During June we visited Europe for 2 weeks at the end of my parents’ visit in US. This time we went over to Spain and Russian Federation with a short 1 day stay in Brussels. We stayed 2 nights each in Madrid, Barcelona, Brussels and St. Petersburg followed by 4 nights in Moscow.
In the following months, I will be posting reviews on the following:
- Airline Review: Iberia Business Class – Chicago to Madrid
- Trip Report: Madrid
- Hotel Review: Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center
- Hotel Review: Artiem Madrid
- Trip Report: Barcelona
- Hotel Review: Hilton Barcelona
- Hotel Review: AC Hotel Diagonal Lilla
- Trip Report: Brussels
- Hotel Review: Hilton Brussels Grand Place
- Hotel Review: Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel
- Trip Report: St. Petersburg
- Hotel Review: Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg
- Trip Report: Moscow
- Hotel Review: Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya
- Hotel Review: Ibis Moscow Domodedovo Airport
- Airline Review: Iberia Business Class – Madrid to Chicago
Cost (Total for 4 travelers):
Airfare:
- $493 for 4 one-way coach tickets from San Diego to Chicago
- $692 for 4 one-way coach tickets from Barcelona to St. Petersburg via stopover in Brussels
- $127 for 2 one-way coach tickets from Chicago to Los Angeles
Hotel:
- $100 for 1 night (1 room) for Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center
- $465 for 2 nights (2 rooms) for Artiem Madrid
- $770 for 3 nights (2 rooms) at Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya
- $107 for 1 night (1 room) at Ibis Moscow Domodedovo Airport
- $75 for 1 night (1 room) at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Chicago O’Hare South, IL (cash portion of cash + points booking)
Rail fare:
- $193 for 4 one-way rail from Madrid to Barcelona
- $472 for 4 one-way on Sapsan High Speed rail from St. Petersburg to Moscow
Visa:
- $556 for 2 Russian visa (3 year, Multiple Entry)
Miles/Points/Certificates Redeemed:
- 204,000 Iberia Avios for 2 one-way and 2 round-trip Business Class tickets from Chicago to Madrid
- 85,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles for 2 one-way Business Class tickets from Moscow to Kolkata
- 30,000 British Airways Avios for 2 one-way Coach tickets from Moscow to Madrid
- 15,000 Radisson Rewards points for 1 night (1 room) at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Chicago O’Hare South, IL
- 200,000 Hilton HHonors points for 2 nights (2 rooms) at Hilton Barcelona
- 120,000 Hilton HHonors points for 1 night (2 rooms) at Hilton Brussels Grand Place
- 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for 1 night (2 rooms) at Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel
- 100,000 IHG Rewards Club points for 2 nights (2 rooms) at Staybridge Suites St. Petersburg
- 12,500 Marriott Bonvoy points for 1 night (1 room) at Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center
- 5,000 Radisson Rewards points for 1 night (1 room) at Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Chicago O’Hare South, IL (points portion of cash + points booking)