NEVER AGAIN with LUXURY ??? ESCAPES Luxury Escapes 12 Day Ultimate Japan Unfortunately, our tour did NOT meet our expectations in several significant ways. From the outset, it was evident that our guide, although a kind and soft-spoken individual, lacked the necessary skills to manage a group tour effectively. His limited proficiency in English and inability to communicate clearly with the group severely impacted our experience. We had chosen this tour specifically to learn about the history and culture of Japan from an expert guide, but this expectation was not met. Most of the information we gathered came from our own reading during bus rides. The microphone and speaker system on our coach were inadequate, making it difficult to hear or understand the guide. At all sites, we were left to explore on our own with minimal guidance, often resulting in confusion and miscommunication among group members.We had lost passengers who missed the bullet train to Hiroshima so we all had to then wait for the next bullet train for them to arrive.We were fortunate to have a member in our group who actually told our guide what to do to get in contact with them as he had NO IDEA! The guide frequently seemed unsure of our itinerary and directions, leading to further disorganization. Additionally, the timing of the tour coincided with long weekends in both China and Japan, resulting in overwhelming crowds that detracted from our ability to appreciate the destinations. This scheduling oversight should have been anticipated and avoided by Luxury Escapes. The accommodations provided were not as advertised. We often stayed in hotels located far from city centres, near railway stations, and three of our original hotels were changed after payment. Many group members felt compelled to upgrade their rooms at their own expense due to the substandard conditions. The included evening meals were also disappointing. During our first group meal, some members were seated at tables where they could converse, while others, including us, were placed in a line around the kitchen, missing several dishes. The final meal was similarly disorganized, with our guide instructing half our group we needed to leave before dessert was served, causing confusion and dissatisfaction. Overall, this tour did not reflect the quality and service we expected from Luxury Escapes. As a former teacher, I observed a complete lack of group management skills from our guide, who appeared unprepared and often lost. We paid for a competent, English-speaking guide who could provide insightful commentary on Japan, but this was not delivered. Given these numerous issues, we cannot recommend Luxury Escapes to others. Significant improvements in guide training and tour organization are necessary to meet the standards advertised. We request a formal response to this complaint and appropriate compensation for the shortcomings of this tour. G & W booking LE-JKGR33 ULTIMATE JAPAN