InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - First time in Europe

We are spending couple weeks in Italy, France, Spain, Turkey for a holiday. Looking for Best location of IHG Hotel, Great place, good staff and service for family. Anyone’s please advice..

We are spending couple weeks in Italy, France, Spain, Turkey for a holiday. Looking for Best location of IHG Hotel, Great place, good staff and service for family. Anyone’s please advice..


The obvious first bit of advice is that you're doing way too many places for only 2 weeks.Cutting your itinerary down to 1 or 2 countries would be better use of your time .

The obvious first bit of advice is that you're doing way too many places for only 2 weeks.Cutting your itinerary down to 1 or 2 countries would be better use of your time .

That really depends what the OP is looking to get out of his vacation; fankly, it's rather presumptuous to say that "obviously....it would be a better use of [his] time" to book his vacation the way that you would book yours.

kilauemas - are you looking for IC branded hotels, or any ICHG brand (HI, CP, etc) ?

As you mention "family", one thing to take care of in Italy is a screw-the-tourist law limiting occupancy in any hotel room to 3.

That really depends what the OP is looking to get out of his vacation; fankly, it's rather presumptuous to say that "obviously....it would be a better use of [his] time" to book his vacation the way that you would book yours.



I stand corrected-the OP may indeed have endless travel as a major prerequisite :-)

Thanks to all, we do not intend to explore the whole country only focus on places of interest suitable for families and any IHG hotel near attractions, shopping, etc.

Thanks to all, we do not intend to explore the whole country only focus on places of interest suitable for families and any IHG hotel near attractions, shopping, etc.

You appear to be happy to let the hotel location dictate the cities you intend to visit.

Why not work out what you'd actually like to do (visit major historical sites, go shopping, be in a big city, be in a town / city on the coast) and then put that city into the IHG hotel reservation finder.

This will bring up a map so you can see which hotels are nearest the parts of the town / city you favour.

Just think you're being a bit too vague at the moment as the countries you mention have a lot to offer - it just depends what city and cultural experience you're wanting.

Bottom line - pick your city and then find a hotel within the chain.

Just my two pennies

By and large it seem Paris,Istanbul,Rome are the most natural best connected choices taking into account your shopping/sightseeing requirements .Madrid is of interest but it's not quite in the same league,imho, as the other aforementioned capitals.Barcelona or the Andalucian alternatives (Sevilla.Cordoba,Granada etc) are pretty special though ,but you may have to relinquish somewhat your staying@IHG hotels criterion. .

That really depends what the OP is looking to get out of his vacation; fankly, it's rather presumptuous to say that "obviously....it would be a better use of [his] time" to book his vacation the way that you would book yours.

Rubbish. Dockland said that was his advice, and it remains perfectly valid and good advice.

It would only be poor advice if the OPs objective was to do as much non-stop traveling as possible. And based upon what had been posted up to that point, there was nothing to suggest that a millage/mattress run was the objective.

And that remains the case.

Thanks to all, we do not intend to explore the whole country only focus on places of interest suitable for families and any IHG hotel near attractions, shopping, etc.

Personally, I think you are trying to do too much. Although, at least you do know you wont be seeing much more than 1 place in each country. However, even with that, you probably wont see much of the actual places you do 'see'.

The main advice I would give is that the abundance of IHG properties varies drastically from country to country and in some countries from region to region.

As mentioned above, in Spain, Andalucia they are very scarce, but it might be more what you want to see. Or in Madrid there is - comparativly - much more choice.

I really think I'd start with looking at what you might want to see in each place, and then look at the hotels after that (but before going too much further if IHG is important).

I don't know how you intent to travel about, but hotel costs could easily be the least expensive thing to worry about...

Europe is very diverse, each country is different, and there are lots....
Your question for me sounds a little like: Please recommend the best burger places in the US that i can plan a trip....

Do you prefer cities? For a first timer: Paris, Rome, London and also Munich, Copenhagen, Zuerich, Barcelona, Athens and many more.
Do you prefer beaches? Greek Islands, Italian Coast, Southern Spain and also many more.
Or Mountains and nature: Norwegian Fjords, Alps (especially Switzerland and northern Italy)
There are more places than you can see in your lifetime.

Hotels: I am also a points addict and try to get enough night to requalify for Royal Ambassador. But i don't find the IC brand hotels in Europe very appealing. IC Rome is nice, Madrid a bit out of the way but ok. Athens is in an ugly area. Frankfurt is so so, Hamburg is leaving (and that is good).
hat is your budget? As a tourist i would rather stay in smaller boutique hotels close to the sights in each of these cities. Lots of very charming local places.

So decide where you want to go (don't do the american thing of 7 countries in 5 days...) and ask for hotel recommendations (mention your budget, with the current exchange rate europe is not a bargain).

Thanks to all, we do not intend to explore the whole country only focus on places of interest suitable for families and any IHG hotel near attractions, shopping, etc.

What/where I can visit with my two teenagers (13 & 14) is different to what I'd be able to with toddlers... You may also wish to clarify "families".

/dnastudios

IMHO, I would book a tour rather than try to plan something myself for the first trip ever in my life to Europe (especially with family)...your questions and suggestions are too vague for anyone to give you any advice...driving, train-spotting or flying? Disney in Paris, bull-running in Pamplona or Carnival in Venice? Beach, Slopes or country-side? ICs or HIEs? BTW, you've come to the right place to seek help... :)

BTW, you've come to the right place to seek help... :)

Indeed, please don't think we're being dificult, people are keen to help and advise, it is just we don't know enough detail to give advice without the potential of it actually being poor advice for the true circumstances.

Make sure you try the 2-4-1 rates:

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/6c/925/en/c/1/content/dec/teaser/6c/1/en/lp/emea/twofor.html?rateCode=IDEX1&cm_mmc=partnership-_-exclusive-_-2for1-_-exclusive

kilauemas - having spent half my life in EU and half in the US, from an American perspective on distance I really don't see any issue of distance/amount of travel in what you are suggesting. What you are mention for intra-europe is seems to be rather less travel than LAX-SFO-SEA-LAX or NY-FL and back with a stop in VA or NC. If you are OK with that kind of trip over 2 weeks then I would not be concerned with the amount of travel that you have in mind.

Although the CS is horrible, ryanair and easyjet are low cost carriers with some amazingly low fares (even by WN standards) that can keep the cost very low if you don't mind slumming it for a couple of hours in one of their flying greyhounds. Only way to buy is direct on their own websites.

What a dearth of advice versus those anxious to manage your life.
My trip to Europe is in December, and I too am going too many countries, the wrong cities, in too few days, in the wrong time of year as well, so you have my sympathies. The advice got better as my requests for information narrowed.

I started narrowing down my selections with a number of criterea. First, I checked which locations had 5K award nights. A second criteria was for locations that I could save money by parking my car at the hotel and using local transportation or feet. Lastly, I went to this site as well as a search engine to glean specific recommendations. I always try to give my kids a specific assignment for a specific location, as in "OK boys, on Tuesday afternoon in Amsterdam, from 2 to 4 is up to you. Come to me with a list of suggestions"

I've been happy over the years with many cities that offer "get on, get off" bus tours. Some bundle a museum pass or other goodies in wth the price of the card. A great way to see the highlights and cherry pick those locations most interestingto you.

And yes, some people were incredibly helpful. One gem was to not pay for the parking at a certain location since the street parking will be free and plentiful.