Cooks Coaches

Fantastic experience: The staff are great. Very friendly and helpfull.

Fantastic experience: ​On sunday we took a coach trip with Cooks of Southend to Rochester Dickens Christmas Festival. The convenience of being dropped off and collected from such a prime location made the entire experience seamless—we didn't have to worry about the stress of parking or traffic, which was a huge bonus. ​Our driver, Vic, was an absolute pleasure and a key highlight of the day. He was incredibly kind and informative, acting as a wonderful guide. Vic expertly pointed out essential locations like public toilets and a Wetherspoons, and proactively managed our expectations by explaining the market queues and offering excellent recommendations for things to see and do. His commentary was remarkably factual, sharing fascinating historical context about key buildings and local landmarks. ​Vic clearly has a fantastic rapport with customers. Hearing him speak passionately about the mystery tours he hosts has certainly piqued my interest—I'll definitely be looking to book one of his Saturday tours!

Positive experience: Day trip to Hampton Court. Pick up at Webster Way was disappointing and not informed about arrangements in advance so be aware! Mini bus collected us from Webster Way & dropped us at Hadleigh roundabout to wait for the Cooks coach. Our coach was also stopping at Kew Gardens. Lucky we had good weather! On arrival at Hampton Court, we were dropped 10-20 minute walk away, wrong side of river at a coach stop. Again, not informed in advance! After a great 5 hour visit and exhausted, we had to walk to the coach pick up 15 minutes walk away, no seating area and wait for coach. Coach then had to pick up passengers from Kew Gardens, took an hour as traffic was horrendous! In all journey took almost 3 hours to return to Hadleigh, dropped off and then waited for minibus to Rayleigh. Trip wasn’t a great experience but Hampton Court was lovely. I do feel the coach company should communicate more!

Fantastic experience: Fantastic trip to Bury St Edmunds, Victor our driver was superb, 10 stars to Victor

Fantastic experience: Had an absolutely brilliant break with Cooks Coaches. The Coronaltion Street experience. 20-22nd Sept 25.The driver Mark was very friendly and helpful to everyone on the coach. Loved the stay at the Cedar Court hotel. Very clean hotel. Friendly helpful staff and the food in the restaurant was delicious. The cost of the whole package was value for money. Will definitely be booking another Cooks coach trip.

Fantastic experience: Just returned from Cooks 1st trip to the Ireland Capitals Dublin and Belfast. Great time had by all who travelled so they must be congratulated for putting together such a comprehensive agenda for us to enjoy. If they do it again I would strongly recommend it. Hats off to driver Derek who did a fantastic job and for keeping us entertained with his little quips of information along the way.

Fantastic experience: Went to Broadstairs today, 10th July 2025 with Cooks Coaches. Driver called Trevor was excellent, lovely smooth driving, kept us all updated with traffic, ETA'S etc and made sure he explained the health and safety exits. Trevor was not only a great driver and informative, he was friendly and thanked us all for being on time for our return journey. Couldn't fault it. Well done Trevor and Cooks. Will be booking again. Thank you

Fantastic experience: Great trip to monkey world made even better by our driver Vic could not have been more helpful plus full of information on the areas we visited .

Fantastic experience: I have just been on a day trip to Camden market. A good day out. The driver was very welcoming and the journey was comfortable.

Fantastic experience: Visited Thriplow Daffodil weekend yesterday and had a really good day. Our coach number 22 arrived punctually at our airport pickup. We were greeted by a very friendly driver and in his safe hands arrived at our venue safely. We were given a programme of events including a map of where everything was and the driver confirmed departure time etc. We would definitely recommend Cooks coaches and our driver was efficient and had a great sense of humour making the whole experience enjoyable. Will definitely book again. Bridget and John Moss

Fantastic experience: I have always enjoyed my holidays, and day trips away with cooks coaches with Mum. The hotels we have stayed in have always been very accommodating to our needs. The coach drivers have a great sense of humour, polite, and helpful. The staff at the booking office are friendly, and helpful.

Negative experience: Incompetent and horrible customer service. Trying to get a hold of them to get a refund for the Rochester Christmas Market is impossible. No help at all, even after emailing them there is no reply. Will not be using Cooks Coaches in the future.

