Phil Hoffmann Travel

Update- [Name Removed], from Phil Hoffman Travel, contacted me after I posted the review before. They tried??? Nothing they can do. We paid for the more expensive interconnecting rooms, no rooms. Once the mistake is made and it is re-sold, it is gone. Bad start to our holiday. Terrible! Very disappointed. Original review:"Not happy. 1 week to go… Read more

and we are all stressed before travel. I went in months ago specifically to book interconnecting rooms on Disney for my 5yo and 7yo. All booked, rooms assigned, and paid for. Another person wanted to join us, so I said ask him to ask agent if that is possible.

Now, no interconnecting rooms and nothing. 1 week to go. Not happy!!!"

Escorted Cambodia and Vietnam tour – Recently returned from an escorted tour to Cambodia and Vietnam. An amazing holiday which exceeded our expectations, having ongoing support whilst away made the experience relaxing and we loved every minute. Amanda was knowledgeable, warm and friendly and nothing was too much trouble, experiences while on tour included a circus, Vesper ride,… Read more ·  1

Halong bay cruise to name but a few and were all unforgettable. The country's are beautiful and their people warm and friendly, local guides were exceptional and we are so grateful to have had this experience. Thankyou Phil Hoffmann travel

How to loose customers forever – Really disappointed with the response to my complaint regarding the “ no show “ of my transfer to the airport in Ubud. Quite stunned by the language used and the tone has taken a couple of days to respond. I was left in Ubud waiting for a pre booked, prepaid and confirmed the night before pick up to the airport for almost an hour. Due to my hotel… Read more

only being accessible by motorcycle I’d been dropped off and was a good 20 minute walk from my hotel. When no transport arrived I had to make numerous calls to the hotel and the carrier ( ‘ this number is out of service’) until finally my hotel came through with a driver. My journey to the airport was like a police chase-we were trying to catch the flight. I arrived with whiplash to a snaking queue for check in with my flight in 1 hour and had to be rushed to the front. It was a dreadful experience but apparently because the transfer company paid for my taxi it’s fine and I quote “ this is all part of the experience of travelling “. I have been travelling for over 40 years. I have never had such a patronising response to a complaint. My contract was with you, I paid for a service that was not delivered and had an awful ending to my holiday in Bali. This is not an experience that I would expect with travel when it’s organised by a travel agency. To finish your email “ please reach out “ is quite unbelievable. Why would I reach out to someone who has shown no help, empathy or apology.

Kerri Hanisch - PHT MODBURY – We have known Kerri for at least 15 years and during that time have recommended Kerri to numerous friends to organise their travel bookings. Kerri's dedication and attention to all aspects of her job has been nothing short of outstanding. Whilst we have travelled many times in an official capacity for PHT, we had cause to utilise Kerri's… Read more

expertise for the first time this year (2020) for travel to Myanmar. The booking was finalised very expeditiously during November 2019, to our complete satisfaction along with Travel Insurance. 

Along came Covid-19 and it soon became evident that our travel to Myanmar in Nov 2020 was not going to materialise. Kerri's advice was to sit tight and wait for the principals to cancel our travel bookings. This was good advice as we were able to obtain a full refund of our airfares and a full retention of our deposits to APT, PHT and CoverMore Insurance for use within 2 years. 

Thank you Kerri and PHT for your efforts during this difficult time and we wish you and all PHT staff a positive and happy future as borders open and your many clients return to travelling."

Phil Hoffman Travel - Bernadette Boyce – We have been very fortunate to have had Bernadette as our Travel Consultant for the now several overseas holiday trips we have taken over the last few years. Her professionalism is of the highest standard and her dedication to her clients are beyond reproach. A true paragon of the industry. These qualities have never been more apparent than in… Read more

recent times with the challenges presented with the Corona Virus pandemic. Our most recent trip planning was marred on several occasions due to the pandemic however Bernadette was able to negotiate the problems to arrive at a very satisfactory result for us, securing airline refunds and forward travel credits. Much of this achieved under the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. To have someone of Bernadette's caliber organizing and reorganization things for us as obstacles arose was a godsend. Thank you Bernadette for the excellent service you have provided and to the rest of the PHT team who I have a always found to be most polite and helpful. I would recommend to any prospective Travellers to engage a consultant to organize things. It takes a lot of the worry out of things. On that note you could not go wrong with PHT, and in particular Bernadette. we look forward to continuing our travels in the future with the help of Bernadette. Again, thank you Bernadette. Lloyd and Kathy

