Staycation Dublin, Staycation Ireland, Staycation packages, Dublin Hotels, Special Offers, Viking Splash, Wax Museum, Jeanie Johnson Famine ship, Dublin ZOO
What is a staycation, exactly? It’s a vacation where you stay in Ireland and by doing so; you help protect local businesses and jobs. When you BOOK DIRECT on the Hotel or Guesthouse website you also ensure that all of the money goes to the Hotel or Guesthouse rather than to third party booking agents, many of whom take large commissions up to 25%.
Back in boom times, special offers were like flowers in the desert. Now, you can take your pick… especially if you travel Sunday through Thursday, here we have brought together some of the best value for money special offer staycations in Ireland. Viking Splash Tours, Wax Museum, Jeannie Johnson Famine and so much more to enjoy on your Staycation in Dublin Ireland.
Here are some reasons why you should take a Staycation.
1. You’ll save money!
Everyone loves to save money. With a staycation, you won’t need to spend money on flights; you will enjoy discounted accommodation, special offers such as FREE Breakfast and discounts off many attractions and events.
2. It’s fun for the whole family/individuals/couples or groups
To get everyone involved in the fun, plan the activities that you want to do together. This can be anything from visiting Dublin Zoo, Viking Splash Tour, Wax Museum, walking, eating-out and so forth.
3. It’s way less stress than a vacation.
You won’t need to worry about missed flights, lost luggage, or arguing over which restaurant to eat at as good recommendations will be made and often discounts enjoyed. Take it one day at a time and relax, enjoy locally sourced food that is guaranteed Irish
4. You’ll finally enjoy your surroundings.
Maybe you’ve wanted to visit some nearby places, but didn’t have the time. Imagine taking a hike on a Wednesday afternoon when most people are at work. It’ll make it that much more enjoyable, walk along the Custom House Quay, St Stephen’s Green and so much more.
5. Discover new places in your area.
By enlisting the help of your family/friends, you can come up with really great ideas of how to spend your time. Maybe you’ve heard of a fishing spot a few miles away, or there’s an attraction you always wanted to visit. Now’s your time to explore them! No excuses when you don’t have anything planned.
6. You’ll support your local economy.
The money you’ll be spending on your staycation will go right back to your local area and local businesses, you can help protect local businesses, jobs and get value for money.
7. You don’t need to worry about getting everyone packed and ready to go.
With a staycation, you don’t need to worry about packing entertainment and snacks for the road trip, from most places in Ireland you can be in Dublin in a couple of hours by car, train, bus and so forth.
Here are more Irish staycation locations for you to enjoy…
Into the wild… in Co Cork
It can take a long time to save for a short break. And once you get there, entertaining the troops isn’t easy on the wallet, either — a family ticket to Fota Wildlife Park costs €44, for example. The beach front Garryvoe Hotel at Castlemartyr has come up with a package bundling both. Three nights’ B&B with one evening meal, a family day ticket to Fota (complete with a packed lunch), and free admission to Jungle World in Midleton are all included. The price is €285 per adult, provided you book from Sunday through Wednesday, and based on two kids under 12 sharing the room.
Two for the price of one… with Trident
Seeking self-catering deals? Trident has more than its fair share. Two weeks are available for the price of one on a range of properties from Jun 30 to Jul 14, with sample prices from €655 at Forest Haven in Dunmore East to €730 for two weeks in Waterville Holiday Homes, Co Kerry. Watch out for the company’s ‘Crazy Price Week’ beginning Aug 25, too. A 30% discount on published prices is available at locations like Tralee, Dingle and Liscannor — from €287 plus extras. Dream Ireland is also offering 100 holidays every week this summer for €475. Some sleep up to eight people.
Pick and choose… with Select Hotels
So you’ve managed to block off a week that suits Mum, Dad, the school holidays, the childminder, the grand-parents and the local kennels. But where to spend it? Select Hotels is one solution. It’s a collection of over 20 properties all over Ireland — ranging from Acton’s in Kinsale to the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon — and it currently has a special family offer of €109 per room, per night. Better still, if you stay four nights, the fifth comes free. Kids get milk and cookies on arrival, there’s a discount on spa treatments for Mum, and two kids under 12 sharing the room get to stay and have breakfast for free.
