QUINTESSENTIAL TRAVEL
LTD
GENERAL INFORMATION
OUR GROUPS
To enhance
your enjoyment of our tours we like to keep our groups small and manageable. We
normally restrict to a maximum of 24 people and a minimum of 10.
All our
inclusive groups are accompanied by a local representative throughout and/or
tour manager. A tour manager will travel with the group from
For tailor
made and private tours a local representative in
On arrival
and in each city you will be met at each airport, railway station or quay etc.
For road
journeys we use air-conditioned vehicles appropriate to the size of the group.
On rail journeys our groups are booked in the best class.
ACCOMMODATION
We have
carefully chosen a selection of hotels up to 5 star standards. The star rating
we specify against each hotel is the official one allocated by the China
National Tourist Administration.
All
accommodation has private en-suite facilities.Unfortunatly we have no direct
control over the daily management of the hotels and, in the event that we have
to change a hotel, every effort will be made to substitute a hotel of the same standard.
We must stress that in some parts of
SPECIAL REQUESTS
Should you
have any special requests e.g. Diet, room location, flight seat preference etc.
please advise us in writing when the booking is made. Whilst every effort will
be made to meet reasonable requests, they cannot be guaranteed. With reference
to seat preference on international flights we strongly recommend that you
check-in as early as possible. (Up to 3 ½ hours before departure) We can only pass on your requests to the
airline concerned. We do not have any control over the allocation of seats on
the aircraft.
FLIGHTS
Most of
our inclusive tours are based on flights departing from Heathrow airport. In
most cases we will be pleased to supply details of regional connections at a
small supplement. We will also be pleased to advise prices of any up-grade
requests.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Each
traveler who books any of our tours MUST have adequate travel insurance. The
premium has to be paid at the time of booking and is non-refundable. You must
indicate on our booking form if you require us to take out the insurance and
pay the required premium with your deposit.
You must
indicate if you have alternative insurance and provide us with full details of
your policy and insurance company.
HEALTH
REQUIREMENTS
We advise
that you should be immunized against Hepatitis A, Typhoid. Tetanus & Polio.
Please consult your doctor for further information.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
Some of
our tours cover regions above 10,000feet (3048m) above sea level. Some visitors
may experience altitude sickness. We take care to ensure time is allowed for
acclimatization within the itinerary; however people are affected in different
ways. If clients are affected badly it may be necessary for them to return to
lower levels as soon as possible. We advise all passengers planning to visit
these areas to seek advice from their doctor BEFORE traveling.
DRINKING WATER
Do not
drink the tap water in
Usually,
some free bottles of water are supplied in most of the hotels we use. This is
also applicable to
PASSPORT/VISA
All
travelers MUST have a full passport valid for at least 6 months.
All
British citizens require a visa to
CURRENCY
The basic
unit of currency in
We
recommended you bring your currency in Sterling Travellers cheques and/or cash
plus small notes in US$
Traveller’s
cheques can be exchanged in most hotels.
Your passport must be submitted at the time of en-cashment. Credit cards
are getting more widely accepted and are accepted for payment in larger hotels
and shops. ATM machines are available
but not all accept non-Chinese cards. We suggest you use Bank of China where
available. The currency is controlled
and it is almost impossible to change the currency back in
ITINERARY
As a
result of unforeseen timetable changes or other reasons, sometimes travel
arrangements in
OVERNIGHT TRAIN
JOURNEYS
These are
always in soft-sleeper. Each compartment sleeps 4 people with 2 bunk beds on
either side of the carriage. In some cases we can obtain 2 berth compartments
at a supplement.
CRUISE BOAT ON THE
Passengers
are accommodated in twin berth cabins. Double beds are not normally available.
For single
cabin supplement please refer to our itinerary and booking conditions.
AIRPORT TAXES
All taxes
are included in our group departures and special tours that include an
international flight.
BAGGAGE
Most
airlines now have strict restrictions on the size and weight of both stowed AND
carry-on luggage. Please ensure that you are fully aware of these restrictions
and it is your responsibility to ensure that you conform to any regulation
imposed by the airline.
Some
airlines in
TIPPING
Tips are
NOT INCLUDED in our tour price. Normal recommendation is $2 per person per day
for your local Chinese guide and $1 per person per day for your driver. On
board the
figure.
OPTIONAL
All
optional tours offered during our tours are payable locally in Chinese Yuan.
Credit cards are not accepted (except in
AIRLINES
It is our
policy to use scheduled flights on airlines with a reputation for service and punctuality.
Normally we ultilise the following airlines (depending on the tour and or
departure date/s):
British Airways,
Air
Flights
within China on domestic carriers are arranged by our local Chinese agents.(Air
China, China Eastern airlines, China Southern airlines, Sichuan airlines) Please be assured that these airlines only use Boeing and/or Airbus or other European
aircraft types.