The English Bus — Local services in London

I booked this tour many months in advance, based on our wish to go to Stonehenge and Bath, when we booked the Secret Place was not really a consideration for us, but thought it could be fun. We had an expectation of a much bigger group and a bigger bus and that the secret place would be predictable (we tried to guess where it would be). The bus is a new, clean and comfortable Mercedes Benz vehicle thats equipped with air conditioning and a great sound system that allowed us to hear and interact with Colin. From the moment we met, Colin provided an enthusiastic commentary along the route as we made our way out of London, pointing out interesting buildings and places where famous people have lived information about each borough we passed through. With a quick stop at the M4 services we proceeded into Berkshire and then off the beaten track taking in some beautiful villages, taking in the sights of thatched cottages, beautiful old architecture, giraffes, elephants, horses, cows (very important sightings of cows) Dali'esque grandfather clocks and a host of other sights. All the time, the commentary continued, making the journey extremely interesting. Colin finds the right balance of information, trivia, humor and silence when appropriate. After a trip through a number of villages and diversions to see interesting things you would NEVER see otherwise we arrived at the Secret Place. I am not at liberty to divulge any information about The Secret place - only to say that its amazing and it would be worth going just for this - a once in a lifetime place to visit that you can't begin imagine and will never see the likes of again!!!!! We then departed and made our way to Bath, Colin told stories of local celebrities and famous folks as we proceeded along the way to Bath and expertly coupled popular songs with locations and brought the location and song to life! Fantastic! We arrived in Bath with a short bus tour of the city - again an expert explanation of everything we saw and explained the city's history and how it came to be the way it is today. We had plenty of time in Bath to explore the city, the Roman baths and had time to eat and have a quick drink in a local pub. Colin also gave a short walking tour and explained a lot about the city! We departed Bath with a 45 minute drive to go to Stonehenge. On the way we continued the tour with Colin pointing out interesting waypoints and items to us. As we approached Stonehenge he turned his attention to explaining the local geography and the history around the area. He explained the history of the stones and the people of the Salisbury plain area and set the scene for the Stonehenge visit. Colin took care of getting the right tickets for everyone and escorted us on the bus to get us up to the stones. The viewing of Stonehenge is accompanied with an audio tour guide that provides all the information you would need to be fully immersed in the area and the history of the stones. With enough time to walk back from the stones to the visitor center, explore the center and have something to eat, we made our way back to the bus. For the whole journey back Colin engaged the bus in conversation and showed us a few extra treats too! Having asked where everyone wanted to be dropped off in London and driving each party to their desired drop off point Colin wished us all the best. I have to say not only is he a very nice guy, who is knowledgable and friendly, he is professional and personable and perhaps one of the best tour guides I have ever had the pleasure of having for an amazing day’s tour. Book with this company and you will be extremely pleased. They are a small company that cares and provide an amazing service. You will probably only go to Stonehenge once - go with the English Bus and it will be memorable and a lasting memory of this amazing place. Thanks Colin and TEB - you guys...

The English Bus provided the most affordable tour we could find, the best itinerary, the best pick-up spots, and a very witty and friendly tour guide.

The pick-up times were at a very reasonable time, 8:45 or 9:10 AM, compared to some of the other tours that pick up way too early for tourists adjusting to jet lag. They planned a very well curated itinerary of Stratford-upon-Avon, the Cotswolds, and Oxford, three incredible spots. Our tour guide, Andy Sawyer, right off the bat was funny, accommodating, and so enjoyable to chat with and spend time around. He gave very comprehensive commentary, describing everything we were seeing outside, and included tons fo quirky and funny stories along the way, which we LOVED. Great entertainment, wittiness, and interesting history. Andy has a true talent for socializing and storytelling. One of the best tour guides I have ever met.

The bus was clean, comfortable, with USB charging ports, AC, and a reading light, and a nice quaint size. I really enjoyed all the spots we got to see. It's a good experience if you prefer driving through and seeing the most sights possible rather than staying in one place and walking around for hours. We got a lot of sight seeing in.

If I were to do it again I would bring my own lunch and snacks because there wasn't enough time to get a sit-down meal, and honestly, the food options in the Cotswolds and Stratford were terrible (unless you can eat sausage rolls and scones all day). There were great food options in Oxford, but you had to be hasty because you'll want to spend most your time seeing the university and city and not miss the meet-up time!

Overall, I loved the experience, and Andy really brought the whole tour to life. The booking was easy, they had next-day availability which was AMAZING, website was well-done and easy to navigate, and communications were clear and comprehensive. Thank you The English Bus for an...

5 star tour! I'm so glad I was able to book the Stonehenge, Bath and a secret Location tour. Cara and Johny greeted us at the London Eye pick up, prompt and ready to go! Cara was our tour guide and she was fabulous! She made sure our little group was comfy and at ease all day. As we left London, she gave a brief explanation of the areas we were passing, providing a little background on their origins, plus some recommendations on places to visit. As we approached Stonehenge, we noticed it was getting pretty windy and as we arrived, we realized that the site was closed due to the aggressive winds. I was bummed, thinking we would just head on to Bath, but no! Cara and Johny worked their magic and took us to a "back" route and managed to get us right at the fenced area, with no other people in sight! They told us that we all paid to see Stonehenge and that's what they would provide for us today. We walked alongside sheep and had breathtaking views of Stonhenge on the start on the first day of Winter Solstice. Johny spoke about Stonehenge and provided wonderful information about this wonder. Once our time was up, we moved on to Bath and our secret location. Throughout the tour Johny and Cara went above and beyond to make the trip memorable. They mingled with everyone as a group and one on one, and they remembered our names for the whole day, just from reading our names on the attendance roster in the morning! Bath was amazing! busy, but amazing and our secret location was awesome! We made it back to London around 8ish nighttime and Cara dropped us off or our nearest tube station, which was nice so we wouldn't have to make a long journey from our initial pickup. If you're in London for a few days and can spare a day, book with The English bus! you will...