Great service from Cheryl Scanlan – I have used PHT for many years and our trips have been magnificent. Our travel agent Cheryl Scanlan makes everything so easy. I just tell her where I want to go and she arranges it all for me. It is comforting to know that there is always someone who has got you back. Our last trip was to the Northern Lights and was a great trip. and our… Read more ·  1

individual stay in Finland and Lapland was so good and full of adventure. Thank you Cheryl for making it so easy, and am looking forward to the next trip to Canada in their autumn. Helen Ackland

Perfect european holiday thanks to Mark at Norwood ! – My partner and I have been using Phil Hoffman Travel at Norwood for years to arrange our overseas holidays and this last 5 week one to Europe including flying to Paris , fast train to Bordeaux, 13 days on an AZAMARA cruise ship around Spain followed by an APT River cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest was the best ever. Our PHT travel consultant… Read more ·  1

Mark Camilleri’s professionalism, expert advise and organisation skills made our holiday absolutely seamless. His recommended accommodations were perfect as were all the transfers which were very punctual. I would highly recommend Mark and the team at Norwood to arrange your holiday. Kevin and Annie

Happy little travellers – We would have no hesitation in recommending Phil Hoffmann Travel to anyone. Our holiday to Scotland, Iceland and a Viking Homelands Cruise to the Norse countries finally eventuated after 4 long years from our original booking. Many changes had to be made over these years due to Covid lockdowns, cruise ships not sailing, war in Russia and our… Read more ·  1

consultants at Phil Hoffmann took it all in their stride, making themselves available to discuss options, booking and rebooking flights and dates of cruises and accomodation several times for us, with unfailing courtesy. All in all making all travel arrangements run smoothly from the start of our holiday until our return home.

Poor customer service, multiple errors – Tried Phil Hoffman travel due to their radio advertising. Couldn't be more disappointed. Initial meeting was fine however consultant didn't explore our wants and instead books from their 'partners'. After the initial appointment, the customer service was poor - didn't return multiple phone calls, missing information in our travel pack, we were… Read more

told to come in to pick up our paperwork because it was ready, when we got there is wasn't ready! and while away send us an update to our plans a day too late. Considering there was a fee/charge of $200 per person travelling this experience was terrible.

Zero Customer Service – Due to the limited hours of operation (Mon - Fri 9 to 5), I sent a message to arrange an appointment to speak with a consultant. I included full details of the travel I wanted to book including dates and destinations. It was with full intention to book, not just a general enquiry. I received a confirmation back that a consultant would contact me… Read more

in 2 days. Never heard a thing, no message, no phone call, they were not at all interested in my business. Took my business and booked elsewhere.

Receptionist extremely rude – First time contact with PH. Rang to see if fares are yet available for international flights August 2023. Call line cracking. Not sure of answer but thought it was "no" Barked if I wanted to make an appointment. I said I did not like the rude attitude of the receptionist. Rang back to complain...same person answered...who was still rude/abrupt. Not booking through Phil Hoffman Show details

Professionals – We have been using Phil Hoffman Travel for many years now and have always found them to be very professional and knowledgeable. I trust them implicitly to organise all my travel requirements. We have just returned from a 3 week self drive trip around Tasmania. They did all the hard work to make our holiday a trouble free trip. Show details ·  1

Great Teamwork – Having not travelled thru the COVID period we were unsure of current costs and so provided Cheryl with a range of options. Cheryl found a very cost-effective around-the-world ticket with Finnair, who were brilliant. Some of the accommodation options were booked by us, while others were booked by PHT. There was no confusion and we worked well… Read more ·  1

together.

The whole process was relatively seamless and Cheryl co-ordinated everything very well.

Other than a delayed start to the trip where Qantas cancelled our pre-booked flight to LA, everything else went to schedule with no problems.

We used a Travelex card for the first time and can recommend this as a way of avoiding irritating foreign exchange fees with every transaction. The card was accepted everywhere.

