Where's the AC?
 

Dear All,

I guess I'm spoiled coming from the hazy, hot, and humid summers of New Jersey. I can't imagine a summer without AC. Last summer, I was in Italy for two weeks. The heat and humidity was unbearable, and coming back to a cool hotel room renergized the soul! Next summer my husband and I want to travel to the UK. Is it safe to assume that we won't need AC there? Do I waste my time finding accommodations with AC during July only to find out that the weather is comfortable and I didn't need it afterall? There are so many wonderful recommendations from all of you for great places to stay.....but many don't have AC.Thanks. Helene

I well remember one hot and steamy summer in London--no way would I take a chance without a/c in my hotel room.

Are you mad? Look at our current weather reports. Even is you are used to hot and humid it is uncomfortable here at the moment - and you say that you can't cope without AC.

It may or may not be like this again next year but why take the chance?

Still, it depends on the type of accomodation you want. You'll rarely get air-con in B&Bs or apartments, but otherwise it's not hard to find in hotels.

Surely hell is not hotter than a heat wave in southern France!?! :) Actually, I'd suffer the heat again gladly - no a/c and in a dorm room, no less - for another visit!

Um, we just returned from London and it was hot (even before those couple of extremely hot days)...thankfully our hotel had AC, we needed it!

English has had temps above 37 C. this past week. I guess it could require AC in the hotels.

Blackduff

Did your grandmother have air conditioning? Are you a totally limp wimp? Why don't you post this question on the AC forum? Shortly to be zapped for sure.

Hopscotch.....I can certainly live without AC. Just asking for recommendations as to whether or not it's needed in July in the UK. Are your responses always this nasty? Helene

Thanks for the info. Helene

I just returned from London and it was very hot. It seemed like there was always a breeze.
Because my B and B room was so hot I spent 12 hours outside and probably did more in the short time I was there. I just couldn't face going back to the room. It was an incentive to keep going.
I also kept my outside London trips to places on the water since I knew it would be cooler.

Helene
You are probably getting these types of responses becuase south England is in the middle of a well publicized heat wave. There have been many posts on this forum - and it has even warranted mention on the media in the UK. Had you posted this question last October you probbaly would have received different responses

You need A/C almost anywhere in south or central Europe during the summer. All of Europe has warmed enormously over the past decade, and if you try to go without A/C now in summertime, you risk ruining your vacation.

Helene- I agree that the post was uncalled for and nasty in tone. Don't let it bother you- there are so many people on Fodors who do want to be helpful, take their suggestions and ignore the sarcastic responses.

Sorry, Helene, I wasn't trying to be rude, and I don't want to be associated with folks like hopscotch. But I would do without AC again to spend another summer in southern France. The local stores sold out of fans quickly, but we managed to get one from another student when he returned home early. We were in dorms and taking French classes. For a nice, leisurely vacation, however, I would DEFINITELY want AC in any hotel room I was paying for if it was at all possible.

Hope this isn't to sarcastic, but I believe it's close to the truth.

"If you're Ame**can, you will need A/C anywhere on the planet everyday"

This makes it easy for everybody, so just look at your passport. :-). No need to ask questions on specific locations, they're all the same. Hot, Hot, Hot (including Antarctica, Norway, Iceland... too hot for am*ri*ans to survive :-)

That's cr*p! The Brits are sweating bullets too and they are not enjoying a moment of it! That's why when they all go to Portugal for holiday, they are sure to have air conditioning in the rental units.

O.K so Brits are affected too ;-)

You'll need AC almost anywhere in Europe except northern Scandinavia, in the summer.

It's more common to have AC in Southern Europe than in the North. Therefore, it's actually better to go the south. I mean, Europeans themselves don't go north in the summer to avoid the heat. They go south too (though mainly to get the sun and sea, not to get AC).

Wow! I didn't think this was such a loaded issue.....again, thanks for the info. I do appreciate all the good information I get from most Fodorites! The info. was invaluable for my Italy trip. H

All that being said, it depends on part on where in the UK you are going. I think it's safe to assume you won't need a/c in Scotland.