ASK JOAN:All your travel questions answered
A sun break for busy people
We both work in very busy jobs and need a break in the sun to recharge our batteries, around the end of May. We are not looking for crazy nightlife, more a laze by the pool, read books kind of holiday. Tennis would be good and a spa, and no cooking, maybe an all inclusive resort would be nice. Sun is important. – MT, Meath
At the end of May you will be guaranteed good sunshine in both Greece and Egypt and with direct flights from Ireland, easy access. Thomson Holidays have five star resorts in Crete and near Sharm el Sheikh called Sensatori that might be what you are looking for.
The resort in Crete is at Lyttos Beach, about 10 minutes from busy Hersonnisos. It is a self-contained resort with lots of activities from tennis to aqua aerobics. It also has a spa. Part of the resort is a couples-only zone and some of the restaurants are for adults only. It is an all inclusive resort with seven restaurants. There is entertainment every evening. A week will cost around €1,038pps including flights, transfers and accommodation.
In Sharm el Sheikh, the resort is about 15 minutes from the airport and steps from the Red Sea. It too has all the facilities for spa, sports and entertainment and is around the same price in May, see Thomsonholidays.ie
Malta for the mature traveller
I would appreciate your advice about suitability of a holiday in Malta for myself and my husband. We are in our 70s and would like to stay in good hotel and close to restaurants and shops. I find it difficult to find much information about Malta – would Mellieha Bay be suitable or Sliema? – KM, Dublin
Malta is a lovely island and you would find it suitable for you and your husband. There is lots of see and do, many heritage sites and it is easy to explore. The direct Ryanair service makes it reasonably priced to get there and hotels, generally, are quite good value.
Sliema is a busy resort, with cafes, bars and restaurants. The Fortina Hotel and Spa, ( HotelFortina.com), overlooks the sea and shops nearby include the Tigne Point shopping centre.
St Julian's resort is also lovely and while there are not as many shops and restaurants there is a good variety of quality hotels, such as the Hilton.com, Westin.com, Meridien.comand The George ( theGeorgehotelMalta.com).
You could check with MercuryDirect.ieas they are Malta experts and have some good rates with hotels. They can arrange flights, accommodation and transfers with prices for a quality hotel from €700pps per week,
tel: 1800 804006. See also VisitMalta.comfor tourism information.
Paris during fashion week
I would like to take my daughter to a fashion show in Paris for her 13th birthday either in September or October. I have tried sourcing a show through Google but without success.
We would hope to go for three to four days, do some sight seeing, dining out and visiting markets whilst there. There will be three females travelling and we would like to stay centrally, either in a hotel or apartment. We will be on a budget, so please take this in to consideration. – AC, Cork
September is time for the spring/summer 2013 fashion shows in Paris but the bad news for you is that they are not open to the public, only trade. The shows take place from September 25th and while you may not be able to go to one you can certainly enjoy the atmosphere.
Explore your daughter's interest in fashion by visiting places like the Avenue Montaigne, rue du Faubourg St Honoré, St Germain de Prés and the stores of Galeries Lafayette and Printemps on Bouldvard Haussemann. You can get a 10 per cent discount card in advance by signing up on departmentstoreparis.printemps.com.
There are some great markets and one of the most famous is the flea market, Les Puces de St Ouen at Porte de Clignancourt, open on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Book early is always the best idea for Paris and if you see the Aer Lingus flights on sale, book them. You can fly direct from Cork. Fashion week is a very busy week and you should book accommodation now. It will only get more expensive as the months pass by.
At the moment three star hotels are around €200 per night. I like the Mercure hotels, they have a number of well-located properties in the city centre and will cost around €200-235 per night for three.
Apartments in Paris are around the same price, but would mean you could keep the eating out costs down by having some meals there. See Parisbynumbers.iefor apartment rentals and Citadines.com.
The Aer Lingus site currently has trips to Paris with flights and hotels for €300-€400pps over the weekend of September 27th–30th.
New York to San Francisco by train
I want to travel by train from New York to San Francisco in September. I don't mind how long it takes but do you know of any services other than Greyhound who do the route? I would like the opportunity to stay a few hours in some of stops along the way, but if not, then I would like to have a scenic route to view from my window. – CM, Wicklow
Amtrak.comis the national rail company in the US and you will find all the details you need on their website. It takes three days to travel from coast-to-coast and there are a number of routings ie, via Washington, or Pittsburgh to Chicago for the main leg of the journey. It is a very scenic trip, climbing through the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada mountains, and you can stop off along the way. The basic fare is from $212 single, accommodation is extra.
Email queries, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com