Staycation Ireland.. Anyone doing it

supersaint3

beachhead wrote: »

No one posting here has mentioned prices or even availability in the country(R.O.I) so I guess the rich kids must be out to play.

Begrudge much

supersaint3

supersaint3 wrote: »

Begrudge much

Just for context we're off to clifden 2 adults 2 kids to a small house out side the town we booked in January for a week at the start of the July it cost us 400e we were dead lucky and even luckier that the restrictions lifted earlier even if it will be somewhat restricted, but we'll be on a different beach very day and do the shopping in Lidl and grab a €9 fish and chips and a few Guinness everyday and no one should be ashamed of doing similar or even more luxurious because of some miserable hoor on boards!

Clifden town centre self-catering late July. Live the white beaches in Connemara, and I haven’t been there too often, so will be a novelty.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Clare for four days in July. A friend is very kindly letting us stay in her holiday home free of charge (though we are going to give her a little something and some gifts). She said “I hope you get good weather!” and I said “Honestly, I don’t care if it’s raining. I just want a change of scenery badly”. I love Clare and the house is in a gorgeous location that looks beautiful even on a rainy day. Bring it!

chases0102

What websites are useful to search for self catering homes?

Very little availability left in my searches.....

odyssey06

chases0102 wrote: »

What websites are useful to search for self catering homes? Very little availability left in my searches.....

Have used this site in the past:
https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/en/ireland/

Not 100% sure, but think may be similar properties to:
https://www.hogansirishcottages.com/

drunkmonkey

chases0102 wrote: »

What websites are useful to search for self catering homes?

Very little availability left in my searches.....

Where, what dates...some places have management company's that look after all the short term rentals in the area, you could be best call them rather than depend on a website, they'll also call you if they have a cancellation etc.

Sheep Shagger

https://www.imagineireland.com

CBear1993

odyssey06 wrote: »

How do you know we will have such restrictions but that Portugal or elsewhere on the Continent wont in September?

You can get on a plane right now and fly to a lot of countries in Europe. Have friends that went to Portugal last week, and parents (in 50s) travelling to switzerland and austria next week.
- in the algarve the restaurants have been open for a while now, not sure about the bars but you can have a drink in the restaurants. Hotels, swimming pools etc are too. Water parks have restrictions but are opened.
A quick check on the tripadvisor forum will let you know what anywhere is like with the resident experts updating how it is in the towns/cities daily.

This country is way behind the rest of EU on reopening the economy. The same people praising the slow opening will be crying in the Winter when the economy is f*cked and we're taxed heavily for all the subsidy payments to people laying at home off work.

Not a chance will I be booking anywhere in Ireland. Will be in Germany in July now ( booking today) and Portugal in September - both of which might I add have the hotel cheaper than staying in a lot of irish hotels which I did a comparison to. The flights are cheap as - €66 return berlin for example - sure I'd spend that on fuel alone driving to kerry or cork and back.

If you want to staycation then do so yes. Some peopel are obviously immunosuppressed or have sick members of their family, or parents at risk etc etc.
But I do think we need to drop the "begrudge other people who are making their own decisions to fly abroad" mentality. The extreme majority of posters on here are not immunologists/experts on the matter - all of the information we are getting is speculation.

If you look at the figures, you actually have as much chance of catching the virus in Dublin on a "daytrip/staycation" than some other European cities where the infection rate is extremely low. Check the flights coming into this country during lockdown and even still today - the data is available on dublin airport arrivals, and don't tell me its for irish people flying home or PPE :rolleyes: :rolleyes: There are tourists arriving in here daily - you can see them around Dublin on their "holidays". We've all kept our promise for the most part, the government aren't. They're making fools of people who are choosing to stay home and instilling scaremongering tactics.

The amount of Irish people that are booking trips in July/August already is massive. No stupid rule from Simon and the boys trying to force people to spend money on massively overpriced accommodation in Ireland is working.

