I just came back from a holiday in Ireland

MickeyLeari

bohsfan wrote: »

Stayed in a hotel in Wicklow last weekend. Really enjoyed myself. Yes, it's not the experience it used to be, yes there are compromises- but I felt it was worth it to get away from the house and feel like an adult again after months stuck at home!

Everything was well communicated in advance. The room was as it always was. No services missing, apart from the physical book of services that usually on the table. TV was there and operational!

You had to book in for your swim session. You had an hour (which is probably as long as I would stay normally anyway) and had to change in your room. About 20 people in the pool for the session. No bothers, very relaxing.

Dinner was the same, you booked in advance but there was no problem getting drinks in advance or retiring to a common area after for another couple of drinks. The bar itself was closed but they had staff on the floor taking orders. No hassle.

Your breakfast time was booked in advance and you ordered whatever you wanted off the menu on the day. Not quite the grab a bit of everything buffet experience, but I find that very busy anyway so it was alright by me.

The Spa was open for some treatments, if that's your thing. Room service was encouraged. In fact, there was little different really. Service was patchy at times as it was the first weekend and staff were adjusting. But all in all it was very enjoyable.

Sounds ok. Can you mention the name of the establishment?

Supercell

We just came back from a long weekend in Athlone. We stayed in an AirBnB house, the owners have long checklist of stuff they have to do to sanitise the place and its was all sparking, no complaints. We went to Bay Sports ones of the day (outdoor water adventure place on Lough Ree) and was very impressed how they had the place set up to deal with the current situation. At the end they took our wetsuits and soaked them in an enormous vat of sanitiser water which was very reassuring as they are obviously worn skin tight.
Athlone castle was only taking bookings in advance which was grand , felt like we owned the place as there was only a few others there.
The weather wasnt great, but cant blame that on the virus and we all had a brilliant time. People are making do in the current situation, wouldnt hesitate to do it again somewhere else in the country.

Spanish Eyes

Supercell wrote: »

We just came back from a long weekend in Athlone. We stayed in an AirBnB house, the owners have long checklist of stuff they have to do to sanitise the place and its was all sparking, no complaints. We went to Bay Sports ones of the day (outdoor water adventure place on Lough Ree) and was very impressed how they had the place set up to deal with the current situation. At the end they took our wetsuits and soaked them in an enormous vat of sanitiser water which was very reassuring as they are obviously worn skin tight.
Athlone castle was only taking bookings in advance which was grand , felt like we owned the place as there was only a few others there.
The weather wasnt great, but cant blame that on the virus and we all had a brilliant time. People are making do in the current situation, wouldnt hesitate to do it again somewhere else in the country.

That's the spirit! We are also not too sure about hotels TBH, would prefer small B+Bs of a good quality mind! Bars or lack of them don't bother us. But a local place within walking distance is always a bonus. Just have to do a bit of digging
To plan it out.

Funnily enough it is actually passing a lot of time checking places out, much more so than a flight, transfer/car hire and hotel abroad, although we loved them too I'm no snob, but in quieter areas of France, Italy and Spain. But none of those countries are going anywhere anytime soon either.

Hellrazer

ThewhiteJesus wrote: »

Have irish pubs really done that ?
That's shameful if that's the case and they should be named

Most of the pubs in Maynooth have put the price of a pint up. Used to around 5.20 - 5.40 before the lockdown. My daughter paid 6.20 over the weekend in 2 of them.

Spanish Eyes

TBH I wouldn't have a huge problem paying a bit more for a pint or whatever now. Same goes for food.

It has been very tough for these sectors. The concern is that it will become the norm and people will have to rebel, and just go back to where they were during the lockdown and buy a few beers and wine from the supermarket and the offie.

It's not as if going to a pub is a magical experience anymore, well maybe for some, but let's wait and see.

JP Liz V1

Are pools not cleaned daily?

ThewhiteJesus

Hellrazer wrote: »

Most of the pubs in Maynooth have put the price of a pint up. Used to around 5.20 - 5.40 before the lockdown. My daughter paid 6.20 over the weekend in 2 of them.