Couldn't be bothered with my enquiry – Pre-registered for a cruise through Phill Hoffman Travel. I had a follow up phone call from a consultant, asking for DOB, names etc and telling me that the day the cruise goes on sale, and my cabin was secured I would receive a phone call with details for deposit. NEVER got a reply at all, tried phoning and no response. The cruise has since… Read more

sold out. Luckily my daughter secured a cabin through RAA Travel, who I cannot praise enough for their communication etc. sadly something lacking with Phil Hoffman. Would never use them again, or recommend them.

3 strikes and they are out – Having booked countless holidays through PHT, the last 3 holidays were memorable for all the wrong reasons. Our last holiday, the PHT advisor booked SEAT & BAG airline tickets on our overseas holiday without advising us. He said it was "his error". Sitting on long haul flights without in-flight movie entertainment, meals and wine was something… Read more

we will remember for a while yet. Our previous holiday, the PHT advisor "forgot" to add our frequent flyer details to our return Business Class flights to Rome. Took PHT 3 months to get them re-instated (at our beckoning). The holiday before that we travelled Emirates Business Class and the seat did not work including reclining or the entertainment system. We tried to get compensation and PHT did nothing to help us. Very poor form. Will never book through them again. Useless.

Well deserved ! – My husband first booked with Sarina and when I was able to book, she managed to get us both on the same flight and sitting next to each other - not an easy thing. We were very happy and no additional fees - great job. Had a wonderful trip to Finland and home safe. Show details ·  1

GREAT TIME – I recently took my two Granddaughters to Port Douglas because they wanted to visit a rainforest. Our experience right from the beginning ..in the airport..was hassle free and easy. Our flights there and back were on time without any problems. The transfers to and from Cairns were in very comfortable modern vehicles with pleasant, informative… Read more ·  1

drivers. I was very happy with our accommodation and its amenities. We had two tours booked, one to the Barrier Reef and the other to the Daintree, these were both very enjoyable, informative and my Granddaughters had a ball. Overall the trip was a big success. Thankyou to Amy for her efforts in the planning.

Second time around – I recently returned from a trip to Darwin travelling both ways on the Ghan. Whilst there I went on a number of tours that included Kakadu Litchfield four wheel drives to Arnhem land to name a few. I was amazed at how well Sarina arranged this entire trip. The hotels, the pickups and drop offs. Thank you Sarina Show details ·  1

Poor service – I rang the number for Phil Hoffman Travel Glenelg this morning to ask about the current pre-departure PCR requirements for travelling to Indonesia as there is conflicting information on Smart Traveller and media sites. She didn’t seem to know anything about it and asked me to stay on the line. She then came back to me saying that she could not… Read more

answer my general question without me paying a fee because I didn’t currently have a trip booked with them. I have since rung Flight Centre and have had a very comprehensive and helpful answer to my enquiry. The girl at Hoffman Travel came across as vague and unprofessional, and the request for a fee payment for general travel information is off-putting. I’ll be booking my trip elsewhere without doubt.

Couldn't ask for better service – We booked a package deal with Riz, PHT Modbury, including accommodation in Darwin and travel on the Ghan. We usually arrange and book holidays ourselves, and we were a little sceptical about going through a travel agent. Although unfortunately, we had many hiccups with flights, accommodation and the Ghan, due to flooding and other problems (all… Read more ·  1

out of PHT's control), Riz ensured we still had a wonderful holiday. Her professionalism, communication and patience was excellent and very much appreciated. Would highly recommend her services.

Vax status – I supported my blind 60yr old friend to try and book a snow bucket list trip for her. We were all ready to pay and then I was told that because of my Vax status that I will be charged a $300 booking fee for not being vaxed. Seriously this crappy free, is more than the dog sled which is the whole reason for this trip. She has a wish to experience… Read more

dog sledding. So we have decided to not use phil hofman, and try again next year. I find this fee discusting and a form of discrimination. NOT HAPPY AT ALL.

