Romelle

http://www.hihostels.com

I've stayed in youth hostels a number of places in Europe. Genoa, Venice, London, Florence, and a couple others I can't recall just now.

They typically include a light breakfast - rolls, butter, jam, coffee or tea.

Genoa has been many years ago, so don't recall any specifics, but also don't recall any problems or issues.

Venice was amazing. Right on one of the islands, and I was able to ride the water ferry across to St. Mark's. Mostly the other people there were young, but they were friendly. I don't recall any late night carousing. The only one up at night was me as I made my usual middle of the night bathroom treks one starts doing as one ages. I envied the young ones their ability to sleep through the night. I spent 6 nights in this one, as I wanted to buy chandeliers for my house and wanted time to look at lots of them. Eventually I made my decisions and now have lovely chandeliers in my entry, over my dining table, in my living room, plus a couple gorgeous bathroom light fixtures. Plus a great story to tell as to how I got them.

London was right in the city. They kindly observed my age, and were careful to give me a bottom bunk. Actually, I could have gotten into an upper one, but I appreciated their thoughtfulness. I enjoyed using the shared kitchen.

In Florence my adult son and I stayed in one - an old mansion that had converted. We got a family room for just the two of us. It was spacious, with two double bunk beds. On a bus line. Suppers were available, and included great pasta such as one usually finds in Italy. I think we stayed for 3 or 4 nights.

But the most amazing hostel experience in my family was my son's. He stayed in one in Italy several years ago. Over Christmas. Somehow got sort of adopted into a large Sardinia family group staying there. Several sets of related parents and a flock of kids. They got to be good enough friends they invited him back to visit them in Sardinia. I traveled with him his next trip, and the family welcomed both of us into one of their homes. A wonderful communal dinner including a roasted pig and lots of great wine they had made. A priceless experience. They are still in touch with my son, too.

Please don't rule out hostels. They could be some of your finer memories and the source of great new friends.

My son now gets AARP mailings (50+) and still looks forward to staying in hostels. He has done lots of other places in Europe. I have to admit that at my age I'm looking a little harder for a softer bed, but still would consider it.

The bulletin boards in hostels are great sources of local event news and information (as well as the people running the place and others staying there).

There often are coin-operated washers available. Sheets are clean. Lockers are available. Evening meals can be offered. Simple and inexpensive, but good.

Rates vary, but something in the 20 to 35 Euro range.

Membership also includes some light medical insurance, and my favorite benefit - shipping one's dead body back. Love to mention that one for a reaction from friends.

Romelle

cb2

Leippra2, although summer fares will be more expensive, you have little time to spare and you probably would not want to spend half your holidays transferring between cities. Try skyscanner.com and look for Ryanair, EasyJet and WizzAir as those are the cheapest carriers, but beware of their baggage fees, etc. In some cases it may be more cost effective to travel with regular airlines if you have a few suitcases. Lastly, Megabus serves London, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels among other cities, so you could maybe take an overnight bus, go to sleep and save a few bucks.

sfx

first family holiday in europe and a ton of points, don't bother with hostels in cities.

they can get good scores, but read the review comments, frequent cons are bars closing [early] at 2am and horrid shared bathrooms. save yourself the grief. one hostel, we had to vacate at 5am cos sleep was not going to happen...

Romelle

I've just discovered the Howard Leight earplugs. Definitely more comfortable and more effective than other brands. Cuter, too.

Mostly because I like the picture:

Click here.

Lots of places to buy them. I got large boxes (100 pairs) of both the uncorded and corded ones. I use the uncorded ones for sleeping in noisy hotels (even 5* places can have problem guests and rooms by the elevator). The corded ones are great for airplanes, since I can't drop them when I pull one out to hear a FA (regular announcements come right through them).

I really recommend taking some on your trip.

Romelle

sfx

then ask to move room!!

elaine amj

I don't have any specific suggestions for your trip. (except: for London, if you are there for several days, look into the rail travelcards that offer 2 for 1 entries to attractions. Took me forever to understand, but saved me a bundle).

Just a comment about your travel pace. I just got back from Europe - stayed in 6 places in 12 days and didn't feel rushed and all of us enjoyed our pace.

The one thing I would reconsider - I had a planned flight from London to Zurich, leaving at noon, touch down at 4pm (layover in Amsterdam). We woke up to a flight cancellation and ended up having to rush to the airport at 8:30am, 2 hours earlier than planned (with a £25 taxi fare instead of our paid for £14 hotel shuttle) only to find our new flight was delayed. We ended up in Zurich at 6pm and it was a stressful, rather tiring day. To top it off, our only day in Switzerland was pretty much ruined by fog. At the end of the day, our primary objective was spending time with extended family members so although sightseeing was a write-off, we had a great time.

