Hi, Allen:

What I do is get all the airline miles I can, and Priceline a hotel room. I find that I can buy a very nice hotel room in major European capitals for $100 per night on Priceline, even in high season. I find that a 4-star hotel is pretty much a 4-star hotel, so I don't worry much about which brand. If I would fly to Europe in the winter, I would probably buy the ticket, but it usually seems like late spring to early fall, when air fares are pretty high. I usually find that I can get two airfares for the points that would give me a week's hotel. Two airfares at the time I go are around $1,500, so I get the free tickets and Priceline the hotel.