesting views. Another day we took the bus to Cordoba which was cheap, reliable and well worth while. We enjoyed this holiday but felt that overall both the hotel and the village were not places to be If the sun isn't shining.
Lovely walks covering a substantial part of Gozo. A great mixture of coast, countryside and villages with excellent scenic views and local interest.
Stating at Garb--Salt pans--Marlsaform then bus to Victoria. The walking instructions for the Azure window are not that clear and could be improved, easy to end up on the cliff path which can be a bit scary if it's a little windy. The hotel could sell bus passes, rather than having to go to Victoria. The three bays walk from Quala and ending at Ramla is an excellent alternative. Get the bus from Ramla to Xewxija and walk back to hotel. The small cafe by the main bus station in Victoria offers a brilliant takeaway salad, sandwich and is very cheap
Gozo is a small, friendly Island with dramatic coastal walks, a lush, flower-filled interior and beautiful churches. Headwater's excellent walking guides combined with Gozo's efficient bus service enabled us to easily visit nearly all of the Island. The Hotel Ta Cenc was a very comfortable base. The only down-side to Gozo is the 'traditional' shooting and netting of small migratory birds. Avoid the shooting season and you will enjoy a lovely holiday with relaxed walking.
Very enjoyable holiday. Booking process easy and efficient. Transfers via ferry very well organised. Hotel was comfortable and staff extremely pleasant and helpful. Walks as per grading with options on some and they took us to all the island's attractions.
For an off season break, the Ta Cenc Hotel has outstanding staff, attentive and helpful, good food and away from it all peaceful location. A few too many walks on roads, but the coastal ones were marvelous.
Excellent service from start to finish. Quality accommodation. Gozo was a lovely island & we managed to explore every inch with the information provided.
Hotel Ta' Cenc is comfortable and friendly. Gozo is a good winter walking destination varied walks and very friendly locals. Excellent local bus service. The Citadel in Victoria was well worth a visit (allow several hours). Disappointed to see so much bird trapping activity on the coastal walks (perpetrators not quite so friendly).
On Malta we explored Valetta (busy and pricey) and Mdina / Rabat (not as busy as expected) worth seeking out the catacombs in Rabat.
Hotel Grand Excelsior large and somewhat impersonal, food and drink in the hotel is expensive. A lot of roadworks nearby at present and a stiff walk up into Valetta centre (where the outside catering opportunities are).
5 star hotel rating is over generous, though location is superb. Lounge, multiple pool facilities, and ambience are good. Plumbing is of sixties origin and need upgrading. Food of good quality and well presented. Al fresco eating would be unpleasant if you had a cat phobia, though indoor dining was always available. Hotel courtesy bus proved very useful and was complemented the excellent public service buses. Walking was enjoyable and not too strenuous. As birds were migrating, finch hunting was evident on most clifftop walks prompting frequent shot gun blasts and diversions round bird netting traps. Overall a good location for walking with a variety of routes and places to visit. .
A lovely holiday apart from the Rep. She did not understand what headwater holidays involved at all and was only interested in promoting what she could book.
Despite being in a National Park, this was a less rural holiday than we were expecting. While some of the routes are rural in nature, you are never out of sight of a dwelling and you are on, or next to, or crossing, busy roads quite a lot of the time. Italy is also home to a plague of noisy motor bikes and scooters but I guess this is part of the culture! That said, the hotels and the food were mostly very good. We did an extra two days in Teolo which worked well and gave us two days in Padua (easy bus ride) as well as a pleasant local hike. Rep Sarah was as good as we had been led to believe and gave us a most detailed briefing. Her route notes were also excellent.
A fantastic location with plenty of variety in the walks. If you want a break from walking there are opportunities to visit to local towns/villages, or to relax at the hotel. Be prepared to deal with high temperatures, even in September!
A very enjoyable cycling holiday exploring the less known areas west of Venice.
Exercise, fresh air, excellent food and drink and, as ever with Headwater, getting to know a new area pretty well.
Cycling from Slovenia was a great experience. Dependent on flight times though, I would suggest just one night in Ljubljana and an extra night in Bled. I agree with other reviewers, that it would have been good to spend more time in Slovenia. The local agent was very helpful and gave us a full briefing using his computer which was very helpful. This was the best briefing we have had from a Headwater 'agent'.
The cycling spectacular and easily the best scenery we have had on any Headwater trip although the cycling was generally easy (this was good!) - even on the long days. The parts of the cycle on old railway lines were particularly good - and easy, due to shade despite it being hot. I would actually grade the hotel as 1 not 1+
The Veneto cycling was not as spectacular as our previous week. We enjoyed it though. A good opportunity to see a different less touristy part of Italy. We particularly enjoyed staying in the agriturismo which are friendly and welcoming.
This was our first experience with Headwater. We were extremely impressed and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Our local Rep Sarah was helpful and informative. She knew the area extremely well and had clearly worked hard to develop helpful contacts and provide useful and interesting information about the area we were cycling in. She provided excellent notes and maps and obviously had good relationships with the hotel owners which helped us to feel cared for and welcomed. Sarah is literally the best holiday rep that we have ever encountered. We are full of admiration and gratitude and will definitely book with Headwater again.
