GO FAMILIES:Savvy holidaymakers are playing the generation game this summer, whether they're going abroad or staying at home. By inviting grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins on holiday, the kids get to amuse each other, leaving the adults free to enjoy themselves, writes ALANNA GALLAGHER
ABROAD
Fabulous Florida
Spend seven nights at a villa in Orlando, Florida, and keep the the kids happy with theme park excursions. The villa sleeps up to eight people and comes with its own private pool. Located in a resort-style gated community within walking distance of shops, the villa is within 20 minutes of the Disney theme park area. The price for adults starts at €839pp and children from €799pp, and is valid for departures until May 31st. The price includes direct flights with Aer Lingus, so no transfer hassles, and eight-seater vehicle hire with Alamo. The offer includes one free night if booked by February 28th.
Trailfinders Tailormade Holidays, 01-8814994/ 021-4648888, trailfinders.ie
Sunny south of France
Known as the Venice of the South, Sete is a colourful town in the south of France, where the Canal du Midi meets the sea. Here, two adjacent properties, each of which sleeps eight to 10, can be rented together or separately. Situated on a six-mile beach, Villa Setoise is a spacious state-of-the-art seafront property with its own private infinity pool. The second property, Villa St Clair, has a glass fronted pool. Both have four doubles on the first floor and another in the basement. Newspapers, fresh bread and pastries are delivered to the villas daily. Rental comes with the complimentary use of a boat and captain, which the two villas share over the week. The offer includes supervised use of a speedboat, canoeing, stand-up paddle- boarding and water-skiing. Both properties have air-conditioning and Wi-Fi and are a 15-minute walk from the port. They each cost from €3,719 to €12,750 per week. Ryanair flies from Dublin to Carcassonne.
South France Villas, 00-33-467-360554, southfrancevillas.com.
Going mobile in Spain
Few countries beat Spain for family friendliness. Children are welcome everywhere and being able to bring the kids out to dinner means the whole family can dine together for some memorable holiday moments. Stay at Sanguli outside Salou on the Costa Dorada, where a large two-bedroom Rossini mobile through Crystal Alfresco costs from €1,255 from June 25th for seven nights. Have the grandparents stay in the mobile nextdoor and the kids can roam between the two. A super-fast train service to Barcelona makes it an essential day trip. And if the kids get bored with the amenities on-site, Parc Adventura is only a couple of kilometres away with regular bus services to the theme park. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Dublin to Reus, 10km away.
Crystal Alfresco, 0-4331027, crystalholidays.ie
Terrific Turkey
Take an Easter break in Byzantium with a trip to Turkey’s turquoise coast. The Sea Pearl Hotel in Kusadasi is ideal for the kids, their parents and the grandparents. The hotel’s family suites consist of two large interconnecting rooms and are capable of accommodating a family of six.
One of the rooms has three single beds and the other room has a double bed. An extra sofa bed can be provided to accommodate a sixth person. All family suites have sea views, as well as separate bathrooms and air conditioning. Sunway has seven nights in a family suite for the second week of the Easter break (from April 23rd) for €2,614. Grandparents can stay in an adjacent room for €459 per person.
Price include flights, transfers, accommodation, baggage allowance and all taxes.
Sunway (sunway.ie, 01-2311888) has direct flights from Dublin, Cork and Shannon.
Thai’s the limit
If the sky’s the limit and your kids are of an age that they can enjoy long-haul flights then take them to Thailand where the level of service and the value in food and drink is exceptional. The Laguna Phuket resort is set on the pristine, eight-kilometre Bang Tao Beach with enough activities to keep even the most jaded of teenagers amused. The villas at the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort can sleep up to 12 and each has its own lap pool. Based on eight persons sharing, a 10-night stay on a BB basis costs €1,379 per person through Twohigs.
This includes return flights from Dublin to Phuket with Etihad Airways via Abu Dhabi and Bangkok and return airport transfers in Phuket as well as airport taxes. This offer is valid for travel completed between April 16th-June 25th and August 16th-October 31st and includes three free nights.
