Governator

My wife was able to get an extra day off, which allowed me to change our 'frequent flier miles' itinerary, which is good in so many ways.

1. Previous itinerary - 1 day London layover, 7 days Vienna - Prague - Vienna
New itinerary - 2 days London, 7 days Vienna-Prague

2. Previous Itinerary - frequent flier mile 'taxes and fees' $1160 (due to AA using partner BA)
New Itinerary - frequent flier miles 'taxes and fees' '$275' (flying AA and AB) + 300 Ryanair flight London to Vienna
3. Previous Itinerary - 8 hour layover in Dusseldorf on return
New Itinerary - 1 hour layover

Now that I know how to find good train fares, and how to do Cesky Krumolov, I've given up on using a car.

Questions:

2 Days in London.

I've been before, wife hasn't. I'll take her to see the usual tourist sites but looking for something new, to make it interesting for me. I don't think the docklands was there when I last went in 1993. Is that worth checking out? Any other ideas?

I'm trying to get hotels under US $100. A previous poster said I couldn't get a park bench for $80. I know that's not true because I can find some 4* hotels for $70 in Finchley, Stratford-Olympic Park, or Ealing Chiswich. Are those areas OK for 2 nights. Any recommendations.

3 Days Vienna
Vienna is still a blank slate for me, need to start researching. I hope I'll like it, as I mentioned in my previous post, Austro-Hungarian (Baroque?) palace architecture doesn't excite me for some reason. Any suggestions for other things to see, suggestions for hotels under $100? Interesting neighborhoods? Beautiful gardens? My friend says I can hide from the wild boars , LOL.

4 Days Prague
Prague same thing, I'll take a day trip to CK using shuttle as recommended. Any suggestions for hotels in Prague, things to do.

I'm into art museums, taking great photos, walking a lot to see the local life, and architecture, eating the local food, going to beautiful concert halls.

Thanks for in advance for the feedback.

di2315

For something completely different in Vienna, take a look at the Hundertwasser building at Spittelau - it's right by the train station of the same name.
See http://www.hundertwasser.at/english/...fernwaerme.php for details.

There is also a gallery (Kunst Haus) just outside the city centre, and an apartment complex Hundertwasser Haus in Vienna. Across the street from the apartments is a small arcade - a visit to the toilets there is quite interesting also!! Di

Havana128

I can find some 4* hotels for $70 in Finchley

Really? Do share.

Governator

Sorry, it's a 3* for $62. on Priceline Express Deals
Finchley Area Hotel -
$62/nightIncludes FREE Parking and Internet


There's a couple of 4*s on Priceline Express Deals in the $70 range, not in Finchley.

nytraveler

You need to look into the specific areas very carefully. Priceline definitions often do no match those of the actual neighborhoods and you don't want to find yourself in

1) a very unpleasant area (Note your definition is "Finchley area" - what does that mean?

2) nowhere near a tube station - making it a long trek to get to any sights

Governator

I just booked one of the London 4*s for about $70. It gets excellent reviews and is 1 minute walk to a metro stop.

While I was at it I also booked my Vienna Hotel on PL, a 4* for about $55/nt , also has good reviews and convenient to transportation.

I use PL a lot in the US and always have good luck with it. I only used it in Europe, once before, for a big name hotel in Amsterdam near Vondelpark, that I was quite pleased with.

Thanks to Priceline I've stayed in many beautiful 4* and 5* hotels that I would never even consider, otherwise.

The only downside to PL is there are no refunds or changes allowed. So you have to be sure of your dates before you click the submit button.

Governator

My guess, on the PL Express Deals, Finchley area hotel, being as it's the only 3* in that area, is it's the Roseview Alexandra Palace. Not the greatest, but for $62, not bad. However I didn't go for that one and I got something better, though not in Finchley.

janisj

You have booked a very inconvenient location. it is nearly 1.5 miles from the nearest tube and train stations.

You did get better than a park bench -- but at least that park bench would be more convenient to sites.

You are in London basically 1.5 useable days. Sorry, but a bad choice -- even at your 'bargain' rate.

(If you read the reviews -- most people stayed there for business nearby, to visit relatives at local convalescent hospitals, or for events at Alexandra Palace - not a palace - an entertainment venue)

janisj

Oh - now I see you DIDN'T go w/ the Roseview Alexandra Palace --

Sure hope you new 'find' is significantly better

Governator

Actually I got the Westbridge Hotel for $71 a night. Practically on top of a tube station. Significantly more comfortable and convenient than a park bench. Unless, of course, the bench is outside Buckingham Palace.

The hotel is, also, conveniently located near the A9 bus which I'll use to get to Stansted Airport to get my flight to Vienna.

