Subject: Formal Complaint and Request for Full Refund – Sintra Small Group Tour Dear Viator Customer Service, I am writing to formally complain about our experience on the “Sintra Small Group Tour: Cascais, Regaleira, Cabo da Roca.” Unfortunately, the tour was a major disappointment and was very different from the experience we expected when booking through Viator. At the beginning of the tour, our guide informed us that a road was closed and that she would therefore change the planned route. We fully understand that unexpected circumstances can occur. However, what followed cannot be explained by a road closure. We spent only approximately 20 minutes in Cascais. The guide then decided, without asking whether we wanted to stop for lunch, to take the group to a restaurant of her choice. The tour was advertised without food, and we had neither requested nor expected such a lengthy lunch stop. Nevertheless, approximately two hours of our tour were spent on this break, significantly reducing the time available for the actual itinerary. When my daughter, Emanuel, expressed our dissatisfaction directly to the guide, her response was particularly troubling. Instead of trying to address the complaint, she offered to refund the cost of the tour and suggested that we take an Uber back to our hotel at our own expense. We found this completely unreasonable. We had booked and paid for a full tour. It is absurd to suggest that because we were dissatisfied with the way the tour was being conducted, we should then pay additional money simply to get ourselves back to our hotel. We decided to continue with the tour. However, after Emanuel complained, the guide’s attitude toward us changed noticeably. From that point onward, she effectively chose to ignore our presence, while continuing to greet and interact normally with the other passengers in the group. This made an already disappointing experience extremely uncomfortable and, in our view, was an inappropriate and unprofessional response to legitimate customer feedback. Overall, the experience felt much more like being driven from one point to another than participating in the organized small-group tour we had booked. We chose Viator because we expected a certain standard of professionalism and customer service. Unfortunately, this experience fell far below that standard. For these reasons, we are requesting a full refund of the amount paid for the tour. I would appreciate Viator reviewing this matter seriously, including the actual itinerary, the time spent at each location, the two-hour restaurant stop, and the guide’s conduct following our complaint. Kind regards, Sarit Carmel
I’m sorry to see this review, as several of the statements made are simply not accurate. The itinerary was followed exactly as described on my Viator listing. Anyone reading this review can compare the claims made here with the itinerary published on the experience page. In fact, I went beyond what was required in an attempt to accommodate these guests. Unfortunately, the main difficulty during the tour was the behaviour of these two guests. They were repeatedly rude, disrespectful and offensive towards me, but also towards the other participants. They repeatedly told the other guests to hurry up, putting unnecessary pressure on them and creating an uncomfortable atmosphere for the entire group. Their behaviour significantly affected the experience of everyone else and, unfortunately, ended up spoiling the tour and the day for the other participants as well. At several points, they shouted while I was trying to explain things. The daughter repeatedly turned her back on me while I was speaking to her, rolled her eyes and behaved in an openly disrespectful manner. This was not an isolated incident, but part of a pattern of behaviour throughout the tour. The situation became particularly serious at the restaurant, where the daughter shouted and caused a scene. Her behaviour was so inappropriate and disruptive that the restaurant staff were visibly shocked by what was happening. The other participants were also clearly uncomfortable with the situation. I remained calm and professional throughout and did everything I could to manage the situation appropriately. However, it eventually became extremely difficult to control. I contacted Viator Support during the tour because the situation had become extremely serious. I was advised by Viator to contact the police, and I ultimately had to go to the police, leave these guests there and make a formal complaint regarding discrimination, harassment and abusive behaviour. I also have two other guests who witnessed what happened. They were extremely kind and supportive and told me themselves that the behaviour had gone far beyond acceptable limits. They offered to provide their accounts and act as witnesses if necessary. This was, without a doubt, the worst professional experience I have had in my nine years working in this industry. I have welcomed countless guests over the years and have always done my best to provide a positive, respectful and professional experience for everyone. I completely respect that every guest is entitled to their opinion, and I accept that not every experience will suit everyone. However, reviews should reflect what actually happened, and I strongly disagree with the allegations made in this review. I am sorry that these guests did not enjoy the experience, but I stand firmly by the tour I provided, the itinerary advertised, and the professional way in which I handled an extremely difficult situation. Unfortunately, it was not only my experience that was affected. Their behaviour towards the other participants also had a significant impact on the group and ultimately spoiled what should have been an enjoyable day for everyone. Nádia
