From the beaches of Goa to five-star Laois,
JOAN SCALEShas the best of the week's offers
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Tullamore heritage break: €249pps
If you’re free for four nights from October 11th, Bridge House Hotel, in Tullamore, has a heritage break for over-55s. It includes visits to the Tullamore Dew museum, Birr Castle Demesne (above) and Clonmacnoise, plus cookery demonstrations, aqua aerobics, use of a golf simulator, bridge, bowling and a Robert Mizzell concert. The package, which includes three dinners and collection from the train station, costs €249pps. 1850-312312, bridgehouse.com.
OVERSEAS DEALS
Costa Rica: from €2,229
Book a trip to Costa Rica with Citiescapes and if you live within 50km of the airport it will collect you by car – and drop you off on your return. The 11-day deal visits national parks and conservation areas but will also leave time to relax. The trip, which departs on January 25th and February 15th, costs from €2,229pps. 01-2941000, citiescapes.ie.
10 Indian nights: from €1,460
Incredible India has a fully escorted 10-night tour that should give you a flavour of both the north and the beaches of the south, in Goa. Travel from Dublin or Cork between November and March; prices start at €1,460pps. 0818- 300204, incredibleindia.ie.
Self-catering: from €137
Interhome, a self-catering specialist, has autumn deals in Spain, Portugal and Italy: three nights in Seville at the end of the month from €137pps, three nights in Oporto from €138pps or a week in Florence, staying just outside the city in Fattoria di Poggiopiano, from €198.50pps. 1890-929400, interhome.ie.
Transatlantic fares: from €199
Aer Lingus’s transatlantic sale, which continues until midnight on Tuesday, has each-way fares from €199 to New York and from €209 to Boston, Chicago and Orlando. aerlingus.com.
Family Spain: from €1,316 for 4
Falcon Holidays has midterm family breaks in Majorca and on the Costa del Sol. A week in Gran Santa Ponsa apartments costs from €1,316; a week in Fuengirola Beach Apartments costs from €1,384; both for two adults and two children. 1850- 453545, falconholidays.ie.
HOME DEALS
Westport arts offer: from €109
If you’re heading for Westport’s arts festival, which runs in the Co Mayo town until next weekend, the Wyatt Hotel has rooms midweek from €109pps and at the weekend from €149 for two nights’ BB and one dinner. A selection of music, poetry, drama, film and children’s events is on all week. 1800-205270, wyatthotel.com, westportartsfestival.com.
Belfast festival: new hotels
The 47th Belfast Festival at Queen’s (048-90971197, belfastfestival.com), which runs from October 16th to 31st, features more than 70 events over its two weeks. In the opening concert Valery Gergiev will conduct the Mariinsky Orchestra in a programme of Shostakovich and Dutilleux, with the soprano Anastasia Kalagina. Meanwhile, the Spiegeltent will shake with comedy and cabaret, as well as music. The city’s new hotels, such as the Fitzwilliam (048- 90442080, fitzwilliamhotel. com) and Premier Inn (premierinn.com), make it easier to find accommodation. 1850-230230, discover northernireland.com.
Kildare getaway: €350 per adult
Carton House, outside Maynooth, in Co Kildare, has an ideal-sounding three-night family deal for midterm. Available from October 18th to 28th, it has plenty of activities to keep children from tots to teens busy, leaving parents free to play golf or tennis or to use the spa. The full-board package costs €350pps and €95 for under-12s sharing with their parents. 01-5052000, cartonhouse.com.
5-star Laois: from €520
Here’s another family midterm offer: three nights in a self-catering villa at the five-star Heritage Golf Spa Resort, in Co Laois, costs from €520. Events over the break include hip hop, make-up, cookery and golf lessons for the children, as well as movies and a fancy-dress competition. 057-8645500, theheritage.com.
Please bear in mind that all deals are subject to availability