Hello everyone, I’m starting to prepare for our 3 week long trip through Egypt in the beginning of April. I was hoping that perhaps someone could recommend a good (clean, with A/C, centraly located) and hopefully decently cheap hotel in Cairo.  I estimated the budget to be around 50USD per night. Can I get a good place for this (or lower) price? Also, if you have any links with a website where I could check out some Cairo hotels and perhaps make reservations (for at least first 2 nights) it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance. I’d greatly appreciate any advices and recommendations. Best regards, Alan D.

Response:

>I’m starting to prepare for our 3 week long trip through Egypt in the >beginning of April. I was hoping that perhaps someone could recommend a good >(clean, with A/C, centraly located) and hopefully decently cheap hotel in >Cairo.  I estimated the budget to be around 50USD per night. Can I get a >good place for this (or lower) price? Also, if you have any links with a >website where I could check out some Cairo hotels and perhaps make >reservations (for at least first 2 nights) it would be greatly appreciated. >Thank you all in advance. I’d greatly appreciate any advices and >recommendations.

Alan, there are lots of reasonable and partly very cheap hotels. I would even say that a reservation is not needed, unless you arrive in the middle of the night. Last time I arrived in Cairo, I just took a taxi and found myself a hotel. Be aware that the taxi drivers always try to take you to their friends’ and relatives’ hotels. I always resist that and simply tell the driver where to drive and where to turn. You can do that without any planning, though a map and a GPS helps. Can anybody else confirm this? Hans-Georg — No mail, please.

Response:

Hi Hans and hello to everyone (one more time =) Thanks for your reply. As a matter of fact I would like to make a reservation because we will arrive in Cairo after midnight, so I’d prefer just to catch a taxi and tell a driver my destination without having to worry which hotel to choose. I’d greatly appreciate if anyone has some recommendations. Thanks in advance. Best regards, Alan D.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I’m starting to prepare for our 3 week long trip through Egypt in the >beginning of April. I was hoping that perhaps someone could recommend a good >(clean, with A/C, centraly located) and hopefully decently cheap hotel in >Cairo.  I estimated the budget to be around 50USD per night. Can I get a >good place for this (or lower) price? Also, if you have any links with a >website where I could check out some Cairo hotels and perhaps make >reservations (for at least first 2 nights) it would be greatly appreciated. >Thank you all in advance. I’d greatly appreciate any advices and >recommendations. > Alan, > there are lots of reasonable and partly very cheap hotels. I > would even say that a reservation is not needed, unless you > arrive in the middle of the night. Last time I arrived in Cairo, > I just took a taxi and found myself a hotel. > Be aware that the taxi drivers always try to take you to their > friends’ and relatives’ hotels. I always resist that and simply > tell the driver where to drive and where to turn. You can do > that without any planning, though a map and a GPS helps. > Can anybody else confirm this? > Hans-Georg > — > No mail, please.

Response:

>Hi Hans and hello to everyone (one more time =) >Thanks for your reply. As a matter of fact I would like to make a >reservation because we will arrive in Cairo after midnight, so I’d prefer >just to catch a taxi and tell a driver my destination without having to >worry which hotel to choose. I’d greatly appreciate if anyone has some >recommendations. Thanks in advance.

Alan, yes, in this case it’s probably better to choose a somewhat more expensive hotel where somebody is at the reception through the night. Planes can be late too. Hans-Georg — No mail, please.

Response:

> Hi Hans and hello to everyone (one more time =) > Thanks for your reply. As a matter of fact I would like to make a > reservation because we will arrive in Cairo after midnight, so I’d prefer > just to catch a taxi and tell a driver my destination without having to > worry which hotel to choose. I’d greatly appreciate if anyone has some > recommendations. Thanks in advance. > Best regards, > Alan D.

Alan, I stayed at the Windsor Hotel which is pretty close to downtown and is fairly cheap. It’s the hotel where Michael Palin stayed at in ‘Around the World…’ . It’s certainly got character!!  This could mean that  it may not be what you want. I liked it but I would definitely rate it a solid two stars (the bar alone gets one star IMHO). If you like resort type accommodation then this is not the place. The hotel is basically an old mens club and the rooms are "unique" (some big, some small, no rhyme or reason). Don’t know whether they have AC or not. I was there in January and it got cool enough at night. Most of the flights from Europe arrive late in the evening so all hotels are used to late arrivals… I wouldn’t worry about that. The Windsor definitely has a night doorman and better yet, it’s own web-site:         http://www.windsorcairo.com/mainpage.htm The bar is amazing and I recommend Stella Export (Stella is the local brand of beer). The one big caveat about Cairo: all the drivers HONK… all the time… whether they need to or not. Colin

Response:

> Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day). > I wonder if you are referring to the science museum, that has some nice > models of Leonardo’s machines. The idea was nice, but when I last > visited it (ten years ago or so) it was badly in need of maintenance. I > hope things have got better, but I don’t know.

This is the one I was thinking of: http://www.museoscienza.org/ the web site makes it look interesting, but I can’t figure out from the site exactly where it is. Is it within walking distance from the city centre ? I’m also planning to check out what is on at La Scala once I know my dates and then figure out if I can book tickets over the internet.

Response:

> > Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day). > I wonder if you are referring to the science museum, that has some nice > models of Leonardo’s machines. The idea was nice, but when I last > visited it (ten years ago or so) it was badly in need of maintenance. I > hope things have got better, but I don’t know.

I am always surprised at the state of museums in Italy.  I don’t believe it is money — but point of view.  You can go into a room in a major Roman museum filled with busts of emperors and find them unlabeled — this is a project that could be accomplished by a high school art history class if anyone cared. It is common to find little descriptive material with exhibits.  In Naples the main archological museum has frescos from Pompeii with full sunlight streaming in on them and everything is filthy and disorganized.

Response:

> I use Milan as departure and arrival city many times.  Because of that, the > station area is the only area I see most of the time, and I don’t think it > is all that seedy.  Unlike some other big city station areas, it is wide > open, surrounded with pleasant businesses.  Milan is a business city and > unemployment is low.  The groups you see are very likely not robbers or > rapists or anyone to worry about.  Italians spend more time in the streets > everywhere.  If you are approached, for any reason, just say no. > The station can connect you to lots of nearby areas, such as Como, which is > only an hour away.  The Galleria is a nice visit, a gathering place and one > of the first covered shopping malls in the world. Nice shops, cafes.

Well, the Centrale area is really a bit seedy, as most station areas seem to be everywhere. And if I have to spend some time in the street (I am writing this lines from Milan) I prefer the zone around the Duomo. Still, there are seedier places in the world than the Centrale area, and you don’t have to dwell there as few minutes by subway will bring you in nicer places.

Response:

seedy neighborhood ? Is it dangerous or just a few ‘ladies of > the night’ wandering around. > I was there New Year’s Eve & the area around the Train Station was > pretty seedy.  There were a lot of shady men in groups hanging around > and people getting drunk

I use Milan as departure and arrival city many times.  Because of that, the station area is the only area I see most of the time, and I don’t think it is all that seedy.  Unlike some other big city station areas, it is wide open, surrounded with pleasant businesses.  Milan is a business city and unemployment is low.  The groups you see are very likely not robbers or rapists or anyone to worry about.  Italians spend more time in the streets everywhere.  If you are approached, for any reason, just say no. The station can connect you to lots of nearby areas, such as Como, which is only an hour away.  The Galleria is a nice visit, a gathering place and one of the first covered shopping malls in the world. Nice shops, cafes.

Response:

> Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day).

I wonder if you are referring to the science museum, that has some nice models of Leonardo’s machines. The idea was nice, but when I last visited it (ten years ago or so) it was badly in need of maintenance. I hope things have got better, but I don’t know.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Milan: > Hotel Ada (70 Euro) – This hotel is not in any guidebook.  I found it > through a posting.  It is a 1 star hotel but seem more like a 2 or 3 > star hotel.  It was clean and has modern bathroom, TV, large room, > etc. The only problem is it is right across the street from Milan > Stazione Centrale (train station) so it is in a seedy neighborhood (I > found it seedier than Rome Termini).  If you don’t mind being near the > train station & more concerned with price, it is a great hotel with > easy access to major train station, and metro (only 4 stops to Duomo), > and right across the street from the shuttle bus to the Malpensa > airport. > I may need to go to Milan soon and that seems like a bargin price for a > reasonable hotel.I might stay a bit longer and tack a day or so holiday onto > a business trip (although I hadn’t really thought of Milan as a tourist > venue). > How bad is the seedy neighborhood ? Is it dangerous or just a few ‘ladies of > the night’ wandering around. > Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day).

I was there New Year’s Eve & the area around the Train Station was pretty seedy.  There were a lot of shady men in groups hanging around and people getting drunk.  Not sure if it’s normally like that or if it was because it was New Year’s Eve.  It depends on how thick of a skin you have.  I imagine it can be pretty scary for a single female traveling alone but I’m a city girl so it doesn’t bother me as much as it would some other people.  There were many cops around & people walking around the station.  I would not recommend walking in that neighborhood after dark alone.  If you get back at a reasonable time, I think it should be OK. In order to get to the musuem with the ‘Last Supper’, you have to make reservation in advance.  We tried to make reservation on phone but the line was always busy so we did not go.  We only spent a night in Milan so we saw the Duomo & the fort.  Aside from those items & the musuems, I did not find Milan to be a great city to visit.  We liked Rome & Florence much better.

