Customer commentsFrom the blog site Underbelly - written by:
Jack Ayer, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Davis, CA.
Í've nattered on enough about Eastern Europe that I ought to put in a good word for the tour operator who honchoed us through so much of this. That would be: H.A.T. Tours, Ltd.
www.europeanoperatours.com
Ignore "Ltd.," it's really a one-woman operation - that's her on the web page. She's an extraordinary person, a prodigy of energy and purpose who sems to do this sort of things as if it were fun. She 's a wonderful traveling companion, and she has a remarkable life story of her own which I leave for her to tell.
Yes, I know what you are thinking about package tours; I have thought so myself, but believe me, at my age and in general state of decay, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, so sweet as to leave your bags outside the door in the morning, and see them reappear, as if by magic, in some distant city that night. Anyway Grethe is a class by herslef. Give her a call and tell her Buce sent you. Comments by: Ottie Meyerhoff, Beverly Hills, CA
You are the very best guides - you create unforgettable experiences for us who travel with you.
My big Thank You. Comments by: John Dinkelspiel of Johns Island, SC
We really enjoyed the East German trip - up to the highest standards - and some interesting operas too!! Your personal attention can't be beat! Comments by: Evelyn Shapiro, Winnipeg, Canada
I have recently had the privilege of joining you and the other participants on the Central European Opera Tour. It turned out to be a marvelous trip and I cannot thank you enough for having made the whole experience a real treat. The choice of operas, the arrangements for my accommodations, the local guides who familiarized us all with the cities and countries we visited and the gracious way in which you entertained us during our stay all exceeded my Expectations. I look forward to joining you again in the future. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments by: Leonard and Natalie Wall, San Luis Obispo, California
Friends of ours had joined H.A.T. Tours for several different trips and strongly recommended HAT to us. Consequently we joined the H.A.T. Copenhagen Ring tour last spring. We found the trip to be outstanding! Tour director, Grethe Arani, treats her clients as old friends (several members of the tour group were in fact returnees). Grethe went out of her way to provide a lot of special touches to assure that we “experienced” Denmark as much as possible. We have been on other opera tours, but they pale in comparison to H.A.T. Tours. Not only is the price quite reasonable but we got excellent opera seats, first/deluxe class hotel rooms, and knowledgeable and personable local tour guides for all sightseeing tours. Most importantly, Grethe treats you like an overseer’s guest being escorted by a friend or family member as opposed to being treated as a tour group members being escorted by a tour guide, who is trying to be economically efficient. We were so impressed with Hat Tours that we signed up for their Prague, Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna opera tour. We were not disappointed (great opera seats, hotel room facing the Danube River, dinner at the famous Gundel Restaurant in Budapest. We highly recommend HAT Tours. A high compliment for any tour agency is the number of people who return to take additional tours wit the same agency. Not surprisingly HAT Tours has a very high number of satisfied returnees -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment by: L. & N. Wall
Dear Grethe,
Thank you so much for another glorious trip. Much of Prague, Budapest and Vienna are encased in our memory bank. The operas, the hotels, the dinners, and the sightseeing were superb. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment by: K. Lee, MA
Dear Grethe,
My anticipation for this trip has been high. When I saw the sparkle in your eyes and bright smile I knew it would be wonderful – All my expectations exceeded – Every detail so wonderful Thank you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment by: Lorraine A. Schultze, Lenox, MA
H.A.T. Tours.
It stands for How About That?
It also stands for Human Artistic Treatment!
This tour has it all – Fun, great guides, perfect accommodation, great transportation, fabulous opera seats, gala dinners, even champagne in box seats. How did I like H.A.T. Tours – Let me count the ways! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment by: M. Palmer, MA
Dear Grethe,
Your planning, knowledge and experience enabled us to have a thoroughly enjoyable trip...
I appreciated the talented tour guides you have chosen to enhance the experience. Hope to travel with you soon again.
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We received such glowing reports on you personally and everything you did for our group. Sherwin just loved you as did the whole group. The concert was superb and they were delighted with lunch at your home. Thank you very much. There is no need to say they also enjoyed your level of knowledge. Comment by: Jacqueline D. Rosen - The Washington Opera
Dear Grethe and Aspee,
Wonderful work that you did for The Washington Opera trip to Budapest and Prague. Your expert handling of all the details made for a worry-free and pleasurable experience for all the trip participants. Starting with our arrival in Budapest where you met us at the airport with porters to take our luggage from the carousel and escorted us through customs, to the knowledgeable and interesting guides you provided for our city tours. The good choice of performances we attended in boht cities. Ending with the final dinner, in the wonderful restaurant New York in Prague, where we enjoyed such good food and wines. All of this made for a memorable trip. I know that all the participants of our Washington Opera trip to Budapest and Prague have very fond memories of H.A.T. Tours and especially of your personal touch in everything you did for us. Thank you again and I hope to see you in the near future on another of your wonderful tours. Jacqueline D. Rosen
The Washington Opera --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: International Travel News
...Rounding a bend in the tree-lined road...a fresh discovery. The tour group applauds, for right there for everyone to see, is one of the tour highlights as promised. And then ... from atop a bright smile and below a raised eyebrow comes the cheery ...
'How about that?' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: Opera News wrote in May
For a bespoke package offering an escorted multi-destination trip to Warsaw, Prague, Dresden and Budapest, ‘Sounds of Central Europe,’ offered by H.A.T. Tours Inc.
(800-472-4448), is the best bet, with exceptional service and many years’ experience in the field. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: E.K., La Grange, IL
Dear Grethe and Aspee,
Thank you for such a marvelous trip around and through South Africa. I can’t imagine anything that could be better than this has been. It always pleases me when I suggest to my family that this would be a GOOD trip to take and they couldn’t have been more pleased – thanks to you both for your wonderful planning and execution for guides, lodging, timing, food, comfort, information and sheer enjoyment! I do run on but had to give another big cheer!
