Looking for a way to fill the children's week off school? Joan Scalesrounds up some holidays and activities that shouldn't break the bank
LAST MINUTE BREAKS FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Midterm is just around the corner, and it's not too late to book holidays at home and abroad. In Ireland you can choose from hotels, self-catering, resorts, adventure holidays and a host of festivals and events, spanning the break from the bank-holiday weekend of October 25th-27th to Halloween, the following Friday. When it comes to sun, the easily accessible and affordable destinations are the Canaries, Spain, Portugal, Tunisia, Morocco and Florida. Midterm sun holidays sold quickly this year, because of the poor summer, but there are some last-minute offers around.
SUN BREAKS
Turkey: from €589
Packages from Sunway Travel include a week in Tenerife from €743, staying at Santa Maria Aparthotel. A week in Turkey at the Sea Pearl Hotel is €589, a half-board week at Vis Hotel, in Croatia, costs €803 and a week in Cyprus, at the Aphelandra Apartments, costs from €783. www.sunway.ie, 01-2886828.
Single-family deals: from €765
Small Families, a specialist in holidays for single-parent familes, can give the children a chance to see dolphins up close when they stay at Vila Gale Nautico Hotel in the Algarve, Portugal, with a visit to the marine zoo. Departures are from Luton, in England, on October 26th, with full board from £609 (€765) for adults and £437 (€549) for children. www.smallfamilies. co.uk, 00-44-1763-226567.
Greek suites: from €95
Catch the last of the sun at the Sani Resort in Halkidiki, in Thessaloníki, Greece, with a 20 per cent discount on its Asterias suites. Rates from £75 (€95) per night per person, minimum two nights, plus free airport transfers from Thessaloníki. A variety of cultural and gastronomic events will be running from October 13th to 27th. www.saniresort.gr, 00-30- 23740-99400. You can fly to Thessaloníki via Budapest with Malev (www.malev.com).
Family deals: from €1,699
Family-package deals from Falcon Holidays include a week at Janelas do Mar apartments in the Algarve, Portugal, from €1,699. A week in the Rosamar Apartments on Lanzarote, in the Canaries, is from €1,710. A week at Club Caleta Dorada, in Fuerteventura, also in the Canaries, starts at €1,516. www.falconholidays.ie, 1850-946164.
Andalusian villa: from €566
Villa Caranquita in Andalusia, Spain, which can sleep six, and has been reduced to €566 for a week from October 25th. In Gale, in the Algarve, Villa Golfinho, which sleeps eight, is €616 for the week. 1890- 943909, www.jamesvillas.ie. Look for flights to Malaga at www.aerlingus.com and www.ryanair.com.
Algarve resorts: from €134
Oceanico Resorts has some availability in the Algarve, Portugal, with prices from €134pps per week. Each resort has pools, restaurants, tennis courts and golf nearby. 01-6177967, www.oceanico resorts.com. Book flights to Faro at www.aerlingus.com and www.ryanair.com.
Mauritian luxury: from €1,807
Go exotic with a package trip to Mauritius and stay in the beachside resort of Trois Aux Biches for a week from €1,807 per person sharing. www.jgt.ie, 01-2076555.
Moroccan sun: from €563
The sun is still shining in Morocco, where a week at the Oasis Hotel with flights costs from €563. In Tunisia the Royal Residence costs from €603pps with flights. www.sunway.ie, 01-2886828.
Cruise Iberia: from €879
The Fred Olsen Black Watch liner departs Dover on October 24th for an eight-night cruise to the Iberian Peninsula; €879pp excluding travel from Ireland. www.jgt.ie, 01-2076555.
EUROPE
Disneyland Paris:from €119
At Disneyland Resort Paris, Residence Prestige Val Europe costs €119 a night and Domaine de la Brie costs €185 a night with www.1800hotels.ie. Look for flights to Paris at www. airfrance.ie,www.aerlingus. com and www.ryanair.com.
Brittany: from €1,360
The Breton holiday village in Port du Crouesty is metres from the beach. The French resort has two swimming pools and a children's club. An eight-night package will cost from €1,360 based on four sharing. www.irishferries.com, 0818-300400.
Danube cruise: from €224
Stay on a boat on the Danube with a weekend in Budapest. The Fortuna is a floating hotel; a weekend costs €224 per person, including flights. www.lastminute.com.
Amsterdam: from €370
Fly from Cork to Amsterdam and stay at the HEM hotel from €370 per person, including flights, for the weekend. www.lastminute.com.
UNITED STATES
Philadelphia: from €624
American Holidays has a week at the Comfort Inn in Orlando, Florida, from €649pps. Five nights at Disneyland, in California, from €689pps. Or how about tax-free shopping in Philadelphia from €624pps? For two adults sharing with two kids, with flights. 01-6733840, www.americanholidays.ie.
