elsewhereReviews of elsewhere.io

I recently paid $100 USD through the Elsewhere.io website after receiving a payment confirmation request from my bank. As soon as I confirmed the transaction, the website stopped working — I couldn’t log in, access any account details, or see any confirmation of my purchase. I’ve had no receipt, no service, and no communication from Elsewhere.io since then. I’ve tried reaching out via email but have received no response. At this stage, it feels like I’ve been scammed out of my money. I strongly advise others to avoid making any payments on this website until they can prove that they’re operational and responsive. It’s very concerning that a platform associated with a well-known travel brand is handling customer payments in such an unprofessional and potentially fraudulent manner. I’m now working with my bank to dispute the charge and recover my funds.

I had a pleasant experience speaking with my travel planner for a trip to japan. But after that things became horrible. Time delay I was told it would take a week to get me an initial itinerary to confirm what we talked about. When the initial itinerary was shared - there were mistakes in the dates, lots of "free" time was planned in the itinerary that I did not ask for, and there was no discussion on type of hotels (4 vs 5 star) included or range of budget. I was given a mistake riddled plan that I could have done in 1 hour by myself. Ghosted After this issue, I asked my travel planner to fix the dates and to provide what type of hotels were included and a price range before I paid their $100 fee to plan the trip. I have been ghosted for the last week. My trip planner didn't even answer my note. Will definitely not use them ever again.

We had a nice experience working with a local agent for a trip to Egypt. However, once we eventually got to costs, we priced the trip (accommodation, flights, cruise) with reasonable estimates for similar tours at about 40% LESS than the price quoted by Elsewhere. There is something wrong with a business model that keeps the client in the dark for so long and then is not able to justify a really huge margin in their prices. Think very hard about working with these folks.

We have just returned from a 52 day tour through Colombia which we organized through Elsewhere.io. A year ago I started looking at travel groups offering tours of Colombia. Nothing quite matched our interests or timeline and they all seemed really limited in scope. Additionally these tours were typically two week marathons with packed days spent in a different location each day. Not a lot of downtime along the way. I gambled and did a google search which produced Elsewhere.io. I was a bit nervous about an internet scam but proceeded to contact our designated specialist (who works with a specific travel group in Colombia: the Colombia Project), had a zoom call, and started piecing together a trip based on our interests, budget, and preferences. Our specialist, Laura, had fantastic recommendations because she lives in Colombia and knows all the incredible places and range of activities to experience there. Every day was another gem. It did take some time to get all the pieces together and we were already starting our travel by the time the last part was finished. To be fair, this was a much longer trip than the usual 2 week trip organized by Elsewhere.io (Colombia Project). I was a bit anxious because I did not get an itemized bill (still haven’t) but a cross comparison of our 52 days expenses with other people on trips through Intrepid or other companies demonstrated that ours was very cost effective and we were staying much longer and seeing a lot more of the country. Their 2 to 3 wk trip was close to or as much as our 52 days. It is really up to you what you want in the trip and what you want to spend as opposed to picking a stock trip itinerary, travelling with a group of others, and maybe not having much flexibility on what you do. We built in several free days to explore on our own, I had Airbnbs booked in some locations to reduce costs plus cook our own meals, and we arranged for additional tours/hikes/day trips on our own where we wanted. In the end, we have had a fabulous thought provoking, educational, and seriously fun adventure across Colombia which could not have happened without the input of our local specialist. We are grateful to Laura, the Colombia Project, and Elsewhere.io.

We used Elsewhere to travel to Portugal. They customized my trip based on my personal preferences and provided multiple iterations until it was perfect for our family. Our trip included multiple locations, great hotels and a rental car. The planned tours and suggestions were a great mix of local and tourist experience.

