Get a free ride at Blackpool park

IT'S A FREE WORLD:GIVING IN to the lure of the mini bar late at night in your hotel room when you get an attack of the munchies can be costly.

But not all hotels take advantage, charging as much as €5 for a bottle of water. Some offer free mini bars, such as the Barcelona Princess Hotel, located 10 minutes from the beach in the modern Forum area. Two nights from September 10th to 12th at this four-star hotel costs from €281.54 per person for flights and accommodation through lastminute.com which includes free beer, coke, lemon and water from the mini-bar, access to the heated outdoor pools, sauna and gym.

The Hotel Artemide in Rome has free mini-bars in all its rooms, including its no-frills double rooms. Its mini-bars offer water, soft drinks, juices, and snacks, and beer in superior rooms, and are restocked every day. You can also use the mini-bar as a private fridge for your own shop-bought stash. Rooms cost from around €235 per night for a small double room. See hotelartemide.it.

The Athenaeum Hotel overlooking Green Park in London has rates from around £182 (€206) per adult per night. Goodies from its mini-bars – stocked with juice, soft drinks, sweets, nuts, crisps and bottled water – are included in the room rate. Some Hyatt hotels, such as the Andaz West Hollywood, also offer free soft drinks and snacks. The Andaz also has free coffee and croissants – and wine in the evening, served in the lobby. Rooms cost from around €277 per night. See westhollywood.andaz.hyatt.com.

Catch:some are less mini-bars and more mini-fridges with a few soft drinks. Unless you are paying premium prices don't expect to find decent wine or champagne free of charge.

Take note:Irish Ferries four and five-star cabins to France have a free mini-bar and a fruit basket. See irishferries.com.

WITH MSCcruises, children under 18 travel free when they share a cabin with two full paying adults. A seven-night cruise on the MSC Fantasia from June 1st, 2012 – departing from Barcelona and visiting Genoa, Naples, Marseille and Palermo – costs €649 per person for two adults. Seven nights from Venice on June 3rd taking in Bari, Santorini, Corfu and Dubrovnik costs from €649 per person.

Catch: you need to book a family cabin that will fit two adults and two children which are not always available so early booking is advised. You also need to factor in the cost of flights and port dues.

Take note:see cruisebroker.ie or msccruises.com.

THIS AUTUMNif you order a wristband online for entry to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, you receive a free return visit later in the season.

The offer runs from September 1st to October 21st and, when visitors book online, they get £5 (€5.66) off the gate price of a wristband (£32/€36 for an adult and £27/€30 for a child) plus a free return visit. That works out at £13.50 (€15.30) per visit for adults and £11 (€12.50) per visit for children. The return visit must be booked at the same time as the original visit and must be taken before October 21st.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is set in 42 acres and boasts over 125 rides, attractions and shows. Entry includes access to Nickelodean Land which features Diego’s Rainforest Rescue and SpongeBob SquarePant’s Bikini Bottom Bus Tour.

Catch: the kids will love it but travelling to the same amusement park twice in two months might not be every parent's idea of the ideal break.

Take note: the Blackpool Illumination has recently been switched on and will shine every night until November 6th. Every