JOAN SCALESanswers your travel questions
Where could a friend and I go for a luxury break?
Q I need to find a really good hotel for myself and a friend who is very ill. We are looking for somewhere sunny and warm with good food and a garden or grounds, in Italy, France, Spain or Portugal. We would like to go for the first two weeks June. It must be not too far from an airport and be comfortable and quiet.
EK, Dublin
Lots of hotels could fit the bill. Here are some suggestions.
In France, Villa Belrose (www.villabelrose.com), set on a hill overlooking the bay of St Tropez, is small and discreet with excellent service and a Micheline-starred restaurant. The style is luxury country house with modern touches. It has a pool and a terrace for dining. It’s about an hour from Nice airport, which is served by Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) from Dublin and Cork and by Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) from Dublin.
Château de Brindos (www. chateaudebrindos.com) is a 1930s lakeside hotel, owned by the French rugby player Serge Blanco, three kilometres from the town of Anglet and a few minutes from the beaches of Biarritz. Its dining room serves traditional French dishes. Ryanair flies to Biarritz from Dublin.
In Italy, Grand Hotel Parco del Sole is set amid orange groves in lush parkland close to Sorrento town centre and the sea. It has a seasonal outdoor pool, a jetted tub and a solarium, as well as the Alexandra restaurant, which offers a buffet of regional and international dishes, including fresh vegetables and pastries. Aer Lingus flies to Naples, about an hour away, from Dublin.
In Spain, Villa Padierna (www.ritzcarlton.com) is a Tuscan-style hotel with sea views set in grounds next to Gran Flamingos golf course, near Estepona on the Costa del Sol. Managed by Ritz-Carlton to five-star standards, it has a spa and three restaurants. It is about an hour from Malaga airport, which is served by Aer Lingus from Dublin, Cork and Belfast and by Ryanair from Dublin and Shannon.
You may also like to have a look at the paradors of Spain (www.parador.es/en) and the pousadas of Portugal (www.pousadas.pt), which are former castles, manor houses, convents and stately homes run as hotels by the country’s governments.
Q I am Indian and now live in Ireland with family. I am planning to go on holidays to the US. Do I need a visa and, if so, what are the procedures?
PT, Dublin
If you have an Indian passport, you will need a non-immigrant B2 visa to travel to the US, as your country is not in its visa-waiver programme. You will have to phone for an appointment at the US embassy, in Ballsbridge, and complete the visa forms online. See http://dublin.usembassy. gov. Leave yourself plenty of time to complete the form online and make sure to save it as you go along. It takes an hour to complete.
Q In September we are returning to Varadero, in Cuba, which we visited almost 10 years ago. That journey was very long, with a stayover in London, and as we now have an infant the shortest journey would be best. A friend has suggested flying through Toronto. Would this make sense timewise? We could consider a club or business-class flight on the way out. And what hotels could you suggest in Varadero?
RM, Dublin
Air services to Cuba and Varadero have improved a lot in the past 10 years. Martinair (www.martinair.com), for example, flies from Amsterdam to Varadero. I have looked at Toronto as a possible routing, but the timings would mean staying over on the way out. Air Canada (www.aircanada.com) and Air Transat (www.air transat.ie) both fly from Ireland to Toronto until the end of September. Air Transat flies from Toronto to Varadero on Thursdays and Fridays. You could upgrade to business class with Air Canada or Air Transat for a reasonable price.
You are probably better to go with a package from a good travel agent, as it should be able to get the best deals from both airlines and hotels. You will also be fully bonded and covered in the event of disruptions to your holiday.
Cubatravel (01-2412340), which has been sending Irish people to Cuba for many years, should be able to find the most convenient route for you. Beacon South America (www.beaconsouthamerica.ie, 0818-300123) and Sunway Travel (www.sunway.ie, 01-2886828) are also experts on Cuba.
When it comes to resorts, most of the hotels in Varadero are all-inclusive. The Spanish-operated resorts, such Riu, Iberostar, Tryp and Meliá, are usually very child-friendly.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com