I am booked to go to the Austrian Lakes on 11th August and have just received some paperwork which includes details of the excursions. I was a tad concerned about the number of excusions because I booked the holiday thinking that it would be a 'gentle' holiday without spending time walking around tourist attractions like I did last year on the Prague, Vienna and Budapest holiday. I have arthritis in my knees and am waiting for some surgery so find it difficult at the moment to walk far - I am fine with short distances, uneven ground and steps but will not be able to manage walking long distances around towns.

I know the excursions are optional but I am wondering if anyone here has been before and could comment on if most people tend to go on them or do plenty of people remain in the hotel to chill at the lake or in the local area - if indeed there is anywhere to chill locally? Also how much walking is involved in the various excursions, some state 'moderate' and others 'gentle'. I have no wish to be 'billy no mates' in the hotel on my own but I am not sure if I will be able to keep up with some of the excursions.

And I also have a question for Just You about lake view rooms, I tried to book one months ago but was told that they were all gone as JY only has a few allocated to them but when I contacted the hotel directly to see if I could pay the supplement to them, the owner said that the whole hotel was booked to JY and Travelsphere so he had no say in who has each room. I suffer badly from hayfever and allergic reactions to insect bites so do not want to be given a room on the side as according to Trip Advisor, the trees there are overgrown and hang over the balcony, which would prevent me from having my windows open. I contacted Travelsphere who have a group going mid week and they had some lake view rooms available but JY were not able to let me have one of them. I have to say that I will be very angry if I find that someone who booked after me (I booked in Dec 2012) gets a lake view room or even a mountain view room while I get a side room - knowing my bad luck with rooms allocations when in Prague and Vienna, I have a bad feeling in my bones! Maybe someone who stayed at the hotel last year could comment about the rooms?

Anyway, is anyone else booked to go when I am there? Despite my moany post, I can assure you that I am usually a good laugh on holiday, I like to meet new people, have a few drinks, see some sites and chill out. I always make the best of things once I am out there, I am just a worrier before I get there!! I have a bit of a reputation for working hard and playing hard!!

Cheers

Anne

Anne

I do understand your concerns...it is a few years since in went in this tour and I have done many holidays in between..

OK like you I get bitten by the little beggars I had a front room view looking out over the lake which is beautiful, but Mosquitos like the water...so if your gong to get bitten t will happen wherever you are, I did not have my windows open which was a shame..I can't remember there being a huge amount of walking, obviously there is a fair amont so you can see the attractions.i would say most people DO GO ON the excursions as there is not much around for you to do in the day, it is a fair walk ..I never did get to find the local supermarket, I and some others did venture up the road to local cemetery , strange I know but I do love grave yards..and I did opt out of a tour one day and some of us caught a local bus and got dropped off at a town and came back on bus, there was a fair amount of walking to bus stop and around the town. The only thing that is near by the hotel is if it is still there a nice cafe/bar/ice cream place , the ice creams are just amazing...

Do also take in mind there is NO LIFT...the ground floor is not hotel rooms they are on floor one and two...I have trouble with stairs so I made sure when I booked I was on floor one, so you do have to walk up a least one flight of stairs and also get your case up and down these. And the restaurant is on the ground floor.

I can't really remember to much about the trips...other than the folklore evening you get taken to, have a few drinks and it is a very funny evening do not stay stone cold sober!!!!the day trip to chretsy crumlov or something like that for me was boring, but others in here liked it. There was another trip out that I enjoyed think you went on a horse carriage ride?

Hope you have fun

Cindy

Hi, I'm also booked on this trip, very interested in what has been said but I am sure it will be all ok on the day....

Hi Anne - I did the Austrian Lakes in September 2010. Hotel was a bit Fawlty Towers but excursions were good without too much walking. I wa there the last week of the season and the owners literally closed up as we left in the coach! That said it was a pleasant holiday with free wifi in the rooms. Cable car and horse and carriage trips were excellent.

I am going to Prague/Vienna/Budapest oi June and do also have arthritis in the knees so am a little concerned that there is going to be a lot of walking on my trip. Have also booked the concert in Vienna.

Enjoy Austria

Chris W

Hi Anne,

A member of our team will be in touch with you shortly to discuss the room allocations.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Thanks to the Team at JY for sorting me out a lake view room, much appreciated. It seems that the info I got from the hotel about JY having booked all the rooms might no longer be accurate so some rooms did become available. Now lets hope for some decent sunshine so I can chill out on the balcony - remembering to take mossie spray though just in case!!