Suggestions for London and Paris visit

[zealanddonk]

Looking forward to a summer of you posting about epic customer service fails. My favorite Paris activity: a picnic with a little red wine in the Rodin gardens.

Mushy peas not mushy enough, too much vinegar on the chips, no bun for the hotdog, $3 chips cost $3, the list goes on and on.

[Sloppy Joe]

Guessing that any (ahem) 'diet' will be on pause so hitmup Nando's Chicken, McDonald's and any number of chippy.

Leave the tattered hats and cargo shorts at home and consider losing the beard unless you want to stand out.

[Dan Druff]

I want to state something.

I thought US airlines were bad. I had this fantasy that European airlines were classy, straightforward, customer-friendly, and provided service reminiscent of yesteryear.

I have learned recently that the absolute opposite is true.

The biggest issue is the complete lack of real business/first class. The European version of business/first is to shove you to the front of the plane, and leave an empty middle seat in each row. And I guess serve you some better food if the flight is long enough. That's it. Often it's the exact same shitty seat pitch, exact same narrow seats, and nothing at all there resembles a luxury experience.

The customer policies are also generally hostile, even when compared with US airlines.

In the meantime, the US airlines are rapidly changing their business class to have lie-flat seating, and in some cases, little pods like United Polaris.

And would you like something like Premium Economy, if you're tall but otherwise don't need first/business class? Nope. Aside from exit rows (where such legroom is mandatory), you can't even buy seats with that on most European airlines, especially for short-haul and medium-haul flights.



And is it cheap? Fuck no. Hopping from Paris to London, a very short flight, can cost over $1000/ticket (per way) for thiw fake first class, and usually over $300 for coach.

What a fucking joke all of this is.

I heard SAS is finally going to introduce a real business class in October. Okay, great? Like, welcome to the 1960s, guys.

Oh, and you can also pay 20% more to "reduce your carbon footprint". I shit you not. I wonder what percentage of people are stupid enough to pay this? I bet they all have pronouns in their social media profiles.

[Dan Druff]

Thank you for the suggestions, though, guys.

I might forego the car in London.

Or I might partially forego it, and briefly rent one for when I want to explore out of the area, but then return it fairly quickly and just use cabs and public transportation. Still deciding on that part.

Once the trip is complete (which as I said, will be later this summer), I will post a trip report.

[FRANKRIZZO]

There is another museum not the louvre can't remember over 30 years ago

[MrTickle]

I want to state something.

I thought US airlines were bad. I had this fantasy that European airlines were classy, straightforward, customer-friendly, and provided service reminiscent of yesteryear.

I have learned recently that the absolute opposite is true.

The biggest issue is the complete lack of real business/first class. The European version of business/first is to shove you to the front of the plane, and leave an empty middle seat in each row. And I guess serve you some better food if the flight is long enough. That's it. Often it's the exact same shitty seat pitch, exact same narrow seats, and nothing at all there resembles a luxury experience.

The customer policies are also generally hostile, even when compared with US airlines.

In the meantime, the US airlines are rapidly changing their business class to have lie-flat seating, and in some cases, little pods like United Polaris.

And would you like something like Premium Economy, if you're tall but otherwise don't need first/business class? Nope. Aside from exit rows (where such legroom is mandatory), you can't even buy seats with that on most European airlines, especially for short-haul and medium-haul flights.



And is it cheap? Fuck no. Hopping from Paris to London, a very short flight, can cost over $1000/ticket (per way) for thiw fake first class, and usually over $300 for coach.

What a fucking joke all of this is.

I heard SAS is finally going to introduce a real business class in October. Okay, great? Like, welcome to the 1960s, guys.

Oh, and you can also pay 20% more to "reduce your carbon footprint". I shit you not. I wonder what percentage of people are stupid enough to pay this? I bet they all have pronouns in their social media profiles.