That’s actually shocking, it’ll be more tins at home for everyone if they’re not careful

facehugger99

I stayed in a couple of hotels last week. Both had pool and bar open, albeit you had to book a time at the pool.

You had to request a kettle from reception bizarrely but they just gave it to you when you asked.

Breakfast was table service and you needed to book a time. Obviously tv and remotes were present and correct.

In one hotel all the staff were wearing facemasks, in the other, none were.

Generally good service and value but Irish weather is generally ****e.

Still looking forward to 2 weeks in Spain at the same time.

learner161

Yeats Hotel in Sligo is very strict. They tell you when you can come out of your room and they will tell you when you have to return to your room.
I understand they don't want you to be hanging around the lobby area but your well to stay at home. I work in this industry and what guests have told us after staying there.

Assetbacked

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

I had a night booked in the cliff house in Waterford, 5 star spa hotel. They never said anything at the time of booking or emailed me about it but if you check their website it says you have to book in the for the pool, the sauna and steam room etc. are closed. I went to book a time and asked how long we'd have and they initially ignored that question, I asked again after a few more mails and they confirmed 30 minutes. I cancelled immediately, any kind of fancy hotel is certainly not worth it at the moment.

You may as well fly abroad at this point. The government hasn't given any proper advice for reopening and facilitating stay at home holidays whether it be gyms and spas or pubs.

With the media stories this week, it has now been confirmed that no enforcement of the quarantining will actually happen and the fact the virus is under control in other EU countries, it's time to book the flights before the green list comes out on the 20th as there are some good deals currently on flights.

Spanish Eyes

Well I think we need to ask Micheal Martin and the Health Minister now.

What have they said? Not much AFAIS. Terrified of upsetting US and the UK, as if they care about our little country anyway.

But we are being told to Holi STay,

gmisk

addaword wrote: »

Correct. And the government here spends much more on expenditure ( mainly wages and pensions) than say Spain does. In a non covit year, Spain has 100 times more tourists than us? yet they pay their President / Prime Minister only €72,000 per year, less than many public servants get here. Our president is paid something like 242,000 per year. Most of the high taxes here go towards paying high salaries. If salaries and pensions were not so high, prices in hotels and bars and garages etc would be less.

Er your responding to your own post....
Your constantly posting the same in the Public sector versus private sector thread...

Nijmegen

Obviously different places are handling covid in different ways. I’m sitting in a hotel room in Killarney and yes you need to book a time for breakfast and it’s menu rather than buffet (but they insist you order as much as you like); but for everything else bar signs and hand sanitizer everywhere and the staff cleaning everything down and asking for your contact details whenever you sit in somewhere... business as usual.

TV? Check. Room cleaned daily? Check. (Even a turndown service in operation.) Room service? Check. Pool and spa? Check. (No wait list, first come first served - but they have multiple large pools so rarely if ever a wait.) Bar? Check.

I could go on... but obviously it warrants checking out where you want to go specifically, but having barely left the house since lockdown the trip is a real tonic.

Cape Clear

Don't underestimate what a change of scenery can do for the mind.

eddie73

There are going to be no bargains in the hotel sector after this pandemic. Reason? The hotels can't afford to do this.

We can't have it both ways. Hotels are under serious pressure having being closed for 3 months during Easter and another bank holiday weekend at the beginning of may. now they face constant scrutiny from gov inspections either from the Gardai or the health authorities for covid compliance. Extra hours and infrastructure for covid prevention means more expenses for them.

They wont be able to accrue this back by offering bargains. Not during peak season in any event.

I think that people should be both realistic and understanding here.

SAMTALK

learner161 wrote: »

Yeats Hotel in Sligo is very strict. They tell you when you can come out of your room and they will tell you when you have to return to your room.
I understand they don't want you to be hanging around the lobby area but your well to stay at home. I work in this industry and what guests have told us after staying there.

That's a bit OTT.

