It always helps when you’ve got an insider and ‘Austrian’ Aileen has done all the heavy lifting for us here.
To bring us up to date with what’s been happening around the Ski Welt since last we visited.
Kaiser Wilder things
Room with a view: Hotel Feldwebel
And a sample range of accommodations when you book your five-night stay through Wilder Kaiser for January 10-15.
4 Star Hotel Feldwebel – 5 nights for 2 sharing – from €1,305 including full breakfast.
4 Star Hotel Alpenschlössl – 5 nights for 2 sharing – from €1,085 half board plus skiers afternoon snack.
4 Star Hotel Berghof – 5 nights for 2 sharing – from €1,135 half board.
Appartement Unterbering – 5 nights for 2 sharing – from €760 room only.
Haus Niederacher – 5 nights for 2 sharing – from €465 room only.
And seeing that Aileen flies the flag on Austria for the Irish market, she rightly bigs up the 30 direct flights per week from Ireland, including Aer Lingus.
Get there how you can
Snow people: On the slopes
The Wilder Kaiser is just one and a half hours from Munich.
And the first Black Friday had nothing to do with shopping and everything to do with sheeping.
The Scottish Highlanders were only 128 miles from London on Friday, December 6, 1745, when they decided to turn their army around and head back to their sheep.
It was an ill-fated retreat and their English pursuers caught up with them at Culloden, near Inverness, on April 16, and smote them, a thing they did then and very sore.
These days the only injuries you’ll pick up are sore shins in the shopping rush, although this year it’ll be ‘digital finger’.
Your favourite Travel blogger is always happy to take one for the team so here’s my round-up.
Flyday Friday
And it’s not just off-the-rail fashion or white goods that are Black Friday regulars… we all love our airline giveaways too.
Ireland’s national airline Aer Lingus carrier have a headline offer of €100 off for a family of four bringing two checked bags to Gran Canaria in May.
While also flagging up plenty of other sun spots from which to choose.
Ryanair pride themselves on giving more away more often and are championing ‘Every Friday is Black Friday.’
Friday cruiseday
And our floating hotel firms are all about the sails.
Princess Cruises are offering deals with peak season sailings from €769pp through November 30.
They have 14 UK-based voyages from seven to 14 nights, departing between May and October.
Eleven of those voyages will travel round-trip from Southampton to destinations across northern Europe (maybe taking in here), the Med (and this) and the Canary Islands (us too).
The 3,560 guest Regal Princess will be based in the UK from April to October 30.
Fares start at €769pp for a seven-night cruise during peak season and €1209pp for a 14-night cruise.
And they are recommending booking a cruise this weekend and get up to $400 onboard credit and save up to $150 instantly.
And why wait? Because this is what you get and here too.
Friday skiday
Slope off to the mountains, where there’s plenty of social distancing, with Crystal Ski and get €150 off any booking up to April 2022.
All 2020/2021 holidays come with Covid Cover and free amends up to 28 days before departure.
And because Andorra is a favourite of Irish skiers. Depart January 10, stay self-catering in 3* Sant Roma Apartments, Arinsal from €292pps (four people sharing).
While Italy is mine. And why not spend yours in Sainte D’ouix, at the 3* Hotel Martin, half-board, from €544pps.
Offer runs through to Monday. Includes flights from Dublin.
And I’m not stopping there… more Black Friday deals coming up.
Start spreading the news… New York is more than just the city, although what a city! So start spreading out to New York State and start to discover its many charms.
Our friends at New York State who are never strangers and regularly come to see us in Dublin were in town again to share their wares.
NYS Partners represents Long Island, Greater Niagara, Buffalo, Wine, Water and Wonders NYS Tour and Dutchess County,
Bandanaman and Long Island are in more than nodding terms… it was my first billet in New York, aged just 17, when I stayed with my cousins.
Water water everywhere: Photo by Chait Goli on Pexels.com
It may surprise some that Long Island isn’t in New York but it’s not one of the five boroughs: Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten Island.
But who couldn’t be entranced by the Hamptons mansions on Long Island, the setting for The Great Gatsby and still hang-out for the rich and famous…
New York State has water, and what water with Niagara, wine, and Buffalo with its wings and that’s the nourishment I need.
