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Sam and Kip in Paris
Recommended Websites for Hotels

HotelsCombined.com – My favorite. Great for finding deals and discounts.

Booking.com – Also very good, especially in Europe and Asia.

69 comments Ask a question

  1. We are a large group (2 families) and would like to rent a flat or apartment in Paris. To make the task more difficult still we’d loved to have access to a swimming pool for the 3 children in our party. Any recommendations? Thank you. Lucy.

  2. We are going to Hong Kong with our 6 year old. We tried to book at the Grand Hyatt (as you suggested) for access to their playground. Unfortunately it was fully booked and we are now at the Conrad. Do you know of any public playgrounds that we could use since our son is very active?

  3. Love your hotel guides. We are planning a spring break trip to Paris the first week in April with our two nuggets, ages 5 and 8. I actually prefer renting apartments, but I can’t figure out how to narrow the search. Any tips on which arrondisements work best? This will be first trip for kids so we will do the standard tourist attractions. Also, do you have a particular apartment rental company that you like? I usually use VRBO but open to suggestions. Thanks so much!

    • For apartment rentals try paris-sharing.com and airbnb.com/paris. Anything in arrondissements 1 to 20 will be fine. (1 to 8 are the most central.) But you have a wide latitude of areas to search. As long as it’s near a metro stop you’ll be fine for visiting the top sites. The most popular attractions are spread around the city so no matter what area you’re in you’ll end up on the metro often.

  4. Hello, Thanks for your wonderful blog!! I am in love with all of your travel experiences. We plan to travel to Paris next week, mid January, for our daugghter’s 8th birthday trip. Are we crazy?? Any thoughts on staying in Versailles? We will be traveling via public transportation and will be wanting to spend most the time Downtown Paris, but…on a budget and we are Amex Hilton honors and the Hilton is in Versailles. My husband is trying to back out of the trip because of the weather, but our daughter is DEAD SET on going. Any advice would be much appreciated! Again, thanks for this blog…as the wife of a pilot and a mom of three this was a jem to stumble across!

    • I would definitely try to stay in the city. It’s easy to get into Paris from Versailles but (if you have the choice) why add that time and effort to every outing. We were in Paris last January and loved it. The weather was crisp but fine (though, obviously, no guarantees that’s what you’ll get). The parks and outside attractions are harder to enjoy in winter but the huge upside is that the museums, churches, and exhibits are much much quieter. I’ve been in Paris in just about every month and really enjoy these quieter times. The Louvre is always going to be busy but get away from the most popular attractions and you can feel like you have some places to yourself (or sort-of anyways). Most places won’t have any line-up at all which is so nice. Hotels are less expensive too. If you’re looking for a flat or apartment (recommended if you’re staying a week or more) you’ll be able to pick and choose.

      Just go! You’ll never look back on this trip and say, “Oh, we shouldn’t have went to Paris that year.”

  5. Hello David. My husband and I will be in Bali on 2 January 2013. We haven’t chosen the hotel yet. I found your pictures about the beaches and I was wondering if you could give a piece of advice about where to stay, especially which beach would be better. We’ll be there in wet season so I’ve heard that west beaches wouldn’t be so great (forum in trip advisor). Do you think it would be a mistaje to go, for example, to Dreamland beach or Seminyak?
    Your comments are very useful!
    Kind regards,
    Soledad (Argentina)

    • The beaches along the west coast of Bali get more trash and sea debris washed up on their shores during the rainy season. The stormier the weather the dirtier the beach will get. If you’re staying at (or near) a big resort they’ll do a good job of cleaning the beaches and mitigating the issue. Sanur on the east coast and Lovina on the north coast doesn’t get the same tides and thus doesn’t get the trash on the beaches. That said, this isn’t an issue every year and when the Seminyak and Dreamland beaches are at their best they’re far nicer than Sanur’s and Lovina’s. So it’s sort-of flip a coin and hope for the best. Personally (since I like to stay flexible and don’t like pre-booking my hotels for an entire trip) I would book the first 2 or 3 days of your vacation and check it out once you’re there. Though, admittedly, early January is high-season so you’re taking a little risk if you have your sights on a specific hotel or resort.

