Dublin's much-loved Vintage Tea Tours has teamed up with Trinity City Hotel. Their new package offers a tour of the capital's most famous sights, including Phoenix Park and St Patrick's Cathedral, while enjoying a quintessential afternoon tea spread on Pauline, the vintage 1960s Routemaster bus. Afterwards, check in to a newly refurbished room in the four-star hotel. Stay from €219 per room including B&B and a Vintage Tea Tour; trinitycityhotel.com
Join the private jet set
Considering flying solo? The private jet experts at Air Partner have witnessed a 37 per cent increase in bookings across April and June this year, as travellers seek a safe and secure travel option without the risk of cancellation, strike action or delay. The key driving factors for bookings include unmissable family events, quality time with the children and reliability. A jet can be available with as little as 24 hours' notice, and rates start from about €10,000 if you're feeling flush. See airpartner.com
See the world by sea
Silversea Expeditions has launched seven new adventures for 2018. The new collection of voyages will explore the Americas, tracing a path north from Ushuaia, the city at the end of the world, all the way up the Pacific coastline to Vancouver. For a full list of the unique expeditions and to get booking, see silversea.com.
Back To Nature
Mashpi Lodge
This 24-room luxury eco lodge in the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest invites guests to live like naturalists for the day, joining resident biologists as they gather invaluable data and conduct investigations. The ultimate jungle experience; mashpilodge.com.
An Tí Glas
For a first-hand experience of farm living, look no further than Leen Organics, a fully organic smallholding in Co Clare. Their restored farmhouse is the perfect holiday experience; leenorganics.com.
Daintree Eco Lodge
This Queensland gem is the only boutique accommodation in the World Heritage-listed Daintree rainforest, boasting 15 eco-friendly bayans in an awe-inspiring setting; daintree-ecolodge.com.au.
Get Appy
Bamboo
This Irish app helps you save time while on the go by ordering and paying in advance at cafes and restaurants, earning loyalty rewards automatically. Available at the App Store and on Google Play; bambooapp.ie.
Sligo staycation
Seaside towns don't get any cooler or more idyllic than Sligo. Treat yourself to a weekend in the north-west hotspot, and experience all that's buzzing on the coast now. Stay at the Woodcutter's Cabin in Colooney, a luxury two-bed in the woods (airbnb.com). Eat at the famous Shell's Cafe, savour a scoop (or three) from Mammy Johnston's while you stroll along Strandhill, then refresh with a burger and a White Hag, brewed locally, in the Drafthouse. Choose from a slew of festival and events, including the Tubercurry Old Fair Day Festival, Celtic Fringe Festival and Sligo Festival of Baroque Music. For more see sligotourism.ie.
Travel deals with Joan Scales
Canaries in Winter
Plan your winter escape now with cassidytravel.ie. One week, flights and accommodation, Lanzarote from €279pps, Gran Canaria from €275pps, Tenerife from €259pps and Fuerteventura from €289pps. Holiday hotline 0818-332500.
Cuba
Rhythms and rhymes experience in September from €1,600pps, three nights in Havana and four nights in Varadero with flights from Ireland, cubatravel.ie, 01-2412340.
Sicily
One-week holidays in September and October available from €399pps, in the Carmen Miosotis apartments in Letojanni. Sunway.ie 01-2311800.
