Can anyone recommend a travel agent?

I've always been a plan-it-myself kind of traveler, but that was when we took one, maybe two serious vacations in a year.  Now that we're living in the UK for (presumably) a limited amount of time, we're trying to take advantage of our proximity to all of Europe by taking as many short breaks as possible.  We've got 2 young kids (3 & 5), though, so just picking up and going isn't really a great option for us... our trips require a lot of careful planning in order to be successful!

To be honest, I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all.... researching all of these locations and flights and accommodations and all the rest of it (and then having my husband tell me what I've planned is too expensive every time I think I've got it all nailed down... sigh).  I'm trying to plan 3 separate trips right now and I'm on total information overload to the point of near paralysis.  I think I need some professional guidance here!  Has anyone used a travel agent in the UK who you might be able to recommend?  I'm based in NW London, but don't necessarily need someone in my own backyard provided he/she is good...

Thanks in advance.  Oh, and if anyone knows of good places to stay in the Cotswolds or Barcelona that offer suite or apartment style accommodations (all 4 of us crammed in one room is simply not fun for any of us!), I'd appreciate those suggestions right now, too! 

Hi - we have 3 kids (6 yrs old and 3 yrs old) and live in Yorkshire.  We usually try and book our trips ourselves, using low cost airlines and searching for our own self-catering accommodation.  We have had some great, inexpensive trips, which we have all really enjoyed.

If you want a short break or a week in Kent/Sussex (beautiful areas, very close to London, but a million miles away in many repsescts) - can I recommend you look at www.freedomholidayhomes.co.uk - we just stayed in property ref. CB545 over Easter - it was wonderful - very nice farmer and family who own the property.

We have visited Paris a couple of times with the kids and cannot recommend enough www.citadines.com - self-catering apartments that you book by the night - not the most romantic of buildings or locations, but great for families. Take the Eurostar - about 100x times better than flying (kids or no kids).

We have also rented houses in France - try www.cheznous.co.uk - you book through the website, but directly from the owner - we have always really enjoyed these trips.

This summer, we're off to Denmark - a few nights in an apartment in Copenhagen and then a week in a beach house.

Gosh, don't we sound like a bunch of gadabouts!

Anyway, make the most of your time here to discover Europe, use those generous UK holiday allowances, and search around for some good deals.  Also, don't overlook a holiday in the UK - they may just change your view of the country if you're used to London life.

Well if I was still working in my agency I would love to help...but...sadly I am not.....but if you want any help let me know..I still might be able to point you in the right direction.

I booked several ppl off of this site some great holidays!

Don't forget places like lastminute.com.  If you know generally where you want to go and don't care as much about when, you can find some really great deals that way.

My husband and I have just booked a huge trip around Europe by train with the help of these three websites - I can't recommend them enough!

www.seat61.com (brilliant guidance)

www.tripadvisor.com (good for finding accommodation and checking hotel reviews)

www.festtravel.co.uk (booked ALL our trains through them - incredibly helpful and efficient!)

Goodluck and happy trails!