Guest Comments
January 14, 2012
"What a great experience! My husband and I had visited Napa before and toured on our own. Our group had Sam Honey for the day and he planned three fantastic stops for us at smaller family owned operations as opposed to the large commercial ones we had visited before. The food was incredible and we appreciated the warm and friendly demeanor of Sam and the knowledge he shared with us. We will be back."
~Mindi SnyderEl Campo, TX
January 07, 2012
"Thank you Karl for making our weekend lovely. It is clear that our tour guide not only loved what he did, but genuinely had an interest in keeping his tour happy. We felt well taken care of and definitely had an expereince we couldn't have replicated by ourselves. Thank you Karl for making our weekend something special. We genuinely appreciate it!"
~Wesley FrakesRiverbank, CA
January 04, 2012
"Highly recommend this tour over any others! Great and knowledgeable guide...awesome unique wineries...and an overall good vibe. We were able to sample great wines in fun locales and not worry about driving home. Will definately be back :-)"
~Elizabeth and Scott SchneidetSan Gabriel, CA
November 23, 2011
"We had a great time! So personable! My sister and I had a sisters week and that was an awesome way to spend part if it! Thanks Platypus & Ken! We'll definately call again next time we're in town. Cheers!"
~Twyla Jordan-SmithamCalgary, Alberta, AL
November 10, 2011
"Just wanted to say that the wine tour we took with Karl was fantastic! Karl is so knowledgeable and personable it made our tour the highlight of our trip to Napa. His focus on the smaller boutique wineries where we actually visit with the people that make the wine, added a dimension you do not get visiting the big corporate wineries. Each winery we visited was like visiting with old friends. All very nice people. It was our first trip to Napa, but now we plan to make this a yearly event and bring others along with us. We will request Karl for the next tour. He is THE MAN! We can't thank Karl enough for the experience."
~Mike and DianeWenatchee, WA
November 10, 2011
"Took tour on November 10 with Ken MACHERAS and a young couple from L.A. Ken's patience and knowledge was wonderful and made for a fabulous experience. We would highly recommend your company and Ken in particular to anyone."
~Bob FallisRichmond Hill,
November 05, 2011
"Just had to write to tell you how much we thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Rod. He was funny and informative. We loved going to the "out of the way" wineries and had the time of our lives. He even took my friend out to get some iced tea and coffee for one of the other guests who had overindulged a little.We've already decided to make Napa a yearly trip and we'll definitely be booking a tour with you again!"
~Jo Ann GoldsmithChatsworth, CA
November 04, 2011
"This was our first trip to Napa, so we wanted to experience a little bit of everything. We went on a wine tour with Karl as our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable, down to earth, and tons of fun. We went to four smaller wineries that we probably wouldn't have seen had we not gone on this tour. The group interaction was great. Everything was taken care of, from picking us up and dropping us off at our hotel, lunch, snacks, bottled water, and an excellent selection of wines! We will be back soon and hope to see Karl again on our next trip! I will recommend Platypus Tours to everyone! Thanks for the wonderful experience!"
~Kristi LSt. Paul, MN
October 27, 2011
"I went as a single in a group of 10 and had a wonderful experience. I couldn't imagine doing tours any other way now after this tour!! Thanks for the great time spent with new faces in wine country :)"
~Ashley MalloyKansas City, MO
October 24, 2011
"We loved the tour, At first I really wasn't even sure if we should do the tour or go on our own but was so glad we booked the tour. Roger was our tour guide and he was the best! Had a wonderful day. I recommend this to anyone visting Napa. If Roger is available, I recommend asking for him."