Fantastic experience: I was stupid enough to leave my handbag on one of Cooks Coaches last fri. So we rang the emergency no and the nice man said he would be there on Saturday morning so I could pick it up Which he was everything was in tact so I would like to express my gratitude

Fantastic experience: Yesterday we went to St Albans market and our driver was Victor. What a wonderfully pleasant and charming man. So kind and helpful to all the passengers getting on and off the coach. And a mine of historical information throughout the drive with the odd joke thrown in. The traffic was its usual in parts but Victor knew how to navigate it all with the least disruption along the way. Can’t recommend Cooks highly enough especially if you happen to be lucky enough to have Victor as your driver!

Negative experience: Tried calling the office 5 times no voice mail .cuts ot after 2 mins ringing.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic local family business

Fantastic experience: Staff I find the best wouldn't go anywhere else always been good to me very help .

Fantastic experience: We hired some coaches for our wedding day and everything went perfectly, thank you for all your help.

Fantastic experience: We book a Colchester trip every summer always easy and helpful on the phone thank you

Fantastic experience: Went to Buckingham Palace yesterday We were picked up had a great journey and the driver was brilliant very informative for dropping off and picking up points And on way home due to a13 closure part of due to accident he knew how to by pass so no queuing Home in record time Thank you so much Anne and Cynthia hadleigh A

Positive experience: Very helpful and efficient staff in the main office

Fantastic experience: Fabulous Trips at great prices. Today I went on the Mystery Tour which consisted of Rochester Cathedral, Canterbury Shops & Whitstable Beach & Harbour The Drivers are always very jolly & friendly

Fantastic experience: Very helpful friendly staff & a great choice of holidays,day trips & theatre outings

Fantastic experience: Really really accommodating. Great coach company. Great trips . Drivers are really affable and informative. All in all good

Fantastic experience: My friend and I went to Hastings and rye yesterday had a brilliant day. Your driver was very polite and courteous, a credit to you

Fantastic experience: Great company we have been on lots of trips also we use to hire the coaches for our community group to take people on our estate to different places great drivers

Fantastic experience: Amazing family service

Positive experience: Good service with lots of pick ups. Nice pleasant driver

Positive experience: 16th October went to columbia road flower market and covent garden. We got to the market at 10.00am and had 3 hours there which was far too long as the market was only a small stretch of the road and dissapointing and there was nowhere to sit and have a coffee apart from the 1 packed pub which was so busy they wasn't serving anymore coffees! The other shops and coffee/drink places were all takeaway only. Good job it was a nice day or everyone would be crammed in the small pub. We managed to find a cake and coffee area in a courtyard but paid £5.50 for a homemade sausage roll! And had to scramble for a seat. We walked to a nearby park to sit down as we are both in our 60s and 3 hours is a long time to kill in a small area. We went on to Covent Garden at 1pm arriving at 1.30pm. Hungry we went to China town for lunch. By the time we got back to Covent Garden the time had gone by so we didn't have long before we had to get the coach at 4pm. My point is there's much more to do and see in Covent garden and surroundings therefore I think Cooks should do the trips either the other way round or spend longer at Covent Garden. And give us more info on the areas visited as after speaking to a lady on the coach she found a farm a short walk away from the flower market that were set in gardens and had a cafe there.(she only knew about it as her son lives nearby). The driver was lovely but I think Cooks should give drivers more info to relay to the travellers.

Fantastic experience: Love going into cooks and catching up on trips. Always very helpful and friendly. Thank you Cooks coaches.

Fantastic experience: Just had enjoyable 5 day holiday to St Ives. Good day trips on coach with friendly driver Nick. St Ives Bay hotel good position overlooking bay, though as seems to be usual in most hotels a large supplement charged for poor single room Very busy roads made long journey home, driver Nick made sure we were travelling comfortable, good driver to have on your trips

Positive experience: Just returned from a holiday in St.Ives, Cornwall.We had a very nice time. Nick our driver was brilliant -nothing was too much trouble.I would have given 5 star but the food in the hotel was not good.

Fantastic experience: Had a day trip to Eastbourne Airborne 18/8/22.Great day out,driver was great and helpful,will definitely use Cooks Coaches again. Many thanks

Fantastic experience: Had a really lovely day today at Leeds Castle, comfortable drive, worth every penny. Thank you

Fantastic experience: We went for a day trip to Brighton with cooks on 9th August. I just wanted to say how happy I was with the service. The nice driver ( think his name was nick ) was very friendly and made us laugh, and drove the coach brilliant. I will be booking again with you.

Fantastic experience: Good trips but 2 were cancelled

Fantastic experience: Went to Brighton with cooks. Brilliant driver Nick who was excellent, very friendly and a really good driver. Just a pity some people don’t listen to instructions about where to be picked up resulting in us leaving 10 minutes late. Everyone else on the coach obviously heard correctly so why didn’t they, very annoying.