Response:

> Milan: > Hotel Ada (70 Euro) – This hotel is not in any guidebook.  I found it > through a posting.  It is a 1 star hotel but seem more like a 2 or 3 > star hotel.  It was clean and has modern bathroom, TV, large room, > etc. The only problem is it is right across the street from Milan > Stazione Centrale (train station) so it is in a seedy neighborhood (I > found it seedier than Rome Termini).  If you don’t mind being near the > train station & more concerned with price, it is a great hotel with > easy access to major train station, and metro (only 4 stops to Duomo), > and right across the street from the shuttle bus to the Malpensa > airport.

I may need to go to Milan soon and that seems like a bargin price for a reasonable hotel.I might stay a bit longer and tack a day or so holiday onto a business trip (although I hadn’t really thought of Milan as a tourist venue). How bad is the seedy neighborhood ? Is it dangerous or just a few ‘ladies of the night’ wandering around. Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible spare day (or half day).

Response:

Here are the budget hotels we stayed at in Italy & the prices.  We spent weeks shopping for good budget hotels & were pleased with all the places we choose.  Note, that these prices reflect December pricing and will be higher in peak summer months. Rome: Hotel Continentale (57 Euro).  This is a good place 4-5 blocks North West from Termini.  There are 4 hotels with the same address as Hotel Continentale’s so it is confusing.  Hotel Contintentale, Hotel Positani, Hotel Romanae & Italy B&B are all on 49 Palestro.  I booked with ItalyB&B online but winded up in Hotel Continentale.  I don’t know about the 3 other hotels there but Continentale was great.  For the price we paid, it worth it – you can’t get anything less than 57 Euro for private bath.  Not only did we have a private bath but we had a mini-apartment complete with small kitchen, hallway, TV, private bathroom (small).  The rooms were very simply-furnished and plain but large & clean.  I think we were able to negotiate the price because it was non-peak season but I am sure they can charge double in the summer time.   The only small problem was that the shower drain was a little clogged so we couldn’t take showers long showers or the water would flow into the kitchen – it was not a big deal for us… The bathroom was small but that is typical for Europe.  We found the neighborhood not too bad and close to many good cheap restaurants. Florence: Il Perseo (93 Euro).  This place is right near the Duomo and very convenient location between the train station and the Duomo.  The rooms are very nice & cozy but a bit small for 2 people but it was not a big deal.  The other rooms were a little bigger.  The rooms were clean.  Each has private terrace, private bathroom & is very charming & nicely furnished.  This hotel included  breakfast (it was decent with tea, juice, coffee with rolls, croissants, cereal) It was a little more than what we wanted to pay for a hotel but we were not able to find anything else available in Florence for less. Milan: Hotel Ada (70 Euro) – This hotel is not in any guidebook.  I found it through a posting.  It is a 1 star hotel but seem more like a 2 or 3 star hotel.  It was clean and has modern bathroom, TV, large room, etc. The only problem is it is right across the street from Milan Stazione Centrale (train station) so it is in a seedy neighborhood (I found it seedier than Rome Termini).  If you don’t mind being near the train station & more concerned with price, it is a great hotel with easy access to major train station, and metro (only 4 stops to Duomo), and right across the street from the shuttle bus to the Malpensa airport. I flew Allitalia and would not recommend it.  Their service was not very good and they are completely disorganized! Let me know if you have any questions! Italy is a great place!

Response:

Here are the budget hotels we stayed at in Italy & the prices.  We spent weeks shopping for good budget hotels & were pleased with all the places we choose.  Note, that these prices reflect December pricing and will be higher in peak summer months. Rome: Hotel Continentale (57 Euro).  This is a good place 4-5 blocks North West from Termini.  There are 4 hotels with the same address as Hotel Continentale’s so it is confusing.  Hotel Contintentale, Hotel Positani, Hotel Romanae & Italy B&B are all on 49 Palestro.  I booked with ItalyB&B online but winded up in Hotel Continentale.  I don’t know about the 3 other hotels there but Continentale was great.  For the price we paid, it worth it – you can’t get anything less than 57 Euro for private bath.  Not only did we have a private bath but we had a mini-apartment complete with small kitchen, hallway, TV, private bathroom (small).  The rooms were very simply-furnished and plain but large & clean.  I think we were able to negotiate the price because it was non-peak season but I am sure they can charge double in the summer time.   The only small problem was that the shower drain was a little clogged so we couldn’t take showers long showers or the water would flow into the kitchen – it was not a big deal for us… The bathroom was small but that is typical for Europe.  We found the neighborhood not too bad and close to many good cheap restaurants. Florence: Il Perseo (93 Euro).  This place is right near the Duomo and very convenient location between the train station and the Duomo.  The rooms are very nice & cozy but a bit small for 2 people but it was not a big deal.  The other rooms were a little bigger.  The rooms were clean.  Each has private terrace, private bathroom & is very charming & nicely furnished.  This hotel included  breakfast (it was decent with tea, juice, coffee with rolls, croissants, cereal) It was a little more than what we wanted to pay for a hotel but we were not able to find anything else available in Florence for less. Milan: Hotel Ada (70 Euro) – This hotel is not in any guidebook.  I found it through a posting.  It is a 1 star hotel but seem more like a 2 or 3 star hotel.  It was clean and has modern bathroom, TV, large room, etc. The only problem is it is right across the street from Milan Stazione Centrale (train station) so it is in a seedy neighborhood (I found it seedier than Rome Termini).  If you don’t mind being near the train station & more concerned with price, it is a great hotel with easy access to major train station, and metro (only 4 stops to Duomo), and right across the street from the shuttle bus to the Malpensa airport. I flew Allitalia and would not recommend it.  Their service was not very good and they are completely disorganized! Let me know if you have any questions! Italy is a great place!

Response:

> Milan: > Hotel Ada (70 Euro) – This hotel is not in any guidebook.  I found it > through a posting.  It is a 1 star hotel but seem more like a 2 or 3 > star hotel.  It was clean and has modern bathroom, TV, large room, > etc. The only problem is it is right across the street from Milan > Stazione Centrale (train station) so it is in a seedy neighborhood (I > found it seedier than Rome Termini).  If you don’t mind being near the > train station & more concerned with price, it is a great hotel with > easy access to major train station, and metro (only 4 stops to Duomo), > and right across the street from the shuttle bus to the Malpensa > airport.

I may need to go to Milan soon and that seems like a bargin price for a reasonable hotel.I might stay a bit longer and tack a day or so holiday onto a business trip (although I hadn’t really thought of Milan as a tourist venue). How bad is the seedy neighborhood ? Is it dangerous or just a few ‘ladies of the night’ wandering around. Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible spare day (or half day).

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Milan: > Hotel Ada (70 Euro) – This hotel is not in any guidebook.  I found it > through a posting.  It is a 1 star hotel but seem more like a 2 or 3 > star hotel.  It was clean and has modern bathroom, TV, large room, > etc. The only problem is it is right across the street from Milan > Stazione Centrale (train station) so it is in a seedy neighborhood (I > found it seedier than Rome Termini).  If you don’t mind being near the > train station & more concerned with price, it is a great hotel with > easy access to major train station, and metro (only 4 stops to Duomo), > and right across the street from the shuttle bus to the Malpensa > airport. > I may need to go to Milan soon and that seems like a bargin price for a > reasonable hotel.I might stay a bit longer and tack a day or so holiday onto > a business trip (although I hadn’t really thought of Milan as a tourist > venue). > How bad is the seedy neighborhood ? Is it dangerous or just a few ‘ladies of > the night’ wandering around. > Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day).

I was there New Year’s Eve & the area around the Train Station was pretty seedy.  There were a lot of shady men in groups hanging around and people getting drunk.  Not sure if it’s normally like that or if it was because it was New Year’s Eve.  It depends on how thick of a skin you have.  I imagine it can be pretty scary for a single female traveling alone but I’m a city girl so it doesn’t bother me as much as it would some other people.  There were many cops around & people walking around the station.  I would not recommend walking in that neighborhood after dark alone.  If you get back at a reasonable time, I think it should be OK. In order to get to the musuem with the ‘Last Supper’, you have to make reservation in advance.  We tried to make reservation on phone but the line was always busy so we did not go.  We only spent a night in Milan so we saw the Duomo & the fort.  Aside from those items & the musuems, I did not find Milan to be a great city to visit.  We liked Rome & Florence much better.

Response:

seedy neighborhood ? Is it dangerous or just a few ‘ladies of > the night’ wandering around. > I was there New Year’s Eve & the area around the Train Station was > pretty seedy.  There were a lot of shady men in groups hanging around > and people getting drunk

I use Milan as departure and arrival city many times.  Because of that, the station area is the only area I see most of the time, and I don’t think it is all that seedy.  Unlike some other big city station areas, it is wide open, surrounded with pleasant businesses.  Milan is a business city and unemployment is low.  The groups you see are very likely not robbers or rapists or anyone to worry about.  Italians spend more time in the streets everywhere.  If you are approached, for any reason, just say no. The station can connect you to lots of nearby areas, such as Como, which is only an hour away.  The Galleria is a nice visit, a gathering place and one of the first covered shopping malls in the world. Nice shops, cafes.

