The Thinking Traveller Reviews 1,191

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

4.7

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Review summary

Created with AI, based on recent reviews

Looking at 201 reviews, reviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers consistently praise the staff for being exceptionally pleasant, helpful, and kind, often going above and beyond to assist with various needs and planning activities. The service provided is frequently described as perfect, efficient, and seamless, with many appreciating the proactive communication and support from local teams and agents. Reviewers are particularly impressed with the quality of the villas, which are often described as spectacular, beautiful, and well-equipped, exceeding expectations in design and amenities, and located in stunning settings. However, some people were dissatisfied with certain aspects, including issues with villa amenities being outdated or poorly maintained, such as cold pools, lack of hot water, or broken fixtures. A few other people also felt that some villa locations were strange or run down, with noisy neighbors or construction nearby, and that the concierge service occasionally made mistakes with transfers or deliveries.

What people talk about most

Staff

People report positive experiences with staff, highlighting their helpfulness, kindness, and efficiency.... See more

Service

Consumers find service to be positive, with many reviewers consistently praising the excellent and seamless... See more

Location

Reviewers highlight positive aspects of location, often praising beautiful views and convenient access to... See more

Quality

Reviewers mention positive feedback about quality, with many describing villas as spectacular, outstanding,... See more

Facilities

Customers had positive experiences with facilities, often describing them as beautiful, well-appointed, and... See more

Reviews shaping this summary

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Spent one week at Masseria Cisterna Rossa in the Salento area of Puglia in mid Sept 2025. Pictures of this villa do not do it justice. It is large, very beautifully furnished and in outstanding c... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Thank you The Thinking traveller for fixing the perfect holiday for us on Paxos. The villa lived up to and beyond our expectations and you gave us all the options for transport well in advance which t... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

They certainly do not oversell their villas, what you see on their website is how it is and our villa was quite simply amazing. The thoughtful extras (like some groceries in the villa on arrival) make... See more

Company replied

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Antonia was so helpful in 2024 when we were securing our Villa and switching from Sicily to Puglia. Francesco, upon arrival came to meet our group of 14 to explain and take care of any necessities at... See more

Company replied


Company details

  1. #15 of 32 best companies in Vacation rental
  2. #8 of 14 best companies in Group Accommodation
  3. #12 of 23 best companies in Holiday home letting agency

About The Thinking Traveller

Written by the company

Since 2002, The Thinking Traveller has offered unique access to the most desirable villas in the heart of the Mediterranean. The company’s success – including being voted Best Villa Rental Company nine times at the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards - is based on three founding principles: exclusive villas, unrivalled local knowledge and thoughtful personal service. We invite clients to leave their feedback following their return from holiday to ensure it reflects their overall experience with us.

EXPLORE GREECE
EXPLORE SICILY
EXPLORE PUGLIA
EXPLORE CORSICA

Contact info

4.7

Excellent

TrustScore 4.5 out of 5

1k reviews

5-star
4-star
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1-star

Asks customers to review

This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative

Replied to 87% of negative reviews

Typically replies within 1 week

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Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great service

Great service, great local staff and support and with Stefano an amazing chef. We alle loved it!

12 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

We’re so happy to hear you had a brilliant time—and that Stefano’s cooking was a hit! It’s lovely to know the service and local support helped make the whole experience special for everyone. We’d love to welcome you back again soon!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Villa Aurora in Zakynthos

We hired Villa Aurora in Zakynthos in July. A stunning villa in a beautiful location with every amenity a family could wish for. From the luxury airport transfers to the arrangement of our hire car, nothing was too much trouble, plus the support once we arrived at the villa from Dominic was invaluable. A really fantastic holiday.

5 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Thank you so much for your lovely review and for commenting on Dominic's support at the villa. We’re so glad the location had everything your family could wish for and that you had a lovely stay at Aurora.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Do not hesitate to book

They certainly do not oversell their villas, what you see on their website is how it is and our villa was quite simply amazing. The thoughtful extras (like some groceries in the villa on arrival) make you feel like you are valued and your holiday really matters. The local support available just a message away was invaluable. We will be using them again with absolute confidence.

