Compiled by JOAN SCALES
Deal of the Week
Topflight’s summer sale begins on Tuesday with discounts on holidays to Lanzarote, Majorca, Portugal, Gran Canaria and Italy from Dublin, Cork and Belfast. Sample prices include holidays in Deya Apartments, Majorca from €259pps; Princess Yaiza hotel in Lanzarote from €769 half board; Clube Praia da Oura in the Algarve for families from €279pps, and self-catering in Lake Garda, Italy, from €399pps. Tel: 01-2401700 or see topflight.ie.
Away
COST-SAVINGholidays from Panorama mean that all-in deals are good value. Deals are from €375pps for a week on Crete in May to a week at the Dom Pedro Golf resort in Vilamoura, Portugal for €756pps. Panorama has 12 destinations for all-in holidays in Turkey, Greece, Portugal and Spain. Tel: 0818-202020 or see panoramaholidays.ie.
GLAM ITup in a Wicked campervan in the UK and Europe, perfect for festivals, though Glastonbury is booked out. Wicked's campervans sleep from two to five and are distinctively painted. Four-day rates in the UK are from €273 and in Europe from €300. See wickedcampers.co.uk.
CHEER THERepublic of Ireland on in Skopje when we play Macedonia on June 4th. Travel on the official team charter with direct flights on June 2nd, returning after the game on Saturday night. Two nights in Hotel Karpos, match tickets and transfers €874pps (including taxes). Tel: Abbey Travel on 01-8047100.
EGYPT ISback in business for holidays with some good deals in Sharm el-Sheikh. A week in the Hilton Sharks Bay, all-in, is from €729pps or at the Ritz Carlton from €749, and family holidays for four in the Sierra Hotel all-in from €2,499. Tel: 01-8077996, tropicalsky.ie.
TREAT YOURSELF to a five-star stay in London for the Chelsea Flower Show and enjoy a champagne afternoon tea and a class in floral arranging by Pascal Lavorel. The Milestone Hotel in Kensington is offering guests a two-night package which includes tickets for the show and a culinary master class from £940 (€1,060) plus VAT, over May 24th to 28th. Tel: 00-44-207-9171000 or see milestonehotel.com.
Home
FIND OUTwhy Queen Elizabeth is going to the English Market in Cork on a three-night stay in the Imperial Hotel on South Mall. The package includes B&B, a lunch in the lovely Farmgate Café in the English Market and dinner one evening in the Pembroke Seafood Bar and Grill from €189pps. Tel: 021-4274040 or flynnhotels.com.
CARLOW ISthe place to be on Sunday, May 15th when an "endless Sundays" promotion is launched. To encourage you to say longer in Carlow, many hotels will give guests a late check out (up to 4pm) and you can stay over on Sundays from €30pps. For hotels and events see carlowtourism.com, and barrowriver.ie for riverine activities.
DISCOVER THECauseway coast and Belfast, too, when staying at Ballealy Cottage in Shanes Castle Estate in Co Antrim. The period house sleeps up to five. The Irish Landmark Trust has lovingly restored this storybook 19th century cottage and has special rates for May: three-night weekends from £325 (€366) and weeks from £600 (€676), irishlandmark.com.
EXPLORE THEnortheast using Dundalk as a base and see the land of legends, Co Louth. The Crowne Plaza Hotel has a family offer of three nights B&B with dinner one evening from €135pps. Children eat for free too. Tel: 0818 903 811 or see crowneplaza.com.
MAY ISgolf month in Kelly's of Rosslare with free golf clinics, two rounds of golf and a competition running through the month. Five nights half-board from €649pp (no single supplement). Tel: 053-9132114 or kellys.ie.
TAKE Amidweek break by the sea with White's Hotel in Wexford during May from €119pps for dinner one night and two nights B&B. Tel: 053-9122311 or see whitesofwexford.ie.
* Please note that all deals are subject to availability