~Joni & RobbieE. Hanover, NJ
October 24, 2011
"Being our first visit to Napa, we explored the various tours being offered and selected Platypus Tours. WHAT A GREAT DECISION. Our guide Seth was FANTASTIC. He was very informative and engaging. Be it the areas's history, other places of interest to visit individually, area restaurants (super recommendations Seth). He even served up a great lunch in a beautiful setting. We also enjoyed a delicious cheese tray en-route to our last vineyard. His preparations and execution for the day far exceeded our expectations. By day's end all 11 on board(Even the one that only went because his wife made him) enjoyed the time spent "on the bus" with Seth. Thanks for the memories. Bob and Debbie"
~Robert FarrellLady Lake, FL
October 19, 2011
"I usually do not take the time to submit comments, however, I had to this time!! We took the wine tour with Shawnda during our trip to Napa. My husband and I can not praise her enough. She was absolutely wonderful!! She was extremely knowledgeable and maintains great relationships with owners and managers of all the wineries. Every one of her selections were fabulous! The bus was comfortable, we had a tasty cheese tray and water. She also prepared a fantastic lunch. She made sure everyone's likes and tastes were fulfilled. She is a real sweetheart, Platypus is so lucky to have her!!! Thanks Shawnda!!!"
~Diane TilghmanMaple Shade, NJ
October 17, 2011
"This was our first time visiting wine country so we decided to start with a tour. Ken was our tour guide, and he made our trip very memorable. He took us to some of the smaller wineries where we had a more personalized experience. The most memorable one for us was Hawley vineyards. This is a small winery operated by a father and two sons, one of which came in from the vineyard to give us a tasting. This experience really makes you appreciate the hard work that the smaller wineries put into their wines. I would recommend Platypus Tours, and Hawley vineyards to anyone visiting wine country. It was a wonderful experience!"
~Jeff and Shelia MerrillLancaster, CA
October 15, 2011
"We had an awesome time!! We were celebrating our engagement so it was very much a festive atmosphere and everyone joined in to celebrate with us. Jenny was a great guide: very organized and definitely made sure we all had fun. Highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for adventure, great company, and unique wines"
~Sandy and FredCarlsbad, CA
October 13, 2011
"Great value! Be sure to request Wolfgang. He's personable, knowledgeable, and very professional. His experience in Wine Countryť is extensive and useful. He's a terrific wine resource, helping even the novice wine aficionado. Our private party of six spent 9 remarkable hours with him, in the Sonoma and Alexander Valleys, in a very luxurious, six passengers, custom built van. Very nice van, without logos on the side. This private guided tour is well worth the expense. In comparison to other private tours, Platypus was more reasonable. Other tour guides charged extra for gasoline and had a higher hourly rate. If you want a wonderful tour of the wine country, with engaging wine experts, select Platypus Tours. I'd also recommend the private, picnic lunch. Note: The tour vendor is as only good as the GUIDE."
~John & Marion RusenkoWest Chester, PA
October 05, 2011
"Our tour in Napa was lead by Jenny - she was fantastic! In addition to being very fun and accommodating, she was also very knowledgeable and obviously highly respected by all the vineyards we went to. My husband and I loved going to the smaller vineyards, who had excellent high-end wine (we bought quite a bit!), and had a really fantastic time. Our tour had quite a diverse crowd (from Chicago, Grand Rapids, Sweden, Boston to name a few), and by the end of the trip we were all planning dinner together. 12 is the perfect size. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants a great overview of the area, taste some really wonderful wines, and have fun with a small group of folks interested in have the same good time. More than received value for the cost. First on my list to call when we return to Napa! I would rate Platypus Tours (and Jenny) 5 out of 5!"
~Jennifer SchwarbergCincinnati, OH
October 03, 2011
"What a wondeful tour. We had an issue with our reservation through no fault of Platypus and the owner of the company came and picked us up personally and took us to the first tour stop. I have never expereienced such wonderful customer service. Our tour was great: our guide Jenny was knowledgeable and lots of fun. I am truly impressed and appreciative of a great day. Thank you."
~Cindy KilgoreFairfax, VA
October 02, 2011
"Had a wonderful day in the wine country with our tour guide Jenny. Jenny's knowledge and enthusiasm made for an awesome experience. We loved the small wineries that we visited because of all the personalized attention and chance to ask all the questions we wanted. Thanks for a wonderful tour! We'll definitely recommend Platypus Tours to family and friends."
~Melanie & AnnabelleColumbus, OH
September 30, 2011
"Many thanks for an amazing tour ...We spent the day enjoying the sights and tastes of Napa with the best guide - Karl....his knowledge, professionalism and humor made our day even that more special....We came away with wine knowledge and beautiful memories. We hope to revisit in the future, but in the meantime will tell everyone we know to GO WITH PLATYPUS TOURS!!!!!.."