Response:

> Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day).

I wonder if you are referring to the science museum, that has some nice models of Leonardo’s machines. The idea was nice, but when I last visited it (ten years ago or so) it was badly in need of maintenance. I hope things have got better, but I don’t know.

Response:

> I use Milan as departure and arrival city many times.  Because of that, the > station area is the only area I see most of the time, and I don’t think it > is all that seedy.  Unlike some other big city station areas, it is wide > open, surrounded with pleasant businesses.  Milan is a business city and > unemployment is low.  The groups you see are very likely not robbers or > rapists or anyone to worry about.  Italians spend more time in the streets > everywhere.  If you are approached, for any reason, just say no. > The station can connect you to lots of nearby areas, such as Como, which is > only an hour away.  The Galleria is a nice visit, a gathering place and one > of the first covered shopping malls in the world. Nice shops, cafes.

Well, the Centrale area is really a bit seedy, as most station areas seem to be everywhere. And if I have to spend some time in the street (I am writing this lines from Milan) I prefer the zone around the Duomo. Still, there are seedier places in the world than the Centrale area, and you don’t have to dwell there as few minutes by subway will bring you in nicer places.

Response:

> > Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day). > I wonder if you are referring to the science museum, that has some nice > models of Leonardo’s machines. The idea was nice, but when I last > visited it (ten years ago or so) it was badly in need of maintenance. I > hope things have got better, but I don’t know.

I am always surprised at the state of museums in Italy.  I don’t believe it is money — but point of view.  You can go into a room in a major Roman museum filled with busts of emperors and find them unlabeled — this is a project that could be accomplished by a high school art history class if anyone cared. It is common to find little descriptive material with exhibits.  In Naples the main archological museum has frescos from Pompeii with full sunlight streaming in on them and everything is filthy and disorganized.

Response:

> Also did you make it to the Leonardo di Vinci museum in/near Milan ? If so > is it worth a visit ? Any recomendations for things to do with a possible > spare day (or half day). > I wonder if you are referring to the science museum, that has some nice > models of Leonardo’s machines. The idea was nice, but when I last > visited it (ten years ago or so) it was badly in need of maintenance. I > hope things have got better, but I don’t know.

This is the one I was thinking of: http://www.museoscienza.org/ the web site makes it look interesting, but I can’t figure out from the site exactly where it is. Is it within walking distance from the city centre ? I’m also planning to check out what is on at La Scala once I know my dates and then figure out if I can book tickets over the internet.

Response:

We’re going to Europe in June and will be spending a little time in Amsterdam. Reasonable hotel recommendations? How do we get from Amsterdam back to London by rail?   Seems it’d be best to get to Brussells and then Eurostar to London? Any advice would be appreciated. G., Atlanta, Ga.

Response:

> We’re going to Europe in June and will be spending a little time in > Amsterdam. > Reasonable hotel recommendations? > How do we get from Amsterdam back to London by rail?   Seems it’d be best to > get to Brussells and then Eurostar to London? > Any advice would be appreciated. > G., Atlanta, Ga.

The Eurostar is by rail the best option I think (London Waterloo Station). Or you can take a train from Amsterdam to Hoek van Holland, where you can take a ferry to Harwhich and a train to London. (Liverpool Str Station). For hotels it

You could start by purchasing a condominium in a reputable building and work up from there.   You could still rent it out,  but the risk in having someone not cut the grass or clean the pool is alleviated.   As you become more familiar with the rental market in the area you could upgrade to a detached property. Good luck, David – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello, > My wife and I are contemplating buying a vacation home near Naples, Florida. > We are Belgian citizens and have our main residence in Belgium, where we > both have our full time jobs. We would like to buy a place in Florida in > order to enjoy the benign climate and "park" our money into some real > estate. The idea would be to spend a couple of weeks per year and Naples and > try to rent out the place to vacationers the rest of the year. We have found > a couple of single family detached homes that fall within our budget limits > and seem to have the amenities we are looking for. > However, we have been talking to fellow Europeans who have undertaken the > same venture. Their experiences were, in general, negative. Basically they > had the following gripes: > 1. Given the 8,000 miles between sunny Florida and dreary Belgium, all of > them had to rely on a property management firm to handle the issues that are > inherent to a vacation home. However, most of these property management > firms seem to have a rather questionable reputation when it comes to ethics. > One former owner told me about $100 per month charges for maintaining the > lawn, only to find the grass 3 feet high when he arrived unannounced at his > vacation home. Another guy told me a similar story but this time with the > pool maintenance being the issue. Still another former owner had been ripped > off by the property management business, which rented out the house at an > actual $900 per week, but claimed to the owner they only got $500. I guess > you get the gist by now. Apparently, it is very difficult to find a > reliability property management firm, which does not fill its own pockets on > the gullible foreign owner’s account. > 2. The second routinely mentioned problem is with the overall quality of the > houses. Apparently the way of building a house in the USA differs sharply > from what is done here in Europe. The real estate brokers claim a home in > Naples is a sound investment, with a project annual appreciation of 10%. > However, according to those former owners, the problem is that general light > design of the house (concrete bricks, simple roof, etc…) is something that > we Europeans are very unfamiliar with. As such, repairs are required on a > frequent basis, bringing along additional costs. The projected 10% annual > appreciation is subsequently severely reduced as a result of these expenses. > Anyone want to chime in on this? > 3. Finally there is the issue of short term rental wear and tear. I > understand that renters are not particularly careful with furniture, > fittings, etc… Still as a home owner, you need to supply a vacation home > which is in top notch condition, year after year. Again, considerable > expenses are needed in this respect. The alternative would be not to rent > out the home to others. But then again, some people have told me that a home > which is vacant for 48 weeks per year, deteriorates rapidly as well. > Given all the rather negative feedback we have received so far, we are > pretty reluctant to pour our money into the Florida vacation project. On the > other hand, somehow we still have this dream about owning a home in the USA > and being able to fly there whenever we feel like. > Are there people in this group which have owned or still own a vacation home > in Florida, yet live abroad? What are your experiences? Would you recommend > it to pour something like $250,000 into this, or would you rather suggest we > take our money elsewhere? > Thanks to all for the feedback. You can reply on this group, or email me > Regards, > Rik Gruwez > Brugge, Belgium

Response:

> Hello, > My wife and I are contemplating buying a vacation home near Naples, Florida. > We are Belgian citizens and have our main residence in Belgium, where we > both have our full time jobs. We would like to buy a place in Florida in > order to enjoy the benign climate and "park" our money into some real > estate. The idea would be to spend a couple of weeks per year and Naples and > try to rent out the place to vacationers the rest of the year. We have found > a couple of single family detached homes that fall within our budget limits > and seem to have the amenities we are looking for.

If you are only looking for a vacation (for yourselves) house.  I would suggest that you take a look at timeshares.  Instead of buying the "whole" house; you only buy one week’s worth.  You are not going to get the kind of appreciation that you would with a standard ownership; but there is a management company that handles all of the maintenance headaches.

Response:

> If you are only looking for a vacation (for yourselves) house.  I would > suggest > that you take a look at timeshares.  Instead of buying the "whole" house; > you > only buy one week’s worth.  You are not going to get the kind of > appreciation > that you would with a standard ownership; but there is a management company > that handles all of the maintenance headaches.

Haven’t ever tried the timeshare route myself, but they have a generally very bad reputation as a financial investment, and most consumer groups advise great caution in investing in any of them.

Response:

Why would you want to come to the U.S. – Brugge is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! But on your advice – If it were me – I would prefer to save the cash, investing it in some high return product and then joining with a hotel under their VIP membership. Otherwise – maybe this group can help you with more information regarding Florida – http://www.propertyrightsflorida.com Good Luck JAIL THE SUITS!      Eradicate  corporate and political criminals.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello, > My wife and I are contemplating buying a vacation home near Naples, Florida. > We are Belgian citizens and have our main residence in Belgium, where we > both have our full time jobs. We would like to buy a place in Florida in > order to enjoy the benign climate and "park" our money into some real > estate. The idea would be to spend a couple of weeks per year and Naples and > try to rent out the place to vacationers the rest of the year. We have found > a couple of single family detached homes that fall within our budget limits > and seem to have the amenities we are looking for. > However, we have been talking to fellow Europeans who have undertaken the > same venture. Their experiences were, in general, negative. Basically they > had the following gripes: > 1. Given the 8,000 miles between sunny Florida and dreary Belgium, all of > them had to rely on a property management firm to handle the issues that are > inherent to a vacation home. However, most of these property management > firms seem to have a rather questionable reputation when it comes to ethics. > One former owner told me about $100 per month charges for maintaining the > lawn, only to find the grass 3 feet high when he arrived unannounced at his > vacation home. Another guy told me a similar story but this time with the > pool maintenance being the issue. Still another former owner had been ripped > off by the property management business, which rented out the house at an > actual $900 per week, but claimed to the owner they only got $500. I guess > you get the gist by now. Apparently, it is very difficult to find a > reliability property management firm, which does not fill its own pockets on > the gullible foreign owner’s account. > 2. The second routinely mentioned problem is with the overall quality of the > houses. Apparently the way of building a house in the USA differs sharply > from what is done here in Europe. The real estate brokers claim a home in > Naples is a sound investment, with a project annual appreciation of 10%. > However, according to those former owners, the problem is that general light > design of the house (concrete bricks, simple roof, etc…) is something that > we Europeans are very unfamiliar with. As such, repairs are required on a > frequent basis, bringing along additional costs. The projected 10% annual > appreciation is subsequently severely reduced as a result of these expenses. > Anyone want to chime in on this? > 3. Finally there is the issue of short term rental wear and tear. I > understand that renters are not particularly careful with furniture, > fittings, etc… Still as a home owner, you need to supply a vacation home > which is in top notch condition, year after year. Again, considerable > expenses are needed in this respect. The alternative would be not to rent > out the home to others. But then again, some people have told me that a home > which is vacant for 48 weeks per year, deteriorates rapidly as well. > Given all the rather negative feedback we have received so far, we are > pretty reluctant to pour our money into the Florida vacation project. On the > other hand, somehow we still have this dream about owning a home in the USA > and being able to fly there whenever we feel like. > Are there people in this group which have owned or still own a vacation home > in Florida, yet live abroad? What are your experiences? Would you recommend > it to pour something like $250,000 into this, or would you rather suggest we > take our money elsewhere? > Thanks to all for the feedback. You can reply on this group, or email me > Regards, > Rik Gruwez > Brugge, Belgium

