# to Conde Nast Tours, or not???



## BULLDOG77 (Nov 28, 2007)

HAS ANYONE GONE ON THE CONDE NAST TOURS? IS IT WORTH IT???? NEVER BEEN TO THAT AREA.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

If you don´t travel much, don´t have your own travel agent, and don´t feel comfortable building your itinerary, it´s not a bad way to go but one can do better.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

BULLDOG77 said:


> HAS ANYONE GONE ON THE CONDE NAST TOURS? IS IT WORTH IT???? NEVER BEEN TO THAT AREA.


Also, please try fixing the problem with your caps key. :dunno:


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

JSpira said:


> Also, please try fixing the problem with your caps key. :dunno:


:rofl:


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## cosmos (Jan 18, 2002)

The rates on Conde Nest appear fixed, so if the dollar plunged it might be worth it more than trying to do the trip yourself.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

cosmos said:


> so if the dollar plunged


I thought it did that already in the past year:angel:


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Did the Lakeside tour this spring. Not cheap but still a terrific bargin. Hotels were great and the support from the agent was first class. A big plus were the freebees at every hotel. Would you believe an espresso maker from the hotel in Milan?


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## BULLDOG77 (Nov 28, 2007)

really? were meals also included


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

BULLDOG77 said:


> really? were meals also included


Breakfast and dinners. Wine is extra of course (other than the gift bottles in the room). An added bonus was the Seven Series limo to the ED center from the airport. He even brought the luggage on to the hotel saving us the hassle. All the hotels went out of their way to accomadate us.


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## BULLDOG77 (Nov 28, 2007)

Wow...Sounds like a pretty good deal then. Am thinking of doing the castle tour. Any recommendations?


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

BULLDOG77 said:


> Wow...Sounds like a pretty good deal then. Am thinking of doing the castle tour. Any recommendations?


Other than the first night in Munich at the Bayerischer Hof the itinerary would be different.
BMW used an agency in NYC called Valerie Wilson Travel Inc. to book the tour. Gulchin Brunson was our agent and handled everything perfectly. It is not likely that your SA, no matter how well versed in European delivery, will be familiar with the nuts and bolts of the Conde Nast tours so inquiries to the agency directly may be the best bet.


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## Northcar (Sep 21, 2005)

VIZSLA said:


> Did the Lakeside tour this spring. Not cheap but still a terrific bargin. Hotels were great and the support from the agent was first class. A big plus were the freebees at every hotel. Would you believe an espresso maker from the hotel in Milan?


Sheesh, all they give me at the Holiday Inns are an ironing board and a coffee maker. Sure hard fitting that ironing board into my suitcase though.


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## BULLDOG77 (Nov 28, 2007)

Vizsla...Thanks so much for the info...you've been very helpful...did you pick up at the Welt center?


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

BULLDOG77 said:


> Vizsla...Thanks so much for the info...you've been very helpful...did you pick up at the Welt center?


We picked up at the end of May, so no the Welt wasn't open yet.


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## Kamdog (Apr 15, 2007)

Conde Nast is a very high line tour company. It will cost you quite a bit, but it is first class. Of course you can do it cheaper, with cheaper hotels too. All you would have to do is print out the the CN route, and search for less expensive hotels in the same places where CN stays. 

You would get to the same places, but stay in less nice hotels. Whether that is worth it or not will be up to you.


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## BULLDOG77 (Nov 28, 2007)

how was the whole pick-up drop off process? was it relatively easy? any places i should def. try to hit up?


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Kamdog said:


> Conde Nast is a very high line tour company. It will cost you quite a bit, but it is first class. Of course you can do it cheaper, with cheaper hotels too. All you would have to do is print out the the CN route, and search for less expensive hotels in the same places where CN stays.
> 
> You would get to the same places, but stay in less nice hotels. Whether that is worth it or not will be up to you.


Surprisingly enough the CN rates for the hotels and meals are better than you'd do on your own. Especially when every room is an upgrade as it was in our case.


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## keithsimp (Nov 18, 2007)

VIZSLA said:


> Surprisingly enough the CN rates for the hotels and meals are better than you'd do on your own. Especially when every room is an upgrade as it was in our case.


The cheapest CN tour was $2600/person for 5 nights/6days that's $866 per day for two people. I would think that beating that rate would be fairly easy.

Keith S.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

keithsimp said:


> The cheapest CN tour was $2600/person for 5 nights/6days that's $866 per day for two people. I would think that beating that rate would be fairly easy.
> 
> Keith S.


They charge per person? Yikes.

And usually you calculate the per-nite rate so it's $1040 per day for five nights.


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## b-y (Sep 14, 2004)

*Alternatives to CN...*

If you want to stay at top hotels, get "free" upgrades and amenities, but want flexibility in locations and/or hotel options, there are two obvious alternatives:

American Express Platinim Travel Service has arrangements with approx. 500 hotels. See https://www134.americanexpress.com/...ction=1&lang=en&ctry=us&pdtyp=ccsg&cdtyp=plat
Leading Hotels of the World has a "Leaders Club" with similar arrangements for over 400 hotels. See http://www.lhw.com/LeadersClub/LCHome.aspx
(Some hotels are on both lists.)

For example, the Munich hotels involved are:
Mandarin Oriental - PTS
Vier Jahreszeiten - both
Bayerischer Hof - both
Koenigshof - LHW
The Charles - LHW (just opened last month)


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