From cycling in Austria to exploring Connemara, Joan Scalesfinds the best late deals
HOME BREAKS
Have a spa break from €295
Book the Purity Spa break at the Spirit One spa in the Radisson, Galway, and receive a complimentary overnight stay. The cost is €295 per person sharing, Monday to Thursday. 091-538462, www.radissonhotelgalway.com.
Cork airport stay from €160
Spend the night before your flight at Cork International Airport Hotel, and leave your car at the airport for up to two weeks, all for €160. The hotel serves breakfast from 3.30am. 021-4549800, www.corkinternationalairporthotel.com.
Luxury in Dublin from €199
If you are planning to visit Dublin in August, why not sleep like a log in the famous "heavenly bed" in the centrally located Westin Hotel. It will cost €199 per night. 01-6451000, www.westin.com/dublin.
Connemara from €99
The Twelve Hotel in Barna is the place to indulge a love of breads and pastries, as it has its own bakery. It is also well-located for exploring Connemara. It now has a €99 room special. 091-597000, www.thetwelvehotel.ie.
Meath midweek from €40
The Station House Hotel, on 12 acres of landscaped gardens in Kilmessan, Co Meath, is tempting guests midweek with a rate of €40 per person sharing for bed and breakfast. 046-9025239, www.thestationhousehotel.com.
Relax in Co Cork from €415
You and your guest can enjoy a two-night break in the Sheraton Fota Island Hotel and Spa, with a round of golf each, or a spa treatment and dinner on one evening for €415 per person midweek. 021-4883700, www.fotaisland.ie.
OVERSEAS BREAKS
Austrian cycling from €772
Have a healthy holiday with a bicycle tour in Austria. Inghams has a holiday that includes staying in the four-star Hotel Xander in Leutasch half board. The package costs from €772 per person, and includes free bike hire and three guided cycle tours from August 23rd. If walking is more your thing, then ask about the GPS-navigated interactive hiking guides for Kitzbühel, available from the tourist office from €7 per day. Depart on August 13th for seven nights from €707 per person sharing, half board. 01-6611377, www.inghams.ie.
Cruise to France from €99
Irish Ferries' wine mini-cruise to France from September 11th to 13th is a good way to stock up. The schedule will coincide with the autumn wine sales in France and passengers will have six hours in Roscoff. The €99 cost includes a berth in a two-bed cabin. A car can be brought for an extra €59 when two or more people are travelling together. 0818-300400, www.irishferries.com.
Escorted tours from €1,099
Primera Escorted Tours begin again in September to Spain, France, Greece and Morocco. The Twin Treasures tour - a 10-day tour from September 30th, will visit Barcelona, Andorra, Pyrenees, Biarritz, San Sebastian and Bilbao.
The cost, from €1,099, includes all accommodation, tours and land travel in a coach with a guide. 01-6311077, www.primera.ie.
Theme park fun from €599
Go to Orlando and visit the theme parks. Direct Holidays will take you there from €599 for a week, including a free five-day pass to three theme parks, or from €779 for two weeks. The price includes flights, accommodation and transfers during September and October. 01-8860400, www.directholidays.ie.
Sun holidays from €299
A week at the Romantik Apartment in Bitez, Turkey, will cost from €309 on September 6th or 13th. A stay at the Rosamar apartments in Armaçäo de Pera, Portugal, is from €299 in September. A week at Siesta apartments in Alcudia, Majorca, is from €359. 01-8814333, www.sunworld.ie.
DEAL OF THE WEEK
How to have that million-dollar holiday
How do you spend a million dollars on a holiday? You fly first-class from Dublin with Etihad to the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi (above), one of the most expensive hotels ever built. You stay in the Palace Suite for seven nights on an all-inclusive basis. A chauffeur driving a Maybach is at your disposal for the entire week. Every day you can have a spa treatment or two. You can take a private jet trip to Iran to create your own Persian carpet from the most exclusive hand-maker. Or take another private jet to the Dead Sea in Jordan and have an Anantara spa treatment at the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar. Take the jet another day to Bahrain for a pearl deep-sea trip - your pearl will then be hand-designed into a piece of jewellery. Play a round of golf at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Make your own perfume with the experts from YAS. Take a deep-sea fishing trip. Then buy a few luxury gifts. If you want to splash out, call 00-800-42631355.