 We have been offering tours for almost 15 years now, here are a few comments from travellers who have journeyed with us in Scotland; "Thank you for a fantastic and well organised tour. We all had a fantastic time. As you heard we all sang a lot……(joking) Sending you a photo of us all having a good time in your company and say thanks to Donald as well we lost him at the airport in the bar". Claes. Sweden Liz I must say, it was just about the best vacation I have ever had. It was my first coach tour type vacation and I wasn't sure it would be my cup of tea. I need not have worried. From the very first moment I met you, Liz, I felt at ease. I just wish you could have toured with us too. And then with Paul and Colin, the camaraderie was instantaneous. I immediately felt I had life long new friends. All of you go so far out of your way to be helpful, to look after our needs, to keep us safe, and by golly to have FUN with us. It was a special time. No, I didn't have a good time-----I had a GREAT time. Much love, Debbie Pearson, Fort Worth, Texas USA Hey Paul, We made it home on Thursday to the heat of the South. I just wanted to take a minute and let you know how much Linda and I appreciate you taking us around Scotland and showing us and explaining the little side areas we probably would not have known about. Linda and I have enjoyed the short bread cookies. I have a new addiction now that I feel I need one of those cookies with my coffee in the morning, the afternoon, in the evening and while just sitting around during the day. I have found the web site for the cookies. Please let us know if and when you come over. Stay safe. Danny & Linda USA
Hi Paul Thank you for these photos! I have none of the wedding on my camera so these are the first I've seen! We enjoyed the trip so much I can't even wrap my mind around it yet, You and Liz (and Willie and Alan) were the BEST! Everyone on the trip complimented me on selecting the best tour company....and Liz went over and above helping me with the dress and stuff.....I can't thank you enough...and even Dennis carting us to Roslyn....that was super. Our next trip over will probably be 2014 and will be a combination Shriner/Clan group.....but hope to see you before that. Sherry Thompson Clan MacTavish Thank you both again, for the great hotel booking, for answering ALL my questions (and they were many, as Liz well knows!!), for the travel tips, for the completely fantastic whisky/storytelling evening!!, and for being so warm, friendly, helpful, and outgoing towards me! I did actually feel like I knew you both, when I met you that first day in the hotel! I hope you both have had a great rest by now; you definitely deserve it, LIz and Paul! If either of you ever get to San Francisco, I'd be happy to show you around! And, if a miracle ever occurs, and I find some more travel money, I'll be contacting both of you!!! It was a trip of a lifetime, made more comfortable and more fun by both of you! Thank you, ever grateful, Peggy Thank you for everything you and your team had arranged for us. We had a wonderful time and we brought some good weather too. Our welcome on Islay and the program and treats that followed was just fantastic. Jim had done a wonderful job preparing it and Lamont did a wonderful job taking us around. Hotel and food also amazing. What can I say!? I´d do it all again any day. Thanks again and lets keep in touch. Best regards" Mats Larsson, Sweden Paul- I am sending you a word of thanks from everyone traveling in our group. We had a great time exploring your country. Everything worked out great and everyone had a great time. Your help in planning our trip on short notice was appreciated. You were very helpful and our first trip could not have had such a positive experience without your help. It was nice seeing you in Perth and we all wish your Happy Holidays. Bill, Jean, Helen, Steve, William Sinausky NH. USA Hi Liz, Just wanted to pass on the response from Marc and Virginia. They just received their documents yesterday from me........... Mindy (Travel Agent USA), I received your care package yesterday (that was fast!). All I can say is... Wow. Wow. I'm very impressed. Seriously. I expected some ratty Department Of Transportation map with highlighted routes and a couple of sheets of paper saying things like "...after leaving <insert place>, make a left turn, go 4 klicks, make a right turn at <insert landmark>, travel <some number> more minutes and you'll get to <insert incomprehensible town name>..." I did not expect a bound, color-printed itinerary with many maps and pamphlets, along with pictures of where we'll be staying and places we'll be seeing. I didn't realize we'll be leaving our car at the ferry terminal before going to Islay, but I guess it makes sense to have a driver the entire time we're on the island. That's a bonus. Our Speyside distillery tour will also be coordinated and driven by Mr. McLean himself. That's pretty cool. Marc
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"Paul,
I think it was really the best
vacation of mine - ever. This was
a VERY impressive tour - lots of
great sightseeing places of
Scotland, beautiful castles and the
most important - wonderful 36 whisky
distilleries (with 21 full-scale
distillery tours - I have counted
them all ! )! Lots of fun, tasty
meals (especially legendary
haggis), magnificent drams of
true scotch and a very lovely
and friendly atmosphere. The tour
was truly fabulous - perfectly
planned, greatly executed, every
little detail was considered. Oh,
aye, I really enjoyed your birthday
- slighly crazy restaurant party,
but very nice! Of cause, I liked
very much Islay trip with Lamont,
he was a very funny and very
knowledgeable man who knew
everything and everyone in Islay,
and the tour around Scotland with
you, Paul, was TRULY SUPERB - I
think it was fantastic what I have
seen and tried during those 6 days!