Summer kids… at the Sligo Park Hotel
There’s value in this short break offer from the Sligo Park Hotel. For €518 in total, two adults and two kids get four nights’ B&B, dinner on two nights (for everybody, not just the adults), and there are pool games, a family treasure hunt, supervised movie nights, forest walks and weekend entertainment during school holidays thrown in. Family-friendly attractions nearby include Eagles Flying, the birds of prey centre at Ballymote, surfing at Strandhill, the woodland walks around Lough Gill, and the stunning Gleniff Horseshoe loop.
Coast and city kids… in Co Galway
Galway is a super spot for a family break — combining the raw countryside of Connemara with a rugged coastline and big city festivals, restaurants and shops. A family holiday package at the Connemara Coast Hotel packages five nights for €1,099, including breakfast every day and dinner on three evenings — provided you book Sunday to Thursday. Add-ons are free swimming lessons for kids, a free kids’ club, live music, a Connemara treasure hunt with prizes and discounts to Galway attractions (the city is a 10-minute drive away). If you’d like to extend your holiday with a trip to Inishbofin, the Inishbofin House Hotel has a summer midweek special: three nights’ B&B with dinner on two evenings from €499, based on two adults and two kids.
Bring baby… to Liss Ard Estate, Co Cork
Heading on holidays after the arrival of a new baby is about as relaxing as heading on Hell Week with the US Navy Seals. The good folk at Liss Ard Estate near Skibbereen have come up with a package to make things a tad easier. Based on a five-night stay in a superior room, it includes a baby welcome pack on arrival, a bottle warmer and steriliser, a changing mat and cot, a romantic three-course dinner complete with two hours’ babysitting, and a 55-minute massage for mum. The total price is €705, or €352.50pp for two adults sharing (naturally, baby goes free).
Fun in the sun… at Ferrycarrig, Co Wexford
A four-night family break at the Ferrycarrig Hotel costs €480. Five nights costs €550. Breakfast, full access to the health and fitness suite and Crazy Clubbers kids’ club (a Mini-Olympics, Teddy Bears’ Picnic and Scavenger Hunt are on offer), and special admission rates to nearby attractions like The Irish National Heritage Park and Johnstown Castle all feature. It’s a lovely setting too, on the bank of the River Slaney near to Ferrycarrig Tower.
Fun on the farm… at Kiltale, Co Meath
€360 will buy you three nights self-catering for four people at Kiltale Holiday Homes, a short drive from Dublin in Co Meath. So far, so standard. What might pique parents’ interest, however, is the fact that the holiday homes are set on a working farm — with Connemara ponies, lambs, ducks, geese, and both young donkeys and goats. There’s a small playground too, but most promising is the farm camp running daily for kids aged 4-12. It’s run by two primary school teachers, includes nature walks, flower arranging, donkey and pony rides, baking, gardening and a surprise for the kids on the last day… for an extra €75 per week.
On yer bike… in Westport, Co Mayo
Like Kilkenny and Galway, Westport is one of those enclaves that seems somehow immune to recession — unfairly bathed in sunlight, rammed with visitors and hopping away with festivals. Oh well, if you can’t beat ‘em… Knockranny House Hotel has a special offer packaging two nights’ B&B for two adults and two kids (under the age of 10) with complimentary bike and helmet hire and a packed lunch. The idea is to take the bikes onto the Great Western Greenway, the fab 42km trail stretching to Achill Island — the package costs €180 per adult in July, and there’s free use of the spa’s vitality pool thermal and fitness suite.
Luxury for less… at the Ritz Carlton, Co Wicklow
The Ritz Carlton at Powerscourt is one of the most expensive hotels in Ireland… unless you avail of this fab family special. Five nights are available for the price of three from Jul 1 to Aug 31, from €320 per night. That’s a total of €960, but there’s a lot of bang for that buck — five-star accommodation and facilities, a daily breakfast buffet, and free camper beds for kids under 12 (breakfast is free for kids under five, and €9.50 for kids aged 5-12). There are clever add-ons for the little ones too — you can get a tent, sleeping bag, torch and supper hamper for €40, for example, or a princess costume, nail painting and private afternoon tea for the same price.
