Stacey

hi all, <BR>i just started to plan a trip to Prague for mid-July, and i have spent the last 3 days frantically surfing the net looking for hotels, restaurants, cars, karlovy vary and other spas, river trips to Vienna, Budapest....very overwhelming!!!! <BR>Anyway, this is my first trip to europe on a fairly open budget and i am going to be renting a few cars. Any advice on driving in that country or the surrounding ones? Also who should I rent these cars from? <BR>ANY and ALL assistance is very much appreciated. <BR> <BR>

AMG

Ho Stacey, <BR> <BR>I just finished planning a 12 Day trip Prague-Cesky Krumlov-Durnstein-Veinna-Soporon-Budapest. We leave in mid May. We are picking up the rental when we leave Prague and keeping it for 8 days and droping it in Budapest. In other posts I read that the longer Danube trip, Vienna to Budapest, is not that good. We will take a short boat trip when we stay in Durnstein which is on the Danube NW of Vienna. <BR>Some of the hotel web sites I used are <BR>www.abaka.com, www.nethotel.com <BR>Most of the hotels we are staying at are 3 and 4 stars. <BR>If you want more info on what I found, you can email me at [email protected]. <BR> <BR>Good Travels <BR>Aileen <BR> <BR>

Art

Hi Stacey, have you thought about staying in a private residence. Some of us have stayed with a Dr. Fleps, a retired chemist, in Budapest. Very nice and interesting couple with a lot of knowledge of Hungary and have lived through quite a bit during the Soviet occupation. A beautiful of the city from the balcony.

Gary

we loved both Prague and Budapest, although they are very different- Prague is like a movie set the streets and squares are immaculate <BR>as to hotels - we stayed at the Palace -a wonderful, older, smaller hotel - very well located -luxurious in 1998 we paid arould $300 US a night <BR> <BR>we also ate at a wonderful restaurant- Bellvue (pronounced Bellvee) fancy, not cheap, but beautiful with a great view of the river and the castle across the river <BR> <BR>Budapest is older looking and not as well kept as Prague, but very enjoyable. We stayed at the Marriott, which is right on the Danube. The rooms are ok (try to stay on the concierge floor) but the view across the river is great, and the hotel is lively. Try to go to the lobby in the late afternoon- they have a string quartet playing while they serve dessert and coffee - <BR> <BR>in addition to seeing the usual sights, take a boat ride to Marguerite Island (right in town in the Danube) and take a carriage ride around the island -also if it is to your tast, go to the baths at the Gellert - it is like going back in time to the 1950's <BR> <BR>also a wonderful restaurant in Budapest- Vadrosa (wild rose) beutiful and excellant food <BR>enjoy

Linda

Hi, Stacey. You will enjoy Prague, Budapest & Vienna. Try nethotels.com for very good information re hotels and events in the cities. Like Art, we stayed with Dr. & Mrs. Walter Fleps. Email me for info on them. In Prague, we stayed at Pension Balbin on Balbinova near the Muzeum Metro & Wenceslas Square. It is on the top floors of apartment building with locked door to outside so safe, elevator after first flight, clean rooms with shower & toilet, good buffet breakfast, helpful English-speaking staff and within a 5-10 minute walk to just about anywhere you want to go. We paid $35 for 2 in 1997 in November. I know it was $80 in high season in 1999. Be sure to see the Charles Bridge at night. In Vienna I really enjoyed Hotelpension Arenburg. It is a 4-star, has homemade muesli, within 5-minute walk to Stephensplatz and is located within the Ring. It is affiliated with Best Western but kept the posh Vienna feel and you get the BW discounts. I paid about $50 for one in December, 2000.