Response:

JAIL THE SUITS!      Eradicate  corporate and political criminals.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> If you are only looking for a vacation (for yourselves) house.  I would > suggest > that you take a look at timeshares.  Instead of buying the "whole" house; > you > only buy one week’s worth.  You are not going to get the kind of > appreciation > that you would with a standard ownership; but there is a management company > that handles all of the maintenance headaches. > Haven’t ever tried the timeshare route myself, but they have a generally > very bad reputation as a financial investment, and most consumer groups > advise great caution in investing in any of them.

That is exactly what we have heard as well – a well planned ’scamdal’.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> If you are only looking for a vacation (for yourselves) house.  I would > suggest > that you take a look at timeshares.  Instead of buying the "whole" house; > you > only buy one week’s worth.  You are not going to get the kind of > appreciation > that you would with a standard ownership; but there is a management company > that handles all of the maintenance headaches. > Haven’t ever tried the timeshare route myself, but they have a generally > very bad reputation as a financial investment, and most consumer groups > advise great caution in investing in any of them.

I wasn’t suggesting it as a financial investment. The O-P seemed to be looking for a vacation spot & was thinking about renting out the place for the rest of the year to help with costs.  My wife & I have a week (memorial day) at a TS here in Minnesota that we enjoy.  I WOULD suggest that he buy from a reseller – not the original sales company… Check out "timeshare" on ebay for a lot of listings.   My comment was that this would be easier than trying to be an absentee landlord. (& I ALSO know what kind of headaches THAT can be … we have a couple of houses that we rent; but they are close enough that we can handle all of the management stuff ourselves)

Response:

Also, I would question that 10% per year appreciation figure.  Naples has seen some drastic appreciation in the past couple of years, and I wonder how far back they go to get the 10% number.  At that rate, a $200,000 home doubles in about nine years.  That is not going to go on forever. John Waldron http://www.ushomeloan.com/ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Why would you want to come to the U.S. – Brugge is one of the most beautiful > cities in the world! > But on your advice – If it were me – I would prefer to save the cash, > investing it in some high return product and then joining with a hotel under > their VIP membership. > Otherwise – maybe this group can help you with more information regarding > Florida – http://www.propertyrightsflorida.com > Good Luck > JAIL THE SUITS!      Eradicate  corporate and political criminals. > Hello, > My wife and I are contemplating buying a vacation home near Naples, >  Florida. > We are Belgian citizens and have our main residence in Belgium, where we > both have our full time jobs. We would like to buy a place in Florida in > order to enjoy the benign climate and "park" our money into some real > estate. The idea would be to spend a couple of weeks per year and Naples >  and > try to rent out the place to vacationers the rest of the year. We have >  found > a couple of single family detached homes that fall within our budget >  limits > and seem to have the amenities we are looking for. > However, we have been talking to fellow Europeans who have undertaken the > same venture. Their experiences were, in general, negative. Basically they > had the following gripes: > 1. Given the 8,000 miles between sunny Florida and dreary Belgium, all of > them had to rely on a property management firm to handle the issues that >  are > inherent to a vacation home. However, most of these property management > firms seem to have a rather questionable reputation when it comes to >  ethics. > One former owner told me about $100 per month charges for maintaining the > lawn, only to find the grass 3 feet high when he arrived unannounced at >  his > vacation home. Another guy told me a similar story but this time with the > pool maintenance being the issue. Still another former owner had been >  ripped > off by the property management business, which rented out the house at an > actual $900 per week, but claimed to the owner they only got $500. I guess > you get the gist by now. Apparently, it is very difficult to find a > reliability property management firm, which does not fill its own pockets >  on > the gullible foreign owner’s account. > 2. The second routinely mentioned problem is with the overall quality of >  the > houses. Apparently the way of building a house in the USA differs sharply > from what is done here in Europe. The real estate brokers claim a home in > Naples is a sound investment, with a project annual appreciation of 10%. > However, according to those former owners, the problem is that general >  light > design of the house (concrete bricks, simple roof, etc…) is something >  that > we Europeans are very unfamiliar with. As such, repairs are required on a > frequent basis, bringing along additional costs. The projected 10% annual > appreciation is subsequently severely reduced as a result of these >  expenses. > Anyone want to chime in on this? > 3. Finally there is the issue of short term rental wear and tear. I > understand that renters are not particularly careful with furniture, > fittings, etc… Still as a home owner, you need to supply a vacation home > which is in top notch condition, year after year. Again, considerable > expenses are needed in this respect. The alternative would be not to rent > out the home to others. But then again, some people have told me that a >  home > which is vacant for 48 weeks per year, deteriorates rapidly as well. > Given all the rather negative feedback we have received so far, we are > pretty reluctant to pour our money into the Florida vacation project. On >  the > other hand, somehow we still have this dream about owning a home in the >  USA > and being able to fly there whenever we feel like. > Are there people in this group which have owned or still own a vacation >  home > in Florida, yet live abroad? What are your experiences? Would you >  recommend > it to pour something like $250,000 into this, or would you rather suggest >  we > take our money elsewhere? > Thanks to all for the feedback. You can reply on this group, or email me > Regards, > Rik Gruwez > Brugge, Belgium

Response:

Trip says… >Also, I would question that 10% per year appreciation figure.  Naples >has seen some drastic appreciation in the past couple of years, and I >wonder how far back they go to get the 10% number.  At that rate, a >$200,000 home doubles in about nine years.  That is not going to go on >forever. >John Waldron >http://www.ushomeloan.com/

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Why would you want to come to the U.S. – Brugge is one of the most beautiful > cities in the world! > But on your advice – If it were me – I would prefer to save the cash, > investing it in some high return product and then joining with a hotel under > their VIP membership. > Otherwise – maybe this group can help you with more information regarding > Florida – http://www.propertyrightsflorida.com > Good Luck > JAIL THE SUITS!      Eradicate  corporate and political criminals. > > Hello, > > My wife and I are contemplating buying a vacation home near Naples, >  Florida. > > We are Belgian citizens and have our main residence in Belgium, where we > > both have our full time jobs. We would like to buy a place in Florida in > > order to enjoy the benign climate and "park" our money into some real > > estate. The idea would be to spend a couple of weeks per year and Naples >  and > > try to rent out the place to vacationers the rest of the year. We have >  found > > a couple of single family detached homes that fall within our budget >  limits > > and seem to have the amenities we are looking for. > > However, we have been talking to fellow Europeans who have undertaken the > > same venture. Their experiences were, in general, negative. Basically they > > had the following gripes: > > 1. Given the 8,000 miles between sunny Florida and dreary Belgium, all of > > them had to rely on a property management firm to handle the issues that >  are > > inherent to a vacation home. However, most of these property management > > firms seem to have a rather questionable reputation when it comes to >  ethics. > > One former owner told me about $100 per month charges for maintaining the > > lawn, only to find the grass 3 feet high when he arrived unannounced at >  his > > vacation home. Another guy told me a similar story but this time with the > > pool maintenance being the issue. Still another former owner had been >  ripped > > off by the property management business, which rented out the house at an > > actual $900 per week, but claimed to the owner they only got $500. I guess > > you get the gist by now. Apparently, it is very difficult to find a > > reliability property management firm, which does not fill its own pockets >  on > > the gullible foreign owner’s account. > > 2. The second routinely mentioned problem is with the overall quality of >  the > > houses. Apparently the way of building a house in the USA differs sharply > > from what is done here in Europe. The real estate brokers claim a home in > > Naples is a sound investment, with a project annual appreciation of 10%. > > However, according to those former owners, the problem is that general >  light > > design of the house (concrete bricks, simple roof, etc…) is something >  that > > we Europeans are very unfamiliar with. As such, repairs are required on a > > frequent basis, bringing along additional costs. The projected 10% annual > > appreciation is subsequently severely reduced as a result of these >  expenses. > > Anyone want to chime in on this? > > 3. Finally there is the issue of short term rental wear and tear. I > > understand that renters are not particularly careful with furniture, > > fittings, etc… Still as a home owner, you need to supply a vacation home > > which is in top notch condition, year after year. Again, considerable > > expenses are needed in this respect. The alternative would be not to rent > > out the home to others. But then again, some people have told me that a >  home > > which is vacant for 48 weeks per year, deteriorates rapidly as well. > > Given all the rather negative feedback we have received so far, we are > > pretty reluctant to pour our money into the Florida vacation project. On >  the > > other hand, somehow we still have this dream about owning a home in the >  USA > > and being able to fly there whenever we feel like. > > Are there people in this group which have owned or still own a vacation >  home > > in Florida, yet live abroad? What are your experiences? Would you >  recommend > > it to pour something like $250,000 into this, or would you rather suggest >  we > > take our money elsewhere? > > Thanks to all for the feedback. You can reply on this group, or email me > > Regards, > > Rik Gruwez > > Brugge, Belgium

