Spend a week in Paris for under €200

Great Escapes: the best travel deals at home and abroad this week

Live like a Parisian and spend a week in  the French capital, staying near the Gare de Nord.
Live like a Parisian and spend a week in the French capital, staying near the Gare de Nord.

Spend a week in Paris for €197
Live like a Parisian and spend a week in a traditional part of the French capital, staying near the Gare de Nord. A week with Travelcheaper will include flights from Dublin on January 11th, room-only in the three-star Hotel de l'Europe. Take your time to explore the city and book some events and galleries, travelcheaper.ie, 021-4274417

Rome in December from €197

Take a three-day trip to Rome and visit St Peter’s
Take a three-day trip to Rome and visit St Peter’s

Take a three-day break to Rome in December when prices shrink and a hotel close to the Vatican is an ideal location for exploring. The oddly named Franklin Feel the Sound Hotel is a quick hop from the city centre and a short break in December will cost from €197 pps sharing with flights and accommodation, breakfast extra, clickandgo.com, 01-5397777.

€270 discounts on Barbados holidays

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Enjoy savings for early bookings to Barbados
Enjoy savings for early bookings to Barbados

Get away from it all and book a trip to Barbados by November 30th for travel between December 16th and April 30th for a discount of €270pps. On the picturesque west coast the adults only Sugar Cane Club hotel has two swimming pools, gym, spa and squash court. Try Bajan cuisine on the all-inclusive price from €1,629pps for a week. Book with Tropicalsky.ie, 01 6649999.

Leaving Cert holiday offers

Celebrate all the hard work for the  Leaving Cert with a break in Greece
Celebrate all the hard work for the Leaving Cert with a break in Greece

The Greek isle of Crete is one of the most popular destinations for post-Leaving Cert students. The beaches are gorgeous and the nightlife is very lively. There are lots of activities, from water-sports, to day trips and sight-seeing. A week in August at the Mika apartments near Hersonnissos will be from €519pps, travelbroker.ie, 01-8333921.

Five star luxury in Kildare from €130

Enjoy a midweek  break at the K Club before the Christmas excitement, €130pp dinner B&B.
Enjoy a midweek break at the K Club before the Christmas excitement, €130pp dinner B&B.

The K Club is very convenient for a weekday overnight from Dublin. The winter warmer special of €130pps includes overnight in a luxurious room, breakfast and a three course dinner in the Byerley Turk restaurant. There are also the lovely facilities to enjoy like the spa, walking the stunning grounds and maybe a round of golf (extra). Rates are from Sunday to Thursday. Kclub.ie, 01-6017200.

Best value holiday weeks of the year are in December

Head to  Praia da Rocha in Portimao, Portugal for some winter sun
Head to Praia da Rocha in Portimao, Portugal for some winter sun

Traditionally, the first two weeks in December are the lowest priced for trips to Spain, the Canary Islands and Portugal. A week in the Sunset Beach Club, Benelmadena, Spain, is from €278pps on December 3rd. Also on the Costa del Sol, the Eurostars Mijas Golf resort is from €272pps on the same date. Lanzarote from Cork staying in the Beatriz Playa Hotel in Matagorda is from €297pps and the Diverhotel in Lanzarote from Dublin is from €244pps on December 12th. The Vilanova Resort in Albufeira f rom December 2nd, Algarve from €124pps, book with steintravel.ie, 01-5175990.

Eleven nights in Torremolinos from €167pps
Spend 11 nights in the 3-star Apartamentos el Velero, Torremolinos from only €167pp, based on two sharing. Price includes return flights from Cork, accommodation on a self-catering basis. Travelling on December 6th, gohop.ie, 01-2412389.