This was a whisky tour of my dream -
a trully marvelous experience for a
true whisky lover like me
!!! (remember the Dufftown
distillery visit?!!) And I very
much apperciate your
highly professional approach, your
vast historical and folklore
knowledge, your lovely sence of
humour. I would have no hesitations
in recommending mcleanscotland as
the best Scotland tour operator
(esp. whisky tour!), with you and
Liz ! I look forward to visiting
Scotland with my wife next year
again - and only on YOUR tour!
Slainte mhath !!!"
Timofei Prokopov
CFO, Vice President,
Finance & Investments,
OAO "Protek" Russia
Hi, Paul! I thoroughly enjoy our trip to Scotland. As you know, I loved everything about it and would have gladly stayed another week or longer. On my NEXT trip there, I want to stay longer on Iona and Mull and then go up to Inverness and down the Eastern side! And then end up in Edinburg for a few days. What do you think? Actually, I would love to be there for the Tattoo. You were a great guide and the trip could not have been better. Best regards! Carol Henderson Texas USA
Liz and Paul I wanted to get back to you on what we thought of the trip and such. Overall impression: This was a fantastic trip and I'm glad we did it. Our itinerary was... perfect. Yes, perfect. Can you believe I don't have any complaints about it, or McLeanScotland? This was an absolute perfect mix of distillery tours, site-seeing, castle-sleeping and driving. Neither Virginia nor myself found ourselves saying "Oh gee... another castle to look at..." The fact that we were able to drive ourselves around was a huge bonus as well, as it gave us more freedom in what we wanted to see (the tour notes proved to us were a huge help, too). Both days of our guided tours (Islay with Lamont and Speyside with Paul McLean) were done VERY well. Lamont was a treasure trove of local information and a really funny guy. He brought us to the 4 distilleries that we wanted to see and let us set our own pace, which was very much appreciated. Our day with Paul was also equally enjoyable. While he had some ideas of where to take us (Culloden and the cairns and a few distilleries), he modified the day to take into account what we wanted to see and do. Capping off the day with Paul at a local pub was a great idea. We got to know him better and he's a really great guy. Having the owner of the company drive us around personally made us feel very good about our travel decision and gave us a feeling that we were special. FRIENDS FROM CANADA
Dear Paul and Liz, I know John wrote that we
were home safely but I remember you wanted a few
comments. I don't know if we were lucky but I
suspect it was your genius in finding perfect spots.
I can't believe all B&Bs are as special as ours
turned out to be. All comfortable, each
unique, all friendly. Anyway to get specific,
we'll start at the top. All hostesses were
welcoming and eager to make us comfortable.
Edinburgh with Alix was a special find of yours.
Next to the Ramada made an evening drink easy!...and
she is a special cook and amazing decorator.
Her towels were the very best fluffy quality.
She had homemade pastries on the table for us when
we left at 4 am. Anne in Inverness made us so
at home but I could really say that about all your
friends. Our schedule went as planned
perfectly. It was good meeting you in Perth.
