Suggestions for Europe (direct flight from LHR) over Labor Day?
Aug 2, 2017, 6:09 am
#1
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Suggestions for Europe (direct flight from LHR) over Labor Day?
We have tons of VS miles (long story, but we had booked flights to JNB for our first Singita trip a few years ago and better routing became available on BA F) and need to use them. I've given up on an ANA booking and instead booked us flights to LHR before Labor Day. The flight doesn't arrive until 9:40 am so it seems that we will miss the direct flights to Santorini and Mykonos which was my plan. We can transfer to another London airport for other flights but I'm not sure how annoying that would be. We can also take an Aegean itinerary leaving at 12:30 with a connection but I'm worried that if we are delayed leaving, the 3 hours connection between Vs and Aegean won't be enough on separate tickets.
So, suggestions for where we can go easily from LHR for 4-5 nights? I prefer somewhere with some beach. Everything on Amalfi is booked. cinque Terre also seems booked or outrageous? Mr. Florida gal suggested Croatia but I'm not sure where to start or stay. We just want an easy, relaxing trip with some sightseeing. Many thanks!
So, suggestions for where we can go easily from LHR for 4-5 nights? I prefer somewhere with some beach. Everything on Amalfi is booked. cinque Terre also seems booked or outrageous? Mr. Florida gal suggested Croatia but I'm not sure where to start or stay. We just want an easy, relaxing trip with some sightseeing. Many thanks!
Aug 2, 2017, 6:30 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 3,457
ATH- amanzoe (helicopter...)
RAK- MO FS Amanjena
Tivat is non stop from LGW I think so Aman Sveti Stefan
NIce - Cap Ferat
Sardinia- bunch of Luxury Collection hotels there i think
Sicily- Belmont Hotel in Taormina
portugal- Six Senses Douro
not sure about the flight situation or availability but some options there.
Fdw
RAK- MO FS Amanjena
Tivat is non stop from LGW I think so Aman Sveti Stefan
NIce - Cap Ferat
Sardinia- bunch of Luxury Collection hotels there i think
Sicily- Belmont Hotel in Taormina
portugal- Six Senses Douro
not sure about the flight situation or availability but some options there.
Fdw
Aug 2, 2017, 6:54 am
#4
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my husband is very interested in this! But I think it's going to be too long of a trek for what amounts to a long weekend. Will add it to our list!
Aug 2, 2017, 7:36 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
Split isn't a bad idea. Like Dubrovnik it has become hugely popular in the summer season but might just be bearable around the time of the Labor Day Weekend.
Two hotels of note - inside the old city the boutique Vestibul Palace and a modern resort, the Radisson Blu, about two miles away on a beach. By the standards of this Aman-ised Forum, these hotels are cheap as chips.
There's a lot to see in Split, most famously the Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. There is also a major Roman site, Salona, on the outskirts of the city which is well worth the trek. There is a large Roman amphitheatre there.
Another excursion from Split would be an organised day trip to Mostar in neighbouring Bosnia Herzegovina. At Mostar there is the famous bridge, destroyed in the civil war, recreated and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
My golden rule for Europe is this - fabulous sightseeing and culture, forget about the beaches.
Two hotels of note - inside the old city the boutique Vestibul Palace and a modern resort, the Radisson Blu, about two miles away on a beach. By the standards of this Aman-ised Forum, these hotels are cheap as chips.
There's a lot to see in Split, most famously the Palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. There is also a major Roman site, Salona, on the outskirts of the city which is well worth the trek. There is a large Roman amphitheatre there.
Another excursion from Split would be an organised day trip to Mostar in neighbouring Bosnia Herzegovina. At Mostar there is the famous bridge, destroyed in the civil war, recreated and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
My golden rule for Europe is this - fabulous sightseeing and culture, forget about the beaches.
Last edited by Pausanias; Aug 2, 2017 at 8:54 am
Aug 2, 2017, 8:53 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 361
I agree. Rovinj (where Monte Mulini is located) is a nice city. I stayed a couple of times in Hotel Lone (same owner as Monte Mulini but more modern style / less pricy). It was perfectly fine, but from my point of view not worth a trip from NYC. The closest airport is actually Pula (40 minutes drive), but there a no good connections from LHR.
