Not In The Guidebooks Reviews 154

We did so much in the time we were there and we felt we saw the real Sri Lanka. All the staff in the hotels went out of their way to give us a really wonderful experience.
We enjoyed all the tours - the jeep safaris were fantastic as well as the kayaking, the boat tour at Wild Wadi Wilpattu and the tuk tuk tour in Colombo. The village experience was a real highlight and the Cave Temple at Dambulla. We felt we really saw so much and experienced such a lot in our trip.
The hotels were all amazing, the Wild Wadi Wilpattu staff did so much for us and the food was fantastic. Our favourite was Jim's Farm Villas as it was a very luxurious and beautiful hotel in the most incredible setting. The Galle Face hotel was also beautiful. All the hotels made our stays so memorable and all helped us celebrate Kevin's birthday!
Our driver and guide looked after us so well for the whole trip. He was always very helpful and attentive to all our requirements, dedicated to making our holiday as enjoyable as possible.

I am a travel agent and booked my customers a 5 night trip to Nangu, Lapland. I have used Not in The Guidebooks before but this was my fist booking with them to Lapland. My lovely customers emailed me on their return to the UK to say what an incredible time they had. They did ice-fishing, reindeer visits, husky-sledding, snow-shoe walking, snowmobiling adventures etc. They stayed at Nangu which was adults only - a huge plus for Lapland. They even managed to see the Aurora Borealis or northern lights and sent me some photos. One of them made me laugh as they said they were not looking forward to the ice fishing as they thought it would be boring - turns out it was just one of the real highlights for them!

In their words 'it was completely magical and unforgettable. It was special, authentic and has left us with the most incredible memories. It had a real effect on us in a very positive way'.

I would book again with Not in The Guidebooks in a heartbeat and their prices compared to other tour operators offering Lapland is extremely competitive. Not just that, but the care in booking was world class.

I went to Mezzaluna in Tuscany on the cooking retreat and it was amazing. Rita was so welcoming and I came away feeling part of the family. I was on my own for the trip but that just meant I got more attention and we got to go on many excursions. My highlight was the cooking courses, I especially loved making the pasta from scratch and I cannot wait to make the recipes again! Thank you to Rita and her family who were the best hosts xx

Vicky was amazing and has the patience of a saint in helping me sort a booking out.

As a luxury travel specialist, attention to detail is absolutely paramount in my business. My clients expect expert advice, flawless planning, and truly bespoke experiences, and that’s exactly what Vicky Lawrence at NITGB delivered.

I contacted Vicky to create a tailor-made Marrakech desert tour itinerary with very specific inclusions requested by my clients. From the outset, Vicky listened carefully, understood the brief completely, and then went above and beyond to ensure every single detail was considered and seamlessly incorporated.

Her knowledge, responsiveness, and commitment to excellence made the entire process effortless, and the end result was an itinerary that genuinely felt once in a lifetime.

I absolutely recommend Vicky and look forward to collaborating on many more exceptional travel experiences in the future.

I recently took my family on the most incredible trip to Pyha in Lapland. A place where the air feels so pure it encourages you to slow down, breathe deeper, and truly switch off. As a travel professional myself, I did have quite in depth knowledge of this part of the world - and as such, there was no one else that I would trust more to deliver an authentic stay where we were all truly looked after, than Not In The Guidebooks. Needless to say, I book them a lot for my clients too (see earlier review) but this time I experienced it first hand. Incredible advice and care from start to finish, Caroline and Vicky outstanding as always. I'm so grateful that not only did my family get to experience this, but my lucky clients continue to do so as well. Thank you so much NITGB!

I want to say how amazing the team are at NITGB. I’ve been dealing with Vicky Lawrence and she’s gone way above and beyond to help arrange the most amazing Sri Lanka trip for me. She’s been quick to answer queries, always cheerful on the phone and in emails and messages and created the most amazing bespoke itinerary. Thank you so much Vicky for always being so supportive and making these trips awe inspiring.

From the moment I was in touch with Vicky, she has been amazing. She is so helpful, positive, friendly and really goes out of her way. She even showcased the systems to me and showed me how to request availability. She talked me through the best options and that were suitable for my client. She suggested the best accommodation types based on her own experiences, her customer service is just fab! My clients have taken some time to get back to me and we have been working on this for over a week now, so availability keeps changing but yet Vicky always keeps in touch and follows up. Thank you for your time, patience and knowledge.

Claire and Martin were wonderful hosts throughout the trip - it was such a lovely break to just focus on art for the week and be looked after! The food was amazing - I was excited for every meal and for the care and attention that went into every course. The accomodation was comfy and spotless too.

Caroline and Anthony were incredible tutors and lovely people to be around and learn from - whether that be techniques or their extensive knowledge of the art world in general.

Overall, an unforgettable week!

