dawnnoelm

Okay the "one" more question is most likely a blatant lie as our trip is not till December so that seems like an impossible feat.

You have all been more then patient as I banged my head and my keyboard trying to figure out our trip to Europe in December.

Current plans:
Arrive London Decmeber 23 -

December 23-24 London Renisance or Marriott Maycourt?

December 24-26 Brugges -

Sint Niklaas B&B

December 26-Jan 2 http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/66709

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I heard back from this person that this apartment is available from December 23 - Jan 2 in Paris. VBRO 112368

Paris Arrondissement 5, Paris, Ile-de-France (Paris Area), France, Europe
Accommodations: Apartment - 3 Bedrooms - 2 Baths - (Sleeps 6-8)
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It got good reviews over all on slow travel.

The upside to staying there is that we would go to London on an overnight and use our points and have two good days in London (when we are not jetlagged and battling that so much is closed).

It is also less expensive of the above option and it has 3 real bedrooms as opposed to the other property. They also will take my credit card which makes my life easier then a bank transfer. (no biggie in the whole deal).

I really do appreciate and value all the feedback and listen ...

Thank you in advance.

tuscanlifeedit

Hi Dawn!

I think I like your new plan best. Actually, I know I do.

It will eliminate all the worry about London being closed down for Christmas.

And it saves money. And the apartment is bigger. Yes, yes, yes.

dawnnoelm

I feel a little loopy Tuscan - so I really appreciate the feedback. Did you look at the apartment?? Does it look okay?
I like the saving $$ too and like getting points for that much money (ie able to use a credit card)

JoyC

Sorry but I'm not clear about what you are saying regarding your new option. You say the vrbo is available from 23 Dec to 2 January but since you are arriving London on the 23rd, you are staying in London overnight (or is it 2 days???), then traveling to Paris on the 24th or 25th?? When exactly do you want to start renting the new apartment? Are you scraping the whole Brussels/Brugge thing now then??

At any rate, I like the look of the new apartment and its location

dawnnoelm

Hi Joy,

Sorry to be forever so confusing. Thanks for the feedback -
The new plan could be:

The trip would be taking the Eurostar directly from London to Paris and having the apartment for 10 nights. (the new one)

We would go back at some point during the trip (still having the apartment) to London and use points at one of the Marriott locations for a full 2 days one night in London.

Regarding Belgium - with my research I am now very interested in going and perhaps we would do a day trip during the 10 days - but I would not be staying overnight. It would really depend on how everyone is feeling/doing.

Hope that makes more sense (in the explanation).

The positive would be the saving about a thousand dollars on lodging and moving around less.

You do like the new apartment and location? Fabulous. I am so nervous. There is one review on Slowtravel and the agent has been very reponsive via email.

JoyC

OK Dawn, I got it.....

Yes, I do like the 2nd apartment much better than the first. The fact that it has 3 bedrooms is really a bonus not to mention that you are not too far from the popular sites (it helps to have a place near those places especially during cold weather months in case you want to return once or twice a day for a respite).The reviews on the vrbo site seems factual without being too sugary.

Did you consider the costs of train travel on all your daytrips?? RT London-Paris and Paris-Brussels-Brugge? That might add in the overall costs on your planned itinerary.

Good luck!

dawnnoelm

Thanks again for the feedback Joy. Yes, I thought of the train travel - I guess I should have added that in the post - I am concerned about putting 6 people on the train - I also do not know how much my older two teens would enjoy Brugges. They might be more content to explore Paris.

We do want to do London... hopefully the "free" lodging for the night will make it more doable.

I am getting in that mode of "oh boy we are going - now I want to see everything in that area" ... and it is the very thing that wore me out on our last trip AND the very thing that I now advise others against!

So little time and money... Those airfrance rates to London from LAX had me checking for a trip in the spring for just dh and I -- then I smacked myself on the head and said "are you TRULY daft???"

Thanks again for the feedback on the apartment - I was nervous about the location.

JoyC

We are going to Brugge this summer (not our first time though) and one of the things I planned for my family is a bike ride around the city. I don't know if you can do this in December but you can ask the TI office near the train station once you get there.

Alternatively, the canal ride plus the walk around will probably be sufficient for a day. If you still have a few hours to spend, a train to Ghent (~20 minutes) will also be nice.

dawnnoelm

Thanks again Joy- I will be eager to read of your travels this summer to Brugge!