Dear Ellen, I am sending you a letter I am preparing to write to all my friends, describing the WONDERFUL nine days in Italia. You provided a wonderful tour company for us. I have nothing but praise for Brendan. Everything went as smoothly as could be; there were virtually no "hitches.”… More from me later. Thanks, Ellen, for making this OUTSTANDING trip possible. We appreciate you --- tremendously.
- From Andy Koebler – a music teacher traveling with his wife and another couple. Initially nervous about dealing with foreign languages, transportation and airlines

Dear Ellen, What a great time the boys and I had in New York! Thanks so much for your help and planning such a memorable trip…I loved everything…P.S. Thank you for the chocolates in the lovely china box. What a delightful
surprise. - RM

This past summer Ellen arranged a trip to London for my wife and me. Ellen's help was invaluable. Her intimate knowledge of London and the English countryside allowed us to make the best use of our time and made us feel competent to conduct ourselves in a strange land. Ellen did much more than merely provide arrangements. Her suggestions and personal involvement in the success of our journey were evident at every stage. As a result of her high level of concern for our comfort and happiness, our "once-only" trip to England has turned into our "first" trip to England. We look forward to going back and expanding our overseas ventures. When we do, we will again rely on Ellen's kindness and expertise. - W. Roberts

I am a loyal Travel and Leisure reader. Last year, I read the issue on the list of leading travel agents. I was going to London solo on my Christmas vacation and had never been there before. I had limited time and wanted an expert to plan the perfect trip based on my objectives. I contacted Ellen LeCompte and found her to be THE expert on England. She was consultative in her approach to plan my dream trip and asked many questions about the kind of experience I wanted--accommodations, tours, restaurants. Ellen arranged all the facets of my trip and included knowledgeable tour guides. Because of her contacts and expertise, she planned my trip quickly, and it was in fact the perfect vacation--filled with memories for a lifetime! I can't wait for Ellen to plan my next getaway.... - E. Kazerman, Irvine, CA

Ellen is amazing. Now that we've found her, she's our go to person when planning our family trips. She handled all of the details of our trip to London last year. This included finding us an apartment hotel in South Kensington (perfect neighborhood) which worked well given my son's special dietary needs, providing us with an itinerary which addressed our family's personal tastes, and even getting us our tube passes before we got to London. She gave us fun and personal tips on shows, bookstores, grocery stores, and museums. Her knowledge and experience provide total peace of mind and clarity in planning but even more important is her enthusiasm which is contagious. This summer she has put together a California trip for us which will take us from San Francisco through Gold Country to Yosemite and more.

Can't wait to go! - S.A. Robinson, N.Y.

I want to express my deep gratitude for the work you and your colleagues in Istanbul did to make St. James's trip to Turkey a smashing success. You delivered as promised. The trip was wonderfully planned and executed, the hotels were first-rate, and our guide, Dalim Bulut, was absolutely perfect. Since returning to Richmond, I have spoken with many who made the trip and have had time to reflect on what it meant to them. Without exception, they had only 100% praise for the quality of the experience. Randy Hollerith, our rector, told me the trip could not have been more perfect and will always be remembered as one of the great highlights of his time at St. James's. I believe I can speak for the group as a whole when I say that you and your colleagues deserve great credit for making the trip an outstanding success. (We are already planning another trip to Europe and so we will be in touch ...) - Jack

I just want to tell you that you, Sandy and Wayne have spoiled me. I have recently had to work with a few other travel agents for group trips that someone else has organized, and every time I do, I am frustrated by their service and responsiveness. And it is because you guys do such a great job of this. I really appreciate all you do to figure things out for us and anticipate questions or problems or expectations. In an environment where service seems to have evaporated, you all focus on that aspect of your travel business more than anyone I have dealt with. Thanks for all you do to make our trips great and easy!!    - JT