Are you looking for a group travel partner in a beautiful part of the world to team up with? Because The Carlton Hotel in Ilfracombe, North Devon is seeking to grow our travel partner network in 2020 and 2021. Why bring your group to us? Let’s save the pitch for a moment and start with some genuine travel insights…
The Mona Lisa is too small, Stonehenge is just a pile of rocks, the beach is too sandy and there is no beach in London. No, not fake news, just a handful of the ‘most ridiculous’ holiday complaints on a list compiled by loveexploring.com, serving as a great illustration of how difficult it is to please everybody all the time. Add a group travel dynamic into the mix and you’ve really got your work cut out!
One thing’s for certain, every travel group is different and within each, there is usually a divergence of interests and expectations. Keeping everybody happy can be a full-time job but thankfully The Carlton has the bases covered which is why we lead the way with customised group travel deals in North Devon. To make your experience a great one, we’ve taken some pointers from some bad ones!
“The room was bad.”
One of the most often made complaints made by UK group travel tourists involves the state of their accommodation. Scrimping on the room may shave some cash off the price of the trip but an experienced group travel organiser is aware that a bad night’s sleep in a poorly facilitated hotel only serves to make group members grouchy and resentful and eager to sow the seeds of rebellion within the group (every organiser’s worst nightmare!).
The Carlton Hotel does not do poor quality rooms. There is a stylish uniformity that runs throughout our 30 bespoke rooms, thanks to a £1.7 million pound refurbishment which ensures an impressively high standard throughout. Rooms with brand double glazed windows and casements containing, stylish fully tiled en suite bathrooms, comfortable beds dressed withhigh thread count cotton bedding, flat-screen TVs and free Wifi are universal features of our rooms.
Built into The Carlton’s ethos is a deep understanding of the word ‘hospitality’. The reputation of this Ilfracombe hotel owes a great deal to its emphasis on superb customer service and attending to the little details that make sure a visit runs smoothly and the experience remains memorable for all the right reasons.
“The area wasn’t great.”
Who hasn’t been to a coastal travel spot which consists of mass development wrapped around a thin slither of rather uninspiring beach? Well you won’t find that in North Devon!
This is England’s Adventure Coast, where lush green hills undulate and world beating glorious beaches lie around every corner. Within a stroll’s distance of The Carlton you can find a number of beaches and coves belonging to the town of Ilfracombe alone.
We are talking adventure in the loosest sense of the word here – yes you can set off on a surf safari or coasteering challenge, but you can also just as easily set off to a quiet bay for a picnic and poke around the rock pools.Away from the sea there are wonderful hiking opportunities courtesy of the coastal path and Exmoor national park as well as options for cycling adventures suitable for all levels of fitness.
“The activities/excursions weren’t great”
This is another complaint that comes high up the list. Frequently this is a problem that is rooted in the choice of the location. As every tour group organiser knows, the remedy to this malady is to do your research, or even better work with a partner with the local knowledge to bring to the itinerary.
The Carlton is working with local partners all the time to develop activities and packages thatwill engage guests and give them a great time. From discounted links with local gardens, golf and shooting clubs to therapeutic service providers (such as Tai Chi and massage), local guide and sea captain excursions and even workshops with awesome chocolateers, The Carlton has a whole host of experiential providers it can call on to help group travel organisers plan the ideal itinerary.
“The food was bad.”
This is a frequent bugbear and one that can cause even the most mild mannered group to mutiny. Who can blame them? Along with a bad night’s sleep, poor dining options – facilities and the contents of one’s plate – is the biggest cause for grumbles.
This is not the typical experience at the Carlton, where food plays a huge part in building the guest experience. We are proud to proclaim that we are a hotel with provenance where the food we serve is very much based around the ingredients we locally source. Being on the coast we have excellent seafood while from the North Devon countryside comes excellent meat, vegetables and dairy produce.
A UK group travel experience includes the full Carlton culinary experience – with a choice of breakfast, lunch and dinner options – served in the lovely surroundings of our in-house Brasserie or private dining room.
Our group travel offers begin at £35 per guest (minimum of 3 nights stay), to find out more about our offers and to get the best rate Email or call direct on 01271 862446. If you are organising a group travel in 2020, big or small, we’d love to hear from you.
to chat about how we can help you make the most of your group travel experience