Any Questions? Speak to someone with extensive knowledge of our walks and destinations.
Call 01799 513331 or enquire here or use the messenger service – bottom right.
This is a 7 night step back in time. Choose day to day whether to join an easier moderate walk or a higher harder hike. In this stunning corner of Andalucia, Collett’s provides a week of outstanding walks in a reassuringly mountainous region of fincas, farmhouses and whitewashed hilltop villages of Moorish origin, all interspersed on hillsides of olive, almond and vine.
Our base is the pretty village of Canillas d’Albaida, loomed over by its amazing backdrops, which are the rocky peaks of the Atalaya and Verde Mountains of the Sierra Tejeda Natural Park. We provide half-board accommodation in a charmingly converted convent and also a modern villa with impressive panoramas. Fabulous food is served here and often eaten al fresco in the village square.
Spring 2021 |
Autumn 2021 |
An Easier Moderate Walk
A Higher Harder Hike
Self-guiding is not available in Andalucia.
The Walks – all organised walks. Collett’s is all about memorable walks of your chosen grade.
Accommodation – bed, breakfast & 3 course dinner with wine at Posada la Plaza. See Accommodation Tab at the top of this page.
Office Hour – guarantee yoursleves a succession of fabulous days out by joining us and other guests each early evening for a relaxed and optional pre-dinner gathering. Sign up to the next day’s organised walks, choosing whichever one takes your fancy. (Drinks at office hour not included)
Airport Transfers – to and from Malaga airport.
Local Transport – to and from organised walks, as required.
Flights, Insurance & Packed Lunches
Getting to Andalucia is easy.
Fly to Malaga and meet a free Collett’s airport transfer.
But there are other options – see the Other Info Tab at the top of this page.
In uncertain times, booking with financial peace of mind is essential – as members of ABTA, our walkers have been doing this for over 23 years. In addition, our booking conditions are now more flexible than ever:
Many years ago before we featured the Picos de Europa, we corresponded with our database asking for guidance on where Collett’s might open a new destination. In second place after Austria was the Picos de Europa and soon we knew why.
These are breath-taking mountains that accommodate memorable walks at low, medium and high level. ‘Memorable’ for so many reasons: the inspirational mountain landscapes; the sensational flora and birdlife; the slow and sleepy pace of a rural life; and the relaxing sense of stepping back in time, not to mention the many welcome and abundant characteristics of a unique culture and rich history.
In time we would also come to appreciate a pleasant Mediterranean climate, notably present in the charming corner of the massif that we were to eventually select – after much deliberation – as our base for flower lovers and walking holidays in the Picos de Europa. We refer to long sunny days and generally low rainfall.
The Cordillera Cantabrica, of which the Picos de Europa form a part, separates the high dry plains of central Spain from the dramatic lush green northern coast of the Bay of Biscay, the Costa Verde. Indeed, these mountains are so close to the ocean that according to legend, the Picos de Europa (literally the ‘Peaks of Europe’) got their name from trans-Atlantic sailors approaching northern Europe from the new worlds of the Americas.
Today, most of the region is protected by the Picos de Europa National Park. This centres on a compact and beautiful range of high limestone mountains, which rise up gloriously from the coast and are crowned by soaring peaks. These magnificent summits are impressive and stronger high level walkers will surely thrive here amidst breathtaking mountain landscapes.
Simultaneously, these towering peaks and massifs form the inspirational backdrops for moderate walkers who choose to walk at lower levels, where the flora, fauna and butterflies will simply enchant you, not to mention the quaint mountain hamlets that also characterise these walks.
In many ways, this gem of a range matches step for step the colours and natural drama of the Dolomites. The range consists of three major massifs: Central, Eastern and Western. The Central and Western massifs are separated by the inspirational, mile-deep Cares Gorge (the Garganta del Cares). With Collett’s, you will have the opportunity to walk in this natural phenomenon at least once during your stay.
Culturally, the area is rich, vibrant and traditional. It is famed, amongst other things, for its cider and its piquant blue cheeses, which are traditionally matured in local caves.
The Picos invites visitors of all abilities to experience the joy of alpine flowers, from the valleys of the Liébana to the extraordinary landscape of sheer limestone cliffs that awaits you at the viewing platform at the top of the exhilarating 800m cable car at Fuente De. The joy of seeing alpine flowers in their perfect setting never fails. And that’s the real magic.
Designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2003, the diversity of the wildlife is second to none in the whole of Western Europe with over 1400 species and nearly 50 types of orchid, many flourishing in the hay meadows that are amongst the richest of European habitats – Pink Butterfly, Bee, Spider,
Burnt, Fly, Lizard, Man and Birds Nest are among the many botanical highlights.
The deciduous woodland and meadows at lower level are home to species such as white asphodel, semi-parasitic yellow rattle, heartflowered serapias, tassel hyacinths, early purple orchids, fragrant orchids, astrantia and lungwort, to name but a few. Higher up, nestled between the limestone, summer grazing pastures become a floral paradise – tall purple spikes of monkshood aconites, the Merendera montana lily, gentians, carpets of wild narcissus, snakeshead fritillary, burnt orchids, black vanilla orchids, and common spotted orchids, all making their homes here.
Under ancient oak, lime, chestnut, walnut, hazel and elm trees, grow species such as wood anemone, wood sorrel, stinking and green hellebores, dog violets, primroses, and martagon lilies. Above the tree-line, small rock gardens play host to hardy species like bellflowers, ferns, stonecrops, saxifrages, sedges and toadflaxes.
From river-valleys at almost sea-level to alpine habitats in the high mountains, the Picos de Europa are home to a wealth of animal-life. The graceful and agile ‘rebeco’ (or chamois) are often seen on higher slopes. Roe deer dart through the woodlands, where you might also see red squirrels. The marten, wild cat, stoat, otter, fox, badger, polecat and weasel may be seen by the more alert amongst you. Evidence of wild boars is common but sightings are very rare – but not as rare, however, as sightings of the Cantabrian brown bear!
Golden eagles are regular visitors to the skies but it is more common to see the Egyptian and Griffon vultures riding the mid-day thermals. The crimson winged wallcreeper remains elusive but you might see one on the remoter rock-faces of the national park. Of course, the ubiquitous alpine choughs will loiter cheekily at mountain refuges or known picnic spots.