Very good, but next time would try a higher grade of route
Great holiday. Our rep Sarah was really helpful and ensured everything ran smoothly. Was sick on first day of arrival. Sarah and the people running the hotel helped me straight away so that I was able to get better and enjoy a great holiday. The scenery is stunning and people so friendly and helpful. Also the food was delicious in every place we stayed. You would pay an awful lot for that standard of food in the UK. We went in July so the weather was really hot in the afternoon so make sure you take lots of shade and water breaks.Was a fun holiday.
Great way to explore Italy.
Well planned and organised, good routes accurately described, very helpful staff.
Loved this little known area, which was perfect for easy cycling. Good variety of cycling ; quiet roads, alongside canals and dedicated cycle paths. Sarah our rep couldn't have been better and was always working hard for us to get the most out of our holiday. Loved Albara, which had a pool which was a bonus in our hot weather (30s). There is another holiday option to stay here as a base for week, I would think this would work well , as it was our favourite stopover out of the four we stayed at. Food and wine excellent all the way round and plenty of places to stop enroute.
This was our first cycling holiday, we are both reasonably fit but not regular cyclists so this was an excellent introduction.we found the routes fairly straight forward and enjoyable with the route notes easy to follow as long as we didn't read too far ahead (short term memory problems!). All the hotels were very good in their different ways , we ate well everywhere but the stand out food was at the Villa Lussana in Teolo. unfortunately we missed the ride to Teolo because of an extremely heavy thunder storm but Sarah our Rep picked us up and transfered us. The day wasn't wasted though, we were able to do a lovely circular walk later on in the afternoon to set us up for the first of our fabulous evening meals there. We took a bus into Padua on the rest day, well worth doing, we visited the Scrovegni Chapel and the the University to see the anatomy theatre. The two nights at the Agritourismo L' Albara were very convivial and the pool was lovely. To sum up, we had a great time, Sarah our rep was extremely helpful and helped make our holiday .
We were very pleased with the walking routes and overall package, plus interesting days out in Cordoba and Malaga. The hotel in Zuheros was slightly 'simpler' than we'd normally choose but they worked so hard to provide excellent service; taxi was great too. A well planned holiday in an area we would not have discovered apart from through your brochure - we rate Headwater highly.
This was an interesting area of Italy and our holiday passed all too quickly with the usual Headwater mix of cultural visits and, of course cycling. The routes were well selected and mostly on cycle paths. Food was great. We didnt visit Padua, Vincenza or Venice as we preferred to explore the countryside. Otherwise the holiday was pretty much as described in the brochure.
We had a wonderful weeks walking, the hotel was in a lovely hill top village. The walking was good in wonderful scenery with beautiful wild flowers and birdsong.Antonio and his staff looked after us really well and we also enjoyed our day trip to Córdoba. This was our twelfth trip with yourselves and one of the best.
We were very lucky with the weather and this is important when on a cycling holiday! The accommodation was varied and highly suited to starting and ending a days cycling. We loved the routes which were through beautiful countryside ( isn't this lovely! I kept saying) and which provided us with convenient coffee and lunch stops. The cycling was spot on for a 1 cycle ride but it also offered more hilly routes is we wished to challenge ourselves. We soon found we had total confidence in the route notes and once when we went wrong I said - Sarah would never send us down this road! And I was right. You have to be a little flexible - one of our routes was blocked off by a motorcycling event but we were able to use the notes to rejoin the trail. We thoroughly enjoyed the food and the delicious local wine. I made friends with my bike and always looked forward to the next day's expedition. Great holiday!
We thought Zuheros and the HotelZuhayra were both charming and beguiling - extraordinarily peaceful and calming - we were very sorry to leave and it took us some time to grow accustomed to the comparative mayhem of Granada . The taxi arrangements in Zuheros were quite remarkably efficient hts off to Maria and her brother - we would return to Zuheros tomorrow if we could = perhaps a progressive walk around these white villages might the na idea
Gozo & Malta, a great combination for peace & tranquility & great walking opportunities in Gozo at Ta Cenc plus all contrasting attractions of Malta!
Walking with confidence and accommodation with comfort.
I could not fault the hotel staff, who were all very friendly and extremely helpful. The walks were beautiful and April proved a lovely time of year with all the spring flowers.
A most enjoyable holiday - the organisation and transfers worked well and the hotel was a 'gem', friendly and relaxing and with helpful staff. The walking notes were easy to follow although care was needed on some paths where stony. Overall splendid walks in beautiful scenery with many spring flowers.
Outstanding walking area. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Walking notes were excellent, the hotel was very comfortable if maybe a little formal for us. We had no problems getting around the island but it was very windy while we were there and some of the cliff edge walks were a little scary
The hotel was excellent - beautiful surroundings and facilities. The food was varied and plentiful and you were spoilt for choice with local dishes included. The staff were very friendly and Gozo is a lovely unspoilt place where you felt safe to walk in the countryside and enjoy the wonderful scenery. It was a place to relax and unwind. The walking routes took you through a lot of different scenarios and gave options to visit sites of interest.
