This is totally worth it. We had Dan and Tim for our pilots and they were awesome! The views were just incredible, and all staff were very welcoming. Continental breakfast is not really a breakfast so eat before hand. They do give you champagne while you're in the air though! The only thing that threw me off was how they forced the tipping over and over - so much it was awkward: text message, verbal, on an envelope at the end. I'd suggest making the tip less forced/guilt driven - though our pilots deserved it, certainly. read more

My boyfriend and I did this experience with this company a few years ago and we really enjoyed it! We finally were able to check this off of our bucket list things to do! The only semi bad thing is that it's done at sunrise so you have to check in and be at the meet up location really early in the morning but once you're up in the air it's so worth it!! read more

My boyfriend bought us a hot air balloon deal with Sunrise Balloons and I was beyond satisfied/excited! Everyone was so friendly and pleasant! When we first arrived, we were greeted with mimosas, small pastries, coffee, and tea! There was champagne on the ride as well! The views were so breathtaking and it was well worth the expense. I suggest dressing warmly for the morning but it gets warmer once you are in the actual hot air balloon! read more

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What a wonderful experience, Erick our pilot was awesome, experienced and funny. Megan our hostess was really amazing she made the trip something my family and I will remember forever. Faith went out of her way to make sure my daughter's experience was wonderful. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. Highly recommend. read more

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This was an outstanding experience and I would do it all over again!! My partner and I were here visiting from Florida over the holiday week and this was on our bucket list. Everything from flight, to pictures, to champagne was perfect!! read more

Sunrise Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

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It was indeed difficult to reach sunrise balloons to make an appointment but once that was settled it was smooth sailing. They contacted us through e-mail, told us exactly what to expect and where to meet the morning of our flight. We went on a nice day, very clear skies and appox 8 other balloons were flying as well. Although we did miss the 'sunrise' in flight because the group was waiting on the last couple to arrive. (they were not strict on the departure time) but other than that, it was an awesome experience flying over the wineries. We were able to watching the crew inflate/deflate the huge balloon and the crew even let us go into the balloon to take pictures while it was being inflated. Definitely need to wake up early for the flight but overall had a great experience! read more

Sunrise Balloons - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

Nice experience. Weather was great so everything went as planned. -1 star because they remind about tipping the pilot thousand times and exactly how much should we tip. If I will be satisfated with service I will always tip without any reminders. read more

First time experience on a hot air balloon! Had purchased their Groupon Deal (https://www.groupon.com/deals/sunrise-balloons-9) for a weekday balloon flight and was finally able to find the time to go as the deal was about to expire (after 360 days). We had previously booked a flight sometime in February but it got cancelled due to unsafe weather conditions, which is understandable and shouldn't be held against them. After making reservations in advance, they sent us a confirmation/update text the night before our scheduled flight: our check-in time was between 5:40am-5:50am at the Monte De Oro Winery. Unfortunately, we were running a little late (I sleep like a hibernating bear sometimes) and received a courtesy call asking for our ETA. We arrived at 6:05am and were super thankful that they were so kind and still able to accommodate us despite the delay. They had refreshments out: coffee, cinnamon bun cake, and cute little apples. We signed a quick waiver and hopped onto a "groovy" party bus to take us to the take-off destination. There were probably 10 other couples riding with us ... at this point I felt the need to stand a few feet away from my boyfriend haha. We would eventually be split into two groups. Sandy (our photographer) took individual "pre-flight" photos and even offered to take our photo using my personal camera phone. I was bummed to see that a second photographer went to ride with the other group but Sandy didn't come on board with us. CJ (our pilot) was amazing! The height was a little frightening at first, but CJ was so fun and great at entertaining us! He makes you feel at ease and will answer any questions you throw at him. Up in the air, they served us champagne and beer but I didn't get no chocolate! Even though the Groupon Deal indicated "with champagne AND chocolate". Regardless, we still had a great time. The view below was somewhat brown, with a few beautiful patches of green that were vineyards and orange orchards. CJ even took us above the clouds! FYI it does get pretty hot underneath the fire. I'm only 5'1" and half the time I thought the heat would singe my hair. We were up in the air for about an hour before we had to land because the fog was rolling in fast. I think they pick a random open area to land, wherever is convenient and close to the main road where the groovy party bus can pick us up. We landed a bit too close to some wires and it was a hilarious ordeal having to drag us away from them. Kudos to CJ and his 2 man crew! Photos were posted for free on their Facebook page later that same day but to be honest, my iPhone 6s camera worked just fine, if not better. I definitely recommend trying a hot air balloon ride at least once and crossing it off your bucket list! What a wonderful experience! read more

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The absolute best experience, I would recommend it to anybody. Elizabeth our photographer was spunky, and a lot of fun. Our pilot Dan was very knowledgeable with the area we flew over, pointing out things of interest, history, etc. The customer service was outstanding. Thank you Sunrise balloons! read more

Had such a great time! Our pilot Megan was amazing. Ask for her! Breakfast wasn't really breakfast... more like a mini muffin. But we had a good time. We brought some extra champagne. All in all, well organized. The party bus was fun! Would recommend! It underperformed my expectations from the website description, but we still had a really good time. The balloon was communal, about 20 of us. read more