The weather was amazing a few weeks ago for June Bank Holiday, but it still is Ireland. I know I'd rather pump €500-1000 into a few days abroad for a change of scenery and lasting memories than a few days on the coast here where it could be lashing, windy and dull for the duration. Not to mention these hotel and bar restrictions are absolutely hilarious - what tourist in their right mind from any part of the world would come here this summer? I'd be telling them to avoid it.

cee_jay

We are going camping in Clare for a week.
We go camping every year, a few times during the summer - normally a long weekend at the start of June (didn't get to do that this year), then a week in July (we are going to Clare for 5 nights this year, visiting family for 2 nights en route), and another long weekend towards end of August (we haven't booked this yet, will see what the facilities are like (cleanliness wise) in July before deciding).
Last year we went to Antrim (Bushmills) camping for 4 nights in June and it was fabulous. We had some heavy rain showers, but plenty of sunshine, and it is a gorgeous part of the country.

We have a really good tent that cost a bit, but the cost of the holiday itself is really low - our 5 nights in July will be €125 for the campsite!

JimmyVik

We booked Killarney in July.
2 bed house self catering. €1100 for the week.
Now I see in my inbox a lovely hotel 1 street off the the promenade in Nice, France, that we stayed in before, looking for €650 for the same week.
If the flights work out we might just cancel Killarney.

Will wait a week or so and see about it.
I dont want to fly, but ....

CBear1993

JimmyVik wrote: »

We booked Killarney in July.
2 bed house self catering. €1100 for the week.
Now I see in my inbox a lovely hotel 1 street off the the promenade in Nice, France, that we stayed in before, looking for €650 for the same week.
If the flights work out we might just cancel Killarney.

Will wait a week or so and see about it.
I dont want to fly, but ....

€1100 :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:



:eek:

Get what you mean about the flying. It's a hateful situation as people who don't want to risk flying also don't want to be ripped off here. Would you consider ferry then driving into france? Eats into your time if days off are limited.

afkasurfjunkie

chases0102 wrote: »

What websites are useful to search for self catering homes?

Very little availability left in my searches.....

I found same when searching last night too. Poor quality websites with poor search engines. I just can’t bring myself to pay €1000 for a tiny house where it may rain for the week. We’ve three young kids including a baby so need decent facilities. I just couldn’t face into camping with a 6 month old.

fits

afkasurfjunkie wrote: »

I found same when searching last night too. Poor quality websites with poor search engines. I just can’t bring myself to pay €1000 for a tiny house where it may rain for the week. We’ve three young kids including a baby so need decent facilities. I just couldn’t face into camping with a 6 month old.

Could you try one of the hotels with self catering attached? Eg Station House Clifden

s1ippy

For anyone planning on coming to Cork, don't. It's terrible. Too crowded. Stay away. That's all I have to contribute.

afkasurfjunkie

fits wrote: »

Could you try one of the hotels with self catering attached? Eg Station House Clifden

Didn’t realise the Station House has self catering attached. Thanks. Off to google I go...
Had forgotten about Sykes cottages website too. Good range on that.

JimmyVik

CBear1993 wrote: »

€1100 :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:



:eek:

Get what you mean about the flying. It's a hateful situation as people who don't want to risk flying also don't want to be ripped off here. Would you consider ferry then driving into france? Eats into your time if days off are limited.

I was thinking about that but that is a long time traveling there and back and the ferry is expensive.

JimmyVik

fits wrote: »

Could you try one of the hotels with self catering attached? Eg Station House Clifden

€270 per night

Sheep Shagger

€1100 for a week sounds very steep.

Loads of options 40-50% of that price at https://www.imagineireland.com

fits

JimmyVik wrote: »

€270 per night

Cripes!

Our night in mount Juliet is cheaper.

woodchuck

We're planning 2 weeks in Kerry in July. We have most of our accommodation booked now. We're desperate for a break and a change of scenery at this stage. We never normally do staycations apart from the odd weekend, but we don't want to worry about flights being cancelled etc.

JimmyVik wrote: »

But the management have told them that the pool is very unlikely to be oipen and if it is they will give guests a 1 hour slot for the pool.
They dont think people will be able to be in the bar at all. Maybe 20 per night as people go to the bar and they stay, so first 20 in will probably be there all night if it opens.
Sounds like a miserable experience to me. I dont go to a hotel to stay just in my room. I do it becuase they have things to do and I can relax.

This doesn't bother us. We plan to stay in a mix of BnBs and AirBnBs. Can't go to the pool or bar if they don't have one anyway :P For us, accommodation is just a half decent place where we can sleep and shower. We don't go on holidays to stay in the hotel, we go on holidays to explore the area.