Also making an appearance during your stay will hopefully be the black woodpecker, middle spotted woodpecker, treecreeper, snow finch, alpine accentor, eagle owl and peregrine. Butterflies abound here, particularly in the lower wildflower meadows. Some are endangered, such as the marsh fritillary, but others thrive and bring great pleasure to low and medium level walkers.
Potes is the principal town of the Liébana valley region, providing well for the holidaymaker, whilst being a charming step back in time. There is a hustle and bustle that somehow adds to the rustic splendour of this remarkable little town. On market day especially, it is a hive of activity.
Historically rich, Potes boasts impressive medieval buildings and a labyrinth of fascinating cobbled streets with interesting shops, markets and atmospheric cafés. These streets radiate from a beautiful town square, itself perched dramatically above the river, which flows through the town. In every direction, Potes enjoys majestic mountain backdrops and clearly this adds to its appeal for walkers.
Collett’s chose Potes partly for its weather. It has a temperate climate and generally enjoys the sun and warmth of León and Castille, whilst leaving the wetter westerly weather fronts to the northern and western mountains of the Picos de Europa. To be precise, we are 2kms outside Potes in the hamlet of Tama.
Any Questions? Speak to someone with extensive knowledge of our walks and destinations.
Call 01799 513331 or enquire here or use the messenger service – bottom right.
Join Daily walks of your chosen grade
Join Our Organised Walks
All fitness levels
Join an organised walk of your chosen grade every day except Wednesday. Day to day we offer an easier moderate walk and a higher harder hike. This is perfect for parties with varying levels of fitness, as you can do different walks and still enjoy the same holiday. Your time here will surely be enhanced by the Collett’s Walks Team. Mick is our main man on the ground and he lives here. Originally from the UK, he and his family came here 20 years ago and fell in love with it. He is a passionate hillwalker with a wealth of local knowledge, which he shares enthusiastically, whether it is historical or cultural..
Wednesday is our day off, a midweek rest day for you, which we can help you plan. A popular option is a visit to the Alhambra in Granada, but you might opt for a day in historic Malaga or the celebrated coastal caves at Nerja. Scroll down to the bottom of this page for details
Our base in Canillas de Albaida is the ideal springboard for walking in Spain’s sub-tropical sunshine.
We are 576m above sea level but some of our walks venture into the rocky peaks of the Sierra Tejeda Natural Park, which rise to an impressive 2065m and form a natural frontier between the provinces of Málaga and Granada. At every turn you will be captivated, perhaps by views of the Mediterranean coast, the Sierra Nevada or the distant Atlas mountains of North Africa; perhaps by soaring raptors, eagles, peregrine falcons or golden orioles; perhaps by the profusion of flora unique to this region.
Only recently discovered by British walkers, this is classic sleepy Andalucia, and you will explore it on ancient rocky trails, mule tracks, Roman paths and the old ‘Silk Route’ that snakes its way through La Axarquia to Granada. You will be enchanted by ancient oak woods, Roman bridges, vineyards, olive groves and step-back-in-time white Moorish villages with their exquisite examples of ancient Mudejar architecture. You will also see fast-flowing rivers and spectacular waterfalls, which have carved out remarkable canyons known locally as cahorros.
Travel to the Dolomites – Airport transfer from Venice Marco Polo (3pm) or Venice Treviso (3:30pm) four days each week. Sat/Sun/Tues/Thurs.
Overnight Accommodation – Guesthouse or chalet in Corvara on a B&B basis.
Route Statistics – 10.8km, 1435m ascent, 731m descent
The Route – The main focus of day one is the iconic peak of Sassongher which dominates the view from Corvara and provides a superb vantage point from which to orientate yourself with the Alta Badia. A narrow switchback path leads up the steep flanks of the peak to a small saddle, from where the final section to the summit involves some easy scrambling in quite exposed positions, aided by the use of metal cables. From the summit, descend the section of scrambling to the saddle again before a superb terraced path leads to the tranquil Rifugio Gardenacia, giving superb views across the valley to the Fanes Massif.
Overnight accommodation – Rifugio Gardenacia
Any Questions? Speak to someone with extensive knowledge of our walks and destinations.
Call 01799 513331 or enquire here or use the messenger service – bottom right.
Our base in Andalucia is Posada La Plaza, a converted 16th century convent, full of rustic charm and character. It comprises two sides of a classic Andalucian village square, a typically Spanish setting of attractive white buildings, their balconies overflowing with colourful flower boxes. Posada is the Spanish word used to describe an attractive guest house or inn that is not big enough to be called a hotel.
Posada La Plaza has 9 en suite bedrooms; all are air‐conditioned, immaculate, simple yet elegantly furnished. The top floor has a sauna, jacuzzi and a sun terrace, from which you can look over olive groves down to the distant Mediterranean sea.
It is owned and run by our old friend, Gustavo, full of Mediterranean personality and a love of his home village. Gustavo and his team – including his wife, Daniella – provide a warm, enthusiastic welcome and friendly hospitality. There is a daily continental breakfast and each evening (except Wednesdays) they provide an exceptional three course dinner with complimentary wine. Guests choose from delicious options for each course. We eat in the traditional Restaurant La Plaza just across the square from the main Posada, but often we are able to eat al fresco at shared tables in the pretty setting of the square. There is plenty of fresh fish on the menu and usually Gustavo does a special paella evening and an impressive barbecue night.
Villa La Plaza – Gustavo has additional accommodation about 300m from the village square in his newly-built villa. Perched on a hillside, it offers uninterrupted views of the surrounding hills and mountains; from here you can also gaze down the valley towards the Mediterranean. The villa has 7 en suite bedrooms, which are air-conditioned, immaculate and simply furnished in the typical Spanish way. There is a large comfortable guest lounge with french windows opening out to an attractive terrace with an 8 metre swimming pool and plenty of sun loungers. It is a short and easy stroll up into the village square, where the Posada is located, and guests staying in the villa can wander up here to take breakfast, dinner and join us each early evening for Office Hour.
Any Questions? Speak to someone with extensive knowledge of our walks and destinations.
Call 01799 513331 or enquire here or use the messenger service – bottom right.
On a Collett’s walking holiday in Spain’s Andalucia you organise your own flights to and from Malaga.