The reason is because European low-cost airlines now absolutely dominate the market. Ryanair, EasyJet, WizzAir etc. Instead of competing on quality, the once-respectable airlines have instead decided they also need to compete on price. British Airways for example is a shadow of its former self.

[Dan Druff]

I want to state something.

I thought US airlines were bad. I had this fantasy that European airlines were classy, straightforward, customer-friendly, and provided service reminiscent of yesteryear.

I have learned recently that the absolute opposite is true.

The biggest issue is the complete lack of real business/first class. The European version of business/first is to shove you to the front of the plane, and leave an empty middle seat in each row. And I guess serve you some better food if the flight is long enough. That's it. Often it's the exact same shitty seat pitch, exact same narrow seats, and nothing at all there resembles a luxury experience.

The customer policies are also generally hostile, even when compared with US airlines.

In the meantime, the US airlines are rapidly changing their business class to have lie-flat seating, and in some cases, little pods like United Polaris.

And would you like something like Premium Economy, if you're tall but otherwise don't need first/business class? Nope. Aside from exit rows (where such legroom is mandatory), you can't even buy seats with that on most European airlines, especially for short-haul and medium-haul flights.



And is it cheap? Fuck no. Hopping from Paris to London, a very short flight, can cost over $1000/ticket (per way) for thiw fake first class, and usually over $300 for coach.

What a fucking joke all of this is.

I heard SAS is finally going to introduce a real business class in October. Okay, great? Like, welcome to the 1960s, guys.

Oh, and you can also pay 20% more to "reduce your carbon footprint". I shit you not. I wonder what percentage of people are stupid enough to pay this? I bet they all have pronouns in their social media profiles.

The reason is because European low-cost airlines now absolutely dominate the market. Ryanair, EasyJet, WizzAir etc. Instead of competing on quality, the once-respectable airlines have instead decided they also need to compete on price. British Airways for example is a shadow of its former self.

Ah, makes sense.

Yeah I don't mind that seating configuration for the Ryanair/EasyJet type shit, but for it to infect British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, etc is shameful.

[Dan Druff]

British Airways has the absolute worst website, by the way.

Complete buggy mess, and it's been that way for years, apparently. I read reports on Reddit about the same major bugs I experienced, and those were from 2019.

Their entire "Book With Avios (Miles)" system is essentially broken and mostly unusable.

[lol wow]

learn arabic baaaziiiiiiiiing, i was there like 6 years ago stayed in burgundy for most of it but did the requisite 3 days in paris did restuarants but i enjoyed the air bnb walking sucks tourist shit sucks i really liked getting cool frozen pizza and croissants downstairs that is light years better than the us and drinking wine in our apartment but enjoy alot of walking basically

[Belly Buster]

If you must go to Paris from London, take the Eurostar. Don’t fly.

Honestly though skip Paris, just do England.

[Dan Druff]

If you must go to Paris from London, take the Eurostar. Don’t fly.

Honestly though skip Paris, just do England.

Eurostar seats look kinda small and uncomfortable, though. I realize it's only 2 hours, but I'm not sure if I want to do it. And it's not cheap.

I'll be spending more time in the London area than the Paris area.

[ShawnFanningsLimpDick]

Eurostar seats look kinda small and uncomfortable, though. I realize it's only 2 hours, but I'm not sure if I want to do it. And it's not cheap.

You can pay extra and go first class on Eurostar. Costs about $500/person one way but you might get a meal thrown in. If you're already in central Paris and want to go to central London then Eurostar is the way to go.

I've never seen the attraction of Stonehenge as you can't get to the actual stones. There are other stone circles in Britain where access isn't restricted although they're much smaller.

[Jayjami]

If you must go to Paris from London, take the Eurostar. Don’t fly.

Honestly though skip Paris, just do England.

Eurostar seats look kinda small and uncomfortable, though. I realize it's only 2 hours, but I'm not sure if I want to do it. And it's not cheap.

I'll be spending more time in the London area than the Paris area.