Gozo is a small island but packed with interest. We loved the Hotel Ta Cenc, its architecture, location, friendly service and very good food. The walks were excellent and took us from quiet villages to fantastic coastlines through terraced valleys. It was sunny and mild and just what we needed after a very wet and very windy winter..
Gozo is rather small to provide long enough cycle rides. We did not expect wind and would have found it helpful to be told about how windy it can be. It was a lovely holiday with enough variety to keep us interested. The Cornucopia food was very disappointing and the breakfasts unappealing.
A very enjoyable holiday, that matched our expectations derived from the description of it in the brochure.
Nice hotel with friendly staff. Coastal walking was good. Some of the walks involved long stretches on road, and although there is not much traffic, this is quite tiring.
Very enjoyable. Felt like we had seen and experienced the real Spain, not touristy and commercial. We speak no Spanish and very few people spoke English but we got by and all the meals were wonderful, trying different things. The walks were very good some more challenging than others. We did go wrong but never too badly. Not sure if the mistakes were due to vague directions or just misinterpretation of instructions (we easily go wrong in England!!)
Although Ta Cenc is a lovely hotel with a great location it cannot be really classified as a typical 5 star/top of the range hotel; the bedrooms/bathrooms are rather dated, there are not staff always available to help/advise. We had to search for things rather than them being provided. Hotel staff were friendly, the food particularly the breakfast buffet and in the restaurant (il Cantra) at the beach were excellent. Having stayed in a number of 5 star hotels this isn't one. However, we really enjoyed ourselves at the hotel and had no complaints.
Gozo was a lovely surprise (the lovely weather helped!) with pretty villages, friendly people and a very efficient bus service. However, overall there is too much walking on roads; we recommend that people use the buses to avoid some of this (a 15 euro pass for 12 trips was great value and we could use it on Malta) There are also additional walks we were told about including one of the best walks we did from Gharb up to the coast and then along to Marsalforn which is part of the coastal walk; there is a brochure called the Gozo coastal walk - perhaps George could have told us a bit more about where to get bus passes, other walks and local information and a bit more about the hotel. Whilst pleasant we had the impression he has done it so many times before he has become a bit stale!
On Malta the Phoenicia is a great location; it has a 5 star appearance but the breakfast buffet wasn't as tasty as Ta Cenc; the serving staff, while many of them, were not too attentive to our needs. It did not have the same friendly feel as the Ta Cenc - there was no personal feel, they were going through the motions rather than making any real effort.
If you want any clarification of the above please let me know; hopefully this 'summary' adds a bit of colour to the ratings above. Overall we all had a really great time and would recommend it to anyone but people need to know what to and what not to expect.
Gozo is a lovely location. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the island and will likely visit again to see more. We'd be unlikely to stay at Hotel Ta Cenc again though ...
Hotel service was a mixed bag - front desk were ok, bar/restaurant were good, housekeeping were good.
Room was poor. Mould on the walls and a very strong smell of damp which was reported to reception but they were unable to do anything and there was no offer of an alternative room. Our clothes smelled of the damp by the end of the week as well. The kettle leaked, and was replaced. A leg fell off the bed, and was promptly repaired by staff. The room and hotel in general was tired-looking and really needs some TLC.
Food in the main hotel restaurant was ok, but we needed a change after about 3 or 4 days. Breakfasts were very good, though. Make sure you try the honey rings!! An evening meal at the Kantra restaurant was excellent, despite the stormy weather.
Charging for wifi in the rooms feels like nickel and diming the customers in the 21st century.
Holiday was well organised by helpful staff. Flexibility on departure airport is a big plus.
Excellent in every respect
The team at the hotel couldn't do enough to help. A decent range of walks nothing too strenuous but just right in the unseasonably high temperatures.
Cordoba was a stunning place to visit so would strongly recommend this on the free day. We enjoyed having the extra days in Granada as a counterfoil to the tranquility of Zuheros.
Lovely hotel on the beautiful island of Gozo. Natives very friendly!
A delightful area, away from the usual tourist spots. An attractive, friendly hotel and village. Varied walks with lovely long-distance views. Care needed on the stony tracks and paths after a prolonged period of dry weather.
From the first contact with Headwater until we left our Hotel the service was excellent. The Hotel was small, comfortable and the staff very friendly. The walking notes were fantastic, and the walks took in some most wonderful scenery. Cannot fault the holiday at all. Thank you.
Lovely village and some good walking. The vultures were impressive. Maybe more attractive in spring when the flowers are out. All the trvel arrangements worked flawlessly. The food at the hotel was very variable and a little disappointing at times. The walking was all in quite a small area and there was some repetition of sections. But overall it was a very enjoyable trip. Staying in a single location is definitely more relaxing than moving on every day. The bat cave in Zuheros was an amazing place, and a visit to Granada was definitely worthwhile. We were lucky too that our visit coincided with the cheese festival in the village
Headwater take the pressure of organising your holiday off you and have never disappointed us in their attention to detail.
Well-chosen walks in a scenic area with classic limestone features. Can be rocky and stony underfoot in places, but all walks within Grade 2 definition. Arrangements at Hotel Zuhayra are excellent; Antonio was always helpful and the staff went out of their way to provide good, friendly service.