Disney hotel: from €93
Midterm specials from 1800 Hotels in Orlando, Florida, include the Disney All Star Music Resort Hotel from €93 per night, the Doubletree at Universal Orlando from €57 per night and the Homewood Suite from €93, room only. Rooms sleep up to four. Fly to Orlando with Aer Lingus.
Six nights from €2,363
A package for two adults and two children, staying at the Holiday Inn on International Drive in Orlando, Florida, for six nights costs from €2,363. www.touramerica.ie.
Cruise and coast: €1,259
A cruise from October 20th, with six nights in Orlando, Florida, and seven nights on the Caribbean costs from €1,259pps, including flights from Dublin. www.tour america.ie, 01-8173500.
Big Apple breaks: €846
If midterm shopping is on the cards, New York's Edison Hotel is well located for a three-night break. From €846pps, including flights. 01-8173535, www.touramerica.ie.
Windy City: from €695
Shop in Chicago with four-night breaks staying at the Holiday Inn Oakbrook from €695pps,including flights. www.lastminute.com.
IRISH HOTELS
Mayo thrills: from €99
Have an adventure-filled family time at Delphi Mountain Resort in Leenane, Co Mayo. Its Midterm Madness package, which runs from October 27th to November 7th, costs €99 per night per adult, based on two sharing with two children going free. Twenty-five adventure activities, including use of equipment and experienced instructors, cost €25 each. Choose from land and water-based activities. www.delphimountainresort.com, 095-42208.
All that jazz: from €190
Cork International Airport Hotel is getting into the swing of the city's jazz festival. After they've enjoyed a night in town, it will collect guests at 11pm, in time to join the hotel's live band sessions from 11.30pm until late. Two nights from October 24th cost €190 per room per night, or add breakfast and dinner one night for €250pps. 021-4549800, www.corkinternational airporthotel.com.
Cork getaway: from €395
Explore the rolling countryside of north Cork with a family trip to Ballyvolane House, where the children can help gather the eggs, feed the hens, pet the donkeys and be taken on trailer trips around the estate by farmer Justin (left). High tea will be served to the children each day at 5.30pm. The half- term package of three nights' accommodation, two dinners/ high teas from €395 per person sharing, with a 50 per cent discount for children sharing and no charge for children under three. www.ballyvolane house.ie and 025-36349.
Shannon cruises: from €81
Cruise the Shannon and Erne waterways and enjoy autumn from the river with specials from Emerald Star. Book by October 20th for a 15 per cent discount and get an extra night free. The Mountain Star cruiser sleeps four and costs from €81 per person sharing. The Caprice sleeps up to six from €99 per person. 071-9627633, www.emeraldstar.ie.
Galway weekend: from €229
An October special from the Radisson SAS Hotel in Galway is two nights' bed and breakfast and one dinner from €229 per person sharing at weekends or from €190pps midweek. www.radisson.com, 091-538300.
Creepy Kildare: from €299
The four-star Westgrove Hotel in Clane, Co Kildare, has designed a midterm break for all the family. Three nights' BB for two adults and two children, with free entry for the children into its Halloween camp, costs €299 per family. Both adults can also enjoy a 50 per cent discount on all spa treatments in the Elemis Spa. The Halloween Camp, for children aged from five to 12, runs from October 28th to 31st, from 10.30am until 2.30pm daily. It includes games, arts and crafts, a cookery class, swimming and pool games, treasure hunts around the hotel, a fancy-dress party and a fun factory. 045-989900, www.westgrovehotel.com.
Scary adventure: from €189
Carlingford Adventure Centre, in Co Louth, is offering a two-day-and-two-night Halloween Creepy Camp from October 30th to November 1st. The package includes night-time forest activities, rock climbing, abseiling, a Halloween costume party, obstacle course and archery sessions. Full-board prices are €189 per little monster or person. 042-9373100, www. carlingfordadventure.com.
IRISH SELF-CATERING
A week away: €350
Trident Holiday Homes has a tempting selection of properties, and with rates from €315 for three nights they can be great value. Some properties are offering the same price for seven nights as three nights, with prices from €350. Most properties sleep six. www.tridentholidayhomes.ie.
Dream weekend: from €299
Dream Ireland has rates for the bank- holiday weekend from €299 in a variety of locations, mostly in the south, and a week at Mount Wolseley holiday homes, in Co Carlow, which has golf, swimming and spa facilities, from €599. www.dreamireland.com.
Kenmare break: €425
Self Catering Ireland has a good selection of holiday homes from Wexford to Galway. Four-bedroom properties in Kenmare, Co Kerry, have been reduced to €425 for midterm week. www.selfcatering.ie.
Please bear in mind that all offers are subject to availability