Staycation Ireland.. Anyone doing it

bladespin

Cape Clear wrote: »

I wouldn't just limit the question to Centerparc's! Any one staying at a hotel this year or last probably paid above the odds for reduced service offerings.

Absolutely, treated the mrs to a night away last summer, booked a 'King' room, 4 poster etc just to show off etc, got there to find all the 'luxuries' had been removed as they were regarded as 'touch' points, funny how the price hadn't been reduced to reflect you were in fact getting nothing more than a big but basic room - turned out to not be much bigger than an average room in fact as well.

ShamNNspace

Looks like really bad value for money to me

JimmyVik

ShamNNspace wrote: »

Looks like really bad value for money to me

The pool would want to be nice for that price

neris

Due at an event in Kinsale in June would be checking into accommodation on a Tuesday and out on Saturday, have looked into a hotel for 2 of us and a bog standard double room is €650. Hope the event is cancelled

stuboy01

Booked a cottage for a week just outside Westport, €500 blips. Steal.

The Davestator

bladespin wrote: »

Absolutely, treated the mrs to a night away last summer, booked a 'King' room, 4 poster etc just to show off etc, got there to find all the 'luxuries' had been removed as they were regarded as 'touch' points, funny how the price hadn't been reduced to reflect you were in fact getting nothing more than a big but basic room - turned out to not be much bigger than an average room in fact as well.

had the exact same experience. All the nice things about staying in a hotel gone. No sitting having a drink before going out for dinner, no sitting with a beer in the lobby by the fire (due to €9 meal nonsense) No toiletries, no ice machine on the corridor. Basically, every cost saving measure they could find!

combat14

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

How Centerparc get away with charging so much for a reduced service and limited swimming pool slots is beyond me.

If only people refused to book whilst this nonsense happens.

have to cancel typically 10 weeks in advance too....... which is not a great incentive to book

Cape Clear

stuboy01 wrote: »

Booked a cottage for a week just outside Westport, €500 blips. Steal.

Good work just goes to show that reasonably prices accommodation is still available despite the sound bites that were been sent out earlier in the year.

Cape Clear

Cape Clear wrote: »

Good work just goes to show that reasonably prices accommodation is still available despite the sound bites that were been sent out earlier in the year.

Very much the exception though.

spuddy4711

We booked a few days b/b out west for August. Got a call asking if I could pay in advance, they are struggling to keep going. They are registered with Revenue for the 20% tax back scheme, this is where customers can reclaim 20% of the cost of food and accommodation up to a limit.
The scheme finishes end April, they don’t think it will be extended. Very few people have benefited.
So, they believe that if I pay now, I can claim 20% back, as I can show Revenue a receipt dated before end April. We often stay there, they are legit. Anyone else doing this ?

JimmyVik

neris wrote: »

Due at an event in Kinsale in June would be checking into accommodation on a Tuesday and out on Saturday, have looked into a hotel for 2 of us and a bog standard double room is €650. Hope the event is cancelled

Oh dear, im so sorry. Ive got a sore throat and a cough.
I cant go to your event

JimmyVik

spuddy4711 wrote: »

We booked a few days b/b out west for August. Got a call asking if I could pay in advance, they are struggling to keep going. They are registered with Revenue for the 20% tax back scheme, this is where customers can reclaim 20% of the cost of food and accommodation up to a limit.
The scheme finishes end April, they don’t think it will be extended. Very few people have benefited.
So, they believe that if I pay now, I can claim 20% back, as I can show Revenue a receipt dated before end April. We often stay there, they are legit. Anyone else doing this ?

I dont believe you can claim it back. Its the date of the meal or stay, not the date on the receipt.
If they are saying this to people then they need to provide the proof to them when they say it to them.

If i have learned anything over the last year it is to only book refundable services and pay nothing in advance if possible. If i cant find anywhere where i have to pay nothing in advance, then only ever pay minimum at that point in time.
I used to like paying everything well in advance to get it out of the way, but last year i lost so much money after doing that. Never again.

SusanC10

JimmyVik wrote: »

If i have learned anything over the last year it is to only book refundable services and pay nothing in advance if possible. If i cant find anywhere where i have to pay nothing in advance, then only ever pay minimum at that point in time.
I used to like paying everything well in advance to get it out of the way, but last year i lost so much money after doing that. Never again.

Agree with this tbh. Anything we book now is either totally refundable up to a short time before we are due to depart or a small deposit (€99) which we are ok with losing.
We keep a separate Holiday Fund Account and pay into that every month instead of paying off a holiday so to speak. Any refund go back in there too.

Cape Clear

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Very much the exception though.

I have no idea if this is the case but it's worth noting a few things.

Some properties haven't yet opened up for online bookings.
People have booked multiple breaks which they don't intend taking as a result of flexible cancellation policy.

Out of interest I had a quick look at air bnb. There is currently 165 properties available for under €600 nationally for the week 3rd to 10th of July. These include caravans, camping, apartments, houses etc.

stuboy01

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

Very much the exception though.

A mixed bag to be honest. Used a site specializing in cottages i seem to remember, some bargains to be had if you're happy to be based outside the towns. I'm familiar with Mayo so was happy to be a 10min drive from westport. Properties in the towns were very steep though.

