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Thoughts on using half million MR points in Europe

Billpcti

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Looking to visit Italy within next year and would like to visit 4/5 cities on our trip including Florence, Venice, Lake Como and Milan. Would appreciate feedback on best way to use points given that our trip will last 10-12 days with a stay of 2-3 days in each city. Thanks.
 

VacationForever

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Your MRPs are also good for SPG reservations. The following is my recommendation, unless you need accommodation to be Marriott brand due to redemption of travel packages for the miles.

Florence: Westin Excelsior or St. Regis
Venice: Gritti Palace

Don't know about Milan and Lake Cimo.
 
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rickxylon

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In Tuscany I would suggest the Renaissance which is an easy day trip to Cinque Terra (an absolutely must see).
 

jimf41

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I would need to know a few things before I would recommend anything. Are you using the 500k mrp's on just hotels or a travel package. How do you plan to travel intercity, plane, train, auto or bus. Do you just want to stay on points or are you willing to pay for some rooms. And finally unless you are on business or have some particular reason to spend time in Milan I wouldn't. It's one of the easier places to get award flights into Europe which makes it a great start point but there is really not a lot to do there.

If you go to Rick Steves travel site he has an excellent rail map that gives you approximate times and prices between cities.
 

WalnutBaron

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I would need to know a few things before I would recommend anything. Are you using the 500k mrp's on just hotels or a travel package. How do you plan to travel intercity, plane, train, auto or bus. Do you just want to stay on points or are you willing to pay for some rooms. And finally unless you are on business or have some particular reason to spend time in Milan I wouldn't. It's one of the easier places to get award flights into Europe which makes it a great start point but there is really not a lot to do there.

If you go to Rick Steves travel site he has an excellent rail map that gives you approximate times and prices between cities.
I respectfully disagree on jimf41's opinion of Milan. It is a beautiful city and worth a visit for at least two reasons: 1) it's the home of DaVinci's The Last Supper--an enduring masterpiece that is simply a privilege to be able to view in person; 2) the Duomo in Milan is, in my opinion, the most beautiful in Italy--even more beautiful than St. Peter's--and definitely worth the time to take the tour.

1200px-Milan_Cathedral_from_Piazza_del_Duomo.jpg
altare_duomo.jpg
Skip-the-Line-Milan-Duomo05.jpg
 

Billpcti

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Thank you for info. I simply want to maximize usage of my points in the best manner possible. We want to visit 4/5 cities, likely travel by private auto carriers, preferably use the points for individual hotel stays and if necessary pay whenever we need to do so. Photos are spectacular by the way.
 

MOXJO7282

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You may want to do what we're doing when we go to Dublin in a few weeks and consider getting (2) 5 night travel packages with sky miles even if you don't use every night in the 5 night package in one place because otherwise you'll go through your points fast at a lot less value by just using them for short hotel stays.

You might even be able to fly 1st class for 2.

You can use a 5 night cert for a good location and stay 3/4 nights and then move on to another city and use another cert for 3 or 4 nights and pay for any extra nights. This worked out much cheaper and a much better value. You could do 3 nights 1 cert 3 nights another cert and then buy 6 nights broken up in various locations for a total of 12 nights, only 6 paid out of pocket and free business or possibly 1st class flights that is worth big value and really enjoyable.

I'd say you'd spend $1400 for the hotels (and get more points which is another value to consider). Compared to using point for just hotels and maybe getting 10-12 nights but still on the hook for air fare. Even coach could be expensive but most likely $1400 for 2 with business and 1st class will be $2-$3k each.

Something to think about unless you want to truly stay only 1-2 nights each spot or plan on staying at the 2nd tier Marriotts which are a lot less points per night.
 

skyequeen

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Looking to visit Italy within next year and would like to visit 4/5 cities on our trip including Florence, Venice, Lake Como and Milan. Would appreciate feedback on best way to use points given that our trip will last 10-12 days with a stay of 2-3 days in each city. Thanks.

We did what you want to a couple of times, combining the city stays with a cruise each time. We used Marriott points at the Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa in the mountains north of Lucca (a fabulous place but isolated from big cities), and either points or cash depending upon which seemed the better value in Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Venice, and on the last trip also in Lucerne, SW (great Renaissance). We always try to stay 5 nights when using points to get the most value since the 5th night is free, then visit other cities nearby using car or train. Plus you can get the 5-day travel packages with airline points.