You can arrange your travel now or after you have booked your holiday. Please contact us if you have any questions. Most guests book a Saturday flight to Malaga and meet a Collett’s airport transfer for the onward journey to Canillas d’Albaida. Once you have confirmed flights, please contact us with details so that we can book your transfers.
You might want to arrive in Canillas in some other way. If so, please drop us an email with your proposed travel plans, so that we can inform our local team and ensure someone will be around to welcome you.
On Saturdays
There are two transfers every Saturday.
The earlier transfer departs at around 12.30.
The later transfer departs at around 16.30.
Return Transfer – your flight home must depart after 12:00
Fly-driving is popular and most of our guests choose this option. Having a car in the mountains gives you complete flexibility during your stay and also on your days of arrival and departure.
Collett’s have teamed up with AutoEurope so that you can search the web for car hire quotes from all the big name brands (as well as some of the lesser known local suppliers), at some of the most competitive prices available anywhere on the internet.
We have also teamed up with Worldwide Insure who can offer you Excess Reimbursement Insurance from only £2.50 per day, click here to find out more.
You do not need an International Driving Permit to drive in any EU and EEA country, or Switzerland, for stays of up to 12 months. For more information see www.gov.uk/driving-abroad/international-driving-permit
Any Questions? Speak to someone with extensive knowledge of our walks and destinations.
Call 01799 513331 or enquire here or use the messenger service – bottom right.
All prices include participation in our daily organised walks
Deposit – £100 per person – Balance due 8 weeks prior to departure.
Our Day Off – Wednesday – No organised walks; no office hour; no dinner – guests eat out locally.
Posada la Plaza & Villa la Plaza |
£735 |
All half-board prices are per person per week based on two people sharing a twin or double room.
Half-board includes 7 nights bed & breakfast; 6 evening meals – 3 courses with wine included – except Wednesday.
Discounts & Supplements |
|
Single Occupancy |
Contact us for details |
2 Week Stays |
5% discount* |
Triple Occupancy |
10% per occupant* |
Group Walking Holidays |
Reductions apply for groups of 12+ |
1. CONTRACT: Please read these booking conditions carefully as they, together with the specific information in your booking confirmation, form an important part of your contract with Collett’s Limited (company number : 03467538 whose registered office is at Market House, 10 Market Walk, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1JZ) trading as Collett’s Mountain Holidays.
2. PRICES: We reserve the right to alter any of our advertised prices. Our prices were set on 31 October 2020, and the reference exchange rate was 1.159 (as published by the Financial Times). You will be advised of the current price of the holiday that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed. All prices quoted are fully inclusive of non-optional charges.
3. SUPPLEMENTS: We reserve the right to apply a supplement to your holiday after you have booked in the event of increases to the costs of supplying your holiday, which might result from changes in the cost of fuel or other power sources, accommodation costs, costs of compliance with local rules and laws, exchange rate fluctuations and/or government action (including changes in any levels of taxation such as VAT). Supplements will not be applied within 20 days of your arrival date.
4. MAKING A BOOKING AND PAYMENT: When you have chosen your accommodation and you make a request to us to book it, you must pay a deposit of £100 (or £150 for our Ski Safari, Camino de Santiago, Kitzbuhel to Cortina, Mountains to the Med, and all Hut to Hut holidays), or if you are booking within 8 weeks of your arrival date the full cost of the booking. Your booking is only confirmed and a contract between us will only exist when a) your party leader has ticked the box on our client portal confirming that they accept our terms and conditions; b) we have received in cleared funds a deposit of £100 or £150 (as appropriate) per person; and c) we have issued our confirmation by email. Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately.
5. FINAL BALANCES: If you have paid a deposit, the ‘final balance’ of the cost of your holiday is due 56 days (8 weeks) before departure. If the balance is not received on time, we will remind you that it is overdue. If you then do not pay within 7 days of this reminder we reserve the right to cancel your booking and retain your deposit.
6. INSURANCE: It is essential that you take out adequate and valid insurance, which should include (without limitation) cover against the cost of cancellation by you, assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness, and third party liability for injury and damage. We recommend that your policy is as extensive as our recommended insurance policy, details of which can be found on our website. Insurance premiums in respect of travel insurance purchased from us are non-refundable and non-transferable.
7. BOOKING CHANGES: After our confirmation has been issued, any requests for changes must be sent to us in writing by e-mail or post, by the person that made the booking. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your request but we will try to do so. If you change the number in your party, the accommodation price will be re-calculated. If the party size is reduced, this is likely to mean the remaining members paying more due to under-occupancy.
8. CANCELLATIONS: If you want to cancel your booking, the person who made the booking must send this in writing to us, by email or post. You will be charged a cancellation fee as follows: If you cancel (this is the date on which we receive your written notice of cancellation during the hours of 9am to 5.30pm):
More than 28 days before your arrival date: deposit only;
Within 28 days of arrival date: 100%
Charges are shown as a percentage of your total holiday cost (including any excursions).
9. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR BOOKING: When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions. This means that you are responsible for making all payments due, notifying us if any changes or cancellations are required and for receiving the confirmation and keeping your party informed.
10. OUR LIABILITY, CONDITIONS of CARRIAGE & LIMITATIONS: (a) Our obligations, in providing any accommodation or service included in your holiday, are to take reasonable skill and care to arrange for the provision of such accommodation or services. Therefore, providing we have selected our providers with reasonable care and skill, we will have no liability to you for anything that happens at the accommodation or any acts or omissions of the provider or other service providers. We will also have no liability in the following situations: (i) where the accommodation or services cannot be provided as booked due to circumstances beyond our control or which amount to “force majeure” (including, without limitation, global pandemics, terrorist activity, natural disasters and adverse weather conditions); (ii) where you incur any loss or damage that could not have been foreseen at the time of your booking, based on the information provided by you; (iii) where you incur any loss or damage that relates to any business activity; (iv) where any loss or damage relates to any services which do not form part of our contract with you. (b) Our liability, except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall be limited to a maximum of 2 times the cost of your holiday with us. We shall have no liability where the cause of the failure to provide, or failure in, your holiday or any death or personal injury you may suffer is not due to any fault on our part or that of our agents or suppliers, because it is either attributable to you, or attributable to someone unconnected with your holiday and is unforeseeable or unavoidable, or is due to unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or an event which neither we, nor our agents or suppliers could have foreseen or forestalled. We will only accept liability for negligent acts or omissions of our employees, suppliers, sub-contractors, servants or agents providing they were at the time undertaking work authorised by us. (c) Our liability will also be limited: in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to the contractual terms of the companies that provide us with third party services (such as accommodation and transport) and these terms are incorporated into this contract; and by any relevant international conventions which apply to, or govern, any of the accommodation or services included in your holiday with us. Other than as set out above, and as is detailed elsewhere in these booking conditions, we shall have no legal liability whatsoever to you for any loss or damage.