Excellent holiday; very interesting area of Spain to visit. The walks were varied with spectacular scenery. The hotel was well located and there was often something going on in the town square in the evening. Hotel staff friendly and helpful and the food was very good. I know the Spanish eat late but the 8.30pm evening meal was the only downside particularly when we wanted to have an early breakfast so we could start walking before it got too hot. Since Headwater clients have their own menu maybe an earlier sitting could be considered.
A really excellent week - well organised and planned, allowing us to concentrate on the splendid walks. I hadn't been on an organised walking holiday before, but I will certainly try some more of these trips in future, since they allow you to get to places that you might not try on your own.
A great holiday.. enjoyable as other HW holidays we have had!.
A little too hot...perhaps we should have waited for 2 weeks later in September.
A lovely way to get to know a charming island, in a luxurious hotel. Gozo is easy to navigate around and the paths have been upgraded recently. A very enjoyable and relaxing holiday.
September is a poor choice for a walking holiday on Gozo. The interior is typically very hot and humid and the landscape very dry and baron. There are few trees on the island and the sun beats down on you all day. The coast is lovely and there was, at times, a small breeze, but most of the suggested walking routes are not coastal. We were told by locals that the landscape is lovely and green, with lots of wildflowers, around May,and the temperatures more suitable for walking. Ta Cenc is a comfortable hotel but more like a -4 star hotel, rather than a 5 star.
This was a fantastic holiday mixing activity through cycling with culture by visiting Vicenza, Padua and Venice. It is great if you want an authentic holiday experience getting the feel of a country independently by cycling along country lanes and canal banks undisturbed by traffic and stopping at local markets or cafes for lunch with the security of knowing that a comfortable bed and good food awaits you at the end of a day. You feel you have earned the glass of wine and the lovely food using fresh local ingredients . The hotels were all different but individual and whilst not needed it is good to know that there is a local rep on hand to sort out any problems. It was 10 years since our last headwater cycling holiday but we were pleased that we still easily coped with the cycling and this holiday was the best mix of scenery, cycle routes, hotels and food out of the other 4 I have had over a 25 year period. Thank you for a great time.
We almost always travel independently and avoid package holidays. However, we wanted to do a cycling holiday and were attracted by the idea of being able to cycle from place to place with our luggage transported. Headwater did not let us down - we felt we had all the advantages of independent travel (getting off the well-worn tourist routes, meeting local people and eating regional food) yet had backup if we wanted or needed it. Our rep, Sarah, was outstanding, friendly and knowledgeable and generous with her time. Cycle routes were clear and had plenty of suggestions for detours to places of interest, or to make the day's trip more or less taxing. We liked all the places where we stayed - the two hotels were polished and comfortable, a lovely complement to the country cooking and warm family atmosphere of the two agritourismi.
Super holiday, loved the area, and all the hotels. Our rep, Sarah, was absolutely wonderful. She found us a taxi at a good price, she knew all about the area, the bag transfer was done most efficiently, what a lovely lady. She even recognised that we felt more comfortable eating as just a couple, and not in a larger group, and without us asking she organised a table for just us two. How perceptive!! Thank you Sarah.
A very enjoyable experience overall; the hotel is very comfortable and the food is first class, but some of the directions for walking in the quarry areas in the west of the island are wrong or inadequately explained, so some trial and error was involved.
It was a very relaxing holiday and the Ta Cenc hotel was fabulous.
Excellent. We enjoyed the combination of great walks during our peaceful relaxing stay at Ta Cenc on Gozo and our extra nights at the Phoenicia enabling us to explore the fascinating city of Valletta.
This was the first holiday of this type that we have taken. I have had some health issues so was concerned that this might be a problem, but there was complete flexibility regarding which walks we could do, and the grading of the walks was so accurate, that this simply wasn't an issue. The hotel was really lovely, the briefing from our holiday rep was extremely useful, and all the travel arrangements worked perfectly. We are very impressed and are hoping to be able to take another holiday with Headwater in the Autumn.
lovely hotel, beautiful location and scenery, reasonably demanding walks.
The holiday was well planned and organised but, because we were in one hotel, we had the flexibility to change the order of the walks to suit ourselves. This meant no pressure to be at a certain place by a certain time - very relaxing.
Delightful walking week in very pleasant hotel.
Excellent holiday, Gozo in the spring is a great place to have a walking holiday. The hotel is first class, very welcoming and good service and food
My fourth Headwater walking holiday but the first based in one place. Loved the small, friendly hotel, and the flexibility to chose our walks according to mood, weather and stamina. Also the chance to take day trips to Cordoba and Granada.
Much prefer guided walking holidays - I could have put together this package myself.We got lost a few times as the island is very well signposted and it would help if there was a few suggestions where you could go to the toilet and eat/drink.On one of the walks it should be emphasised you need to take a packed lunch.The hotel though excellent in many ways had dinner too late[7pm onwards] which meant you couldnt go anywhere else say for a folk evening or pub quiz because they started about 7.30.As the hotel didn't have anything on in the evenings unless you missed dinner[which we did] you were a bit trapped at the hotel.The rep didn't make any suggestions as to what was on in other locations - the pub quiz on Friday in Xlendi was really good and there are some excellent restaurants there to eat.