The Marriott AC chain in Italy is similar to our Courtyards (used to include a nice breakfast but not on our last trip) and is reasonably priced in lots of cities, but is always a walk to the center of town - we don't mind that and it gives you more of a sense of how Italians live. Paying cash there can save points for more expensive locations like Rome. We stayed in an AC in Florence and either walked each way to the center along the river or took a nearby bus. We thought the savings was worth being at the edge of the central city area not too far from the train station. We stayed in an AC in Bologna and Milan on our last trip.

As to which cities to visit, Rick Steves said not to bother with Bologna, one of our favorites. When I was young it was always recommended and I still do. It is like living in the 1200's. It is convenient to visit coastal cities like Ravenna which can be a tourist filled nightmare to stay in. Milan is a business city, but so is NY. There is lots to see and do and we had some great food in both places and found some of Milan's new architecture enlightening. It is convenient to continue up to Switzerland or go to Lake Como [beautiful] for the day. Have a great trip.
 

dgf15215

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Absolutely agree! Those are terrific photos and if you took them I want some lessons!

1200px-Milan_Cathedral_from_Piazza_del_Duomo.jpg
altare_duomo.jpg
Skip-the-Line-Milan-Duomo05.jpg
[/QUOTE]
 

dgf15215

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Having done significant traveling in Italy (and elsewhere ) I would like to suggest that you are making an endurance marathon out of what should be an inspiring period of time in one of the most beautiful and historic countries in the world. And where is Rome in your itinerary? Visiting Italy without Rome is like visiting Manhattan without Times Square.

The time it takes to get from one place to another is vastly underestimated by most travelers - it's not how long the train ride is or the flight, it's how long it takes to pack, travel to the airport or train station, wait for the train or go through security at the airport. If you do what you propose, you'll be spending almost as much time in the engagement of traveling as in absorbing the sights. Hey, Cinque Terra is great, Lake Como is great, Naples is great but you can't see that much in the time frame you have, focus on seeing deeply what you're able to. Rome could take five days on its own, every time we go there it's for five day - not only great for using reward points but gives you time to tour, walk, eat and be in a place, not through it. Venice is spectacular and won't be around much longer - it is where memories are made. Milan is outstanding and those wonderful photos barely scratched the surface. Florence is worth a month if you enjoy great art and want to delve into the history of western civilization. The hardest part of planning travel is working at limiting the number of things you're going to do in order that you can really appreciate them in the context of where they are.

To answer the question you asked, the best way to use your points IMHO is to stay five nights each in two places, taking side trips from there if you so desire. Good luck.
 

Billpcti

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Thanks for the feedback from each of you. We'll continue to refine our plans and put together a package which reflects some of the thoughts expressed in the post.
 

Jayco29D

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I respectfully disagree on jimf41's opinion of Milan. It is a beautiful city and worth a visit for at least two reasons: 1) it's the home of DaVinci's The Last Supper--an enduring masterpiece that is simply a privilege to be able to view in person; 2) the Duomo in Milan is, in my opinion, the most beautiful in Italy--even more beautiful than St. Peter's--and definitely worth the time to take the tour.

1200px-Milan_Cathedral_from_Piazza_del_Duomo.jpg
altare_duomo.jpg
Skip-the-Line-Milan-Duomo05.jpg

Amazing photos! I have also been to Milan and it is an interesting city to visit.
 

Jayco29D

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Thanks for the feedback from each of you. We'll continue to refine our plans and put together a package which reflects some of the thoughts expressed in the post.

We have been all over Italy on multiple visits. I absolutely love southern Italy, the Mediterranean coast and islands like Capri. We loved Cinque de Terre and stayed in an upscale oceanfront boutique hotel there - probably the only one. Venice is amazing too esp if you stay on the canals. It is more affordable than people think. I loved our visit to the Vatican and agree you must visit Rome at least once, although the actual city of Rome is not my favorite place. We went to Northern Italy and visited the Lake Como area as well as Milan. I thought I would be more impressed with the Lake Como area but it was the most disappointing place I have gone in Italy. Maybe it was the timing and weather. Lake Come in September was rainy and cold. I did like Milan. It is very contemporary and modern yet retains the Italian flair. Florence is somewhere in the middle of my list. I think Florence might be over rated. If I were to return to Italy, I would focus on southern Italy since I think it is the most beautiful part of Italy. You must taste gelato in every city!
 
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