Need help planning our upcoming London/Paris trip

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you'd like the Sloane St. area near Harrods, Hyde Park, the palace, etc. Very walkable. Doable on your budget.

I’m about to book my flights to Paris from London.

I remember liking the Harrods area.

Meant train tickets, not flights. Wondering if we should stay in London 5 days and 4 days in Paris. Wimbledon is going to take a day and I really want to go to Stonehenge. I do not plan on doing any excursions in Paris besides Versailles.

I would switch to longer in London if you’re doing Wimbledon. I still recommend against Stonehenge. It’s really underwhelming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you'd like the Sloane St. area near Harrods, Hyde Park, the palace, etc. Very walkable. Doable on your budget.

I’m about to book my flights to Paris from London.

I remember liking the Harrods area.

Meant train tickets, not flights. Wondering if we should stay in London 5 days and 4 days in Paris. Wimbledon is going to take a day and I really want to go to Stonehenge. I do not plan on doing any excursions in Paris besides Versailles.

I would switch to longer in London if you’re doing Wimbledon. I still recommend against Stonehenge. It’s really underwhelming.

Every hotel I am trying to book is sold out for all or part of our stay.

I think the only hotel that accommodate our family is shangri la at the Shard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am super late planning our upcoming trip to London and Paris. We have our flights booked and that is it. We are leaving in less than a month.

We will be going to London 4.5 days and Paris for 5.5 days. We are a family of 5 and want to stay in a prime location where we can easily walk to restaurants, attractions and the train. Our kids are ages 5-12.

Can you recommend what areas we should stay? Specific hotels recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

We don’t have an exact room budget. I am ok with paying a premium for comfort and location.

Any must dos for kids? Dh and I have been to both cities but never together. Our kids have never been.

Would you bring a stroller for a 5 year old? She was only 3 when Covid started and we always traveled with a stroller. We live in the suburbs so we drive everywhere. I know she will likely get tired and complain if we walk all day.

I would not be super ambitious with your itinerary. If you drive everywhere, none of you are used to walking, so of course the kid will complain a ton, but the rest of you will be feeling it as well. I'd focus on getting centrally located hotels that are near attractions to minimize walking, and just plan 1-3 events per day.

This. I'd actually focus on planning 1 thing during the day. London and Paris can be exhausting cities b/c of the walking. I wouldn't be too ambitious especially for the first few days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you'd like the Sloane St. area near Harrods, Hyde Park, the palace, etc. Very walkable. Doable on your budget.

I’m about to book my flights to Paris from London.

I remember liking the Harrods area.

Meant train tickets, not flights. Wondering if we should stay in London 5 days and 4 days in Paris. Wimbledon is going to take a day and I really want to go to Stonehenge. I do not plan on doing any excursions in Paris besides Versailles.

I would switch to longer in London if you’re doing Wimbledon. I still recommend against Stonehenge. It’s really underwhelming.

Every hotel I am trying to book is sold out for all or part of our stay.

I think the only hotel that accommodate our family is shangri la at the Shard.

What exactly did you expect trying to book multiple rooms in central London in summer 2022 with less than a month’s notice. You really didn’t think this through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like you'd like the Sloane St. area near Harrods, Hyde Park, the palace, etc. Very walkable. Doable on your budget.

I’m about to book my flights to Paris from London.

I remember liking the Harrods area.

Meant train tickets, not flights. Wondering if we should stay in London 5 days and 4 days in Paris. Wimbledon is going to take a day and I really want to go to Stonehenge. I do not plan on doing any excursions in Paris besides Versailles.

I would switch to longer in London if you’re doing Wimbledon. I still recommend against Stonehenge. It’s really underwhelming.

Every hotel I am trying to book is sold out for all or part of our stay.

I think the only hotel that accommodate our family is shangri la at the Shard.

What exactly did you expect trying to book multiple rooms in central London in summer 2022 with less than a month’s notice. You really didn’t think this through.

I just booked the shangra la and our train tickets to Paris. Looking into a Paris hotel next.

[Anonymous]

I feel like if you can spend 2k on a hotel per night you can pay someone to figure this out for you.

[Anonymous]

I have young children and I agree with others. Do NOT overbook your trip. I'd focus on one "big" activity each day and then wander around, explore some parks. Maybe your 5 yr old needs some down-time at a playground while another adult takes the older kids to do something else.

I also would NOT bring the stroller. Practice walking to places, taking the metro, maybe eat at a French restaurant or something to give a feel for what to expect and expectations. Start reading up on London and Paris together: go to the library and check out children's books that are in Paris and London. The Madeline books are always great but there's a ton more. You want to prep them, get them involved in the planning a little. Maybe instead of doing all day tours, do a shorter tour and then find a place to do tea (just google to make sure it is child-friendly!!!) You might be able to even find a place with a child tea menu, I would put money that one exists! my son is 6 and LOVED doing a special tea this year.

Paris- I would do a seine river cruise. There are some specific cruises for families with children that look fun but there are many that are great. Make a point to talk about the patisserie's...I don't know about your kids but mine are 100% about patisserie's and any delicious baked good. Plan to check out local playgrounds....a good search will show you where some are.

I highly recommend having a picnic at one of the beautiful parisian parks! Jardin de Luxembourg or Jardin De tulieries. You can sometimes rent your own little boat to push in a pond, there's often carousels, ice cream, sometimes other goodies and beautiful flowers. Grab some sandwiches at patisserie or Boulangerie and make an afternoon of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like if you can spend 2k on a hotel per night you can pay someone to figure this out for you.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We would like to find a good Indian, afternoon tea and fish and chips for Londong. Friend recommended Savoy for tea.

Bring dress up clothes if you are going to the Savoy for tea.

[Anonymous]

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. Nothing special but clean, safe, reasonably priced and right by the tube stop. Plus there are restaurants at southbank if you just want something easy at the end of the day and want to eat and go back to your rooms.

[Anonymous]

We stayed here in London - across the street from a tube station, could walk to museums and Kensington Palace, good restaurants within walking distance
http://crowne-plaza-kensington-hotel-london.hotel-dir.com/en/?from=2022-06-07&to=2022-06-08&adults=2&children=3&childAge1=5&childAge2=7&childAge3=12&_1654552475441&clirder=1#main

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would like to find a good Indian, afternoon tea and fish and chips for Londong. Friend recommended Savoy for tea.

Bring dress up clothes if you are going to the Savoy for tea.

I couldn’t get a reservation at savoy. Will check for cancellations later.

[Anonymous]

Don’t forget those Covid tests

If you’re so Shangri-La, why aren’t you going private?

[Anonymous]

Bring the stroller!!!!!!! You will be so regretful if you don’t.

[Anonymous]

Why wouldn't you bring the stroller if you can? But would your 5 year old get in one?

Another option is to bring a foldable scooter.