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It was me and my husband's 1st wedding anniversary and we stumbled upon a groupon deal for a sunrise balloon ride and a one night stay at one of the local wineries that had a bed and breakfast - it was an amazing deal! The balloon ride itself cost more than what I paid for the package. My husband and I had a wonderful time. Our pilot was Phil and our "host" was Sandie - she was the photographer. Phil was very knowledgeable of the area and Temecula's history, also had a good sense of humor too. Pictures are free, to be posted on Facebook in a couple of weeks. Guests have the option of purchasing a cd of the takeoff video and all pics in high resolution on a cd, but even that would take weeks as well. Would have been nice to purchase the CD and get it the same day. I don't like to wait for my pictures. Only thing that really bothered me was that it seemed like they were really pushing the guests to give a tip, and a hefty tip at that. When they called me the day before to confirm our reservation, the lady I spoke with mentioned that tips are appreciated and on average $60 per couple. Guests heard the tip spiel again a couple times during the introduction and the ride back to the winery where we started. Even though my husband and I had a great time and our pilot and host deserved the $60 tip, it almost felt like we were pressured into tipping. read more

Sunrise Balloons - Taking aloft - Hot Air Balloons Near Me - Temecula, California

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We had a wonderful time. Check in was quick and friendly. The shuttle to and from the launch/landing area was handled well and seemed very organized. We absolutely loved out flight. Erich, our pilot, was knowledgeable and funny. The flight itself was amazing. I am not sure what I was expecting, but the ride was unlike anything I have ever experienced. A little faster at take off (launch?) than I was expecting, and then it is like you are floating...which you are...but peaceful, quiet and relaxing while in the air. The most challenging part was climbing into the basket, which was a LOT easier climbing out than in, for some reason. :) Prior to our trip, there was a minor snafu (on our side) and we thought it was possible that we were going to have to change the date of our trip, and the team at Sunrise Balloons was VERY helpful and friendly. Overall, pleasant from the first conversation to the last. Thanks for making my birthday special!! read more

Very efficient operation. A once in a lifetime experience! Dan was an excellent pilot and very knowledgeable. Be prepared to wake up very early and stand close to strangers. I love how all of the photos taken were free (uploaded to Facebook). My only complaint was the tip envelopes at the end, basically demanding $30pp. read more

Hostesses Sandie & Jesse greeted us with smiles and were very sweet the entire time. They took tons of pictures of our entire experience and even though they post all the pictures for free on Facebook & Instagram, both ladies also kindly offered to take pictures with each person's camera as well. Our balloon pilot Dan was great. He was very professional, knowledgeable and landed the balloon ever so gently. I saw there were some negative reviews, however they are all several years old. Not sure if there was a change in management, but our experience was excellent and I will be recommending them to everyone I know. read more

Best time ever!!! My wife and I came down for her birthday and decided to try something we have never done before. We love going on adventures with each other and this was one to check off the list. We had so much fun. From checking in with Sandy to soaring over Temecula's beautiful wine country with Erick, it was perfect. We would definitely recommend this fun time to anyone. We can't wait to bring our daughter up next time. read more

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Like other reviewers have already commented, it is next to impossible to get a hold of the establishment (left multiple messages). As for customer service, there was NONE! Got canceled TWICE! My mother-in-law had to take time off work so we could do this ballooning, but it NEVER HAPPENED. We've made accommodations at a nearby bed and breakfast, and spent quite some time and money planning for this...what a waste. I am sure if we did get on the the balloon, the experience would've been pretty cool. They were VERY UNPROFESSIONAL because we weren't provided with the same service as a few lucky individuals have (read other reviews). I can understand that they have FAA safety regulations to adhere to, but we weren't given OPTIONS to wait it out, like others have. We were canceled, literally, minutes before we got there (5:15 am). Clearly, there were other customers sitting around eating doughnuts...what were they waiting for? After we drove away, the fog did lift 1-2 hours later. They didn't seem to feel bad for canceling on their customers as there wasn't any sort of genuine apologies other than the usual "...we're sorry the weather couldn't accommodate us..." kind of BS. If the apologies were sincere, I would have felt better. Whoever owns the business NEEDS to take a course in customer service. I've never been treated like an INCONVENIENCE by an establishment with a disregard for how their customers feel. Wait, I forgot, we're just CONSUMERS...just NUMBERS to them. HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE! Terrible business practice! I cannot recommend this place to others. Sorry. I am looking for ANOTHER place to take my hard-earned dollars to. *************UPDATED on 12/18/2010************* THANKS Megan for your response. Really. I just wished we were treated nicer when we were actually there. I wish things were different, and that we actually had the chance to experience the balloon ride. We tried both times, and spent a lot of money on hotels, food, gas, and time. I understand that both times were weather-related, but if we really got a sincere apology, then that would have made a world of difference. Unfortunately, we're not going to try again, because we don't have that kind of money to throw into the wind. read more