Excellent holiday with good and varied walks and lots of interesting limestone scenery. Hotel was a welcoming base with friendly helpful staff and lovely food.
It was as described and very well organised and thought through
A very good week's walking with opportunities to see the culture and history of Gozo, whilst accommodated in a comfortable hotel of good standard. The local people are most welcoming and helpful. The only dark cloud is the continuance of the Maltese habit of shooting small songbirds, which is no longer necessary 'for the pot'. Any open area is blighted by the presence of pathetic looking men in camouflage clothing, sheltering in stone hides, waiting to shoot small birds trapped on the ground by their wires and nets, using large bore shotguns. The sporting etiquette of only shooting a bird that is flying, and thus requiring some skill, most certainly does not apply! Walkers must be continually aware of wires that stray across footpaths and the potential field of fire from these hides.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr Smith,
Thank you for taking the time to write in with your feedback. It was lovely to see that you enjoyed your week in Gozo, taking in the sights and sounds this unique region has to offer .We were also sorry to read of the upset the bird shooting caused you and Mrs Smith. Please be assured that we have passed on your comments to our local agent and have asked them to highlight your feedback to the necessary governing body in Gozo.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa
Very pleasant. And we enjoyed our visits to Granada and Cordoba,the latter easily done by public transport
All aspects of booking and organisation went without hitch.
Taxi arrangements and driver were again excellent!
Disappointed because Headwater had informed us that an area (the Kantra bay and café) would be unavailable because of filming - only to arrive and get message that whole swathes of land were inaccessible and our Day 1 walk wasn't possible. (We were able to walk the start of the route, but then had to turn around.) Film unit security was spread across a wide area from close to the hotel, and we were challenged regularly by security personnel if we got anywhere near to the unit. We hadn't been given to understand that the restrictions would be so all-enveloping. We believe filming will continue until November.
Well organised, lovely hotel and location. Good well described walks. Very good holiday. Thoroughly recommended.
This was our second visit to Zuheros. The Hotel Zuhayra is the perfect base for a walking holiday. All the staff are friendly and helpful and the evening meals provide a wide range of well-cooked local food. The walks are challenging enough to feel that something has been achieved at the end of the day.
Walking in Gozo is almost too good to share. By turns breathtaking (cliffs) and relaxing. Returning to Ta Cenc every day was bliss.
We enjoyed another quality holiday with Headwater. This area of Italy is very pretty, ideal for gentle cycling and sightseeing. All of the hotels provided excellent food, wine and accomodation.
You really get to know a country on a bike - the real people, the flora and fauna, food and customs. Eat like a king and not feel guilty!
You have to accept some discomfort - mosquitos, missing/faulty air conditioning, rain showers, bikes with no suspension at all, miss the odd lunch, but it's got to be better than plonked next to a pool reading a book, and cramming another meal in.
Not sure you'd want to publish these comments though!
Seriously, we enjoyed our holiday, and look forward to our next one - maybe Denmark?
Overall a superb holiday, occasional cyclist managed route, good accommodation, good route and other notes. Good access to other locations for tourist visiting.
Excellent local rep.
This was our 13th consecutive year of cycling holidays with Headwater and was one of the best. This was partly because the weather was so good but mainly because the Veneto is such a lovely area for cycling and hoidaying. The food at all hotels was excellent and the local wines are not only excellent but cheap.
Can trust the organisation and information
this was wonderful holiday based in an amazing hotel with superb facilities
Fabulous hotel with excellent facilities, food and staff. Gozo is great for walking as it is so small. Beautiful views and lovely wild flowers. The bus service is excellent and very cheap - a weekly season ticket is only 6 euros 50. Very good comprehensive walking notes which were usually very clear, but we did have a couple of incidents where they could have been better explained. Our boat trip to Comino was great - the Blue lagoon is beautiful.
Gozo was a great island to explore on foot. The local bus service was excellent and buying a weekly ticket was excellent value. The walks along the cliff tops were spectacular. The hotel was lovely and the pools a perfect place to relax aftrea days walking.
Hidden Valleys of Cordoba: a week at the charming Hotel Zuhayra in the pretty white mountain village of Zuheros in mid-May was all that six 70 somethings could wish for. Headwater certainly have a hit on their hands here. Very attentive, helpful staff, good regional food and wine, excellent, if strenuous in parts, walking and wonderful scenery. We added on two nights in Granada at the comfortable, centrally situated Hotel Dauro II from where it was an easy coach ride back to Malaga airport. Headwater's arrangements for our travel and stay were excellent.
Beautiful setting, no hidden extras, peaceful.
Gozo is a delightful little island with beautiful scenery and flowers. Ta Cenc was a totally relaxing place to be and the staff were excellent.
Was not sent any walking notes which was a problem. Hotel had none and Rep-George- in his 60 second briefing- was uninterested in this. After some nagging he sent me some notes-but they mainly concerned the cycling holiday based in another hotel which with 24 km cycles etc was not that much use. Sorted myself out eventually as I managed to get hold of a good map which had good walking routes linked to bus routes which was great. Hotel excellent and travel arrangements fine.