      Hope that helps. Good luck.

  6. Hello David,

    I am planning on visiting Bangkok around Christmas time and am looking at this package from Flight Centre HK (http://www.flightcentre.com.hk/product/Bangkok-2557506). Do you think the Centara Grand @ CentralWorld is a good hotel? They also include a Half Day City and Temple tours, as well as the Floating Market tour. As this is the first time I will be going along with my husband, what do you think of these tours from Flight Centre HK? I appreciate your insight. Thanks!

    • The Centara is great. Close to the Sky Train, shopping, and has a nice pool. The City Tour would probably be good though I’d rather do the Temple’s on my own – and at my own pace. The Floating Market/canals are also better to do on your own, but if you’re short on time or just want to keep it simple the tour should be fine.

      Hope that helps.

  7. Hi David
    Found your website via lonely planet. One thing that would be handy is a price guide so I know not to bother clicking on the links for the expensive hotels!

    • Hi Liz. I’m working on adding more detail for each entry. Many hotels are classed as Luxury, Moderate, or Budget but there are still some that don’t have that information. Thanks for the feedback! Cheers.

  8. Hi David

    came across your website while searching for thailand kids vacations
    we are from Mumbai,India , we have 2 kids , my daughter is 9 , my son is just 4.

    we are travelling to Thailand on 24th Dec , return to Mumbai on 31st Dec, 2012.
    quite confused as to where to go ( krabi vs koh samui vs phuket vs pattaya) , apart from the fact that 2/3 days in bangkok would be great for kids

    our budget for hotels is apprx usd 100-150 per night , we do not mind taking a flight to any destination via air asia.

    please guide us as to how we must plan our 7 days in thailand , places to avoid, best places for kids , resorts which u may suggest .

    considering your expertise, we are sure to get some helpful info from your side

    thanks and take care

    Nimesh Shah, Mumbai

    • Hi Nimesh. Koh Samui and Phuket are both great places for families. Phuket has more “entertainment” and attractions for families (e.g. a huge water slide park), while Samui is more beach oriented and a little less touristy. Railay near Krabi is also a fantastic place and probably my favorite for kids if you’re just looking for beach time and outdoor activities (rock climbing, kayaking, etc). Book as early as possible for the Air Asia flights and then book your hotels as the flights will fill up more quickly than the rooms (though that is the busiest week for the beaches so be sure to book in advance for both).

      For hotels in Railay these are both great:
      Railay Bay Resort & Spa
      The Sunrise Tropical Resort

      Hope that helps.

      David

  9. Hi David, I came across your expertise via http://mylittlenomads.com/best-beaches-thailand when trying to determine the best beach to visit between 14th– 23rd Feb 2013. We are a family of three (6yr old boy) dying to have a great beach holiday in Thailand.

    I have looked at your published advice and have an idea, but since you are clearly the expert by the look of things – please can you advise where we should go in Thailand for the perfect (white/golden sands, crystal clear warm water, can wade in shallow water from shore for many meters in, good snorkelling with a 6yr boy who has a proficient swimming dad, don’t mind catching a boat for the last bit if needed) beach, really comfortable hotel accommodation with breakfast (budget is probably for a really good 3 star or 4 star in Thailand – which is usually equivalent to 5 star in UK), good spa (for wife…..and me) in hotel or close by in surrounding area and good places to go for lunch and dinner (especially if hotel is likely to be expensive).

    As you have probably gathered, I am working to quite tight budget (including flights, around £2-2.5k tops). Any help from you would be much appreciated – really want to book everything this week and go back to the hard slog at work……

    Thanks in advance

  10. Can you recommend a family-friendly hotel outside of Kuta (Seminyak?, Jimbaran?). We’d like to keep it around $50 but would also like a swimming pool. Ideas?

    Thanks.

    • The Puri Bambu Hotel in Jimbaran is one of my favorite mid-range hotels on Bali. It has good sized rooms, a great pool, and is really good value for Bali. It’s back from the beach a block or so, but it’s an easy walk on a quiet street. Lots of good places to eat as soon as you hit the beach. Hope that helps.