11. ROOM ALLOCATIONS: All accommodation is allocated by us. We will not accept liability for any complaints based on one bedroom being deemed less attractive than another on account of its size, views, character and/or location. The provision of a bedroom with a balcony will only be guaranteed if a balcony is requested verbally at the time of booking by you, then, if available, in writing on the booking form and finally confirmed in writing by us. We reserve the right to change your accommodation, provided the accommodation allocated is of the same or superior category to that originally booked.
12. SPECIAL REQUESTS: Any specific requests by you, such as matters concerning diet or allergies, must be advised to us on the booking form. Whilst endeavouring to fulfil all such requests, we shall not be liable to you if we fail to do so.
13. IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING: We may occasionally have to make changes or cancel your booking and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Changes If we make a major change to your holiday, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure. You will have the choice of accepting the change of accommodation, or you can take any alternative accommodation we are able to offer you (you will pay the increase in cost if the replacement is advertised at a higher price than your original booking, or receive a refund of the difference if it is less expensive), or a refund. These options don’t apply for minor changes. Examples of minor changes include, but are not limited to, change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard, temporary withdrawal of facilities or seasonal unavailability of amenities. Cancellation We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than four weeks before your departure date, except for reasons beyond our control (also known as force majeure) or failure by you to pay the final balance. If your holiday is cancelled you can either have a refund or accept an offer of alternative accommodation of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). Any amendment or cancellation fees you incur in terms of other arrangements you have made with other providers under separate contracts are not claimable from us. Please note that if a change or cancellation occurs because of circumstances beyond our control, for example as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, war, riot, industrial dispute, actual or threatened terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, flood, epidemic or pandemic illness and all similar situations we will have no further liability to you. No compensation, costs, damages, losses, expenses or any other sums, including the cost of securing alternative transport or accommodation will be paid by us.
14. BEHAVIOUR: When you book a holiday with us, you accept responsibility for the proper conduct of all members of your party during your stay. We reserve the right at any time to terminate the stay of any party member(s) whose behaviour is such, in our reasonable opinion, as to cause or to be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to anyone else or damage to property. Full cancellation charges will then apply and no refund will be given. Furthermore, we shall be under no obligation whatsoever to pay compensation or meet any costs or expenses (including but not limited to alternative accommodation) you may occur as a result of your stay being terminated. In addition, you agree to fully reimburse any accommodation provider concerned for the cost of any damage you cause to the accommodation in which you are staying before the end of your stay if the cost has been established by then or as soon as it has been established if later. You must also indemnify us for the full amount of any claim (including all legal costs) made against us by the accommodation provider or any third party as a result.
15. FINANCIAL PROTECTION: The monies you pay to us for your holiday are protected by means of an ABTA bond provided by Travel & General Insurance Services Limited. This means that, if in the unlikely event of our insolvency your holiday can’t be provided, you will receive your money back or, if your stay has started, arrangements will be made for you to be able to continue as planned.
16. DATA PROTECTION: Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal booking information held by us. This information will be passed on to the principal and to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Our policy can be viewed at www.colletts.co.uk
17. ABTA: We are a Member of ABTA, membership number W6883. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com. You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/. This ODR platform is a means of notifying us of your complaint; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.
18. SKI SAFARI: Your guide, itinerary and accommodation shall be supplied by MSA srl trading as Arabba Holidays, for which Collett’s Limited acts as an agent. Consequently each Ski Safari is neither run nor controlled by Collett’s Limited and we are therefore not responsible/liable for its provision or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by Arabba Holidays. You therefore acknowledge that Collett’s Limited acts as the disclosed agent of Arabba Holidays, and you agree that in the unlikely event that you need to make a claim, you shall make this against Arabba Holidays, and not Collett’s Limited.
19. CONDITIONS OF SUPPLIERS : Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers. This is particularly relevant to all our “Point to Point” holidays where your transport (unless provided by us), accommodation and food will be supplied by third parties (whose identities are available at www.colletts.co.uk/thirdparties) and for whom Collett’s Limited acts as an agent. You therefore acknowledge that Collett’s Limited acts as the disclosed agent of these third party suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions which will form part of your contract with us. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions. Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from us or the supplier concerned.
20. LIFT CLOSURES: We will not be held responsible for the closure of lifts during the winter season for any reason. In the event of lack of snow, we cannot be held liable, but will endeavour to make mutually suitable arrangements, and these may incur additional costs to you.
21. EXCURSIONS: Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your package holiday or contracted arrangements provided by us. All excursions are supplied by third party suppliers and are subject to their own terms and conditions. They do not form part of your holiday and are not governed by the Package Travel, Package Holiday and Package Tours Regulations 1992. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.
22. DELAYED TRAVEL: Collett’s can take no responsibility for repercussions concerning delayed flights or other travel arrangements. If your flight, bus or train is delayed, your allocated transfer will wait for up to 60 minutes – but no longer. We cannot wait any longer because our drivers are on time limits. So, if the delay exceeds 60 minutes, we either (1) allocate you to a later Collett’s transfer free of charge subject to seats being available or (2) in the event of there not being a later transfer, we will endeavour to book you a taxi transfer, although this will be at your expense. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding in the event of your transfer being delayed due to the delayed flight of other guests.
23. PASSPORT, VISA & IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS : Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements.
24. ACCURACY: (i) We make every effort to give accurate information on our website but cannot be liable to you in the event of changes, which occur after information has been published on the website; and (ii) Any view expressed on the website is the personal view of a member of our staff. Whilst our staff will express personal opinions based on first-hand knowledge of the resort, the final choice of holiday remains yours. We will not accept responsibility for any verbal statement made by a member of our staff unless it is confirmed in writing prior to the start date of your holiday with us.