All in all we are praising our arrangements to
everyone who welcomes us home. Thank for you for
your attention to detail and for taking care of
EVERYTHING. Let us know when you come to
Florida - Liz too. We shall certainly
recommend you to anyone who is planning to go to
Scotland - or Ireland. Sincerely
Judy Friedman USA
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Hello Paul and Liz
Yes, we are home, here in Western Australia. I'm
happy to give you our impressions of the time we
spent with McleanScotland, since they are in the
main very positive. The part of our journey spent in
Scotland remains one of the highlights - one of the
things we talk about when friends ask 'What were the
best things you did?' (as they do all too often) To
put it simply, we were very satisfied with the
service provided by your company, and have no
hesitation in recommending that others contact you
if they would like to explore 'whiskey country' as
we did, what impressed me most was the level of
personal welcome and support we received. In
particular: Being greeted by Paul at the airport
started us off in a relaxed and pampered frame of
mind. Paul was an excellent guide, and a warm
character as well. He has the skills to know when to
be 'part of' our experience with chat, information,
or options for us to think about, but at the same
time we never felt pushed or overwhelmed.
Consequently the days we had together were well
paced and left us feeling as if we had some say in
what we were doing. A special treat was Paul loaning
us his card for the whiskey society (I've forgotten
its name) - we did take advantage of this. In a
similar vein, when we were planning the tour, I
always felt that someone was listening to what we
wanted, and doing their best to help us meet our
needs. Being treated like real people rather than a
code number, in other words. I guess that was Liz.
It may be a small thing but it makes a big
difference. Peter and
Monika Australia
Liz, Hope you are well.
I heard from Mindy, she
forwarded me the email from her client with the
raves about the tour notes! I wasn't surprised that
the client was happy, but then again, I knew that
they would be getting a quality product. I am glad
that you were able to help her out!
Kristin. Travel Agent USA
Hi Liz and Paul – we had a wonderful time. We fit a lot of fun and touring into a short week and a half thanks to your planning help. We will definitely recommend you and use you if we come to Scotland again. Islay – Lamont was delightful. His stories and knowledge and personality kept us entertained. The food at the hotel is excellent! The distilleries we toured on Islay were small and friendly. Oban – the location is perfect for being able to jump on the ferry to Mull. We spent an entire day on Mull and enjoyed it.On the way to Huntly stopped at Culloden. Very impressive video and tour of battlefield. Prince Charlie wasn’t a very good general! Our room had a spectacular four poster bed and a view out the front of the hotel. I expect we had one of the best rooms in the hotel! Toured the Speyside distilleries and saw the Highland anaimal park. I love the Scottish wildcats!! We came in late to Edinburgh - The hotel bar was a fun atmosphere and the river was lovely. They have walking paths by the river. Our room was very nice and large. The dining room was made even more charming by a piano player. We tried to book dinner at Witchery but they were sold out. I should have done that in advance. We had a great day on the Royal Mile and toured Mary King’s Close and shopped. It was a wonderful tour and thank you so much. We stopped at many many distilleries for tours and wee drams. My new favorite whisky is Laphroig and Jim’s new favorite is Caol Ila. Please feel free to use any of our remarks on your website. mcleanscotland did an outstanding job of creating a tour exactly to our specifications, with the highest quality services and hotels that could be had within our budget. Our distillery tour was a huge success and we even saw some of historic Scotland! Christine Russell June
Hi Paul Thank You for a very nice tour. We liked it very much. Everything, even the weather was good. Everyone was very pleased. I promise You pictures when Jimmy have them ready. Take care. Arne. Sweden Arne's group came over from Sweden for a whisky tour.
Liz and Paul, Thank you so much for making such great arrangements! We had an amazing time in Scotland, due in large part to your excellent itinerary suggestions and accommodation selections. The fact that the weather cooperated for the most part (only two bad days of rain!) made it that much better, although there is definitely something to be said for a foggy, moody Scottish landscape. We were disappointed that we didn't get a chance to meet you, but while we were in Perth we arrived back late both evenings and figured it was too late to call and meet with you somewhere. We particularly enjoyed ourselves at Paco's, a restaurant recommended. Several of our friends have inquired about the arrangements we made for our trip, and we've been recommending you as points of contact if they decide to follow in our footsteps. Again, we can't thank you enough for taking care of everything on such short notice! Take care, Andrew and Ulana. USA
Liz & Paul Awesome
!!!