~Bob and Adele LundstromNaples, FL
September 24, 2011
"This was our first wine tour...and we had Jenny as our tour guide. She was simply amazing and her hospitality was above and beyond. We will definitely come back with more people. We had a great group of wine tasters and her knowledge and entertainment made our tour worth it. Thanks Jenny for one of the best experiences ever."
~Elvie & JohnSan Francisco, CA
September 23, 2011
"We had reservations about going on a group tour, but this turned out to be the perfect way to begin our long weekend. Floyd was great and really made the day special. We will definately be back for another tour next time we are in wine country."
~Bill and Cindy DenglerCollegeville, PA
September 20, 2011
"Karl, with a K is the man, the best tour guide. We went to California with no set plans or reservations. We picked the Hawthorne Inn at the last minute and they had brochures so we picked Platypus Wine Tours. My fiancee and I are not big wine drinkers and we had a great time. It was very laid back, no rushing through the tastings. We think it was worth the money. Thank you Karl"
~Mona CaillouetMontz, LA
September 17, 2011
"My son and I went on Ken Macheras' tour today and had the best day we could have imagined. We went to some very special wineries and Ken's knowledge and special touch made it a most memorable day! We never would have imagined that we would have lunch on such a beautiful patio of an exclusive venue as we did...thanks to Ken!! Lunch was fantastic, the company was great and we were very pleased! Thank you!"
~Shelly JohnsonMt Vernon, IA
September 15, 2011
"This was our first wine tour. Our guide Sam was very accommodating, knowledgeable and friendly. He took our group to 4 small intimate wineries. The time spent at each was not rushed; it was a very relaxing and enjoyable day. The wines we sampled were fabulous, as was the picnic lunch,and we met some really nice people. We would recommend Platypus to anyone visiting the area, it was well worth the money. We would love to come back for another tour. Again, thanks for an enjoyable day."
~Jeff & Christine JankeFrazee, MN
September 12, 2011
"What a great day we had on our Napa Valley Wine tour. Our tour guide Sam was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and a genuine enthusiast about the tour and about wine. He picked us up at 10am sharp, and was very welcoming. By the time he had the other couples on board, we were all becoming great wine tasting friends. The wineries that he choose for us had something for everyone, with a great variety of wonderful wines from small wineries. The wineries that we visited were all picturesque, each with their own individuality. This also added to the great experience. The wines were also of good value (not always the case in Napa). The only low spot of the day was at the Michael Mondavi Winery. The server at the winery was not welcoming and to the point of being somewhat rude. Other than that small blemish, we truly had a wonderful day with Sam and our group of wine tasting friends. I would highly recommend Platypus to anyone visiting the lovely Napa Valley"
~Russ & SueVancouver, CA
September 10, 2011
"I had a wonderful wine adventure with Platypus tours in the northern Napa Valley. The trip was well run and organised Dave our driver was very knowledgable and we had a lot of fun as he guided us around 4 boutique vineyards that all had very different personalities. Needless to say the wine was excellent and I will certainly look up you guys again on my next trip to Napa/Sanoma. Great job Platypus...keep up the good work! Thanks Clive"
~Clive SpanswickLondon,
September 08, 2011
"Just a quick note to say how much I appreciated the wine tour I took when I was on vacation in San Francisco. Seth, our tour guide, was great: funny, sociable, knowledgeable and he made the day fun. The wineries we toured were great - loved the fact they were smaller wineries. Also, special mention to the fact your website actually has a link for peole staying in SF rather than in Napa. This was quite helpful since I was vacationing in SF and the directions in that link were clear and useful. Again, "merci"; to Seth and I will definitely recommend Platypus should I have friends who are going to SF! PS: obviously, since I am not from the US, I am not from Alabama. But since I had to pick a state to submit my comment form, I picked the first one. Might I suggest you have a choice that says "Other", for people who are from another country?"
~Sylvie El HamarnehGatineau, Quebec,
August 27, 2011
"A great tour! This was our second trip to Napa and Sonoma and our second time using Platypus tours. We had a fantastic time! We'll be back again!"
