Lonely Planet Reviews 330

I ordered the Venice guide from lonely planet and it didn't arrive. I contacted the customer services by email. I was told that I could be refunded or a new order could be raised as my online order had not been communicated to the warehouse. I said please reorder. This also didn't arrive. I asked for a refund. The book wasn't dispatched. There was no explanation. This was a waste of time and I was not happy.

LADY DOUGLAS RIVER CRUISES IN PORT DOUGLAS.
Awesome experience, lovely cider and nibbles, great commentary, best seat on the boat, right up in the bow.
Saw 3 large crocodiles in their natural habitat. Just the best day!

The hotel Catembe Gallery hotel in Maputo was a very traumatic experience - the hotel was standard was poor, things in the room didnt work like toilet, hand basin , TV no aircon. only two towels in the room and no drinking water or telephone.
the staff was very unfriendly at Marisol restuarant only Augostihno was a friendly person there.

our bill when we left was so high we couldnt believe it and the resturant is very expensive.

we lost the roon key and they didnt have a copy to open for us nor give us another room, we had to sleep outside

I am visiting India, Singapore and Bali and wanted a guidebook which is relatively up to date. I purchased “pocket Singapore” as the edition claimed to be 2022. Got home and first hotel I looked for , as recommended in the guide, apparently closed 3 years ago (Six SensesDuxton).

good books, but unfortunately not good service.

Due to challenges with the delivery of two ordered books, they were sent back. However, it is not possible to get a refund, due to a change of website, "it is not possible to make a refund".

A discount code has been offered, but it is not usable as the books have been ordered elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we now have a discount code for a website we don't need books from.

I ordered two travel guides and when they came, I realized I already had a recent version of one of them. At Lonely Planet's direction, I returned the book I didn't need, without even opening it (and paid for the shipping). When I heard nothing back for about ten days, I checked into it and was told that since Lonely Planet had just switched its online shop to a new provider, I couldn't get a refund. So, they have the book, and can even re-sell it, but they have refused to give me a refund. I have requested a refund several times and they steadfastly refuse.

As I have told Lonely Planet multiple times, I have no need for a credit because I won't be traveling again before their credit expires. Don't be fooled by their offer of a credit that isn't an offer. They took the book and won't refund the money. It's that simple. Do not do business with Lonely Planet, or you risk getting ripped off.

EDIT: I’ve changed it from. 2 to a 4 because the books are just so good.

Ordering travel guide books is a lot more expensive from Europe now that you have to pay additional import charges. Before Lonely Planet customer replies with “We do state during checkout that our warehouse is located in London and customs fees may be applied”, that is not the case otherwise I wouldn’t have placed my order.
It cost me an extra 8 Euros (79kr Feb 2023) to import 3 travel books into Sweden. Books themselves are to be recommended.

KUBAT TOURS, NARYN, KYRGYSTAN
After 2 weeks camping at altitude, we budgeted for a customised tour, private transfers and whilst in Naryn to stay in a luxury hotel. Kubat tours provided the
tour and transfers. They offer competitive prices (remember if a private transfer seems expensive you are likely to be covering enormous distances over difficult terrain). We travelled from Naryn to Kel-Suu, Tash Rabat and then on to Kazarman, before transferring back to Bishkek. Kubat was unfailingly helpful, offering us options at different price points plus general advice and assistance. Nothing seemed too much trouble and we really enjoyed meeting him. His delightful son, Aziz drove us and added interesting information about Kyrgyz culture and the glorious landscape around us. This is a small family business which offers exceptional service and deserves to do well. We had the most wonderful trip.

If you wanted the best experience trek in rinjani mountain, so looked for cakrawala rinjani company, we took 3 days / 2 nights package with my friends and I found Mr Sultan from this company . They were an experienced about the rinjani mountain , and they organize as was sucsesful my trip , highly recommend to this company to anyone hike Rinjani Mountain.

Since brexit you have to pay taxes if your order from europe. Since they ship from the UK. This is not very transparant beforehand. Had to pay 9 euro extra for an order of ~45 euro.

This made the order way more expensive compared to ordering locally.

( ORDER No. 4766508A and 4767228A)

These were placed on 30th of October 2021 and till today that is February 14th 2022 they still have not arrived. Like other posters I was initially offered the same excuses which overtime dried up and now Lonely Planet simply stopped responding and or updating me on this.

John ????? (Who did not feel necessary to write his full name), Shop Operations Manager who wrote to me in December last year to apologize for the delay and who has also since then simply and conveniently disappeared from the scene.

The worst disgusting unethical company I have experienced in my life. Needless to say everyone should read up and avoid buying or dealing with Lonely Planet.

All those affected by Lonely Planets' failure to uphold its's end of the deal should look into what legal options exist.

