Any recommendations for accommodation Paris, London, Venice

[wylie]

Thanks for the tips. I really appreciate it. My head spins if I have to start from absolute scratch so it is good to have a start point.

We are looking at going end of August to middle September. It appears to be the end of the peak season. One site said end of September is even cheaper due to being that little bit more past the peak (or something like that) but we want to be away for our 25th anniversay, early September.

I agree about getting a little excited just looking on the net. I feels real. Hubby has been talking about this since our 24th anniversary, and once we are gone I will enjoy it, but I cannot help but wonder how the boys will get on and our little old poodle, who sits by the door if I go out for five minutes. I think hubby's mother will come to babysit (more the dog than the boys ). I just wish I could tell the poodle that we WILL come back, and he doesn't need to sit beside the front door for three weeks .

Now to get back to some of those sites, thank you again....

 

[bluestorm]

Out of curiosity I just did a search on hotels.com for five people the ages we would have been Christmas 2009 and the first hit was $11,255. There are dearer ones and cheaper ones. We wanted one step above "fleabag" to keep the cost down, but the major issue was that not ONE place could we find to allow us all into one room. We had to take two rooms, which was stupidly expensive, and we decided to stay home .

I have to say, I'm really not sure where you are looking. Why do you need one room (most don't have rooms to fit 5 people), so you must be looking at the executive suites or presidential rooms, or something for that price for 10nights.

2 rooms (one for 2 people and the other for 3), will cost your far less. Man, I can get a $500/night room in a 5 star hotel. In a nice 3 star, you could easily pay $3000 for 10 nights for 5 people, even in peak season ($150/night/room), is still in the mid range.

Work on your research a bit I think.

 

[BV]

Out of curiosity I just did a search on hotels.com for five people the ages we would have been Christmas 2009 and the first hit was $11,255. There are dearer ones and cheaper ones. We wanted one step above "fleabag" to keep the cost down, but the major issue was that not ONE place could we find to allow us all into one room. We had to take two rooms, which was stupidly expensive, and we decided to stay home

Wylie

Its tricky finding budget accommodation for 5 people, we did it last year with 3 teenage kids.
We found etap hotels good because they had rooms with 3 beds, basic accommodation but ok for a few nights. breakfast is not included but it isn't expensive.

In some places we rented 2 bedroom apartments.
Have a play with the websites and see which search engine you like better.

Some will allow you to search for particular types of accommodation, such as apartments and bed n breakfast

cheers

 

[ldriver]

We haven't travelled for a while, so I'm not sure if our hotels will still be appropriate.

We tend to be speedy travellers, so a week in Paris/London sound ok, and a week in Venice a bit long- I'd split it with another town in Tuscany- the train system is fab!

I love Paris- its a fantastic city with good public transport, and beautiful places to wander through. Make sure you do a rooftop bar- we went to the one on top of Samaritaine Department Store , but it now appears to be closed for redevelopment.
A new one has opened in Galeries Lafayette looks beautiful..

http://www.gogoparis.com/2010/07/20/galeries-lafayette-rooftop-restaurant-la-terrasse/

Have a great trip!

 

[wylie]

Thanks everyone. One thing I would like to hear is something ldriver mentioned.... how much time is about "right".

I know when we went to the US, we had three nights in San Francisco and could easily have stayed longer. The time in LA was probably a bit too long. Three days at Disneyland was one day too long. Had I known, I would have had two more nights in SF and two less in LA.

Our son had ten days in New York recently and said he could have easily had double that, but he is a New York kind of guy .

I have found a little three square flat right in the centre of Paris for around $700 a week and, whilst small, I can throw some washing on and get it dry, and we can cook if we want to. My first house was 7 squares, so I know how tiny three squares will be but we are only going to sleep there.

My other learning curve on the US trip was to pack, take half out, take half out again, and then pare it down even further. We took waaaaaaay too much to the US (even though it was like our winter) and ended up re-organising cases so that we just didn't open two bags at all. I am embarrassed to say that five of us took a case each .