25. COMPLAINTS: In the unlikely event of any dissatisfaction with the accommodation or any of the services provided during your holiday, the matter must be reported immediately to our resort manager who will endeavour to put things right. You should also try to find a solution whilst you’re on holiday. Unless the opportunity for rectification of complaints is given to our resort manager whilst you are in the resort, we will not accept responsibility at a later date. We will not accept liability for complaints unless a complaint form has been obtained from the resort manager by you, and then completed and signed by both you and the resort manager. If we are unable to resolve the complaint satisfactorily during your stay, please follow this up within 28 days of your return home by writing to Tom Collett at 3a Market Hill, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1HQ giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. We will not accept liability for complaints made outside this period. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. If you fail to follow the requirement to report your complaint in resort we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify it and this may affect your rights under this booking. Please also see clause 17 above on ABTA.
26. DISPUTES: Any dispute or claim arising out of this contract that can’t be settled between us can be referred by you to ABTA’s dispute resolution (see clause 17) or court.
27. JURISDICTION: You agree that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction and that English law shall apply.
28. FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TRAVEL ADVICE: You should always check FCO advice on travel to the country you are visiting prior to travelling at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
29. WEBSITE DISCLAIMER:The information contained on www.colletts.co.uk (‘our website’) is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Collett’s Mountain Holidays and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to our website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on our website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of our website. Through our website you are able to link to other websites which are not under our control. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. Every effort is made to keep our website up and running smoothly. However, we take no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, our website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
Any Questions? Speak to someone with extensive knowledge of our walks and destinations.
Call 01799 513331 or enquire here or use the messenger service – bottom right.
Please contact us on +44 1799 513331 or email an enquiry here if the content below leaves you with any unanswered questions.
Your own Collett’s Portal – Soon after you book your holiday, you will have access to your own online portal, via which we provide everything you need to know in the run-up to your holiday: packing suggestions, arrival instructions etc. You can also upload information to your portal, such as dietary requirements, special requests and travel details. We want you to hit the ground running when you arrive at the start of a plain-sailing and memorable holiday experience.
Your Midweek Rest Day – Wednesday is our day off in Andalucia, a midweek rest day for you. There are no organised walks, nor Office Hour. Breakfast is served as normal. Dinner is not provided and guests have an opportunity to eat out locally. Our team will be happy to propose a local restaurant and make a booking on your behalf, if invited to do so. One option for a Wednesday is a visit to the Alhambra in Granada and you can find details of this (and other options) at the bottom of the page entitled Itinerary.
Transport during your holiday – This is arranged by Collett’s as necessary and included in the price of your holiday.
At Your Own Risk – Please scroll down to read notes under the heading – At Your Own Risk. These are important and refer to our organised walks and to any walks proposals we might give you, either verbally or through our ‘Ideas & Info’ files.
Special Dietary Requirements & Severe Allergies – It is important you tell us about any special dietary requirements (vegetarian, gluten free etc.) when you book your holiday. Please only tell us about requirements, not preferences, as most hotels, particularly smaller establishments, can only cater for essential requests. If you have a ‘severe food allergy’ that represents a health threat of any sort, we strongly recommend that you are carrying the necessary medication during your holiday with us.
Walking Holiday & Travel Insurance – We recommend you buy a good insurance package at the time of booking (or certainly prior to purchasing flights or booking ferries etc.), so that you are covered in the unlikely event of you having to cancel for an ‘insurable’ reason. For more information on Walking Holiday & Travel Insurance – Click here
General Information – Queries relating to passports or visas should be directed to the Spanish embassy on 020 7235 5555 or https://www.exteriores.gob.es
For general information on healthcare whilst travelling, visit www.bit.ly/HealthcareAbroad
For pre-travel information visit www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo
Or use the ABTA information line on 020 3117 0599 or visit www.abta.com
You join us on our organised walks at your own risk, responsible for your own safety, as part of an autonomous group, in which each member has a duty of care to each other.
You will be asked to sign a disclaimer in this respect. This is an explanation of the status of our organised itineraries whether they involve walking, snowshoeing or skiing. We refer to such itineraries as organised, not guided. They are available on a basis of goodwill so that you might enjoy an itinerary you might not otherwise discover. They are nothing more than an opportunity to go out in beautiful scenery in company. It is a fact that mountains, mountainous areas and activities undertaken in them are associated with personal injury and death. By coming to such areas, you are exposing yourself and your party to the possibility of personal injury or even death. In such an event, Collett’s will not be held responsible for your interest in mountainous areas and your involvement in mountain pursuits, which can occasionally have tragic consequences.
In these days of litigation it is important you know that every time you (and each member of your party) join us on an organised itinerary you do so at your own risk as part of an autonomous group, in which each member of that group has a duty of care to the other. This is no different from the responsibilities you have on a casually arranged weekend walk with friends or family in the UK. Our hosts all have experience of the mountains, some more than others. Some have qualifications relevant to mountain activities, but they are not qualified mountain guides. We recruit and train our outdoor staff in line with a Health & Safety Policy, which is based on risk assessment and recognised mountain safety procedures.
Not being professionally responsible for you on organised itineraries does not mean we ignore safety, nor does it make us exempt from owing a duty of care to each person who joins us on an organised itinerary. Your safety is paramount and we therefore take our own measures to maximise safety. We do this in line with legal requirements pertaining to duty of care. We apply Codes of Practice to the procedures carried out by our outdoor staff. We assess, manage and communicate risk. We try to make people aware of the importance of mountain safety and to highlight their responsibilities when part of a group.
Our Codes of Practice should not really be taken into consideration by you when deciding to join an organised itinerary, for at the heart of our procedures are basic mountain safety measures, which should be undertaken by every individual when preparing for a day in the mountains. Finally, during your stay you act at your own risk on any ideas, information and opinions you might acquire from our hosts or from material prepared by us to help you get the most from the area. Thank you for your understanding on all of the above.
1. CONTRACT: Please read these booking conditions carefully as they, together with the specific information in your booking confirmation, form an important part of your contract with Collett’s Limited (company number : 03467538 whose registered office is at Market House, 10 Market Walk, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1JZ) trading as Collett’s Mountain Holidays.
