dawnnoelm

Okay :::igh::::

We have switched gears due to Airfrance jump in airfare... not sure what happened but it went UP today... for Rome.

We talked with the whole family and I am going to book us to London and then onto Paris for December - it will be about 5 nights in each city. Over Christmas and New Years.

London will be first...

What area do you recommend staying in? I have researched the threads and see a number of suggestions and am slightly cooked...

janisj

give us the exact dates - Christmas in the UK is a special case. Everything will be pretty much shut down from about mid-day Dec 24 through Christmas Day and since Boxing Day is a Friday probably through the 26th.

And on Christmas day, shut down means <b><u>shut down</u></b>. Like - no public transport (no tube, buses, trains), shops/museums/galleries closed, and except for hotel dining rooms and a few ethnic restaurants - no food. If you do find a restaurant - it will have to be w/i walking distance.

I love LOVE England over Christmas - but I would have plans w/ friends. Paris has more normal opening hours/public transport over Christmas than what you will find in London.

dawnnoelm

Interesting. The airfare is less expensive for me to fly from LAX to London and then Paris to Lax.

Exact dates of travel are:

Monday December 22 - arrive in London 3:10 pm Tuesday December 23

5 nights in London

Depart 28th for Paris (I assume we will do the Chunnel)

Paris

December 28 through Jan 2

I have 6 people traveling with us.

I have made contact with an agency that was recommended in previous threads you family and friends of 6, have a look at Charlwood Place and Bradbourne Street. Both have lots of good space. There is an additional &pound;50 for the 6th person at Charlwood Place.

OR:
Tufton Court - http://www.connectionsmg.com/Propert...roperty_id=645


Parliament View - http://www.connectionsmg.com/Propert...roperty_id=643


Sorry if these links do not come out right. I am having computer issus today and am on my dh's laptop.

Thanks in advance for any feedback. I know one is a 7 night rental but we would consider just &quot;eating&quot; the 2 nights if the price and place was right. Traveling with 6 people is not easy.

cw

Is it a lot more expensive to reverse your trip--do Paris first?

I don't know what you plan on doing in London, but I just checked the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum and they are closed Dec. 24, 25, and 26th. I'm guessing that many others will be as well.

More activities are open in Paris over Christmas, though there are some restaurants and small shops that close, many many are open.

janisj

Just a quick comment right now - since you are getting in to London a couple of days before Christmas you'll be fine.

You can shop for food (shops will be very crowded) and fix your own Christmas dinner in the flat. If it is a good central location - Christmas Day is great because there will be virtually NO traffic and you can walk anywhere w/o any crowds. Watch the Queen's message on the telly, have a big Christmas lunch or dinner and walk it off seeing the sites on foot.

janisj

meant to add - the main reason for the fare difference is the departure taxes out of the UK are MUCH higher. So in to London and out of Paris will almost always be cheaper than the reverse.

cw

Whoops, forgot about the airport tax. Thanks Janis.

dawnnoelm

Okay...great feedback thank you!

That makes sense on the tax but I would have never figured it out.

Any feedback on those flats?

tuscanlifeedit

Dawn, this is exactly what I came on the board to suggest to you! How funny.

I just thought that both cities would be better for winter: more indoor activities.

I like your plan. And I'm sure that between now and then you can come up with a decent list of things to do over the actual holiday days.

Are Chinese restaurants are closed at the Christmas period in London? How about film theaters? We like to go to the movies in London and see something that isn't going to be easy to find in our hometown, USA.

How about churches? Surely some must be open for visits over this period, and if not for visits, for services, which is just as good. Or better, as there might be singing/music.

Christmas Eve shopping would be wild, but fun.

I just did a quick google and found this: Marylebone Christmas Lights
15th November 2007 until 5th January 2008

Buy a copy of TimeOut when you hit town and surely, you will find things to do.

What about Jewish and Indian restaurants? Closed over Christmas?

dawnnoelm

Tuscan! How funny??? Thanks for the great information. Really if we are &quot;in&quot; on Christmas day it is okay with us... we are also going to be together if that makes sense.


I am going to pull the trigger on the airfare. The issue is with 5 tickets (we are not paying for the 6th) even 150.00 difference adds up and I did not want to spend more then my air credit.. it is almost 5,000.00 for the 4 tickets. So we are only buying ONE ticket... did that make any sense??? Been inside too many days with a sick daughter!

janisj

made sense to me - and that's scary

dawnnoelm

that is scary Janisj ;-)

Any feedback on those flats? I was reading last night about London and the area and am still not clear on where we would want to stay.

Prior to going to Paris and to Italy I had done so much reading I felt like I had a grasp on it...

this time? Booking the airfare and then planning!

dawnnoelm

Think I might be SICK.

I booked these Airfrance tickets last year (Feb 12, 2007) on Orbitz (mistake) - I cancled in June of last year when dd was sick and could not go to Africa (we were flying LAX to Paris staying a few nights in Paris - going to J'burg and then J'burg to Rome for a few nights and then back to LAX - seperate reservations)...

I was told that I had to rebook by Feb 12, 2008. Had 10 months from Feb 12, 2008 to complete travel.

Called Orbitz the other day - they said the same thing again...

Just called to pull the trigger and they are saying that travel needed to be complete by 12-12-08.???

I am literally sick to my stomach.

It is 4, 728.00 in airfare.

I asked for a supervisor and she went to call Airfrance to verify and they have a 15 minutes hold time so she said she would call me back.

I might throw up.

Nonconformist

12 Dec IS 10 months after 12 February. Can you bring the trip forward a bit?

dawnnoelm

sorry I did a typo in my frenzy - what Orbitz is saying is that travel had to be complete by 2-12-08 as in a few days from now.

Been on the phone most of the day back and forth.

Not good news thus far.

I will feel ill if I have thrown away 5,000.00 in air.

Dd is so cute - she is home sick and hearing all that is going on and at 10 does not fully &quot;get&quot; it..just said &quot;well Mom sometimes these things happen, you need to get over it.&quot;

Nonconformist

How awful for you. I hope you manage to get some recompense.

dawnnoelm

It does not sound promising.

esm

Dawn,

Sorry about your situation. I hope they give you some additional time because of the wrong info their reps provided.

dawnnoelm

Update! What do you know? We have reservations!

We leave LAX on December 22 and arrive in London on December 23~ Depart from Paris on Jan. 2! I could not be more thrilled!!!

I am stunned that it actually worked out...now I have to plan!!

LoveItaly

Congratulations dawn! I am so glad this all worked out for you and your family. Have fun planning your trip, and you do have lots of time to do so.