END OF SUMMER FAMILY HOTEL BREAKS - GRAB THEM!
Monday 19 August 2013
AS AUTUMN leaves approach, many families like to seize the moment and head off for a last precious few days of fun before the school year begins.
With this in mind, hotels grasp the nettle with special offers to capture this business. Please note that all family packages refer to two adults plus two children under 12 sharing with parents, unless otherwise stated.
Kicking off in Dublin, where there is so much for children to do and see, the Radisson Blu St Helen's Hotel on the Stillorgan Road has large bedrooms, four acres of private grounds and free parking. Packages start from €115 per family with a choice of two add-ons: free in-room movie and pizza, three hours' babysitting, plus free admission to Olympic-size swimming pool at UCD and to Glenroe Farm. www.radissonblu.ie
In the heart of Ballsbridge on Lansdowne Road, the lovely Ariel House has a family summer special offering 2BB at just €225 for all the family. The package includes tickets for the hop-on hop-off city bus tour. www.ariel-house.net
Fitzpatrick's Castle Hotel in Killiney offers three nights for the price of two including one dinner for adults (children's dinner extra) at €420 for the family. Wine and chocs in room on arrival. Full children's playroom, soccer and games on the lawn. www.fitzpatrickcastle.com
The Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt, Co Wicklow, has an 'Intrigue You' – book two nights and stay for three at €290 per night. It includes breakfast for two, breakfast for under-fives free, 5-12 years €9.50. www.ritzcarlton.com
Nearby at Druid's Glen Resort at Newtownmountkennedy, its two-night family package from €230 per night includes two interconnecting rooms, breakfast, three-course dinner on one evening in Druid's Brasserie for two adults (€5 per child if dining with adults). www.druidsglenresort.com
At Gorey, Co Wexford, Redmond Group sister hotels, the Ashdown Park and Amber Springs, are very proud of their own Redmond Farm produce. Minutes away from the boutique boulevard of Esmonde Street, miles of sandy beaches, horse riding, activity centres and strawberry farms, the Ashdown Park midweek breaks start with 2BB at €100 pps. Children 0-3 share BB free, 4-12 years €15 BB per night, 13-16 years €20 per night BB. www.ashdownparkhotel.com
At the Amber Springs, packages for a family of four start with 2BB at €378 and include one dinner for adults. Swimming pool, children's playroom and a kids club. www.amberspringshotel.ie
The Ferrycarrig Hotel in Wexford has limited availability with 4/5 night summer family holidays on a BB basis from €480. Supervised children's club, lots to do. U-14s is the age limit here for sharing. www.ferrycarrighotel.ie
At White's Hotel in Wexford, 2BB1D from €318 in total includes a family pass to the Irish National Heritage Park and Young Viking Club, which includes activities such as a family pool party, glitter and glue and cookery classes. www.whitesofwexford.ie
In Co Meath, the Trim Castle Hotel has a summer midweek family break to include 2BB and evening meal for two adults. Children's meals are extra. From €105 per night. www.trimcastlehotel.com
Muddy boots and super troopers are welcome at the 18th century coaching inn, The Conyngham Arms in Slane, Co Meath. From Sunday through Thursday, €569 gets you 3BB1D for the family with entrance to Tayto Park and Funtasia Waterpark. www.conynghamarms.ie
At Cloverhill, Co Cavan, the delightful Old Poste Inn has great food as well as six ensuite bedrooms including two family rooms. You can have a two-night stay here including one evening meal at €350 for all the family. Children's cookery classes can be arranged each morning. www.theoldepostinn.com
Castle Leslie estate is a special place and here you can enjoy a three-night family break in its luxurious village cottages. You will breakfast each morning in Snaffle's restaurant, have a family horse ride, a spa treatment for mum and dad and a family dinner at Conor's Bar at the Lodge on the night of your choice. Cost €750. www.castleleslie.com