Beware of Elsewhere Travel - Overpriced, Misleading, and Dangerous Service If you’re considering booking a trip with Elsewhere, please read this and proceed with extreme caution. My husband and I spent over $11,000 for our honeymoon trip to Italy, expecting a worry-free experience thanks to Elsewhere's promises of "award-winning trip planning" and "24/7 real-time support." What we got instead was a series of unprofessional missteps, dismissive responses, and dangerous conditions that marred what should have been a dream vacation. False Promises and Misleading Claims: First, Elsewhere claims to offer 24/7 real-time support and a dedicated concierge service. In reality, support was limited to Italy’s 9-6 local time, and I received nothing but a scripted, uncaring response. My inquiries and requests to address the glaring flaws in our itinerary were outright dismissed. Ignoring the Customer's Needs and Expectations: From our first call, I explained that we wanted a luxurious experience with private tours and accommodations that offered parking, as we’d be driving. I emphasized our preference for high-end, private hotels and flexibility in budget. Despite this, the “award-winning planner” assigned to us sent an initial itinerary that completely ignored these points. After I requested revisions, the final itinerary was only marginally better and still did not deliver the type of experiences we wanted, which we were only able to discover upon arrival in Italy. Dangerous, Inadequate Accommodations: The nightmare truly began when we arrived at our second hotel, which Elsewhere had chosen without providing any of the detailed information promised. This hotel had terrible reviews, limited parking (which our planner knew we needed), and rude staff. Upon arrival, we found it was impossible to park nearby, forcing us to walk 15 minutes uphill with luggage. My husband slipped and was injured in this process. Elsewhere’s “support” was utterly unhelpful, suggesting that I “should have read the reviews before booking”—as if it wasn’t their job to vet these places on behalf of paying customers! When we finally got to our room, it was completely inadequate for our needs, with no privacy, shared living quarters, and lack of basic amenities—something I NEVER would have chosen if I had been given truthful information. Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs Due to Incompetence: The third hotel was even worse. The parking was down a hill, and I had specifically requested a non-smoking room due to my asthma. Upon arrival, we were given a smoking room with no alternatives available, forcing us to find new accommodations and shell out an additional $1,500 on our own. This pattern of bait-and-switch continued, and I ended up spending thousands to find accommodations that actually met the standard we had initially requested. No Accountability or Transparency: I requested an itemized receipt of the charges to see what I actually paid for, but Elsewhere refuses to provide one. How can a company not offer transparency when its service is this poor? Elsewhere clearly operates on a kickback model, putting travelers in partner hotels that serve their interests, not the interests of paying clients. Insulting Customer Service: After filing a chargeback for half the cost—a reasonable amount considering the lack of services delivered—I received a rude response from Elsewhere’s COO, dismissing my concerns and offering a paltry $500 “refund” if I withdrew my dispute. The level of unprofessionalism and lack of accountability is astounding. I’m well aware of the legal violations here, and it’s clear that Elsewhere operates on a misleading, unethical business model. Save your time, money, and peace of mind. Elsewhere over-promises and under-delivers, prioritizing profits over customer experience. This company is a fraud in every sense. You’ll end up planning your own trip, paying for safe and comfortable accommodations out of pocket, and fighting just to get basic support. I would never recommend Elsewhere to anyone.

Have done two trips with Elsewhere.Each trip was two weeks… Tanazanian Safari and South Africa+ Visit Cyprus Falls. Both trips were absolutely perf ct in every way ( and I’m super picky and critical. Would not have changed a thing —their partners in the field are so hands on, thoughtful and communicate every step of the way. Currently working on three more itineraries for late fall 2023. You will not go wrong with Elsewhere.io

This was our first trip with elsewhere and it will not be our last. Visiting Cape Town and doing a safari were two of my biggest bucket trips, and they did not disappoint!! We connected immediately with Angela, our expert in Joburg South Africa, and even though we gave a complicated wishlist for this trip, she created an incredible two-country combo trip that mixed urban activities with totally open wilderness - I don't know which part I enjoyed more!! The safari in the Okavango delta in Botswana was mind blowing and the lodges were out of this world. Highlight was watching a cheetah teach her babies to hunt prey (they didn't make the catch, but it was adorable). Cape Town was one of the most beautiful cities and it was great having an urban stop after the safari. My boyfriend is a marine biology lover, so Angela booked an incredible ecolodge for us on a marine reserve with whales and sharks off the shore. All around pretty incredible experience and big thanks to Angela. My honeymoon is my next big trip and I will absolutely be using elsewhere!!