Our adventure from start to finish was amazing! This is something I've wanted to do for a long time now, but been to afraid to do it since I'm afraid of heights. After talking with others who have experienced it they guaranteed me that it's very peaceful, relaxing, and wonderful! Well the verdict is in...it was one of the best mornings ever. We arrived and checked at Monte De Oro at 6:20a. Greeted with a warm and welcoming smile from Sandy. They had mimosas, coffee, tea, and pastries available while you waited for the other passengers to arrive and check in. Then your are escorted into the party bus and driven to the launch location. You arrive there and there's Sandy again with her camera. She takes photos of you pre-flight and as you ascend off into the Sunrise. Before you know it you're floating above beautiful Temecula wine country. Our morning was absolutely perfect weather. Could see for miles! While you're on board you are served "liquid courage" hahaha...champagne. CJ our pilot was wonderful. Gave us the 411 of ballooning, wine country, etc. we traveled 2.7 miles, elevated up to 2100 ft, and hit top speed of 6.6mph! Today was a fabulous experience. Thank you Sunrise Balloons!!! Oh! Btw, these people are legit. I saw the negative yelp reviews from what sounds like to me to be a bunch of spoiled brats! Weather is unpredictable. And rescheduling is for your safety. Also, if you choose to cancel due to cold weather you should not expect a refund. Reschedule your flight! Just so you know once your in the balloon your nice and toasty from the fire. My advice. Disregard the 1 star reviews and book with Sunrise Balloons. Just think for a moment about all the wonderful flights of others who either didn't take the time to post a review or don't have yelp. I'm sure it's 1000's!!! For some crazy reason we as individuals will take the time to post negative reviews in a blink of an eye, but quickly forget about the awesome in our lives. THANK YOU SUNRISE BALLOONS! I'll be back to fly away with ya all again. read more

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I would write a review about how the hot air balloon ride went, but I still haven't had a chance to go on. I was scheduled 6 different times and cancelled on 6 times. I purchased 6 tickets on Groupon for my family and I. As soon as I purchased the ticket on Groupon I called the company straight away to make a booking. Their first availability was about a month and a half away. Finally the day comes and we are all excited, brother and his girlfriend drove 8 hrs from San Fran and I have the whole family with us. Half way there we get a call to cancel due to overcast. We resched for their next available date which was weeks out. The morning of that day we get another call to cancel due to overcast... Third time, same story. The 4th time the balloon pilot had a family emergency so we were cancelled again and rebooked 3 more times and cancelled 2 more times again due to overcast. I understand that no one has control over mother nature, HOWEVER if you can not provide the service then you should be eligible for a refund. Another thing they could have done is have more flights to compensate for the dozens of people who have been getting cancelled. I tried to get a refund and they would not grant it. Now their schedule is backed up with people who got cancelled. Mind you this is all during spring and summer of this year. What's even more absurd is that I recently saw they put that same deal up on Groupon so that they can get more money up front when they don't even have the availability. They've put no effort into trying to get myself and many others who were cancelled many times on the balloon. They have bad busniess ethics!!!! I have another reservation with them next weekend so hopefully 7th time is a charm. I JUST WANT TO ADD..TODAY WAS THE DAY I WAS SUPPOSE TO GO ON AFTER BEING RESCHED 7 TIMES...AND NOW THEY CANCELLED ME BECAUSE ITS TOO HOT!!!!! and they make NO EFFORT to get me on sooner..THEY SAID THEY CAN RESCHED ME FOR DECEMBER!!! DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY! THERE ARE BETTER ONES IN SAN DIEGO THAT CAN DO HOT AIR BALLOONING. read more

I bought a coupon through a Groupon for a ride and spent over two weeks simply trying to book a date. The first time it took them (Emily) 4 days to respond to me. At this point I asked them to pick any date out of the two upcoming month. The second time I emailed them it took a week and a half for a response. I also attempted calling several times and left voice messages. Frustrated I simply asked Groupon for a refund, since it was impossible to book a flight after two weeks of miss-communication. But wait, the story didn't stop here. Exactly a MONTH later I receive a booking confirmation from Sunrise by Megan, with this message highlighted in yellow: "Our Cancellation policy is 48 hours for parties of two and 72 hours for 3 or more. If you are a no show or do not cancel before 72/48 hours of your scheduled flight, your package will be marked redeemed & the credit card on file will be charged a (rebooking fee of $100 per person at that time of no show)." I was quite annoyed with this harassment behavior and simply bad customer service. I never in my entire life wasted time writing a bad review, but i think this is the least I can do, based on my interaction experience with this company. Maybe I should have used mail-pigeons to communicate with them instead of a phone and email? read more

I'm writing this from the Inn at Churon Valley at 4:30 in the morning. Needless to say, I'm upset. We came from LA, and asked Megan where she suggested we stay the night before to avoid a 3 AM drive to Temecula. She was able to book my room and take payment for Inn at Churon. (Note: anticipate having to call about 4-6 times before getting a live person on the phone during business hours) We arrived to a quaint, old Inn that was a bit dated, but the woman here was very friendly. We had dinner down the street at South Coast Winery - AMAZING! It turns out their rooms are much larger, nicer, and less expensive. Would have liked to know this - my own fault for not researching. I woke up to a call at 3:30 from Megan saying our flight is cancelled, and that nothing can be done. Weather reports for the area are crystal clear though, oddly. As the only reason for the room was for the flight, I ask if we can be comped a room for when we rebook. Conveniently, nothing can be done about that because Sunrise isn't a part of the Inn. This Inn at Churon was directly suggested on the Groupon page for the Sunrise Balloon offer, and listed as the meeting spot as well. Sunrise was able to take & process payment for my room at Churon, but all the sudden now they're not the same. Same people, same bookings, now unrelated all the sudden. All I'm saying is that if you can book a guest in your hotel through your adventure offerings, either offer the option in advance to cancel due to inclement weather or comp the room. A simple call yesterday saying "weather isn't looking good, it's up to you if you'd still like to come try" would be an easy solution. Not one at 3:30 am leaving me wide awake and upset in the middle of the night, 2 hours from home. I should also mention that as the sun came up, we saw about 16 other hot air balloons in the sky from all other companies. It was a perfect day with perfect weather - clearly suitable for flying. When I called them again to explain this, they said they take safety more seriously than other companies. My guess is that they didn't have enough customers that day to bother going up so they screwed us. read more

