Samantha Kane
Google
We booked tickets for the Accademia Gallery through Get Your Guide, whose local partner for this is Italy Pass tours. We were told to meet the guide at a certain time, in a certain spot ("the guide will be easy to spot and will be carrying an 'Italy Pass tours' sign"). After waiting for half an hour and walking up and down the street twice, we finally located the "Italy Pass tours" sign buried in a shrub with no guide present, down the road from the meeting spot. By this time, our entrance time had passed and so the guide simply dismissed us.
We were in communication with Get Your Guide this whole time, and continued to deal with their support team afterwards. Our request for a refund was initially refused as we were told we were in the wrong spot, and it was our fault we were late. However, what we discovered was that the company amended the meeting instructions after the fact, and tried to say that it was us who got it wrong! A crazy level of deception from a tour company, and they may have gotten away with it if I hadn't had receipts (~10 screenshots of the original instructions and my conversation with the support team).
After pushing back I got the refund, but I would never knowingly book with Italy Pass tours again. We also spoke to another couple that same day who had the same experience as us at Accademia Gallery, so unfortunately it is very common for the guide to not turn up, or be in a completely different place than stated.