2. PRICES: We reserve the right to alter any of our advertised prices. Our prices were set on 31 October 2020, and the reference exchange rate was 1.159 (as published by the Financial Times). You will be advised of the current price of the holiday that you wish to book before your contract is confirmed. All prices quoted are fully inclusive of non-optional charges.
3. SUPPLEMENTS: We reserve the right to apply a supplement to your holiday after you have booked in the event of increases to the costs of supplying your holiday, which might result from changes in the cost of fuel or other power sources, accommodation costs, costs of compliance with local rules and laws, exchange rate fluctuations and/or government action (including changes in any levels of taxation such as VAT). Supplements will not be applied within 20 days of your arrival date.
4. MAKING A BOOKING AND PAYMENT: When you have chosen your accommodation and you make a request to us to book it, you must pay a deposit of £100 (or £150 for our Ski Safari, Camino de Santiago, Kitzbuhel to Cortina, Mountains to the Med, and all Hut to Hut holidays), or if you are booking within 8 weeks of your arrival date the full cost of the booking. Your booking is only confirmed and a contract between us will only exist when a) your party leader has ticked the box on our client portal confirming that they accept our terms and conditions; b) we have received in cleared funds a deposit of £100 or £150 (as appropriate) per person; and c) we have issued our confirmation by email. Please check your confirmation carefully and report any incorrect or incomplete information to us immediately.
5. FINAL BALANCES: If you have paid a deposit, the ‘final balance’ of the cost of your holiday is due 56 days (8 weeks) before departure. If the balance is not received on time, we will remind you that it is overdue. If you then do not pay within 7 days of this reminder we reserve the right to cancel your booking and retain your deposit.
6. INSURANCE: It is essential that you take out adequate and valid insurance, which should include (without limitation) cover against the cost of cancellation by you, assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness, and third party liability for injury and damage. We recommend that your policy is as extensive as our recommended insurance policy, details of which can be found on our website. Insurance premiums in respect of travel insurance purchased from us are non-refundable and non-transferable.
7. BOOKING CHANGES: After our confirmation has been issued, any requests for changes must be sent to us in writing by e-mail or post, by the person that made the booking. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate your request but we will try to do so. If you change the number in your party, the accommodation price will be re-calculated. If the party size is reduced, this is likely to mean the remaining members paying more due to under-occupancy.
8. CANCELLATIONS: If you want to cancel your booking, the person who made the booking must send this in writing to us, by email or post. You will be charged a cancellation fee as follows: If you cancel (this is the date on which we receive your written notice of cancellation during the hours of 9am to 5.30pm):
More than 28 days before your arrival date: deposit only;
Within 28 days of arrival date: 100%
Charges are shown as a percentage of your total holiday cost (including any excursions).
9. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR BOOKING: When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions. This means that you are responsible for making all payments due, notifying us if any changes or cancellations are required and for receiving the confirmation and keeping your party informed.
10. OUR LIABILITY, CONDITIONS of CARRIAGE & LIMITATIONS: (a) Our obligations, in providing any accommodation or service included in your holiday, are to take reasonable skill and care to arrange for the provision of such accommodation or services. Therefore, providing we have selected our providers with reasonable care and skill, we will have no liability to you for anything that happens at the accommodation or any acts or omissions of the provider or other service providers. We will also have no liability in the following situations: (i) where the accommodation or services cannot be provided as booked due to circumstances beyond our control or which amount to “force majeure” (including, without limitation, global pandemics, terrorist activity, natural disasters and adverse weather conditions); (ii) where you incur any loss or damage that could not have been foreseen at the time of your booking, based on the information provided by you; (iii) where you incur any loss or damage that relates to any business activity; (iv) where any loss or damage relates to any services which do not form part of our contract with you. (b) Our liability, except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall be limited to a maximum of 2 times the cost of your holiday with us. We shall have no liability where the cause of the failure to provide, or failure in, your holiday or any death or personal injury you may suffer is not due to any fault on our part or that of our agents or suppliers, because it is either attributable to you, or attributable to someone unconnected with your holiday and is unforeseeable or unavoidable, or is due to unusual or unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised, or an event which neither we, nor our agents or suppliers could have foreseen or forestalled. We will only accept liability for negligent acts or omissions of our employees, suppliers, sub-contractors, servants or agents providing they were at the time undertaking work authorised by us. (c) Our liability will also be limited: in accordance with and/or in an identical manner to the contractual terms of the companies that provide us with third party services (such as accommodation and transport) and these terms are incorporated into this contract; and by any relevant international conventions which apply to, or govern, any of the accommodation or services included in your holiday with us. Other than as set out above, and as is detailed elsewhere in these booking conditions, we shall have no legal liability whatsoever to you for any loss or damage.
11. ROOM ALLOCATIONS: All accommodation is allocated by us. We will not accept liability for any complaints based on one bedroom being deemed less attractive than another on account of its size, views, character and/or location. The provision of a bedroom with a balcony will only be guaranteed if a balcony is requested verbally at the time of booking by you, then, if available, in writing on the booking form and finally confirmed in writing by us. We reserve the right to change your accommodation, provided the accommodation allocated is of the same or superior category to that originally booked.
12. SPECIAL REQUESTS: Any specific requests by you, such as matters concerning diet or allergies, must be advised to us on the booking form. Whilst endeavouring to fulfil all such requests, we shall not be liable to you if we fail to do so.
13. IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING: We may occasionally have to make changes or cancel your booking and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Changes If we make a major change to your holiday, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure. You will have the choice of accepting the change of accommodation, or you can take any alternative accommodation we are able to offer you (you will pay the increase in cost if the replacement is advertised at a higher price than your original booking, or receive a refund of the difference if it is less expensive), or a refund. These options don’t apply for minor changes. Examples of minor changes include, but are not limited to, change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard, temporary withdrawal of facilities or seasonal unavailability of amenities. Cancellation We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than four weeks before your departure date, except for reasons beyond our control (also known as force majeure) or failure by you to pay the final balance. If your holiday is cancelled you can either have a refund or accept an offer of alternative accommodation of comparable standard from us, if available (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). Any amendment or cancellation fees you incur in terms of other arrangements you have made with other providers under separate contracts are not claimable from us. Please note that if a change or cancellation occurs because of circumstances beyond our control, for example as a result of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, war, riot, industrial dispute, actual or threatened terrorist activity and its consequences, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, flood, epidemic or pandemic illness and all similar situations we will have no further liability to you. No compensation, costs, damages, losses, expenses or any other sums, including the cost of securing alternative transport or accommodation will be paid by us.