I gave a last-minute and very specific tick list for my clients’ once-in-a-lifetime family adventure to Lapland, and Vicky at Not in the Guidebooks absolutely smashed it!

She took the time to really understand what my clients wanted and came back with a Lapland package that ticked every single box — then added her own “Vicky magic” to make it even better. It was so perfect that nothing else my clients were considering came close.

This is the difference when you use an independent tour operator who’s a true specialist in their field. They’re as invested as you are in creating something that wows both you and your clients.

Even though she was incredibly busy, Vicky answered every question quickly and kept the whole process smooth and stress-free.

If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would. Thank you, Vicky — you’re a real diamond!

🌟 Shining a Spotlight on Someone Special 🌟

At Boullies Travel, I believe that creating unforgettable holidays isn’t something you do alone — it takes a village (or, in this case, a brilliant partner!).

I want to take a moment to give a huge shoutout and heartfelt thank you to Vicky at Not In The Guide Books. Over many bookings, Vicky has been a constant source of support, positivity, and reliability.

She’s one of those rare people who’s always available, always smiling (even over email!), and always ready to go the extra mile to help make our clients' experiences truly exceptional.

✨ The trips we’ve arranged through Not In The Guide Books have been nothing short of magical — well-crafted, immersive, and full of the kind of special touches that make a holiday unforgettable. Whether it's a family Lapland adventure, a cultural escape, or something a little out of the ordinary, I know I'm in safe hands with the whole team at Not In The Guide Books.

Vicky — thank you for being such a joy to work with. You help me deliver something truly special for my clients every single time.

Here’s to many more adventures together. 🙌

Jason
Boullies Travel

I am a travel agent and love working with NITGB they are fab. I had some very detailed help from Vicky this morning for some lucky clients off to Lapland - she really knew her stuff and went out of her way to help and the clients booked this afternoon. Thank you Vicky!

My granddaughter, sister-in-law, and I took the fjord trip from Bergen, Norway, to Balestrand in early June 2025. I had never done a trip quite like this and did not know what to expect. I must say, though, that I would do it again. All the accommodations were top notch and the experiences were both educational and fun. What could be improved are the directions and maps. While directions were provided for every day and activity, they were not always clear. They need to be rewritten in more understandable terms with greater detail. The maps that were provided were not always correct and led us astray a couple of times in places totally unfamiliar to us. With that said, I really did like this concept of having a trip planned and yet having the freedom and flexibility to do our own thing. Kudos!!

Both of the hosts, Mirella and Francesco made the trip for me. They were both extremely hospitable and made me feel very welcome. I also learnt a lot which I’m grateful for!

Mirella and Francesco are amazing, they truly made us feel at home. Definitely recommend this experience!

I went on the 3 day authentic Italian cooking experience in Tuscany and was hosted by the lovely Mirella & Francesco.

I don’t even know where to begin… It was absolutely INCREDIBLE! Not only was the villa an absolute gem, but the little town surrounding the villa was beautiful. I loved the swimming pool and the real, authentic Italian vibe of it all. BUT, the main stars of the show were 100% the hosts. Mirella is an outstanding cook, the food she made for us (and taught us how to cook) was amazing - there wasn’t one single thing left on anyone’s plate! And Francesco was so knowledgeable about wine, he makes his own wine and gave us a little masterclass of how he makes it, and how to taste it properly (once you try this wine, you will NEVER drink a sip of the rubbish we have in England ever again…)

I honestly can’t express to everyone just how amazing this experience really was. I am SO glad I went on this trip. I learned so much, I had such an authentic experience and I urge anyone who is thinking about it to BOOK NOW! It’s so affordable and well worth the money.

Not in the Guidebooks are also such a great platform. They’re very professional, helpful, and provide you with all the information you need for the trip. I also love how they offer experiences that normal tour providers don’t offer - it’s such a great site and I will definitely be using it again.

Amazing hosts, amazing food, amazing villa. Absolutely superb trip couldn’t fault it. Will 100% be back

I had a fascinating and very engaging short painting holiday in Florence. I learned a lot, stayed in a monastery, which is a very interesting experience, and had a wonderful time. There were some minor administrative details that I had to check up a couple of times, but the agency was very responsive.

We had the most amazing experience in Tuscany with Not In The Guidebooks. Our hosts Francesco and Mirella were so passionate about the food and wine which made the whole experience so lovely. The food was amazing and so was the wine, but also the palazzo where we stayed was stunning! There was plenty of time to relax by the pool and in the beautiful garden. I would highly recommend this trip and Not In The Guidebooks.

Hannha is amazing,
I have been dealing with Hannah, putting together trips and tours she has been totally amazing answered every qustion and change any part to make sure all is right and correct, I can wholeheartedly recommend using Not in The Guidebook, because they offer so much and with impeccable service you can not go wrong,