GO LAST MINUTE: Joan Scaleshas the best of the week's offers
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Tantric weekend in Co Westmeath: from €495
Temple Spa, near Horseleap in Co Westmeath, is an oasis of calm and peacefulness where you can relax, rejuvenate and enjoy great food. Next month it's offering a two-night midweek break with a spa treatment and dinner on one night for €215 per person sharing, or €245 if you're single. From October 24th to 26th, over the bank holiday, Temple will host a tantric yoga weekend, which it says will help you learn techniques to enhance your spiritual, physical and sexual well-being. The course, with full board, costs €495 per person sharing or €535 single. 057-9335118, www.templespa.ie.
OVERSEAS BREAKS
Fly to London: from €71
BMI's global seat sale will see reductions on more than 50 routes. Fares to London cost from €71 return, including taxes. Cairo return is from €460, Las Vegas from €543, Moscow from €289 and Tel Aviv from €408. www.flybmi.com.
Moscow flights: from €320
Russian airline S7 has launched a route from Dublin to Moscow. The twice-weekly service, on Fridays and Sundays, arrives at Domodedovo airport in time to connect with S7's network across Russia, eastern Europe and Asia. Fares start at €320 return to Moscow. www.s7.ru.
Terror breaks: from €111pps
Scare the daylights out of the children with a trip to Scarefest, at Alton Towers in England. Thrillseekers will love the Terror of the Tower, the Boiler House and the Field of 1,000 Screams. From mid-October to early November Irish Ferries is offering a package from €111 per person sharing for two adults and two children staying at Holiday Inn in Stafford with return ferry crossing and full day passes to the park. 0818-300400, www.irishferries.com.
Danube cruise: from €1,587
Discover Christmas in Europe with a nine-day river cruise on the Danube, beginning in Prague and exploring the towns and cities along the way, ending in Budapest. The cruise will include a daily sightseeing programme, themed dinners, music performances and lectures. Various departures from November 20th, with prices from €1,587 per person sharing. 01-2886828, www.sunway.ie.
Bordeaux break: from €95
Explore Bordeaux in autumn with this tempting offer. The Forfait Bordeaux Découverte includes two nights in a two-, three- or four-star hotel, a guided tour of the city, a guided tour of the wine country, a transport pass and access to the city's museums and monuments - plus a bottle of wine - from €95 to €195 per person sharing, depending on accommodation. You can book on 00-33-556-006600 or www.bordeaux-tourisme.com. Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com) flies to Bordeaux from Dublin. Aer Arann (www.aerarann.com) serves the city from Galway and Waterford.
New York: from €779
Tour America has some October deals at its favourite hotels in Manhattan. Three nights at the Beacon Hotel, near Central Park, costs from €779 per person sharing, or €789 for three nights at the Wellington Hotel in Midtown. Both deals include a discount card for Macy's. 01-8173535, www.touramerica.ie.
HOME BREAKS
Mushroom hunts: €90
The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness comes to Longueville House, in Mallow, Co Cork, with its annual mushroom hunts. On Sundays October 5th and 19th, meet at Longueville for a day on the 200-hectare estate. The trove of fungi will be examined, and there will be a three-course lunch with wines chosen by chef-proprietor William O'Callaghan. The day costs €90 for adults and €25 for children. 022-47156, www.longuevillehouse.ie.
Ladies' day: from €175
Girls, the Fabilicious Package is waiting for friends, colleagues, mothers and daughters at the Heritage Golf Spa Resort, on the Kildare-Laois border. Your day begins with a visit to Kildare Village, where you can indulge in some retail therapy. On your return to the Heritage have a champagne cocktail, spend time in the thermal suite and then have dinner. The package costs €175 per person sharing. 057-8645500, www.theheritage.com.
Kilkenny dining: from €100
Head to Kilkenny for the October bank-holiday weekend and you can Savour Kilkenny - four days of creative events, fine dining, organised tours and demonstrations. On the Friday Ross Lewis of Chapter One teams up to cook with Garrett Byrne of Campagne (€100); on the Monday Tim O'Sullivan of Renvyle House teams up with the River Court's Gerard Dunne to create a six-course tasting dinner (€110). www.savourkilkenny.com.
Golf and the Tannery: €125
Work up an appetite for dinner and a night at Paul Flynn's Tannery, in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, with a round at Dungarvan Golf club. From Sundays to Thursdays until the end of November you can stay at the Tannery Townhouse and eat in the restaurant for €100 per person sharing; the golf costs €25 per person. 058-45420, www.tannery.ie.
Fermanagh lodge: from €365
Discover the great outdoors at Lough Erne Golf Resort in the Co Fermanagh lakelands. The resort's self-catering lodges cost from €365 per night for a two-bedroom property and €547 per night for a three-bedroom lodge. A half-day fishing with resident gillie Patrick Trotter costs from €107, including a gourmet picnic hamper. 048-66323230, www.loughernegolfresort.com.