~Chris and Cheryl hulbertNewnan, GA
August 27, 2011
"Steve was a great tour guide. The group I was with was tremendous. We had a great time. If you take the tour fully investigate the bus bottle!! Watch out for big red at the Ballentine vineyard. The supplied lunch hit the spot. This is something I will do again when I return to Napa!"
~Carl RischBirmingham, AL
August 26, 2011
"We loved our Napa valley winery tour from Platypus Tours. It was very easy, comfortable, and fun! When we first checked in to our hotel in Napa, we worried that we would have to either drive tipsy or pay for limo service, and so Platypus tours was a perfect solution. Steve was a great tour guide and we had a lot of fun meeting people from other parts of the nation and world, as well as a great lunch. We would recommend this tour to ANY ONE visiting, as it was approachable, educational and unique. We got to see beautiful vistas and drink fabulous wines from smaller family owned vineyards. It was a one of a kind experience.Gillian and Kellin: New wine connoisseurs from Seattle"
~Kellin HolmesSeattle, WA
August 26, 2011
"My husband and I traveled to Napa Valley to celebrate our 10 year anniversary and this tour was definately one of the highlights of our trip. Our tour driver Toni was outstanding. She was so very knowledgeable about the vineyards and the wine making process and selected excellent wineries for us to visit. We made some wonderful friends that day and wonderful memories. I would highly recommend Platypus Tours for anyone travelling to Napa Valley. Thanks again Toni and all the staff at Platypus for an excellent experience."
~Connie & Ray AshtonWethersfield, CT
August 25, 2011
"This was my first time visiting the Sonoma area. I read about your tours online. I have to say I';m so glad I booked a tour! I so enjoyed touring the small family owned wineries. Ken was our tour guide. He was so friendly and informative. I'm not an expert on wine but I feel like I am now! I will definitely recommend your tours to friends and family. When I visit the area again I will defintely book another tour. Thanks for such a great experience!"
~Natalie MiceliGreenwood, IN
August 24, 2011
"My husband, Cary, and I recently visited the Napa Valley for the first time. Being novices to the area, we selected Platypus tours on the recommendation of our concierge. What a fantastic recommendation! Karl was a wealth of information, funny and a pure joy to spend the day with. The smaller family owned wineries we toured made for a most enjoyable day. We truly enjoyed ourselves; this tour and Karl's hospitality were the high point of our trip! Thanks Karl!"
~Micki EllisMcKinney, TX
August 24, 2011
"We loved the wine tour! Shawnda did a fabulous job and really went out of her way to make our tour extremely enjoyable. We definitely recommend that people should use your company if they choose to go on a wine tour. The food was delicious and the tour was a ton of fun! Thanks Shawnda!"
~Alek and Amy YakovlevRosedale, MD
August 18, 2011
"We would like to thank Darren for conducting our tour of Sonoma today. His selection of wineries was excellent, and lunch provided was very good. Darren was very knowledgeable about the wineries we visited. We also had a great time at the restaurant he recommended for us in Napa, Ubuntu. Please forward our thanks and appreciation to Darren. We will be back in Napa in the future and Platypus will be our first choice for future tours."
~Robert JacksonPhiladelphia, PA
August 15, 2011
"We really enjoyed the tour. It was well worth the time and the money. Our tour guide Toni Barnes was extremely knowledgeable about every aspect of wine making, growing of the grapes, blending wines, and even suggestions on wine storage. Her knowledge was very helpful and made the tour even more remarkable. The different wineries she chose and wine tasting were excellent. Hope to come back to Napa Valley and tour with Platypus tours."
~Gerard and CandiceBroussard, LA
August 09, 2011
"Had a wonderful experience on the Napa tour with Steve as our tour guide. The vineyards we visited were outstanding with knowledgeable and informative people. The whole experience will have my wife and I looking forward to taking additional Platypus Tours in the future. Steve was very cordial, charming and very knowledgeable."