One of the best walking holidays we have had. Easy route notes to follow which took us to every corner of a small island using good local buses to get us to and from the walks which did not start or finish at the hotel. We were based at a superb luxury hotel with a fantastic relaxed atmosphere with superb views of Malta and bedrooms in a fantastic garden setting and overlooking the pool. The friendly staff and the service they gave were in a class of their own as was the breakfast buffet and the choice of dishes for dinner each evening was also excellent.
We found Gozo quite charming and we believe we visited at just the right time of year - we do not think we would go any later because the holiday was enchanting principally because of the spring flowers and scenery at this time of year . Also the hotel was probably just sufficiently busy but not overcrowded which it might well be later in the year . The principal attractions of spring flowers, easy walking , friendly people and an excellent hotel made for a memorable 7 days
Ta cenc was a lovely hotel, very comfortable, big rooms, good food, friendly and helpful staff. Walks in Gozo were beautiful around the cliffs and through the valleys but some of the road walking was less pleasant and unavoidable.
We were looking for a more relaxing walking holiday and this was perfect. We have had many holidays with headwater and the standard is always good. I have introduced friends to this company.
For what we required-an escape from rain and winter dismal Ta Cenc was fine,and the walks laid out in your leaflet were easy enough to cope with for an oldie (84) like me who can no longer cope with real peaks and the tougher walking of middle age. Returning daily to the warm water pool and jacuzzi was a real bonus. But and we think you should Know this, Ta Cenc is getting a bit tired. Staff were delightful and the room very comfortable, BUT the lighting was abysmal if you wished to read in bed. Plumbing too was poor-no pressure on sink taps and infuriating variations of temp in the shower:quite dangerous in fact as nearly scalding water gushed unexpectedly. Infuriating when it ran bitterly cold We complained but it wasn't fixed. There was also a a 60 euro miscalculation on the bill which to be fair was rectified with good grace. No wonder that the owner Mr Borgon turned on max charm while we were waiting to be taken to the airport.. Just a tad complacent all round we thought.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr Blain,
Thank you for taking the time to complete our on line questionnaire and for the feedback you have provided.
We were pleased to read that you enjoyed your holiday and found the walks suitable for your level of ability. It was also good to see that you enjoyed the facilities that the hotel has to offer.
I am sorry however that you had some issues with the maintenance and plumbing in your room. We have passed on your feedback to the hotel, they have offered a sincere apology to you and Mrs Blain and have assured us that they have fixed the issues you had reported. Including replacing the light bulbs for brighter ones and fixing the pressure issue in the bathroom.
Please be assured that we do realise how important it is to maintain our high standards of accommodation and service, and we do appreciate we cannot afford to let our standards slip.
We will continue to monitor this hotel to ensure that the high standards that both our customers and Headwater expect are maintained.
We would like to thank you for bringing these matters to our attention, and apologise most sincerely once again that you had cause for complaint.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater
Excellent destination (Gozo) for gentle walking at this time of year. Great feeling of solitude, some days we hardly saw anybody else out in the countryside. Very friendly staff; whole island seemed safe, easy to get around, welcoming, low-key. Excellent views, wild flowers, dramatic coastlines, interesting archeological sites.
Gozo is a lovely unspoilt Island - very green with lots of wild flowers in early spring.
The Ta Cenc Hotel has a wonderful location. The staff are very friendly and helpful.
All in all a most enjoyable weeks holiday
You did it again, a fabulous chill out holiday in a delightful hotel. So quiet and peaceful, helpful, friendly staff could not have done more for us. The scenery and flowers were fabulous a great time of year to visit. The first time we have been to hotel where all the gym ans health centre equipment worked! Walks fantastic well done, we did not get lost.
Buses fabulous and punctual so easy to use I was a bit put off using them for the walks ,but so easy and cheap, punctuality could teach the uk something.
We would definitely return.
Excellent accommodation and location for a walking holiday outside the peak summer.
Beautiful hotel in excellent position. Very good and easy bus service on the island, limited hotel courtesy bus in the winter, but the bus stop right outside the hotel makes it easy to get transport into Victoria. Staying in the one hotel makes for a more relaxing holiday, walking as much or little as you want to.
This was our first walking holiday with Headwater - we had previously had cycling holidays - and it was very enjoyable. The fact that it was a one centre holiday we particularly enjoyed because it gave us flexibility in what we chose to do - we particularly wanted to have a day in Malta for instance . The Hotel was excellent with very good facilities and superb food. For anyone wanting a flexible holiday - as much or as little exercise as you want - this is well worth considering.
An excellent destination for coastal scenery, swimming and snorkelling if you don't mind the bird shooting.
Excellent hotel and very good food. We saw nothing of the local representative at any point.
Some of the walking instructions were confusing and we got lost twice - once on the Ta Pinu and Lighthouse walk and once on Fungus Rock and Azure window.
A cycling holiday is an adventure. We started in summer weather and ended in cold and rain which did somewhat marr this experience. This was our 6th cycling holiday, and we felt that the route was somewhat artificial. [Our favourite was the Danube, Passau to Vienna, which was a real journey.]