Cape Clear

stuboy01 wrote: »

A mixed bag to be honest. Used a site specializing in cottages i seem to remember, some bargains to be had if you're happy to be based outside the towns. I'm familiar with Mayo so was happy to be a 10min drive from westport. Properties in the towns were very steep though.

Local knowledge is very useful when searching.

harr

spuddy4711 wrote: »

We booked a few days b/b out west for August. Got a call asking if I could pay in advance, they are struggling to keep going. They are registered with Revenue for the 20% tax back scheme, this is where customers can reclaim 20% of the cost of food and accommodation up to a limit.
The scheme finishes end April, they don’t think it will be extended. Very few people have benefited.
So, they believe that if I pay now, I can claim 20% back, as I can show Revenue a receipt dated before end April. We often stay there, they are legit. Anyone else doing this ?

They are struggling to keep open and what guests to pay full amount up front for a trip that might not happen .. like said already it’s the date you stay not the date you pay for your accommodation.
I would be very wary of anywhere currently who are not offering cancellations of bookings .
I have seen a few hotels offer very good deals on pay more options and no cancellations refunds for August.
We would all like to think we will be able or travel by then but the way things can happen at short notice we have no guarantee.

poisonated

I just booked a hotel for the June bank holiday. Hotels are very pricey for that weekend. If you want a 5 star, you are looking at the guts of a thousand euro for a couple of nights. I couldn’t justify that to myself so I booked 4 star. It’s still over 500 euro for 2 nights room only.

Patser

poisonated wrote: »

I just booked a hotel for the June bank holiday. Hotels are very pricey for that weekend. If you want a 5 star, you are looking at the guts of a thousand euro for a couple of nights. I couldn’t justify that to myself so I booked 4 star. It’s still over 500 euro for 2 nights room only.

1st weekend open, bank holiday weekend, indoor dining and drinking for residents- the hotels will be jammed that weekend and trying to make up for months of closure.

Darc19

JimmyVik wrote: »

We cancelled a centerparcs booking we had last year. They gave no discount, given the hugely reduced service you would have had. 2 visits to the pool for a couple of hours over 3 days. Takeaway food only. And they would not reduce the price. Theyve actually increased their prices for bookings next year. It was already expensive.


Decided not to chance a hotels for this summer and did a house swap with a friend the other side of the country for July.
We dont really care if there are travel restrictions in the summer, we are going anyway. Too much is too much.

You must have missed their email.

They were giving substantial discounts and included those who had already booked and also changed their cancellation policy so that you could cancel at any time and get full refund.

They are not cheap, but are worth it.

JimmyVik

Darc19 wrote: »

You must have missed their email.

They were giving substantial discounts and included those who had already booked and also changed their cancellation policy so that you could cancel at any time and get full refund.

They are not cheap, but are worth it.

Can you post up that email?


They did not give or offer any refund to us at all.
And yes I did cancel it in the end. I actually called them to see if there was going to be any sort of refund on the price I paid, before I cancelled and they said no.

yourdeadwright

Anyone know of could place to rent cottages bar Airbnb ?

Muahahaha

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Anyone know of could place to rent cottages bar Airbnb ?

booking.com also list holiday homes as well as hotel rooms. There is a filter for holiday homes, you'll find them using that

Squeaksoutloud

VRBO is excellent also. Then you have the usual trident, SuperValu breaks and dreamireland.

gipi

poisonated wrote: »

I just booked a hotel for the June bank holiday. Hotels are very pricey for that weekend. If you want a 5 star, you are looking at the guts of a thousand euro for a couple of nights. I couldn’t justify that to myself so I booked 4 star. It’s still over 500 euro for 2 nights room only.

Just booked a hotel in Wicklow for the end of June, 225 euro for 2 nights b&b, with an upgraded room and 48hr cancellation (just in case). Not 5 star, but one we've been to before and have enjoyed. Can't wait!!

poisonated

gipi wrote: »

Just booked a hotel in Wicklow for the end of June, 225 euro for 2 nights b&b, with an upgraded room and 48hr cancellation (just in case). Not 5 star, but one we've been to before and have enjoyed. Can't wait!!

I’m glad you found a good deal. I’m sure there are good deals to be had. I can’t drive which hinders me a little bit.

beggars_bush

shamrockcottages.co.uk also has lots of property listed on behalf of owners
Problem is many have now been relisted elsewhere by owners.
No harm is submitting a query though

stargazer 68

gipi wrote: »

Just booked a hotel in Wicklow for the end of June, 225 euro for 2 nights b&b, with an upgraded room and 48hr cancellation (just in case). Not 5 star, but one we've been to before and have enjoyed. Can't wait!!

Booked a hotel in Wexford for 3 of us. 400 for 2 nights b and b. Have been a few times and have wanted to see their new rooms etc Cant wait:)

Bluesquare

Haven’t booked anything and now everything is completely booked up for families in July/august .

I wonder what the chances of a lot of cancellations coming through are from Non Irish tourists ?

Sheep Shagger

Bluesquare wrote: »

Haven’t booked anything and now everything is completely booked up for families in July/august .

I wonder what the chances of a lot of cancellations coming through are from Non Irish tourists ?

Why would they cancel if they are vaccinated?