Your questions answered
Last year’s advice was great. Could you help us again?
Q It’s that time of year again, and I’d like to spend a week in Sicily. Your advice on Sardinia last year was just right for our trip: my friend and I stayed at the Carlos V in Alghero and really loved the area and the hotel. We would like something similar in Sicily. I’ve seen information on Taormina, and it looks really nice. Would you recommend it and, if so, do you have any ideas on hotels (with a pool) for a week of relaxation, culture, sun and good local food (and wine)?
NK, Dublin
Glad to hear you had a good time last year and you are going to Sicily this time. The four-star Monte Tauro is a lovely hotel in the centre of Taormina and five minutes from the Corso Umberto. It is set into a cliff with views over the Gulf of Naxos. It is really close to all the shops and nightlife. It also has a glass lift that descends to the swimming pool, sun terraces and so on. The only downside is that to get to the beach you need to take a cable car or bus. Seven nights’ BB at the Monte Taura Hotel costs from €1,184 per person, based on two sharing, including flights, transfers and all taxes and charges.
A less expensive choice would be Splendid Hotel, in the centre of Taormina on an elevated site with views to the mainland. Corso Umberto is only minutes away, and the cable car that links Taormina to Mazzaro Bay is also close by. Seven nights’ BB will cost about €645 per person sharing.
Another alternative is the four-star Hellenia Yachting Hotel, in Giardini Naxos. It is on the beach within a short stroll of the town of Giardini, but it is not so good for getting in and out of Taormina, which is where all the atmosphere is. Seven nights’ BB will cost from €813 per person, based on two sharing, including flights, transfers and all taxes and charges. All of these holidays are available with Sunway (01-2886828, www.sunway.ie).
Q We want to “shop and flop” in the US and the Caribbean earlyish this year. We have looked into three nights in New York, flying with Aer Lingus, and then a week in the Caribbean, flying with Jetblue Airways. Can you recommend the real Caribbean experience? (We have already visited Mexico.) Aruba is on our wish list. We are also interested in Chicago as a possible starting point.
B, Dublin
First things first: Chicago is very cold early in the year, and you may not enjoy it as much as you could. New York can be cold, too, but not as cold. There is also good value in hotels early in the year. The JetBlue-Aer Lingus tie-in is only to Puerto Rico and works if you are flying directly there and back. By taking two separate flights you can take advantage of the wider JetBlue network to the Caribbean. It flies to Aruba a few times a day from Kennedy Airport, in New York; expect to pay between $100 and $300 (about €77-€230) each way, depending on dates and times.
Aruba is a former Dutch colony, and its architecture reflects its past. It is now also a busy tourism destination, with dozens of high-rise hotels and resorts. See www.aruba.com for a wide selection of accommodation.
JetBlue also flies to Dominican Republic and St Martin. The Dominican Republic is popular with golfers and offers a good selection of courses to play. Many of the resorts are all-inclusive and offer a laid-back beach holiday as well as adventure and eco trips. See www.jetblue.com and www. godominicanrepublic.com.
You can spend euro in the tiny island of St Martin. France and Dutch Antilles have dual sovereignty, and the island has a distinct European feel with all the attributes of the Caribbean: white sandy beaches, blue seas, palm trees, reggae and rum.
The Dutch side has more American visitors (and uses the US dollar as its currency) whereas the French side has more international visitors (with the euro as its currency). The island is duty free and is known for good shopping. See www.st-maarten.com.
Q We are celebrating a 70th birthday this spring and thought that a few of the women in the family would go to London for a long weekend. Can you recommend a reasonable (good-value) hotel in central London that would appeal to a small group of women aged between 21 and 70?
LS, Dublin
The weakness of sterling is bringing tourists to London in droves, and you will need to book in advance to get the best prices. The Premier Inn at County Hall is right beside the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament and the South Bank. Rates in spring start at £109 (about €121) per room per night (www.premierinn.com).
The Doyle Collection Marylebone Hotel (formerly Jurys Clifton Ford), on Welbeck Street, has had a makeover and is perfect for the Oxford Street and Regent Street areas. If booked in advance, prices start at £138 (€153) per night per room. See www.doylecollection.com.
In Kensington, the Regency Hotel, on Queen’s Gate, is close to the underground at South Kensington and is ideal for visiting the Knightsbridge area. Rooms cost from £137 (about €152) per night plus VAT. See www.regency-hotel.co.uk.
Jurys Inns has rooms that sleep up to three adults. The nearest Jurys Inn to central London is on Pentonville Road, N1, close to Angel underground station. Rooms cost from £69 (about €77) per night. See www.jurysinn.com.
Go contact
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com