We were charmed by the single-storied hotel set so sympathetically on the cliffs. The layout of the rooms and the terrace gave a feeling of privacy not found in a conventional hotel. The staff, particularly the cleaners and in the restaurant, were very friendly and helpful. Considering there are no signposts or markers for walkers on Gozo we thought the route notes were pretty good. You must be careful, but as long as you ensure that what you are seeing exactly matches the description in the route notes you really shouldn't go wrong. The weather was a little warm for us in September but we bought the 7-day bus pass and cut two of the walks short by getting the bus at villages slightly before the end of the walk. It also meant we were not tied to the times of the hotel courtesy bus and we would recommend purchasing it for the flexibility it provides.
Wonderful cycling holiday with varied days and experiences. The cycling could be easy or more challenging according to the options. The scenery and architecture was amazing, but very few tourists (except Venice)
Hotel was fabulous. We had not realised it would be so hot, or the landscape so barren at the time of year we had chosen so I would advise potential travellers to do a bot more research than we did before booking!
The holiday itinerary was well-planned and took us through a delightful and unfamiliar part of northern Italy. The cycling was leisurely but varied, with opportunities to visit a range of very interesting and attractive places and sights. Sarah's advice and suggestions were excellent, and she dealt promptly with a problem with one of the bikes. Accommodation was very good: we particularly enjoyed our stays at Belvedere Resort ai Colle and at Agriturismo l'Albara (where dining alongside the family made for a great atmosphere). Everyone we met was friendly and helpful, the weather was excellent at this time of year, and the local wine a revelation (unfortunately we were only able to bring back 2 bottles from Gabriella at Agriturismo Il Feudo)!
Exhilarating walks in magnificent mountainous landscape with dramatic views; hotel a 'home from home' in authentic village Spain looked after by genuinely kind and courteous staff; vegetarian food was outstanding here with a careful choice offered for each evening (a first on the continent!). Local driver was punctual, good driver and always cheerful. Local people were a really significant part of making this holiday so enjoyable. There was sufficient of historical and architectural interest locally, from neolithic caves to nineteenth century railway history, to interest us without needing to go elsewhere.
An excellent holiday with the usual high standards of food, accommodation and planning.
Really lovely holiday. We loved Il feudo especially, but variety in the hotels was a positive feature. Would avoid temperatures in high 30s next time by going earlier. Sarah was helpful and knowledgeable. Ideal for family with children, including chance to visit Venice and Vicenza.
Sarah was fantastic- all credit to her. Funny, kind, thoughtful and a wealth of knowledge!
I spent a very pleasant week exploring Gozo on foot, and undertook all six of the supplied walk routes. The route descriptions were at times excellent, at times difficult to grasp. Informal discussion with another 'headwater' traveller staying at the same time as me revelead they had similar problems, so I don't think it was purely me! I did not find the map supplied particularly useful, and actually ended up buying a cheap basic map from the local representative in Gozo whilst I was there. Maps are individual, and I realise what did not suit me may suit others. The weather was very hot. The sea breeze helped, but I agree with Headwater that this is about the latest in the summer you could undertake these walks - particularly towards the middle of the day.
The hotel has super staff and a relaxed feel to it, is in a stunning situation and has a nice layout with individual bungalows. There are some features that are not the standard which I would expect from a five star hotel. One of these I brought up with the hotel at the time, and others mentioned in the feedback at the end of my stay (a holiday is, after all, meant to be relaxing and not a series of complaints). The room was spacious but the bathroom was very dated (painted murals on the tiles suggest it had not been refitted since 1991) and there was a large crack in the sink in the room. The small spa on site had a changing room and showers. In these there was a lot of green and black mould on the tiles of the shower area. I mentioned this to the hotel spa staff at the time and the next day it was better but not gone. This disappointed me from a five star hotel. The package had half board included, something I would not normally choose. On several nights, particularly over the weekend when we arrived, service was very slow and meals arrived looking like they had sat around for a long time. The waiting staff were, on the whole, excellent, but the food was disappointing. I also found the four courses included too much every day, and would have preferred to have some days without dinner at the hotel so I was free to explore local restaurants. I was asked to specify dietary requirements (no fish in my case) with Headwater but the hotel seemed unaware. On days when the antipasti were fish, I always had to say I did not eat fish. Sometimes I was offered an alternative, sometimes not. Hotel guests are advised local water is safe but unpalatable, however the still bottled water I therefore ordered with dinner each night was charged for, and at over 3 euros a bottle I thought this was a bit much. Do they expect those on half board to just not drink anything with dinner?
Finally, transfers were very efficient. Paradoxically, on the way out I had a large minibus all to myself, yet on the way back I was squashed in the back seat of a normal car with two other guests I did not really know (slightly embarassing as there was not much room) as a normal taxi was taking 4 of us to the airport.
Overall I had a great time and would definitely visit Gozo again, but was a little disappointed with the details described above, given then star rating of the hotel and cost of the package.
Good walking across the island with some wonderful scenery. Need to pay very close attentin to the route notes as there are no waymarkings. Found the notes for the walk to Fungus Rock and th Azure window difficult to follow and ended up having to make a detour. No problem with the other walks although notes could be clearer. Very good local bus service for getting to the walks. Excellent for seeing wildlife including insects, lizards and non venomous snakes.
It is some years since we have used Headwater, having previously travelled with them to over 30 itineraries since the company was first formed. It was reassuring to find that standard were fully up to the excellent levels we have always experienced.