Our very well travelled neighbours try to travel if they can with a carry on bag only. I'm going to try to get us both into one suitcase and one carry on bag (just re-read that and realised it sounds like WE will be in the bags.

On the US trip our (then) 17 year old took a pair of jeans and t-shirt for every day and enough socks and jocks for every day, plus jumpers, choice of shoes. Ahhhh.... live and learn.

 

[wylie]

Just googled "budget rooms New York" and found some MUCH cheaper accommodation. I must be having a "seniors moment" and perhaps got that $10K wrong, but I know the accommodation cost was one of the factors that made us re-think.

I am also nervous about buying tickets and find the price falls tomorrow .

When we looked at booking to New York in about January 2009 for December 2009, it was around $2,400 each. By the time our son booked several months later for travel in October 2009, he paid $1250.

I was told yesterday by a travel agent that "airfares NEVER go down". What a lot of rubbish. I told her about my New York airfare experience, and she said "well madam, once you get to about six months prior to travel, they NEVER go down".

I think I will book soonish so that we have something booked in. I called yesterday because flight centre advert stated $1016 to Paris. When I called, I was told cheapest Brisbane/Paris is around $1,300 and that really cheap price is from Perth. There is nothing I can see (or a pilot friend who checked it too) saying that, so I find that misleading and annoying and will not book through flight centre, especially after being called "Madam" in such a condescending tone .

I'll probably book direct on the net. I will check first if travel insurance will cover the cost of a trip having to be canceled (cheap tickets cannot be changed) due to illness or something. Had we booked to NY when we wanted to go, we would have had to cancel because my mother was diagnosed in October and passed away in January. I don't know whether insurance would have covered that, but either way, there is no way we would have left Brisbane. I suppose I need to decide whether to pay more and have more flexibility. You never know what can happen.

 

[bluestorm]

When we looked at booking to New York in about January 2009 for December 2009, it was around $2,400 each. By the time our son booked several months later for travel in October 2009, he paid $1250.

I was told yesterday by a travel agent that "airfares NEVER go down". What a lot of rubbish.

For peak season travel to popular destinations, they a probably correct to some extent. They can be cheaper for early birds, and then get dearer as the peak season gets closer.
Also, don't forget, in Jan 2009, the dollar hit a low of $0.65c USD, then up to $0.80 by June.
For Europe, think about flying into one city, and out of another. Eg, into London, and then back home from Rome. Saves you 2 one way domestic flights, and a days travel in getting back to the same city you started.

 

[wylie]

For Europe, think about flying into one city, and out of another. Eg, into London, and then back home from Rome. Saves you 2 one way domestic flights, and a days travel in getting back to the same city you started.

This is something I plan on looking at. I would prefer to save that internal travel time, thanks for the tip.

 

[buckerooni]

the lonely planet's travel forum is also great for tips/itineries - www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa

Getting out of the big cities will also give you a different, more personal experience too.

I'm a slow traveller, more time in less places is my tip. A big city needs at least 2-3 days.

Other big cities of note: Berlin and Amsterdam, both truly fantastic.

take a small compass!

 

[Aaron Sice]

please be careful in Paris - especially in the trendier Latin Quarter, any metro station, popular international takeaway venues and around your tourist attractions.

there are a lot of reports coming back about tourists being targeted more than ever. the GFC has hit Paris hard, along with their very high immigration population.

don't walk around with your camera around your neck. avoid the dorky backback or bumbag as well. you want to minimise your beacon as a tourist.

other than that - have fun

 

[MFG]

been to all 3 places last Sept.

booked them all thru expedia.com.au

i dont trust lonely planet and similar for food recommendation. use google map to plan ahead. - street view is wonderful

v gd experiences.
scott

 

[pennyk]

If you are happy with budget accommodation in London, I stayed at http://www.grapevinehotel.com/ . I only had a single room. It was tiny and up a load of stairs, but had an ensuite. The location however is fantastic. Just a short walk to Victoria station and within walking distance of Buck Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square etc etc. and it is cheap!! just remember the rooms are tiny and the stairs are steep...

