B
BruinSteve
Guest
Okay, so we've decided to go to Madrid for four nights and then on to London for two nights before our cruise on the Constellation next July...and then spend one additional night in London post-cruise...
So, on the theory it's never too early to book, I made a couple of hotel reservations...
First, I did a search on Madrid...I know very little about Madrid...I was last there as a student in 1975...and stayed in an el cheapo pension...My wife prefers at least a four star hotel, I like convenience...and we both like to get a good price...What ended up with is the Hotel Emperatriz...a four star hotel that looks to be pretty centrally located with average room rates, according to one site, of 265 to 279 Euros per night...I was able to locate a "Promotional Offer--Worldsaver Summer '05" deal at 75 Euros (about $91 US) per night!! From all I can tell, this sounds like a "keeper"...But, again, I really don't know the hotel...
Anyone out there have any input? Ever stayed there?
Then, I turned to London and things there are not so easy...first, there seems to be thousands of hotels, no clear cut preferred area of town, and prices for a 4+ star hotel are all outrageously high...No "supersaver" bargains to be had...At first, I thought we'd book the Hilton Metropole through the cruise line...but, the premium seems to be a bit steep...Last year's rate was $392 per person for a two-night stay with transfers to Dover...Since they also sold the transfer separately for $67, this means they were really charging $325 per night for the room...Well, since I know I can get that same exact hotel for $233 per night in US Dollars, I figured I can book it myself and save...
But, then...I realized that if you buy the transfers sepatately through Celebrity, they will not pick you up AT the Hilton (or the alternative City Inn) but at either the Airport or at the Victoria Coach Station...So, maybe I'm better off staying somewhere near Victoria Station...
That's when I stumbled across this one: The Rubens at the Palace Hotel...It's a four star and located across the street from Buckingham Palace and walking distance from Victoria Station...I made a reservation there for the two nights pre-cruise and one night post- for 109 British Pounds (about $195 per night at today's exchange rate)...With the rather steep UK Hotel tax of $17.5%, that still comes out to around $687 for the three days and includes a welcome drink and a full breakfast...
Anyone know this hotel? Good choice or not?
Obviously, I have ten months to change my mind...or to watch for better deals...But, I figure the worst case, I've got all my hotels lined up...They have at least four star reputations ...and , depending on the fluctuations in exchange rates between the US Dollar and the Pound and Euro over the next 10 months, I should have the 7 hotel nights for around $960...
So, on the theory it's never too early to book, I made a couple of hotel reservations...
First, I did a search on Madrid...I know very little about Madrid...I was last there as a student in 1975...and stayed in an el cheapo pension...My wife prefers at least a four star hotel, I like convenience...and we both like to get a good price...What ended up with is the Hotel Emperatriz...a four star hotel that looks to be pretty centrally located with average room rates, according to one site, of 265 to 279 Euros per night...I was able to locate a "Promotional Offer--Worldsaver Summer '05" deal at 75 Euros (about $91 US) per night!! From all I can tell, this sounds like a "keeper"...But, again, I really don't know the hotel...
Anyone out there have any input? Ever stayed there?
Then, I turned to London and things there are not so easy...first, there seems to be thousands of hotels, no clear cut preferred area of town, and prices for a 4+ star hotel are all outrageously high...No "supersaver" bargains to be had...At first, I thought we'd book the Hilton Metropole through the cruise line...but, the premium seems to be a bit steep...Last year's rate was $392 per person for a two-night stay with transfers to Dover...Since they also sold the transfer separately for $67, this means they were really charging $325 per night for the room...Well, since I know I can get that same exact hotel for $233 per night in US Dollars, I figured I can book it myself and save...
But, then...I realized that if you buy the transfers sepatately through Celebrity, they will not pick you up AT the Hilton (or the alternative City Inn) but at either the Airport or at the Victoria Coach Station...So, maybe I'm better off staying somewhere near Victoria Station...
That's when I stumbled across this one: The Rubens at the Palace Hotel...It's a four star and located across the street from Buckingham Palace and walking distance from Victoria Station...I made a reservation there for the two nights pre-cruise and one night post- for 109 British Pounds (about $195 per night at today's exchange rate)...With the rather steep UK Hotel tax of $17.5%, that still comes out to around $687 for the three days and includes a welcome drink and a full breakfast...
Anyone know this hotel? Good choice or not?
Obviously, I have ten months to change my mind...or to watch for better deals...But, I figure the worst case, I've got all my hotels lined up...They have at least four star reputations ...and , depending on the fluctuations in exchange rates between the US Dollar and the Pound and Euro over the next 10 months, I should have the 7 hotel nights for around $960...