When I first shared my plans for spending six weeks in Europe with my kids, everything looked great on paper. I had a rough itinerary, a handful of award bookings, and a strategy for balancing points, vacation rentals, and low-cost airlines.

Now that we’re home, I can confidently say most of the plan worked exactly as I’d hoped, with a few hiccups, of course! A few things even surprised me—both good and bad—and there are several bookings I’d make again in a heartbeat.

If you’re planning an extended trip to Europe with the kids, here’s what I’d absolutely do again and some tips and lessons I’ve learned.

 

Paris Is Always a Yes for Us

Our trip began with an overnight flight into Paris. Arriving bright and early, we headed to the Hyatt House Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to spend our first night.

As a Hyatt Category 2 property, rates are always great, even at high-demand times. That’s one of the reasons I’ve stayed several times. Since we’ve visited Paris several times already, staying outside the city wasn’t a sacrifice. We weren’t trying to squeeze every possible sightseeing hour out of Paris. Instead, we were trying to recover from jet lag, shower, eat breakfast, and ease into almost seven weeks abroad. 

One thing I’ve learned after several trips to Paris is that getting between Charles de Gaulle and the city center takes more time and money than many people expect. Whether you’re taking the train, an Uber, or a taxi, the costs add up quickly. If you’re comparing airport hotels with properties downtown, be sure to factor transportation into the total price, not just the nightly rate.

Quick tip here for you. The Hyatt House and Hyatt Place are essentially the same properties over at CDG. I’ve always booked the House for no specific reason other than it usually popped up first on Hyatt’s booking page. The rooms are similar, the rates are usually comparable and guests from both hotels even eat in the exact same breakfast restaurant. The difference? Breakfast is complimentary at the Hyatt House but not at the Hyatt Place. And trust me, it isn’t cheap.

Related: Your Complete Guide to World of Hyatt

 

A Quick Stop in Bordeaux

 

 

Next came another short stay, but this time in Bordeaux, where we booked a Marriott Homes & Villas property using Bonvoy points.

I’m not afraid to admit that I struggle to find exciting ways to redeem Marriott points. Hyatt is generally my first choice, followed by Hilton and even Wyndham. Marriott award prices, on the other hand, don’t always leave me feeling like I’ve found incredible value.

But this redemption was a good reminder that cents per point aren’t everything. Our apartment was brand new, beautifully designed, centrally located, and gave us plenty of room. Could I have squeezed more theoretical value from those points elsewhere? Guaranteed. Would I make this redemption again? Absolutely.

I’d also like to add that at this point, our family has outgrown a standard hotel room, which means we often have to book two rooms instead of one. That gets expensive fast. A vacation rental not only gave us more space, but it also let us stay together under one roof while often costing less than booking two hotel rooms.

 

Wizz Air Might Be My New Favorite Airline

I’m probably going to get a lot of flak for this one, but one of the biggest surprises of the trip had nothing to do with hotels. It was Wizz Air, and I’d happily book it again—and I did.

We flew Wizz Air from Bordeaux to Bucharest. The route network throughout Eastern Europe is outstanding, fares were incredibly inexpensive, and once you understand the baggage rules, it’s a remarkably easy way to move between countries.

No, you’re not getting lounge access or complimentary snacks—or even a cup of water. But when a flight costs less than dinner for a family of four, I’m perfectly happy bringing my own pretzels.

 

Renting a Car in Romania

 

 

After arriving in Bucharest, we rented a car, and I drove to Brașov with one goal in mind: to visit Bran Castle—better known as Dracula’s Castle. Naturally, I stopped about 8 million times on the drive up every time I saw something even slightly pretty. 

Brasov is small and chain hotels are scarce. So I redeemed Capital One miles I had earned from my Venture Business Card through Capital One Business Travel for a locally owned property. It had two bedrooms, tons of charm, and the price was fantastic. 

Capital One Travel has come in handy time and time again for us. Don’t get me wrong—I love a great business-class redemption as much as the next of us points nerds. But I’d much rather use those miles to cover several nights in a hotel than one fancy flight. And with a family, we’d need so many more miles to fly in business class anyway.

 

Living in Bulgaria Was the Best Part of the Trip

 

 

Our original goal wasn’t to sprint through Europe checking countries off a list. Instead, we wanted to slow down and experience everyday life somewhere else.

For nearly a month, we rented an Airbnb in Varna, Bulgaria, and settled into a routine. My daughter joined a local gymnastics gym. We found a neighborhood fitness center where we eventually made friends. We grocery shopped, cooked meals, established routines, and experienced a version of travel that felt much slower and richer than constantly changing hotels every few days. Don’t get me wrong—I’m a sucker for bouncing around from place to place—but this change of pace was exactly what we needed. 

 

Eastern Europe Makes an Excellent Base

 

 

While staying in Varna, we took a quick trip to Greece on—you guessed it—Wizz Air. And for the hotel, I used my Citi Strata Elite℠ Card annual $300 hotel credit, which covered a fantastic room and made the getaway even sweeter. And once again, the booking had two rooms that fit all four of us. 

One thing this trip reinforced is just how affordable and well-connected Eastern Europe can be. It’s easy to hop between countries without spending a fortune, especially if you’re willing to embrace budget airlines.

 

Sofia and Amsterdam: Two Similar Airport Stays, Two Different Outcomes

On our way west, we stopped for a few nights in Bansko, Bulgaria, where we hiked around the mountains. Then we headed to Sofia, where we spent one night at the Hyatt Regency before flying onward.

 

 

The hotel itself was excellent. For our trip, though, it probably wasn’t the best use of Hyatt points. As a lowly Discoverist staying only one night before an early flight, I just didn’t get enough value from the property to justify the redemption—not that it was all that high in the first place. If I were a Globalist spending a few days exploring Sofia, I’d feel completely differently.

Our final stop before heading home was Amsterdam. Once again, we chose Wizz Air, and once again, we stayed at an airport Hyatt instead of staying downtown. Unlike Paris, though, transportation from Schiphol into central Amsterdam is inexpensive and incredibly easy, making an airport hotel an even easier recommendation.

My mistake? Booking Hyatt Place instead of Hyatt House. Just like in Paris, the Hyatt Place didn’t include breakfast. We may have saved a few points on the room, but we gave some of that value right back by paying for breakfast each morning. And since we were staying near the airport, the pickings were slim for breakfast options.

 

Bottom Line

This trip was a great reminder that the best use of points and miles isn’t always the one with the highest cents-per-point value. For us, it was about finding places that fit our family, using the credits and points we already had and mixing in low-cost flights, vacation rentals and the occasional airport hotel.

Some of the bookings were absolute wins. Others made sense only because of our specific situation, and I would handle a few differently next time. But that’s also the point: a redemption doesn’t have to be perfect on paper to make a trip better.

At the end of the day, points and miles helped us spend nearly seven weeks in Europe, slow down in one place and still squeeze in plenty of adventures along the way. That’s more than enough value for me!

 

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