Response:

Hello, My wife and I are contemplating buying a vacation home near Naples, Florida. We are Belgian citizens and have our main residence in Belgium, where we both have our full time jobs. We would like to buy a place in Florida in order to enjoy the benign climate and "park" our money into some real estate. The idea would be to spend a couple of weeks per year and Naples and try to rent out the place to vacationers the rest of the year. We have found a couple of single family detached homes that fall within our budget limits and seem to have the amenities we are looking for. However, we have been talking to fellow Europeans who have undertaken the same venture. Their experiences were, in general, negative. Basically they had the following gripes: 1. Given the 8,000 miles between sunny Florida and dreary Belgium, all of them had to rely on a property management firm to handle the issues that are inherent to a vacation home. However, most of these property management firms seem to have a rather questionable reputation when it comes to ethics. One former owner told me about $100 per month charges for maintaining the lawn, only to find the grass 3 feet high when he arrived unannounced at his vacation home. Another guy told me a similar story but this time with the pool maintenance being the issue. Still another former owner had been ripped off by the property management business, which rented out the house at an actual $900 per week, but claimed to the owner they only got $500. I guess you get the gist by now. Apparently, it is very difficult to find a reliability property management firm, which does not fill its own pockets on the gullible foreign owner’s account. 2. The second routinely mentioned problem is with the overall quality of the houses. Apparently the way of building a house in the USA differs sharply from what is done here in Europe. The real estate brokers claim a home in Naples is a sound investment, with a project annual appreciation of 10%. However, according to those former owners, the problem is that general light design of the house (concrete bricks, simple roof, etc…) is something that we Europeans are very unfamiliar with. As such, repairs are required on a frequent basis, bringing along additional costs. The projected 10% annual appreciation is subsequently severely reduced as a result of these expenses. Anyone want to chime in on this? 3. Finally there is the issue of short term rental wear and tear. I understand that renters are not particularly careful with furniture, fittings, etc… Still as a home owner, you need to supply a vacation home which is in top notch condition, year after year. Again, considerable expenses are needed in this respect. The alternative would be not to rent out the home to others. But then again, some people have told me that a home which is vacant for 48 weeks per year, deteriorates rapidly as well. Given all the rather negative feedback we have received so far, we are pretty reluctant to pour our money into the Florida vacation project. On the other hand, somehow we still have this dream about owning a home in the USA and being able to fly there whenever we feel like. Are there people in this group which have owned or still own a vacation home in Florida, yet live abroad? What are your experiences? Would you recommend it to pour something like $250,000 into this, or would you rather suggest we take our money elsewhere? Thanks to all for the feedback. You can reply on this group, or email me Regards, Rik Gruwez Brugge, Belgium

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hello, > My wife and I are contemplating buying a vacation home near Naples, Florida. > We are Belgian citizens and have our main residence in Belgium, where we > both have our full time jobs. We would like to buy a place in Florida in > order to enjoy the benign climate and "park" our money into some real > estate. The idea would be to spend a couple of weeks per year and Naples and > try to rent out the place to vacationers the rest of the year. We have found > a couple of single family detached homes that fall within our budget limits > and seem to have the amenities we are looking for. > However, we have been talking to fellow Europeans who have undertaken the > same venture. Their experiences were, in general, negative. Basically they > had the following gripes: > 1. Given the 8,000 miles between sunny Florida and dreary Belgium, all of > them had to rely on a property management firm to handle the issues that are > inherent to a vacation home. However, most of these property management > firms seem to have a rather questionable reputation when it comes to ethics. > One former owner told me about $100 per month charges for maintaining the > lawn, only to find the grass 3 feet high when he arrived unannounced at his > vacation home. Another guy told me a similar story but this time with the > pool maintenance being the issue. Still another former owner had been ripped > off by the property management business, which rented out the house at an > actual $900 per week, but claimed to the owner they only got $500. I guess > you get the gist by now. Apparently, it is very difficult to find a > reliability property management firm, which does not fill its own pockets on > the gullible foreign owner’s account. > 2. The second routinely mentioned problem is with the overall quality of the > houses. Apparently the way of building a house in the USA differs sharply > from what is done here in Europe. The real estate brokers claim a home in > Naples is a sound investment, with a project annual appreciation of 10%. > However, according to those former owners, the problem is that general light > design of the house (concrete bricks, simple roof, etc…) is something that > we Europeans are very unfamiliar with. As such, repairs are required on a > frequent basis, bringing along additional costs. The projected 10% annual > appreciation is subsequently severely reduced as a result of these expenses. > Anyone want to chime in on this? > 3. Finally there is the issue of short term rental wear and tear. I > understand that renters are not particularly careful with furniture, > fittings, etc… Still as a home owner, you need to supply a vacation home > which is in top notch condition, year after year. Again, considerable > expenses are needed in this respect. The alternative would be not to rent > out the home to others. But then again, some people have told me that a home > which is vacant for 48 weeks per year, deteriorates rapidly as well. > Given all the rather negative feedback we have received so far, we are > pretty reluctant to pour our money into the Florida vacation project. On the > other hand, somehow we still have this dream about owning a home in the USA > and being able to fly there whenever we feel like. > Are there people in this group which have owned or still own a vacation home > in Florida, yet live abroad? What are your experiences? Would you recommend > it to pour something like $250,000 into this, or would you rather suggest we > take our money elsewhere? > Thanks to all for the feedback. You can reply on this group, or email me

If you only plan to use the house for a month every year, why not just rent a condo instead of buying a house?  I would suggest driving around the area in which you are interested (Naples), and come up with choices of condo complexes that look appealing, then call a realtor.  There are many people who own condos who would be thrilled to have a reliable tenant for a month every year, year after year. Re: investment value of owning a house or condo, I think it’s a big mistake to invest in real estate from such a distance.  It’s too easy to be ripped off (as you mentioned) by unscrupulous real estate companies and/or tenants.  Why not invest closer to home and just rent a condo for your vacations?

Response:

> > I recommend Singapore Airlines and/or Thai International. > Forget about about BA and QF, they dont offer the same quality of service. > I agree with Mr Morgan – forget BA and QF if possible. Flights from LHR-SYD > are mostly via Singapore or Bangkok. One often overlooked option is Emirates > via Dubai, which is an excellent airline. If you are a member of one of the > alliances and want to get FF points (and lots of ‘em), the preferred options > would be: > Star Alliance – SQ > Oneworld – BA (unfortunately)

   Agreed, but BA and QF codeshare on some of these flts, so if your preference is for BA you still might find yourself on a QF aircraft.

Response:

| |

| | > > I recommend Singapore Airlines and/or Thai International. | > > Forget about about BA and QF, they dont offer the same quality of service. | > > | > | > I agree with Mr Morgan – forget BA and QF if possible. Flights from LHR-SYD | > are mostly via Singapore or Bangkok. One often overlooked option is Emirates | > via Dubai, which is an excellent airline. If you are a member of one of the | > alliances and want to get FF points (and lots of ‘em), the preferred options | > would be: | > | > Star Alliance – SQ | > Oneworld – BA (unfortunately) | |    Agreed, but BA and QF codeshare on some of these flts, so if your preference | is for BA | you still might find yourself on a QF aircraft. | satisfactory.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi, >Can anyone recommend airlines for a London-Sydney flight based on: >a.) Passenger assistance and general inflight customer service (considering >its such a long flight, this is pretty important) >and/or… >b.) Price (e.g. can i save some money by going on a asia/pacific carrier >that stops in its home country thats ‘relatively’ on the way to Australia? >If so, which in particular?) >Thanks for any help, >Sunil Panchal

Hi I went with Korean Air, mostly on price 650GBP. I was impressed, they let me change the return date 4 times (no cost), Icheon airport was new, free net access, and they had tvs in the seat backs! Great — martin

Response:

> I recommend Singapore Airlines and/or Thai International. > Forget about about BA and QF, they dont offer the same quality of service.

Forget TG (Thai), stick to SQ (Singapore) and BA for best service.

