Accommodation for the trip

Most of our accommodation for the trip is either apartments or B & Bs. We are staying in a hotel in Rome and may end up in one in Scotland, but that is likely to be it.  In Dublin we are staying in the Mercy International Centre and will most likely be in B&Bs throughout the north and south of Ireland. I thought it might be interesting to provide links so you can check out our booked accommodation.
Rome - Hotel Columbia
When Kirby, the boys and I travelled in 2008, we stayed in this hotel because it came highly recommended on TripAdvisor.  We stayed in the suite which had steps leading from the main area to a mezzanine floor with two single beds, ideal for the boys.  It is very close to Termini, the main railway station for Rome, so it was easy for us to catch trains and buses.  Maree and I are staying in a twin superior room so here's hoping that this will be as good as the last time.  The reviews for the hotel are still very good 7 years later.
http://www.hotelcolumbia.com
Florence - B&B Emozioni Fiorentine
Again this was selected because of excellent reviews on TripAdvisor. It is a short walk from the train station and is centrally located to the most historic sights of Florence. The B&B only has 6 rooms so I'm hoping that we get one that has a good view of the square and isn't too noisy.
http://www.emozionifiorentine.it/en/index.php
Venice - B&B  il Giardino di Giulia
Can't remember where I found this B&B in Venice but I liked it because again, it is a short walk from the train station, so it makes it easier to wheel our luggage to it. All emails to Marco, the host were answered promptly which I think is a good sign and all of the reviews say that he is an excellent host. The B&B has 3 rooms and we are staying in the Marcello room which faces an old church.
http://www.ilgiardinodigiulia.com/venice.html

Paris - St Germain (Paris Vacation Apartments)
These apartments were recommended to us by Blake's eye specialist so we stayed in one of these for a week in 2008. It was wonderful - in a great location, walking distance to the Eiffel Tower and the street markets. The apartment itself was really well set out with plenty of room for all of us and the necessary amenities, like a washing machine and dryer. So, when Maree and I decided that we would have a week in Paris, I just couldn't look past these apartments.  The one we have selected is in a lovely area of Paris and, like the first one, it is close to shops, historic sites, etc.  It is further away from the Eiffel Tower but closer to Notre Dame and the Metro (Paris' underground system) is only a few minutes walk away.  Have a look at our apartment but you should also browse the others on the web site.  If you ever go to Paris, this is what you should stay in rather than a hotel.
http://parisvacationapartments.com/our-apartments/two-bedroom/saint-germain-two-bedroom-terrace/
London - AirBnB
We are in London at two different times so needed to find two lots of accommodation. I must admit to being a little apprehensive about staying in an AirBnb apartment as I have read some terrible stories about them.  Lynne, Michael & Sue had their Airbnb apartment cancelled at the last minute in Venice last year so another one had to be found which wasn't as good. I only hope that both of these turn out to be wise choices.
Apartment 1 - Earls Court http://tinyurl.com/qgt3o3h
I agonised over choosing this apartment, having lived in Earls Court in the 1970s, as you don't get to find out the address until you've booked it. Needless to say it is in a great location and a short walking distance to the Earls Court tube which is a direct line to the National Archives at Kew.  So it is ideal for me to hop on the tube to head to Kew for my research and it also is easy to get to the British Library for the India research.  It also means that Maree won't have to go far to access the great hop-on hop-off buses so that she can get to see the sights of London.  All of the recent reviews for this apartment are extremely positive and it has an excellent rating.  As long as it is clean and has washing facilities, I will be happy.
Apartment 2 - Pimlico http://tinyurl.com/l6u6byb
I liked the look of this apartment and the reviews were very good so I was even more pleased when I booked it to find that it is only a 20 minute walk from the apartment to the Chelsea Flower Show. The show, I think, will be one of the highlights of the trip and I am really looking forward to seeing the gardens and displays. I might even be able to sneak some bonsai plants home for Kirby :-)!!!