Mystery Shopper: Travel agents in Wakefield sell Cuba

This week Mystery Shopper was looking for a family holiday to Cuba for two adults and two children over the Autumn half term (see this week’s Cuba destination update).

They wanted a beach location for the main part of the holiday, but were looking for a bit of culture, too.

Constant Travel lost out for a lacklustre consultation. Althams Travel would have been snapping at the heels of The Co-operative Travel had they not lost points for appearance.

The target: Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Wanted: A holiday to Cuba for a family during Autumn half term

Constant Travel

16 Northgate
Score: 66%

This agency was spotlessly clean, with interesting glass murals on the wall. The agents were at the back of the office, which made it feel like an estate agency.

The staff didn’t wear uniforms, but were smartly dressed. A consultant greeted me and asked a few questions. She didn’t ask about my preference for beaches, shops, bars or type of accommodation.

She quoted a price for the three-star Aparthotel Montehabana, costing £4,498, flying from Manchester with Air France. The consultant told me flight times, but didn’t write them down and didn’t offer insurance or airport parking. She also didn’t put her name on the compliment slip she gave me.

Staff didn’t spend enough time asking about my needs, and I was only given sparse details about the holiday to take away with me.

Althams Travel

5 Kirkgate
Score: 74%

The outside of the shop looked a little worn, particularly with all the posters in the window. Inside, there were lots of hand-made posters promoting holidays, such as coach trips, which made me think it was aimed at the older market.

A well-presented agent greeted me and asked about location, budget, travellers, dates, airport and board type. She advised all-inclusives at beach resorts, and Havana for culture.

She quoted £4,045 for Parque Central or £3,201 for Hotel National de Cuba with Virgin Holidays. She said I could get help with visa forms for a fee, and asked about insurance.

Although the advice was excellent and the agents bubbly and polite, crucial points were lost because of the shop’s appearance and because the agent had to hand write names and numbers on business cards.

The Co-operative Travel

2 Westgate
Score: 85%

The agent greeted me immediately with eye contact and a smile. She asked lots of questions, but kept losing her internet connection and she was on hold to Thomas Cook for an awfully long time.

She showed me a brochure and gave me customer feedback on the hotels I picked. Quotes were Hotel Nacional de Cuba for £3,796 or Parque Central from £4,496 from Manchester. Direct flights from London were £496 cheaper.

Some room upgrades were offered where the holiday was still in budget, and she advised me about room availability. The only letdown was the length of time it took to get the quote, which was outside the agent’s control.

She filled the time by talking to me about the holiday and showing me pictures. The agents here were all pleasant and worked well as a team.

Thomas Cook

32 All Saints Walk
Score: 94%

The consultant quickly assessed my needs to make her recommendations. I told the agent I could drive so she said I had the option of staying outside Havana.
 
She asked whether I would fly via France, and said if I wanted all-inclusive I would probably be looking at the beach resorts, not Havana. She told me I would need two rooms, and one adult and one child would have to stay in each room.

She originally quoted £5,336 for Parque Central in the Airtours Far and Away brochure, but discounted it to £4,962. She also asked about insurance and said she could change currency.

The consultant ruled out hotels that were too far out of Havana, and showed me customer feedback on a website. She printed out the offers and said she would follow up my enquiry.

I was given plenty of time and attention and I felt like the agent did a thorough search, so I knew I had a good deal.

Tips

1. All-inclusives are a popular option in Cuba for families as the destination is not particularly cheap.  
2. The two main all-inclusive centres are Varadero and Guardalavaca. Varadero is bigger and livelier, and is on the Atlantic side of the island. Guardalavaca is a bit more laid-back with a Cuban feel, and is on the warmer Caribbean sea. Both resorts have fantastic beaches. 
3. If a client wants to combine beach and culture, Varadero is easy to twin with Havana. Guests can fly into Havana, and it’s approximately a one-and-a-half-hour transfer by road. For Guardalavaca, guests fly into Holguin and can visit one of the colonial cities, such as Cuba’s vibrant second city Santiago de Cuba, before transferring to resort.
4. Alternatively, visitors can take in both Havana and the historic city of Trinidad, with its 18th century squares. Playa Ancon is a nearby beach resort.
5. For more product knowledge about Cuba visit Gazetteers. The site also contains photos of resorts and hotel reviews from fellow travel agents.

Behind the scenes

Althams Travel lost points because of appearance – how important is this to customers?

Discuss this and previous Mystery Shopper features on the Community Editor’s blog.