First trip Miami to London/Brussels-arriving Gatwick on Friday (10/1). What's best way to get from there to/from Brussels? Hotel suggestions for both London and Brussels?

Flying, driving (Chunnel) or by train to boat (Hoovercraft- unless you really like a challenging swim!! Smile, just kidding! Could you please explain you're question. And London is a city while Belgium, as you know is a country! I'm not sure what you are asking.

In London, here's 10 good choices:
Berkely
Blakes
Claridges
Connaught
Dorchester
Four Seasons
Lanesborough
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
Ritz
Savoy

Unfortunately they are all somewhat expensive and you may have to break the piggy bank unless you're on an expense account. London rates have really gone up this last year due to a tremendous resurgence in popularity and a rather good economy!

In Brussels, the Belgium capitol city which some regard as the center of Europe, I like the Conrad (see separate link on Brussels by Karen)

I don't know what the best way is from London to Brussels, but if you're looking to take the Chunnel, here is a pretty good website for fare/schedules.
www.raileurope.com/us/rail/fares_schedules/index.htm

Personally I won't take the hoovercrafts across the channel ever again. The channel can get rough and the rides, I find, very uncomfortable. It also seems like an incredibly long trip because you then have train connections on each end unless you're driving a car on.

That link for the Brussels info is http://talk.flyertalk.com/forum/Foru...ML/000302.html

Have a great trip.



[This message has been edited by letiole (edited 09-24-1999).]

When you get to LGW, take the Gatwick Express fast train from the airport to Victoria Station (30 minutes). Then take a cab to London Waterloo. Walk if you're travelling light, it can't be much more than 1 mile and you can walk accross Westminster Bridge past the Houses of Parliament and County Hall. You can get the train from Waterloo right to Brussels (approx. a 3 hour journey).

The obvious alternative is to buy a flight from LGW to BRU. Your question doesn't make it clear how much time you want to spend in London (if any) and at what stage of your journey.


[This message has been edited by james (edited 09-24-1999).]

PS Doc, you seem to have rather expensive tastes! Next time you're in London, you're buying the drinks!

James- I start high, looking for a decent value and then work my way down. Last time I ended up in a Ladbrooke or something on Kensigton High (I think), not far fron the V&A Museum and a short walk to town centre. Hilton & Marriott have many properties but a Best Western is sometimes in the cards as well- they tend to be much, much better in Europe than the US. Perhaps many a visiting European was dissapointed in our BW's.

If you are a Starwood member, use your 1/2 price coupons for the Sheratons in the city.
If you don't have any, make a reservation first, then use your Starpoints -- think it's only 1,500 to get the 1/2 price coupons. Check to see how many days is each. Or, use the UAL 1/2 price coupons. There are also many other chains offering a discount. Sometimes your airline's special hotel rates are cheap. Location is important is you are going to the theatre at night. Sheratons have many rates, so ask for the best or lowest rates & packages, etc.

If you're not connecting directly from LGW, definitely take the Eurostar (chunnel). See http://www.eurostar.com for fares/schedules. If you are connecting directly, you can probably get a competitive airfare, though UK airport taxes make that tough.

Clarifying my original posting:
We arrive at Gatwick early am on 10/1. Want to go directly from there to Brussels for 3 nights (to include a day trip to Bruges), then return to London for our final 3 nights, returning to Miami on 10/7.

In which case, you may want to book a return flight LGW-BRU, but do it today! When you get back to LGW, Take the Gatwick Express train in to London for maximum convenience.
If you can't book a cheap flight from Gatwick, try London Heathrow to Brussels, there is an excellent (frequent) bus connection between the two London airports. Try http://www.britishmidland.co.uk for a guide to flight price and availability.

chalf - I don't understand your remark about UK taxes making fares uncompetetive. Since they apply equally to all carriers, if you have to fly from London, they have nothing to do with the competetiveness of the flights!

[This message has been edited by james (edited 09-24-1999).]

james- Excellent suggestion(s). I think chalf meant by air relative to other means of travel like walking, driving, swimming, boating, driving, etc!

Hey, It's late over there. Time for some rest no?

BTW- Okay I'll buy the beers!