Response:

>> I recommend Singapore Airlines and/or Thai International. > Forget about about BA and QF, they dont offer the same quality of service. >Forget TG (Thai), stick to SQ (Singapore) and BA for best service.

Well I’d also recommend TG or SQ on that route if you’re flying economy, SQ or BA for business/first.   In my experience TG is the cheapest of the three.  SQ will put you up in a nice hotel for free in Singapore if you have a longish stopover. There are plenty other airlines you can use if you want a really cheap flight though, but I don’t have experience of them. phil

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->thanks everyone! >from sunil panchal > Hi, > Can anyone recommend airlines for a London-Sydney flight based on: > a.) Passenger assistance and general inflight customer service >(considering > its such a long flight, this is pretty important) > and/or… > b.) Price (e.g. can i save some money by going on a asia/pacific carrier > that stops in its home country thats ‘relatively’ on the way to Australia? > If so, which in particular?) > Thanks for any help, > Sunil Panchal

Cheapest – varies enormously, you have to shop around.  Make sure you tell the travel agent you speak to – you wouldn’t be doing this on the Web, would you! – what you want to do in Australia, as some fare deals include travel within the country at good rates.  Decide whether you can accept fixed dates both way, and what you might be prepared to pay for changes. Don’t rule out unlikely-sounding airlines, like Air NZ or Air Canada. Think about whether you would prefer to break the journey in an on-or-off route stop.  Malaysian may still be giving away free side trips to Borneo, for example. Don’t forget there are all sorts of different seasons affecting the fare. And don’t write off Qantas and BA.  I recommend the World Traveller Plus section on BA, if you can get a good deal on it.  From the Oz end there are excellent deals with interesting stopovers – we just came back from one. Robin Johnson

Response:

thanks everyone! from sunil panchal

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi, > Can anyone recommend airlines for a London-Sydney flight based on: > a.) Passenger assistance and general inflight customer service (considering > its such a long flight, this is pretty important) > and/or… > b.) Price (e.g. can i save some money by going on a asia/pacific carrier > that stops in its home country thats ‘relatively’ on the way to Australia? > If so, which in particular?) > Thanks for any help, > Sunil Panchal

Response:

> I recommend Singapore Airlines and/or Thai International. > Forget about about BA and QF, they dont offer the same quality of service.

I agree with Mr Morgan – forget BA and QF if possible. Flights from LHR-SYD are mostly via Singapore or Bangkok. One often overlooked option is Emirates via Dubai, which is an excellent airline. If you are a member of one of the alliances and want to get FF points (and lots of ‘em), the preferred options would be: Star Alliance – SQ Oneworld – BA (unfortunately)

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi, > Can anyone recommend airlines for a London-Sydney flight based on: > a.) Passenger assistance and general inflight customer service (considering > its such a long flight, this is pretty important) > and/or… > b.) Price (e.g. can i save some money by going on a asia/pacific carrier > that stops in its home country thats ‘relatively’ on the way to Australia? > If so, which in particular?) > Thanks for any help, > Sunil Panchal

In Dec 2001/Jan 2002 my family and I did SYD – Europe – SYD on Japan Airlines (JL) and I was favoriabley impressed. Search Google Groups under aurthor = Allen, date = 1 April – 30 June 2002, for a full trip report. Short Summary: Excellent price, fantastic service on JL, no seat back video Japan-OZ, but 743 has been replaced with 744 on NRT-SYD (at least) so may have changed. Downside (depending on point of view) We travelled SYD-KIX-MXP which required an overnight stay in KIX (Osaka)which was included in the price of the ticket at the Hotel Nikko. Returning home we travelled CDG – NRT – SYD and had a 7 hour layover at NRT. You will have similar LHR – SYD – LHR all (AFAIK)westbound flight require an over night in Japan. KIX is the easiest to over night as the hotel is at the airport. Take esclator to 2nd floor (departures) and follow sign to railway station, then follow sign to hotel, all via overhead walkway. NRT is harder as the hotel is in Narita township and requires a shuttle bus ride, but NRT probabley has more frequency to LHR than KIX (both are daily to SYD). Allen

Response:

Hi, Can anyone recommend airlines for a London-Sydney flight based on: a.) Passenger assistance and general inflight customer service (considering its such a long flight, this is pretty important) and/or… b.) Price (e.g. can i save some money by going on a asia/pacific carrier that stops in its home country thats ‘relatively’ on the way to Australia? If so, which in particular?) Thanks for any help, Sunil Panchal

Response:

I recommend Singapore Airlines and/or Thai International. Forget about about BA and QF, they dont offer the same quality of service. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi, > Can anyone recommend airlines for a London-Sydney flight based on: > a.) Passenger assistance and general inflight customer service (considering > its such a long flight, this is pretty important) > and/or… > b.) Price (e.g. can i save some money by going on a asia/pacific carrier > that stops in its home country thats ‘relatively’ on the way to Australia? > If so, which in particular?) > Thanks for any help, > Sunil Panchal

Response:

I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the coubtryside.. Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). Thanks Bruce

Response:

>I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the >coubtryside.. >Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? >Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

We just had a thread here on how Hertz seems to charge you more if you have an address in North America when you rent in Europe. If that’s true, I’d recommend not renting from them, in case you’re considering it. A truly cool book: The World Is Already Yours Conscious living in the real world www.alreadyyours.com (sample chapter, etc…)

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris?

You should look at easycar.com. They’re the cheapest if you book early enough. > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

They now have 3 locations in Paris, one of them is certainly near your hotel. JL.

Response:

> >I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the >coubtryside.. >Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? >Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > We just had a thread here on how Hertz seems to charge you more if you > have an address in North America when you rent in Europe. If that’s > true, I’d recommend not renting from them, in case you’re considering > it.

That does not mean that renting on the spot at the last minute will be cheaper though.  For a reasonable rate you typically need to book at least eight hours in advance.

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

My understanding is that you will get a much better rate if you book in advance than if you walk up to the counter in Paris. Most of the companies have more than one location in Paris. Of course they will tell you where you can pick up your car and you should be able choose the location best for you. A good travel agent can help in this as car rental companies, unlike airlines, are still paying commissions. — Food/Wine/Travel web sites http://www.worldtable.com http://forums.egullet.com/ikonboard.cgi?s=3cbd69675977ffff;act=SF;f=10

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > Thanks > Bruce

 TGV out to a town, pick the car up there and then tour the countryside. No need to deal with crazy traffic then.     Don http://www.parisphotoworkshops.com/

Response:

> > I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > Thanks > Bruce >  TGV out to a town, pick the car up there and then tour the countryside. > No need to deal with crazy traffic then.

My personal opinion is that adding a second form or transportation and the resultant delay is more hassle. YMMV. — Food/Wine/Travel web sites http://www.worldtable.com http://forums.egullet.com/ikonboard.cgi?s=3cbd69675977ffff;act=SF;f=10

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > > coubtryside.. > > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > > Thanks > > Bruce >  TGV out to a town, pick the car up there and then tour the countryside. > No need to deal with crazy traffic then. > My personal opinion is that adding a second form or transportation and the > resultant delay is more hassle. YMMV.

I agree.  I pick up rental cars around Etoile, and it’s very easy to pop out to the Peripherique from there and go anyplace.  One warning about renting cars while in Europe–there are often mileage limits/charges for extra miles.  I generally use Autoeurope to rent, though I’ve found that Avis seems lately to have very competitive rates.  Rent before you come to Europe. Greg M.

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

Could try priceline.co.uk (U.S. .com site doesn’t offer EUropean rentals). Bid GBP 15/day inc. taxes, insurance and fees for a compact for 9 days and it was accepted immediately. Car was a very spacious Citroen Xsare Picasso.  Unlimited miles too.  Supplier was Alamo (Citer/National too) where I had found the lowest online rate.  Alamo’s rate that i had reserved was 30% more excluding taxes and insurance.  Autoeruope couldn;t come anywhere near. I rented at CDG.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). >Could try priceline.co.uk (U.S. .com site doesn’t offer EUropean >rentals). >Bid GBP 15/day inc. taxes, insurance and fees for a compact for 9 days >and it was accepted immediately. Car was a very spacious Citroen Xsare >Picasso.  Unlimited miles too.  Supplier was Alamo (Citer/National too) >where I had found the lowest online rate.  Alamo’s rate that i had >reserved was 30% more excluding taxes and insurance.  Autoeruope >couldn;t come anywhere near. >I rented at CDG.

Do you have a credit card registered to a UK address, or does the site accept ‘foreign’ cards? I want to see if I can better the rate for the booking I currently have with Avis which works out to GBP23.22 per day for a Group B at LGW. –==++AJC++==–

Response:

I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the coubtryside.. Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). Thanks Bruce

Response:

>I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the >coubtryside.. >Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? >Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

We just had a thread here on how Hertz seems to charge you more if you have an address in North America when you rent in Europe. If that’s true, I’d recommend not renting from them, in case you’re considering it. A truly cool book: The World Is Already Yours Conscious living in the real world www.alreadyyours.com (sample chapter, etc…)

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris?

You should look at easycar.com. They’re the cheapest if you book early enough. > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

They now have 3 locations in Paris, one of them is certainly near your hotel. JL.