But I agree that if you like going to a fancy hotel to make use of their facilities, you won't get value for money this summer.

kippy

opinionated3 wrote: »

I don't really, I'm going more in hope that Portugal will be more accepting by then. Our governments approach to ending the lockdown is painfully slow compared to other European countries so I think staycations are going be devoid of fun and generally a waste of my hard earned money. It's a shame, because normally I like to support Irish business's and local business, but I'm not interested in being ripped off by expensive accommodation for a handful of nights, and then to be told that a night out socialising is restricted to 90 mins.

In fairness, socialising right across Europe will be much different for the next 6-12 months.

We had planned to be in Spain for a couple of weeks in July for the first foreign holiday in a few years but thats off so will be a week in the West and a few days up North coupled with a few day trips.

Cape Clear

Have a week booked in West Cork at the start of August in a mobile home for under €400. Worth having a look at air B&B, book.com and the self catering section of Done Deal. Gumtree does also have some ads. With a bit of leg work something within a reasonable budge6t can be gotten. There seem to be better value properties available generally on the west & north west in comparison to south and east.

Technocentral

Hate all those Yank expressions like "Staycation", I just call it holidaying at home, going to stay in a Lighthouse, Gally Head in Cork end of July 650 for 3 nights for the two of us, driving straight there and self catering don't care about going to pubs etc so will be safe, always wanted to stay in a lighthouse. Re places in Ireland being expensive surely people have saved loads of money since March, we have anyway?

JimmyVik

Technocentral wrote: »

Hate all those Yank expressions like "Staycation", I just call it holidaying at home, going to stay in a Lighthouse, Gally Head in Cork end of July 650 for 3 nights for the two of us, driving straight there and self catering don't care about going to pubs etc so will be safe, always wanted to stay in a lighthouse. Re places in Ireland being expensive surely people have saved loads of money since March, we have anyway?

Wait for that line from Leo, mehole and Eamon come budget day.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

One thing I’m determined not to do is cook, even though we’re staying in a holiday home. So it’ll be cereal and yogurt for breakfast and takeaways from restaurants in the locality for the other meals.

Technocentral

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

One thing I’m determined not to do is cook, even though we’re staying in a holiday home. So it’ll be cereal and yogurt for breakfast and takeaways from restaurants in the locality for the other meals.

Part of the fun is cooking, we are making a veg curry here and heating it up down there for first two nights evening meals. Having Mexican eggs on the 2nd day for breakfast that we are cooking there etc.

kippy

Technocentral wrote: »

Part of the fun is cooking, we are making a veg curry here and heating it up down there for first two nights evening meals. Having Mexican eggs on the 2nd day for breakfast that we are cooking there etc.

I suppose it depends on your environment.
I prefer a break from the cooking and cleanup while on holidays outside of a BBQ if the weather allows but I wouldn't class that as cooking

odyssey06

Technocentral wrote: »

Part of the fun is cooking, we are making a veg curry here and heating it up down there for first two nights evening meals. Having Mexican eggs on the 2nd day for breakfast that we are cooking there etc.

Same here. Looking forward to checking out local butchers and fishmongers around Carlingford and doing some different dishes. Lamb and oyster territory.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

Technocentral wrote: »

Part of the fun is cooking, we are making a veg curry here and heating it up down there for first two nights evening meals. Having Mexican eggs on the 2nd day for breakfast that we are cooking there etc.

No, it really isn’t. I’ve been doing nothing but cooking for three months. Nothing but lounging, please. That’s what holidays are for me. A break for usual activities.

kippy wrote: »

I suppose it depends on your environment.
I prefer a break from the cooking and cleanup while on holidays outside of a BBQ if the weather allows but I wouldn't class that as cooking

Exactly. I don’t want to cook or clean up on holidays. Minimal washing up at most.

Seamai

Technocentral wrote: »

Hate all those Yank expressions like "Staycation", I just call it holidaying at home, going to stay in a Lighthouse, Gally Head in Cork end of July 650 for 3 nights for the two of us, driving straight there and self catering don't care about going to pubs etc so will be safe, always wanted to stay in a lighthouse. Re places in Ireland being expensive surely people have saved loads of money since March, we have anyway?

