Help me pick another awesome trip!!

[Deleted]

You guys nailed it when you helped me pick Munich over London earlier this year. Thanks!!!

We are going to Maui instead of the African Safari in October, as I explained a while ago. 

So now we get to pick our spring trip. Same parameters - the trip is only 7 days, but its fully paid for by Dh's company. We don't have much flexibility as far as dates/days go because its a company trip, but we MAY have the option of extending. When I say "with kids" or "without kids" again that is set by the company. 

So, help! DS will be 18 months at Christmas, 2 in May of 2014. Any of the "with kids" options we may bring my parents to help.

1) Paris over Christmas, with DS. May bring my parents on this too. (Dec 27-Jan 2 I think are the exact dates)
2) Rome over Christmas, with DS. 
3) Paris/London (3 days each) in March, with DS. 
4) Rio de Janeiro in Feb or March, no DS. 
4) Hong Kong, March. With DS. 
5) Antigua, Jan, probably no DS.
6) Costa Rica, March, with DS. 

We will also have a second trip next year over the summer, and Beijing, Switzerland and Ireland are on those. They would all be in July or August. 

All of the hotels are at least a 4-star, usually 5. Most times breakfast is included and we get about $300 spending $ towards lunch and dinner, plus a few company themed meals.

At first I Thought Rio or Hong Kong, but I'm hesitating because of the flight and only going for 1 week. 

[emilyinchile]

Where are you flying from? I wouldn't worry about only having 7 days in Rio, if that's your only concern, but I also am not fazed by longer flights. You won't have much of a time difference either. I probably would not do HK for the flight and time difference reasons - I'd rather go in the future with more time and see other places in the region. I would probably put them in this order:

- Rio (because you said you wanted to go)
- Paris over Christmas (sounds pretty! plus you get more monetary benefit from having a free trip to Europe than a free trip somewhere closer)
- Rome over Christmas (ditto above, I just prefer Paris)
- Costa Rica (I haven't been but want to go)
- Antigua (I don't really know anything about Antigua)
- Paris/London (3 days/city for those two cities isn't how I'd want to travel, sounds hectic)
- Hong Kong (flight length/time zone issues)

Also, is your H's company hiring? I love my job and do get to travel for work but not like this!

[neonpink]

1) Paris over Christmas, with DS. May bring my parents on this too. (Dec 27-Jan 2 I think are the exact dates)
2) Rome over Christmas, with DS.
These two options seem like a great way to spend Christmas. I love the holiday markets.

3) Paris/London (3 days each) in March, with DS. I think I'd chose 1 or 2 over this option
4) Rio de Janeiro in Feb or March, no DS.
Rio is going to be amazing with them getting ready for the olympics and World cup. I really want to go here.

6) Costa Rica, March, with DS. I've only heard amazing thing about Costa Rica. It would be a much more eco trip then the others.

Personally I would probably spend Christmas somewhere or go to Rio. Those are my favorite choices.

Read more: pandce.proboards.com/thread/212179/help-pick-another-awesome-trip#ixzz2bU9i9gvz

[dana2006]

I haven't been to Rio or Antigua. Of the rest, the only one I'm not excited about is Hong Kong, for the reasons Rock n Voll has mentioned. At first my thought was picking Costa Rica, b/c it's a place I long to go back to, but given that your H's company is paying for the hotel, I'm more inclined to go with Rome, Paris, or London, since it seems like a better value.  

[GilliC]

I would put Rio at the top of the list by far.

I wouldn't worry about having only 7 days, because I honestly think that's plenty to see the highlights (there really aren't that many) and have time for the beach and some other activities. If you could extend the trip yourselves you'd probably want to visit a different part of the country anyway (fly down to Iguazu, head up to Buzios for a few days, visit the Amazon, etc).

Since you said this was a company trip, I'm guessing that it won't coincide with Carnaval?  (If it did, then OMG hands-down that's what you should do, because Carnaval is awesome, and hotels at that time are crazy expensive and hard to book.)

Rio is surprisingly expensive, so if the company is paying for food/hotels, this is not a bad investment.  And lastly, although it may change in the future, you still have to have a visa to travel to Brazil (pretty sure it's the only place on that last that you'd need one).  If the company's going to take care of the hassle (if you don't live near an embassy/consulate) and expense of getting it, that's a nice little added bonus.

Climate-wise, there really isn't a big difference in the likelihood of rain throughout the year, but Feb-Mar are hot!  Definitely beach season!