At the eponymous Hotel Kilkenny, the family can enjoy 5BBD from €725 including adults' dinner in Taste Restaurant and a kids' club (4-12s only). Children 12-15 are €50 per night to include breakfast. The two-night discovery family package starts from €299. www.hotelkilkenny.ie
From Tuesday to Friday night, the family can stay for two nights in the wonderful Georgian manor, Inch House, in Thurles, at €320 for 2BB with evening meals on both nights. www.inchhouse.ie
Also in Tipperary, you could rent the seven-bedroomed Bansha Castle and take the extended family or friends. Three nights from August 24-31 is reduced to €1,500 while four nights is €1,800. www.banshacastle.com
The Hodson Bay, Athlone, has a 2BB1D 'total family package' from €335, which includes 'grandparents stay free'.www.hodsonbayhotel.com
The Landmark Hotel overlooking the River Shannon in Carrick-on-Shannon offers the Lough Key Family Escape with two nights midweek from €150 pps. U-12s free BB. The package includes one four-course meal for the two adults and a family pass to Lough Key Forest & Activity Park. www.thelandmarkhotel.com
At the gorgeous Castlemartyr Resort, its 'Kids Stay Free, Kids Play Free' package from €195 per night offers 2BB with a €50 voucher towards a family meal in Franchini's Italian restaurant. This is for two adults and one child sharing. www.castlemartyrresort.ie
In Cork city, the River Lee Hotel's summer family break at €155 per night includes 2BB, a family ticket to Rumley's Open Farm, a picnic lunch, and a free kiddie's pack. Fantastic breakfast here. www.doylecollection.com
In West Cork, at the gorgeous Seaview House Hotel at Ballylickey, you can enjoy 2BB and 1D for €330 with free accommodation for under 12s. www.seaviewhousehotel.com
In Bantry, the Maritime Hotel offers 2BB plus 1D for a family of four in a family suite plus kids' club from €324. www.themaritime.ie
In Killarney, the Dunloe Castle has a two-night family package for €556 including 2BB for two adults and up to three children, dinner for two on one evening, a family ticket to Muckross House or Coolwood Wildlife Park, 25m pool, leisure facilities, horse riding, playground and indoor games room as well as children's movie nights. Interconnecting rooms available: €646 per family. www.thedunloe.com
The Killarney Royal boutique hotel, right in the centre of Killarney, has a family farm adventure break with two nights' BB plus a family ticket to Kennedy's Farm. From €375. www.killarneyroyal.ie
At Parknasilla Resort & Spa, you can enjoy seven nights in a two-bedroom lodge at only €750, which includes access to spa pool, thermal suites and outdoor hot tubs. The kids will love the fairy trail and playground. Alternatively, it has a great rate in the hotel itself at €239 pps for 3BB including dinner on two evenings for adults only. U-4s stay free, over fours are €30 BB per night. www.parknasillaresort.com
Out in Dingle, the wonderful Castlewood House overlooking the water has family breaks (2 adults, 1 child) at €180 per night with one of the best breakfasts in Ireland. www.castlewooddingle.com
From August 25, the Dingle Skellig Hotel has last-minute deals including 2BB1D at €159 pps. Children sharing with adults are charged at 0-3 free accommodation but meals as taken, 4-12 years €30 per night BB plus junior dinner. It has the aptly named Fungi Club daily. www.dingleskellig.com
In Limerick, perfect for visiting Bunratty Folk Park, the Limerick Strand Hotel has a three-night fun family package from €299 to include breakfast plus evening kids' club (4-12) including children's tea. www.strandhotellimerick.ie
No 1 Pery Square in Limerick's Georgian quarter has a King John's Castle Experience three-night package to include 3BB and two dinners in the hotel's Brasserie One restaurant. This also includes entry to the Castle, the Hunt Museum, Curraghchase Forest Park and Stone Hall visitor Farm – and you also get a family picnic. This package costs €299 pps plus €59 per child sharing., see www.oneperysquare.com