My husband surprised me with a Groupon voucher to Sunrise Balloons for our 1 year Anniversary but we never made it off the ground. Apparently the weather conditions were too harsh? It was like a 70 degree day with no rain or winds. We also saw a ton of other balloons lift off minutes after our reservation got "canceled" due to weather. Unfortunately, the sport of "ballooning is unpredictable" in terms of weather - which I get! BUT and this is a HUGE BUT - this means you take care of your customer until they redeem your darn balloon ride. DON'T JUST SAY "TALK TO GROUPON" like the MANAGER DID AND YELL AT MY HUSBAND! Let me repeat- A SUNRISE BALLOON MANAGER YELLED AT MY HUSBAND OVER THE PHONE AFTER SHE TELLS HIM TO GET A REFUND SINCE OUR GROUPON EXPIRED. IT ONLY EXPIRED BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T FLY US THE FIRST TIME!!! F that noise. Take care of your customers. Period. Don't take our money then make Groupon refund us. I am disgusted with Sunrise Balloons. I could tell in the first 10 minutes they weren't ever going to take us up in the air. They provide Groupon vouchers knowing very well they will just "cancel" the ride, leaving customers with their hands up and money in the pockets of Sunrise Balloons. Classless. In such a classy area. read more

just been cancelled for the 5th time. gotta believe theyre swimming in a money pit like uncle scrooge with all these people who can't get refunds on these cancelled flights. I have a little bit of sympathy because the cancellations are due to weather, but they have absolutely no sympathy for the people who spent their hard-earned money on a balloon ride. i bought this deal because it was meant to be a beautiful, romantic, and enjoyable experience, but it has since become a painful and frustrating burden. We no longer live in the state, so making the trip to temecula is no longer an easy one. The people aren't bad, but their business plan is. So based on my experience, I'd say unless you live in Temecula, don't work a M-F job, and have the superpower of extreme patience, do not make this commitment with this company. read more

I'd give them a negative rating if I could. Bought a Groupon in April, it's now December & they've cancelled 3 times. Once was minutes before. We stayed at their hotel. It was most definitely NOT worth $200 a night. There was no amenities. Not even a restaurant. And over 30 minutes from the launch site. The third time I had to reschedule they couldn't get me in for another month so I was asked to schedule during the week. I paid extra for a weekend flight. They told me no I didn't pay extra & argued with me about it. After 7 months of being rescheduled I got my money back. Awful customer service.... They weren't apologetic for calling last minute to cancel & said I was lying about what I paid. Would never of business with them. read more

APPOINTMENT-1/5 booking the appointment was one of the most difficult process i have ever encountered. The phone would continuously ring and go to voicemails. My phone records showed that i had at least called them 31 times before i was able to reach someone. I only went with this company because i had already bought the groupon and it was the closest one i could find. FOOD 1/5 They provide cheap cheese and crackers, however, the set up was very sanitizing. It was left out in the open where dust and insects could fly into it. In a group of 10 among strangers, we were given two small boxes which everyone was eating out of. After we arrived on land, everyone is celebrated with cakes. However, the amount was quite small so there wasn't enough for everyone and the host was not apologetic even at the slightest effort. FLIGHT 1/5 Our pilot was Chris, he's a nice guy but nearly had us crashed into another balloon. He has many years of experience but still manages to be distracted and careless. He had his walkie-talkie on low volume so he did not hear the other communication the other balloons were sending him. When they were coming towards us it wasn't until someone pointed it out that he hastily ascended us nearly burning our hairs off with the sudden long bursts of fire. PHOTOS 1/5 It has been over TWO months and we still haven't yet seen our photographs. There is the company's website on facebook that allows you to check when the photos are posted, however, they are so behind and they only update once in three/four months that it would take almost half a year before you receive them. Its incredulous because with technology nowadays how could it be so difficult to upload photos weekly or yet monthly ? read more

If I could give this place 0 stars, I absolutely would. I purchased a groupon deal awhile back and ended up returning it after all of the hassle I had to go through. I initially had to schedule a ride because it was going to expire and the company refused to work with me to schedule the ride for a day that would work better for me. The phone technician, Rhonda, told me that I would have to pay additional fees in order to do so, so I agreed to go on the day she said I had to. I ended up having to request off from work to make the scheduled day. The balloon ride is very early in the morning and since I live in San Diego, I had to wake up early and drive up about 45 miles. When I got there, I found out that the balloon ride was cancelled and that they were only doing reschedules. All of the snacks that was supposed to be provided were gone too. I wasted my gas and my time with this place and didn't even get any specials or discounts despite the fact that I drove so far and so early only to be offered a reschedule. The company could have called me to let me know that the ride was being cancelled or done what I had initially wanted, which was to go on a different day altogether!! Lucky for me, because of everything I had to go through, Groupon refunded my money. Too bad I couldn't get a refund on the gas money it took to drive up to Tememcula, or the money I would have made if I didn't request the day off! read more