In terms of flights, I don't know where you're located, but the flights from the US are typically around 8-10 hours, so not much more than trans-Atlantic.

[mdgirl]

I vote Paris or Rome over Christmas because they'd be gorgeous and it's so expensive to travel at that time of year to do it when someone else is paying seems like it's too good to pass up.

[frlcb]

I would do one of the Christmas trips because you can do Christmas markets, so probably Paris number 1, then Rome.

[Deleted]

Thanks for the thoughts & feedback, everyone.
We will be flying from Toronto. I think I agree that either Europe or Rio is probably the best option, particularly because they are more $$ and we could just do Costa Rica on our own.

I think that Hong Kong is a long flight/time zone change for just 1 week. So I might rule that out....that being said, we may do Beijing then in the summer, lol.

[jaime183]

would your costa rica trip need malaria pills? I've been researching CR and most doctors don't recommend giving young kids malaria pills
but it seems like not all areas recommend it

[sushi]

I'd pick whatever one would cost you the most

I have been to Antigua, and it's beautiful. But I don't know that it's anything special. It would be a nice place to have a lazy beach vacation, but there are many locations that fit that.

Europe over Christmas sounds cold. But, you live in the north pole, so maybe it wouldn't bother you. I'd probably pick Paris over Rome. I love both cities, but I think that I'd pick Paris for Christmas. Plus, the Hyatt there is apparently one of the best in the world.

I think you could do the time change for Hong Kong. I've made many week long trips to that part of the world, even when I was living further east than Hawaii. It's actually pretty easy for me to adjust to 10 hours difference. Much easier than 5. Would you fly coach? That's a great flight if you get to go business. Plus, the city is actually quite expensive. I stayed there for about $20/night, in a hostel. H's hotel cost something like $400 when he was there for work. And there is amazing food, both cheap and expensive. You can go to Macau, too, which I really liked, and not for the casinos.

tl;dr Paris and Hong Kong tie for first. Maybe a slight nudge to Paris for flight length.

[Deleted]

I've never wanted to go to Paris, but Paris at Christmas sounds amazing to me...

[Deleted]

H has just added one more trip option....Snowmass, CO at either Christmas or March. Staying at the Viceroy (which apparently is pretty nice, and has ski-in, ski-out).

I'm not a huge skiier, but he is.

sushi the Europe hotels are Westin's this time I think - they are Hyatts in Hawaii. ETA -  Actually, the upcoming trip is at the Four Seasons. They are switching it up!! LOL

[scout8]

I would do any of the first four on your list. For a Christmas trip, I might pick Rome over Paris, because I would think it would be a little warmer. Hong Kong would be out for me, because it would be too far/too many time zones. I don't know much about Antigua. I didn't love CR, but I might be the only one on this board who didn't.

I am so jealous of these trips you get. Thanks for letting us all help you choose. It's fun!

[GilliC]

FYI re: Hong Kong. We went for 7 days on our first trip, and we felt like it was a lot of time for HK. You can fill it if you do daytrips to Macau, the outlying islands, and the New Territories, but I think it's too much time to stay in HK proper. Honestly, with 7 days, I would try to get the mainland visa and head up to Guilin/Yangshuo for a few days if you haven't been, but it doesn't sound like that's an option in this case.

[Deleted]

I would do Paris for Christmas. I was super close to booking that for this year and it remains on our to-do list. The idea of Paris decorated for Christmas with all the festivities just sounds amazing.

[Deleted]

Aug 11, 2013 9:07:27 GMT -5 GilliC said:

FYI re: Hong Kong. We went for 7 days on our first trip, and we felt like it was a lot of time for HK. You can fill it if you do daytrips to Macau, the outlying islands, and the New Territories, but I think it's too much time to stay in HK proper. Honestly, with 7 days, I would try to get the mainland visa and head up to Guilin/Yangshuo for a few days if you haven't been, but it doesn't sound like that's an option in this case.

Yeah, we don't have much flexibility around the specifics so I think we might rule out HK based on what everyone is saying.

SO - just found out he actually gets 2 (!!!!) trips this time.

We may do Snowmass, CO over Christmas and then Rio or Paris in March.

OR we will do Paris for CHristmas, and then Snowmass in March.

DH really, really wants to do Snowmass. LOL. Its not high on my list, BUT he earns the trips and really wants to go, plus we get another one too so I'm ok with negotiating where we each pick 1, lol.

Sooooo my new question is:

Would you do Paris (with DS, no parents) or Rio (no baby)

I'm tempted for Rio but I also love the idea of Paris again (I've been once for a few days, DH has never been).

