Commented on saurabhsinha26's review
Jan 03, 2012 06:40 PM
The K series engine of the new Wagonrs give you a servicing interval of 1 yr/10,000 Kms between each. That means very less trips to the service centers.
Commented on brandyboy's review
Feb 07, 2011 01:33 PM
Great, A group generally goes to one place ! Here your group has gone to different places and then came back at the same time and posted reviews within seconds. The whole world is a fool, isn't it ?
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:32 AM
My Comments on your reply - How come you took a full month to come back for discussing on the issues? It was probably only when you started realizing that customers are evaluating you based on services you provide to others. This does not imply sincerity and transparency.
I hope the viewers know ...more about you know can take an even more informed decision.Read More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:31 AM
in the front seat ! ''Award-Winning'' Driver !
12.
Issue - After paying you about Rs.60,000 (without negotiations), why did the driver ask for Rs. 1000 more for refueling on the last day. You had been informed about the same. Another dishonest person from your side - Umesh had promised to retu...rn the money in Bangalore, but did not show up. This is nothing but additional cheating.
My Comments on your reply - Conveniently no reply from your side on this. What can I expect from a bunch of dishonest people anyway?
Your Answer - In summary, most of your issues were pertaining to the driver and the vehicle which could have easily been sorted out and were more interpersonal then anything else.
My Comments on your reply - If you think your summary is right, be happy with it. Your prospective customers will decide for themselves after going through the reviews.
Your Answer - We had called every hotel in advance to ensure that you are allocated a spacious room and took care of you stay.
My Comments on your reply - Wasn't that part of the agreed package? What is the point you are trying to make? Did a couple of things right and 10 others wrong?
Your Answer - This experience of yours definitely does not make an agency a fraudster after having serviced many happy customers for more then 30 years.
My Comments on your reply - For me you have been a complete fraudster this time. I cannot say for others.
Your Answer - You are a repeat customer of Sam-San Travels and came back because you too were happy with our services 2-3 years back.
My Comments on your reply - I am no more a happy customer and this means your services are not consistent at all. I am repenting on re-using your services and hence am warning the public at large against using your services so that their vacations are not spoiled as was mine.
Your Answer - We run our business with complete sincerity and transparency and believe that such issues can be resolved amicably.
My CRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:30 AM
My Comments on your reply - Here again you are blindly trusting your own illiterate and dishonest people without caring to find the facts. There weren't any road repair or traffic issues. The videos are full of dreadful scenes and road conditions which the world is watching along with the unacceptab...le behavior of your ''award-winning'' driver. Your driver has sabotaged your own vehicle just because he wanted to meet some family members on his way and made the travel unbearable for us through extremely bad , lonely and unsafe roads (Via Tiruppur and Chamrajnagar ). We were left hungry the whole day as there was not even one hotel on the way to add to these woes (We had a child and my 68 yr old mother with us). The driver misused the charges that we paid to you for his own personal work and put us through all the trouble and risk. For your information, there was a 4 lane highway between Dindigul and Bangalore which was the right way. Everyone including your own hotel staff was surprised at how could someone use the road that this ''award-winning'' driver of yours used. A simple google map directions search is enough to prove that your explanation about KMs, time and ''absorption of charges'' is a piece of crap and a sheer lie.
11.
Issue - Moreover Sam San travels does not allow you to sleep while travelling as their drivers are such idiots that they tend to fall asleep when you sleep ! Wow!
Your Answer - As you will remember, the roads were in bad condition, and your mother sitting in the co driver was in danger of banging her head to the wind shield. To avoid the same, our driver requested that she shift behind and sleep.
My Comments on your reply - Okay, so you think we are big fools to put our own mother at risk of banging her head. Have you heard about seat-belts ? Anyway the whole world is watching out with video and audio about what the driver requested and why? He is clearly seen saying that he starts feeling sleepy if someone sleepsRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:29 AM
on the way earlier removing a puncture from the spare tyre!
Your Answer - We have always instructed our drivers to give priority to repairs to avoid any bigger break down during any journey. In this case customers could get stranded in dark if they are left with two flat tyres including the spare.... This issue is much larger then missing sightseeing. This policy has been framed keeping in mind our customers safety.
My Comments on your reply - You have again conveniently defocused from the core of the issues. Why was the vehicle without a working spare tyre on Day 1 and 2? And 6.10 pm is not time to tell us that gates close at 6.30 pm with 20 Kms to go. A prudent person can understand the issue, but it looks like you do not want to.
9.
Issue - The driver didn't allow us to see Palani temples which was part of the advertised tour for no apparant reason.
Your Answer - This had to be skipped last minute due to a land slide.
My Comments on your reply - Please note that the landslide was not an issue. We were told that the alternate road which was to be used would also be closed at 6.30 pm, which was a lie, which we discovered later. This alternate road was a very busy and safe one is open all through the night.
10.
Issue - On the way back from Kodaikanal, these guys skipped the toll express way for saving a toll of Rs. 250 (The package cost was well above Rs.60,000; I wouldn't have negotiated paying another Rs.250!). To save Rs. 250 they took us through very bad and lonely unsafe roads increasing the travel time by 5 hours.
