stimpy

I've done countless award stays all over Europe in Holiday Inn and Novotel like properties which list 3 to a room max, and we had no problem "sneaking" a 4th (small child) in.

stimpy

Yes, and this hotel has fun family rooms with bunk beds, etc., that they upgraded us into (PC Plat status).

bazers

This is not just a European issue. We just spent 4 months in Asia and it was often difficult to find a room with a major chain that had 2 double or queen beds. We are going to Europe this fall (Copenhagen and maybe elsewhere) and am looking at the same issue. Fortunately I did get the Club Carlson cc and have lots of points that I can use if I don't find something better.

The Deal Mommy

I've done a lot of Euro/Asia travel and am planning a month long trip with two kids this summer. My best bets so far are Club Carlson family/business class rooms (usually 1.5 the normal rate), Family Getaway (Luxury Link) and timeshare rentals. I have quite a bit of info on my blog on the subject.

carofly

For Venice you may want to consider the Crowne Plaza at Quarto D'altino. I have stayed with my children in the family rooms and they are quite comfortable. I didn't use any points, but I used a promo code on that occasion and the price was very reasonable. In Paris, we have stayed at the Novotel La Defense, but it is not that central and if you are going to spend only one night it may not be the best option.
I was taking a look at your preliminary itinerary and it looks a bit crazy. If possible try to extend it a bit, otherwise it will be a constant in and out, you will end exhausted and won't see much. Good luck with everything!

farbster

I know this is slightly off topic, but how did you pick your itinerary? Seems fairly scattered...

KennyBSAT

Itinerary is set, and probably crazy by most standards: IAH-JFK-CDG arrive 6:00 Sunday, Thello train Monday night to Bologna and on to La Spezia, Tuesday sightseeing by train and short hikes in Cinque de Terre, Wednesday morning short stop at Pisa on our way to FLR, fly FLR-CTA afternoon, Thursday in Catania, Friday Mt Etna, Saturday morning CTA-ZRH, Saturday night/Sunday visiting friends in Southern Germany, Monday sightseeing train ride in the Swiss Alps, Tuesday ZRH-JFK-IAH.
We don't like to sit still...

KennyBSAT

And other than the one night in Paris, I've given up on points for stays. But we just started playing the credit card game in December, and our total out of pocket for all the air travel for 4 is $225. So no complaint!

farbster

Good luck to you. You could spend 2 weeks in Paris and not be sitting still...

KennyBSAT

We are a camping road trip kind of family. I got the miles and told the wife and kids to pick some destinations. She asked for a day or 2 in Paris, the kids asked for a night on a train and a day at Mt. Etna, and Zurich was the best way to or from Sicily.

pinniped

Carlson and Priority Club. We're doing a family trip to Europe this summer and have just resigned ourselves to two rooms in most places. Fortunately, CC and PC have inexpensive enough options where this is still a pretty good value. Midsummer rooms in central Paris for 25k PC that would otherwise be 200 euro with taxes...I can live with that.

The one thing I wouldn't do is gamble that you'll be able to squeeze 4 in a two-person room. A two-person room could end up being two twins with barely enough room to stash your luggage and still walk through the room.

wsflyer

For hotels, our family of 4 has stayed in Marriotts in Amsterdam and Vienna in rooms that accomodated us all comfortably. In Paris and in Italy, I usually rent apartments through vrbo.com.

KennyBSAT

We wound up getting Starwood and Priority clubs cards and points, but the only options to use them in Paris were pretty poor - a suburban Holiday Inn that would only work if you had a car, or 2 rooms in Le Méridien Etoile for 24K Starpoints. So we opted for Novotel Paris les Halles for 25K Barclay Arrival points and will be much closer to everything we want to see, and to public transport. Next stop La Spezia, no major chain hotels there, more Arrival points. We found a great vacation rental in Catania, more Arrival points for a beautiful little hotel near Steinen, Germany, and will use 60K of our PC points for 2 nights at the Zurich Airport Holiday Inn. Which works out ok with our schedule, but those points are worth about $.004 at that rate. Feeling rather underwhelmed by hotel programs but I suppose it has more to do with our travel style than anything.

On the plus side, our trip is all booked and will only cost around $500 total out of pocket for all travel and lodging!

I thought we might be able to put some of the hotel points to use on a quick trip we are taking without the kids to Colorado, but there are no major chain hotels in or near enough to Estes Park.

So I should advertise: free to a good home - hotel points that have proven to be more aggravating than useful...

GUWonder

The programs for Carlson hotels and Choice hotels seem to work out best for us when doing a wide variety of European travel and needing bedding for 3-4 people. Priority Club in the mix also helps a lot.

jerry305

Agree with SPG and Club Carlson. It's important to make the most of the program for whatever chain.

For example, I wasn't a big user of club Carlson until I had stays in MSP, which is covered with Club Carlson properties with good deals. Be alert for the possibilities to earn points in whichever city you stay.