Think i'd prefer to stay at home than have this

pc7

We enjoyed our hotel stay and have more booked for later in the summer, but I'm getting a bit twitchy about it if numbers rising. Will see how things look and might just cancel nearer the time if it looks dodgy.

WeleaseWoderick

eddie73 wrote: »

There are going to be no bargains in the hotel sector after this pandemic. Reason? The hotels can't afford to do this.

We can't have it both ways. Hotels are under serious pressure having being closed for 3 months during Easter and another bank holiday weekend at the beginning of may. now they face constant scrutiny from gov inspections either from the Gardai or the health authorities for covid compliance. Extra hours and infrastructure for covid prevention means more expenses for them.

They wont be able to accrue this back by offering bargains. Not during peak season in any event.

I think that people should be both realistic and understanding here.

Really depends on what part of the country you look at. Dublin hotel rates have plummeted (plenty of 3&4 star hotels for €100 or less tonight for example which would be unheard of in mid-July normally).

Understandably, the demand seems to be for the west coast and away from City Centres at the moment. So rates for "destination" hotels are staying high as there is still adequate demand there.

Spanish Eyes

For those of us who can pick and choose when to go (no younger kids etc.), September is a good bet. The weather is usually much better than bloody August anyway.

Rates should be lower with less demand once some sort of schooling resumes, but who knows. Am waiting it out until then (here in Ireland) anyway. Day trips around the place in the meantime, when we can to quieter spots within an hour or less drive, coolbox and picnic (well a few rolls and that) in the boot, plus raingear, oh god, and off we go. Surprising how much is around you that you never knew about.

JP Liz V1

pc7 wrote: »

We enjoyed our hotel stay and have more booked for later in the summer, but I'm getting a bit twitchy about it if numbers rising. Will see how things look and might just cancel nearer the time if it looks dodgy.

If we go back a phase, does hotels close again?

pc7

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

If we go back a phase, does hotels close again?

Maybe? At least decision out of our hands if it is. Just don’t want to put ourselves at risk, but want to try live a bit and enjoy summer. I’m dreading the winter.

howiya

WeleaseWoderick wrote: »

Really depends on what part of the country you look at. Dublin hotel rates have plummeted (plenty of 3&4 star hotels for €100 or less tonight for example which would be unheard of in mid-July normally).

Understandably, the demand seems to be for the west coast and away from City Centres at the moment. So rates for "destination" hotels are staying high as there is still adequate demand there.

Yeah I've seen that as welll although wasn't looking at Dublin. Got a great deal on a night in Belfast and the difference in the price of the room when compared with a similar standard hotel in Westport will pay for dinner in our favourite restaurant up there.

Was mainly looking for a change of scenery rather than a specific location so was able to shop around

road_high

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

If we go back a phase, does hotels close again?

And who pays the €350 per week? And with what? Crazy talk

caddy16

Nijmegen wrote: »

Obviously different places are handling covid in different ways. I’m sitting in a hotel room in Killarney and yes you need to book a time for breakfast and it’s menu rather than buffet (but they insist you order as much as you like); but for everything else bar signs and hand sanitizer everywhere and the staff cleaning everything down and asking for your contact details whenever you sit in somewhere... business as usual.

TV? Check. Room cleaned daily? Check. (Even a turndown service in operation.) Room service? Check. Pool and spa? Check. (No wait list, first come first served - but they have multiple large pools so rarely if ever a wait.) Bar? Check.

I could go on... but obviously it warrants checking out where you want to go specifically, but having barely left the house since lockdown the trip is a real tonic.

Sounds good, mind sending on name of hotel - even by PM.

JP Liz V1

Couples will be able to claim back as much as €250 on hotel and restaurant bills under the Government's staycation subsidy.

The tax-back scheme is to run from October this year until April 2021 and will apply to hotels, food and non-alcoholic drinks.