We thoroughly enjoyed our
trip. We followed (backwards) the Book of Kells from
Iona to Kells, county Meath, and then on to Trinity
College. Beautiful. The accommodations you arranged
for us were better than we expected. Thank you.
Granddaughter especially enjoyed Glasgow and we
found Margot McLaughlan to be delightful, only
wished we could have spent more time there.
Our driving experience went without a hitch. We
crossed over to Mull via Lochaline to Fishnish then
returned Craignure to Oban. Wonderful trip. We did
not feel we were in a 'foreign land' until we
returned to New York City. What a mess there !!!
I was taken back by the fact I did not see any fat
women as we see here in the US. Probably
all the stairs one has to climb Thanks again for a
grand tour.
Jill, USA - Jill and her family came to
Scotland and Ireland with us
to Mclean Scotland, Dear Paul and Liz,
Just a few lines to say what a super time we Texans
had with you two on the June 2005 Gardens & Glens of
Scotland tour. Speaking for Texas Certified
Master Gardeners in Dallas, Cooke and Grimes
Counties plus our fellow Texas travelers the scenery
was superb and the gardens. WOW!!! The team
you have assembled is truly professional, enjoyed by
all on the tour and "the team" we want to travel
with again. As a professional Horticulturist
and Educator we received invaluable information on
Scotland from Colin and gardening in Scotland from
the Horticulturists that greeted and personally
toured our group through their individual public
gardens. We all have very fond memories of you
three, Paul, Liz and Colin plus the wonderful people
of Scotland. I hope the "great gardener" up
above lets me visit your country once again and the
wonderful Gardens & Glens of Scotland with
McleanScotland. Until then. Great Gardening!
Dale Groom, Extension Horticulturist, Dallas
County Texas A & M University System
note: this group, with some new friends are
coming back in 2007 with us!
Driver Guided Tour by Paul Dear Liz, We thought you might be interested in an evaluation of our tour with Paul. We met our guide/driver, Paul McLean, whom we came to adore. Wearing authentic Scottish kilts each day , he made our trip a journey through history, incited our interest in Scottish culture and generated lots of laughter. No one else could have kept four ladies happy and comfortable, each with different thermostats! Liz, he made our trip a total joy. We learned so much about your history. His little side trips to out of the way places, places he loves, were so fascinating. Seeing some of the most beautiful scenery on earth we'll never forget, he made us fall in love with Scotland. No one else could have done a better job! He worked so hard handling luggage with never a complaint, always in a good mood, even when rain made things a bit more difficult. We are grateful and he will remain in our minds and hearts a very long time. All the best, DeJuana Jones, Washington DC, USA the same tour is featured in Taddy's diary Read about one of our trips from TADDY McALISTER'S diary
COMMENTS FROM A VISITSCOTLAND TOUR FOR AMERICAN AGENTS - APRIL 2005
Paul, Sorry to take so long to respond...I had an absolute brilliant time with ya'll in Scotland! I really did not want to do the City tour so much the better for me, otherwise I would have never met you, Colin and Liz. mclean scotland made Glasgow fun! I actually want to go back to Glasgow something I never thought I wanted to do before. If those four days are an example of how you conduct business, I have every confidence in you and your company. Slainte! Janis
Dear Paul,
I wanted to thank you first for a great four days
of excellent guidance from the time we arrived in
Edinburgh until we departed at the Ardoe House in
Aberdeen - along with the great "animation" from
Colin and the company of Liz. Again, thank you for
your direction and education while in Scotland. Hope
to hear from you. Dave
Wow! I can't tell you, Liz and Colin what a
wonderful time I had with your group. Colin was a
wonderful tour guide - so knowledgeable,
informative, witty and kind. The night out in
Glasgow was delightful! . Please keep in touch. Best
regards,
Sharon
Hi Paul,
I'm back home in the states....I so didn't want to
come back. I had the time of my life with you and
Colin and Liz. Thank you so much for making my trip
wonderful. You really are the best...so why try the
rest? I will indeed be planning on returning, and
you will be the first to know. I am sending you some
pictures, and I'm sure they are ones you can
print!!! McLeanScotland did a fantastic job
making my trip one to remember. (most of it
anyway)... Keep in touch...Until next time
Konnie
Hi Paul, I had a
wonderful time in Scotland with you and Colin, a
good guide and a well run tour company make all of
the difference in the world. I was very impressed
with your professionalism as well as you humor and
your ability to guide us to the best pubs around.