DANGER WILL ROBINSON...DON'T BOOK WITH THIS COMPANY!! Luckily I was able to get my 3 vouchers refunded by Travelzoo today, which was very nice of them. I would honestly rather pay full price for a legit company than Mickey Mouse around with this unprofessional operation. They are totally shady and write fake reviews on Yelp (Liz R. is a completely fake review!) and Trip Advisor to punch up their standings!!!! (And they are complete idiots who have absolutely NO IDEA how to run a business!) I only hope in the future Travelzoo and Groupon will do some sort of background check on businesses beforehand to make sure they are legit and have the capability to honor their offers. read more

This is not a good business. We never had the chance to get an appointment as they only responded once to me when I tried to book. I called multiple times, left messages, sent emails to "Megan" and received only one response telling me that the dates I wanted weren't available. I was also informed (consequently 92 days before my gifted group on was about to expire) that I needed to make my reservation at least 90 days ahead of time. After that one email response I received no other communication from them and that was the end of it. They did even get back to Groupon once I contacted them and told Groupon that they would contact me. NOTHING. Groupon refunded the money and I never want to deal with anyone like this again. Awful. Avoid avoid avoid. You'll just get the run around and get nothing in return. read more

Update based on what the manager replied: This company never informed me of a cancelled flight nor of a promotional deal being bought UNTIL I contacted them to cancel. I CALLED IN MYSELF 48 hours prior to the flight to cancel because of cold cloudy weather, obviously not being able to see the "sunrise"... a flight which you guys never cancelled in the first place. It amazes me how this company "says" they had the time to inform me of a cancelled flight when they don't even have time pick up their phone or reply to emails in the first place. In the end, my credit card company refunded me. Who's laughing now. THIS PLACE IS A SCAM. My boyfriend booked a hot air balloon ride for my birthday but because it was cloudy & foggy that day, we had decided to cancel the flight since we wouldn't get to see the views if it were covered by clouds & overcast. He contacted a worker over the phone (well before their 48 hour cancellation policy) but wasn't able to cancel the flight due to buying a "promotional deal" that we were never informed about, for which we bought at normal prices. When we finally got a hold of the manager after countless calls/emails, she finally replied saying that we couldn't cancel but we can reschedule the hot air balloon ride. She informed us that by cancelling the flight meant that we couldn't get a full refund, even though no services were rendered. We would've been fine with moving our flight to another date, but because of the horrible customer service we decided to not do business with them in all since it seemed like they used every excuse in the book in order to not give us our refund. We made the mistake of not checking the Yelp reviews beforehand because it seems that most people are getting scammed without properly being informed of how this business runs. After all that was said and done, it seemed like a bunch of BS and excuses coming from this company in not wanting to reimburse us. Luckily we contacted our credit card company in trying to dispute this problem. read more

I got a deal on Groupon - weekday hot air balloon ride for 2, for $198. I had been looking for a deal for hot air ballooning for a while, and this was the best deal I saw on Groupon, LivingSocial, and Amazon Local. I first booked a flight on Valentine's Day back in January. But once the day came, things came up and we weren't able to make it. So, I called the day of, canceling. I thought they would charge me, since they said that they would charge if you cancel the day of, but they didn't! So, I call back a couple days later booking for a flight in May. A day before the flight in May, I get an email saying that the flight was canceled due to weather. I know this isn't the company's fault, but it is irritating having to book for another date. Darn you, Mother Nature. I then book for a date in September - Labor Day. I thought I would be charged an extra $100/person, since it's a holiday, but I guess Labor Day was too far into the future and the person that answered my phone didn't realize it was Labor Day. So, I was able to successfully book a flight on Labor Day. YES. A day (or was it a couple days..) before the flight, I got a reminder email from the company, which had directions, and the time that we should arrive at winery. [[Day of Flight]] My boyfriend and I woke up at 3:30 am, so we could get ready and change and be ready to leave by 4:45 am (We had to be there by 6:30 am, and it's about a 1.5 hour drive to Temecula from Irvine). When we arrived at Tuscany Hills Resort, we checked in, handed them our Groupon voucher, and grabbed some coffee and snacks that were provided for us. When everyone arrived, our photographer (Marcus) gave a rundown of what was gonna happen. From there, we all walked over to the balloons and waited for the pilots to get the balloons prepped and ready. There were 2 balloons getting ready for the entire group. The balloons have sections, so that your party can stand in a section of the balloon. I remember reading a review here on Yelp saying they try to fit 4 people to a section, and that was what I was afraid of. But, I guess there weren't too many people the day I went, so my boyfriend and I got our own section. The photographer took photos of each party before the flight, during, and after the flight. Photos during the flight are obviously from the ground, but the pilot does try to come closer to the ground so the photographer could get some shots. [[Balloon Ride]] Amazing! Our pilot, Chris, was very knowledgable and made our flight extremely enjoyable. Looking down at the vineyards from hundreds of feet in the air was absolutely breathtaking. Pair it with silence and beautiful blue skies makes it even more incredible. Champagne was provided for the ride up in the air as well! If you have a DSLR, I recommend bringing it, so you can get some awesome shots while up in the air! The photos taken by the photographer will be posted on Facebook within 30 days, so keep an eye out for that! :) 100% would recommend this place, even if you don't find a deal online. But if you do, that's even better! read more

