Deal of the Week: A flash sale at Abbey Travel for family trips to Disneyland Paris means two nights' accommodation and three days' park passes for two adults and two children from €450 on selected dates in July, August and September. Book by Monday, July 11th on 01-8047100 or abbeytravel.ie.
Away
* DISCOVER THE real Spain on a trip to the north of the country staying in Parador hotels. From September 10th to 17th this trip will take you from the Parador in Santiago de Compostela to the former monastery of San Estevo and three nights in the walled fortress of Baiona surrounded by the Atlantic. Prices are from €1,485pps plus flights. Tel: 01-8783111 or maptravel.ie.
* ANOTHER NEW hotel opens in New York this week – the Z Hotel in Long Island City just over the 59th Street Bridge in Queens and with great skyline views of Manhattan. Summer rates are from $169 (€118) per room. See zhotelny.com.
* PLAY LIKE the stars with Falcon’s international football academy at its holiday villages with FA/Uefa coaches. Two-hour training sessions with a shirt costs €35. From Dublin or Cork on July 17th a week in the Costa Del Sol village near Benelmadena costs from €1,982 for two adults and two children. Tel: 1850-453545 or falconholidays.ie.
* WARM-UP matches before Rugby World Cup 2011 take place in Edinburgh and Paris. Two-night packages to Scotland are from €399 and one-night Paris packages from €375 with seats on the team flights. Phone Killester Travel at 01-8336935.
* TIME TO start thinking about getting some autumn sun in Thailand with sale fares to Bangkok from €687 including taxes. Fly with SAS via Copenhagen, when booked by July 14th. See flysas.ie.
* DISCOVER SOME of the most beautiful gardens of Italy on a holiday to Lake Maggiore. Departing from Dublin on August 25th, over a week you will get to see fabulous gardens, including those on the Borromean Islands. There will also be a trip to see mountain flowers at the base of the glacier in Macugnaga. Prices from €1,099pps include flights, accommodation and trips. See topflight.ie or phone 01-2401700.
Home
* CLONLEASON Gate Lodge in the heart of Co Meath is the perfect rural base to explore the Boyne Valley. Due to a cancellation there is a week available from July 16th from €490. The lodge sleeps two in quiet comfort. Tel: 046-9434111 or clonleason.com.
* TREAT YOURSELF to some luxury and take advantage of the new VAT rates with a complimentary night when you stay two nights at the Sheen Falls Lodge. Kenmare’s finest country house hotel has spectacular surroundings and its “sweet dreams” package also includes dinner on two nights in July and August from €380pps. Tel: 064-6641600 or sheenfallslodge.ie.
* ON THE banks of the Shannon the Glasson House Hotel and Golf Club is a romantic retreat for a midweek getaway. Easily accessible from all points of Ireland, a two-night stay with dinner and romantic extras from Sunday to Thursday is from €160pps. See glassongolfhotel.ie or tel 0906-485120.
* BOOK BY July 15th with Irish Landmark Trust for three-night holidays in some unusual properties with availability for August and September. The Barbican in Glenarm, Co Antrim sleeps two and is from £165 (€184). The Round House (sleeps six) at Castletown, Co Kildare is from €450 and Clonmantagh Castle (sleeps 10) in Co Kilkenny is from €675. Tel: 01-6704733 or irishlandmark.com.
* WHERE WOULD you get a spacious family room with breakfast in a four-star hotel for €100 per night? The Strand Hotel in Limerick will also include its “energize club” for kids, access to a playzone with Wii player, discounts on hair and beauty treatments, and tickets to attractions in the area. The three-night package costs €299 and five nights is from €499. Tel: 061-421800 or strandlimerick.ie.
Please note that all deals are subject to availability