Staycation Ireland.. Anyone doing it

Banana Republic.

It’s been quiet a brilliantly mad 3 days so far in Achill Island, storms, gales, sun, weather changing by the minute but I wouldn’t change any of it. Camp site is class 63 euro for 3 nights per car for camping, Keel camping and caravan park. The facilities are very good, few things not open (games room) but so much to do around the island. Few places we were in restiamo wise we’re either brilliant customer service or crap. The best was a cool place called “Pure Magic”. Food, location & service were so so brilliant. Aquarium and Crazy golf on the island too amongst many things. Went for a swim in The Atlantic this morning in Keem Bay, Wow amazing, Go to Achill Island it will not disappoint and stop in Westport and Newport on the way, simply beautiful Happy Staycationer Plus The Internet coverage is unbelievably brilliant.

Chopper83

Does anyone have any recommendations for a lodge or accomodation within hotel grounds that we could access?

Family with small kids and think self catering lodge yet access to hotel facilitie pool etc.. would be the best option.

Coming from the north but willing to drive up to 4 hours so not as far as Kerry or Cork.

Thanks!

dia squish

Are spas open these days? Would like to go away overnight for a spa day type thing. Are saunas, steam rooms, treatments, etc. open in most hotels?

Any recommendations welcome also!

Irish_rat

Hiked up to purple mountain from the gap of dunloe yesterday. Some amount of American tourists around.

Seamai

Heading to Sligo next week, staying in a hotel, booked a restaurant for the first night so we're not caught out. The plan was to get bookings for as late as possible with the hope that we could maybe squeeze in another drink after dinner. The place we booked could only fit us in a the 8.30pm and were told we had to be gone for 10.00pm, so what to do then? Are we better focussing on bars that do food? Don't fancy heading back to the hotel that early.
Any suggestions from anyone in Sligo town?

Brock Turnpike

Seamai wrote: »

Heading to Sligo next week, staying in a hotel, booked a restaurant for the first night so we're not caught out. The plan was to get bookings for as late as possible with the hope that we could maybe squeeze in another drink after dinner. The place we booked could only fit us in a the 8.30pm and were told we had to be gone for 10.00pm, so what to do then? Are we better focussing on bars that do food? Don't fancy heading back to the hotel that early.
Any suggestions from anyone in Sligo town?

Honestly, I think you should reset you're expectations. Most places won't let tourists stay beyond the 105 mins. By all means you can try to set it up that you have a late meal and get to stay on for a couple of drinks afterwards but just be prepared for to be heading home after your 105 mins are up.

beggars_bush

Seamai wrote: »

Heading to Sligo next week, staying in a hotel, booked a restaurant for the first night so we're not caught out. The plan was to get bookings for as late as possible with the hope that we could maybe squeeze in another drink after dinner. The place we booked could only fit us in a the 8.30pm and were told we had to be gone for 10.00pm, so what to do then? Are we better focussing on bars that do food? Don't fancy heading back to the hotel that early.
Any suggestions from anyone in Sligo town?

Cans

CosmicFool

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Honestly, I think you should reset you're expectations. Most places won't let tourists stay beyond the 105 mins. By all means you can try to set it up that you have a late meal and get to stay on for a couple of drinks afterwards but just be prepared for to be heading home after your 105 mins are up.

We stayed in a hotel in Waterford. They closed their restaurant/bar at 9pm to the public and let residents drink away till 11.30. Set up was very good. I'll be going back.

Brock Turnpike

CosmicFool wrote: »

We stayed in a hotel in Waterford. They closed their restaurant/bar at 9pm to the public and let residents drink away till 11.30. Set up was very good. I'll be going back.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen. I'm saying going with the expectation that it will happen is not the right way to approach it. It'll be the exception rather than the rule, more than likely.

CBear1993

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Honestly, I think you should reset you're expectations. Most places won't let tourists stay beyond the 105 mins. By all means you can try to set it up that you have a late meal and get to stay on for a couple of drinks afterwards but just be prepared for to be heading home after your 105 mins are up.

Maybe you need to get out more Brock, or you haven’t been going to the right places. I’ve been several times with friends and just me and partner and no one has ever asked us to leave yet.

You’ll receive your bill by the end of the 105 mins alright to cover the restaurant, but get sitting on no problem.

Anyone you talk to traveling around Ireland has had great craic in pubs in different counties.

Thankfully no policed state yet and a logical approach

sligoblue

Seamai wrote: »

Heading to Sligo next week, staying in a hotel, booked a restaurant for the first night so we're not caught out. The plan was to get bookings for as late as possible with the hope that we could maybe squeeze in another drink after dinner. The place we booked could only fit us in a the 8.30pm and were told we had to be gone for 10.00pm, so what to do then? Are we better focussing on bars that do food? Don't fancy heading back to the hotel that early.
Any suggestions from anyone in Sligo town?

Sligo has one of the lowest incidences of Covid in the country, the bars/restaurants/hotels are very well organised, and, are not in any hurry to ask you to leave. We book for last sittings and have had no problems staying on until closing. A lot of bars have fobs on the tables which you press to get service.

For good bar food and relaxed drinking, try the Fiddlers Creek, for a little more upmarket food/cocktails Walkers 1781, Hargadons is very good, if you don’t mind driving/getting taxi to Strandhill, The Venue is great for seafood and the Strand bar has a good menu with excellent food.

Brock Turnpike

Be careful out there, folks. Appears some counties aren't adhering to the rules.

CBear1993

Brock must live in cork or Dublin.

Was in cork for a weekend back in July and it was like politically correct England people on acid. Nosy neighbors and all that crap.

May as well have just brought a bottle to piss in than asking to go to the toilet in a certain hotel in west cork. One way systems and looking at you as if you had 4 heads when sitting outside on the grass in the sun with a pint from the pub/restaurant in union hall.