With my new itinerary, I'll be arriving in LHR before 7am, which should give us 2 full days in London.

Hopefully I'll get some sleep on the plane coming over. I always have a problem with that.

I'll never forget my young daughter falling asleep with her head on the table at a pub the last time I came to London 22 years ago.

What a great trip that was, we went on a Cosmos bus tour of Europe then came back to London for 4 days and then took a car up to Bath and the Cotswolds for a few days. My daughter almost got run over crossing the street in Arlington, when she looked the wrong way.

I remember coming out to the car one day, entering on the wrong side, and declaring to my daughters, that somebody stole the steering wheel. I also lost a side view mirror passing through a stone fence gate. LOL. Good times!

annhig

2 Days in London.

I've been before, wife hasn't. I'll take her to see the usual tourist sites but looking for something new, to make it interesting for me.>>

without knowing what you've seen already, we can't make any suggestions about where to go this time. Also we need to know what places you are intending to take your DW to - for all we know, they will take up the entirety of the 2 days.

and what time of year? in Vienna you like to take a bus to the top of the Kahlenberg and walk down through the vineyards to the villages at the bottom with their lovely Heurige [wine taverns] but that won't be much fun in November.

The Prater [amusement park] is good for an evening - and you can take a ride on the historic Riesenrad [big wheel] before eating your fill in the Biergarten.

Governator

You're right taking her on the tourist trail will probably take up most of our time, but I'd like to squeeze in something new.

My previous time there, I saw changing of the guard, houses of parliament, tower of london, british museum, had great seats for a Shakespeare play, kew gardens, poe house, picadilly circus, a ride on the double decker bus, St Paul cathedral. I don't remember if i went to the national gallery or the tate museum. I may have seen Hampton Court. walked over some bridge that gave a great view. I don't think that big ferris wheel was there or the docklands.

I'll be taking this trip Easter week. That walk through the vineyards and villages sounds very interesting, as does the amusement park. Would definitely enjoy a biergarten . Please tell me more.

msteacher

Hooray for your new itinerary! Much better than what you had originally planned. Good for you for listening to all the (sometimes harsh) advice, doing your research, and making a new plan. I think you will enjoy your trip. Happy travels!

bilboburgler

What is a metro stop in London? Is it a supermarket?

I'd go to Pilsen (for the beer) rather than CK for its water.

carolyn

If you haven't seen Westminster Abbey, that is a wonderful place. You may have to schedule carefully since you are there during Easter week and they have a lot of religious services which you can attend but during which you cannot tour.

If you are a book lover, the British Library is great. The Victoria & Albert Museum is, too.

janisj

>>Actually I got the Westbridge Hotel for $71 a night. Practically on top of a tube station. <<

No it is not on top of a 'metro' station (that would be tube or Underground). It is practically on top of a <u>DLR station</u> (Docklands Light Rail)

To get to say Trafalgar Sq requires 1 DLR leg, 2 tube legs, and a 5-10 minute walk -- about 45 mins altogether . . . .

janisj

But to Westminster Abbey -- <i>only</i> about half an hour. . .

jamikins

If it is Stratford high street it requires a change at Stratford to the central line or a change at Canning Town to get a train into bank or tower gateway. That line runs Woolwich arsenal to Stratford international. Not into central London directly.

Governator

janisj on Mar 19, 15 at 2:24pm

"$80 will get you a park bench in London. (actually you might be able to get bunks in a dorm room in a hostel for that)"


Bottom line, there's over 100 hotels in London in April, for $80 or less! There's even some for $60.

http://tinyurl.com/p97ykwo

annhig

I'll leave the others to explain the mysteries of London Transport to you - you've plenty of ideas to be going on with.

as for Vienna, you can get to the top of the Kahlenberg by getting the tram, overground train and then the bus as set out in the Vienna AnachB route planner:

http://www.anachb.at/bin/query.exe/d...a&L=vs_anachb&

it's a terrific resource - anywhere you want to go and the answer is there.

on the bus you will go past a number of the wine villages - Grinzing, Heiligenstadt and Doebling - and you have only to look out for the ones that have a branch or trunk of fir tree hanging outside to see which are selling their own wine. we particularly liked the one near Beethoven's summer house in Heiligenstadt - Mayer - which i see has a concert on Easter Monday:

http://www.pfarrplatz.at/en/news/news.html#56

I should think that booking for that would be a good idea if you think that you might like to do it.

The Biergarten in the Prater is very easy to find - lots of signs. To get to the Prater you have to cross the river into area 2 of Vienna [the centre is area 1] - it's on the u-bahn so it's very easy to get to.