Wonderful opportunity to see some of the lovely Veneto plain, whilst getting exercise, and building up appetite for the evening meals. We have used Headwater twice now and would not consider using another cycling tour company as the variable start dates, knowledgeable and helpful reps, and welcoming hosts make the entire experience enjoyable.
An 'independent' Headwater Holiday can be adjusted to suit individual capacity, especially as one grows older! We wanted to go to this particular area but no longer operate at two boot level. So we used the notes, Antonio's advice and good public transport services to visit Cordoba and Granada, to tweak the holiday, enjoy the Subbetica National Park fully as well as two historic cities.
We greatly enjoyed Gozo and our stay at Ta Cenc. The hotel staff were extremely good and the hotel very comfortable. The bedrooms, with en suite bath, very quiet and secluded. The breakfasts were very good, the dinners not so good. Would give dinner B ; adequate but not imaginative. The wine was extremely expensive. Perhaps if we had had the 'a la carte' dishes the food would have been better, but that would have added considerably to the cost of the holiday.
The local buses are good, mostly punctual but occasionally a bus does not turn up. There is always another one. Buses may be very crowded in the high season. Worth getting the weekly season ticket. Check bus numbers as some of these have changed since Headwater notes published.
March was a brilliant time of year for a walking holiday in Gozo. We had almost continuous sunshine but temperatures of 15-17 degrees made for comfortable walking - any warmer and it could have been a struggle at times as there's little shelter on many of the walks. The scenery was fantastic and we really felt we got to know Gozo in the week we spent walking round it. The walks were of comfortable length and enabled us to spend time admiring the scenery, both coastal and inland. A thoroughly enjoyable, peaceful and relaxing holiday.
A superb holiday with flexibilty for as much or as little walking as we wanted.
We were forewarned from your office that the Spanish weather was unusually wet and our flight was 1 hour late due to adverse weather in the UK but Antonio waited at the hotel until after we arrived with up to date information and advice about the walks. I myself was 'indisposed' for three days so Antonio gave my husband a choice of alternative walks which avoided all the streams and rivers that had become too dangerous to cross. The packed lunches provided were excellent and the staff were very helpful and considerate and nothing was a problem to them. The taxi was prompt and very carefully driven by Maria. Altogether, considering the weather etc
the hotel and staff were excellent and
and the food was superb with choices which always included at least 1 vegetarian option for my husband.
A holiday which was thoroughly enjoyed.
and can be recommended without qualms.
Chris Douglas
A real surprise package. Gozo has everything in a small area. The people are very friendly and helpful. The bus service is excellent, and the scenery and walks are very tranquil yet quite dynamic with the sea at every turn..
Ta Cenc hotel was well positioned for all activities yet in many ways remote from the town.Whether we ate in the hotel, in the towns or at a beach bar the food and service was very good.
Found Hotel Ta Cenc, to be really fantastic. All staff were so friendly and welcoming. Very professional. Lovely hotel set up - bar and restaurant super. Very unspoilt island. All the transfers from airport to ferry to hotel and back - a pleasure.
It was one of our most enjoyable headwater holidays. The sun shone everyday and it was perfect weather for walking. We enjoy going off season and avoiding the crowds. Ta Cenc is the best Headwater hotel we have stayed at with an excellent restaurant and service. Malta really loves Britsh tourists and everyone speaks English. A very welcoming destination.
Ta' Cenc was a fantastic hotel for location, service and food and peace and quiet in February - exactly what we wanted. Opportuntiies for walking were wonderful, although definitions of flat may vary!
This was a great holiday. We walked every day, and had time for some sightseeing as well. We very much enjoyed the comfort, food and ambience of the hotel ta Cenc.
Others taking a similar holiday in the hotel did not have access to Headwaters walking notes - until they complained and got copies.
They were more likely to use Headwaters in future, since they had not used the company before.
the hotel Ta Cinc was advertised as a 5 star hotel but did not live up to that standard in respect of accommodation and food. I recommend that you remove th 5 star from the brochure then customers will not have such high expectations of the hotel and consequently will not have to cope with the disappointment.
This was our 6th holiday with Headwater and is the only one that we would not repeat due to the hotel. We would go back to Gozo but would stay in a different hotel.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your feedback on the Ta Cenc, we have been working with this hotel for many years and it is a real surprise that it didn't meet expectations. The hotel has undergone an extensive renovation programme over the last couple of years and the feedback we've receive is generally very good indeed. I can assure you however, that your comments have been noted, and forwarded to the Programme Manager in order to be raised with the hotel.
The last thing we ever want is for people to return home disappointed and we offer our sincerest apologies if this was the case. We will be monitoring feedback for the Ta Cenc very closely over the coming weeks, and if we feel there are any areas that require improvement, we will work with the hotel to rectify this.
Excellent hotel, beautiful location, stunning scenery, warm,sunny weather, friendly and hospitable islanders
Hotel Ta Cenc is very well located, in a lovely situation with views, and the most delightful staff.
New Year was a good time to visit - it was so quiet and tranquil, and we had sunshine. We wondered whether we'd like it so much with lots of people round the pools etc.
