Your questions answered...with advice from Joan Scales
Can you suggest a New Year break for a large family?
Q We are a family of eight with children between the ages of 18 and 11. We are looking for a two-night break away over the New Year. The children love to swim and generally keep active - even play a little golf. Have you any suggestions for a nice hotel that is teenager-friendly? We like a bit of luxury, but with our amount we are more four-star than five-star.
TM, Wicklow
I think the Quality Hotel in Killarney, Co Kerry, would fit the bill for your family. It is very family-friendly, with kids and teens clubs, Friendly Fellows to help with the young ones and a variety of activities, from swimming and a KMX track to 18-hole mini-golf. It has availability from January 1st, 2009, with suites that sleep up to five from €159 per night. www.qualitykillarney.com.
Another choice is Galway Bay Hotel (www.galwaybay hotel.net), located at Salthill and overlooking the sea, with family rooms from €165 per night. It would be an opportunity to explore Galway, and the children would love Leisureland.
Q Two of us in our early 70s have booked a nine-day trip to Bahrain for the beginning of December. We would like some suggestions as to what to see and visit during our stay there to get a flavour of their culture and history.
MB, Donegal
That's an interesting choice for a trip. Bahrain is an island state in the Gulf, which, because of its importance as a banking centre, is multicultural. The capital, Manama, is modern, with a Manhattan-type skyline. The city of Bilad al-Qadim, which dates from 900, is just outside the new city.
The weather in December is lovely - warm during the day and a bit chilly at night - and the sun goes down quite early, at about 4.30pm. It is easy to get around, and there are plenty of restaurants and bars where you can take a drink.
Shopping is good for arts and crafts and jewellery. The souk in the centre of the old town is interesting to see, with its vivid spices, winding alleys and mint-tea bars. The gold souk is impressive after dark.
One thing not to miss is the Grand Mosque; it is one of the biggest in the Middle East and can hold up to 7,000 people. To see some of Bahrain's past you must see the A'ali Burial Mounds, one of the largest cemeteries in the world, with more than 170,000 burial mounds dating from between 2000 BC and AD 600. Bahrain National Museum covers 6,000 years of Bahraini history and archaeology and is also well worth a visit.
Q We, two adults, are interested in a January holiday, preferably in the first two weeks. Due to special circumstances, the key criteria are relaxation, sunshine and no rain. Cost is not a major consideration. We have been in Egypt and the Far East many times, so we prefer somewhere different on this occasion. We thought of the UAE, Caribbean or Tenerife (possible weather risk). Europe is probably unlikely to guarantee no rain at that time of year.
Any thoughts on area or hotels would be most welcome. We prefer the adventure of seeking out different restaurants to eat out, so our strong preference is for a B&B hotel.
IN, Dublin
A number of places spring to mind as possible destinations you might enjoy with the criteria you are looking for. Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque resort (www.bahia-duque.com), in Tenerife, is very nice. It is in Costa Adeje, and while there are eight restaurants in the resort, there are also a variety of very good restaurants short taxi rides away.
Heading farther south, towards the summer, Cape Town cannot be beaten for a great selection of restaurants with fantastic food. There is also a very good choice of quality hotels. Table Bay Hotel (www.tablebayhotel.com) is one of the premier in Cape Town - and well located to explore the city. The Twelve Apostles Hotel (www.12apostles hotel.com) is at Camps Bay, just a few kilometres from the city centre and perfect for a relaxing holiday.
In the Caribbean, there is a huge selection of great hotels, but you may get some rain - it is a tropical climate. Eating tends to be mostly within the hotels in the Caribbean, as resorts are normally outside towns and villages. Some choices I can suggest would include Long Bay Beach Resort (www.longbay.com) in Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Carlisle Bay (www.carlisle- bay.com), on Antigua; Sandy Lane Hotel (www.sandylane.com), in Barbados; and Tensing Pen (www.tensingpen.com) in Negril, Jamaica.
Dubai has a fabulous selection of hotels: you will be spoiled for choice. I can suggest Jumeirah Beach Resort (www.jumeirahbeachhotel.com), on the Arabian Gulf, with 20 restaurants to choose from, or the Madinat Jumeirah (www.madinatjumeirah.com), also on the Gulf.
I would also suggest you talk to a good travel agent, who can book any of these suggestions and make flight arrangements.
E-mail questions with your name and address to jscales@irish-times.ie