  11. Hi, we are going to travel to Portugal and Barcelona with 2 kids (3 yrs old and 1 year old). Can you recommend apartments that are very affordable and safe for these 2 cities?
    Thanks!

  12. Any suggestions for a mid-range hotel in Hanoi that has a pool? (We’re a family of 3 with an 8 year old.) Thanks.

    • The Army Hotel has a fantastic pool. Despite its name (it’s a former officer’s club) it’s a pretty nice place as long as you’re not expecting a 5 star hotel.

  13. We’re planning a last minute trip to Tuscany. Hoping to stay in Siena or Florence for the better part of our 3 weeks. Can you suggest a website for finding longer term accommodations in Italy. Thank you.

    • Here are some good options:

      Booking.com/Florence – under Hotel Type choose apartment, farm house, country stay, or whatever you’re looking for

      Booking.com/Siena – same as above

      http://www.vrbo.com – the largest collection of homes, flats, and apartments for rent

      http://www.airbnb.com/Italy – a great way to meet locals, as the owners are often nearby

      http://sleepinitaly.com – another good site

      One source of confusion for apartment and home bookings in Italy is that even when you book through a site that accepts credit cards that doesn’t guarantee that the home owner accepts credit cards. The initial charge (depending on the site) can be for the reservation but not for the room itself. So when you arrive and go to pay the owner with a credit card, they’ll shake their head and say cash only. Read the fine print (or have plenty of euros on you.) Good luck.

  14. Great site! Wish I found it before as we’re off to Venice this weekend & hoping that the hotel is suitable for my 2 boys (3 yrs & 1 yr)…I guess we’ll soon find out!

  15. Hi David
    What are the most kid-friendly places to stay in Bali. We’ll have 2 weeks and would like to tour the island – but don’t want to get to far off the grid. Do any beaches stand out as being kid-friendly? Thanks, Jack.

    • Bali has several kid-friendly beaches. Sanur stands out as being the most calm and shallow. If you have older kids Kuta is a great place to learn to surf, rent boards, and take lessons. The resorts and beaches of Nusa Dua are also very family-friendly. It all depends what you’re looking for. Jimbaran is my favorite beach (it’s a great place to eat dinner on the beach each night) but it does have a fairly steep dropoff so not perfect if you have younger kids who want to be in the water a lot. Don’t miss Ubud and central Bali. Most kids enjoy the elaborate music, dance, and shadow-puppet performances – so don’t be scared off by the word “culture”. Good luck.

  16. We recently did a trip through France and found many great places to stay. In smaller towns we didn’t have the choice of the big cities and stayed in several small family-run hotels. They were quite nice though we did have to get 2 rooms on one occasion. Since we had our own car it gave us lots of freedom to find a place each night. We drove through Provence, Cannes, Nice, and Marseille. In Paris we stayed at the Four Seasons the first time through, the Westin on the trip home. Loved both though having a pool made all the difference. It was the nicest FS we’d ever stayed in. Now researching a trip to San Francisco and found your picks helpful. Thanks

  17. Going to Tokyo next week with my son. Is it hard to get to Shinjuku by train from Narita? I’m very nervous to figure this out. It sounds like the station is in the airport. Will I have to change trains along the way? Is there more than one train?

    Thank you much.

    • Trains leave every 30 minutes for Tokyo. The train will split at Tokyo station sending half the train to Yokohama and the other half to Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro, but as the seating is all reserved you needn’t worry about this – as long as you get on the right car and sit in the right seat you’ll get to where you’re going. All announcements are in English and Japanese. The station is easy to find within Narita airport and you purchase your ticket from an agent (using cash or credit card). Hope that helps. Good luck.

  18. We’ll have 9 days in Seattle and would like a place central to all the good stuff. I’m not very familiar with the city but do know about Pike Place Market. I’ll be working downtown for the week and would be nice to meet my wife and kids for lunch. Where do you suggest we stay? (We’d like a 4 or 5 star place.)

  19. What are your favorite websites for Paris?

  20. We’ll have 2 weeks in Thailand (after a work stint in HK). My husband and kids are meeting me in Bangkok. Where would be the best island for us to visit with the kids? I’ve heard great things about the north and Chiang Mai but I think we’ll be leaving that for a different trip.

