We had a fabulous time in Japan We had a fabulous time in Japan. Our guide, Carlos, was knowledgeable and patient with us every step of the way. The only downside were the hotels in Osaka and Tokyo. They were relatively far away from the city centers. Our bus driver in Osaka and Kyoto was excellent and we appreciated his service and abilities. All around, the trip was great and Carlos really helped take it to another level. Michael and Jean

Shady Business Practices I booked a trip with 3 others. 2 of my companions failed to send their passports on time. We were all canceled. Credit is worthless when the only thing it can be applied to is trips that cost 10-20 times what the original trip cost. There are disclaimers for everything they do- not responsible for emails that go to junk (and they use multiple addresses, so even though I mark them as safe, another comes through from somebody else.) I was the only one to receive correspondence. I was baited for months with "sold out" tags on similar discounted trips. They were working on coordinating more. Now, my $800 trip is $8000. And it's several thousand less at any other reputable agency. It was odd that the passports needed to be turned in 30 days before the final payment. It was odd that the people who didn't send their passports in weren't notified. We are stuck with credits that are worthless. Run.

Fantastic Customer Service I spoke with UTO employee, Ceci Chan. She was very professional and knowledgeable about UTO Vacation policies. I asked her my question and she immediately had an answer, and even better, it was one I really liked! Even if she had given me "bad news" I would have still given her 5 stars.

we had great experience in Thailand just finished my first UTO tour in Thailand. the hotel is well addressed, and communion with UTO was easy before and during the trip (main office and the Thai local guide) FB messages or WhatsApp usually replied to my questions within 48 hours. I was very skeptical at first because of some of the negative reviews. I used to work in the travel industry. UTO does run tours very differently than most US-based tour companies. however, it may be the reason why sometimes they can offer these unbelievable deals. their tour policy is very strict, not very flexible. my advice is ~ READ READ READ the fine print before you book. looking forward to my 2nd China/Japan tour

Don't upgrade your room, decent experience, but... We did the marvelous Phuket Land Package in Nov '23. Communication was good from UTO and airport pick-up was no problem. DON'T UPGRADE your Hotel room! It was the same as the other couple that didn't!! Could've saved $400! Our hotel was changed just before we arrived. While the new hotel was fine, it was in an isolated area on a high traffic road, virtually nothing within walking distance. The guide who picked us up and did the city tour was contracted. She was fine. The (free) Old Phuket Tour was more of a high pressure sales event with Pearls, Cashews, and Gems. The boat tours were great, highly recommend. Hindsight, we probably could have coordinated this on our own with more research, chosen a better hotel location. We didn't hate our experience, no regrets, but wanted to give an honest review.