12 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

So pleased that the villa lived up to expectations—and that the thoughtful extras and local support made you feel truly looked after; it’s great to know it made a difference to your stay.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

We had excellent support and advice…

We had excellent support and advice from TTT.Our every need and request was met. The advice given when selecting our location and the villa was well considered and met our requirements perfectly.
I unreservedly recommend them and will travel with TTT again.

5 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

We’re absolutely delighted to hear that everything—from the advice and support to the villa itself—was spot on for you. It’s great to know our team helped make the whole experience smooth and enjoyable. We really appreciate the recommendation and can’t wait to help you plan your next trip

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

We rented Trulli Andrea and it was not…

We rented Trulli Andrea and it was not great. First, the STAFF were amazing. The villa itself is OK. Rooms are small, some are really small. The outdoor eating areas are not well shaded. When we went it was hot. The outdoor furniture is cheap and worn down. It was not worth the money. We paid for 2 weeks and left after one and ate our loss.

28 June 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Thank you for your positive comments on the staff at Trulli Andrea, although I am sorry to read that you left the villa early. I would like the opportunity to discuss your feedback with you further. I have reached out over email and I hope to hear from you soon.

Shirley Randle
Director of Operations

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Very good!!

Very good!!

12 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Thank you for your 5 * review; we really appreciate it and we are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your stay

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

Not amazing value for money

I was surprised to be chased within a week and by phone call on a Sunday, for initial payment. As it happened I had been bereaved two days' previously. Good service, but not perfect, but with a price tag. The accommodation and reps were all good, but the price tag was probably, from our point of view, just a tad high for the result.

12 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

I am truly sorry to hear of your bereavement, that we have come across as insensitive when following up, and also that we didn't live up to the price tag. Please do feel free to share more details of your feedback with your villa specialist

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great communication

Great communication, easy booking. Fantastic villa

3 August 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Lovely to hear this feedback; thank you for taking the time to share

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Excelent

Excelent, every thing was better than expected

11 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

We aim to exceed expectations and so very happy to hear this; thank you for sharing your experience

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The most magical week on Anti Paxos

The most magical week on Anti Paxos for our family -ourselves, two grown up children plus partners. It was a luxury Robinson Crusoe experience - the villa was beautiful with amazing pool outdoor spaces and views. We walked out to lots of the favourite beaches plus lots of gorgeous coves - beautiful turquoise swimming waters.

The booking experience and our local rep Faye were fantastic and transfers and taxis were superbly organised as was the shopping. Yannis on Anti Paxos was so helpful.

Anti Paxos is just a wonderful get away from it all holiday and we just loved it-it was the perfect retreat.

Thank you.

2 August 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

We couldn’t be happier to hear these comments. A luxury Robinson Crusoe experience sounds pretty perfect. We’re also so pleased to hear that Faye, Yannis, and the whole team helped make everything smooth and stress-free. Thank you for your lovely review

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Top-Notch

I cannot say enough good things about The Thinking Traveller. I stumbled across them when looking for a villa in Greece and I am so glad I did. I received top-notch service from the moment I connected with them and all the way through our trip; I felt like I was working with a high-end personal concierge throughout the entire experience. They helped me find the perfect villa, facilitated the booking process, communicated with the owner about a couple of special requests, helped us plan other activities, and made themselves easily available during our stay to answer any questions and take care of our needs. The villa itself was fantastic - even better than the pictures - and the house manager was great; she even helped us get a last minute reservation at a very popular restaurant one night. Everything was first class all the way - the way I like it- and I would not hesitate to have The Thinking Traveller help plan our next trip.

18 July 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Wow—thank you so much for this amazing feedback! That’s exactly the kind of holiday we love to deliver. We’re so glad the villa exceeded expectations and that the house manager was able to help with that last-minute reservation—those little moments can make all the difference!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Great experience

Very nice property, top service, great experience.

4 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Thanks so much for your review!
We’re pleased to hear you had a great experience and enjoyed both the property and the service

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

the two sisters on the ground acting as…

the two sisters on the ground acting as concierge were a 10/10 amazing. Brillane was perfect and perfect location. The second villa should not be represented by you. It is in the middle of a construction zone with no water and intermittent internet. THe cost you / they charged was criminal. Everything else was great but leaving and fantastic villa for a barely functional one is just not cricket as they say in the auld country .