14. BEHAVIOUR: When you book a holiday with us, you accept responsibility for the proper conduct of all members of your party during your stay. We reserve the right at any time to terminate the stay of any party member(s) whose behaviour is such, in our reasonable opinion, as to cause or to be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to anyone else or damage to property. Full cancellation charges will then apply and no refund will be given. Furthermore, we shall be under no obligation whatsoever to pay compensation or meet any costs or expenses (including but not limited to alternative accommodation) you may occur as a result of your stay being terminated. In addition, you agree to fully reimburse any accommodation provider concerned for the cost of any damage you cause to the accommodation in which you are staying before the end of your stay if the cost has been established by then or as soon as it has been established if later. You must also indemnify us for the full amount of any claim (including all legal costs) made against us by the accommodation provider or any third party as a result.
15. FINANCIAL PROTECTION: The monies you pay to us for your holiday are protected by means of an ABTA bond provided by Travel & General Insurance Services Limited. This means that, if in the unlikely event of our insolvency your holiday can’t be provided, you will receive your money back or, if your stay has started, arrangements will be made for you to be able to continue as planned.
16. DATA PROTECTION: Please be assured that we have measures in place to protect the personal booking information held by us. This information will be passed on to the principal and to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements. The information may also be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. Our policy can be viewed at www.colletts.co.uk
17. ABTA: We are a Member of ABTA, membership number W6883. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com. You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform at https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/. This ODR platform is a means of notifying us of your complaint; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.
18. SKI SAFARI: Your guide, itinerary and accommodation shall be supplied by MSA srl trading as Arabba Holidays, for which Collett’s Limited acts as an agent. Consequently each Ski Safari is neither run nor controlled by Collett’s Limited and we are therefore not responsible/liable for its provision or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by Arabba Holidays. You therefore acknowledge that Collett’s Limited acts as the disclosed agent of Arabba Holidays, and you agree that in the unlikely event that you need to make a claim, you shall make this against Arabba Holidays, and not Collett’s Limited.
19. CONDITIONS OF SUPPLIERS : Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers. This is particularly relevant to all our “Point to Point” holidays where your transport (unless provided by us), accommodation and food will be supplied by third parties (whose identities are available at www.colletts.co.uk/thirdparties) and for whom Collett’s Limited acts as an agent. You therefore acknowledge that Collett’s Limited acts as the disclosed agent of these third party suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions which will form part of your contract with us. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions. Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from us or the supplier concerned.
20. LIFT CLOSURES: We will not be held responsible for the closure of lifts during the winter season for any reason. In the event of lack of snow, we cannot be held liable, but will endeavour to make mutually suitable arrangements, and these may incur additional costs to you.
21. EXCURSIONS: Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your package holiday or contracted arrangements provided by us. All excursions are supplied by third party suppliers and are subject to their own terms and conditions. They do not form part of your holiday and are not governed by the Package Travel, Package Holiday and Package Tours Regulations 1992. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.
22. DELAYED TRAVEL: Collett’s can take no responsibility for repercussions concerning delayed flights or other travel arrangements. If your flight, bus or train is delayed, your allocated transfer will wait for up to 60 minutes – but no longer. We cannot wait any longer because our drivers are on time limits. So, if the delay exceeds 60 minutes, we either (1) allocate you to a later Collett’s transfer free of charge subject to seats being available or (2) in the event of there not being a later transfer, we will endeavour to book you a taxi transfer, although this will be at your expense. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding in the event of your transfer being delayed due to the delayed flight of other guests.
23. PASSPORT, VISA & IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS : Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements.
24. ACCURACY: (i) We make every effort to give accurate information on our website but cannot be liable to you in the event of changes, which occur after information has been published on the website; and (ii) Any view expressed on the website is the personal view of a member of our staff. Whilst our staff will express personal opinions based on first-hand knowledge of the resort, the final choice of holiday remains yours. We will not accept responsibility for any verbal statement made by a member of our staff unless it is confirmed in writing prior to the start date of your holiday with us.
25. COMPLAINTS: In the unlikely event of any dissatisfaction with the accommodation or any of the services provided during your holiday, the matter must be reported immediately to our resort manager who will endeavour to put things right. You should also try to find a solution whilst you’re on holiday. Unless the opportunity for rectification of complaints is given to our resort manager whilst you are in the resort, we will not accept responsibility at a later date. We will not accept liability for complaints unless a complaint form has been obtained from the resort manager by you, and then completed and signed by both you and the resort manager. If we are unable to resolve the complaint satisfactorily during your stay, please follow this up within 28 days of your return home by writing to Tom Collett at 3a Market Hill, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB10 1HQ giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. We will not accept liability for complaints made outside this period. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. If you fail to follow the requirement to report your complaint in resort we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify it and this may affect your rights under this booking. Please also see clause 17 above on ABTA.
26. DISPUTES: Any dispute or claim arising out of this contract that can’t be settled between us can be referred by you to ABTA’s dispute resolution (see clause 17) or court.
27. JURISDICTION: You agree that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction and that English law shall apply.
28. FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TRAVEL ADVICE: You should always check FCO advice on travel to the country you are visiting prior to travelling at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
29. WEBSITE DISCLAIMER:The information contained on www.colletts.co.uk (‘our website’) is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Collett’s Mountain Holidays and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to our website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on our website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of our website. Through our website you are able to link to other websites which are not under our control. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. Every effort is made to keep our website up and running smoothly. However, we take no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, our website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
Any Questions? Speak to someone with extensive knowledge of our walks and destinations.
Call 01799 513331 or enquire here or use the messenger service – bottom right.
We had a wonderful week of Moderate Walks in the Picos de Europa. Our fellow walkers were all very friendly and the Collett’s staff of George, Rachel and Ross took excellent care of us and they had boundless good humour, energy and enthusiasm. The walks were very scenic, taken at a steady pace with time to admire views and stop whe(Read more...)
Been with them Collett's before. Excellent. I REALLY like that they will pick up from a centre as opposed to you having to make your own way to accommodation / start. Makes me choose Collett's Walking Holidays for that alone. went with another company to Italy. Were rubbish. also lots of pre-trip info with Collett's which is great.