That sounds really cool, it's as beautiful part of the world. Castlefreke / Long Strand is only 5 minutes away, great for walks though the strong currents make it unsafe for swimming but there are other beaches nearby. Rosscarberry which has to be one of Ireland's prettiest villages with some good eating options should you want them is only 15 minutes away.
Enjoy!

TheAnalyst_

Not sure if it has been said yet. A staycation is when you stay at home and treat it like a holiday.

Otherwise its just a holiday/vacation.

MrKingsley

TheAnalyst_ wrote: »

Not sure if it has been said yet. A staycation is when you stay at home and treat it like a holiday.

Otherwise its just a holiday/vacation.

So when I was a kid (and I’m only in my early 30s) we spent our holidays in Bettystown. They were most certainly holidays. I’m not sure what my mum would’ve done if we asked when we were going for our staycation

On topic though anyone looking for a nice trip I can’t recommend the Waterford-Dungarvan greenway enough. Plenty to see and do at both ends of it. It really is a gorgeous part of the country

Seamai

MrKingsley wrote: »

So when I was a kid (and I’m only in my early 30s) we spent our holidays in Bettystown. They were most certainly holidays. I’m not sure what my mum would’ve done if we asked when we were going for our staycation

On topic though anyone looking for a nice trip I can’t recommend the Waterford-Dungarvan greenway enough. Plenty to see and do at both ends of it. It really is a gorgeous part of the country

Dugarvan has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years with some really good eating options. A few kms inland you've got the Comeragh mountains with some stunning scenery and you're right that greenway is fantastic, I love the section south of Ballyvoyle tunnel where you hit the coast above Clonea strand.

shooter69

Technocentral wrote: »

Hate all those Yank expressions like "Staycation", I just call it holidaying at home, going to stay in a Lighthouse, Gally Head in Cork end of July 650 for 3 nights for the two of us, driving straight there and self catering don't care about going to pubs etc so will be safe, always wanted to stay in a lighthouse. Re places in Ireland being expensive surely people have saved loads of money since March, we have anyway?

Stayed in Galley head Lighthouse few years back , fantastic and a credit to the landmark trust who restore and run these places. Great walks around Galley head and Inchadoney and near clonakilty too for great food and pints , enjoy !

s1ippy

We tell everyone we're going away and then stay at home without anyone interrupting us, it's absolutely fantastic and completely free from any additional cost.

Seamai

Technocentral wrote: »

Hate all those Yank expressions like "Staycation", I just call it holidaying at home, going to stay in a Lighthouse, Gally Head in Cork end of July 650 for 3 nights for the two of us, driving straight there and self catering don't care about going to pubs etc so will be safe, always wanted to stay in a lighthouse. Re places in Ireland being expensive surely people have saved loads of money since March, we have anyway?

Shooter69 mentioned Clonakilty, a great little town, if you're planning cooking in rather than eating out, the SuperValu in the town is one of the best in the country. I had friends from London self catering in the area last summer and they were gobsmacked at the variety of products they had, said it was better than anything they had back home.

Cape Clear

Seamai wrote: »

Shooter69 mentioned Clonakilty, a great little town, if you're planning cooking in rather than eating out, the SuperValu in the town is one of the best in the country. I had friends from London self catering in the area last summer and they were gobsmacked at the variety of products they had, said it was better than anything they had back home.

Some great produce available up and down the country with some great restaurants hidden here and there. I would recommend this place for anyone staying near Kenmare or further a field it is well worth the drive. A holiday at home is a different experience to taking a week in a European sun trap for the most part and shouldn't really be compared like and like in my view.

http://josiesrestaurant.ie/

DellyBelly

It's the weather that is the problem here. It's so frickin depressing.

fits

Cape Clear wrote: »

Some great produce available up and down the country with some great restaurants hidden here and there. I would recommend this place for anyone staying near Kenmare or further a field it is well worth the drive. A holiday at home is a different experience to taking a week in a European sun trap for the most part and shouldn't really be compared like and like in my view.

http://josiesrestaurant.ie/

Two hour drive from Dingle!

fits

DellyBelly wrote: »

It's the weather that is the problem here. It's so frickin depressing.

I usually don’t mind it. You can get out most days. April and May have been consistently lovely in recent years although I agree July and August can often be disappointing. I think Mediterranean temperatures in July would be too much for my family. I really don’t like it much above 25.

