Go Ask A Local Avis 144

I am posting this review to highlight the rigid cancellation policy of Go Ask A Local, so other travelers are aware before booking. I recently traveled to Portugal with my sons and booked a private tour (~$900) for the last day of our two-week trip. Unfortunately, soon after arriving, we received news of a close family member’s unexpected passing and had to return home immediately. We notified the company 10 days before the scheduled tour to request a cancellation due to these circumstances.

Go Ask A Local responded that our request was "well within the 14-day cancellation deadline" and that they do not make exceptions to their non-refundable policy. While I understand that their position is legally justified, I found it disappointing that, given the situation and timing, the company would not consider any concessions. The lack of empathy was notable.

The cost of the tour included variable expenses—such as vehicle use, gasoline, boat tickets, and wine tasting fees—that were not incurred since the trip did not take place. There was also the possibility of the guide being rebooked. Even a partial refund would have been a reasonable gesture.

If you book with Go Ask A Local, be aware that there is no flexibility in their cancellation policy. Plan accordingly based on your risk tolerance and needs.

Paolo from Go Ask a Local was just what we were hoping for in planning our trip to southern Italy. His expertise is in Puglia and Matera which is where we are beginning our journey. He took our notes on the questionnaire to heart and gave us all the resources we need to confidently begin booking our Stay!

I had never used go ask a local but wanted to try something different than a full travel agency and felt comfortable after reading the positive reviews. I had my consultation with Nicho who gave me great advice for my upcoming trip to Peru. From building different itineraries to tips on my specific interests (like great restaurants in the areas I’ll be visiting) I couldn’t be happier with the experience and would definitely recommend for anyone planning an International trip!

Leonor was super nice and very informative. We really enjoyed the Gastronomy tour and her company. The food was great and she gave great recommendations! I would highly recommend her.

We had already done research about our trip and had an itinerary in mind. We were looking for a bit extra in terms of recommendations for places to eat or specific tour operators or activities. If we hadn't done any planning at all this may have been useful, but as it was we got very little we didn't already know. Not worth the money sadly, I won't try again.

My conversation with Dania was incredibly helpful. I was drowning in online info and reviews as I began to plan my first trip to Italy. I'm so happy I stumbled upon Go Ask A Local - talking to Dania helped me really focus on what I wanted for the trip and specific options on how to make the most of it. She could talk about all areas and give me the pros/cons of different places. Tapping into her expertise has made me feel more confident and excited about the trip. Highly recommend!

Paolo was fantastic! He was incredibly knowledgeable and shared insights that were invaluable in planning our trip to Puglia—information we never would have found on our own. The time and money were absolutely worth it, and I highly recommend this service.

Alfonso, our Ask a Local guide to the Basque countryside and San Sebastien more specifically, was great. Informative, thoughtful and attentive, we learned an awful lot about our fall trip. We will no doubt be taking all his advice into consideration as we develop an itinerary. The hour went by a little too quickly!"

Our video call with Paolo was very helpful. He provided us with a great overview of the area and suggested various itineraries to fit within our timeframe. The follow-up file was much appreciated as well. Highly recommend!

Great video call with Dania. She provided me with guidance and ideas. After our call I felt better in planning our next adventure in Florence, Italy. Prior to speaking with her I was confused as to where to go and what to do besides Florence. More importantly where to start since I am not familiar with Florence and have limited boots in the ground knowledge of Italy. The video call was very helpful!

Ines was amazing and really listened to our likes and dislikes in order to plan us a fabulous holiday. She was kind and fun to meet with too. We definitely recommend and will be using go ask a local again.

Had an extremely helpful call with Primoz to plan our upcoming Slovenia trip. He was full of enthusiasm for his country and had great insights. As a former Backroads guide, he understood our travel style. His suggestions for hotels were right on the mark, although availability was unfortunately limited. I would highly recommend a consultation with him before finalizing a trip to Slovenia. I just wish there was a better system to address follow up questions.

I had such a delightful chat with Simone about an upcoming trip to Sardinia! He was knowledgeable, personable, flexible, easy to communicate with and listened to what I had in mind for the trip. He gave me great suggestions and multiple options - hotels, restaurants, excursions, car rental. This was the first time I've sought assistance on planning a trip and it was well worth it. This is a great company - everyone should use them when planning a trip.

I reached out to request guidance on the intricacies of planning transportation for clients visiting Italy, with strict timelines for their visit. I spoke with Dania, an amazing consultant who had answers for me at her fingertips. She provided me with excellent guidance and some wonderful suggestions. I will certainly reach out to Go Ask A Local again.

I have been planning a one month trip to Portugal and came across Go Ask A Local. After filling out a pre-meeting questionnaire, I spent an hour chatting with Nuno. He had reviewed my questionnaire, understood my travel style and came to the meeting with wonderful suggestions. His local knowledge and experience will save me hours of searching. But more importantly, he provided recommendations that I would never have found myself. I am now finishing my plans, following his suggestions and it is now so easy! No more being lost wandering through travel websites.This was the most valuable hour in my trip planning process. I will definitely use this service again for future trips.

We had a really good experience with this company, having initially been a bit sceptical. Primoz, from Slovenia, really listened to what kind of holiday we wanted and planned it out with us, including options for accommodation, restaurants and places to visit en route from one hotel to another. He also suggested companies for activities, and advised when we should book various things.
I suppose a lot depends on which advisor you get, but if you find one as passionate and knowledgeable about his country as Primoz then it’s money well spent.

Deep insight and good recommendations. Efficient.

Fernando was fantastic.

Note to all who do this: do YOUR homework first to get the most out of the consultation. I had already done reading on the area and roughly new the activities I wanted.

I knew where I wanted to go, but unclear about distances between stops, ect. I also asked for hole in the wall restaurants, fun activities and off the beaten track stuff.

He had read my questionnaire and immediately reversed my route to take in the beautiful northern coast! I was like, OK! We planned my entire itinerary on the phone because he knew where to stay, what to do, everything!

He had information on everything: we talked about hotels and restaurants and clubs and where to get the best ham sandwich.

He even had the contact info for a kayak guide.

Once we were done, I had my whole itinerary planned, and I made my hotel reservations and I am set!

Nicho was incredibly helpful for us in figuring out how to get the most out of our time in Peru! We gave him a lot of information about what we like and we don't, and it was clear he read it all and was spot on in his recommendations. He also gave us a bunch of supplemental materials on Peru which were incredibly helpful. Highly recommended!

We requested a travel plan from Go Ask a Local with Simone Scalas for our 2-week Sardinia trip. A detailed plan was made regarding route suggestions, beaches, boat tours, archaeological sites to be seen, restaurant suggestions and accommodation. We were pleased with the service we received.