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So far... I'm disappointed. I received Groupons for this company last year for Christmas. The weekends were booked MONTHS out so we booked our trip for this Saturday (Nov 10) on August 10th. I did not receive reminder calls or emails like other reviewers did, instead I got a cancellation call today (Thursday) due to rain. The forecast says partly cloudy with a 20% chance of rain. Okay - I understand - liability or whatever in case it does rain.... We had to reserve a hotel since we don't live locally and now, the hotel is non refundable for cancellations! Not sure when we can reschedule it since we are leaving the state in less than a month and if we did plan a trip around it, who knows if that will be canceled too with non-refundable airplane tickets.... super bummed. =( If we do end up taking the ride, I'll edit my review at that point. Hope it works out since I've always wanted to ride in a hot air balloon! read more

It's hard to get up early but it's so worth it . To start at a winery that is so beautiful with quality mimosas, coffee and sweet rolls was delightful. December was great because of all the decorations and photo ops. The pilot was very good and had interesting facts. I'm prone to sea sickness but because the ride is so smooth, I felt fine! Sandy was a fabulous host and photographer. I will definitely go again and I will suggest to my friends.PS the fire keeps you nice and warm. read more

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I dunno what the others were talking about with unprofessional service. I felt like the entire operation was SO well run. I too was a groupon-er, and was called to warn me of a 50% chance of cancellation. Thank goodness the winds died down. Took my mom, her hubby, and my aunt for a special treat. Our pilot was Dan and he was so chill and funny. Popped the champagne cork into the balloon for luck, gave us cheese and crackers and more champagne in flight. LOVED that we were able to see the inflating process, take FREE pics (included in the package) inside the balloon, on the basket, holding up the balloon rope, etc. My entire group really felt like we were getting a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we are so grateful! Booking was easy for me too. I WAS 12th on a waitlist for Easter weekend flights, and amazingly all four of us got off the waitlist! You do have to leave messages, but the company is GREAT about calling you back. Flight itself is serene and peaceful, but not boring, just very cool. Loved it and would highly recommend this company! read more

On our romantic getaway, we decided to take our first hot air balloon ride. Here is our experience: THE PROCESS They pick you up from your hotel approximately at 5:00a (You may drive there on your own if you want). They take you to a beautiful place where they serve you coffee, tea, juice and pastries. Once you are all checked in and have used the restrooms, you are assigned a pilot and a balloon. Then they take you out to where the balloons are. Pictures are taken and you are on your way to amazing scenery. ARRIVAL After being picked up from our resort, they took us to a beautiful winery for check in. The placed is beautiful inside and outside. Great time for pictures. Once you are checked in, you have coffee, tea, and some simple pastries to enjoy for breakfast. Once the pilots are ready, they drive us out to the balloons. BALLOON SITE ARRIVAL Once we arrived to the balloon site, our host took pictures of us all around the balloon. We got on and the adventure began. BALLOON RIDE My wife and I have a fear of heights. We reached an altitude of 1700 feet. The trip was peaceful. The balloon did not swing or sway at all. The pilot was amazing and funny. We were able to look down. Anyone who has a fear of heights can do this. They also served champagne, water, cheese, crackers and apples on the flight. It was amazing. The pilot and other couples on the ride were more than happy to take pictures of us by just asking. CUSTOMER SERVICE The pilots and the hosts were incredible from beginning to end. They were polite and very helpful. My pilot was Phil and our host was Marissa. They were excellent. I am sure the others were too. That was the process of our trip. Here are some things that happened that you should be aware of. NOTE: Your flight can be canceled at the very last minute. Our group was going up in 4 balloons. Only my balloon made it up and the other 3 did not. Had we been 30 seconds late, our balloon would have been canceled too because the winds picked up. This trip is done early in the morning. We had to wake up at 4:00a, wait outside at 5:00a to be transported to the site. Also, get yourself a package deal through Groupon. It would have been a bit more expensive without it. That's what we did. Great trip. My wife loved it. I would definitely do it again. read more