But seriously, I will be looking to put together a
group most likely 2006 or 07. Please know you are at
the top of my list. My best to you and Liz. Say hi
to Colin for me too!
Sheila
Good morning Paul.. While it seems like a lifetime ago that Bryan and I were winding our way through the spectacular Scottish countryside, in actual fact is has only been two weeks. The memories are fresh even without the photos. Both Bryan and I want to thank you for showing us so much of Scotland. The travel arrangements made by you inclusive of all the hotel, B&Bs and Guest Houses were nothing short of first class. From beginning to end we loved it all, especially the history lessons! Thanks also for arranging our driver to Glasgow. Now that was an interesting City and the only time during out visit that we were cold. The trip by train to London was a great experience. The most interesting parties seem to be held on a weekend train trip that spans several hours!!!! To everyone who asks Did you enjoy your holiday The answer is a resounding Yes, every minute of it. I am currently trying to talk my old uncle to travelling over and have recommended he contact you. His name is Jack Lamont. Hope you hear from him. Cheers, Bryan and Lorraine, Vancouver, Canada (April 2004)
To Richard Hunter Clan
President
Dear Richard
I wrote to Madame Pauline regarding the tour in
Scotland that I went in June 2002. She
suggested that I share the information with you. The
tour to Scotland was my third tour since 1999 and it
was the very best of the three tours. The tour
was in conjunction with the McLean Gathering on the
Isle of Mull. McLean Scotland, a Scotland tour
and holiday company, planned and conducted the tour.
Thru my many communications with Paul prior to the
trip, I became very impressed with him. He
responded to all queries immediately in a very warm
and personable manner and no question was ever
unimportant to him. (On the tour, I constantly
heard from everyone how marvelous Paul and his
partner, Liz, were in answering all their questions
and not once were they made to feel dumb.) On the
MacLean tour we had Canada, Wales, Australia, New
Zealand, Scotland and the US represented with ages
ranging from 5 years to two sisters ages 86 and 89.
They met us at the airport, were with us all the way
and went with us to the airport when we left.
Not all flights came in at the same time or left at
the same time, yet everything was well coordinated.
In person Paul is every bit as warm, caring,
gracious and personable as in his communications
over the internet. He cares deeply for those
on the tour and for their well being. Paul
takes his job very, very seriously even to he point
of giving up his own room when there was a mix up at
one of the hotels. Colin was our driver who has 26
years experience and had an informative manner. Liz,
Paul's business Partner, was with us for part of the
trip and she is as great as Paul and Colin.
Together they created a marvellous atmosphere for
the trip, and as one tour member said in her "Ode To
The McLean Tour"- 'we slowly became great friends, A
family by the very end.' Paul, Colin and Liz
received consistent, sincere praise for the tour and
for the fine job they did in taking care of us. I
don't know of anyone who was unhappy with the tour,
and that is a real compliment. I felt very
strongly about the excellent job that McLean
Scotland did and highly recommend them to plan and
conduct a tour for our 2004 Hunter Gathering in
Scotland. If I can be of any assistance I
stand ready to do so. Aye
Marcia Gillen, Texas, USA
Hi Paul! Hi Liz!! Wow! Again! The
videotape is superb! It's magnificent!
It's fabulous! It's fantastic! It's
wonderful, marvelous, excellent, extraordinary & a
priceless souvenir of our unforgettable time which
we shall always treasure! You did a beautiful
job of putting everything together! & a very nice
picture of you in there, too! It really
brought back the memories. We watched the tape
twice just on the first day it arrived! We
shall truly enjoy it again & again. I would
think that everyone who attended the Gathering would
love to have at least one copy - so you really made
a great gift for all of us. The scenery alone
is better than any "travelogue" I've ever seen!
