True, Travelnut, but they tell you as soon as they respond to your request whether the hotel is available or not. If not, they offer the alternative. When they confirm your package, they confirm the dates and hotel; at least that's how it worked when I did it. This makes the package different from a tour which takes you to a hotel of their choosing and can substitute hotels at will.

That's exactly how it works Nikki. I have used them for 3 different trips, and I've been very pleased. There were no surprises because I was able to research the hotels before I booked the trip. You also have the option of upgrading to a nicer hotel if you don't like their basic offerings - of course the prices increases accordingly

Hi guys! I booked a Flight/Hotel combo on Travelocity for 6 nights. Total was $2400 for two and the flight and hotel are very nice! Now I have the arduous task of planning where to go since this is the first time! Thanks again,

K

HI M,

Mind telling us the air itinerary and which hotels?

We took a trip to Prague this past January and as I was in sort of rush to give this trip as a gift, I thought it would be easier to use an agency. The price was good so I did it. In the end however, I had to rebook the hotel on my own as their original hotel was not available and they booked us into a hotel about 40 minutes from the center of Prague. It was not at all what we were looking for and I had to do it myself anyway. It caused endless headaches and anxiety to do this over the holidays. In my opinion, better and more satisfying to do it yourself.

The only tour company I ever booked with was a trip to Rio de Janeiro and we ended up in a roach hotel in a sketchy neighborhood nowhere near the beach. I learned early that you definitely get what you pay for, and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

It really comes down to how much control you want over where you go and where you stay. Some people like to hand over their money and know that when they get there, their reservations are taken care of.

For me, I like to be able to research the hotel and airfares and get what's best for me in the best locations. I'm a BIG proponent staying in the heart of the city where I don't have to commute to see the sights, and there are plenty of good websites (including this one, but also tripadvisor and venere.com) that have hotel reviews.

I think planning the trip and watching travel videos about where I'm going (you can get them for free at your public library) is half the fun of the anticipation.

But then Suze is right -- and maybe even a little conservative -- in her estimate that 90% of us are die-hard planners.

Jules

Researching and planning your travel is can be fun, but very time consuming and complicated. Using a qualified travel consultant helpssaves you time and money. Experienced agentscan package your destination requirements and save you many dollars and time. Many travel consultants do not charge a fee OR the fee is applied to your trip. How much is your time worth?

Thanks everyone for your responses!

Ira- I am leaving out of IAD on Lufthansa, connecting in Germany to Rome (12 hrs) and staying at the Holiday inn express Giovanni for 6 nights.

K

Jules- funny, I was going to say 99%, but now & then people do post about going with an organized tour

My husband and I are booked on the January 6 departure with Perillo Tours for the North Italy Classic starting in Milan (14 days) Everything is included, airfare-lodging, ground transportation, admissions, luggage handling, airport pickup, breakfast and dinner every night. 4&5 star hotels. I think that covers it all. We will visit Milan, Venice, Siena, Florence, Rome, Pompeii. The only out of pocket expenses we should have would be tips for tour guide and bus driver and lunch daily. All other tips are covered. Probably not the cheapest way to go but no hassles. my husband did not want to have to worry about anything. This is the first time we have done a trip of this length or group tour. Hope it workd well but we don't know until we try it. Perillo has other tours to choose from also.

The older I get the less hassles I want too when travelling. In many cases its worth paying more. May I ask how much this trip will cost you? Thanks

Last spring I took a package rail (unescorted) trip to Brussels and Amsterdam through Gate1 Travel. I spent approximately 10 minutes choosing the trip. That's it. The flight there was fine as I recall, but the return itinerary involved a 3-hour layover, which made the trip painfully long (we're in Los Angeles).

Now I'm planning a winter break trip to Italy and my first focus was flight times. Also, after doing the math (easy because the Gate1 trip included only air, trains, and hotels) I found I could do the trip cheaper than Gate1. And with more centrally-located hotels, which is another important consideration for me. So I'm doing it myself, with short layovers if all goes well.

However, I have spent more hours choosing hotels--because I enjoy it and I obsess--than I will spend in Italy!