Holidaymakers and diners will have to spend up to €625 to claim back the maximum €125 tax rebate. A couple can claim €250.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/couples-on-a-staycation-can-claim-back-up-to-250-on-bills-39390033.html

JP Liz V1

A few hotels have automatic temp check machines on entry, these much be costly but necessary

JP Liz V1

Paschal talking now about rebate, think Revenue app needed

tom1ie

Nijmegen wrote: »

Obviously different places are handling covid in different ways. I’m sitting in a hotel room in Killarney and yes you need to book a time for breakfast and it’s menu rather than buffet (but they insist you order as much as you like); but for everything else bar signs and hand sanitizer everywhere and the staff cleaning everything down and asking for your contact details whenever you sit in somewhere... business as usual.

TV? Check. Room cleaned daily? Check. (Even a turndown service in operation.) Room service? Check. Pool and spa? Check. (No wait list, first come first served - but they have multiple large pools so rarely if ever a wait.) Bar? Check.

I could go on... but obviously it warrants checking out where you want to go specifically, but having barely left the house since lockdown the trip is a real tonic.

do you not need to have your €9 meal to get a drink at the bar?
we were in two different hotels during August and we had to order food for 1 or 2 drinks.

munchkin_utd

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

A few hotels have automatic temp check machines on entry, these much be costly but necessary

why are they necessary?

firstly, who goes on holiday with a fever when youre dying sick ? Very very few I'd imagine , and if they do go to a hotel, being sick they'll not be at the bar mingling with anyone (for 105 minutes) , they would be in the room lying down dying sick.

secondly, it seems that many people, especially younger people, can be infected but be asymptomatic , so no temperature so they simply wont get picked up.

So essentially, you are taking temperatures to catch anyone who has symptoms but is a stubborn fool who goes on holiday despite feeling desperate.

The chinese did it, and some other authoritarian states, along with disinfecting bushes and surface of motorways and other nonesense, because they dictatorships that need to be seen to act. It doesnt mean its a useful measure.

bladespin

tom1ie wrote: »

do you not need to have your €9 meal to get a drink at the bar?
we were in two different hotels during August and we had to order food for 1 or 2 drinks.

Not as a resident usually, also if you have a table booked for later (or have already had a meal) then many will provide a drink.

stargazer 68

tom1ie wrote: »

do you not need to have your €9 meal to get a drink at the bar?
we were in two different hotels during August and we had to order food for 1 or 2 drinks.

Depends on the hotel. They all seem to be doing their own thing. Wexford last week and no problem getting a couple of beers in the afternoon with no food.

Fitz*

When I stayed in a hotel this summer, I got early check in which was a welcome. There was no real pressure to check out early the next day either, again welcome. But I assumed that both were linked and that my room was not in use the day previous or after me, so it would be cleaned. That's about the height of the pleasurable experiences though.

The pool was off booked up by the time I had arrived. Unless I wanted to use it at 21.00 at night. The gym was off limits.

The WiFi on my floor was 'under maintenance' so was working on & off.

I had dinner booked in a restaurant outside of the hotel which means I could not get a drink in the bar, even though I was a resident. If I wanted a drink, I had to purchase more food, just after having a full 3 course meal. Or I could pay €10 tray service charge to get a drink sent to my room. I couldn't bring the drink to my room myself though.

This resulted in the 'holiday' activity of retiring to the room to watch TV at around 19.45 as there was nothing else to do on a wet evening. The smart TV in the room had basic TV channels that were hard to use, offered Netflix which did not work, and the casting feature which was heavily advertised and did not work.

Breakfast was timed which was good, but was a set menu. There was a big selection but you were limited to selections on the menu like a full Irish fry or bread selection or porridge or fruit selection etc and not a mix of one of each.

The room was not cheap.

bladespin

Fitz* wrote: »

When I stayed in a hotel this summer

Sounds like a pretty crappy experience, we stayed in 4 hotels over our summer holiday, one in Belfast, another in Louth , one in Cork and one in Cavan.

All called before our visit to arrange times for dinners and pools, we opted for dinner around 8 in most cases allowing time for a few drinks after (not knowing exactly how each worked).