Twohigs Worldwide Holidays, 01-6480800, twohigs.com.
Two for one offer
Crystal Alfresco has mobile homes at its Les Mediterranees Park in the Languedoc from €159 per mobile. This price is based on travelling on April 22nd for seven nights and is for mobile homes only. Transfers and flights extra.
Crystal Alfresco, 0-4331027, crystalholidays.ie.
AT HOME
All quiet in Galway
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the John Huston film with a trip to Quiet Man country. Gortnarup, outside Clonbur on the Galway-Mayo border, is owned by artist Willie Griffin and his fashion stylist wife Lizzi. The place is tastefully decorated and has an open-plan kitchen/living/ dining room. It can sleep up to 13. There are four doubles and a single and a sofa bed. Rental is from Saturday to Saturday and costs from €550 to €950 a week – €790 per week during the Easter break; €850 per week from June 26th to July 7th and is booked until mid-August. Mid-August to September costs €850 per week. Take afternoon tea at Ashford Castle and dine at Lisloughrey Lodge.
Gortnarup, 079-66431007, gortnarup.blogspot.com.
Chill in Connemara
Wellpark House in Oughterard is at the gateway to Connemara. The Georgian house has been restored and has an acre of mature gardens and orchard. It faces the River Owenriff, where each May holidaymakers get the opportunity to see the salmon leap upstream as they return to their spawning grounds.
There are six bedroom, plus two cots, a child’s bed and a high chair. Buy a butterflied leg of lamb at master butcher McGeogh, fire up the barbecue and enjoy the peace. Lough Corrib is a five-minute drive away and gillies can be organised to take you fishing or to the islands. The house costs from €1,300 to €1,800 (August only) per week.
Wellpark House, 056-4412672, wellparkhouse-ireland.com
Get crafty in Kenmare
Anam Cré is contemporary-build property set in a birch wood a couple of miles outside Kenmare in Co. Kerry. There’s a stream for children to muck about in or they can explore woodlands, which are home to a pair of friendly deer. The house sleeps 12, has slate and wood floors and wood-burning stove. It is adjacent to the studio of Kenmare Pottery where you can take clay craft classes with owner Anne Garrett from €15 per per person, depending on numbers. Adults also get to explore the art of the pottery wheel. Firing your efforts will cost another €20. Kenmare is full of restaurants and bars, offering everything from pub grub to gourmet dining. The house costs from €900 to €1,000 a week – the higher rate is for July/August.
Anam Cré, Ballygriffin, Kenmare, Co Kerry, 064-6641849, groupaccommodation.com.
House with a chef
Inchiquin House is an elegant period home in Co Clare – perfectly situated to explore the Burren’s lunar landscape. There are five bedrooms and the property can accommodate up to 10 people, and even offers its own chef to cater should no-one want to spend their holiday slaving over a hot stove. Liam Walsh, formerly of Marfield House in Gorey, is the resident chef. Menus cost from €29.50 to €36.50 per person depending on the menu chosen. The house costs €2,100 per week to rent during April and May and €2,500 during June, July and August.
Inchiquin House, 085-2118835, inchiquinhouse.com or dream ireland.com.
Sunny southeast
Walshes Lough in Rosslare, Co Wexford, is a private house in a small beach-front estate in the sunny southeast. It has eight bedrooms; six doubles, one with five singles – ideal for kids – and another single. It can sleep 12 to 17 people. With direct access to Rosslare beach it offers hours of Irish-style summer holidays playing in the sand while wearing windcheaters. The property also has a large barbecue area with open fire, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis, a private cinema and a pool table, should the weather let you down. The house is a four-minute walk to the renowned Kelly’s Hotel where there are oodles of child-friendly activities. It also means you don’t have to bother cooking if you don’t feel like it. The house costs €2,000 per week.
Walshes Lough, Rosslare, Co Wexford, selfcatering.travel.