Deal of the Week
The hottest deal for January and February is on the Algarve where you can stay in the Rio Arade Manor House, just by Portimao, from €128pps for a week's B&B. Flights are available to Faro with Aer Lingus and Ryanair. See rioarade.com or tel 00-351-282423202.
Away
* THE KURAMATHI Island Resort in the Maldives is a great place to let your troubles slip away and, with the full board offer from Discover Travel, a good value option. Travelling between May to the end of June, a week with flights from Dublin or Cork costs from €1,699pps. See discovertravel.ie or tel 021-4635440.
* FIND THE sun in the Canaries over Christmas. Sunway still has some places available from €299pps. Book Lanzarote from Dublin on December 19th or Gran Canaria from Cork on December 23rd. See sunway.ie or tel 01-2311888.
* FALCON HOLIDAYS also has some deals for Christmas: two adults and two children to Gran Canaria on December 18th from Dublin costs from €1,316, or Lanzarote from €1,196 out of Dublin, Cork or Shannon. Tel: 1850-946164 or see falconholidays.ie.
* CASSIDY TRAVEL has Christmas holidays in the Canaries from €359-€425pps between December 18th and 21st. Tel: 0818-332 500 or see cassidytravel.com.
* FROM BROADWAY to Bath and from Blackpool to Brighton pick one of the 21 Barceló Hotels in the UK and an overnight will cost £49pps (€56) for dinner plus BB. See barcelo-hotels.co.uk.
* GET AWAY for Christmas with the single gang at Friendship Travel. Three-day breaks in Hertfordshire in the Holiday Inn Markyate, including full board and entertainment, from £275 (€320). Nearest airport Luton. Tel: 048-94462211 or see friendshiptravel.com.
* HIT THE piste for a short ski trip with Crystal Holidays on January 4th. Four days of fun from Dublin or Cork with flights, accommodation and transfers from €349pps. Tel: 01-4331010 or crystalski.ie.
Home
* WALK THE Bianconi Route, a mix of woodland trails and forestry tracks on a visit to the Glen of Aherlow. Set between the Galtees and Slievenamuck Ridge, the Aherlow House Hotel and Lodges is the place to stay. Dinner and B&B from €99pps or book a lodge from €160 per night. Tel: 062-56153 or aherlowhouse.ie.
* LET RONNIE and the team in Renvyle House look after you between Christmas and New Year. Two nights B&B and one dinner from €215pps. Tel: 1850-773355 or renvyle.com.
* BRING IN the New Year with a new you on a meditation retreat in Magheramore, Co Wicklow. From December 29th to January 2nd, relax, unwind and let go of 2010 with mindfulness master John Doherty. Inclusive rates from €495pps. See thebeehive.ie.
* SQUEEZE IN a two-day break in the west and you can enjoy open fires, mulled wine, luxury rooms and country walks. Lisloughrey Lodge, near Cong, Co Mayo is all set for the season. Two-night breaks from €155pps. Tel: 094-9545400 or www.lisloughrey.ie.
* ENJOY CHRISTMAS in Clare at the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon. Two nights with all the festive trimmings from €319pps and three nights from €399pps. Fun and entertainment every night. Tel: 1850-200560.
* MAKE THE most of the long weekend over New Year and stay in the Bush Hotel, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim from €209pps for three nights B&B and two dinners. Family packages from €478 for two adults and two children sharing. Tel: 071-9671000 or bushhotel.ie.