Aug 2, 2017, 9:23 am
#8
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Thanks everyone. Right now it looks like flying into Nice might be a good option because there are very frequent direct flights. The Four Seasons is quite expensive for a weekend jaunt (2000+ euro per night) and I have an email in to Eden Roc to see if we can stay for part of the weekend as there is a minimum stay requirement but the later part of our trip is 1200 and 900 euros per night which isn't horrendous.
On the inexpensive end of the spectrum Amex FHR has great rates at the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee (under 500/night USD) Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez (360 eur), Hotel Barriere Le Majestic (326 eur), intercontinental Carlton Cannes (311 euro), hotel hermitage in Monaco (443 euro), hotel metropole Monte Carlo (465 euro), hotel de Paris Monte Carlo (697 euro), and Chateau de la chevre d or (1350 euro).
Does anyone one have any thoughts as to any of these options? I've been to Monte Carlo and am eh about it. We are In our early 30s, no kids yet, and while Mr Floridagal is a fancy watch guy, he is pretty relaxed/casual. I know the French Riviera is glitzy but we just want to walk around, maybe do an beach club for a day or just hang out at our hotel beach club or pool, have some nice late dinners, and take ferries or boats to some nearby islands or towns.
we we don't have hyatt status, only Hilton/spg. Not that it matters with the FHR benefits.
On the inexpensive end of the spectrum Amex FHR has great rates at the Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee (under 500/night USD) Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez (360 eur), Hotel Barriere Le Majestic (326 eur), intercontinental Carlton Cannes (311 euro), hotel hermitage in Monaco (443 euro), hotel metropole Monte Carlo (465 euro), hotel de Paris Monte Carlo (697 euro), and Chateau de la chevre d or (1350 euro).
Does anyone one have any thoughts as to any of these options? I've been to Monte Carlo and am eh about it. We are In our early 30s, no kids yet, and while Mr Floridagal is a fancy watch guy, he is pretty relaxed/casual. I know the French Riviera is glitzy but we just want to walk around, maybe do an beach club for a day or just hang out at our hotel beach club or pool, have some nice late dinners, and take ferries or boats to some nearby islands or towns.
we we don't have hyatt status, only Hilton/spg. Not that it matters with the FHR benefits.
Aug 2, 2017, 10:02 am
#11
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Thanks. We would only be there for 4 nights. Maybe 5 depending on return flights.
Another less convenient option is Greece though Mr Floridagal was there already to stay for a bar trip years ago and we were there on a cruise a few years ago together. There we have Mystique(1320 euro), Vedema (570 eur) (both in santorini), and Kivotos (1000 euro) in Mykonos.
Another less convenient option is Greece though Mr Floridagal was there already to stay for a bar trip years ago and we were there on a cruise a few years ago together. There we have Mystique(1320 euro), Vedema (570 eur) (both in santorini), and Kivotos (1000 euro) in Mykonos.
Aug 2, 2017, 10:04 am
#12
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I stayed at the Grand Hotel St Jean Cap Ferrat before it became a Four Seasons hotel (it was in the LHW collection). It is a very nice hotel, but those rates sound crazy to me.
I've stayed in the Hotel Barriere Le Majestic and thought it was nice, and Cannes was better than I expected but I only stayed a weekend there not longer, so this is a solid option but not as nice as St Jean Cap Ferrat.
There is the Hotel Royal Riviera in the LHW collection that is in St Jean Cap Ferrat, that has availability around 700 Euros per night. I haven't stayed there so don't know it's quality but it's reviews on tripadvisor are comparable to the Four Seasons - % of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 stars for RR v FS (80, 14, 4, 1, 1 v 81, 11, 4, 3, 1)
I've stayed in the Hotel Barriere Le Majestic and thought it was nice, and Cannes was better than I expected but I only stayed a weekend there not longer, so this is a solid option but not as nice as St Jean Cap Ferrat.
There is the Hotel Royal Riviera in the LHW collection that is in St Jean Cap Ferrat, that has availability around 700 Euros per night. I haven't stayed there so don't know it's quality but it's reviews on tripadvisor are comparable to the Four Seasons - % of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 stars for RR v FS (80, 14, 4, 1, 1 v 81, 11, 4, 3, 1)
Aug 2, 2017, 11:13 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 1,644
Swarming with kids a lot of the time. Two teams of kids were playing football in the restaurant at breakfast time. Pool was like the cheapest package tour hell. Beach nasty and gravelly. Pretty island, though. We rented a car and spent as much time away from Anassa as possible.
Last edited by Pausanias; Aug 3, 2017 at 5:35 am