CBear1993

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Be careful out there, folks. Appears some counties aren't adhering to the rules.

It’s called learning to live with it.

People like you will gladly let the current rules stay in place for another 2 years because it suits your narrative.

opinionated3

Other half is trying to organise a couple of nights away in Kerry or Sligo this week. I've absolutely no interest in it at all. Consider it a waste of our hard earned money but of course I'll go along with whatever she books. Not looking forward to what seems like the total lack of spontaneity. My head is a bit wrecked from this year. I keep telling myself "cop yourself on... There's people in way worse positions than you", but I just want 2020 to end and hopefully a new dawn next year.

CosmicFool

Is the 105 minutes only for places where the strict 2 metre social distancing isn't possible? That's what I read from an Irish Times article on Saturday anyways

Brock Turnpike

CBear1993 wrote: »

It’s called learning to live with it.

People like you will gladly let the current rules stay in place for another 2 years because it suits your narrative.

What's my narrative, CBear?

Seamai

CosmicFool wrote: »

Is the 105 minutes only for places where the strict 2 metre social distancing isn't possible? That's what I read from an Irish Times article on Saturday anyways

That's my understanding of it. I'm just curious about dining outdoors, does the 105 minute rule also apply?

bladespin

Brock Turnpike wrote: »

Be careful out there, folks. Appears some counties aren't adhering to the rules.

Vast majority are though each has their own way of interpreting the guidelines, drinks before and after dinner are fine depending on the setup etc.

Seamai

beggars_bush wrote: »

Cans

TBH it's not about the alcohol, I'm not much of a drinker, it's more about not having to head back to the hotel room at 10.00 because there is nothing to do. At this point we're toying with postponing till a later date but this morning on It Says in the Papers there was a mention of pubs possibly opening on the 14th so we'll hold fast for a day or two.

Brock Turnpike

Seamai wrote: »

TBH it's not about the alcohol, I'm not much of a drinker, it's more about not having to head back to the hotel room at 10.00 because there is nothing to do.

This is very similar for me and is there one frustration I have about the restrictions for a night out. It's the ability to stop in somewhere for a drink before or after dinner. And in my experience recently, it wasn't happening in all that many places and we were hang to head straight back home after eating.

Cape Clear

Chopper83 wrote: »

Does anyone have any recommendations for a lodge or accomodation within hotel grounds that we could access?

Family with small kids and think self catering lodge yet access to hotel facilitie pool etc.. would be the best option.

Coming from the north but willing to drive up to 4 hours so not as far as Kerry or Cork.

Thanks!

Might be of interest. We stayed there in Sept. 16 & May 17. Pool and play ground was mostly deserted.

https://www.faithlegg.com/

tobdom

Chopper83 wrote: »

Does anyone have any recommendations for a lodge or accomodation within hotel grounds that we could access?

Family with small kids and think self catering lodge yet access to hotel facilitie pool etc.. would be the best option.

Coming from the north but willing to drive up to 4 hours so not as far as Kerry or Cork.

Thanks!

Self-catering apartments at Falls Hotel & Spa in Ennistymon

Self-catering apartments at Station House Hotel in Clifden (which has been in the news recently....)

Cape Clear

tobdom wrote: »

Self-catering apartments at Falls Hotel & Spa in Ennistymon

Self-catering apartments at Station House Hotel in Clifden (which has been in the news recently....)

Fore!

CBear1993

CBear1993 wrote: »

Anyone you talk to traveling around Ireland has had great craic in pubs in different counties.

Thankfully no policed state yet and a logical approach

Not true, I didn't have great Craic. We had to stick to a rigid timetable, no drink for residents without food, no drink to bedrooms & strict times to drink after eating.
I'll be staying in air b&bs from now on!

JimmyVik

bubblypop wrote: »

Not true, I didn't have great Craic. We had to stick to a rigid timetable, no drink for residents without food, no drink to bedrooms & strict times to drink after eating.
I'll be staying in air b&bs from now on!

Same for us.
Such a downer. Book everything. Time limits on everything.
Want to go to the pool. Ring first and book a time slot.
Want breakfast. Book it.
Want to go to a cafe. Queue up outside the door and wait.=
Everything is the same.

Its not what a holiday is for me.
I want to be able to do whatever takes my fancy on any day even as i walk past it.

knipper

We had similar checked in at hotel for 5 nights only to be told the pool was booked out for the week. Managed to get a few last minute cancellations bit had to drop everything and go to get your hour. Went to cinema on rainy day and everything was sold out so back to the hotel room. Couldn't go to the bar as we weren't long after breakfast and not hungry. Watched hotel telly instead. Didn't exactly feel like a holiday and not cheap.

JimmyVik

Was talking to a friend yesterday. He has booked centerparcs for later this year. He booked it last January.
Now the number one reason he booked it is the pool. He went there last year and they went to the pool twice a day even when it was snowing outside.
So he has just found out that he is there for 3 days but only allowed into the pool twice in total during that 3 days.
Thats not what he booked so now he will cancel.
Its just not a nice experience going away and paying through the nose for a restricted holiday.

mel123

I wont be doing it again. Have been away twice during the pandemic so far. Once end of July and then last weekend.

Hotels charging ridiculous amounts of money, even higher than before, and most amenities are not available to paying guests, if anything the rates should be reduced! Prices on the menus all gone up as well, funny how all the starters are gone up to 9 euro. Having to plan exactly when i want my breakfast, lunch and dinner, when i want to go for a swim etc is not my idea of a holiday. I dont sit in a bar getting plastered, but id like to be able to sit and people watch in peace over a drink and decide when I want to go bed.

NaiveMelodies

Does this evenings news rule out holidays this weekend for Dubliners?