The Absolute Hotel also has a King John's Castle Family Break with 2BB including a four-course meal for the adults, children's main course, on one evening from €250. www.absolutehotel.com
In Adare, the superb Dunraven Arms Hotel is delighted to welcome families. For €280 the family can enjoy 2BB and adults' dinner in its Maigue restaurant on one evening. €360 for three nights. Kids summer camps including evening movie time with popcorn, home baking, and the chance to bring home a National Swimming Certificate having completed an Irish Water Safety Course. www.dunravenhotel.com
The Old Ground Hotel in Ennis offers midweek 2BB breaks with dinner on one evening for the adults at €129 pps with kids sharing free. Leisure World is within walking distance. Lahinch and Kilkee beaches are within a 35-minute drive, also visit the Burren. www.flynnhotels.com
Moving up towards Galway and Connemara, at the Raheen Woods Hotel, you can have a great family 2BB package including a four-course meal on one night for adults and a kids' meal for €299 midweek and €349 weekends. This includes leisure facilities and Kardio Kids' club. www.raheenwoodshotel.ie
The delightful Cashel House Hotel in Connemara has The Last of the Summer Wine packages, which offer 2BB1D/3BB2D from €179 to €259 pps midweek and at weekends from €199 to €295 pps. A third person sharing a double room is €40 BB or half of the DBB rates. Weekly half board is from €799 pps. www.cashel-house-hotel.com
Delphi Mountain Resort at Leenane has family room packages of 2BB1D from €399 in total for two adults and two children sharing. 3BB1D is from €639. Zip wire, archery, surfing, half-day adventure for children from €25 and adults from €45. www.delphimountainresort.com
Not far away, Renvyle House Hotel & Resort, on 200 acres with private lake, beach, nine-hole golf course, outdoor heated pool, offers a family package from €699 to include 3BB2D for adults and 3BB and three kids' three-course dinners. There is Casper's kids' club and special rates for grandparents. www.renvyle.com
In Westport, the Knockranny House Hotel's Great Western Greenway Getaway offers 3BB2EM at €265 pps. The package includes bicycle and helmet hire for the family plus a Knockranny snack pack so you can enjoy the 42km Greenway, which starts in Westport and finishes in Achill. Free BB for U-10s. www.knockrannyhousehotel.ie
The Westport Plaza and Castlecourt Hotel Resort offer rates of 3BB2D from €265pps at the Castlecourt and €285pps at the Westport Plaza. Children 4-12 are €25BB/€30BB respectively. www.westporthotelsresort.ie
The Mulranny Park Hotel has apartment or hotel accommodation. From August 27, 2BB1D for a family of four (kids U-12) is €499 in the apartments, 3BB2D is €699. In its family rooms from August 24, 2BB1D is €169pps plus €25 per child per night BB. www.mulrannyparkhotel.ie
The Downhill Hotel in Ballina has a family 2BB1D package including a boat trip with a picnic basket from €299 in total. www.downhillhotel.ie
Also in Ballina at the fabulous Mount Falcon Estate, you can have five nights' self-catering in a three-bedroom Courtyard Lodge at €900, five nights with B&B in the Lakeside Lodge at €1,100 or five nights B&B in the Woodlands Lodge at €1,400 – each with a €50 voucher for activities such as clay pigeon shooting, archery, rod hire and permit for rainbow trout fishing on Mount Falcon Lake. Great food in the Kitchen Restaurant from Philippe Farineau. www.mountfalcon.com
In Sligo at The Glasshouse, for €165 pps, you can get 2BB1D for two adults. Children sharing are €15 BB. It's perfect for all the restaurants and bars and close to Strandhill and Rosses Point. www.theglasshouse.ie
There is nowhere better for basking at the beach than the Sandhouse Hotel & Marine Spa on the spectacular Rossnowlagh strand. For €599 you can enjoy 3BB for the family, surf lessons for the kids and a boat trip around Donegal Bay. www.sandhouse.ie
Enjoy these special days.
First Published in the Sunday Independent on 18th August 2013.