Your Answer - The expressway was avoided because of traffic and road repair work. Why would we unnecessarily choose an alternative road which takes more time and kms without being paid for the same? As you will appreciate, we did not charge you for the additional time and kms we incurred and internally absorbed the same. We would not have taken a risk in the first place as our driver and vehicle were also at stake.
My ComRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:28 AM
ch and influential family and have owned several vehicles in my life from sedans to full size SUVs. I can very well differentiate between smell from oil, alcohol and cheap alcohol. You are lucky I wasn't carrying an breathalyzer. Else I could have posted that result too in the videos. A driver gives... you some false reasoning and you come back to me without even applying sheer common sense. Such attitude of yours is exactly what has upset me all the more about these issues.
7.
Issue - The driver did not even know the itinerary of our tour as advertised by them! He asked us what do you want to see? I had to open my laptop and write down the itinerary to ensure that we don't miss the places. In such tours, the expectation is that the driver will be enthusiastic about satisfying the guests about the sightseeing tours as we are their customers. But this driver on the contrary showed clear signs of resistance citing bad roads at some places. I have owned an SUV myself and know very well that a vehicle like Tavera can easily go where other Indicas and Innovas were going. As an example, one day he told us, we cannot go to Dolphin's nose because the road is too small and there has been a land slide there. I asked other drivers where we halted for lunch and came to know that the road is clear. I made him take us there but he showed clear signs of discontent over it.
My Comments on your reply - Surprisingly no answer from your side. Looks like you are accepting the issue here. The booking service was outsourced to you so that I don't have spend my time and energy during the vacation managing these things. Isn't it your duty to deliver the promised itinerary?
8.
Issue - One day he told us that on the way to Ooty from Mysore, at 6.10 pm that we have to cross the checkpost in Bandipur sanctuary before 6.30pm else they don't allow and we have to stay back the whole night ! If it is true, then 6.10 pm was certainly not a time to tell this. He wasted half an hourRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:26 AM
air could only happen in Mysore before you left for Ooty and Kodai. Vehicle repair work in India does take its own time based on the nature of the fault which is difficult for us to control and monitor sitting in Mumbai.
My Comments on your reply - Firstly how can you say that heater not working ...is not a show stopper. We had specifically asked for a heater while booking. May I ask for a refund now as the heater was not working? The driver anyway did not clearly mention what the maintenance was about, but looking at what was going on, it was a faulty fan belt. If the vehicle needed maintenance, you should have got it done before we landed in Bangalore and not after commencing the trip. There were also 2 other alternatives - 1. Providing us with an alternate Tavera for local Bangalore sightseeing on the first day while getting any repairs done, 2. Replacing the faulty Tavera at Bangalore itself(Starting point) overnight. Has the driver given you false information again here and you trusted an illiterate more than your paying customer?
5.
Issue - The Tavera does not have a heater inspite of specifically asking for it during booking the tour with them.
Your Answer - The vehicle had a heater which malfunctioned on the way. Had this bug been identified before start at Bangalore, we would have replaced the vehicle and sent a replacement. Changing the vehicle after 2 days would have been more time consuming, so we chose to repair on the way, just to satisfy your needs.
My Comments on your reply - No it did not malfunction on the way. The driver clearly said that the wiring for the heater has been cut off and the heater was never working since weeks.
6.
Issue - The driver and the entire Tavera smelled of alcohol in the morning on the 2nd day.
Your Answer - The smell came from the oil that was used to repair the heater which does have an alcohol smell that does not mean that the driver had consumed alcohol.
My Comments on your reply - I come from riRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:25 AM
could not carry all the luggage (2 huge bags). Luckily the Tavera had a roof rack which we could use, but this Tavera did not have any plastic covering for it. The driver showed too much resistance for getting a plastic cover inspite of repeatedly telling him that the weather forecast showed rains i...n Ooty and Kodaikanal. I had to use threats and had to open my laptop, hook on to the internet with my wireless card, and show him the forecast to make him buy one in Mysore before starting for Ooty. If I had to manage all this, what did I pay them for?
Your Answer - The Spilt bucket version of Tavera is an upgraded version rolled out by Chevrolet. All our SUVs come with the roof rack to accommodate for the luggage.
My Comments on your reply - Your reply does not take into account the real issue - ''strong resistance for getting a plastic covering''. People like me use travel agency services to ensure that no time during the vacation is wasted on managing these small but very important things. Not sure if you on the same page !
4.
Issue - The driver asked for starting to Mysore late at 11.30/12 noon because he wanted to do some maintenance on his Tavera ! How can you ask for half a day to service your vehicle after commencing the tour? Do you expect us to waste half a day waiting in the hotel room and do no sightseeing in Mysore. Look at their 2nd day itinerary in their advertised package. After starting post lunch from Bangalore, how were you supposed to cover the points in Mysore? We didn’t pay them for making us sit in the hotel room waiting for a car to get serviced, did we? Moreover, we were now travelling in a unmaintained Tavera, which has a risk of break down. It did have a break down during the journey and this wasted a good 6 hours of our vacation time. This is a totally unacceptable request in the first place.
