isabel

Just got back from eight days in London and wanted to let people know how good the arrangements I made with GoToday were. Everything was exactly as they advertised - we did an air, hotel, Hotelink transfer package. The price was nothing you could even get close to if you tried to put it together youself (I checked) and their paperwork arrived way before the trip and was all in order. <BR><BR>Overall we had a wonderful trip - great weather (50s and sunny every day), flights left on time and arrived early (United), and everyone was very friendly, absolutely no anti Americanism (of course we are talking England here). There were plenty of tourists of all nationalities, including Americans. I would say it was very comparable to the amount of tourists I encountered the same week last year in Paris. So if travel is down it's not noticable. But being March lines were short everywhere.<BR><BR>I'll post more later but if anyone has any questions I'd be happy to answer them.

ceejay_ky

Which hotel were you in? Nice room or by-the-elevator noisy/back of the building/no view? Did you call the airlines to arrange seats or was that done for you by GoToday? <BR>I've booked a London package with them for June, and am hoping all works out well.......

cosmicvagabond

I too did a weeklong trip to london and paris. All went very well.

isabel

Ceejay - we were at the Apollo Hotel which was OK. It's the cheapest option they offer. We had room 23 which is second floor front. Needs new bedspread and a few things like that but overall was fine. Breakfast was just tea and toast basically. The room was very quiet five of our eight nights but the other three there was a group of German teenage boys and I don't think the Ritz could have cut down on the noise they made. They must have been playing football in the room, the walls were shaking. But when I called the front dest they came right up and talked to them. I would definitly stay in that location again, and even possibly that hotel although I wouldn't say I &quot;highly recommend&quot; it. The Thistle Kensington Garden was around the corner and is larger and more modern. I personally wouldn't pay the extra for it but it was probably a notch up.

Nikki

I went on a trip to Paris and Rome through GoToday, just got back this week. The hotel in Paris (Waldorf Montparnasse) was very good and we got one of their nicest rooms (at least one that was the most expensive on their rate sheet). We had booked twin beds and were given a triple room with one large bed and one small one (which was made up as a sofa if nobody was using it). <BR><BR>In Rome, however, we ended up in a room with some problems at the Hotel Executive. There was a damp smell in the bathroom which got worse as time went on, and the bathroom was arranged in a very uncomfortable fashion. I mentioned this to the hotel after two nights (we were staying five nights)and we changed rooms immediately. I should have mentioned it right away, but at first it didn't seem so bad. <BR><BR>I also had wondered about seat assignments for the flights, so I called the airline myself. Two of the four flights would not assign seats ahead of time and for the two trans-Atlantic portions, there had been seats assigned in one direction but not the other, if I remember correctly. I got fine seats, don't know what would have happened if I didn't call, but it didn't hurt.<BR><BR>The tickets and hotel vouchers did not arrive until a little under three weeks before the trip, which got me a little nervous, but when they did arrive, all was in order. <BR><BR>There was airport transportation included in Paris, and even though our plane was an hour and a half late, the driver was still at the airport waiting for us. He didn't know the plane had been delayed but was waiting the whole time. We called the office and they contacted him to arrange a meeting spot, which we found within minutes. <BR><BR>I would definitely use GoToday again.

Naturaltan

Isabel, I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip to London. So tell me, what is it you like about London? Is it the culture, theatre, people, history, architecture or food? On this board, everybody seems to be either going to Italy or Paris (yes, just Paris). I live in London and I like to hear what other think of my city as we Londoners have often taken this city for granted.

elaine

May I chime in?<BR>Here's what I like about London:<BR>(not necessarily in order)<BR><BR>the theatre<BR><BR>the National Gallery, the Nat'al Portrait Gallery, the V &amp; A, the<BR>Coutauld Institute, the Tate Britain,<BR>etc etc<BR><BR>Spencer House for a Sunday morning visit<BR><BR>London's walkability--primarily flat, streets well-labeled and mostly well-lit, and always a tube or bus stop nearby <BR><BR>shopping, at all levels<BR><BR>Easy access for getting out of the city for the day by public transport<BR><BR>wide range of hotels for all budgets and needs<BR><BR>great restaurant food<BR><BR>london cabbies<BR><BR>the newspapers<BR><BR>televison programs in my own language (or close enough)<BR><BR>the parks and gardens<BR><BR>the kindness of strangers<BR><BR>the pride it takes in its history<BR><BR>Christopher Wren's churches in the City<BR><BR>the diversity: in the population, in the food, in the museums, in the shopping, in the weather!<BR><BR>

Rebecka

How do I love London? Let me count the ways ...<BR><BR>Seriously speaking, in Europe I have been to Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Edinburgh, among other cities, but I have to say that London still remains my favorite. Even after five visits, I look forward to returning there in May. <BR><BR>Some of the things I love about London are:<BR><BR>The sense of history around every corner. Of course, this assessment comes from a rabid history buff. You will appreciate London even more if you know a little about its history. <BR><BR>The friendly people.<BR><BR>Getting around is easy, and the city is very walkable.<BR><BR>Considering its size, it still seems relatively safe even in the evening. <BR><BR>Tea is cheaper there!<BR><BR>The large parks that dot the city.<BR><BR>Museums that are free of charge. <BR><BR>London is also one of the few large cities where I haven't had any unpleasant surprises relating to accommodations. And that is quite a big deal with me! <BR><BR>I could list more but I have to get back to work.

Naturaltan

<BR>Thanks, Elaine and Rebecka. When the weather is foul, the underground is overcrowded, and one cannot afford to go out as often as one wishes, one can only see the negative sides of London. Okay, I shall remind myself of the nice things you guys said about London when I am stuck in the above mentioned situation. <BR><BR>Rebecka, you have probably been to more places and done more things in London than I have. I work hard all week and don't have the energy to go out after work. Come weekends, I just want to relax and chill out, but usually end up staying in and doing household chores. So you see, many Londoners like me don't really have the time and energy to enjoy the cultural activities London has to offer. Sad, isn't it?<BR><BR>Anyway, enjoy your sixth trip to London, I am sure you'll have a whale of time here.