Response:

> >I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the >coubtryside.. >Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? >Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > We just had a thread here on how Hertz seems to charge you more if you > have an address in North America when you rent in Europe. If that’s > true, I’d recommend not renting from them, in case you’re considering > it.

That does not mean that renting on the spot at the last minute will be cheaper though.  For a reasonable rate you typically need to book at least eight hours in advance.

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

My understanding is that you will get a much better rate if you book in advance than if you walk up to the counter in Paris. Most of the companies have more than one location in Paris. Of course they will tell you where you can pick up your car and you should be able choose the location best for you. A good travel agent can help in this as car rental companies, unlike airlines, are still paying commissions. — Food/Wine/Travel web sites http://www.worldtable.com http://forums.egullet.com/ikonboard.cgi?s=3cbd69675977ffff;act=SF;f=10

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > Thanks > Bruce

 TGV out to a town, pick the car up there and then tour the countryside. No need to deal with crazy traffic then.     Don http://www.parisphotoworkshops.com/

Response:

> > I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > Thanks > Bruce >  TGV out to a town, pick the car up there and then tour the countryside. > No need to deal with crazy traffic then.

My personal opinion is that adding a second form or transportation and the resultant delay is more hassle. YMMV. — Food/Wine/Travel web sites http://www.worldtable.com http://forums.egullet.com/ikonboard.cgi?s=3cbd69675977ffff;act=SF;f=10

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > > coubtryside.. > > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). > > Thanks > > Bruce >  TGV out to a town, pick the car up there and then tour the countryside. > No need to deal with crazy traffic then. > My personal opinion is that adding a second form or transportation and the > resultant delay is more hassle. YMMV.

I agree.  I pick up rental cars around Etoile, and it’s very easy to pop out to the Peripherique from there and go anyplace.  One warning about renting cars while in Europe–there are often mileage limits/charges for extra miles.  I generally use Autoeurope to rent, though I’ve found that Avis seems lately to have very competitive rates.  Rent before you come to Europe. Greg M.

Response:

> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel).

Could try priceline.co.uk (U.S. .com site doesn’t offer EUropean rentals). Bid GBP 15/day inc. taxes, insurance and fees for a compact for 9 days and it was accepted immediately. Car was a very spacious Citroen Xsare Picasso.  Unlimited miles too.  Supplier was Alamo (Citer/National too) where I had found the lowest online rate.  Alamo’s rate that i had reserved was 30% more excluding taxes and insurance.  Autoeruope couldn;t come anywhere near. I rented at CDG.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I would like to rent a car for a week to drive around the > coubtryside.. > Should I reserve before I leave for Paris? > Can I find out where I can pick up my car (near my hotel). >Could try priceline.co.uk (U.S. .com site doesn’t offer EUropean >rentals). >Bid GBP 15/day inc. taxes, insurance and fees for a compact for 9 days >and it was accepted immediately. Car was a very spacious Citroen Xsare >Picasso.  Unlimited miles too.  Supplier was Alamo (Citer/National too) >where I had found the lowest online rate.  Alamo’s rate that i had >reserved was 30% more excluding taxes and insurance.  Autoeruope >couldn;t come anywhere near. >I rented at CDG.

Do you have a credit card registered to a UK address, or does the site accept ‘foreign’ cards? I want to see if I can better the rate for the booking I currently have with Avis which works out to GBP23.22 per day for a Group B at LGW. –==++AJC++==–

Response:

My wife and I very much prefer to stay in small hotels and I did quite a bit of digging on the internet for our recent trip to Europe. Generally, the descriptions and room photographs found on the internet tended to embellish a bit. Not so when we arrived at the Hotel Synopsis in Amsterdam. Synopsis is a restored canal house with 2 guest rooms (canal room and garden room) located in a very quiet neighborhood on a canal not far from central city. The canal room, in which we stayed, was spacious, warm and immaculate. Amenities included wood plank floors, antique furniture, colorful accessories, mini kitchen (no cooking), and a very roomy and absolutely smashing bathroom. The owner bent over backwards to assist us whether we needed directions or flue medicine! The rate for our stay was 250 guilders per night. We highly recommend this little gem to anyone seeking a 4 star room in a small hotel at a 3 star price. Earl SYNOPSIS Hotel Accommodation Nieuwe Keizersgracht 22 1018 DS Amsterdam Tel: +31-(0)20-626 00 75 Fax:+31-(0)20-626 39 78 Web: www.synopsishotel.com (no content) Web: http://www.bookings.nl/hotels/synopsis

Response:

> Synopsis is a restored canal house with 2 guest rooms (canal room and garden > room) located in a very quiet neighborhood on a canal not far from central > city. The canal room, in which we stayed, was spacious, warm and immaculate. > Amenities included wood plank floors, antique furniture, colorful > accessories, mini kitchen (no cooking), and a very roomy and absolutely > smashing bathroom. The owner bent over backwards to assist us whether we > needed directions or flue medicine!

I assume the flue medicine is for the sick fireplace. John

Response:

My wife and I very much prefer to stay in small hotels and I did quite a bit of digging on the internet for our recent trip to Europe. Generally, the descriptions and room photographs found on the internet tended to embellish a bit. Not so when we arrived at the Hotel Synopsis in Amsterdam. Synopsis is a restored canal house with 2 guest rooms (canal room and garden room) located in a very quiet neighborhood on a canal not far from central city. The canal room, in which we stayed, was spacious, warm and immaculate. Amenities included wood plank floors, antique furniture, colorful accessories, mini kitchen (no cooking), and a very roomy and absolutely smashing bathroom. The owner bent over backwards to assist us whether we needed directions or flue medicine! The rate for our stay was 250 guilders per night. We highly recommend this little gem to anyone seeking a 4 star room in a small hotel at a 3 star price. Earl SYNOPSIS Hotel Accommodation Nieuwe Keizersgracht 22 1018 DS Amsterdam Tel: +31-(0)20-626 00 75 Fax:+31-(0)20-626 39 78 Web: www.synopsishotel.com (no content) Web: http://www.bookings.nl/hotels/synopsis

Response:

> Synopsis is a restored canal house with 2 guest rooms (canal room and garden > room) located in a very quiet neighborhood on a canal not far from central > city. The canal room, in which we stayed, was spacious, warm and immaculate. > Amenities included wood plank floors, antique furniture, colorful > accessories, mini kitchen (no cooking), and a very roomy and absolutely > smashing bathroom. The owner bent over backwards to assist us whether we > needed directions or flue medicine!

I assume the flue medicine is for the sick fireplace. John

Response:

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? TIA Liz

Response:

well..The Palace  - it may be pricey but it is definitely convenient. there are a few others but they will all fall into the same price range. The SAS Radisson is nice…very nice. Heather

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

>Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an >airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? >TIA >Liz

  A great place to look for hotels in Copenhagen  is at:  www.aok.dk (All about Copenhagen) You can search the hotels by price range as well as location. —- Kristian.

Response:

www.priceline.com has added European hotels to their services. If you are as clueless as I am about hotels, priceline categorizes the hotels. In Europe they classify them as either: "budget, economy, quality or superior". Outside of Europe, they use a 4-star rating system. I am on the younger end, so I never know what I’m paying for – upfront. Their system is a good way to get the highest quality for the lowest price.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an >airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? >TIA >Liz >   A great place to look for hotels in Copenhagen  is at:  www.aok.dk > (All about Copenhagen) You can search the hotels by price range as > well as location. > —- Kristian.

Response:

Sophie Amalie. Near Almalienborg Castle. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > well..The Palace  - it may be pricey but it is definitely convenient. there > are a few others but they will all fall into the same price range. The SAS > Radisson is nice…very nice. > Heather > Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

yup aok.dk is a great site to use. actually a lot of Danes use it..*G* Good luck..and btw the Sophie Amalie is in a very nice area too. Heather – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->   A great place to look for hotels in Copenhagen  is at:  www.aok.dk > (All about Copenhagen) You can search the hotels by price range as > well as location. > —- Kristian.

Response:

For "family friendly" I can highly recommend the DGI Byern Hotel. It’s only a couple of years old, very modern in style, located in a safe area just one block behind the Main train station.  Reasonable rates.  They are connected to a new leisure center/spa which is free for hotel guests.  The pool is spectacular.  Check out their web site for pictures: http://www.dgi-byen.dk/index1.php?l=english&pageid=65 You can book a room through: http://www.hotel-denmark.demon.co.uk/dgi.html Only thing you need to know is that some of the rooms face the railroad tracks just coming into the train station.  Ask for a room away from the railroad tracks. Peace. Paul >Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an >airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? >TIA >Liz

Posted Via Binaries.net = SPEED+RETENTION+COMPLETION = http://www.binaries.net

Response:

Thanks to everyone who responded with suggestions! Ironically, due to the downturn in the airline industry, our preferred flights have been cancelled by the airline, and we will no longer have a stopover in Copenhagen…..   oh, well, save that for another trip! Elizabeth – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

>well..The Palace  - it may be pricey but it is definitely convenient. there >are a few others but they will all fall into the same price range. The SAS >Radisson is nice…very nice.

