Has anyone used Abercrombie & Kent and their products/services? The villas look cool if you got the deep pockets for them.

I haven't used them, but my understanding is that they are the premier tour operator for people who can afford it.

I saw one of their tours in Egypt.
They were at the same restaurant as my budget Imaginative Traveler tour.

If you like grey-haired tour groups, this one's for you.

Yes, and also Kerr & Downey.
Both top people (for upper type tours) to work with (and you pay for it).

A few years back, I was planning a trip to India and considered using Abercrombie & Kent for the land arrangements.

However, after look at their brochure to see which places they would be visiting and which hotels would be used, I decided to book the same hotels myself (direct with the hotel) and arrange for the same tours myself using a local tour company in India. The cost ended up being a few thousand dollars less!

If you are a busy professional with lots of $$$ but no time to plan a trip, I would recommend that you let A&K handle all the arrangements. Otherwise, it is better if you make the trip arrangements yourself (assuming that you enjoy it).

Do they add something extra on their journeys/packages by being Abercrombie & Kent?

The villa (also includes houses/apartments) rentals look pretty nice. Any other company that does this as well?

I once filled out a huge online form on the A&K website when I was planning a trip to China. They promised me that they would get back within a few days with proposed individualized plans.

I got the auto-response saying they had received my email and that's the last I heard from them. By an amazing coincidence, it also was the last time that I ever tried to contact them as well!

Don't know about the villas, but I went on one of their Nile cruises a few years ago. It was in the aftermath of a terrorist incident, so prices ended up being pretty reasonable. Also very uncrowded, besides my family, there may have been just a few other people on the boat. The cruise was very pleasant, but the highlights were off the boat - the scenery and monuments. Altogether very civilized and I'd recommend it to anyone planning to do an Egypt trip.

Sounds nice.

Have you considered Tauck Tours?

www.tauck.com

We have been on several tours with them (both land and river cruises) and have found them to be excellent!

IMHO, there may be some advantage to A&K, but I don't know what it might be??

We have stayed in several Abercrombie and Kent houses through their residence club. They have all been even nicer than the pictures with first-class finishes. Their service has also been excellent. I believe that they offer villas with either minimal service or full services, so the service level might make a difference betwen the A&K offerings and those of other companies or private rentals. I can't comment on the tours.

Do they offer any villas/estates in Hawaii? Any other agencies/companies that offer luxury properties to rent in Hawaii? I don't remember seeing any of the luxury resorts offering residential properties for rent.

tons?

luxury resorts - for example hualalai and mauna lani

I have not done a tour with them, but have had several friends rave about safaris that they've done with A&K. Although in fairness, I'm not sure that they've got experience with other safari companies to compare.

On the A&K Residence Club side, we can also vouch for how great the houses and services are. We've been to about 8 or 9 properties, and each of them without fail was even better than the pictures. I've not been to the Hawaii properties, but I've been told by another member that has been to every house that Hale Pu�uhonua is the best house in the portfolio. We're partial to Kiawah, NYC, and the Turks and Caicos.

The A&K Villa rentals have been ramped up significantly in the last couple of years. Seems like they started with European villas in Italy maybe, and have added a good chunk of Europe and a good number in Anguilla and St. Barts.