    We’ll be there in late January.

    Thanks.

    • January is the best month for weather in Thailand so you’re spoiled for choice. Pretty much everywhere is great. For kid friendly activities Koh Samui and Phuket are the top picks. Lots to do for families (water parks, elephant rides, kayaking, snorkeling) in both places. I’d take a look at flights and let availability and direct flights decide where to go. There are direct flights from Phuket and Krabi (on the west coast) to Samui (on the east coast) so you could spend one week on one coast and the other on the opposite. Good luck.

  21. So, maybe you can help us. We are going to Greece in one week. Our hotel, flight, and ferry are officially booked for the islands (Mykonos and Santorini) but don’t have a hotel for Athens. We’d like a 4 or 5 star hotel with swimming pool. Can you suggest something?

    Thank you.

    • Hi Maki. Still many more cities to add and Athens is one of them.

      In the mean time …

      The Hilton Athens has the nicest pool in the city and is a great hotel. It’s in central Athens, close to the main attractions but in a quieter section – not right in thick of things.

      Outside of the city and in a beach setting (you feel like you’re on an island) is the The Westin Astir Palace Beach Resort. Very family friendly, playground, huge pool, private beach.

      Hope that helps.

  22. planning a trip to thailand and would like to take the train from bangkok to koh samui. is this a kid friendly trip? long and boring? or fun and easy?

    K.

    • The train is very kid friendly and the trip is fun. The “hard” part is after you get off the train and do the bus and ferry across to Koh Samui. It’s only 4 or 5 hours in total but by the time you get to your hotel on Koh Samui you’re beat. If you go first class you’ll have a separate cabin with a wash basin which might be nice. But while it makes the trip easier you tend not to interact with the other travelers much (which is a big reason why we travel) so there’s a trade off.

      A great site for train info in Thailand is Site 61.

      Good luck.

  23. Would you consider Dublin’s Temple Bar to be kid friendly or is it a party scene that we should best avoid?

    • Temple Bar rocks (in a good way). Through the day it’s very kid-friendly and has a fun vibe. Can’t remember for sure, but I think we’ve wandered through there around 8 or 9pm and it was still great. Can’t comment on anything later than that but I’m assuming your kids won’t be out then anyways. Check out The Ark (A Cultural Centre for Children) if you have the time.

  24. Trying to decide between the Four Seasons, Anantara, and Mandarin in Bangkok. We’d like to see a few attractions but to be honest we’re more into being close to shopping and the malls. (After 2 weeks in northern Thailand I think I deserve it.) Which would you suggest? Is either one closer to the airport? (Not important just curious.)
    Thanks, Angel.

    • The Four Seasons is definitely the best bet for shopping. But the Mandarin is only 10 or 15 minutes by SkyTrain from a couple of very nice malls. The Anantara is a good trek from any of the big malls (which is part of its appeal). None of these hotels are close to the airport which is a fair distance outside of the city.

      Hope that helps. Good luck.

  25. Love your picks for San Francisco and Seattle, two cities I know well. Just planning for Paris and appreciate your site.

  26. Also, how far in advance should we book Eurostar tickets for London to Paris? Thank you.

    • As soon as you can. There are a limited number of tickets in each price range and once the cheapest ones are booked they’re gone for good.

  27. We will be coming from London to Paris Disneyland for 3 nights. Do you have any recommendations for hotels near the park?

  28. We’ll be traveling with our 2 kids on our way home from 2 weeks in Koh Samui. We’ll be in Bangkok for 2 nights and would love to get out for a little night life (we’re not awful parents really!) Could you recommend a hotel or location where this might be feasible? I know a luxury hotel would set us up nicely but would like to keep it mid-range but then they probably don’t offer babysitting??

    Thanks.

    • The Novotel on Siam Square offers babysitting (call a day or two ahead to arrange) and has a very popular nightclub/disco in the basement. Many other night spots are within a short walk or taxi ride so you need never be far away. Have fun.

  29. We’re booked at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. The 3 of us (2 adults and a 7 year old) arrive from London at 6pm. What’s the best way into the city and to our hotel? Thank you.