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Comment by: D.M.C., Houston, TX
I’ve never been on a trip where I felt as though I was travelling with family rather than just a tour group. Thanks you for a wonderful trip.
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Comment by: D.K., Littleton, CO
What a fabulous trip you provided for us! We look forward to another tour with you with eagerness. The trip was truly an adventure of a lifetime. We had such a marvelous time, and did so enjoy getting to know you and Aspee, and all the others in our group, too. If we had had any particular expectations for the tour, they would have been far exceeded! I still can’t name the favorite aspect of it all. Hope to see you again – before long. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: M. F., Blowing Rock, NC
You can’t possibly have even the slightest idea how much I enjoyed South Africa and how every day some aspect of it comes back to me and always the remembrance of all you and Aspee do for others. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: M.C., Marina del Ray, CA
The trip was fabulous! I enjoyed it tremendously and hope to see you next October. Hope Morocco was successful, but then your trips always are.
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Comment by: E.L., Lexington, MA
One of the highlights of the Sounds of Central Europe trip for me was the outstanding performance of the Magic Flute in Berlin. FINALLY, I saw it, as it should be done! But there were many highlights of the tour – something to look forward to every day. I think you and Aspee did a fine job; and I liked the friendliness of a small group. Thank you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: N.B.H., Port Arthur, TX
Dear Aspee and Grethe,
Every day I think of you all and the wonderful week we shared. There were so many interesting and diverse facets in this experience. Although I had been on trips and tours before, never have I enjoyed such individualized attention, such cherishing. You both made me feel quite special. Again, thanks for all the sweet courtesies and considerations you showed me. I treasure the memories of our trip and hope to join you again for another wonderful adventure. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: M.B., Sacramento, CA
I want to thank you for another wonderful tour that more than met all my expectations.
B.H., Salt Lake City, UT
From the Christmas letter of B.H.
I took a trip to Denmark and up the coast of Norway to the land of the midnight sun with my dear friends, Grethe and Aspee, and a few other tourists like myself. Since Grethe is Danish, we did many special things that other tourists would not have been able to experience. We met some of her family and had a delicious home-cooked luncheon in Grethe and Aspee’s lovely thatched cottage in Northern Denmark. Of course the fjords of Norway were beautiful and it was exciting to watch the midnight sun sit on the horizon and never disappear from sight. What a wonderful trip I had with you all! It was outstanding! When I tell people about it – they wish they had gone. I hope to see you on another trip. You two are very special people. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: M.H., Montour Falls, NY
From the Christmas letter of E.M., Rockville, MD
The other sojourn was a HAT Tour with Grethe and Aspee Arani with whom we had traveled several times before – most recently to Russia in 1997. This time it was Prague and East Germany, including Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin and Potsdam. Everything was super - including the weather - mid September. I really enjoyed the Sounds of Northern Europe trip. As always, it was a wonderful blend of art, music and history. I also continue to appreciate the personal touch that you bring to each trip. Thank you very much for your efforts in getting wonderful tickets to all the musical events. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: Dr. and Mrs. J.G., Murphy, NC
In a letter to fellow travelers:
I have to say once more how good it is to travel with Grethe and Aspee as they are so special. But then you already know that. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: E.S., Madison, WI
Dear Fearless Leaders,
We had such a delightful time in South Africa; you have utterly and completely spoiled us. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: P.M.H., Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
I have never taken any tour with you that wasn’t a completely wonderful experience. When you propose an itinerary that strikes me, never fear – I’ll be promptly in touch with you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: L.B., Arlington, VA
Speaking of praise, I would like to commend you folks for our fine tour of the Baltic. It was a very interesting trip. You arranged a fine program and also provided some delightful accommodations and meals. Many thanks for all your hard work! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: H.J.H., Medford, NJ
This How About That Tour was all and far more than I expected. You are a wonder, Grethe. We appreciate how beautifully you handle all the problems of travelling. It’s not surprising you have so many repeaters. I hope I will be one of them sometime soon. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: Dr. Joyce Fox of Beverly Hills
Thank you for the most delightful tour of Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and Warsaw. The hotels and food were outstanding, the local guides knowledgeable yet personable, the concerts, operas, and ballet amazing with the tickets and venues the very best. Your personalized care and service were unforgettable. I appreciated being with such a small and intimate group of charming fellow travelers and look forward to my next trip with H.A.T. Tours!
Sounds of Europe Tour --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: Harriet & Irv Sussman
Just a few more words to again let you know how much Harriet and I enjoyed the Sounds of Europe Tour. The music events were topnotch and the seats were as good as anyone could have. First rate productions.
Hotels were truly deluxe and the food as good as anyone could expect. We had anticipated set course meals but the ala carte selections were delightful.
Aspee's ever present support and assistance when needed was a pleasure to behold.
Enclosed you will find a list of some people who we think would be interested in receiving your brochures.
Sounds of Europe Tour --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment by: Ann Walsh
This tour was a dream come true 'As the first trip of my retirement years,' she continued, 'I couldn't have asked for more. M/S Polarlys is a modern-day mail ship making stops at cozy little villages and larger towns along the coast. The upper-deck cabins are so comfortable and I enjoyed delicious meals featuring the wonderful Scandinavian cuisine. But the scenery was the highlight - I sat on the deck for hours viewing one unbelievable sight after another. I also participated in the fascinating shore excursions. Combining the fairy tale charms of Denmark, the cruise of a lifetime, and the nordic pleasures of Oslo into one trip makes a travel masterpiece. Everyone should experience the resulting joy!
Sounds of Europe Tour --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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