Ok older folks! Yes this time that actually means those over 45! You know how uncomfortable those long flights from the U.S. (or heaven forbid Australia!) to the U.K. So here is the insider tip. Save an extra two hundred dollars or so in your piggy bank and spring for an extra night at your hotel. No… not at the end, but at the BEGINNING of the trip!
This may sound like a waste of money, and it would be for those spry young twenty-somethings, but for those of us with flagging energy (you know who you are!) it will be a godsend. I can’t tell you how many times Jim and I have arrived in Europe dragging, with massive headaches, sore limbs and ready to lay down on a park bench or even the sidewalk just to give in to that overwhelming feeling.
And worst of all, you aren’t able to check into the hotel until 2 pm! Most of Europe uses this check-in time and unless you are very very lucky and they let you in early, you’ll be wandering the streets or falling asleep over your tea in a café. The only items a hotel will let check in is your luggage, which they, (thank goodness!) offer to hold at the concierge desk while you wander until mid-afternoon.
We often try to find a beautiful cathedral where we can take in art and culture in a restful, quiet place (where there are benches!) no, not to lay down, but to just to rest our minds take in the beauty and let a sense of relaxation float over us. But our latest plan works even better!
On our trip to the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg this time, we decided to pay for the night ahead of our arrival, so that we would be able to waltz into the hotel (this time the Marriott Renaissance Amsterdam – Click here to read our review of this hotel ) check in and fall into a soft blissful bed for a two hour nap. I already plan to lobby for this plan on all our upcoming trips!
Needless to say, we felt like geniuses! The two hour nap melted our headaches and joint aches and gave us tons of energy to stay out late into the night exploring Amsterdam.
A simple email and call to alert the Marriott staff at the hotel and confirm they understood that we would be checking in on the morning AFTER our first scheduled hotel night made what had always been a difficult arrival into the perfect start to a fabulous trip!
This may sound like a waste of money, and it would be for those spry young twenty-somethings, but for those of us with flagging energy (you know who you are!) it will be a godsend. I can’t tell you how many times Jim and I have arrived in Europe dragging, with massive headaches, sore limbs and ready to lay down on a park bench or even the sidewalk just to give in to that overwhelming feeling.
And worst of all, you aren’t able to check into the hotel until 2 pm! Most of Europe uses this check-in time and unless you are very very lucky and they let you in early, you’ll be wandering the streets or falling asleep over your tea in a café. The only items a hotel will let check in is your luggage, which they, (thank goodness!) offer to hold at the concierge desk while you wander until mid-afternoon.
We often try to find a beautiful cathedral where we can take in art and culture in a restful, quiet place (where there are benches!) no, not to lay down, but to just to rest our minds take in the beauty and let a sense of relaxation float over us. But our latest plan works even better!
On our trip to the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg this time, we decided to pay for the night ahead of our arrival, so that we would be able to waltz into the hotel (this time the Marriott Renaissance Amsterdam – Click here to read our review of this hotel ) check in and fall into a soft blissful bed for a two hour nap. I already plan to lobby for this plan on all our upcoming trips!
Needless to say, we felt like geniuses! The two hour nap melted our headaches and joint aches and gave us tons of energy to stay out late into the night exploring Amsterdam.
A simple email and call to alert the Marriott staff at the hotel and confirm they understood that we would be checking in on the morning AFTER our first scheduled hotel night made what had always been a difficult arrival into the perfect start to a fabulous trip!
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