Took the Saturday tour with Mark. Amazing experience, and definitely the highlight of our trip! Pickup was right on time at 10:00 am, and we wrapped up our enriching, day-long experience around 5:30 pm.
Each winery Mark selected showcased a different type of operation. Without giving away any surprises, let's just say we experienced a carefully curated, absolutely delightful variety of wineries. We enjoyed a biodynamic winery where we tasted many different types of grape right off the vine, a winery carved into the side of a mountain with stunning gardens and a gorgeous indoor space, a lovely small family winery off the beaten track where one of the family members ran a beautifully heartfelt and tranquil tasting and tour, and a larger scale winery with a focus on art and design and Greek mythological symbols.
Mark was a delight. Down-to-earth, helpful, knowledgable, adaptable, patient, kind and happy. He seemed genuinely happy to be hanging out with our little group of 13 for the day. He set a great tone for our group, played a nice variety of tunes onboard, facilitated the social interaction so that introverts and extroverts alike felt comfortable, and kept us well hydrated and fed with yummy snacks and a tasty lunch (the dessert!). He ensured that the bottles of wine we purchased during our tour made it to our hotel without a hitch, even when we hopped off the bus a little early in Yountville instead of at the hotel in Napa (not on the itinerary; a nice favor from Mark upon request).
We saw a few Platypus buses on the road. I feel that going with this reputable, well regarded company gave us access to behind-the-scenes experiences and tours that would have been difficult or impossible to arrange if we had driven ourselves around. I believe we may have received more favorable, negotiated tasting flights and fees as well. None of the tastings were more than $30, which I felt was a smart way for Platypus to operate, given that I know these fees can sometimes run north of $60 in Napa.
Highly recommended and would absolutely go with Platypus again in the future!
Ответ от хоста
Oct 2019
It was heartwarming for me to read your review, Lulu. In fact, I've decided to print it out, fold it neatly and carry it with me to all of the business mixers I attend, so that when I'm asked about our company, I can pull it out and have that person read it. Seriously, you've said more about what we try to accomplish for every guest better than I ever do! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts; I'll make sure Mark gets to see it, too!