4 August 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Thank you for the lovely feedback on our local team and Brillane—we are so glad they impressed you! We are truly sorry the second villa didn’t meet expectations and would like the opportunity to discuss your feedback with you; we will reach out to arrange a call.

The Thinking Traveller Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

service

service, website is beautiful, villas are high quality

29 July 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

It’s lovely to know we hit the mark for your stay, thank you. Looking forward to helping you plan your next trip!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful property

Beautiful property - an oasis in the middle of a real Italian town -not a tourist town. Would definitely return to this property. Thanks to Francesco for his help - he was very accessible.

29 July 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Sounds like you had a great stay and thank you for taking the time to review us.

The Thinking Traveller Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The Villa Christina in Meganisi was…

The Villa Christina in Meganisi was lovely. The island support was first class.
We did have a few issues with the water supply and these were dealt with within 20 mins. Great transfers and on island communication.

31 July 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Thank you for the review. Water supply issues are an all too frequent challenge in Greece but delighted to hear the team managed to resolve these quickly!

The Thinking Traveller Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Villa Saracena

We just returned from an unforgettable group trip to Sicily organized by The Thinking Traveler, and we truly cannot say enough positive things about our experience.

From start to finish, the entire team at The Thinking Traveler was exceptional—prompt, thorough, and thoughtful in every interaction. They were consistently available to answer our (many!) questions with patience, kindness, and clarity. Their attentiveness and professionalism made the planning process seamless and enjoyable.

Upon arrival, we were immediately captivated by the breathtaking views from our villa. While every excursion was memorable, we all agreed that some of our favorite moments were the afternoons spent by the pool, with Mt. Etna in the distance, and the stunning sunsets as our backdrop. Walking to the nearby cliffs and swimming in the sea also became one of the most memorable highlights of our trip.

A special mention goes to Gina and Mr. T, who truly elevated our stay. Gina’s warmth, attention to detail, and incredible cooking made each meal a delight—we genuinely looked forward to every dish she prepared, which were among the best we had on the entire trip. Our Wednesday night celebration was a standout moment, far exceeding our expectations. From the DJ, to the bartender, and elegant cake, every detail was perfect.

This was a trip we’ll be talking about for years to come, and we are so grateful to The Thinking Traveler for helping us create such lasting memories.

22 July 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

What a lovely review to read - thank you for taking the time and sharing the feedback on your holiday with us.

Sounds like all the arrangements and the villa itself didn't disappoint which is always great to hear! Also very pleased the celebration evening all went well.

The Thinking Traveller Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

Villa Ophira turned out to be a great…

Villa Ophira turned out to be a great choice for our family of 13.
Firstly, it was delightful to walk in the door of this old but elegant villa in excellent condition and explore the hallways, rooms, garden and the pool.
The double sized pool was a hit with our teenagers and younger children.
Managers, Dimitri and Martella were on hand to smooth the way. Our breakfasts were awesome, prepared by Kosta, who took note of what the children enjoyed as well as the adults.
Lots of space, inside and outside.
Beautiful view across the bay.
Private, secluded but not far to shops and restaurants.
Thank to Vanessa, our contact in Corfu, who provided excellent advice about places to visit for children.
A wonderful time for our family!!

15 July 2025
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful review.

Certainly sounds like Villa Ophria and Corfu delivered on a special holiday. Also great to hear that the local team helped make for a wonderful stay.

The Thinking Traveller Team

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

The Thinking Traveller never disappoints

We have been travelling with The Thinking Traveller for many years now, and we are never disappointed. They look after us so well. Our recent return to Meganissi was another triumph, our wonderful villa a magical hideaway with magnificent views and a tranquil feel. Rachel, the local rep, is incredible, and must be one of the reasons Thinking Traveller clients return to the island again and again. Thank you to the whole team for making these years with our fast growing up kids special and memorable.

1 July 2025
Unprompted review
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Reply from The Thinking Traveller

What a delightful review to read - thanks for your kind words and for taking the time to review us.

Certainly sounds like Meganissi delivered again on a wonderful holiday - just let us know when you are ready for the next one!

The Thinking Traveller Team

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