~Paul & JanetWilmington, MA
August 03, 2011
"We had a wonderful day. Our guide Steve Hunter was great; very knowledgeable of Napa Valley and wines in general. We had a very relaxed day, saw great wineries, sampled great wines, and met new friends. The pace of our tour was perfect. I highly recommend Platypus Tours and hope you are lucky enough to have Steve as your guide."
~George CoyerHouston, TX
August 03, 2011
"My husband and I had a GREAT time on our tour, guided by Steve Hunter. He was courteous, knowledgeable, and interesting. The wineries we visited were beautiful and I felt as if each winery gave us a VIP tasting experience. I especially loved the tasting at Saintsbury- it felt very intimate and the setting was so pretty. Thanks for such a wonderful day."
~Andrea KallayWhitefish Bay, WI
July 30, 2011
"Okay...we loved Ken. Seriously, we had an action-packed, luxurious vacation...and this was the topper. We had the group of a lifetime of great couples, who were talented, musical (exceptional opera singers), and funny. Ken Winston was our guide, he was warm, sweet, took care of all of us, very knowledgeable, and had some of the best one liners I have heard in years. We can't wait to go back, and do this again! It was the best thing on our trip, and seriously Ken could not have lead us on a better day. Thank you for doing it right!! Love you Ken!!!"
~Ashley WhitakerSan clemente, CA
June 23, 2011
"LOVED our tour through Napa with guide Karl! He took us to several wonderful family wineries, great hidden gems where for the most part, we had our own private tastings. Karl had a great sense of timing, keeping the tour moving while never rushing us through. He kept us fed and hydrated throughout, all the while regaling us with all kinds of great stories about the wine country, growing practices, history, and local hot spots. Enjoyed the delicious lunch in addition to the fabulous wines we tasted. Even the set up of the van (two bench seats facing each other, with seat across the back) encouraged everyone on the tour to interact easily. I highly recommend Platypus Tours, a class act start to finish, great attention to detail while maintaining relaxed and down-to-earth vibe. Thanks for a great time!!"
~Pamela MastenSan Francisco, CA
June 20, 2011
"We had a great tour. Jennie was not only knowledgeable and delightful, but she was also very helpful in assisting my husband in recovering his lost cap. I highly recommend Platypus Tours for a great Napa experience!"
~Lynne M. CandlerDallas, TX
June 17, 2011
"Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our wine tour with Ken. He was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed visiting the wineries he selected. The lunch he prepared for us was great and we really learned a lot about wine that we didn't know before our tour! Thanks!"
~Rick & Becky PuffenbergerSylvania(Toledo), OH
May 30, 2011
"My name is Tamiya Smith and I had the pleasure of having Toni Barnes as my tour guide on Monday May 30th for a wine tour done through Napa River Inn. I just HAD to write to you to tell her that she was (and is) absolutely amazing! I loved how she took us to the family wineries and not the big commercial conglomerate wineries. Her knowledge of all things wine from the wines themselves to explaining why there are roses in vineyards appealed to my very nosey nature. Every winery we went to knew her and they knew her with love and respect. Send her to as many, if not all of the tours you offer. Newby wine tourist like myself along with experienced wine connoisseurs will absolutely love her. I had some rough patches while in Napa with the hotel I stayed at and spa I went to on Sunday May 29th and Toni totally and completely saved my vacation."
~Tamiya SmithEden Prairie, MN
May 20, 2011
"A BIG thank you to Platypus Tours for making our day so fun and memorable. Our guide Jenny made the tour just the kind of personalized experience we were looking for."
~Brigitta & Scott ScheibHarrisburg, PA
May 19, 2011
"Dave made our wine tour yesterday thoughly enjoyable he was a master of bringing everyone together and he was quite the chef. He was very inventive in pulling just the right amount and type of wine tours together for the very diverse wine group we had. We had a wonderful time and also met some great people. Thanks so much to your company and especially Dave."
~Ernie and Danyelle ClarkFairfax Station, VA
May 19, 2011
"Kudos to Dave for making our wine tour a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Dave was very knowledgeable of the wineries and did a wonderful job accomodating our group. We met wonderful people on our tour and will definitely recommend Platypus to anyone visiting the area."
~Jim NathanBuena Park, CA
