Location: Croydon, South London
Wanted: Two friends want to combine Las Vegas fun with a Grand Canyon tour for up to a week in October. They’d like a hotel with a view of the Strip and a pool.
Budget: £5,000
Thomson
39 Wellington Square
89%
The shop looked a little tired in places and ringing a bell to enter was unusual. The two staff members were friendly, enthusiastic, patient and well presented. The agent gave me her card and said I could call any time, but didn’t ask for my details. She had been to Las Vegas and had extensive knowledge. I was offered six hotels, all close to budget, through Hayes & Jarvis. Treasure Island was the cheapest, but the best all-in package was the Bellagio. I was also offered 82 add-on experiences including a trip to the Hoover Dam and the Wild West experience as well as car hire. The brochure was high-quality and despite a problem with printing I had enough information to make an informed choice.
Wallace Arnold Worldchoice
62 George Street
71%
The shop was clean and attractive with a nice layout and I was acknowledged immediately. I was given a Premier Holidays brochure and offered a Las Vegas and Grand Canyon trip for £3,398. Flights with Virgin and BA were offered from Heathrow and dates were flexible but I was offered only the Bellagio hotel. I felt the staff should have probed more. They were helpful on the Grand Canyon tour and it came in under budget. They didn’t suggest upgrading or adding extras.
Thomas Cook
96-98 North End
54%
The agency was clean but needed a facelift and the displays were uninspiring. I had to approach a consultant to be served. I felt the agent should have interacted more as a lot time was spent on the computer sorting out my request and I got bored waiting. I was offered a stay at the Signature at MGM Grand for £2,353 per person in mid-October. The agent mentioned the Grand Canyon but provided no details. I felt pushed into an option that did not fully meet my request.
Winning agent
Debbie Hobson, travel consultant
“Most of our clients go to Vegas in the summer, so it was a case of repackaging it. Having been there, I could give information about the Strip and other tours as well as the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam.”
Verdict
The winner gave a range of options for hotels and the Grand Canyon tour, which gave Mystery Shopper more choice. It was the attention to detail that made her stand out.
Top-scoring agent each month will win use of a car for 10 days.
The winning agent must be at least 25, for insurance reasons. Winners under 25 will win a week’s all-inclusive holiday at an Elite Islands Resorts property. The prize is non-transferable and the car must be driven only by the winning agent. The winner must not have any serious driving convictions. Elite Island Resorts will endeavour to supply the car to the agency but reserves the right to request the winning agent to collect and return the car from Essex or a central location