[GilliC]

I think it depends on what you want out of the trip.

If you want nature, adventure, and beach time, I'd pick Rio. Rio is an incredibly beautiful city (from above), and it's unlike anywhere else I've been. Also, if you have a desire to go to Rio at some point, I would choose Rio. Logistically, it's a much harder trip to plan on your own than Paris. Even as a seasoned traveler, I find some bits about Rio to be daunting, and I would jump at the chance to have my visa and hotel taken care of.

If you want history and art, I'd pick Paris. I don't really have to tell you what's in Paris, but it definitely has Rio beat hands-down in history and culture. Paris has amazing museums, and Rio has hardly any. Rio has its own history, but it's much shorter and less accessible. Paris is absolutely worth visiting, and if this is your only chance to visit either place, I would pick Paris. However, it's a much easier place to visit on your own in the future.

[GilliC]

Aug 12, 2013 9:42:51 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

Not to highjack too much, but I'm curious if you can elaborate on what you find daunting about Rio.  I know you're an incredibly seasoned traveler, and know Rio well to boot (you're the one with the bf in Rio, right?) so I'm just curious for your insights.  DH and I went a couple of years ago for a friend's wedding and the visas were super easy, though I'm sure it helps that we have a Consulate office here in Boston so I could do everything in person.  For lodgings, we rented an apartment with another couple and it went really smoothly.  Maybe we just got lucky?

It's not really a question of it being incredibly difficult.  I was considering it in relation to the simplicity of planning a trip to Paris.    

The visa application is straightforward, but there isn't always a consular office nearby. I hate having to send my passport away to get a visa.

I also find it to be a hassle when it comes to hotel bookings.  The hotels are quite expensive, and if you're traveling during a peak time (Carnaval, New Year's, Rock in Rio, etc) many of them book months in advance.  Since there aren't that many international chains for a city that size, it requires a lot of extra research if you're looking for a hotel of a certain caliber.  It's a lot easier if you're not so picky about hotels, but I try not to assume that people will be okay with the same kinds of places I'll stay.  Additionally, there are some areas that you just don't want to stay in.  Not because they're inconvenient, but because the locals would tell you, "Oh hell no!  I hope you take a taxi everywhere you go at night!"

Ditto with transportation from the airport.  The taxi queues can be crazy long, so if you don't have a car waiting or plan to brave public transportation, you can be in for a ridiculous wait.  Last time we flew into GIG, the wait was an hour, and it was almost midnight.

I don't think Rio is impossible to do on your own, but I would much rather go when someone's going to take care of the hotel for me.  Even a lot of the nicer hotels are kind of dumpy, and on my first trip, I was stuck in some random place in Flamengo, because that was all that was available.  Even booking far enough in advance to have a choice, there's no way I could afford to stay on the beach, and I think that would be a much nicer experience.  (I've never looked into renting an apartment, so the rental apartment market might be much easier to deal with than the hotel market.)

On the other hand, I find Paris incredibly simple.  There are so many recommendations around for great budget accommodations, and last time I was there we stayed at a little 2-star place that was fabulous.  There isn't really an area where you really shouldn't stay, and there isn't one area of Paris that's miles better than the rest (in the style of staying right on the beach in Rio).

[Deleted]

Aug 12, 2013 10:07:40 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Aug 12, 2013 9:42:51 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

Not to highjack too much, but I'm curious if you can elaborate on what you find daunting about Rio.  I know you're an incredibly seasoned traveler, and know Rio well to boot (you're the one with the bf in Rio, right?) so I'm just curious for your insights.  DH and I went a couple of years ago for a friend's wedding and the visas were super easy, though I'm sure it helps that we have a Consulate office here in Boston so I could do everything in person.  For lodgings, we rented an apartment with another couple and it went really smoothly.  Maybe we just got lucky?

It's not really a question of it being incredibly difficult.  I was considering it in relation to the simplicity of planning a trip to Paris.    

The visa application is straightforward, but there isn't always a consular office nearby. I hate having to send my passport away to get a visa.

I also find it to be a hassle when it comes to hotel bookings.  The hotels are quite expensive, and if you're traveling during a peak time (Carnaval, New Year's, Rock in Rio, etc) many of them book months in advance.  Since there aren't that many international chains for a city that size, it requires a lot of extra research if you're looking for a hotel of a certain caliber.  It's a lot easier if you're not so picky about hotels, but I try not to assume that people will be okay with the same kinds of places I'll stay.  Additionally, there are some areas that you just don't want to stay in.  Not because they're inconvenient, but because the locals would tell you, "Oh hell no!  I hope you take a taxi everywhere you go at night!"