We should be in France today. Just checked the campsite - 15 degrees. Brrrr

BraveDonut

Supposed to be in the Algarve for two weeks right now :-(
Flights were cancelled, so I can get the refund

Looked at west of Ireland house rental but the kids decided they didn't want to come (They are old enough to stay home)

So, booked 7 nights in 7 different hotels

Letterkenny
Westport
Clifden
Galway City
Doolin
Dingle
Kinsale

I don't care if the weather is not good - lots of sightseeing and beach walks.
Hopefully the pubs/restaurants will be okay in late August...

pcasso

odyssey06 wrote: »

Same here. Looking forward to checking out local butchers and fishmongers around Carlingford and doing some different dishes. Lamb and oyster territory.

Savages butchers in Carlingford town are really great.
Lamb and beef are absolutely top drawer and their olive fed pork is the nicest pork I have ever tasted. A real old fashioned but great butchers.
Morgans seafood in Omeath ( well actually a couple of miles outside of Omeath driving into the mountains) is a wholesalers which has a shop open to the public.
They normally have a great selection of fish there at very reasonable prices and if you are there for a while, they may even be able to source something they don't normally have, on request.

drunkmonkey

BraveDonut wrote: »

Supposed to be in the Algarve for two weeks right now :-(
Flights were cancelled, so I can get the refund

Looked at west of Ireland house rental but the kids decided they didn't want to come (They are old enough to stay home)

So, booked 7 nights in 7 different hotels

Letterkenny
Westport
Clifden
Galway City
Doolin
Dingle
Kinsale

I don't care if the weather is not good - lots of sightseeing and beach walks.
Hopefully the pubs/restaurants will be okay in late August...

In a row? That's madness it's a lot of territory to cover it'll feel rushed..

odyssey06

pcasso wrote: »

Savages butchers in Carlingford town are really great.
Lamb and beef are absolutely top drawer and their olive fed pork is the nicest pork I have ever tasted. A real old fashioned but great butchers.
Morgans seafood in Omeath ( well actually a couple of miles outside of Omeath driving into the mountains) is a wholesalers which has a shop open to the public.
They normally have a great selection of fish there at very reasonable prices and if you are there for a while, they may even be able to source something they don't normally have, on request.

Snap, they're the two places on my goto list
Didn't realise that about the pork in Savages, must check that out, the range and quality of their lamb is fantastic.

pc7

Got a good price for short stay in a hotel early July in Ireland, will give it a whirl, pool, playground etc. to be open so will see what its like.

Cape Clear

BraveDonut wrote: »

Supposed to be in the Algarve for two weeks right now :-(
Flights were cancelled, so I can get the refund

Looked at west of Ireland house rental but the kids decided they didn't want to come (They are old enough to stay home)

So, booked 7 nights in 7 different hotels

Letterkenny
Westport
Clifden
Galway City
Doolin
Dingle
Kinsale

I don't care if the weather is not good - lots of sightseeing and beach walks.
Hopefully the pubs/restaurants will be okay in late August...

That's some Wild Atlantic Way tour you have planned. 10 years ago we did something similar over 2 weeks or so. A great holiday it was but changing accommodation most nights was fun at the start but tiresome towards the end. Would do it again but would be inclined to stay 2-3 nights in various places and explore the locality more or just chill out for a day in a particular location.

JimmyVik

DellyBelly wrote: »

It's the weather that is the problem here. It's so frickin depressing.

Agree completely.
Chances of crap weather during your hard earned summer holiday in Ireland - Extremely high. Remember going on one where we just packed up and went home. Lashing rain and the forecast said another week of the same, so we just went home.

Sheep Shagger

JimmyVik wrote: »

Agree completely.
Chances of crap weather during your hard earned summer holiday in Ireland - Extremely high. Remember going on one where we just packed up and went home. Lashing rain and the forecast said another week of the same, so we just went home.

This is why we've decided to stay home in Dublin and do day trips. If the weather is **** at least the kids have the space here instead of being confined to either a hotel or small house (as do the adults!)

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

drunkmonkey wrote: »

In a row? That's madness it's a lot of territory to cover it'll feel rushed..

No, I’ve done that before. It’s quite invigorating. Waking up somewhere new every day.