Your Answer - The vehicle got this bug enroute (Heater not working) which was not a show stopper. Because you wanted a heater, the repRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:24 AM
My Comments on your reply - This was part of the package booked with you and I did pay you the extra amount you demanded without any further negotiation. Why was the spacious room not booked on Day 1 before we walked in when you had charged for it? Don't tell me you hadn't charged, because I did pay... you an extra amount without questioning. You don't seem to get the point that by asking to shift later after complaining, you are - 1. Wasting our time , 2. Trying to cheat us in the first place by putting us in a lower class room even after charging for a bigger room.
2.
Issue - The driver does not understand Hindi or English and communicating with him is very problematic. I am surprised that they did not treat this as an implicit requirement for us who do not know Kannada. I have seen many drivers here in Bangalore too who can speak good Hindi at a minimum.
Your answer - This is a huge challenge specifically in South, on top of this it is very difficult to commit to an English speaking driver in peak season (Dec). To counter this practical difficulty, we arranged for a driver who has won awards for his behavior and some one who also knows the roads very well.
My Comments on your reply - If you as a travel agency cannot take care of language issues, are we not better off finding out on our own? The drivers ''award winning'' behavior is being seen by all. No need to comment further on the same here. And he did not know any roads too. A lot of time was wasted in just searching for the right roads. If you are agreeing to a default on the selection of a non-hindi/English speaking driver, please provide a refund for the same.
3.
Issue - We had asked for a Tavera as we were 4 of us, assuming that there will be 3 seats in the 2nd row, leaving the trunk for our luggage. I think any prudent person will assume that there will be a lot of luggage with 4 people going on a 9 day vacation. The Tavera though had split bucket seats in the 2nd row, so the trunkRead More
Commented on own review
Feb 05, 2011 01:23 AM
After being hit badly my negative reviews on the internet, Sam San has decided to counter the reviews with falsified comments on them. Here is my reply to their comments (in multiple parts ofcourse as the mouthshut system restricts each comment to a certain number of words) --
To Mr Sameer Lele... from Sam San Travels:
I am surprised at your change of stance from ''you had a personal problem with the driver'' to ''we admit the driver could have been bad'' and from ''I don't care about your reviews'' to ''I am taking your reviews seriously and now even replying to one''.
The driver had been lying to you continuously and you had been telling us that you are giving me false information. My dear, the whole world is watching video and audio clips and finding out for themselves how the driver was behaving with us. Now that you have seen the clips yourself, you suddenly started believing us? I am upset more not just because you planned our trip a little wrongly, but because you trusted an illiterate driver more than your repeat customer (who has traveled far and wide across India and abroad). We had been telling you that the driver is lying to you, but you would not believe. Had I been in your place, I would have taken strong actions against my sub-contractor who provided regretful services to my client.
Now that you are in a discussion mood(although forced by the internet reviews), lets go through my complaints and your replies in detail --
1.
Issue - The hotel room at Bangalore was too small for the 4 of us, inspite of clearly telling them earlier that a minimum level of quality and comfort takes priority over cost for us.
Your answer - We had put a request to the hotel to upgrade you to a room that will fit all 4 (Day 1). When we spoke to your wife for shifting to another room, she informed us that the family was now settled and did not want to shift. We ensured that on your return to Bangalore (Day 9), you get a spacious room that wRead More
Commented on moni2911's review
Feb 05, 2011 12:58 AM
A sudden flurry of positive reviews in a single day is certainly fishy. Viewer discretion advised !
Commented on brandyboy's review
Feb 05, 2011 12:56 AM
A sudden flurry of positive reviews in a single day is certainly fishy. Viewer discretion advised !
Commented on mohitc123's review
Feb 05, 2011 12:55 AM
A sudden flurry of positive reviews in a single day is certainly fishy. Viewer discretion advised !
Commented on brandyboy's review
Feb 05, 2011 12:29 AM
Interesting !!! All the positive reviews for Sam San (from moni, mohit, brandyboy, etc.) have been posted one after the other with only a couple of minutes difference in each post. It is clear that their own people have put up these reviews to cheat viewers.
Reviewed Sam San Travels - Mumbai
Feb 02, 2011 10:45 PM
3306 Views
Never use Sam San's services. You will be better off with other players. They don't provide value for your money. Once they get your money, they turn into total fraudsters. They don't even hear your complaints out.
The hotel room at Bangalore was too small for the 4 of us, inspite of clearly ...Read more
Commented on joyjeetm's review
Jan 03, 2011 01:11 AM
Its not about Linda. Its the travel agent Sam San who is to be blamed. They were not worth the trust you put in them. Looks like Sam San is a bunch of fraudsters.
Reviewed Samsun
Jan 03, 2011 01:03 AM
8699 Views
(Updated Feb 05, 2011 01:19 AM)
Never use Sam San's services. You will be better off with other players. They don't provide value for your money. Once they get your money, they turn into total fraudsters. They don't even hear your complaints out.
The hotel room at Bangalore was too small for the 4 of us, inspite of clearly ...Read more