    • BART is great, very easy, and quick. It’s a commuter train that stops at the airport. Follow the signs for BART as you leave the Arrivals area. A very quick shuttle train takes you to the airport BART station within a minute or two. You buy tickets from a kiosk using cash or credit card. It costs $8 for an adult and I think half that for kids. The trip from the airport into the city takes a half-hour. It’s usually quicker than taking a cab. Get off at the Montgomery stop and the Palace hotel is right there. Good luck.

  30. What is a good hotel for kids near the Paris airport? Thanks.

  31. Here is our plan:

    -3 days in Seminyak at the Oberoi
    -2 days in Jimbaran at the Four Seasons
    -3 days in Ubud at the Four Seasons

    Does this sound reasonable? Are they easy to get to and from or our we just setting ourselves up for a full day of travel between each hotel? Are car and drivers easy to hire?

    Thank you so much?

    • This is a great itinerary and a nice mix of towns. Getting between those places is no problem. Taxis are easy to find whether from your hotel or just walking the streets. And the distances you’re traveling are not great. The longest ride will be from Jimbaran to Ubud and that will take 90 minutes at the most. Good luck.

  32. We just booked your hotel suggestion for Coast Plaza in Vancouver, but now I’m thinking we’re going to be too far from downtown to enjoy the sites/attractions/restaurants. Is that hotel close enough to still get to the main parts of the city? Don’t mind walking but hoping this is a walkable/safe district.

    Thanks,
    Jill.

    • You’re fine. The walk from the West End (where the Coast Plaza is) to the hub of downtown, say Robson and Burrard, is about 15 minutes. The whole area is very safe, walkable, and filled with shops and restaurants so it will not feel like a chore.

  33. Thinking about booking tickets that have us in San Diego overnight (from about 6pm until 8am). Could you recommend a hotel close to the airport that is family-friendly? Ester.

  34. Is Golden Gate Park a good place to base ourselves in San Francisco? It will be my wife and 2 kids on their own for 2 nights and then I’ll join them for 3 more? They’re aged 6 and 10. Thanks for your help.

    • Golden Gate Park is great and the neighboring areas are pretty family friendly. Both Cole Valley and the Inner Sunset have a number of kid-friendly restaurants and fun places to eat. Haight can get a little rough around the edges at night but it’s easy to avoid (and it’s never that bad anyways). The Park itself has the incredible Academy of Sciences that kids love and one of the best playgrounds anywhere in the city.

      The main problem with staying around the park is there are few hotels and no luxury ones. The Stanyan Park Hotel is right across from the park and pretty nice. The Red Victorian Bed And Breakfast is on Haight and has very few rooms that would fit a family – you’d probably need to get 2 rooms. The Carl Hotel is cheap and OK. It’s right on the N-Judah line which will get you downtown in 10 minutes.

      Hope that’s helpful.

  35. We’ll be in London for a week with our 2 children ages 8 and 10. We’re not city people and I’m fearful of being in a busy, crowded, aggressive place. Could you recommend an area, hotel, or neighborhood where it wouldn’t be too busy? Thank you.

    • London is actually pretty calm away from the major streets and the big tube stations. The Marylebone neighborhood, for example, is a very walkable, friendly, and fairly unhurried series of streets. As long as you’re prepared for the usual urban collection of characters and situations I think you’ll feel safe and at ease at any hotel in the area. Good luck.

  36. You recommend a lot of luxury hotels. Why not more balance?

    • Hi Glen. Three thoughts for you.

      1. I’ve never regretted staying in a truly great hotel. I suppose it applies to many travel memories but you remember the good stuff and forget about the little details (like the price of the room) that you spend so much time worrying about in the planning stages.

      2. Budget hotels are more alike and have less that sets them apart. It’s often hard to distinguish one from the next. (Though we’ve stayed with the kids in places that cost less than $7 a night – and loved it.)

      3. If costs are your main concern then looking for a specific hotel isn’t your best plan. Instead use hotelscombined.com to find the best deals and book the hotel with the best mix of price and amenities.

      Thanks for your input, I’ll try to add more mid-range and budget choices in the future. This site is very young and I’m still learning :)

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