3 Day Private Xi’an Tour from Beijing

<p>We had a wonderful time and truly felt like we were looked after with our best interest in mind. We were escorted to the train station which was crowded and although we could have managed on our own our guide stayed with us until we were well settled on the train in our sleeper cabin and all questions answered. In Xi'an our guide David met us and was very observant of our needs. We spent a wonderful full day together and there was plenty of time to enjoy all we wanted. The beauty was we never felt rushed or pushed along. David was there to guide us and give us some history on the sights we were at and also left us the time to enjoy on our own at our pace. If there was one thing I would change it would be the lunch location choices. We stopped at buffet locations that felt too touristic. We would have much preferred to enjoy something more local and authentic. Otherwise all was great!</p>

<p>Great way to see the Terracotta army and Xian. Train, hotel and flight were fine. Excellent guide. We made a 1.5 hour cycle tour on top of the city's ancient wall. Great fun.</p>

<p>Excellent tour, HOWEVER... Do not take the train to Xi'an, take a plane. The train is filthy and smells<br/> like a bathroom. The sleeper cars are not private, there are two sets of bunk beds, so you will be sleeping with two strangers. Several of the bathrooms had no toilet paper, I had to walk through 6 cabins before I found some. There is NO private place to wash up. This train is for the peasants and the poor.</p>

<p>The only way to really get a feeling for this significant historic place. My guide was very helpful and extremely knowledgeable.</p>

<p>Ok but only just. Xian hotel "Skytel" great location and 5 star foyer but rooms sub-standard 2 star. Of 3 offered rooms all inadequate, Last "refurbished room" tiny, no refrigerator, airconditioning not working, no door from main room to bathroom all glass with no privacy. 6th Floor and our room smelled of smoking, given can of air freshener for this. Our requests for refrigerator and ice did not eventuate.<br/> Guide late on our arrival (flight 10 min early) Tour varied as History Museum closed Mondays, this is ok but were given approx 30 mins at Big Wild Goose Pagoda, feel we saw nothing. Ancient City Wall a highlight, hired bikes great experience. First dinner poor, two dishes and warm beer at est cost $25AUD, staff laughed at our attempts to use chopsticks. Day one poor. Next day better Terracotta Warriors amazing, history museum good, lunch good, dumpling banquet dinner better. Our guide not impressive, did not point out anything much during time in vehicle unless we asked. Gave us "free time" at almost all sites after a short history so we wandered ourselves, we even paid to hire audio guide at history museum while our guide waited outside. Guide also made inappropriate comments about our drinking habits. Last straw was when he went through our passports on check-in at Xian airport and commented on how many countries we had visited. Emails from Beijing to confirm as per voucher to local operator ignored. Phone calls unanswered.(chinese voice message) No offer of bottled water at any stage of tour. Overall we feel poor value for money paid. Viator need to control content provided by local operators much more especially standards of hotel provided.</p>