Deal of the Week:Bring the kids for the ultimate sleepover – a night with the dinosaurs. Each month the Natural History Museum in London has a "Dino Snores" sleepover that includes a torchlit trail in the dinosaur gallery, a show by museum experts and then snuggling down in the Central Hall with diplodocus for the night. It costs £46 (€54) per person, adults welcome too. Next dates are January 15th, February 18th and March 12th, 2011. See nhm.ac.uk or tel 00-44-2079425792.
Away
- JOIN A chalet party in Haute Savoie, France for some skiing. Snowology has two chalets in Sainte Foy. Ideal for beginners and families, off-piste skiing is good too. A week fully catered in a chalet is from €785pps (snowology.com).
- BOOK THIS weekend with ebookers.ie for flights to Miami with Delta Airlines from €432 for travel up to March 31st, 2011, and Cape Town with Etihad from €709 for travel up to June 25st, 2011.
- HOSTELBOOKERS has 20 per cent off normal rates for travel up to the end of January. Book by December 5th for rooms in Miami from €14.50pps, Marrakech from €14.90pps and Cancun from €11.50pps (hostelbookers.com).
- BEST VALUE to Madeira is a week at Raga Hotel, Funchal from December 19th with Sunworld from €529pps. Tel: 0818 200400 or sunworld.ie.
Home
- GAME ON at Knockranny House Hotel. Chef Seamus Commons will prepare an eight-course dinner and show you how to cook game on November 27th. Joining him will be Liam Cabot of Cabot wines for tastings/pairings. The price of €199pps includes two nights BB, tasting, cookery demonstration and the game dinner. Ticket for dinner alone: €69 (khh.ie or 098-28600).
- THE BARD of Armagh Festival of Humorous Verse has been going since 1993 and poets will compete for best poem on Friday, November 19th. Enjoy the festival and stay in the Armagh City Hotel with two nights' accommodation, breakfast and one evening meal from £99pps, (about €116). Tel: book on 1850 230 230.
- ENJOY A country house stay with the lights of the city nearby in the Athenaeum Hotel, Waterford. The hotel on 10 acres by the Suir overlooks the city. Till December 23rd, rooms are from €59 per night. Tel: 0818 281 281.
- UNWIND IN the luxury of the Dylan hotel in Dublin and enjoy valet parking, breakfast each day and a complimentary bottle of wine on arrival. Two-night stays in November from €189 per room per night. Tel: 01-6603000 or dylan.ie.
- BOOK NOW for Christmas carols and songs at Marlfield House, Gorey on December 19th. Deirdre Masterson and friends from Ceol Amore will include favourite arias and duets. Lunch and recital: €65 or stay over for €75pps, marlfieldhouse.ie.
- TINAKILLY House Hotel in Wicklow is offering midweek breaks in November at €70pps per night including dinner and weekend nights from €85pps (tinakilly.ie or tel 0404-69274).