Terrible service - ordered 2 books well over a month ago, apparently an issue at the warehouse. Despite numerous contacts they still can't tell me when I will receive.
I can't believe they can't sort the problem out and send replacements. Don't order from them. Shocking customer service.
Order 4766712A
Update. Still no further forward. No one can tell me when or even if I will receive an order that I paid for some time ago. Pretty much worst service I have received. Awful company. Don't buy!

Extremely poor service, very robotic and template answers,
I ordered two books for my wife, one for her birthday and one for a upcoming holiday in December. Ordered over a month ago and when I checked on Friday why they didn’t arrive yet I was told there was an error in they system and they don’t know if the order was actually processed not. They also wouldn’t be able to provide me with a tracking number and couldn’t give a timeframe on when I would get the order (if ever?). Are you joking ?
I can see both books are in stock and available to ship within 1-2 days, I am appalled you don’t just send me a replacement. I don’t want a refund because when I ordered I used an offer for buy one get one free, but I am now thinking that might have been a scam, because clearly you are not sending me both books and just want to refund me the money for one.
This really has been the worst experience and customer service is not friendly at all.
My wife used to live lonely planet and only ever bought your guided, but having told her about this she’s been very disappointed
Order 4765327A

10 January 2018 - the date our tour in India started!! Two women with our two young daughters arrived in Terminal 3 in New Delhi- India. Mr Kamal from Jaisalmer, owner of the Thar Desert Tours planned everything for us, well organized and for sure safe. The car with a very polite driver, the hotels, the train- trip and the tour in the Thar desert. In Jaisalmer we had the opportunity to meet his parents and fanily and we were very welcome.! It was an experience we never forget and we are already planning to come back! Thank you mr Kamal

I find Lonely Planet books very informative and useful. They are ideal to take on a trip as a guide, with lots of information on sites, restaurants, hotels and local cultures. They make sure one doesn't miss out on anything during a trip. I wish they had a little more souvenir value though, through more colour photographs and a more attractive layout (I'm comparing them with DK Eyewitness books, which have such great souvenir value in addition to information). But that's just the aesthetics. In terms of content, Lonely Planet book are great!

I placed an order with the L.P. Shop beginning of December. After one month (and two emails), no travel guide.

I needed to receive the book so placed an order with another company (which arrived promptly).

After six weeks, I had sent a further three emails requesting a refund. No reply to the emails and no refund but someone finally got around to putting the order in the post. I therefore now have a second, completely useless, version of the guide.

I have better ways to spend my time than chasing refunds from such an inept, incompetent and untrustworthy company.

My advice: AVOID ANY BUSINESS WITH THE L.P. SHOP AND THEIR INCOMPETENT CUST. SERVICE.

A Edwards

Guide books: the main reason I buy LP is the fact they make a solid base to plan a trip, especially due to the "how to get there/getting around" section for every city/sight. I never use the information about accommodation or food options as there is usually no reason to do so. The overall quality depends on the book, for example "South East Asia On A Shoestring" was perfect while the one about Egypt seemed to miss a lot of information.

Onlineshop: fine, there is usually some kind of discount which makes an order from here cheaper as getting the book from the most competitive Swiss online store. Delivery was always about two weeks.

Service rate -0 !
Placed On 11/22/2020 at 10:12 PM
Status Open
After a month I still haven't received my order ! Sent lots of emails to customer service - Jana - who keeps sending me replies saying that she is checking and checking and checking...Absolutely ridiculous !
The order was allegedly dispatched on 16th December but nobody knows where it is. And Jana keeps saying that she is not responsible for the shipment.
What I am left with is no Christmas gifts and a legal action to take against Lonely Planet.
Would anybody expect that from such a reputable brand?

BTW. The order was NOT placed for Madagaskar, just within EU.

This is to prove that Jana from Lonely Planet keeps saying untrue information. The email was sent to me nearly a month ago. Till now I havent received any replacement order or refund.

Dec 9, 2020, 6:16 PM GMT

Hi Awajs,

Thanks for your message.

Yes, the order was shipped, but most likely lost in transit.
No tracking number was supplied to me.
I do apologize for this.

A replacement order has been sent out.

Thanks!

Kind regards,
Jana | Customer support team
​

Book order- I wish I had looked here first!

I have always loved Lonely Planet, an old travel companion I trusted and looked to for awesomeness. First time ordering a book on their site.......I added express post as it was for my Dad's birthday.
No email confirmation, no item arrival....now I have contacted customer service, but it sounds like I am wasting my breath. I wonder if I can do anything via my bank.
So VERY disappointed !!
I will never order from you again and the books I had planned to additionally order will not be purchased either.
Such a shame to see the demise of such a fanatic company! (when Australian owner) the reputation is down the toilet, now it is OS owned and useless! a scam!