It's been over two weeks since my trip ended, and I've been asked by a number of people about how I planned my trip, the specific places I stayed, etc. so I've decided to compile the information into one handy-dandy page for anyone who might find it useful.
First, a few of you asked what camera I used to take photos. Nothing fancy, I can assure you--just my Galaxy S6 phone. I'm quite pleased with how my pictures came out, and while I'm sure other people on the internet can explain more of the technical aspects, I think it helped that I was surrounded by a lot of beauty, which makes just about any picture look good.
How do I plan my trips? I choose locations that appeal to me and seem like they would be relatively easy and safe to travel as a single woman. I also set aside a chunk of my paycheck each month and save until I can afford to go where I want for the amount of time I want. I then research accommodations on TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and Expedia, often cross-referencing them to find out which places are highly rated on both sites. I also research things to do (sites, tours, etc.) primarily using TripAdvisor and plain old Google (e.g. "Things to do in Bruges"). I then look up locations on Google Maps and see where the accommodations I'm interested are in relation to the sites/locations I'd like to visit. I make a list of what I am interested in doing in each city prior to going and group them based on proximity to each other. I often don't stick to this list, but it's nice to have an idea ahead of time and not waste time researching and figuring things out while I'm actually there.
Most cities in Europe offer walking free walking tours where you tip what you want at the end (I usually tip 10 euros or pounds, which is what a lot of not-free walking tours will charge you). These, or bicycle tours (which cost a bit more), are great to do toward the beginning of your stay in each location as they give you a nice overview of the history, important sites, and the layout of the city. Guides also are great for recommending places to eat and places to avoid.
Super specific but helpful thing: since bathrooms tend to be small and/or lacking in any counter space, get one of these for your toiletries (you'll be so glad you did) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E77763U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This is also terrific for charging up your electronics/USB port devices in multiple countries/regions:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DJ140LQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I also used these bags to group outfits, types of clothes (e.g. underwear, pajamas, etc.), which was SUPER helpful as I was traveling from place to place so frequently and didn't want to unpack my entire suitcase each time. The bags helped keep me organized and made it easy to find what I needed quickly. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EF7I49W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Now for the list of accommodations I stayed at, with a few comments about each. I mostly stay at B&Bs when I'm traveling alone as I find them to be a bit more personal and cozy. Most of the accommodations I stayed at cost between $130-180 per night:
1. Antwerp, Belgium: Lindner Hotel & City Lounge https://www.lindner.de/en/antwerp-hotel-city-lounge/welcome.html Pros: clean, comfortable, modern, friendly staff, and located right by the train station, which had a lot of convenient shops and eateries. Cons: a bit far (solid 20-30 minute walk) from a lot of the historic attractions.
2. Bruges, Belgium: Number 11 Exclusive Guesthouse http://www.number11.be/index.asp?taal=uk I stayed in the Vanilla Room, which was spacious and lovely and only one flight of stairs up. Pros: beautiful, quiet, and comfortable location just around the corner from a canal; short walk to most historic squares/attractions; very helpful hosts and delicious breakfasts; beautiful garden in back. Cons: none, as long as you can climb stairs. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat.
3. Gent, Belgium: De Waterzooi http://www.dewaterzooi.be/en/ Pros: amazing location right across the street from the castle, tram stops right outside, HUGE suites with everything you could ever need, amazing breakfasts, and really kind and helpful hosts. Cons: none. This was my splurge of the trip, and it was worth every penny.
4. Burford, England (Cotswolds): The Angel at Burford http://www.theangelatburford.co.uk/ Pros: good location, historic pub just downstairs with good food, fairly spacious room Cons: staff are mostly friendly but very busy as they are running a pub; room had a weird smell; breakfast was good but fairly basic. I think I was spoiled by the previous B&Bs and this experience fell short.
5. Hay-on-Wye, Brecon Beacons region, Wales: The Start B&B http://www.the-start.net/ I'm going to be honest--if you are looking for modern luxury, this isn't the place for you. The furnishings are a little homely and the bathroom is TINY, but the pros far outweigh these things and made this one of my favorite places of the whole trip. Pros: super gorgeous and peaceful property right by the river (I could see it from my window) and a short walk from town; chickens!!; wonderful breakfasts; and the manager, Liz, was so warm and friendly and welcoming that she felt like an old friend. She also did a load of laundry for me, which will endear her to me forever.
6. Betws-y-Coed, Snowdonia, Wales: Afon View http://www.afon-view.co.uk/ Pros: pretty central location, free parking in back, very spacious and comfortable rooms, nice owner. Cons: room I had in front had a great view but was also a little noisy since it was right on a main road. WiFi was also kind of slow.
7. Stratford, England: Hunter's Moon Guest House http://www.huntersmoonguesthouse.com/ Pros: Really lovely house and rooms, very nice owners, free parking, good WiFi. Cons: a solid 15-20 minute walk to town and further for sites. I had a car, which made that not an issue for me personally, but if you were on foot, might be a hassle.
8. London, South Kensington neighborhood: The Nadler Kensington http://www.thenadler.com/kensington.shtml Pros: compact but very comfortable rooms with modern conveniences (like air-conditioning, cable TV) and kitchenette, good WiFi, short walk (about 2 blocks) from Earls Court tube station and a number of convenience cafes/stores where you can get relatively cheap food to go and prep/eat in your kitchenette. Cons: this might have been a one-time fluke, but here was that whole broken door lock mechanism thing for my entire stay, which was a bummer. The hotel didn't handle it the best at the time, but they did make up for it by offering me a nice discount at the end. I'd be willing to try staying there again since I liked everything else about the hotel and it was very reasonable for London.
Speaking of "reasonable" and "London," the car service I used to get to and from Heathrow (and was significantly cheaper than what the hotel quoted me and my brother got) is this company http://www.blackberrycars.com/ Their drivers were very nice, as were the cars, and the communication and punctuality was great.
Hope that helps, and happy travels of your own!