Very poor service – I am still waiting for my refund from a cancelled trip on the Ghan at the very beginning of September,(more than four and a half months). Without exaggeration probably 50 emails have been exchanged regarding my refund, all to no avail. I have also informed Journey Beyond Rail of the poor service I have received and they don’t seem to bother. I think my next course of action is to seek legal advice. Show details

Fantastic Tasmanian Holiday organised by Cheryl Scanlon – We really want to thank Cheryl Scanlon from Phil Hoffman Glenelg for organizing a fantastic Tasmanian Holiday for us! We took her advice re the places to visit, how long to stay there etc and all the places she recommended were great. Everything was completely organized and nothing was too much trouble for her. This is the 2nd time we've had… Read more

Cheryl help us and we will continue to have her help whenever we travel. We've recommended her to heaps of our friends too. A great job!

Lin an absolute travel agent convert!! – We were giving a Phil Hoffman voucher so booking our recent holiday with PHT and thanks goodness we did!! With the airlines mucking us around and Covid causing hassles, Phil Hoffman fixed everything so that we could just enjoy our holiday.  Show details

Utmost service and care – We want to thank Phil Hoffman Travel for its professional service. Erin S, travel consultant, was genuinely helpful, patient in her dealings with me, from initially booking our holiday, to sorting out flight cancellations, due to Covid restrictions, and getting us home during lockdown - she spent time sorting through this all, and we are so… Read more

thankful for her service - Erin replied to our questions quickly, she phoned and emailed when she said she would - I trusted she'd help us, and she did! - so thank you Erin. I would definitely recommend Erin as an outstanding consultant at PHT, and have recommended her to my family, and will to my friends - I found PHT company professional in its business model. Well done!!!

Compassionate and Caring Staff Member – We recently had to cancel a trip at short notice we explained the situation to our Consultant Stuart and he was straight onto it and advised us what we needed to do in the hope of getting a credit on compassionate grounds. Thanks to Stuart’s compassionate and caring nature and due to the way he advocated for us we were advised that we received a… Read more

credit. Stuart always does an amazing job and nothing is an effort he is a credit to the Phil Hoffman name.

Customer care that goes beyond our expectations, which after over 40 years of travelling are on the high side! – During this year of Covid disruptions, the team at PHT Hyde Park have delivered exceptional service. Dallas, Jenny and Joanne are 3 staff who have supported our needs. They work seamlessly and take time to record every detail, there is never a need to rehash the details. Dallas in particular takes time and trouble to ensure our preferences are… Read more ·  1

taken into account, and has never failed to get back to us the same day. We highly recommend the organised, principled, detailed, friendly and respectful manner in which business is conducted. We will happily continue to use PHT as our travel provider. Steve and Dominie Nelson.

Easy and friendly to deal with – I have been dealing with Bernadette at the PHT Modbury branch to help me with a cruise we had booked which was cancelled due to Covid. Bernadette's advice and help was second to none and she honestly went out of her way to help us to obtain the best outcome. Would recommend talking with Bernadette if looking at booking at trip once the world is again open to travel Show details ·  1

Kerri Hanisch - Modbury – We have been travelling overseas every year for over 20 years, but it wasn't until PHT opened at Modbury that we decided to try PHT, and our consultant was Kerri Hanisch. Oh what a difference, the personal service, attention to detail and extra time taken to tailor each of our holidays to our unique taste and interests was overwhelming. We would… Read more

never go to any other Travel Agent, just wish we had switch years earlier, Covid 19 has effected three of our 2020 holidays but Kerri has always been quick to notify us of the changes and handled everything for us.

Laura Martino - Barossa PHT Office – Throughout the process of planning a trip (Group Booking) to Indonesia Laura's organisation and professionalism was impeccable. Even though the final holiday did not go ahead due to COVID, Laura's services both pre and post COVID were so very much appreciated. She worked hard to ensure I was communicated to regularly and both her and PHT could not… Read more

be faulted on their professionalism and excellent customer service. Highly recommend Laura and Phil Hoffmann Travel when organising travel arrangements.

Craig

Bernadatte Boyce is always there to help out – We have been using the expert services of Bernadette at PHT at Modbury for many years. She is always so friendly helpful and very knowledgeable on the many places over the world we have travelled to. She always is there for us. Even in the present troubles she has been able to help sort out our concerns. We could say more however other reviews say it all about Bernadette and PHT. Thanks for all you have done for us. Robin and Peter.

Very professional and helpful – Bernadette at Phil Hoffmann Travel was our saviour in cancelling our holiday due to Covid19. She was amazing and professional and successful in getting 98% of our money back. We appreciate all her hard work. Show details