Fantastic experience: Me and wife enjoyed day in Whitstable. Excellent driver and really enjoyable day.

Fantastic experience: Great trips

Positive experience: So far so good ... will see the how they fair on the day out..... Well it's me again after the day out ...got picked up on time sadly after picking up everyone the coach Brock down had to wait for almost an hour for the replacement which was more comfortable and newer coach got to the destination had a relaxing pleasant boat ride .. and got back bit later than expected but overall it was good day out ... will be going again with them..soon

Fantastic experience: Always use cooks

Negative experience: Disappointing! Had a trip to Rochester Christmas Market on Saturday 4th December, the useless driver failed to pick us up so left 10 people waiting in the cold for over an hour! Disgruntled driver had to come back to pick us up, drove erratically all the way and got a grudging apology. Clearly didn't bother to count the passengers. No response to my complaint so far, will not use again!

Positive experience: Enjoy our trips but a bit dissapointed this time as said we would leave rochester at 18.30 on the website but when we got the oach we were told we leave at 17.30 so we missed the candles dickens parade at 17.00

Fantastic experience: Great company great trips value for money.

Fantastic experience: Brilliant trips always go with cooks polite and helpful staff

Fantastic experience: The best ever

Fantastic experience: Been on some lovely day trips with Cooks

Fantastic experience: Lovely variety of trips

Fantastic experience: We always find the staff at this branch most helpful and are happy to recommend them.

Negative experience: Disappointed with cooks they messed up on a recent holiday, zero customer service. Cedric was full of excuses. If you expect customer care then don’t bother using cooks.

Fantastic experience: It's good for you for money. And I used to coach to go to Cheltenham and Cambridge

Fantastic experience: Been on a couple of day trips with cooks coaches the telephone staff are very helpful and polite The driver has been very helpful and polite Fabulous they pick up from Lakeside Been very prompt had two lovely days out would highly recommend cooks coaches and look forward to travelling again

Fantastic experience: Excellent customer service

Fantastic experience: I had a great few days on the Devon tour from the 5th to the 9th of August. Driver very friendly and helpful in every way.just 1 or 2 people on board a pain with moaning all the time..but apart from that it was really good..

Fantastic experience: I have had many day trips an holidays with Cooks this will be my 3rd year I've been with them, all the staff are very helpful when booking with them, an all the drivers are polite an friendly wouldn't go anywhere else, 1 happy contented customer

Fantastic experience: Love the day trips

Positive experience: Even though just a short trip into Kent to Polhill (on a Friday, even) the pick-up at Lakeside was on time. The driver was cheerful and interacted well with the passengers; especially on the return journey through what has become the routine 8mile traffic jam into Essex. As usual the "Tunnel roundabout" - Junction 30 of M25 - was totally gridlocked but the driver used knowledge and initiative to bypass all that and deliver us back to Lakeside with the minimum of delay and fuss. Excellent day out!!

Fantastic experience: I'm giving cooks Coaches in Westcliff on Sea 5 Stars for customer service I will give another review once I've taken my trip all round lovely people in the shop very helpful. Great service 100% Recommend.

Positive experience: Cooks coach are great for days outs. We have been on six trips out with them is summer.The driver are so kind and helpful and the office staff are always helpful and friendly great service all round.

Fantastic experience: The Best and not to £££

Fantastic experience: Use this company all the time for some great days as I don't have a car. Very handy for seaside trips with my son

Fantastic experience: Fabulous day out yesterday on the Cotswold tour. We were driven through quite a few beautiful villages and had nice long stop offs at chipping campden and stow on the wold. The drivers were very knowledgeable and made the whole day really special. I picked up a brochure on the coach so hopefully it won't be long til I am planning my next adventure.

Positive experience: 4/10/2016 Trip to see the Houses of Parliament; Another great day out with you, as usual an excellent Driver(Mike) today and the benefit of a guide as well this time.We have done 3 other trips with you this year (unfortunately had to cancel another one because of illness) All of them really good with very good drivers. The only thing I can think of that would improve matters would be more information in the Brochure i.e. The amount of time that would be expected to spend at each venue and therefore a rough expected time home(traffic permitted)'

Fantastic experience: Had a great day out to Brighton yesterday, coach was on time (pick up and collection). Comfortable coach and friendly, safe driver. This was our first time using Cooks, but wont be our last. 10/10.