Dropping this down to a two based on our second trip out. The primary difference with this experience has to be the company people we interacted with. Well - person. The photographer, Megan. She was nice on the surface, but handled issues VERY unprofessionally. I noted in my first review that they were able to re-book us very quickly for a weekend, and hypothesized that they must keep some spots open to do so. Apparently, no--at least, not what I consider a "spot". They rebooked us by overfilling the balloon. You'll note on their website, they describe: "Compartmented balloon baskets for safety and comfort (no overcrowding)." There are four compartments. So when they only have four groups, that's true. On this flight, however, they had six groups of two. You do the math. They needed to balance out the weight, so two of the groups had to be split up into different compartments! So there my partner and I were, trying to enjoy the flight with one another with a four-foot wall between us (we're only a little more than 5 feet tall--we couldn't even really put our arms around each other). Each of us was physically bumped up awkwardly against the complete strangers in our respective compartments (who were in turn trying to enjoy their own experience, while having a total stranger in their space too). In addition, aside from who we were mooshed up against, this arrangement affected the enjoyability of the ride itself. We were very limited in being able to move to look around, so we were pretty much stuck looking at whatever we happened to be facing. If I turned, not only did I further snuggle up against the people next to me, I was just looking at the backs of their heads. Plus, we were pushed out to the end of the balloon, so we were out from under the heat shield. I didn't notice excessive heat from the flame the first trip, but this time being out from under the heat shield, my neck was on fire every time the pilot burned the flames. My partner and I are really understanding people, and we acknowledge that there are limitations to what can be done in different situations. The flaws of the ride itself didn't by themselves derail the whole experience. It would still have been enjoyable and enjoyed if there had been ANY recognition that we had been significantly inconvenienced and put out. There was no apology, no warning beforehand, no check in to see if we were OK with it, nothing. Instead, Megan tried to sugarcoat it and pretend like there was NO REASON why we would be miffed at all. We said something briefly after we got in, and she blew us off saying "oh we split you up because you're smaller, so it's a compliment!" At the end we said we were really unhappy and that the whole thing would've been very different with some sort of acknowlegment, and the reply was, "Oh I'm sorry you feel that way, but really, being on the end of the basket like that is when I can get the best pictures of you!" Not once did she acknowledge that our displeasure was legitimate in the slightest. To make matters worse, with being our second time there we weren't quite as in the mood for the more cheesy standard pics they take as a matter of course. This was even before we learned we were being split up--our inclination for pics certainly did not improve after that. Rather than just going with it, Megan felt the need to comment on it and poke fun at us for it EVERY TIME she interacted with us. Benefit of the doubt, maybe she was just trying to relieve tension or whatever, but it was incredibly rude. Once she tried to get our attention by yelling "Hey photohaters!" and every time a standardized photo-op happened, she badgered us about it, thereby drawing everyone's attention to it. It bordered on humiliating. (Let's even assume we didn't want the photos because we simply didn't want them. Does she make fun of EVERYONE who doesn't want their pics taken every time? Some people might actually be there for the balloon ride, not the kitschy photo ops.) The flight itself was nice. We had the other Dan this time, and all went well. He was friendly and seemed incredibly knowledgeable and skilled. He told us about the things we were seeing, pointed out different towns, it was pretty cool. So I would say--Megan has a lot to learn about true customer service. In any business, there will be times when your customers must be inconvenienced. It is understandable, and I am an incredibly reasonable person. But the correct approach is to genuinely apologize and recognize that things are not ideal. Do NOT, as Megan did, blow the customer off, treat them as though their concerns are not legitimate, and make fun of them for not doing everything precisely the way you always do it. read more

I got cancelled on for the second time. I can't do this a third time. The problem isn't why flights are cancelled- as some people have mentioned, they cancel when weather is not favorable. That part is fine, I would rather be safe than sorry. However, the fact that both times, we got up at 4AM to arrive at 5:30AM only to be cancelled on was a waste of everyone's time. In addition we had to wait 30-60 minutes while we waited to see if the weather was going to be any better. At the very least they should consider sending out text or email notices if things are not looking good around 5AM or 4:30AM. Or maybe they should consider at least making the stay more comfortable and feed us properly. The drinks were fine, but we each got half of a pastry to eat, which is sooooo not enough. We went back for seconds but there wasn't anything left to eat. Overall bad experience- and it was supposed to be for my mom's birthday. So much for that. I asked for a refund through Groupon, but was only able to get Groupon credit instead of my actual money back. read more

Oh man I don't know where to start off. I bought a boucher from living social for two people for $241 it included pre-flight banquet of coffee, champagne, juice, and warm pastries. It was a 45 - 1hr flight. I had called to make an appointment for this upcoming Sunday May 21, 2016. My flight was at 6am to 7 am. The gentleman that helped me had told me that it was some sort of festival. He rephrase that and said it's the hot air balloon festival that weekend that I'm attending. He said that on top of what I paid for I had to pay an additional $80 per person meaning my total was $401. I said ok. Paid the rest and he just reviewed my appointment. That was only by phone and this happened May 11, 2016. He called me the following day which was May 12, 2016 at 4:43pm. He said that there's was a problem with my appointment. He said that he gave me the wrong information and that I had to pay an additional $100 per person instead of $80. Which my total would've been $441. That's when I said in my mind "WTF!! I have to pay that, what the f**k is this some sort of scam. I told him no, I'm not paying no additional $100. I want my money back." so I had to let him know to cancel everything. He said no problem. I have been calling back on May 13 , 2016 to speak to a manager and no answer what's so ever. I left a message and all but still nothing. I canceled and request a refund back from living social and I also notify my bank for a reimbursement. All of this happened over the phone. I could just imagine how they treat the customers. All they really care for is charging those credit/debit cards. FYI: if you are planning an anniversary, birthday or a proposal look somewhere else. It seems like sunrise Balloon does not care about customers or service at all. They don't even call you back to remind you about your appointment coming up and if they do the call you back they always call when they are closing and rush you. I will recommend "A Grape Escape Adventure" they are good. read more

If I could give this "company" -minus10 stars I would. What a waste of time, money and energy!!! I bought a groupon for two people. First of all, when you call you can only leave messages, and MAYBE someone will call you back. I called in March 2011and Rhonda said there's a flight in May that I would highly likely be able to get on. She said I didn't even need to bother reserving a guaranteed later date because it was so likely that I would be able to get on the May flight. Since it was only March at the time, she said she would call me two weeks before the flight in May to confirm that I would be able to get on. Not only did she NEVER call me once to provide me with status on the May flight, I had to call EVERYDAY for two weeks before the flight because each time I called she said "I'll know more tmrw." Finally on my last call, the day before the flight was supposed to happen, she tells me there is no space and I wouldn't be able to get on. She led me to believe EVERYDAY for over a month that space on the flight was almost a sure thing, and suddenly the day before the flight there is no space. What kind of company functions on a DAY-BY-DAY BASIS?!?!!/ I'm assuming hot air balloons are very expensive equipment, and insurance (assuming they have any) is also very expensive. You would think that professional business people are running the show, BUT NOT HERE!!!! Thankfully I called groupon and they graciously refunded my groupons. I will NEVER waste my time with this "company" again, and i believe ANY GOOD REVIEW ON THIS PLACE IS FAKE!!!!!!!! read more