The other thing to consider is that for every country/new place you visit, there's another whole new round of research - especially if you are budget conscious. I planned our trip in only 3 months and there were a number of things I ran out of time to adequately research. It was very complicated and time-consuming and many times I wished I hadn't planned such a complicated trip. It won't matter as much if you are a traveller who is happy to follow the beaten path and pay extra for convenience. Still, I don't entirely regret doing this and I think I would do it again

My family is accustomed to a pretty quick pace and travelling efficiently (I am an optimizer at heart lol) and frankly, because we had extended family members with us, this was a very leisurely trip. e.g. a slow day in London was 2 hours at the British Museum followed by an afternoon at the Tower of London, then a stroll across the Tower Bridge and dinner. We could have easily added another attraction in there.

I have no issues moving hotels daily and pack so that packing/unpacking is very quick and simple.

sfx

with most EU flights being 90 min or less, just get the first flight of the day, sleep en route and get the whole day in destination city.

kdlynn06

I went to London and Paris with three friends of mine (approx. the age of your sons) and we originally were going to book hotel rooms. After weighing the options, we decided to book apartments through Airbnb. We had excellent accommodations for a fraction of the price. In Paris, our apartment even included free international phone calls. This allowed us to get two bedrooms (or at least a bed and a pull-out couch), which gave us a bit of room to move around.

I will agree with the others that recommending narrowing down your destinations. You'll be spending quite a bit of time getting to the destinations (or in airports waiting for that delayed flight), rather than being able to just enjoy your trip. Flights are usually every bit as cheap as the train (if not cheaper), and are usually quicker.

Something else to look into - there are busses from London to Amsterdam and Paris for VERY reasonable prices. These wouldn't be fast, but it could be a potential option for your family.

Romelle

I agree with your comments about AirBNB (just did it also and it worked well), but a quibble with the plane vs train comments.

One has to factor in the time to/from the terminal or station, and the necessary lead time there. With a train departing from the center of a city, and not having to go through airport security, the total time for a rail trip might compare favorably to the total time for an air trip. The Eurostar gets one from London to Paris in 2'20". Flying time is about 1/2 that, but the trips to/from the airport, plus security, will eat the savings.

On the other hand, there are some really slow trains. It does depend on the situation.

Romelle

elaine amj

Love airbnb and the equivalents. I couldn't find a chain hotel (where I had points) in the location I needed to stay in London that didn't cost way too many points. I ended up deciding to save my points and paid 80 pounds a night for a 1 bedroom flat in a super convenient location that I got through airbnb.

Then, when I decided to stay in Wales, it was a toss-up between a Marriott Country Club (cat 5) that I would have to use 2 Marriott certs (there were 5 of us) and a pretty cottage on a farm in the country for 80 pounds a night. The farm location was much closer to where we wanted to be and I had other plans for my Marriott certs (in Switzerland), so we rented the cottage. So much nicer staying in a cottage vs a hotel room.

dulciusexasperis

Some of what you are saying makes no sense. You want to try and achieve some efficiency in terms of cost but then give a list of a lot of places. They don't go together at all. Kind of like, 'military intelligence'. One precludes the other.

You also want to get as much out of your time as possible and yet list a lot of places. The same issue. They don't go together.

Each time you move as already noted, you lose most of a day at least. Each time you move you also spend more money making the move. In travel as in many things, less is more. Move less, spend less. Move less, see/do more. The way to get the most in terms of value for money and best use of time is to move as little as possible.

I would suggest that since London and Amsterdam are now fixed, you limit your travel to places within a reasonable distance (2 hours by train) of those points and no more than 5 places including London and Amsterdam.

sfx

I wake up in Berlin and can be eating breakfast in central london at 9.30am.

Most inta EU flights are only 90 mins.

Another suggestion is night trains (not cheap at short notice). Move while you sleep.

EmailKid

That may be, but geting to/from airport and clearing security will take LONGER than that @:-)

RTW1

In general that's a really ignorant way to describe how long it will take to travel..... especially as an example to someone who isn't familiar with the local situation.

In this case the time difference will get you an extra hour (I assume that's why you choose London for your misguided example) So if you take the first flight at around 7:00 (staying at a Berlin airport hotel presumably) and then rush from Gatwick to central London (no luggage I assume or this won't work) then you might just make it. But in reality it's already 10:30 and most of of on holiday would prefer a slower pace....

dulciusexasperis

Your example is hilarous sfx.

I wake up in Berlin in time to have breakfast there at 9.30am. Then I check-out by say 10.30 and take a taxi to the airport to catch a Noon flight to Athens. Arriving around 4pm, I take a taxi to my hotel and check-in. I'd say that's most of a day gone but go ahead sfx and tell me how you get up in Berlin and have breakfast in Athens. Catch a 2am flight?

As for night trains, I prefer to sleep in a real bed.

The point is simple, moving costs you time and money that could be better spent IN places.