Beware of Luxury Escapes Signature Series tours: I participated in what was advertised as "an exclusive foodie tour with Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan." Unfortunately, the reality of this tour was a far cry from what was advertised, and I feel compelled to warn others about this misrepresentation as they are now running a similar tour to Asia, so beware! 1. False Promises of Host Involvement: The promotional material claimed that Matt and Gary would guide us "for the duration" of the tour. In reality, their presence was sporadic, and they skipped entire segments like Ha Long Bay and Hoi An to vacation with their wives instead. Local guides, with minimal food expertise, handled most of the group activities. 2. Overcrowding and Poor Organisation: What was sold as an "exclusive, small-group" tour turned out to have over 70 participants, which created significant logistical issues. We were split into four groups with little coordination, and the promised "intimate" experiences were completely undermined. 3. Unsafe Cooking Class: The advertised "hands-on cooking class with Matt or Gary" was chaotic and hazardous. Crammed into a space unsuitable for the group size, we cooked with hot oil and open flames under minimal guidance. Even Gary admitted during the session, “I’ve never done a hands-on cooking class for 70 people and, looking at you all, I never will.” 4. Dinners Lacked the Promised Exclusivity: Meals, which were marketed as personal interactions with Matt and Gary, were apaulingly executed. With so many participants, we had to dine at awkward times—either 5:30 pm or 9:00 pm. At one restaurant, some of us were seated in an overflow room near the toilets, far from the main dining area. The promised interactions with the chefs were reduced to brief, superficial appearances. 5. Missed Highlights: Excursions like the "Soul of Hanoi" tour promised personal insights from Matt and Gary. Instead, we were led by local guides while watching Matt and Gary shop with their wives from the window of our large travel coach. These key moments that made the tour appealing were simply not delivered. This trip was marketed as a premium, intimate experience with renowned chefs, but it was no different from a standard large-group coach tour—except for the premium price tag. To make matters worse, Luxury Escapes has not only been dismissive in addressing these issues, they've tried to deflect and discredit me, by saying that "due to past behaviour, my access to the platform has been restricted." I have just the same access to the platform and receive their daily sales emails, but will NEVER travel with Luxury Escapes again. There was a couple of the tour that expressed their dissatisfaction with having been grossly misled, and they were asked to leave the tour mid-way through and accommodated in a different hotel. They have alot to learn about customer service, but unless we speak up about these issues, they will continue to get away with gross misrepresentation. If you're considering joining a "Signature Series Ultra-Exclusive tour with Gary and Matt" in the future I urge you to proceed with caution and look at the fine print as this is where they'll direct you, when you query why you haven't got what was advertised.