Take a second class train from London to Paris, even if you have to go via ferry instead of the Chunnel, bring some food and wine, make some friends on the train, enjoy the scenery. Maybe Benjamin will even get laid.

Me? I’d detour to Amsterdam first, cuz that’s my city. You’d like it there too. It’s not all about the Red Light District, and everyone there speaks English.

[Sanlmar]

Eurostar seats look kinda small and uncomfortable, though. I realize it's only 2 hours, but I'm not sure if I want to do it. And it's not cheap.

You can pay extra and go first class on Eurostar. Costs about $500/person one way but you might get a meal thrown in. If you're already in central Paris and want to go to central London then Eurostar is the way to go.

I've never seen the attraction of Stonehenge as you can't get to the actual stones. There are other stone circles in Britain where access isn't restricted although they're much smaller.

When doing the tourist thing the secret is to go to spots off the ploppies’ checklist. The +EV spots. Racing to Stonehenge in a bus is precisely what I would avoid.

I resist the blitzkrieg approach to vacationing.

Hang out. Live in the moment and meet people. Buy a round and have them ring the bell in your honor. Unless you are dying you will likely go again

Amsterdam is pretty and fun for sure. Jay

[tigerpiper]

Corinthia hotel 75 lbs. wonderful.

Can you explain what this means? Do you mean 75 British pounds?

The Corinthia London hotel is like 10 times that price!

The tea was 75 pounds per person. It was wonderful and easily worth that. It was at least 2+ hours. Multiple, multiple courses of great sandwiches and pastries. All delish and very pretty and posh. That included everything food, tea and tip, but not booze. Beautiful room and solicitous service.

We did not stay there. We stayed at a hilton brand somewhere.

[Daly]

Once in Europe you should not step foot on a plane again until you go home...... unless you are going from poland to spain or london to rome or some other trip across most of the continent. Paris/London is not that.

The chunnel has two classes of seats and I found regular seating just fine. The business class was nice as well and I couldn't see you not liking it.

On my trip plan we took a boat across the channel and got an entire room to ourselves with a bed and shower..... couldnt have been a more pleasant experience.


My personal experience/opinion but I cant imagine spending time in London and Paris and coming away saying "I wish I spent more time in London". Dont get me wrong its a great city but Paris IMHO is one of if not the greatest city in the world.

[Dan Druff]

Am I crazy to want to take a car from Paris to Calais, and then ferry across, and then take a train to London?

Seems kind of appealing to be able to drive through the countryside of France before departing, and then get on a short-ish boat ride, rather than just Eurostaring it.

Will this be a huge pain with luggage? The foot passenger thing on the ferry seems a bit awkward but you can do it. The train from Dover to London is just an hour if you get the fast one.

I agree that flying from Paris to London is dumb.

I am taking a flight from another part of Europe, which is why I made my complaint earlier. I am just mentioning Paris and London in this thread because that section of the trip is more open regarding what I will do.

[Daly]

Am I crazy to want to take a car from Paris to Calais, and then ferry across, and then take a train to London?

Seems kind of appealing to be able to drive through the countryside of France before departing, and then get on a short-ish boat ride, rather than just Eurostaring it.

Will this be a huge pain with luggage? The foot passenger thing on the ferry seems a bit awkward but you can do it. The train from Dover to London is just an hour if you get the fast one.

I agree that flying from Paris to London is dumb.

I am taking a flight from another part of Europe, which is why I made my complaint earlier. I am just mentioning Paris and London in this thread because that section of the trip is more open regarding what I will do.

You are not crazy. That said you can take a train right out of center paris and be in Normandy in ~2 hours and get to see the country side along the way.

I personally would rather spend the time in normandy (or some other coastal town) than driving around but that is just me.

[Dan Druff]

Europe's small hotel rooms are tilting btw. I'm trying to book shit and I've been going crazy.

I just don't get it. Do people in Europe not like spacious rooms and spacious airline seats?

LOL @ these 1-queen rooms where the bed takes most of the entire space.