It is nice to know the old Palace is still there. I stayed there three nights in 1957. Pricey then was about $18.US per night for two in a third floor room with a great view. I wonder if it has changed much??? That same summer we were in Paris on Place Vendome at the Hotel de France et Choiseul for about $12. The hotel is still there but has gone upscale….waaaay upscale. What a shame. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Heather > Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

Liz, look for Absalon Hotel.  It is near the central station and affordable. Enjoy, Ismael – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? TIA Liz

Response:

well..The Palace  - it may be pricey but it is definitely convenient. there are a few others but they will all fall into the same price range. The SAS Radisson is nice…very nice. Heather

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

>Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an >airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? >TIA >Liz

  A great place to look for hotels in Copenhagen  is at:  www.aok.dk (All about Copenhagen) You can search the hotels by price range as well as location. —- Kristian.

Response:

www.priceline.com has added European hotels to their services. If you are as clueless as I am about hotels, priceline categorizes the hotels. In Europe they classify them as either: "budget, economy, quality or superior". Outside of Europe, they use a 4-star rating system. I am on the younger end, so I never know what I’m paying for – upfront. Their system is a good way to get the highest quality for the lowest price.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an >airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? >TIA >Liz >   A great place to look for hotels in Copenhagen  is at:  www.aok.dk > (All about Copenhagen) You can search the hotels by price range as > well as location. > —- Kristian.

Response:

Sophie Amalie. Near Almalienborg Castle. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > well..The Palace  - it may be pricey but it is definitely convenient. there > are a few others but they will all fall into the same price range. The SAS > Radisson is nice…very nice. > Heather > Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

yup aok.dk is a great site to use. actually a lot of Danes use it..*G* Good luck..and btw the Sophie Amalie is in a very nice area too. Heather – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->   A great place to look for hotels in Copenhagen  is at:  www.aok.dk > (All about Copenhagen) You can search the hotels by price range as > well as location. > —- Kristian.

Response:

For "family friendly" I can highly recommend the DGI Byern Hotel. It’s only a couple of years old, very modern in style, located in a safe area just one block behind the Main train station.  Reasonable rates.  They are connected to a new leisure center/spa which is free for hotel guests.  The pool is spectacular.  Check out their web site for pictures: http://www.dgi-byen.dk/index1.php?l=english&pageid=65 You can book a room through: http://www.hotel-denmark.demon.co.uk/dgi.html Only thing you need to know is that some of the rooms face the railroad tracks just coming into the train station.  Ask for a room away from the railroad tracks. Peace. Paul >Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an >airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? >TIA >Liz

Posted Via Binaries.net = SPEED+RETENTION+COMPLETION = http://www.binaries.net

Response:

Liz, look for Absalon Hotel.  It is near the central station and affordable. Enjoy, Ismael – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

Thanks to everyone who responded with suggestions! Ironically, due to the downturn in the airline industry, our preferred flights have been cancelled by the airline, and we will no longer have a stopover in Copenhagen…..   oh, well, save that for another trip! Elizabeth – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

>well..The Palace  - it may be pricey but it is definitely convenient. there >are a few others but they will all fall into the same price range. The SAS >Radisson is nice…very nice.

It is nice to know the old Palace is still there. I stayed there three nights in 1957. Pricey then was about $18.US per night for two in a third floor room with a great view. I wonder if it has changed much??? That same summer we were in Paris on Place Vendome at the Hotel de France et Choiseul for about $12. The hotel is still there but has gone upscale….waaaay upscale. What a shame. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Heather > Can anyone recommend a hotel in Copenhagen – city centre (near an > airport bus stop ideally), family friendly, not too expensive? > TIA > Liz

Response:

I’ll be on the Windstar (Windsurf) Transatlantic from Lisbon to Barbados on 18 November 2001.  Any recommendations on where to overnight in Lisbon?  I’d like to see a little of the city.  Thanks. Rob

Response:

Rob: Lisbon hotels are so low compared to other European capitals, it is a good opportunity to treat yourself. At the top is the Lapa Palace which is an Orient-Express hotel.  Next down would be the Four Seasons. Babette

Response:

> I’ll be on the Windstar (Windsurf) Transatlantic from Lisbon to > Barbados on 18 November 2001.  Any recommendations on where to > overnight in Lisbon?  I’d like to see a little of the city.  Thanks.

Have you (or any other readers) done one of Windstar’s Transatlantic cruises before? I’d be interested in any experiences you’d care to share. How do they compare with their Med or Carribean cruises? |Rich Ahrens           | Homepage: http://www.visi.com/~rma/           | |"In a world full of people only some want to fly – isn’t that crazy?" |

Response:

I just disembarked the Wind Star on Sunday in Lisbon.  We stayed at the Le Meridien (booked thru Windstar), which is a great location directly next door the Ritz Four Seasons.  I very much liked the Le Meridien and for the price would highly recommend it over the Ritz Four Seasons (which we checked out since it was so close). I asked all the officers I met about the transatlantic cruises since I’m interested in them.  It sounds like they can vary but for the most part they aren’t too rough, especially compared to the North atlantic ones (New York/Boston to Northern Europe). You might also want to check out the Wind Song’s journey between Athens and New Zealand, which is broken up into a series of 3+ week voyages.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Rob: > Lisbon hotels are so low compared to other European capitals, it is a good > opportunity to treat yourself. > At the top is the Lapa Palace which is an Orient-Express hotel.  Next down > would be the Four Seasons. > Babette

Response:

I’ll be on the Windstar (Windsurf) Transatlantic from Lisbon to Barbados on 18 November 2001.  Any recommendations on where to overnight in Lisbon?  I’d like to see a little of the city.  Thanks. Rob

Response:

Rob: Lisbon hotels are so low compared to other European capitals, it is a good opportunity to treat yourself. At the top is the Lapa Palace which is an Orient-Express hotel.  Next down would be the Four Seasons. Babette

Response:

> I’ll be on the Windstar (Windsurf) Transatlantic from Lisbon to > Barbados on 18 November 2001.  Any recommendations on where to > overnight in Lisbon?  I’d like to see a little of the city.  Thanks.

Have you (or any other readers) done one of Windstar’s Transatlantic cruises before? I’d be interested in any experiences you’d care to share. How do they compare with their Med or Carribean cruises? |Rich Ahrens           | Homepage: http://www.visi.com/~rma/           | |"In a world full of people only some want to fly – isn’t that crazy?" |

Response:

I just disembarked the Wind Star on Sunday in Lisbon.  We stayed at the Le Meridien (booked thru Windstar), which is a great location directly next door the Ritz Four Seasons.  I very much liked the Le Meridien and for the price would highly recommend it over the Ritz Four Seasons (which we checked out since it was so close). I asked all the officers I met about the transatlantic cruises since I’m interested in them.  It sounds like they can vary but for the most part they aren’t too rough, especially compared to the North atlantic ones (New York/Boston to Northern Europe). You might also want to check out the Wind Song’s journey between Athens and New Zealand, which is broken up into a series of 3+ week voyages.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Rob: > Lisbon hotels are so low compared to other European capitals, it is a good > opportunity to treat yourself. > At the top is the Lapa Palace which is an Orient-Express hotel.  Next down > would be the Four Seasons. > Babette

Response:

We will be staying end of may and are looking for a "great" hotel experience – this is a splurge. Any recommendations? Thanks,

Response:

> We will be staying end of may and are looking for a "great" hotel > experience – this is a splurge. > Any recommendations?

Hotel de l’Europe. I have never stayed there myself, but many people I know recommend this hotel. The location can’t be beaten  also. Sjoerd

Response:

hotel experience – this is a splurge" You would probably love the Hotel Ambassade at Herengracht 341 which is one of the nicest canals you will see in that city.. It’s an old fashioned hotel  (a collection of ten 18th century town houses carefully cobbled together. We like the upper rooms facing the canal which at night are all lite up.. The breakfast room non-smoking) is a treasure with floor to ceiling windows (22 feet in height) and a huge breakfast is served with some of the best coffee in the city. The rooms all have wall safes with all  modcons. I just visited again for three days and it was just  as delightful as when we first stayed there in 1971. They finally have a web site where you can find a description of the rooms, amenities and rates. GOTO www.ambassade-hotel.nl and enjoy Michael Schneider San Francisco, CA.

Response:

We will be staying end of may and are looking for a "great" hotel experience – this is a splurge. Any recommendations? Thanks,

Response:

> We will be staying end of may and are looking for a "great" hotel > experience – this is a splurge. > Any recommendations?

Hotel de l’Europe. I have never stayed there myself, but many people I know recommend this hotel. The location can’t be beaten  also. Sjoerd

Response:

hotel experience – this is a splurge" You would probably love the Hotel Ambassade at Herengracht 341 which is one of the nicest canals you will see in that city.. It’s an old fashioned hotel  (a collection of ten 18th century town houses carefully cobbled together. We like the upper rooms facing the canal which at night are all lite up.. The breakfast room non-smoking) is a treasure with floor to ceiling windows (22 feet in height) and a huge breakfast is served with some of the best coffee in the city. The rooms all have wall safes with all  modcons. I just visited again for three days and it was just  as delightful as when we first stayed there in 1971. They finally have a web site where you can find a description of the rooms, amenities and rates. GOTO www.ambassade-hotel.nl and enjoy Michael Schneider San Francisco, CA.

Response: