Where can I do a 5 day trip in Europe over New Year's for under $1000??
 

Here's the scoop - flying out of Boston (family near there) but can be flexible with New York or Newark as well (but have to drive back to Rochester NY after!).

I need flights for two and 4 or 5 nights in a hotel all for under $1000 - is this possible? I found a Delta Vacation deal yesterday for Boston to Dublin, but now its gone :( Dates are flexible from 12/29-1/4.

Has anyone tried to do this through a package? Delta/United/Usair... Site59? Or should I do Priceline for my flights and stay in Pensione's/hostels?

We're in our mid-twenties, have only been to Italy, and would love any city that there is enough to do for 4 days - so that's anywhere!

Your thoughts? Thanks in advance - Kristy

Kristy, that's not going to be easy. You can try to find some bargain airfares, but a package probably will be your best bet.

Thru Expedia.com, I found a 3-night trip to London from New York at several London Hotels starting at a little over $500 per person but that includes airfare, hotel for 3 nights and all taxes. The dates I put in were departing on Dec. 25 and returning on Dec. 29.

Unless you increase your budget a little, this might be the best you can hope for.

Good luck!

I've been looking at the same time frame, www.offpeaktraveler.com has some good prices to Europe, esp. London. It was $1200 for two from Chicago and will be cheaper from NY. You could always see if one of the budget airlines (buzz, go, ryanair) could get you out of London for cheap.

You might also take a look at British Airways packages.

I'd look at websites for Go Today (www.go-today.com) and Off Peak Traveller (www.offpeaktraveler.com). They may have a package (airfare & hotel) that comes into your price range. Most likely destinations would be London or Paris. Another destination that I'm often seen mentioned on Frommer's for cheap deals out of Boston is Iceland. I've used Priceline for airfare and for hotel (separately, not as a package). I think they do offer packages ... however my concern would be getting a decent flight time out/back when you're working on a short time frame.

Hi Kristy,

You might want to search http://airtravelcenter.com/onetrav.htm

I found $415 for EWR/AMS and 450 for EWR/LON 12/29 out and 1/4 back. You might be able to do better.

Flights to Paris and Rome were more expensive.

Hi - Just did a search on Orbitz. $356 pp r/t from NYC to London. Combined with a hotel at $75 per night (would not be a great place, but doable), you would come in right at $1,000.

Same sort of info

Paris pkg. on go-today.com starting at $550/person but it's for 6 nights.
http://www.go-today.com/FR_FGPB.ASP

same website London & Madrid pkgs also 6 nights
http://www.go-today.com/gt_as.asp

another Madrid http://www.europeexpress.com/site/pk...amp;iCode=8056

The other option is to pick a place & look at airline pkgs that go there.

Hi again,

Try www.airfrance.com. They are offering BOS/AMS and BOS/LON for 300 anytime after Dec 24.

KAMG, go to PRAGUE! It's gorgeous in the winter, and a very cheap place. You can eat out very well there for very little. There's lots to see, and around New Year's it's bustling and fun. I was there last year.

Yes, the only expensive thing in Prague is the hotel room--I would go to biddingfortravel.com to see what you can expect from Priceline, and then bid away. Also, http://www.prague-holiday.cz/ has good rates on hotels and such.

have you checked out cheaptickets.com and eurocheapo.com? You might find what you need there as well.

Air fare to Prague is much more expensive than other places like London.

I think packages are a good idea. I was thinking of go-today.com or francevacation.net or gate1travel. The prices on offpeaktraveler I've seen are not cheaper than booking yourself.

The main problem is that is a peak holiday period, so you may not get deals, although leaving after Christmas may help.

Thank you all - this gives me great starting points! Someone I work with went on an independent tour last year and suggested the site - http://www.sceptreireland.com/

Trying to do the trip myself I get an outrageous price, but with their 6 day package it is $479pp... including rental car! This changes my idea of what the trip will look like, but it could be a winner!

Once I look into all these options I'll let people know what sites seem to be the best - thanks again! Kristy

Kristy,

Before you book that plan, make sure that if they're using the voucher system for your accomodations, that you get a list of B&Bs, etc that take them. And then make sure that you contact these places to ensure they have a vacancy for you (or are open) during that time frame.

Ireland packages tend to use this voucher system often, rather than book you into accomodations. I know some people have have reported some difficulty in finding a place to take their vouchers. Not a showstopper probably, but worth doing the legwork to make sure.

Thanks Clifton I appreciate the heads up. That is a concern of mine, though my coworker took this trip last March and said it wasn't a problem. I will be sure to check out what the Ireland Fodorites have to say before booking! (I'm used to the US and Italy boards)

yes, and before you choose the B&Bs that accept your vouchers, do some research on each one here, at tripadvisor.com, other message boards.

Some friends of mine did one of those packages this past spring and found that the participating B&Bs varied widely in ambiance, cleanliness, etc.

HI
and because I'm trying to plan a short trip myself around the holidays, be aware that many of the great package deals offered at Gate1 and go-today, etc, are based on double occupancy.
The deals there aren't so good if you're traveling solo.

Gate1 has packages in your price range

:(

I have now determined that none of these is actually bookable for my dates:( I have researched this for about 10 hours in the last two days - even tried priceline and flying out of Toronto!

I think I may just need to wait a few weeks to see what opens up, otherwise it appears I'll get a European-like vacation in Montreal, since I can drive there. I'm depressed - I really thought I could pull this off.

Hi KAMG,

>I'll get a European-like vacation in Montreal, ....<

Non, non, non, ma chere Kristy. Quebec!!

Go to Air France website. They currently have a package from Boston that is $359 and includes 3 nights. The hotel is in the 17th but if you go up to $399 you can get something more central (2star).