Very expertly & professionally done.You folks are
pros! Anyway, many thanks also for all the
great stuff that you've sent us at various times, &
for all the times that you've gone out of your way
to do thoughtful things for us (not to mention
finding us accommodations & a car on Mull, without
which we never would have been able to attend the
Gathering at all!) - neither mum nor I shall ever
forget you! See ya! Angela, Kansas, USA
Brian and I want to thank you very much for
all the arrangements you made for our trip. We
had a wonderful time. And every place we
stayed was special. Plockton was a
little gem of a place; we're so glad we got to see
it. As you predicted, Ann and her husband at
Felstead House are lovely people. We had a
great time in Inverness. Perth was great
fun, and Rita and Aberdeen House were the best.
And we loved the Thistle Hotel in Edinburgh.
Made some friends in the bar there. Total
miles was around 2500. I think our average mph
was right around 30. We took some 700 photos.
Brian's mother actually let us show her the entire
lot. Only a mother would do that. Anyway, we
just wanted you to know that you are directly
responsible for us having the vacation of a
lifetime. We're telling all our friends that
if they go to Scotland, they need to get you to
arrange it. Needless to say, we'll be
contacting you for our next trip. I was
predisposed to like Scotland, but it and the
Scottish people were more beautiful that I could
even imagine. England was lovely, but not a
patch on Scotland. Thanks again. Nena McLin Dunn
USA
Hi Paul and Liz I would like to order the
MacLean Gathering video. We all had a great time in
Scotland and after Mull we drove around for a couple
of days. The car was fantastic with the road
computer and the whole
trip was just perfect. Asa & Marlene Jonsson
Fillsta 148 832 93 Froson
Sweden
I have no idea
how long and wordy this will be, but I promised I
would write, so if you have to stop reading and take
a nap, please feel free to do so --- notes on June
vacation. The Barriemore Hotel, located on bay, at
Oban. My notes say," lovely place." Greeted by
Hamish (but of course) Dawson. Served a great
breakfast the next morning by Leona Dawson.
Craignure Inn, Mull, very nice room on the
front, great view. Loved having the pub right at
hand with good food, dining space conducive to much
conversation. All breakfasts were fine, and were
able to order just what we wanted. Janice MacGregor
was pleasant, Billy MacGregor always had time to
talk! We enjoyed our stay there enough to go back
some day. Inverness, Felstead Guest House for
a wonderful stay with Ann and Diarmid Troup.
Beautifully furnished, friendly 'gathering' room for
guests and we 'gathered'. Very good breakfast
with others, lots of talk, as everyone felt at home.
Site of this guest house beside of Loch Ness is
wonderful, with views of ornate buildings across the
loch. Stonehaven's Pitgaveny Guest House, a
homey-looking place which we loved. Cheryl Castner,
owner and hostess, most attractive (Clarence
noticed!) a spacious room on the front. Wonderful
old house and surrounding gardens. Good, easy place
to park. Old, unmatched china used for breakfast, I
loved that. Rita and Peter Buchan at Aberdeen
Guest House, Perth, where we de-cided to stay
forever. EVERYTHING a personcould ever want was
available in that upstairs room. Rita even had a
little sewing kit ready with needle threaded!
Our breakfast plates of bacon/sausage/eggs looked
like water-color paintings, almost too pretty to
eat. Must mention the lovely garden view from our
window. We told the Buchans goodbye with many hugs
and waves. REAL big city, called London, now, at
sorta plush hotel, Jury Inn. ELEVATORS,( I almost
unlined that word!) Now aren't you sorry you asked
for all this? I have not re-read my notes since the
trip, so I've had a good laugh now and then over
some things I wrote. We both want to thank you for
all the phone calls, etc you must have made to
arrange our stay and assure you that it was
wonderful. Come to see us soon. Best regards,
Mrs Bobbye Greek, Tennessee USA