Ditto with transportation from the airport.  The taxi queues can be crazy long, so if you don't have a car waiting or plan to brave public transportation, you can be in for a ridiculous wait.  Last time we flew into GIG, the wait was an hour, and it was almost midnight.

I don't think Rio is impossible to do on your own, but I would much rather go when someone's going to take care of the hotel for me.  Even a lot of the nicer hotels are kind of dumpy, and on my first trip, I was stuck in some random place in Flamengo, because that was all that was available.  Even booking far enough in advance to have a choice, there's no way I could afford to stay on the beach, and I think that would be a much nicer experience.  (I've never looked into renting an apartment, so the rental apartment market might be much easier to deal with than the hotel market.)

On the other hand, I find Paris incredibly simple.  There are so many recommendations around for great budget accommodations, and last time I was there we stayed at a little 2-star place that was fabulous.  There isn't really an area where you really shouldn't stay, and there isn't one area of Paris that's miles better than the rest (in the style of staying right on the beach in Rio).

I see the point about Rio being harder, logistically. That makes sense to me. I have some concerns about the safety in Rio - I've heard that muggings, carjackings, and robbery in general are pretty common, even for seasoned travellers. I would just leave all my jewellery at home I think, to be safe.

The hotel for Rio is ranked in the top 3 on Trip Advisor, and the hotel in Paris the top 10. So either city would be a fabulous, well-located hotel. I do like that. Its not during Carnivale for Rio but in some ways, that may be better, lol. Crowds kinda make me itchy after a while.

I havent' done ANY south american travelling (lots of Caribbean and Mexico) and I've been to Europe twice (the first time I stayed for a few months and did several countries) so I am tempted to pick a new continent, but then again, I LOVE Paris. And Europe. And I'm kinda a wussy traveller (eg cancelling the Tanzania safari to go to a Four Seasons in hawaii).

[GilliC]

Aug 12, 2013 10:19:57 GMT -5 @lauriergirl28 said:

I have some concerns about the safety in Rio - I've heard that muggings, carjackings, and robbery in general are pretty common, even for seasoned travellers. I would just leave all my jewellery at home I think, to be safe.

You definitely have to be a lot more vigilant than most places, but it's gotten a lot better than it was just five years ago.

The area around the beaches are fine most of the time, but after dark, stick to well-lit areas that you're familiar with.  Even though it sounds romantic, night-time walks down by the water aren't really a good idea.  It's okay to carry your camera, etc during the day, but don't be flashy with your valuables.  And don't leave anything of value unattended on the beach.  (My boyfriend frowns on my leaving a book and shoes alone while I swim, but I figure that I can deal with it if they're stolen.)  Be wary of ATMs having card-skimming devices, and try to stick to those inside banks.  Stick to public transportation or licensed taxis, and skip the shared taxi-vans unless you're absolutely sure you know what you're doing.

A huge part of it is just like anywhere else in that if you look like you know where you're going and don't advertise yourself as an easy target, you're much less likely to become one.  Of course bad things can still happen, but the frequency has dropped considerably.  A big factor in this comes from reducing the corruption in the police force, and there are special "Tourist Police" that operate in/around the beaches to try to make it a safer place for visitors.  It's definitely a place to be on your guard, but it's not unreasonable.  For every story you hear, there are many more people who visit with no bad experiences at all.

[emilyinchile]

I wouldn't worry too much about the concerns you mention with Rio, although I would leave any flashy jewelry at home. I wear my engagement ring (diamond solitaire) there but otherwise just wear cheap, fun stuff, which frankly is more suited to the vibe of what I do there than some expensive precious stone necklace would be anyway (if I even owned an expensive necklace to begin with!).

I have never had personal safety issues in Rio even when traveling alone, but I don't wander around alone at night or take a fancy camera to the beach. I have had my card skimmed there in the ATM at the airport, but my bank fixed that with minimal hassle, and that's not something that would deter me from visiting a place.

Based on Rio being a new city and a new country/continent for you, I'd pick Rio in a heartbeat. That said, I don't love the location of your hotel, if it's the one I'm seeing as #3 on TripAdvisor - I much prefer Ipanema or the Ipanema-adjacent part of Copacabana a bit for safety but mostly just for access to shops and restaurants - so the Paris hotel might be the better choice.