And if you want the last word on it… then New York State came up with the logo I heart NY. Insert the heart emoji yourself. You don’t expect me to do everything for you!
The R&A, the guardians of golf, except for in the US and Mexico (go, figure) were at pains up in Royal Portrush on Sunday to promote the fact that the golf season now moves on.
From the Open Golf Championship… and that the Solheim Cup is on the horizon for Europe and America’s best golfers at Gleneagles.
Maybe you’re already making a late pitch for Catriona Matthew’s European team or you just want a bit of recreational golf. Either way this package at the world’s Best Golf Hotel (World Golf Awards 2018) will be right up your fairway.
Enjoy an overnight stay and two days’ golf at the 5* Dromoland Castle. Arrive on October 20 for a two-course lunch at the Fig Tree restaurant followed by an afternoon Golf Clinic with Head PGA pro Ian Kearney at the Dromoland Golf Academy. You’ll dine at night at the AA Restaurant of the Year, the Earl of Thomond Restaurant.
Don’t get too relaxed though. After breakfast the next day there’s an 18-hole Ladies competition, teeing off from 9am-10.30am followed by the prize-giving.
From €295pps. If you’ve got time you can avail of the self-guided woodland walks around the 450 acres estate and fun use of the Leisure Centre and swimming pool.
This week I hope to meet my cousins over here for a family get-together when the conversation will quickly turn to golf… their great passion. And foreign shores.
A favourite holiday destination of my Uncle and Aunt was the Seychelles and my cuzes could sell Seychelles on the sea shore.
And so can Tropical Sky. Particularly at these prices.
Try savings of up to €1700 per person on seven night stays at the 5* Banyan Tree, Seychelles for travel completed before September 30. The holiday is now €3189pp.
Each villa is furnished in a traditional Creole style and comes with a private pool, indoor sunken bath and the option of in-villa dining or BBQ.
Based on two sharing on a half-board basis and including flights from Dublin and transfers. Visit http://www.tropicalsky.ie or call (01) 664 9999.
And she’s usually (no, make that always) right. She told me that if she wanted my opinion she’d give it to me.
I know she makes a great Mum but I reckon my Scary One would have made a great Mummy in Egypt too.
She did though pass up on a trip out there a few years ago, though in retrospect I think she was wise to hold out for the real Egyptology over the resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.
Luxury Gold has two itineraries in Egypt in 2020. Each journey includes a luxurious voyage along the Nile aboard the deluxe all-suite River Tosca where you can relax on the sun deck, the pool or the shaded cabana.
Book before August 31 and save up to €1,000 per couple on departures between January and April.
Elegance of the Nile is 12 days with up to €1,000 saving per couple while Elegance of Egypt is seven days with a saving of up to €500 per couple. Visit http://www.luxurygoldvacations.com or call 1800 98 989 98.
All roads lead to Rhodes
Here’s a welcome: Rhodes. Photo by Jean van der Meulen on Pexels.com
You’ve left it late again. Don’t worry there are some great late deals to pick up.
TUI has Dublin to Rhodes, seven nights’ self-catering at the 2*+ Kassandra Apartment at Ialyssos from €449pps on August 28.
Or my old favourite for a late and good budget trip, Bulgaria. TUI has seven nights’ B&B on August 29 from €489pps.
Well, no. The sun may be splitting the heavens but the skiers among us never stop dreaming of a white one.
Crystal Ski Holidays has two for one lift passes on select winter holidays to Andorra, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland. With deposits starting from €150pp.
Depart on December 21 and stay in the 3* Borsat IV Apartments, Tignes on a self-catering basis for seven nights from €705pp (four sharing).
Depart on December 21, stay in the 3* Hotel L’Aigulle Rouge, Les Arcs on a half-board basis for seven nights from €879pp.
I’ll come back to New Year later… it would be ridiculous to think of that yet. I’ll leave it a week.
Center of everything
The €233m forest resort that is Center Parcs Longford Forest had a soft opening yesterday.
Special offers from €399 for three or four nights in a two-bedroom lodge off-peak. Visit http://www.centerparcs.ie for a full range of rates.