All allowed a drink in the lobby/parlors once resident or dinner had been booked, some had a closing time for the bars after food but there was always a residents bar with table service (no extra charge). all gyms were open, some had Jacuzzi and saunas open, some didn't.

Breakfast queues weren't an issue bar for the Cork visit, not sure why, might be the area was smaller than the others though didn't really seem it. Most were off menu (seconds were a thing - my eldest went about 3 kids breakfasts in one sitting) though bakery and fresh fruit buffets were on in some.

Prices varied from about €120 per night to €250.

Stratvs

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Paschal talking now about rebate, think Revenue app needed

It's a tax credit so yeah, assuming you've sufficient tax paid ( in excess of €125/250 in the year ) then you can get up to that back. Of course that assumes you don't owe anything to them otherwise, such as any tax due on PUP / TWSS so when they do the 2020 & 2021 balancing accounts you may or not get an actual rebate.

Heading for few days to the sunny south east next week. Looking forward to it now as apart from a couple of day trips have been working right through since before lockdown. Will report back on how it goes.

pc7

Does anyone know what the app is called, I can’t get a link to open from any links online? For iPhone please?

tayto lover

bladespin wrote: »

Sounds like a pretty crappy experience, we stayed in 4 hotels over our summer holiday, one in Belfast, another in Louth , one in Cork and one in Cavan.

All called before our visit to arrange times for dinners and pools, we opted for dinner around 8 in most cases allowing time for a few drinks after (not knowing exactly how each worked).

All allowed a drink in the lobby/parlors once resident or dinner had been booked, some had a closing time for the bars after food but there was always a residents bar with table service (no extra charge). all gyms were open, some had Jacuzzi and saunas open, some didn't.

Breakfast queues weren't an issue bar for the Cork visit, not sure why, might be the area was smaller than the others though didn't really seem it. Most were off menu (seconds were a thing - my eldest went about 3 kids breakfasts in one sitting) though bakery and fresh fruit buffets were on in some.

Prices varied from about €120 per night to €250.

Same here.
Stayed in a hotel in Cavan and no bother getting a few pints.
They even had live music.

Stratvs

pc7 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the app is called, I can’t get a link to open from any links online? For iPhone please?

Do you mean the Revenue receipts tracker app?

https://www.revenue.ie/en/online-services/services/common/manage-your-receipts-with-the-receipts-tracker.aspx

For iPhone in the App Store search for "Revenue receipts tracker"
It should be the second on in the list that comes up with the official Green Castle Gates logo.

pc7

Thanks search in App Store worked so have it now, when I click from link says not available In your country.

Stratvs

pc7 wrote: »

Thanks search in App Store worked so have it now, when I click from link says not available In your country.

Just realised that now when you said. Someone must have only been on their first coffee of the day when they set that up

JP Liz V1

I thought some might use here

Select Hotels have kindly given us the promo code: sel2for1 to use on their website www.selecthotels.ie. Book one night B&B for 2 people sharing midweek and get your second night for free

JeffKenna

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I thought some might use here

Have they not just doubled the price for the first night or am I missing something?

JP Liz V1

JeffKenna wrote: »

Have they not just doubled the price for the first night or am I missing something?

beertons

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I thought some might use here

www.selecthotels.com

bureau2009

Anyone been to a hotel where pool use is less restricted and you can use it a couple of times a day?

pc7

Has anyone managed to get the app to work on an iPhone 11, it wont work for me?

bladespin

beertons wrote: »

www.selecthotels.com

Excludes weekends and the prices are hiked up then discounted.

JP Liz V1

bureau2009 wrote: »

Anyone been to a hotel where pool use is less restricted and you can use it a couple of times a day?

Any I've been too which wasn't many you had to pre book a time

JP Liz V1

So will many staycation local in their own counties for level 3?

bladespin

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

So will many staycation local in their own counties for level 3?

Emm no, from me anyway.

suicide_circus

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

So will many staycation local in their own counties for level 3?

I feel me staying in the Red Cow hotel would be more depressing than staying home