We always have good holidays with you. We don’t have to plan routes or think about the walking, we can just go to the hotel, Do the walks, relax and enjoy ourselves.
I've travelled with you before and had two excellent holidays, Austria last year and the Dolomites about 11 years ago. This was my first solo holiday abroad and knowing the Collett's format, was entirely comfortable at travelling on my own.
It was an excellent holiday and having an organised week of walks with all the transport inclu(Read more...)
I was on the flower walks. Grahams care, consideration and knowledge was amazing, he was great. Kat and Rachel were also fantastic and looked after us really well. I couldn't have asked for more, was so happy with the holiday.
I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all the Collett’s staff involved in setting up and running our recent Picos walking holiday. We had such a marvellous time. The area was stunning and our organisers – Cat, Rachel and George – gave us a wonderful introduction to the surroundings. They were, at all times, kind, helpful, knowle(Read more...)
Our first holiday with Colletts and it was all that we hoped for. The accommodation at the Posada El Corcal was of a high a standard, clean and comfortable. The buffet breakfast was great and staff were happy to provide cooked options on request. The lunches provided by Colletts were very good and enough to keep any walker going! As v(Read more...)
The Flower Leader, David Charlton made this holiday extra special, with his enthusiasm, local knowledge, plant recognition and constant willingness to answer questions.
We have just returned from a wonderful week in the Picos de Europa. Our trip was made all the more enjoyable thanks to the wonderful Collett's staff. Their professional approach, enthusiasm and local knowledge was impressive and we really enjoyed their company. The Picos is an interesting part of Spain, lovely people and stunning s(Read more...)
We were looking at other companies for a walking/scenery flora holiday but Collets website was the best and brightest and easy to use to check accommodation - also the small traditional guest houses looked much more homely and comfortable and more suitable for us as an older couple and not keen on busy noisy places x also nice to be l(Read more...)
A truly great holiday made better by the dedication and enthusiasm of Sonny, Anna and Emily in the Picos. There is no doubt that we will travel with you again. Many thanks.
From the off, our lovely Colletts hosts Sonny, Izzie, Anna, and Emily made this a wonderfully convivial holiday, added to by an interesting and friendly mix of guests. The Colletts 'office hour' every evening gave us an opportunity to investigate and discuss each walk that was offered, and to consider its merits. Beers and G&Ts, deliv(Read more...)
Wonderful holiday, made enjoyable by your staff Sonny, Emilie, Izzy and Anna, a great group of people, very helpful, knowledgeable and good fun. Accommodation and variety of walks were brilliant and Sonny & Emilie managed the entire trip with skill and laughter.
Thank you for a wonderful stay in the Picos. We really enjoyed the walking, the supportive and helpful staff in particular, the scenery and the company. The hotel was good, too. Great.
We both thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in the Picos. We spent a lovely week walking, eating, drinking and socialising, with others who shared a common interest. The atmosphere was most convivial. The leaders Sonny, Emily, Anna and Izzy were friendly and welcoming, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Office hour provided an opportunity to (Read more...)
I cannot praise enough you selection of resort staff. They are sociable, knowledgeable and long-suffering. Congratulations to your recruiting people.
We have been twice before - to the Pyrenees and Dolomites. The staff have always made the holiday. We had already met Keith and Henry last year and we were pleased to see them again. All the team are great fun, easy to talk to and get along with and they have a whole range of interests which they can talk about on the walks.
The team at the Picos were great, as usual you have selected your team very carefully and they all added to our enjoyment with their enthusiasm and intelligent conversation and knowledge.
Previous Collett's holidays. Like the flexibility of the arrangements and the walks. Staff very ;lovely
After arriving an hour late and being met by a smiling and helpful Henry, we knew right away that were going to have a great holiday......especially as one of us had been suffering from ill-health recently. The other guides - Emily, Natalie and Becky were also aware of this and planned very easy walks for us accordingly.
Accommodatio(Read more...)
Accommodation was great. We soon got used to spanish bread and enjoyed the choices for lunch.
Office hour is a really good idea. It meant we could consider the next day's plans but the opportunity to talk with other holiday makers and the staff was also welcome. We made good use of the reference books to identify what we had seen an(Read more...)
Emily Natalie Henry and Becky made our holiday so much more fun with their friendliness and helpfulness. Maybe you could market your holidays for younger people - we area couple in our 50s and our 18 year old daughter and we all enjoyed ourselves but I was worried that there would be poor walkers in their 60s + - your photos in the br(Read more...)
We have been on three previous holiday's with Collett's and find the holiday's to be very reasonably priced, flexible and run by friendly staff. They are always really enjoyable.
We had a really great holiday thank you. The hotel was relaxing and very well specced, very clean and it was lovely to see/meet the owner and his family. The rooms we had were spectacular. Your guides are obviously chosen very carefully, and they were excellent - caring, respectful of our shortcomings, funny, knowledgeable, interestin(Read more...)
Location and service. Have stayed at Collett's in the Dolomites and Pyrenees and have had an outstanding experience at both locations.
We have travelled before with you and had a fantastic experience in the Dolomites, you offer exactly the type of holiday we look for.
Second time we've been away as a group with Collett's. You know what you're going to get and its very good indeed, made particularly by excellent staff who do indeed deliver on their mission to make the trip enjoyable.
Thank you for another brilliant time, we will be back!
This was the second time I have used Colletts and as usual I was very impressed with the comfort and location of the accommodation and the confident, friendly nature of the staff. Mike, Oscar and the two Emma's looked after us like old friends. Oscar's unique way of 'rapping' the mountain rules still makes me smile now! The accommodat(Read more...)
The Colletts staff made the holiday. Mike, Emma (S), Emma (M) and Oscar were superb. They were so welcoming and enthusiastic and whilst suggesting possibilities for the next day's walk they always took into consideration weather, heat, people's ability etc. They were really good company at Office Hour, Meals and on the walks and nothi(Read more...)
My questions were dealt with quickly and efficiently. We arrived earlier than expected but were shown to our room. The Collett's representative found us soon afterwards. The evening meals were very good, with unlimited good wine, and served nearby. It was lovely that all guests ate together along with 2 members of the Collett's team.
(Read more...)