From a trip to visit post-Olympics Beijing, to a stay in a spa in Waterford, has the best of the week's offers
DEAL OF THE WEEK:
The British Airways fare sale gets off the ground
Good deals are now available from British Airways, with the launch of its autumn fare sale. The sale will run until September 23rd, and you can book flights up to the end of June next year on 90 long- and short-haul routes. Fares include Los Angeles for €528, Dubai for €504, New York for €449, Cape Town for €860, and Hong Kong for €696. Premium fares have been reduced too - for example, Barbados costs €1,599 return - so this may be the time to treat yourself. All fares include taxes and charges and can be booked on www.ba.comor through your local travel agent.
HOME BREAKS
Hotel and a night out: €99pps
The Mercer Hotel in Dublin is close to Grafton Street and is a quiet location for a short break. You can enjoy the Mercer and also take in a trip to the theatre to see Riverdance or Evita, from €99 to €109 per person sharing. The one-night theatre package includes two tickets for the show, dinner for two and a bottle of wine. 01-4782179, www.mercerhotel.ie.
Lake House in Co Cork: €35pps
The Lake House guest house in Inchigeela, Co Cork, is good value at €35 per person sharing per night. 026-49010, www.strandnet.com/lakehouse.
Connemara: from €260pps
The Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel is located in Connemara, on the banks of Lough Inagh. It is a good place to fish for salmon, sea trout and brown trout. Until the end of September, two nights BB and dinner one night is €260 per person sharing. 095-34706, www.loughinaghlodgehotel.ie.
September deal: from €265pps
Monart, a destination spa in Wexford, is enticing guests with a September special of €265 per person sharing for a two-night weekend break.
The price includes bed and breakfast, access to the facilities and classes in a variety of activities. 053-9238999, www.monart.ie.
Five-star deals: from €215
Two five-star deals are available this month. The Four Seasons in Dublin is selling rooms for €215 per night, including breakfast. 01-6654000 www.fourseasons.com.
And, in Cork, the Capella Hotel at Castlemartyr has a midweek special of €179 per person sharing for two nights, including dinner one night.
021-4644050, www.capellacastlemartyr.com.
What's cooking in Cork?
Sue Holland, formerly of the Custom House Restaurant in Baltimore, will be sharing her knowledge at the Inish Beg cookery courses in October. Three two-day courses are planned from October 11th to 19th, and participants will learn to prepare and cook locally sourced produce, including from Inish Beg's own organic farm. 028-21745, www.inishbeg.com.
OVERSEAS BREAKS
Experience life in the saddle
If you always fancied yourself on the back of a horse, telling the cows what to do, then have a look at www.ranchrider.comfor a variety of places to go to experience the saddleback life.
During the autumn there is a variety of special offers, including some girls-only weeks and no single supplement on some ranches. The ranches are in Montana, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona. Prices from £759 (about €960). Flights are extra.
Down under: deals from €225
Australian Holidays has come up with a selection of short breaks on your journey down under. If you travel via Thailand or Vietnam, the Angkor Explorer will give you three days' guided tours of Angkor Wat and the temples, hotel accommodation and transfers from €255. 01-4350019, www.australianholidays.ie.
Post-Olympics trip: from €1,799
Now that the Olympics are coming to a close, maybe it is time to see what they did to make Beijing over for visitors.
Slattery's Travel is leading a post-Olympics trip to China's Golden Triangle, visiting both Shanghai and Xian.
The tour departs on September 26th for nine days, costs from €1,799, and includes all flights, accommodation, guides, tours and visas. 1890-200425, www.slatterys.com.
Breakaways: from €239pps
Abbey Travel has some good-value city breaks from October 23rd to December 11th. The three-night breaks, from Thursdays to Sundays, include Budapest from €239, Istanbul from €269 and Prague from €289. Prices are per person sharing, and include flights and accommodation. 01-8047100, www.abbeytravel.ie.
September sun: from €329
Sunshine deals for September with Direct Holidays include Crete, staying in the Stelva apartments in Piskopiano, from €339. Menorca is the quiet Balearic island, and a week in the Paradise Club apartments will cost from €329 per person sharing. 01-8860400, www.directholidays.ie.
Festivals in Tuscany
Two festivals coming up in Tuscany may tempt you to travel there. The first week in September is the Cacio al Fuso festival, which celebrates Pecorino cheese in the town of Pienza. Lots of fun and cheese-tasting. The second week of the month is the Chianti festival in Greve, where you can taste lots of chiantis from different suppliers.
To Tuscany has discounts of 20 to 40 per cent on a selection of self-catering properties. 01-6633939, www.to-tuscany.com.