Also worth getting is the London Pass (I think there is a similar one for Paris). This gives you entrance into all the main tourist attractions. The big advantage though is that you don't need to queue up for tickets. It also includes all tube fares etc.
I also used the LondonTown website to find accommodation etc.
Have fun planning!

 

[BV]

I'll probably book direct on the net

I've used webjet.com.au and zuji.com.au many times without any problem and paid with my visa which includes free travel insurance.

I like zuji best because they have the option to tick flexible days which then shows you a whole week around your travel days and the price for each day so you choose to fly on the cheaper days.

 

[Bigtone]

Hôtel Régence Etoile

Stayed in this place in Paris, pretty cheap and close to underground station (50m) and the arc 100m and champs 250m, some nice cafe's and pubs close by as well.

in london we booked in to a dive (dirty and noisy and 80's decor) and after a couple of nights said stuff it and moved to the dorchester for a bit of a spoil b4 going home!

 

[Aaron Sice]

London - if you want simple, i like the St Pauls YMCA.

 

[wylie]

I'm a bit nervous about having NO french language at all. I will make an effort to learn the basic things I need (coffee, toilet, etc).

Friends who went recently said that most people do speak English and to make sure that they know we are Australian because they are more helpful to Australians than the English. Not sure about Americans?

 

[bluestorm]

I'm a bit nervous about having NO french language at all. I will make an effort to learn the basic things I need (coffee, toilet, etc).

Friends who went recently said that most people do speak English and to make sure that they know we are Australian because they are more helpful to Australians than the English. Not sure about Americans?

Unless your going out of the way into some small French towns, most people know English. Same as most of the world. Unless your going way off the beaten track, most people know English.

Toilet is easy. Just do the universal pee action and cross your legs Worked when I was driving in southern Jordan, and needing a toilet at an out of the way servo.

Whatever you don't know, you'll quickly pick up while your there. Like "Supresso" in Italian. That's "cancelled", when the workers go on one of their strikes, and trains stop running.

 

[Fudge]

If your going to do Venice, then you might as well do Rome and Florence in Italy as well.

I think Wylie, you should concentrate on the 3 cities you want to do. If in Italy, depending on your taste, there is soo much more to see and do.

Spending some time in the steepest city in Italy....Positana is beuatiful. Have been to all the touristic cities around Italy over 4 visits now, and do recommend them (i.e. Venice, Pisa, Florence, Pompei, Rome, (even Crete), but would have to say that the gereat stuff is off the beaten track (for instance, in Tuscanny, there is a fantasic place outside of Pongibonsi caleed San Gimanano (Spelling not right though). Fantastic place. Great area for wine, chesses and olives.

F

 

[Fudge]

I'm a bit nervous about having NO french language at all. I will make an effort to learn the basic things I need (coffee, toilet, etc).

Friends who went recently said that most people do speak English and to make sure that they know we are Australian because they are more helpful to Australians than the English. Not sure about Americans?

Don't know if there are any Yanks threaded to this, but on my travels, I have know some American travellers stitching Canadian patches to their backpacks, so they dont get hassled (or annoyed).

F

 

[wylie]

I have been toying with "does hubby's mother come and stay or not?".

She came last September when we had a week away. Youngest was 14 and when we go he will be 15, but he has just (again!!!!) walked out the door and left it wide open .

I said to him upstairs, "don't forget to close the door". "Yeah, yeah " is his regular reply.

He had to walk through one room, down the stairs and in that time he forgot to close the bloody door.

Oldest will not be living here and the other two have threatened mutiny if she comes, but, honestly, I could not relax if there was not somebody here to follow him around and close the bloody door when he pops here and there, sheesh!!!.

He is a lovely, fun kid, but his head is full of sawdust, I swear!!!