If I could leave 0 stars for this company I would. I decided weeks in advance that I wanted to take my fiancé on a balloon ride for his birthday. It was on both of our bucket lists and I figured why not pair it with some wine tasting afterwards. I bought a groupon deal thru Sunrise Balloons that offered a balloon ride and one night stay at Tusncany Hills and Resort for a little over $300...not a bad deal. I originally called the number on the groupon and was directed to an automated voicemail. So after leaving a voicemail thinking someone would return my call, days went by and I never heard back from anyone. I then took a different approach and tried calling the Tuscany Hills and Resort to see if someone there could point me in the right direction. A man answered the phone and almost as soon as I mentioned the Groupon deal he said the computers weren't functioning so he couldn't take any reservations at that time. He "took" my information and said he would have someone call me back.... To this day I still haven't received any phone calls back from them. Days later I found another number for the Sunrise Balloon company online and tried that as well in order to touch base with someone. Again, that phone number directed me straight to their voicemail. After a week of calling both the balloon company and the Tuscany Hills and Reosrt without prevail of ever talking to an actual person I called Groupon to get a refund. Apparently no ones works at either of these two places, and/or they don't feel like running a business and profiting from it. The lady from Groupon was extremely nice in refunding me the money I had spent and indicated to me that I am not the first person who has had difficulties with these companies and purchasing this particular Groupon. Save yourself the headache and don't buy the Groupon or give any of these companies your business!!!! read more

I purchased 2 Groupons for $99 each (retail is $199 each) and had no problem calling to book a balloon ride for my birthday. The lady on the phone was very sweet, wished me a happy birthday, and called me to remind me of my reservation the day before the trip. The morning of the balloon ride, we met up at a winery that was easy to find with our GPS. Parking was plentiful and we were welcomed with sweet pastries (bulk from Costco/Ralphs, not the best but who cares? I'm here for the balloon ride, not the food!), grapes, coffee, and mimosas. I opted for some grapes and an orange juice and even though we were told to be there by 5:30am sharp (we were early and arrived at 5:05am), we didn't actually get into the balloon basket until almost 6:45am. That was fine though because we had time to take lots of pictures! It was SUPER fun taking pictures!! Our photographer was Megan Franks and she was AWESOME! We took beautiful pictures sitting on the balloon basket, fun pics inside the ballon jumping, and hilarious pictures like me pulling my boyfriend's finger as the flame shooting into the balloon leapt out of his "butt." Great times and non-stop belly laughs!! A "Happy Birthday" banner was attached to our segment of the balloon; there were 2 other couples, a family of 3, and us in addition to the pilot and we all fit comfortably into the basket. Our pilot was so nice, funny, knowledgable and skilled and has apparently been flying since the 1970's! I felt safe and comfortable with him as we lifted up, up and away... We had a lovely spread of fresh green apples, baby bell cheeses, crackers and Martinelli's apple juice along with water to enjoy as we floating around taking in the view. The weather was perfect, tank top and jeans weather, and the views of the vineyards and mountains were absolutely breathtaking!! The balloon ride lasted about 45 minutes which was just enough to take tons of pictures and enjoy the ride. We landed smoothly and were taken back to the winery in a "party bus" (complete with laser lights and a stripper pole, too funny!!) and were greeted back at the winery with cheesecake, grapes and champagne. We chatted with other couples and staff before heading off to Mantra for the best Indian food I've ever had in my entire life. All in all a 5-star experience, I would highly recommend Sunrise Balloons for an awesome experience. Very romantic, fun and memorable. Sorry to hear that others weren't as lucky with weather/scheduling. I can only speak from my own experience which was once in a lifetime! read more

Marcus was our photographer, Phil was our pilot, and we had a blast! We were obviously placed in the "couples" balloon, with 5 other couples (it's tight, but we had a great view from every position, so no complaints). Our balloon-for-the-day was Lady Gaga, said to be the largest in Temecula. We arrived at the winery just before sunrise, and were pleased to see that we weren't the only early-birds, and no one arrived late, so we were able to take off on time. While we waited for the balloons to fill, we were pacified with mimosas, coffee, and cinnamon rolls. Tips: wear jeans and comfortable shoes, make sure to use the restroom just before take-off, stay hydrated, and bring your camera for some shots from the balloon. The photographer is great at chasing the balloon on the ground. but it's nice to have some of your own shots from 2,000ft. The views are AMAZING when the weather is nice, and I was surprised by how quiet it is up there, aside from an occasional blast of fire! If you're a bit taller than average, I'd suggest wearing a hat so as not to burn your head. Also, go with someone you really like. This is NOT a first-date activity and your company really makes the trip special. We enjoyed champagne, water, cheese, crackers, and apples in the air, and our pilot landed the balloon gently at about an hour and 15min into the trip. We were shuttled back to the winery on a party bus and upon arrival we were served cake and relaxed while looking out at the scenery. All in all, an amazing day, and we were back in SD by 10:30am! Would definitely suggest to friends. read more